Christmas Kiss

Chapter Twenty-Three

The fire popped which made me jump, Steve laughed and I just groaned. I hate when I would jump at the littlest thing some days. I checked my watch and saw it was midnight.

"Merry Christmas Steve" I said looking up at him, "Merry Christmas my Laura" he replied back and kissed me. It wasn't a long-drawn-out kiss that would burn the house down, but a tender kiss of promises to come.

Steve took my hand and led me to our makeshift bed, I got under the covers and snuggled in, watching him put the bigger logs into the fire, hopefully it will last most of the night for us.

He stood there and took off his shirt, and oh wow. This man was sculpted, his chest and stomach were amazing. My butterflies were zinging all over the place watching him stand in front of the fire and somewhat undressing.

He winked at me which made me turn ten shades of red and I covered my face with my blanket. I can't believe I was staring at him like I just saw dessert. That got a giggle out of me when that image came to mind.

"What are you giggling at like a school girl under there" Steve said as he pulled the blanket away from my face. I saw he was already under the covers and laying on his one arm facing me.

While pulling the blanket away from me with his other hand. "Nothing" I blurted out, then we both laughed with that one. "Nothing, sure little mouse" he said as he leaned over and kissed me.

"Sweet dreams my sweet mouse, you're going to need rest" he whispered as he kissed me once more and then laid on his back.

I never knew a man could make you so interested in something and then frustrated in the next breath. I swear he was playing a very dangerous game with me at this moment.

"Good morning my sweet little mouse" I heard Steve whisper in my ear, "good morning to you my big bear" I said as I stretched.

I peeked open my one eye and saw him lying next to me watching me. "See something you like?" I asked as I laid on my stomach with my head resting on my arms facing him.

"Oh yes, but what I want will be unwrapped tonight" he whispered as he kissed me good morning. Oh, I definitely could get used to this every morning.

I went to get up, and he pulled me back down and kissed me a bit longer than before. By the time he pulled away we were both breathing a bit harder. "Well, if my bear wants to unwrap his main gift tonight then he will have to let me go" I said laughing.

With a groan he let me go, I stood up and made the coffee, and once Steve was done with the bathroom, I had him sit on the couch. "I have these for you and I hope you like them" I said as I handed him the smaller gift first.

He smiled and opened it up. He sat there staring at it for what seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes. "I love this Laura, where did you find it?" he asked.

"I had it hidden away, so that way I would always have it, and that night I got it from your mom I made the frame to give it to you that Christmas, but I was never able to" I told him.

He ran his finger over the picture of him and I. Still to this day I love that picture of us. "When everything opens back up, I want us to get a picture of us like this grown up, and get a frame for it, so we can have both side by side" he said smiling down at the picture.

"I love that idea" I told him. I got up and grabbed the other gift. "This one I found one day in a store in a city I was visiting. Once you see it, it will explain a couple of things" I told him.

I handed him the box, he took his time unwrapping and opening it. He took out the blanket and stood up to open it all the way up. It could fit a queen size bed, with how large it was.

Once he saw the design, his mouth hung open. "I can't believe this, now I understand the look you had on your face when you saw my tattoo", he said looking at the blanket.

"Once I saw your tattoo, and I had this blanket for about six years now, I knew we were meant to be together one way or another" I said smiling at him.

You see the blanket I got had a big grizzly bear standing up roaring on it, and on the bears, shoulder was a mouse sitting their content. That was our relationship growing up.

He was my bear, my protector, larger than life itself, and I was always his little mouse with how tiny I was back then and still to this day. This blanket was us, just like his tattoo.