Page 93 of Pulled By the Tail
The two girls sat on the floor and emptied their stockings. Persi had a set of plastic building blocks that for sure would be scattered across the floor in no time. Corie opened a velvet box, revealing a silver necklace with a charm.
“That’s lovely,” Georgia said, admiring the tiny moon violet cast in silver.
“Do you think Santa left us more stockings?” Persi dumped the blocks onto the carpet and mashed pieces together.
Georgia shared a look with Talen. Quil had been in charge of filling one—one!—stocking for the girls and setting presents under the tree. Who knows what he actually did in the overnight hours.
“Let’s have breakfast and we’ll go hunting,” Talen said.
“I already had candy. Let’s go hunting now,” Persi retorted.
“You spend too much time with your uncle.”
Corie snorted, then immediately covered her smile with her hand, ears pressed back with embarrassment.
“Breakfast or Bright will have our ears,” Talen said, but the stubborn kit remained unmoved.
“I heard that Santa liked the cookies and milk so much, that he’s stopping by to have breakfast with us,” Georgia said.
“He did?” Persi’s eyes went wide.
“That’s what he told me last night.” Charl purchased a large red overcoat years ago and had been patiently waiting for Persi to be old enough to appreciate Earth traditions. Georgia hoped that Persi would be too impressed by the visit to not question why Santa had four arms.
Talen herded the girls out the door. As Persi and Corie clattered down the stairs, no doubt waking the entire house, he hung back and gave Georgia a heated look.
“Oh no,” she said as he pulled her toward him.
“Temptress,” he said, his voice low and rumbling.
Really? Her hair was a mess and she wore an old bathrobe. She hardly looked the part of a temptress.
Standards had fallen. “No time for that, fuzzy britches,” she said.
“Always time for you, my heart.” He placed a kiss just behind her ear and nibbled down.
“Mmm. A compelling argument but we got a three-year-old monster who’s already eaten her body weight in candy. We should totally try to get her to eat a vegetable.”
“As exciting as that sounds, I have an alternate suggestion. You, minus the bathrobe, on the bed,” he said, already loosening the ties to the robe.
“There’s no time.” Story of every parent’s life right there.
“Okay, keep the bathrobe.” He stroked down her back, hand over the robe. “I like how soft it is.”
“How about,” she purred, “you unwrap your present later, after the kits have gone to bed?”
His teeth nipped at her neck. “Happy MidWinter, my heart.”
Four years ago, they discovered a surprise pregnancy and everything changed, yet nothing had really changed. Their kit only made her aware of the love she had been too scared to admit. She loved her massive alien with his large hands and book collection. She loved the way he read to their daughter every night. She loved the smile with just a hint of fangs he flashed every morning. She loved him with her whole heart and would until the light left her.
“Merry Christmas, love,” she said.
