Christmas Traditions

Quietly Calleigh closed the door to Ben's bedroom, having just placed the sleeping one year old into his crib. Smiling softly, she made her way back toward the family room where she'd left Eric and Emma playing a game. Christmas didn't used to be her favorite time of the year, but now it was. Ever since that Christmas Eve six years ago when Eric kissed her for the first time, this holiday held a special place in her heart. Together they'd made their own traditions for the holiday, and one of them would take place that night. It was a tradition that was known only to the two of them, started that one Christmas Eve, and the one she knew they'd never break.

She stopped just short of the end of the hallway when she heard her four year old daughter giggling. The sound was always music to her ears. Quietly again, she rounded the corner and stood watching them play.

"One, two, three, four," Eric counted out as he moved his playing piece across the Chutes and Ladders board. "Oh…no fair!" he pouted playfully as he slid his piece down the tallest slide on the board.

Emma fell backward, giggling gleefully as her father slid his piece down the board, for it left her very close to winning the game. Her peals of laughter got louder as Eric reached out to tickle her tummy. "I can still come back and beat you, Em!" He paused, listening to her laughter, loving it. "There's still one slide left."

"Oh no, Daddy," she said, scrambling to sit up, pushing his fingers away. "I got you beat." She flicked the small arrow on the dial.

Eric eyed Emma's playing piece, sitting on the number 97, then the slide on square 98. "One…one…one" he chanted as the arrow spun.

"Three…three…three" Emma chanted as it spun. "Yay!" she yelled, giggling more as the arrow stopped on the three. "I win, Daddy! I win!" she screamed as she dramatically set her piece down on square 100, and then threw herself down on her father.

"Yeah," he replied as he began tickling her again, "but I don't think you can do it a second time."

"I can too!" she declared as she struggled into a sitting position, hampered by her father's quick fingers. She was about to flick the tiny arrow again when her mother's voice stopped her.

"I don't think you have time for a second game, Sweetie," Calleigh called softly, laughing at their antics. She knelt down beside her husband and daughter, her love for them shining in her eyes. "Santa will be here soon, so you need to get to bed."

"Please Mommy, just one more game," Emma pleaded, batting her eyelashes and pouting, bottom lip stuck out just so.

Calleigh had to laugh at the look on her face; it was so much like Eric. Except for the long blonde hair and green eyes, Emma was just like her father in every other aspect, including the sad puppy dog look. She raised an eyebrow at Eric, who looked back at her with a "who me?" expression on his face. She bit her lip, diverted her eyes to the Christmas tree, then back at Eric, eyebrow still raised.

Eric got the message…their tradition. With a knowing smile he directed at Calleigh over Emma's head, he turned his daughter toward him, "Em, I think Mommy's right. I'll bet Santa is getting close to Disney World by now."

Emma knew enough about geography to know that Disney World, her most favorite place in the world, second only to the lap of either of her parents, was in the same state as Miami. Her eyes grew wide and she jumped up off Eric's lap with a squeal and sprinted toward the hallway, only to stop, turn around, and run toward the kitchen. "Cookies!" she screamed with excitement. "Forgot Santa's cookies!"

"Don't run, Emma," Eric said with a chuckle, as he jumped up to help her. Together they fixed a plate of cookies they'd decorated the day before, and a cup of milk to go with them, and placed them on the coffee table between the couch and the Christmas tree. Emma placed a Christmas card for Santa, lovingly made for him out of construction paper and glitter glue, next to the plate.

Swinging his daughter up into his arms, Eric carried her off toward her bedroom. It was another tradition of theirs that he would read her "Twas the Night Before Christmas" before she went to sleep, so Calleigh knew she had some time to get things together. The mere thought of the coming activities brought delicious flutters deep inside quickening of her heartbeat.

After putting away the game, Calleigh brought two soft blankets, their robes, and two glasses of wine into the family room, setting them down on the floor next to the coffee table. After turning off all lights except for those on the tree, she spread out one blanket and then sat back on it with both glasses of wine in hand, to wait for Eric's return.

Eric returned to the family room, eagerly anticipating the coming activities. He stopped when he turned the corner, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of Calleigh. She sat in the glow of the multi-colored Christmas tree lights, holding a glass of wine with her arm resting on a bent knee, her long hair cascading down her back as she gazed up at the tree, a smile gracing her face.

He moved to sit on the floor behind her, his back against the couch, and as he did so, she moved backward to sit within his embrace, handing him the other glass of wine. No words were said, none were necessary. He merely watched her, watched how the glow of the lights danced across her beautiful face and her golden hair. He combed his fingers through the soft strands and couldn't help himself when he broke the spell. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, the words like a caress given sound.

