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When we broke apart, Falcon stood and took the loveseat next to Avery like nothing happened. I wanted to prod him, make him uncomfortable, but it was Christmas, so I let him off the hook.Settling down, I scoffed at the room, picking up where I left off. “What?! Santa’s gifts were always the best ones, right, Cosy?”
Cosmo looked around before taking the seat across from me, folding his arms in a silent pout and it was adorable. “Yeah. For a while, it was for those amazing gifts, and then it just kinda . . . stuck.”
I nodded. “Then we started to use his name to threaten each other during this time of year.” I glanced back at Cosmo, lips wiggling as I remembered all of our antics. “Like - If you don't go get me some ice cream right now, Santa is going to let me burn your gift in the driveway.” I took a sip of my cocoa to hide my smirk.
Cosmo wasn't fooled. “Or - Don’t drive crazy, if you do, Santa is going to slash your tires and convince everyone not to let you buy new ones.”
I almost spit out my drink because that one did for sure work on me that year he gave me my new bike for my birthday. “Or how about, if you don't finish your plate, Santa is going to come down the chimney and take all your candy.” I shuddered at the memory of the evil look my dad gave me as he said it. “That one still haunts me.”
“Sounds like you guys.” Avery chuckled. “Always making someone out to be a menace. Now, this time, it’s poor old Santa.” He tutted at me and Cosmo as his hands curled around my foot, fingers digging before rolling them around.Oh, yeah, that felt so good.
Ax settled in next to Cosmo across from me, plopping down with his eyes searing at Avery. Avery was grinning as he hit one spot, and I let out a soft gasp. All eyes turned toward me, heat building in their gaze.I was rested and everything, we could go for another- No! I snagged my feet back, glaring at Avery before I said out loud, “Christmas first!
Lex finally came down and looked around for a spot. There was one on the other side of Cosmo, but Lex was never one for taking what was given to you. He waltzed his way over to me and sat on the floor in front of me. His silky, luscious hair was right in front of me, and I couldn't help but run my fingers through it. His head fell back, giving me more access as he sighed out, “Perfect spot.”
I could see all of the guys glaring at Lex, so I grabbed my cocoa and took another sip before leaning over and calling out to Falcon. “So, Mister light technician . . . let’s see these Christmas lights!”
He barely moved an inch as he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small remote as he took a sip and pressed a button toward the tree. I swung my face around just in time to see the star of the tree light up brightly. The light pulsed for a second before a shot of light came out of it and circled the tree, swirling round and round until it hit the last branch and disappeared, just to reappear again at the top. It was a beautiful sight, a perfect blend of technology and magic as it highlighted the decorations beneath while lighting up the room.
My voice came out in awe and appreciation. “It's beautiful, Falcon. Thank you.” I looked back at him, the ends of his lips quirked up as he gave me a wink. That was like a declaration oflove for him. I smiled brightly before I mouthed what I was going to do to him later, and a slight blush rose on his cheeks.
“So, how did we want to do this?” Avery clapped his hands like a man on a mission.
“Why don't we have Ray open all her gifts first?” Cosmo supplied as the others nodded, but I shook my head, rejecting that idea.
“I want to see all of you open gifts, too . . . so, we either go efficiently and separate them all out and open them at once, or we go present by present in a circle.”
That started a whole debate as to how we would do it, but in the end, we agreed to separate them out and have one person open a gift, then that person had to pick another person to open a gift. It seemed the most fair.
Of course, they made me go first, and I made a show of being frustrated, but really, I was super excited. I loved gifts, and this was the first time I was going to get some from my mates.
I snagged a green, medium-size, plainly wrapped present with a small red bow on the top. I made a show of weighing it with my hand. “This one has some weight to it.” I fingered the tag and turned it over to see it said it was from Falcon. Leaning over, I smiled at him while he watched me intently.
I was not one to be the slow and gentle type of gift opener, and I tore into it to find a white box. I lifted the top, and inside was an exact replica of the magic gun I had been lusting after since I met him. “Oh, my god, yes! Yes, I got one!”
Snagging the gun, I jumped out of my seat and launched myself at Falcon. Luckily, he had placed his drink down because he fell back into the love seat with a groan from my hug assault. “I fucking love it. I knew I didn't need to be on a stupid list, you sly man!”
I clutched at his body as I dove in and kissed the ever-loving shit out of him. As I pulled away, he gave me one of his rare, full face, dopey smiles, and I preened on the inside.
Cosmo’s stern voice called out, “All right. Next person, Ray. You're holding up the line.”
“Oh, fine!” I climbed off Falcon quickly as he narrowed his eyes at Cosmo for interrupting us, but he was right. We had a lot of presents to get though.
Once I sat back in my seat, I looked around, “I pick . . . Ax.”
He didn't even look as he plucked a blue sack from his feet, not looking at the tag as he ripped into the gift. He looked baffled as he pulled up a set of socks with two fingers and looked around the room, silently asking who could’ve possibly given him these. I rolled my lips in my mouth, trying not to laugh at his puzzled expression.
“So, I saw that your dresser was barren in the socks department, so . . . ” Avery started, shrugging his shoulders, “I had them custom made so they can expand with you when you change.” When Ax’s expression did not change, Avery huffed out, pointing to the socks, “Did you even look at the tops? Each set has either a wolf or fighter theme.”
Ax made a show of looking at the tops. One set was claw marks, one was a wolf howling at the moon, one had a step and repeat pattern of fists and so on. It was actually kinda nice. Ax kept looking at the tops as he mumbled out, “Thank you, Avery.”
“Merry Christmas, Ax.” Avery gave a small, pinched smile before he saved them both by saying, “Now, pick the next person.”
Ax made a show of looking around but as soon as he got to me, I knew what they had all secretly planned. That wolfish grin confirmed it. “Ray, baby, it’s your turn.”
So, this was how they were going to cheat. I had a feeling they came to the present opening order too quickly. Doing the math, they would all open one present by the time I opened all of mine if they each kept choosing me. Those sneaky little fucks.
I picked up a very pretty, white, silver, and light blue box wrapped with a large snowflake bow, and I knew before looking at the tag it was from Avery. I could feel him vibrate with excitement as I carefully unwrapped the present and opened the garment box. In contrast to the outside of the winter wonderland box, I pulled out a ruby red nighty and thong set. The edges of the nighty had white fuzzy lining that made it look like something an ultra sexy Mrs. Claus would wear.
