On the lazy chair is a quilt with embroidered Christmas scenery and there’s a nativity scene next to the fireplace. On the mantlepiece is a Santa village with miniature ice skating rink, merry-go-rounds, everything.
I shoot Jonathan a whithering look. This guy doesn’t know when to stop. He’s spoiling the kids rotten.
“You did this?” I inquire.
He has the decency to look guilty. “I didn’t do it myself, but I did order in a crew to set it all up.”
He pulls me into an embrace, batting his long lashes at me. “You upset?” he mumbles. Pulling me in even closer, he kisses me on the nose.
“No, I’m not upset,” I reply. “I just think it’s all a bit too much. You can’t buy them everything they want, Jonathan. I don’t want our kids to grow up into a pair of entitled brats.”
“They won’t. I just want to give them what I missed as a child, every now and then. I want this Christmas to be about our family.”
He knows exactly which strings to pull when it comes to me. I do understand him, though. After everything we’ve been through, we deserve to be a happy, worry-free family.
After Maxim and Vincent have been put to bed, I stand in front of the bathroom mirror to comb my hair. After a long day at the playground, I felt like taking a refreshing shower. Fortunately I managed to do all my Christmas shopping today. I have gifts for everyone, including Jonathan. I hope he’ll like the leather wristband I had designed especially for him. My name is engraved in it and there’s two mini-portraits of Maxim and Vincent in metal frames set into the leather.
I’m getting a little anxious about my own present, though. I’ve been poking around in all rooms for days but I can’t find a gift hidden away anywhere. Now I’m worried that Jonathan only got presents for the kids and not me. Not that it’s a matter of life and death, but I was secretly hoping he’d get me something nice for our first Christmas together.
When I glance in the mirror again, I see Jonathan enter the bathroom behind me. He looks divine, as usual. His pajama bottoms are slung low on his hips. He slowly approaches me and sexual tension crackles in the air between us. Jonathan comes to a stop close to me and starts to kiss my neck. It’s one of my sensitive spots and I feel my knees buckle. He pulls me into him, putting his hand on my stomach, and I can feel his erection against my ass.
“I’m gonna take a quick shower,” he mumbles in my ear. “Will you wait for me in bed?” His seductive gaze is holding mine in the mirror. He knows exactly what kind of effect he has on me. I feel desire bubble up in my abdomen.
“Don’t be too long then. I’m exhausted.”
He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll keep you awake.” He playfully slaps me on the butt before walking away to the shower. I quickly step into the bedroom. Now that Jonathan’s in the shower, I have some time to investigate and look for my present here. Who knows – maybe he hid it in our bedroom? I haven’t had the chance to snoop around here yet.
Like a maniac I go through the underwear in our dresser. Seems like I lost track of time in my frantic search for my present, because the next thing I know Jonathan’s voice pipes up from behind me: “What are you looking for?”
I make a strange little jump and want to slam the drawer closed, but my fingers get caught and I yelp in pain. “Shit!”
Jonathan chuckles. He walks over to me and takes my hand before lifting it to his lips and kissing it softly. He’s sporting a huge grin and I see that cheeky twinkle in his eyes.
“Don’t laugh!” I protest. “That really hurt. You startled me.”
“Why? What were you doing, Camille?”
“Nothing.” I feign innocence.
Jonathan tugs at the fastening of my dressing gown and caresses the bare skin of my tummy. I’m only wearing panties and he takes the opportunity to slide his hand up to my naked breast. He takes my right nipple between his thumb and index finger, squeezing it gently.
“What were you up to, Camille?” he repeats.
I know him too well. He knows exactly what I was doing – he just wants to hear me say it.
“I was looking for something.”
He suddenly squeezes roughly and excitement tingles through my body, straight down to my abdomen. I moan softly. He stands even closer and slides the dressing down off my shoulders. It drops to my feet. Jonathan then hooks his thumbs into my panties and tugs it down.He lifts me up and sets me down onto the dresser.
“I’m going to ask you one last time, Camille. What were you doing?” His grin grows wider when I stubbornly keep my mouth shut. Jonathan spreads my legs and sees the glistening evidence of my arousal between my thighs.
“You really wanna play this game with me, Camille?” he says seductively. “You know you’ll never beat me.”
He sinks down to his knees, his head between my legs. My entire body is trembling with anticipation. He kisses me – first on my right thigh, then on my left. His fingers caress my folds and he pushes one finger inside, slowly.
“I think you enjoy playing games with me.” Two fingers replace the one. “You naughty girl.”