Calleigh turned her head to look at him, her smile tremulous; her wet eyes a deeper green with the emotion she was feeling. "I love you," she breathed before capturing his lips in a heartfelt kiss.

He broke the kiss when the need for oxygen became overwhelming. His arms went around her as she sat back again, resting her head on his shoulder. "That green ornament over there," he said, pointing at the Christmas tree, "reminds me of Wolfe's getup at the Christmas party yesterday."

Calleigh snickered. "I don't know how Alexx convinced him to dress up as Santa's elf for the kids."

"Santa's elf was cranky, though…no doubt because of the freakish shoes with the bells on them that she made him wear."

"There must be something Alexx knows…she's got something on him," Calleigh mused, still snickering at the picture of Ryan dressed up like an elf.

A deep laughed bubbled up inside Eric, Calleigh could feel the vibrations in his chest, and couldn't help but laugh along with him. "What?" she asked, wanting to know just what was so funny.

"I think his crankiness may have been because of the mistletoe Valera put up over the patio entrance. I saw him kissing Natalia under that mistletoe."

Calleigh turned around in his lap to face him. "I don't get why that's funny, Eric. That's actually very nice."

He reached out to finger a lock of hair out of the hoop earrings she wore. "Yeah well, what was funny was when he began jerking around, slapping at himself." He laughed harder. "Apparently the mistletoe was infested with ants and they were crawling all over him. The look of horror on his face was priceless!"

Calleigh's lips twitched at the memory. She was trying not to laugh at Ryan's misfortune. "Eric, you shouldn't laugh at that. You know he's been trying to get her back."

"Come on, Cal, you think it's funny too," he replied, poking her lightly.

Giggles were now emanating from the twitching lips, as she swiped at Eric's fingers. "Yeah, well what was funnier was Stetler's son trying to climb up Frank's…um, I mean Santa's legs to get to the sack of presents. He sure was persistent!"

"Oh man was Frank pissed," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Figures it would be Stetler's kid trying to take all the presents from the other kids."

Taking a sip of his wine, Eric's eyes alighted on an ornament purchased the day after Christmas six years prior, an ornament that signified their first Christmas spent as a couple. "Look," he said softly, turning Calleigh back around toward the tree and pointing at the ornament.

"Our ornament," she murmured, settling back against Eric's chest. "Can you believe it's already been six years? Seems like it was only last year that you asked me to come over and help you decorate your Christmas tree. "

It was six years to the day when Eric asked Calleigh to come over to his place, saying he needed her help putting up his Christmas tree. It seemed his mother and sisters were far too busy with last minute plans to help him as they usually did, and he couldn't possibly do it all by himself. He needed a woman's touch.

Truly, he couldn't stand the idea of her being alone on Christmas. He knew she and Jake were no longer seeing each other, and that her father was spending the holiday in Louisiana with the rest of Calleigh's family. She'd opted not to go to Louisiana herself since she was scheduled to work the day after Christmas, having volunteered to work it, as well as be on call Christmas day. And, truth be told, he wanted to be with her, and secretly hoped that the magical spirit of Christmas would soften her to the idea of a relationship with him, workplace issues be damned.

He promised her a dinner of Cuban cuisine if she helped him out, knowing full well that would sweeten the deal. And, sure enough, she took the bait…hook, line, and sinker. So what if his mother and sisters weren't really busy with last minute plans, she didn't need to know that.

His tree already stood in the middle of his living room, and the red and green plastic tubs filled with decorations stood nearby. He remembered how she scoffed at the multi-colored lights, the red, green, and blue ornament balls, and the tinsel…saying she didn't think people decorated trees with so much color any more. Usually people used white lights, and she didn't know anyone who covered their tree in tinsel! But, the handmade ornaments, made in school when he was growing up, those she loved. She handled each one with care, asked him about each one, and placed them lovingly on the tree.

He'd kissed her for the first time that evening. She was hanging an ornament he'd made when he was in the third grade. It was a wreath made of uncooked rice, colored green for the project, and in the middle of the wreath was his third grade picture…him in all his eight year old glory. A smile lit up her face as she stared at the picture, and he watched as she stood back from the tree and looked it over for the perfect place to hang this particular ornament, as she had for each and every ornament she hung on the tree. Finally she stepped forward and reached for a spot higher up on the tree.

