“Brat.” But he was a brat that broke the ice and made Chipmunk laugh. “I’m not sure you need our beautiful cake.”
He awed, properly impressed as I held it up. “Oh, Ruslan, come look. Levi and Teddy brought a Santa cake.”
Ice broken.
“It’s got a tree.” Chipmunk was nearly big but not quite full adult as he pointed to the cake. “And we brought presents.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the stress or excitement, but he was in what I was going to call a playful headspace as Ruslan came to the front door.
Oh.
Well, it seemed like everyone was feeling playful today because he had on a Santa Loves Good Boys sweatshirt and was not the worried stress ball he usually was. “Oh. It’s got snow.”
This I could handle.
The professor possibly judging me and my personal life all night…no.
I knew what to do with littles, though.
Chipmunk knew what to do with a new friend too. “I bought presents. I got two for you.”
Because he’d insisted that anyone little got a present for both sides of their personality and I wasn’t a big enough pain in the ass to tell him no.
“I got you two too.” That made both of them and Gary giggle, but Ruslan didn’t seem to mind. “I’ll show you.”
And they were off.
With the presents and without Daddy.
Gary was snickering as we watched them rush into the house with me following behind them. “The cake looks great but I think the presents will take their attention for a while.”
“At least until they remember that all their favorite foods are in the kitchen.” Taking a deep breath as Gary closed the door, I moaned. “That smells amazing.”
He was the best grown-up ever, but his blush said he wasn’t used to the attention it got him yet. “Thanks.”
“You gonna let us at least help clean up?” I was hoping he’d give an enthusiastic yes, but he blushed even redder. “What did you do?”
Cooking was one thing but he couldn’t claim all the cleaning.
“An older woman showed up first thing and took charge like a general on the battle field.” As his blush faded, he glared at me. “Did you hire her?”
“No.” I hadn’t known I could rent a housekeeper or maybe a house manager. “Did you explain to Dante…or better yet Professor Donaldson that you let a random woman takeover the house?”
He shrugged, trying not to laugh as I threatened him with the Dom that actually owned the house. “Dante thought it was funny, so I’m going to throw him under the bus if anyone complains.”
“What was Dante doing here?” He’d been staying over at Ruslan’s place almost every night since they’d gotten together.
Nearly laughing, Gary dropped his voice to a whisper as he stopped just outside the living room. “Wrapping presents at an ungodly hour because evidently Ruslan is a sneaky little that keeps trying to find his presents.”
I wasn’t sure if I should’ve expected that or not, but it was definitely keeping Dante on his toes.
“He needs to plan better.” My response had Gary grinning but I headed in before he could ask what I’d done.
I was sneakier and smarter than Dante, and I knew not to brag to the chatty switch who’d love to confess everything that he knew for a bit of praise.
“Look, D—” Chipmunk caught himself before the full word came out, but no one was fooled by it or the cough he tried to hide it with. “Levi.”
“Wow.” I didn’t even have to fake being impressed to give him the reaction he wanted. The room was insane. “Did we have a train last year?”
