Christmas Day

New York City, New York

1867

"Ah, look. This is much more like it," Oliver said, striding into the parlor and looking directly at the couple on the settee.

Felix had an arm draped around Nora, once again damning etiquette. They were—thankfully—betrothed now, and he didn't suspect Mrs. Williams would mind, considering. The matron had nearly fainted when Nora had informed her of the good news.

Leo popped into the room behind Oliver, and though Felix enjoyed both of their company, he didn't particularly appreciate it at the moment. He wasn't ready to share Nora and probably wouldn't be for a year or two. Maybe ten.

"The two lovebirds...together at last," Leo said, a sly little smile playing on his lips. "What a very merry Christmas, indeed."

Oliver heaved a sigh, dramatically. Felix had quickly learned that Mr. Rockwell did that a lot, and he couldn't help but smile at the other man who he'd thought was his competition but was really anything but.

"Thanks to me," Oliver said, proving Felix's internal thoughts. He looked pointedly at them on the couch. "You're welcome."

Oliver then walked to the Christmas tree, inspecting the ornaments that Felix had brought Nora. He gave one a little spin as if testing out its ability to do so. Felix resisted the urge to tell him to knock it off, lest their letters would scatter around the floor. Not that Oliver hadn't already read them all, he realized.

"You?" Leo asked, as if the idea were incredulous. "I brought the stubborn man to America. They should be saying thanks to me."

Oliver whipped around and tilted his head sardonically. "And who needed more prodding in this situation, eh? Mr. Lovey-Dovey over here or Ms. I'm-Just-Going-to-Talk-to-My-Dog-and-Die-Alone?"

"Dear me," Felix heard Nora mutter. But he knew she wasn't upset; he could feel her shoulders shake slightly as she chuckled. "I should hope that's not what they're calling me."

"Don't worry, darling. No one shall call you that," Felix murmured across Nora's fiery hair with a laugh, so that only the two of them could hear. Leo and Oliver weren't paying any attention, regardless. "How does Mrs. Graham sound to you?"

"I'm just saying," Leo continued on. He was waving his hands around while trying to prove his point. "If I hadn't been traveling to Boston anyway, where would we be? Not planning a wedding, I expect."

Oliver was grumbling, tilting his head back and forth. "Yes, yes, I suppose," he finally muttered. "Perhaps," Oliver drawled, "we can call it a team effort."

"Yes, fine. I can agree to that," Leo said reluctantly. And then the two men actually shook on it, as if making some pact. Then they followed each other back out of the parlor as quick as they had come in. Felix shook his head in amusement. He couldn't be upset, because they were right. Felix wouldn't be here with Nora right now if it weren't for them.

"Mrs. Graham sounds wonderful," Nora murmured, twisting to look back at him.

Her eyes shone brightly, twinkling with a bit of Christmas spirit in them. Felix had always wished that he could capture the magic of Nora to keep with him during the holidays, and now they were here...together.

Felix looked down at the book that was sitting in his lap.

"I already gave you your present, but there is something I wanted to read to you," he said, opening Jane Eyre with one hand. Nora snuggled into him, and his heart nearly didn't survive the pressure of joy.

"Sometimes I have the strangest feeling about you. Especially when you are near me as you are now. It feels as though I had a string tied here under my left rib where my heart is, tightly knotted to you in a similar fashion. And when you go, I am afraid that this cord will be snapped, and I shall bleed inwardly," he quoted.

"I didn't know that you knew Bronte's works that well," Nora said with a raise of one eyebrow.

"I don't," Felix admitted with a sheepish smile. "But I couldn't sleep last night, so I was reading it."

"Well, it is a lovely quote, Felix." she held her hand out then, and Felix placed the book in it. She thumbed to the pages until she got to the one she was looking for. "How about this one: I am strangely glad to get back to you again: and wherever you are is my home—my only home."

The words struck him, and Felix pulled Nora even tighter to him, so there was no space between them. There was no gift more significant than the one in his arms.

"And this one," Nora added, but she closed the book and looked at Felix. He couldn't help but reach out and brush a hair out of her face. Well, it hadn't really been in her face, but he just wanted an excuse to touch her.

"I'm listening," Felix said softly.

Nora tipped her head up and said, "Reader, I married him."

Felix grinned widely and tilted her chin further so he could brush a light kiss against her lips. "That one. That's my favorite one."

"Merry Christmas, Felix," Nora breathed.

"Merry Christmas, darling."

Hamilton, New York

2019

"I am so getting coal in my stocking for this," Hale rasped as I pulled him into my childhood bedroom. We had been inseparable since the day we found Nora and Felix's letter, and Christmas Day was no exception. Hale said we were just making up for lost time, and I couldn't argue with that logic.

Our lips collided in a flurry of kisses, and his hands knotted in my hair, completely messing up the cute curls I had done for Christmas.

"Don't be so dramatic," I said, though the words were muffled by our tangled mouths. "Hale Evans would never be on the naughty list."

He began walking me toward my full-sized bed, which was still covered by a floral duvet that my mom bought me in eleventh grade. With a little shove from Hale, I bounced back onto the bed. The velvety black skirt I was wearing flew up, revealing my hardly-opaque, thigh-high tights. I had worn them because I didn't want anything restricting my full Christmas stomach. Any my skirt fell nearly to my knees—at least when I wasn't splayed out on the bed.

"Not yet," Hale said, huskily as he ran his hands up my legs. "But I will be by the time I'm done with you."

