Spiro had kept in touch with his family during the time away and made it look easy. Maybe he could do that with me? Once we flew back to our separate homes, we could text and call each other. But would I survive without being able to hug him, to trace his tentacles with my fingertips, to have him inside me? Maybe. What if our long-distance friendship would fizzle out? It would hurt more than a quick goodbye in a few days.
I would never ask him to change his life plans for me. But I also couldn’t go with him if he didn’t want me there. If I didn’t fit in with my family, I definitely wouldn’t match the happy vibes of Spiro’s bunch.
It’s a holiday fling. Nothing more.
“Are you okay, Kitten?” Spiro kissed my shoulder, then nuzzled the shell of my left ear, above my three piercings there.
“Yes. I was thinking it’s time for us to open our presents.” I jumped off his lap, grabbed the books from under the small Christmas tree on the table and handed Spiro the one I’d got for him.
Spiro opened the wrapping gently, peeling the tape off first, then grinned when he took the book out. “Is this a romance novel?”
“Yeah. I know you mostly listen to audiobooks and podcasts when you cook, but when you read, it’s about recipes or restaurants or business things, so I figured if we get to sit and relax, you need something not strictly about cooking.” I was talking way too fast, but I was scared Spiro would hate my present.
“It has a baker on the cover.” He playfully poked my socked foot with a tentacle.
“But the story has much more in it than him making cupcakes.” I waggled my eyebrows.
“I fucking love it, Kaos. Now that you’ve said it, I realized I don’t read for pleasure but for research. This is very thoughtful.” He hugged the book to his chest. “Now I’m scared of what you’d think of my pick.”
I tore the wrapper to tiny pieces with my sharp nails and stared at it. “Cryptid Horror - a collection of stories by own voice authors of the scary and the macabre.” I read out loud. “These are short, so I’d be able to find out what happens in one sitting. My attention span doesn’t allow me to immerse myself in a novel before I start doing something else.”
“At first I wasn’t sure what to get you, but when I saw this, I knew I found it.” Spiro offered his hand.
I took it, grabbed the plate of fresh honey cookies he’d baked, and curled on his lap. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”
Spiro covered us with a fluffy blanket. For the rest of the evening, we read our respective books with the crackling fireplace as our music.
Chapter Eighteen
Spiro
“How do you want to greet the new year?” I asked, entering the living room with a plate of cupcakes.
Kaos was sitting on the shaggy rug in front of the low table and wrapping the gifts I’d bought for my family. He’d been at it since dinner, adding a ribbon here, and a bow there. After I’d complimented his wrapping skills on Christmas Eve, he’d offered his services, making all my purchases look all pretty.
“Home with you,” he answered automatically.
“Really? We can go look at fireworks downtown if you’d like.” I took a seat next to him and placed the plate on the table. Secretly, I was glad. The best idea was to spend the last daysof these holidays as close to Kaos as possible, to charge my emotional battery with him before returning to my regular life.
“Nope.” He opened his mouth, and I fed him a piece of cupcake as he continued working. “Carrot?” He smacked his lips.
“Bingo.”
“So good.” He added a final touch to the tiny box, climbed onto my lap, and grabbed a cupcake. His appreciative moans with every bite were like a mating call to me. And he fucking knew it.
Ever since we’d agreed to avoid wearing clothes at home whenever possible, I’d been freely naked most of the time. Unfortunately, Kaos was a cold little kitten and had to wear his hoodie when I wasn’t holding him to warm him up.
But not underwear.
He wiggled his bare bum on my lap, then flicked his tail to tease my nipples with a feathery touch. Fuck, I couldn’t resist him and his insatiable libido.
“Thank you for all the wrapping. Are you done?” I nuzzled his ear, right under the three hoop earrings.
“Yup. Let me have one more cupcake, then you can fuck me.” He smiled with his mouth closed, then continued chewing.
I chuckled, shaking my head. He was impossible not to…adore completely.
Kaos hopped off my lap and disappeared into the bathroom.
