Merry Christmas, Baby

"Well, Henry's all tucked in. It took two readings of 'The Night Before Christmas'--well, one and a half-- but he's sound asleep."

"Taking him to the park today was a good idea. He's exhausted."

"So, how are you doing?"

Kerry mumbled something about the assembly instructions being unnecessarily cryptic without looking up and kept at her task for a moment or two before declaring, "I think I’ve…" she grunted as she tightened the last screw, "got it!

"There. That should do it." Now that she had finished, Kerry finally looked up at Courtney, who was looking quite comfy in a fluffy bathrobe. "The gifts from 'mommy' are all wrapped and under the tree, and this is the last of 'Santa's' presents. Now, all I need to do is clean up the trash and fill the stockings…"

"Well, you should get right on that, so that you can unwrap your present," Courtney smiled back at her with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"When did you…?" Kerry looked from Courtney to the wrapped boxes under the tree, wondering when her new lover would have had the time or opportunity to slip something under there.

"Uh-uh-uh," Courtney wagged a finger at her. "Finish up, first. I don’t want any distractions when I give you your gift. I tell you what, I'll clean up and take the trash out, and you can take care of the stockings." She took a few steps forward and leaned down to start gathering up some of the assorted paper and plastic that littered the floor around Kerry.

"Deal," Kerry grabbed a small bag she had by her and abandoned her spot on the floor. She snagged the stockings off the mantle and retreated to the kitchen to put the assorted small goodies she had into them, along with some fresh fruit.

She heard Courtney rustling around in the living room, and looked around furtively to make sure the other woman couldn't see what she was doing before she slipped a small, wrapped box containing a jade pendant she'd picked up one day on impulse while Christmas shopping.

She heard the front door close as she was finishing up, and she headed back to re-hang the filled stockings. She was still standing by the mantle when Courtney came back in, shivering.

"Oh, it's freezing out there!"

"It's Chicago in December," Kerry smirked. "You didn't put on a coat?"

"I was only out a minute," Courtney replied defensively, even as she rubbed her arms, trying to get warm.

Kerry couldn't suppress her smile as she walked toward Courtney, beckoning her, "Come here."

She took the other woman into her arms, holding her close and rubbing her back until the shivering stopped. When she felt Courtney begin to nuzzle into her neck, she almost laughed. "Feeling a little warmer?"

"Mhm-hmm," Courtney breathed against her skin before placing light kisses along the side of her neck.

"And now you're trying to warm me up?"

"That's the plan," Courtney whispered before running her tongue along the hollow of Kerry's throat.

"Mmm, good plan. But before we get too--oh--distracted, I believe you have a present for me?"

"Oh, but that's the beauty of my plan." Courtney pulled back and retreated to the entryway to the hall--a few steps closer to her bedroom, Kerry was quick to notice. "It's all connected."

Courtney then loosened the tie to the robe and removed the garment, revealing red velvet, white faux-fur trim, and an abundance of bare flesh: cleavage and long, long legs.

"Oh…my…" Kerry stalked toward her lover, eyes roving over the skimpy outfit. "Santa's come early."

Kerry reached out to trace the edges of the fabric exposing Courtney's upper chest to her avid gaze. Her fingers then moved from fabric to flesh, caressing their way down to the valley between her lover's breasts.

"You like?"

"Oh, very much," Kerry replied, eyes still intent on the path of her fingertips.

"I meant the outfit, Kerry." Courtney's voice was tinged with both humor and arousal.

"Mmm," Kerry grinned before looking up into her lover's eyes, "That, too." She then slipped her hand beneath the fabric to cup a warm breast in her palm.

Courtney's eyes slid closed and she drew in a sharp breath at the contact. When she opened her eyes again she found Kerry staring back at her.

"Kerry Weaver. You are a naughty, naughty girl."

"So I've been told," Kerry replied with a glint in her eyes. She seemed to consider something a moment before asking, "Does this mean I won't get to unwrap my gift?" with a mock-innocent look on her face.

"Ordinarily? Yes. But, with this particular gift, I think maybe you should unwrap it as quickly as possible," Courtney grinned, enjoying the game.

Kerry smiled widely. "I like the way you think. Except…" Kerry teased a moment before turning serious, "Not too quickly."

"Ooh, even better." Courtney pulled Kerry in for a brief kiss. "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Merry Christmas," Kerry replied before initiating a much longer, much steamier kiss. When they finally broke apart due to their mutual need for air, Kerry pulled back slightly. She slid the hand still cupping Courtney's breast over to lie above her lover's heart. "Just…let me go look in on Henry and I'll meet you in the bedroom in a minute, okay?"

"Of course. I'll be there with bells on."

Kerry smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of her lover's nose. "I'll just be a minute."

"It's fine, Kerry," Courtney reached up to cup her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."

Courtney watched until her lover was out of sight before rushing over to retrieve the gift she'd brought in from the car and stashed in the corner by the door, as well as the smaller wrapped box she'd placed in the pocket of her robe. She quickly placed the larger one under the tree, and then put the earrings she'd bought into the stocking with Kerry's name on it.

She took one last look around to be sure she hadn't been caught in the act before heading toward Kerry's room, muttering to herself, "Now, if I can just convince Kerry to try this on later…"

Kerry smiled to herself as she peeked around the corner, making sure the coast was clear. She took her time as she strolled to the bedroom, wanting to give her lover plenty of time to get settled. She stopped by the mantle long enough to pick up the picture of Sandy, Henry and herself.

She gazed at it a moment before hugging it to her chest. "We're okay, Sandy," she whispered. "We're gonna be okay."

She placed the picture back in its spot reverently, took a deep breath, shook off the old memories, and went to find her lover so that they could make some new ones.

The end.

© December 24, 2006