His head disappears between my legs and the first lick of his tongue almost makes me tumble off the dresseer. Fortunately, Jonathan’s holding me tight. He licks and strokes me, carefully avoiding my clit. His fingers plunge in and out of me. He keeps me on the edge of an orgasm, and every time I come close, he slows down.
“Jonathan, please,” I beg him.
“What were you doing, Camille?” he asks again.
I decide that it’s no use defending myself against Jonathan. If I want to climax at all, I’ll have to tell him what he wants to know. I know he can keeping going like this all night.
“I was looking for my Christmas present.”
Jonathan laughs out loud. “A good thing I didn’t hide it in the dresser, then.”
Before I can respond, his head ducks back down to where I’m on fire for him. This time, he gives me what I crave. He sucks my clit between his lips and gently bites down on it. That, combined with the two fingers pumping in and out of me, make me tumble over the edge. The orgasm that was hovering over me, cascades down on me in waves and I scream Jonathan’s name.
He gets up, yanks down his pajama pants and enters me in one deep thrust. A second orgasm follows the first one. Jonathan doesn’t miss a beat and starts to pound into me, chasing his own release. It only takes a few more seconds for him to come too, my name on his lips.
Carefully, he lifts me and puts me down on the bed. Then, he disappears into the bathroom to get a washcloth for both of us. Gently, he wipes us both clean. Completely knocked out by our making love, I am already half drifting off to sleep when he spoons me and whispers: “I love you, Camille.”
“I love you too, Jonathan.”
Jonathan
Camille is still sleeping peacefully when I get up in the early morning. Tonight is Christmas Eve and the entire band is coming over for dinner. In order to keep Camille from stressing out, I made sure to hire a catering service for the feast. I step into the kitchen and end up smack in the middle of the hustle and bustle of various cooks milling about. The caterer is laying the table for tonight, setting it up in the spacious conservatory.
I leave the kitchen and keep walking. Quietly I open the door to Maxim’s room. He’s still in bed, but opens his eyes as soon as I poke my head around the door.
“Good morning, rock star,” I say.
“Good morning, Daddy. Is it finally Christmas today?”
“Yes, today’s the day. Shall we wake up Mommy together?”
First we go to Vincent’s room to get him from his crib, and then we head upstairs to the master bedroom. Camille is still asleep, but not for much longer. Maxim cheerfully bounces up and down on the bed, and little Vincent extends his arms to get closer to his mommy.
Camille wakes up and beams at us the minute she sets eyes on us. “My three rock stars all together to wake me up – that must mean it’s Christmas.”
“
Yeaaaaah, Mommy,” Maxim yells. “It is!”
I watch my two sons and Camille from a little distance. I never thought I’d find this kind of happiness. But one thing’s for sure: now that I found it, I’ll make sure I’ll never lose it again.
* * *
Everybody is seated at the large table. Dinner was fantastic and now the entire band is eating their Christmas pudding. I’ve been postponing giving Camille her present all day long. I lovingly touch the leather wristband she had made for me. I’ll never take it off. And I damn well hope Camille will never take off that which I’m about to give her.
I get up and tap my fork against my glass of champagne. “Dear friends. I’m happy we all gathered here tonight. After a tough year for both Camille and me, we want to thank you for always being there for us. So I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.”
The room falls silent. We all think back to what happened to Vincent. I swallow a few times to keep my emotions under control and then I continue.
“There’s just one person at this table who hasn’t gotten a present yet. And I think she has waited long enough.”
I turn toward Camille, and then I sink down on one knee. Everyone gasps for breath and Camille’s eyes grow wide.
“My sweet Camille, I have tried everything I could to make this an unforgettable Christmas for our family, but the only thing I really want for Christmas is you. Camille, will you marry me?”
Tears roll down her cheeks while she holds my gaze. “Yes,” she croaks.
The entire table whoops and claps their hands. I dig up the blue velvet box from my pants pocket – the box I’ve anxiously been hiding from Camille for weeks. I open it, take out the ring, and carefully put it on her finger.
“You and me, Camille. Forever.”
About the Author
Stefanie Van Mol made her debut in Belgium with the Desire series. As a self-publishing author, Stefanie never imagined she would reach so many readers. She didn't want to leave it at that. That's when she wrote Say You Want Me, the first book of the Full Moon series. She won the Brave New Book of the year Award in the Netherlands in 2016 and decided to translate the book to English.
During the day, Stefanie Van Mol works as a secretary in her parents’ family business. At night, she spends hours at the computer to create her colorful characters and bring their stories to life. She's an avid reader and passionate writer. She hopes to make her dream come true and become an author that readers will enjoy worldwide.
Say You Need Me Page 12
