Heads shook but Angel was the one to study me a bit too long. “So you don’t have any idea where it came from?”
“Me?” I looked back at Gary who was giggling and looking around like a kid too. “Your grandma helper?”
“Santa sent you a helper.” Chipmunk managed not to say Daddy that time but he was going to develop anxiety about it if we weren’t careful. “She brought a train and helped clean.”
She was amazing because we had a tree decked out with decorations and with a train running around the bottom where it’d only been half finished the last time I’d seen it.
When had we found the other ornaments?
“Our grandma helper also brought some extra decorations because she said ours were old and our tree was pathetic.” Angel seemed to think I’d done it, but his grumpy ass could kiss mine.
Besides, even if I’d done it, I wouldn’t tell.
“Let’s put the presents for everyone under the tree with the rest of them.” Even with everyone only getting a couple of small presents, the pile looked impressive and Chipmunk was eager to add them to the loot.
Everyone else was relaxed and happy but Ruslan was vibrating with nervous energy as he helped Chipmunk with the toys. I wasn’t sure if it was all too much for him or if it was something else, so I was prepared for just about anything when he leaned in close to Chipmunk. “You can call him Daddy. Confident boys get better presents. My friend told me.”
Lord.
He was going to be a terrible influence…and Teddy’s ear-to-ear grin said he knew it too.
Chapter 18
Teddy
Oh…that looked messy…it was so exciting.
“You got paint.” I didn’t climb on Ruslan but I got closer. That was okay. He’d said so. “It sparkles.”
His Daddy groaned but mine snickered.
He’d been naughty.
I liked naughty.
“It’s so pretty.” Holding up the box, Ruslan, whose Daddy called him Russie, pouted as his Daddy shook his head, so we just ignored him and showed Gary.
Gary liked everything.
“That’s going to make fun pictures.” He made a thinking sound. “I wonder what else you need for fun pictures?”
Oh.
More.
That meant more.
Ruslan squeaked, so he knew it meant more too, but we were being good guests and taking turns and it was Angel’s turn.
He was grumpy.
Not mad-grumpy like Daddy had been but still grumpy.
I wasn’t sure why he was grumpy but he wasn’t mine so I didn’t have to worry about it. I just tugged on Daddy’s pants and he fixed it. “Alright, Angel’s turn.”
As Gary and Dante sorted through to find one for Angel, Ruslan leaned closer and whispered. “I think he likes being grumbly.”
“Me too.” People liked all kinds of stuff. “Do you know a sub who likes grumpy?”
