Locks had offered part of the huge building where the extra furniture was stored to avoid overwhelming their house and to have time to go through the belongings. A weight had been lifted from Speedy after the offer.
Violet had tried to think of what to get Speedy in such a short time, but then she chatted with Beth, who suggested having Ry take family photos of all of them and individual ones. Violet had known Speedy would love it.
They’d also talked about his parents’ house. Speedy was torn because it was the house he grew up in, but he didn’t plan on living anywhere but Bluff Creek. She agreed. The house was paid off, and he hadn’t done anything with the contents yet. He said it hurt too much.
Speedy had jumped on Violet’s suggestion to keep it for now and then go together sometime in the new year to look at what furniture they might want in their house. And they could take the kids for a fun day at the zoo or some other places Speedy remembered from growing up.
“Ho, ho, ho! Are you on the naughty or the nice list?” Speedy said, walking in the door.
Oh my goodness gracious! Her man looked delicious. Low-slung red Santa pants highlighted that enticing V that she’d read about but never experienced until Speedy. A Santa hat perched on his head and a red bag slung over his shoulder completed his outfit. No shoes, no shirt, and a smirk on his face that said he knew exactly what his scantily clad body did to her.
She’d thought she was too tired tonight to do anything with Speedy, but seeing him had her body perking up. Who cared that Deacon would probably be awake in five to six hours? Who needed sleep anyway?
“You didn’t answer me. Naughty or nice list? Well, let me just check,” Speedy said, pulling out a piece of paper from his pants.
“Violet soon-to-be-Kimble, Bluff Creek, Kansas. Nice list for how she treats everyone, especially her new family. Naughty list when it’s time for bed. Well, I guess we have the best of both worlds, and you can get your gifts,” Speedy said, walking close to guide her to the bed and then dropping the bag beside her.
Speedy cupped her face, kissed along her jaw, until nibbling on her lips. “You’re so beautiful. Now let’s open the nice girl’s presents,” he said.
“Presents? You didn’t say we were buying multiple presents,” Violet said, rethinking what she’d gotten him.
“Hey, hey, calm down. I just wanted this Christmas to be special, and we’re not keeping score, okay?” Speedy whispered against her lips. He pulled back and tugged the drawstring to open the bag. Presents spilled out in different wrapping paper. It wasn’t the same thing they’d used when they wrapped, so she wasn’t sure when he’d done this.
He handed her two presents. “These two kind of go together.”
His expectant gaze had her pushing aside her dismay at the number of presents. Sometimes getting to give the gift was as much for the giver as for the one receiving.
She slowly slid her finger under the tape, tugging back the paper so it didn’t rip. It was so pretty.
She laid the paper aside and opened the box. Inside was a new case for her e-reader and an insert with things from her favorite author’s books.
“It’s gorgeous,” she said. Her e-reader was on its last legs, but she was thrilled with this new case. She opened the next gift and paused. It was a new e-reader.
“Thank you,” she said, leaning up to kiss his mouth. He just grinned and handed her two more gifts.
She wasn’t as careful with the paper this time because she was so excited. She ripped open the gifts and looked up at him.
“You got me tickets to a book signing?”
“Yep. Open the next one,” he said.
She ripped it open, and inside was the fluffy blanket she’d seen online at the store. It was so soft and had books with different genres on it. She brought it to her face and rubbed it against her cheek. It was so soft.
“Thank you. These are perfect,” she said, standing up and throwing her arms around Speedy, her face against his bare chest. She kissed it, then trailed kisses across his chest, licking his nipple.
“Nope. It’s present time. Sexy time later, baby,” Speedy said, hugging her tight, then setting her back on the bed.
“Now, these are for the girl who’s learning to be fierce and might sometimes be a little naughty,” Speedy said, handing her the last two presents and sitting down beside her.
She opened the first. The box was full of notebooks, journals, highlighters, and pens, along with a new laptop.
“I love listening to you tell stories to Deacon when it’s bedtime. I pick a book to read but you make something up. You have a gift. Even if you only do it for fun, write the stories down. And if you want to publish, we’ll find someone to help us do that. Your stories are worthy of someone reading them,” he said.
Oh! She was going to cry because this man got her. Living inside her head and keeping the words inside had Violet always spinning stories in her mind. With Deacon as the only person she thought was listening, she’d been able to let the words out. That Speedy thought they were something other people would want to read meant the world to her.
“Thank you. You’re the first person who has believed I can do anything. I love you so much,” Violet said.
“I love you too. Now open your last present that is just as much for me as it is for you,” he said with a wink.
