Page 30 of The Alien Who Saved Christmas
Xane looked her way. “What?”
His otherworldly turquoise eyes did funny things to her chest. Talking about her parents the night before had reminded Sadie of childhood bedtime stories her mother used to tell her. About her mom first seeing Sadie’s father across that parking lot and feeling her heart goboom. Like it was starting to beat at the proper rhythm, for the very first time, because now she’d found the other half of it.
“A tree.” She shrugged. “At Christmastime, humans bring trees into their houses.”
“Why?”
“So we can decorate them with pretty ornaments.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea, but it’s important.” She gave a firm nod. “Trust me. It’s Christmas Eve, and we need a tree.”
Xane made a face. “No, we don’t.” He was looking much healthier today. He’d even found a makeshift shirt. But he was still in a grouchy mood. It was just his default setting. “I doubt trees even grow on Corono.”
“We’ll have to improvise with a festive bush or something.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I don’t joke about Christmas, Xane. You’re lucky we don’t have twinkle lights or I’d be stringing them on your antlers.” It would look adorable.
Xane ignored that Martha-Steward-level idea. “You wish to search for abush… to bring aboard the ship… and decorate it.” He recapped slowly, like maybe he was misunderstanding her.
“No, silly.” She beamed at him. “I wantusto do that.”
He frowned, still not loving the plan.
Sadie wasn’t bothered by his attitude. That morning, she’d woken up safely held in his four massive arms. Since he’d still been on his side of the mattress, she could only assume she’d moved against him in her sleep. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, when she opened her eyes, Xane had been staring down at her with a hypnotized expression on his face.
A girl could get used to that.
“Is it dangerous to go outside? Because of the sandstorm?”
“It is far enough away that it poses no real risk, but it is still a ludicrous idea.”
“It’s tradition.” She told him. “Husbands and wives celebrate holidays together. I mean, I’m pretty sure we’renotmarried…”
“We’re married.”
“…but I’m positive if Iwasmarried, my husband and I would have a Christmas tree.” She finished with a mike-drop kind of smile. “What do you say?”
His frown deepened. “I say you are attempting to influence me, so I will carry out your insane dictates.”
“Is it working?” She made a show of pouting out her lower lip. “Come on, Xane. Please? Help me save Christmas.”
The big guy was kind of a pushover in the face of her teasing. “This is ridiculous.” He grumbled, even as he trudged towards the door. “You are not going outside.Iwill get you a bush, if you desire it.”
“But I want to come, too!”
“No.” One clawed finger jabbed her way for emphasis. “You stay right here.”
“You said the sandstorm posed no risk.”
“No risk for normal beings, like Rtaharions. Too much risk for small beings like you. Your skin is too delicate.” He headed out of the room. “I will be back in ten minutes.”
“Fine.” She decided to pick her battles. “I’ll find decorations for us, then.”
“I am getting you a bush, but I am not decorating.”
