“Put Bentley down so I can give you your presents,” he said.
“I like the sound of that,” I replied, sitting him in the inflatable ring so he could sit and play with his toys, too.
“Here,” Cole said, handing me a sack of presents when I sat back down with his pile of gifts.
“Thank you. We open at the same time, right?”
He nodded, staring into my eyes like it was the first time he’d seen me – again. “Right.”
The kids were happily playing with all their toys, so we had a few minutes to ourselves to open ours in a certain amount of peace.
We’d got each other the usual little bits we’d asked for. Clothes, my favourite perfume, a voucher for the local tattoo parlour so Cole could get Everleigh and Bentley’s name inked into his skin, and other bits.
I unwrapped a particularly revealing underwear set, careful not to let Everleigh see it. Raising my eyebrow at Cole, I ran my hand over the soft, white lace.
“For later,” he said, shrugging.
“This a present for me or for you?”
“You,” he replied, faking hurt. “Okay, both of us.” Sighing, he added, “Me. I got it for me.”
Laughing, I nudged his shoulder and put the lid back on the box. “Well, maybe I’ll put it on tonight.”
His eyebrows lifted in hope. “Yeah?”
I nodded, biting my lip, and his eyes darkened. As much as I was looking forward to a big, family Christmas I was also very much looking forward to getting my husband naked.
Groaning, he said, “We have hours. You shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You’re terrible,” I said, reaching over and dragging his main present towards us. “Now this one.”
Cole didn’t take much down time for himself, always making sure we were looked after and the kids were entertained, so I’d bought him something that I knew he’d want, but would never buy himself.
“Oakley…” he said, his bright blue eyes visibly lighting up as he stared at the PlayStation 4 box. He’d not played video games for years.
“No arguments!” I raised my eyebrow.
Laughing, he lent over and kissed me. His lips were perfectly soft, and I wanted to deepen the kiss but we both knew we had to keep it reserved and not scare Everleigh for life.
“I love you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“There might be one more for you,” he said. “Everleigh, can you pass me that present in the tree, please?”
“What present in the tree?” she asked, not even looking up.
“Well, if you’ll glance over there you’ll see it.”
Sighing because she would have to leave the Frozen characters that she’d been role-playing with, she got up. “Where, Daddy?”
“Near the bottom. Red paper.”
“Oh! Here it is,” she said, pulling it out. “Who’s it for?”
“Mummy,” he replied.
Everleigh negotiated the maze made by wrapping paper and handed me the present. “Thank you.”
With a fleeting smile, she went back to her game.
I shook it, narrowing my eyes at Cole. It rattled quietly. “Hey, no cheating, just open,” he said, tucking my hair behind my ear.
I tore into the paper and found a black velvet box. Glancing up briefly to see him smile, I opened the lid and gasped.
He’d bought me a white gold necklace and earring set. The stones were blue topaz and matched the ones in my engagement and wedding rings. Apparently they also reminded him of my eyes. They reminded me of our children’s, too.
“Cole…It’s beautiful.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
“Thank you.” I lent in and kissed him, lingering for a little longer than we usually did in front of the kids. My heart beat wildly and my body heated in all the right places. Now is so not the time!
“Merry Christmas,” I whispered against his lips.
Bentley started fussing, ending our moment. One of them usually did, but neither of us ever minded. Cole reached over and picked him up while I put my jewellery on. My rings sparkled with the twinkling lights on the tree.
“We should eat breakfast and get ready to go.”
“Nanna’s!” Everleigh shouted, hopping up. “Let’s go now. Will Leona be there yet? Will Uncle Jasper be there yet?”
I held my hands up. “Whoa, calm down. Nanna and Grandad will probably still be asleep. Leona will be opening her presents with Mia and Jasper… Well, he’ll be playing with Sophia’s toys but at his house.”
Cole took them upstairs to get dressed in the clothes I’d already picked out, or nothing would match. While they were getting ready, I packed the presents for everyone into large gift bags and went to brush my teeth.
***