Christmas Showdown by MacKenzie McKade

through her. She cried out, jerking with the
violent spasms that shook her.
    Groans and moans filled her ears.
    His? Hers?
    Did it matter?
    As the aftershocks of her climax began to
subside, her senses returned. A cloud of steam rose around them,
water pelting their skin. Trey released her legs and she found
herself leaning against the wall just to keep afoot.
    Placing his forehead against hers, he smiled.
“You wore me out. Let’s wash up and get out of here.”
    As he removed the condom and disposed of it,
she grabbed the bar of soap and rubbed it all over before handing
it to him. In less than five minutes, they were both standing on
the bath mat drying off.
    After hanging up her towel, she slipped into
the bedroom to retrieve her toothbrush and paste, returning to find
Trey already brushing his teeth at the sink that clearly was his by
where bottles of cologne and aftershave and a razor sat. As
naturally as if she’d been here before, she moved to the other
sink. Trey waited for her to finish and together they walked into
the bedroom.
    Lifting her suitcase off the bed, Trey placed
it on the floor near one of the dressers. “I’ve got a couple of
things in this one, but I’ll move them tomorrow and you can have
all the drawers.”
    “Okay.” She knelt, going through the suitcase
until she found her robe. Then she picked up Trey’s on the carpet
where it had dropped when he undressed her, placing both of them at
the foot of the bed just in case TJ needed them during the
night.
    Tearing the covers back, Trey held them for
her to climb into bed, and then he followed, pulling the sheet,
blanket and comforter around them. He wrapped his arms around her,
and she snuggled into him.
    The last thing she remembered was the kiss he
placed against her lips as he whispered, “Merry Christmas,
Kelly.”

Chapter Nine
     
     
    Something jarring bounced on the bed, waking
Trey out of a sound sleep. If he didn’t know better he’d say that
was his son’s giggle he heard at the foot of the bed. Drowsy, he
pried his eyes open to see the dark-haired toddler take another
jump, but this time landing directly on his slumbering mother. The
impact squeezed an “ ooof ” from her, but instead of being
angry, she smiled.
    “You little rascal.” Kelly hugged TJ to her.
“How did you find me?” He rattled off a stream of gibberish that
must have made sense to her, because she nodded like she
understood. “That’s what I thought. You’ve been up exploring, which
can’t be good.”
    When she turned to look at Trey, his heart
stuttered.
    Damn. The woman was even beautiful with her
hair mussed, her eyelids heavy, and her voice deep and throaty.
    “Morning,” she said, patting TJ’s back.
“Merry Christmas.”
    “Merry Christmas, darlin’.” He wanted to kiss
her, but the squirming bundle she held stopped him.
    “Momma, down,” TJ cried.
    Trey stretched, sitting up against his
pillows. “So, no morning quickie or lying around until noon?”
    “Not unless you want the entire house torn
up.” Kelly released TJ and he swung around, landing on his belly.
Crawling backwards, he hung over the edge of the bed. With a burst
of laughter he let go and tumbled to the floor on his butt, popping
back up on his little legs to run lickety-split for the door.
    Without hesitating, she wiggled from beneath
the covers, grabbing her robe off the bed and pushing her arms into
the worn silk. “I better go see what damage he’s already
wrought.”
    Grabbing his robe, he tightened the sash and
followed her.
    “Oh my.” She pinched her lips together as if
to hide the laughter that twinkled in her eyes. “It looks like he
already found the presents.”
    It was true. Two boxes had half their
wrapping missing and one of them was for Kelly. The train was
knocked off its tracks. On short, stubby legs the little hellcat
ran to the yellow-and-red car, opened the door and fell headfirst
into it. Instead of breaking into tears, he frowned, tugging on