Out of three-hundred-sixty-five days of the year, Christmas has always been my favorite day. 

I loved absolutely everything about it. 

I loved the lights and the music. I loved the natural cheer that was in the air. 

Picking out the ugliest Christmas tree with my dad and laughing while we tried and failed to make it look better. Baking sugar cookies shaped like reindeer with my mom while listening to Christmas music. And I even loved going to Lanie's on Christmas Eve to wrap presents all night because we always would get behind. Or sitting around the coffee table with Lanie's parents, trying to guess what we got each other while drinking hot chocolate. 

Hell, I even loved the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping—which was what me, Lanie, her mom, and Harper were doing this very second. Everyone was meeting at Lanie's house for Christmas tomorrow to stuff our faces and open presents. My parents included. 

The past few weeks have been utterly and completely amazing. Nathan and I have been getting closer. Although neither of us have said the big L word. There also hasn't been any more surprises from Trampy Trish or her brother. 

Okay, maybe there was still one issue. We still didn't know who tried to drug me at that Halloween party. Even though Nathan didn't bring it up around me anymore, I knew he was still trying to find out who did it. A few nights after it happened, when we were laying in his bed together, he admitted that he couldn't get the images out of his head about what could have happened to me if the mystery drugger managed to succeed with his plan.

There was such anguish in his voice when he said that. Anguish and a bone-chilling fear. There was no way he was giving up on finding out who it was. Ever. 

"What are you thinking about, Karma?" 

Lanie's voice caught my attention, forcing me to push my thoughts away. "Nothing, L." 

"Bullshit. You're stressing. I can tell." 

I frowned at her. "How can you possibly tell that when I'm just standing here looking for a gift for your brother."

"How can you even ask me that question with my reputation? I'm all knowing, and you know it." Lanie reached out in front of her. "What about a new wallet for him?"

I shook my head. "No. That's too...impersonal. I want to get him something special." 

With a shrug she came up beside me and leaned against the glass case that housed watches and jewelry. "Well, you did good with that necklace you got him. I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I got lucky with the necklace." 

Very lucky, actually. And I loved seeing it on him. I knew it was silly to even think it, but I felt like him wearing it was like a girl wearing an engagement ring. It didn't hurt that it finally kept those other girls from trying to talk to him. 

Walking further down the aisle, I moved on to look at the large selection of greeting and holiday cards. Next to it was a collection of gift card for restaurants, stores, and video games. Nathan did like to play a lot of PlayStation. I could get him a gift card so he could get a new game. 

But just like the wallet, it felt impersonal. I wanted to get him something personal and intimate. Something meant to be just between the two of us. 

Suddenly an idea came to mind. One that had me scanning the crowds around me sheepishly, as if they could hear my thoughts. 

Oh yes. It was going to be perfect. But I still had one other thing to worry about with this new gift idea. If he was going to get a two-parter, one to open from me in private and the other on the actual day, I still needed something. 

My eyes scanned the row of gift cards again. 

I knew just what to do. But first I was going to have to make a little pit stop for a few things. 

Kissing Karma goodbye after she finished wrapping presents with Lanie an hour ago was way less fun than when I got to kiss her for extended periods of time. Like for hours and hours. I hated when she wasn't around. About thirty minutes after she left, I felt a strong urge to sneak out and go to her place. But there was something about her expression when she was leaving that told me it probably wouldn't be a good idea tonight. 

Oh well. Nothing I could do about it except wait until tomorrow. 

Shit. Tomorrow was Christmas. I've never been good at the whole gift thing. Normally I bought Lanie some bullshit gift that usually made her roll her eyes at me and stuff it into one of her many storage tubs in her closet and forget about it. 

I didn't want Karma doing that. Just like the bracelet I got her, I wanted to get her something of equal importance. Or even better. Which was why after many hours of laying on my bed and throwing my tennis ball repeatedly, I finally thought of the perfect thing. I just wished I didn't have to wait until tomorrow to give it to her. Or...say it to her. 

Oh well. I wasn't Father Time and I couldn't do shit about that except wait. So I left the kitchen after sneaking one more slice of cold left over cheese pizza and headed for the stairs. I took them two at a time, thinking that if I went to bed now then the morning would come faster. 

Fuck. I sounded like a little kid. What was next? Me putting out milk and cookies and hoping to catch a glimpse of a fat guy in a red suit? 

With a sigh I pushed open the door to my bedroom—and froze. The sight in front of me made me feel like the air got sucked out of lungs. This was a dream. It had to be. No way it was fucking real.

Karma was spread out on my bed with her back leaning against the headboard. But her presence wasn't what made me freeze in the doorway. It was what she was wearing. My eyes roamed over her body. She had on red high heels with straps that wrapped around the bottom of her calf. Then nothing but the smooth skin of her long legs followed by her creamy thighs. Fuck. Then there was the red and white teddy she had on. And of course it fit her perfectly. My girl even had a fucking Santa hat on, too. But what really got me was her passion filled eyes and the sinful curve of her lips. 

"Hey, baby," she murmured, holding me entranced like a siren. "You just going to stand there? Or are you going to open your present?" 

When I was finally able to breathe and move my limbs again, I shut my bedroom door before walking over to the bed. 

"I have to say, this—" my eyes ran over her luscious body one more time, "—is definitely the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten." 

Her throaty laugh had my dick getting even harder. "That's what I was hoping for." Opening her arms wide she said, "Come here, baby. Let me give you the rest of it." 

Without hesitation I stripped out of my t-shirt and basketball shorts before I joined her in the bed. The sex this time was different than all the others. It was more passionate. More fun. More intimate. More sensual. 

Just...more. More of everything. 

And when I was holding her sated, naked body in my arms afterward, I knew she felt the same. 

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you, Karma?" 

Silence answered me and I knew she was doing her normal anti-compliment rant in her mind. 

"You didn't answer my question," I said after a few minutes.

She tilted her head up from my chest so that her eyes met mine. "I don't know how to answer it." 

I rolled us over, so she was beneath me before putting her hand on my chest where my heart was beating rapidly. "Feel that? That's what you do to me, Karma. You make my heart race. You haunt my dreams and my thoughts. It's you. Only you."

I brushed back her dark hair and rubbed my nose against hers playfully. Her laugh was musical and I loved it. 

Holding my body up with my arms outstretched on either side of her body, I stared down into her chocolate eyes. This was it. This moment was the reason I couldn't do it before. It was that whole time and place thing again. It was meant to be a Christmas gift for her tomorrow. In front of everyone and everything. 

But this...this was better. 

When I captured her lips in a deep kiss she moaned into my mouth and I savored it. I savored her. Pulling back I ran my thumb over her bottom lip...and just said it. 

"I love you, Karma."

Her eyes widened with surprise. "You...what?"

"I love you. Only you. Always." With a rush of happiness, I smiled wide like an idiot. "I'm totally in love with you, baby. Crazy in love." 

She teared up and retuned my smile with one of her own. Nothing but joy on her gorgeous face. 

"I love you, too, Nathan." Her hands slid up from my chest before cupping my face. "Kiss me again."  

"I love you, baby," I breathed against her lips. "And Merry Christmas." 

***

Hey all of you lovely people. Most of you know what's been going on with me and I just want to say thank you so much for your patience and support. I'm sorry I've been gone so long but I'm finally back and ready to dive back in to my writing and finish this story. I'll also have a new chapter of Running to Him coming this week for those of you who are further ahead in this series. 

Hope you enjoyed this one! There's only a few more chapters left of Part 2!

Love you all

Xoxo