“That was amazing,” he said, as he kissed my forehead.
“It really was,” I echoed, as I tipped my chin so I could look into his eyes. He smiled and kissed me again.
“I would love nothing more than to lay here and keep doing this all day,” he said, as I nodded. “But we do have to get over to my parents’ house.”
“Oh my gosh!” I cried. “We’re going to be so late! I’m sorry!”
“Shhh, shhh,” he chuckled, as he pulled me down and kissed me tenderly. “It’s all good. I’m never on time, so they won’t be expecting me for another hour.”
“Oh, well then…” I said, flashing him a sexy grin that told him exactly what I was thinking.
“Oh no!” he laughed loudly. “We need to get dressed, you temptress!”
Blake kissed me once more and then sat up before I slid off of his lap and made a dash for the bathroom. I turned on the water, stepped into the large bathtub, and gasped as Blake followed. We spent the next half hour teasing each other as we slid our slick, soap-coated hands over each other’s bodies, exploring every inch and working ourselves into a state of arousal that could only be sated by melding our wet bodies on the bathroom floor.
When we finally closed the front door and headed for the truck, I felt a warm glow radiating from me that had very little to do with the holiday season. Blake smiled at me as he opened the truck door and helped me in.
“Merry Christmas, Emily,” he said, as he kissed me lightly. A smile spread across my lips as I whispered, “Merry Christmas, indeed, Blake.”
Chapter Fifteen
Blake
I hadn’t called ahead to tell my parents that I was bringing a guest to our Christmas celebration, but I didn’t worry because in my family, there was always room for one more at the table. Emily looked apprehensive as we pulled into the drive, but I smiled reassuringly and squeezed her hand before we headed into the house.
“Merry Christmas, Blake!” my mother called from the kitchen as Emily and I entered through the front door.
“How did you know it was me?” I laughed, as I slipped off my boots and hung our coats in the front hall closet.
“Because I’m already here, dumbass,” Brian said, as he emerged from the kitchen licking a spatula covered in what looked like cake batter.
“No fair, Mom!” I protested, as I crossed the room and tried to wrestle the spatula from my brother’s hand. Brian held it high above his head, and as I reached for it, he flung batter against the wall and across the floor.
“Brian and Blake!” my mother yelled, as she came out of the kitchen just in time to witness the mess being made. “What did I tell you two about messing up my…oh, hello! Who is this, Blake?”
“Mom, this is Emily Fowler; she’s Nina’s History teacher,” I said, as my mother raised an eyebrow and then immediately stepped forward to welcome Emily into her home.
“Emily, it’s so nice to meet you. Blake didn’t tell us he’d be bringing a friend,” my mother said, extending her hand. “Merry Christmas, and welcome to our home!”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Gaston,” Emily said, shyly shaking my mother’s offered hand. “I…I…I…”
“Emily lost her house in a fire this morning, Mom,” I said, cutting into Emily’s attempt to explain why she was joining us on such short notice. My mother’s eyes widened, and I could tell she was reassessing the situation.
“Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Please, call me Ellie,” my mother said. “You lost everything?”
“Uh huh,” Emily nodded, looking down before adding, “except my cat. Blake saved him.”
“I’m so sorry,” my mother said, as she wrapped an arm around Emily’s waist and pulled her toward the kitchen saying, “Why don’t you come help me prepare dinner and let the boys set the table.”
“Awww, Mom,” Brian and I whined in unison.
“Don’t aww, Mom me,” my mother scolded. “You know where everything is. Get the table set and get your father out of the basement before you watch your games!”
Brian and I headed into the dining room and began pulling out the silverware and dishes that my mother saved for holiday meals and celebrations. We knew that setting the table would be infinitely easier than getting Dad out of his basement hideaway, and we also knew, from experience, that our mother wouldn’t let us get away with shirking our duties.
“So, you’re hot for teacher,” Brian said, as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Oh, shut up,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I felt bad for her. She didn’t have anywhere to go, and it’s Christmas, for God’s sake.”