Page 178 of Holiday Heir

I grin. "Mornin' to you too, peanut."

She squeals.

Lainey laughs beneath her. "She's been trying to wake you up for two minutes."

I hold my finger out, and Charlie squeezes it. I tell Lainey, "You could've helped her wake me up."

Amusement fills her expression. "You should be thankful I moved her hand off of your nose. She's squeezing hard today."

I chuckle and tell my daughter, "You're causing a lot of trouble this morning, sugar."

Charlie plants both hands on my chest and launches herself forward.

I catch her before her forehead takes out my chin, and the glow of the Christmas tree in the other room catches my eye. I croon, "Merry Christmas, Charlie girl."

She gives me a wet, open-mouthed baby kiss directly on the cheek.

My grin gets so damn big, it hurts. It's already the best Christmas ever. It's Charlie's first and our first one as a family. I lean over and peck Lainey. "Merry Christmas to you, darlin'."

She beams. "Merry Christmas."

I pull Charlie against my chest and glance at the clock. It's 5:30. We were up with our families past midnight. So I tease, "You two are savages."

Lainey's red hair spills over her pillow. "She's been awake since four."

"Ouch! Why didn't you wake me up?" I ask.

Lainey smirks, "Because you spent the night in my bed that has a footboard attached, so I know you couldn't have slept well at Daddy's."

"That's a terrible reason. You need sleep too."

"I got plenty of it the night before." She tickles Charlie's ribs, and another squeal flies out of her. Lainey adds, "She also pooped."

I immediately hold Charlie up to sniff. "She smells fine."

Lainey laughs. "I changed her."

"That's my girl."