He crosses the room, dropping a kiss to my lips as he kneels beside me on the rug.
“Is that all the greeting I get?” I say, pulling him to me.
His face is cold against mine, and he laughs as he falls into my lap. I press my mouth to his, conveying all the emotion I feel into the kiss. His lips are cool, but his tongue is warm as it darts out to meet mine, deepening the kiss. When we finally part, Felix is flushed, his lips swollen, his eyes dark.
“That’s better.” I smirk.
“I could get used to coming home to a welcome like that,” Felix says.
So could I.
I can’t think of anything better than knowing Felix was coming home to me each day, but my chest tightens at the knowledge this may be a fantasy. I push the thought aside, focusing on the here and now. I want this to be a special Christmas, a new special memory I can tuck away for the future.
“What took you so long? I thought you’d be back a while ago.”
“Mom had a list a mile long of things she needed me to do, so it took longer than expected. I see you’ve been busy here.” He smiles and gestures to the gift I’ve just placed under the tree.
“I know we’re supposed to spend Christmas with your family, but I wanted to give you your gift now, while it’s just the two of us.”
Felix grins from ear to ear. “Ilovethat idea.”
“Don’t get too excited,” I warn. “It’s nothing big.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it no matter what it is,” Felix says, then destroys the sentimental moment. “And if I don’t, there’s always Facebook MarketPlace or re-gifting.”
I burst into laughter and lift him from my lap so I can reach the gift. “Well, here goes nothing.”
Felix sits beside me and takes the box, brushing his fingers along the ribbon as if it’s the most precious thing he’s ever held in his hands. When he looks up and meets my gaze, his eyes are shining. I wish I could give him the world.
“Thank you,” he murmurs and I’m suddenly nervous.What if he thinks it’s stupid?
Instead of ripping off the paper like I expected, Felix takes his time. He undoes the bow, then takes off the ribbon before gently peeling off the tape. Only then does he pull back the paper to reveal the box within.
His eyes light up as he sees the board game. He runs a finger over the game title. I hope he’s remembering all the evenings we’ve spent playing games by the fire.
“This is awesome.” He reaches over and wraps his arms around me in a tight hug, the game squashed between us. When he pulls away, he lifts the box again. “Can we play tonight?”
“Sure.” I grin. “But I can already tell you it’s Professor Plum with the candlestick in the library.”
“Oh! It is, is it?” Felix’s laughter fills the room. He tilts his head and narrows his eyes. “I guess you are the master of mysteries.”
“Hardly.” I chuckle. “It took me forever to get that damn book finished.”
“All the same, maybe we’ll stick to Monopoly.” There’s amusement in his eyes, then his face softens. “But seriously, thank you. It’s the perfect gift.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I have something for you too. It’s not as fancy, but I hope you’ll like it.”
Felix retrieves a thin rectangular package from behind the Christmas tree and passes it over. The wrapping is simple, a natural brown paper tied with twine. There’s a white gift tag tucked under the twine. It’s tiny, with only room for “To Kit from Felix” but he’s scrawled a tiny heart next to his name that makes me tingly inside.
“Thank you.” I unwrap the gift, discretely pocketing the little card. I’ll treasure the small memento of our time together.
The present is a surprise. I raise my eyes to meet his gaze. “You had this made for me?”
He nods, a small smile lifting his lip. “For when you’re working at your desk.”
The mouse mat displays a stylized map of Collier’s Creek. I run my finger over the familiar streets and landmarks—CC’s, of course, Sweetwater Falls, the bookstore, Randy’s, and other places we’ve visited together.