Shivering from his words and the irresistible look in his eyes, I took Hale in as he leaned above me. He was wearing a black v-neck sweater, a white undershirt poking out from underneath it. The top was just fitted enough that his hard chest was clearly defined, and I longed to run my hands over the smooth hardness of it.

"Hale..." I moaned as his fingers played with the top of my tights, right along my inner thigh.

"Yes?"

Reaching down, I untucked my red sweater from the waistband of my skirt. Slowly, I lifted it over my head, my eyes only leaving Hale's dark gaze for the split second when the red cotton blocked my vision. And it was in that split second that I heard the sharp intake of his breath.

"Holy shit, Lana."

I tossed the sweater on the floor, carefully watching Hale's reaction. His mouth was gaping open slightly, his eyes making the trek across my barely covered body. I had wanted to dress up today, and I spared no detail in planning my outfit. Hale hadn't seen me in anything other than sweats and leggings since we started officially dating, and I'd just wanted to wear something...festive for Christmas. For myself—and for him.

Beneath my sweater was a plunging lace body-suit with boning around the waist. I hadn't really intended for it to be seen until much later this evening—as opposed to just after Christmas dinner—but the opportunity to slip away had presented itself, and I took it.

"I think you're going to be on the naughty list," Hale breathed, his eyes still wide.

"I'd take coal in my stocking for you any day," I teased, smirking up at him.

"The feeling is mutual," Hale said under his breath before bending down to kiss along the edge of my tights. "Just so you know," he murmured against my skin, "when we go back downstairs, you can't wear this." He ran his hand up my body, gripping my waist over the lace. The feeling of his fingers slightly masked by the sheer fabric was decadent, oddly more tempting than if I weren't wearing anything at all.

"Why?" I asked through gritted teeth as his lips moved further up my legs.

"How am I supposed to just sit there and watch your mom unwrap scented candle after scented candle while I know you have this on underneath?"

His breath was hot on my core; I could feel it through the translucent lace that was wrapped all over me. My throat constricted but I got out, "All my other bras and underwear are in the wash. Would you rather unwrap presents without me wearing...anything underneath?"

Hale growled a little, the vibrations shooting through my body.

"I'm unwrapping my present right now," he said, sliding my skirt down and over my hips before undoing the buttons at the bottom of my body-suit, moving the lace aside to lightly brush a finger over me. "I don't need anything else for Christmas."

"We still have to go down there. Soon," I gasped, squirming under Hale's touch and second-guessing my words even as they came through my lips.

"If you wanted me to go faster, you just had to ask," he said, the humor wicked in his voice as he took the opportunity to thrust a finger into me.

I bucked my hips in response, not being able to control my body anymore. Hale had taken over, teasing and tickling my nerve endings. I grabbed his perfectly tousled hair with one hand to keep from crying out, but I couldn't quite do it.

"Oh my god, Hale," I said, but I had flung an arm over my face, and the words were muffled.

"I will never get tired of hearing you moan my name. You don't know what it does to me after wanting you for so long."

"I'm trying to be quiet, though." My voice was strained as Hale slowly slid into me and not with his finger.

"I don't even care. This has been my fantasy since I was sixteen. Besides, your mom is blasting Christmas music down there," he said breathlessly. Hale's face was hovering over mine now as he watched my open-mouthed expression. He leaned down to kiss me slowly and sensually as he moved at an aching pace, thrusting deep but steady.

"This Christmas, you are mine," Hale whispered, increasing his speed.

"Always. I'm yours," I replied through broken breaths.

Hale lifted my hips then, grabbing with two firm hands so that the bed wouldn't creak as he slammed into me harder. "Fuck," he groaned just as I gasped. He was hitting me perfectly. We both felt it, how exactly right it was. Hale continued, driving his hips against my tilted ones. I delighted in the feeling of him, the sensation of his touch, his words of possession. It wasn't enough, my body yearning for more, and yet it was everything I needed.

Finally, we toppled onto the bed, out of breath and sated. Hale wrapped an arm around me, turning me on my side so we could look out the window. The snow was falling lightly, and the Christmas lights on the roof shimmered into my bedroom.

"Hopefully your mom doesn't hate me for stealing you away after dinner," Hale breathed.

"My mom can never hate you, and it was me that pulled you away. I'm sure she thinks I am going to corrupt you," I joked.

"You corrupted my heart a long time ago, Lana. Ruining me forever if I didn't have you." He pressed a quick kiss on my cheek.

"Luckily, that's not a problem," I whispered. "You have all of me. I love my family, but I can't wait to go back to Ithaca with you."

"You are?" Hale sounded surprised, so I glanced at him.

"So I can sleep in bed with you that isn't in the same house as my parents," I said, as though it was obvious.

"Because you're going to come live with me, right?" He winked.

I shook my head. "I think you're joking, but...some day, Hale. Not yet, not now. My lease is up in the summer. Maybe..." I hesitated. "Maybe we can talk about it then?"

He smiled and then shrugged. "That sounds perfect. Whatever you're comfortable with is fine with me, Lana."

We lay there for some time, just soaking up the sounds of Christmas music playing below and the warmth of being in each other's arms. I knew my family was busy chatting and laughing. And drinking, of course. I think the fourth bottle of Pinot was opened just before I had pulled Hale away.

They wouldn't miss us for a little longer.

Hale buried his face in my hair, but I could hear his soft voice say, "I think Christmas is a little more magical this year."

"I think I agree," I murmured and wrapped Hale's arm tighter around me as we took in the spirit of that moment.

Merry Christmas, everyone! And a happy 2020!