He moved in behind her when she rose up on her toes, but still couldn't reach that perfect spot. His body brushed hers from shoulders to feet as he moved to take the ornament from her, his hand closing over hers in the process. He felt her shiver as their fingers brushed, and hoped it was from need, not from being cold.

"Is this where you want it?" he asked, holding the ornament against a branch. When he didn't receive a response he looked down at her, their faces mere inches apart. She was looking at him, her mouth slightly open. "Cal?"

She blinked as if to clear her mind. "Um…uh, no," she stammered, "over to the left just a little."

He placed the ornament on the branch that was just a little to the left then looked down at her again. He paused, momentarily mesmerized by the smile on her face. "Okay?"

"Perfect," she murmured.

And God help him, he couldn't help himself anymore. He leaned in those mere inches and captured her lips in a soft kiss. It lasted only a few moments, but he had to have a kiss, he had to taste her lips, to see if they were as sweet as he dreamed they'd be…and they were.

"I'm sorry, Calleigh…" he began when he broke off the kiss, but his words were cut off.

"Eric," she whispered, moving her hands to the back of his neck, "shut up." Then to his endless wonderment and joy, she kissed him back.

It was all the encouragement he needed. He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her, holding her as close as he could. The kiss evolved from there, from soft exploration to desperate hunger, neither could get enough of the other.

Many moments later, the spell was broken when both heard a stomach rumbling. Calleigh grinned sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm hungry."

"Tell you what," Eric murmured, running his thumb over her lips. "You finish putting the rest of the ornaments on the tree while I get our dinner in the oven." He grinned at her. "Dinner should be ready by the time you finish finding 'the perfect place' for each of them."

Calleigh playfully slapped his chest. "Go!"

He dropped another kiss on her lips before leaving her side to tend to their dinner, but he couldn't help taking a look back at her just before he entered the kitchen. She was his. He smiled widely. She was his! There was an extra spring in his step as he went about preparing their meal.

The meal didn't take that long to put into the oven, and he was back in time to show her how to put the tinsel on the tree.

"One strand at a time," he told her, showing her how to do it.

"I still don't know why you use this. It's got to be a pain to take off."

"Because with it the tree sparkles, and the lights sparkle even more. It'll be beautiful," he told her, handing her some more. "Wait and see."

When they were done placing the tinsel on the tree, and he'd lain the tree shirt underneath, they stood back to admire their work.

For the full effect, Eric moved away to turn off the lights, so that the tree glowed in the darkened room. He moved in behind Calleigh once more, wrapping his arms around her.

She leaned back into his embrace. "Eric," she breathed. "You were right…it's absolutely beautiful."

"Told you," he murmured, placing a kiss on her temple. His hands roamed the sides of her body from the swell of her breasts to her hips, his fingers dropping beneath her shirt to skim her bare skin. "It's just like the Christmas trees we had when I was growing up. My sisters and I would sit by the tree at night, with the lights off, just enjoying how beautiful it was." He moved her hair to the side so he could nuzzle her neck. "I had to have the same kind of Christmas tree in my home." He smiled against her skin, delighted with the goose bumps that rose up as he nipped at her neck and his fingers brushed the sensitive skin of her stomach, dipping just under the waistband of her jeans.

"Why do you uh…" she stopped, distracted, her voice affected by his ministrations. "…wait until Christmas Eve to uh…" she shivered uncontrollably, "…put it up." With a whimper she turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her body against his as her fingers dove into his hair. "You should put it up…earlier…" she brought his lips to hers and kissed him hard, then broke it off so she could finish, "…so you could…"

He brought his hands to her head, directed her lips back to his.

She broke the kiss again, "…enjoy it more."

"I will, if you promise to quit talking." His tongue delved into her mouth and she lost all ability to think.

Together they sank to the floor, and right there in the glow of the Christmas tree, on Christmas Eve, they made love for the first time. And thus began their tradition of making love by the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

As the memory ended, Eric moved her soft hair aside so he could skim his fingers along her neck, and he leaned in to place light kisses along the skin he uncovered. "Remember how we spent so much time making love that dinner burned and we ended up ordering out for pizza?" he asked, chuckling at the memory.

"Yeah," Calleigh replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Eric heard the catch in her voice, felt the tremor as she tried to keep it in, and gently turned her face so he could see her eyes. They were wet with unshed tears. "What is it?" he asked, concern clearly etched on his face.

"I wasted so much time for us," she whispered, wiping her eyes before tears could fall. "If only I had listened to my heart and let you in sooner."

In one swift move, Eric grabbed both their glasses and placed them on the coffee table, then turned back to Calleigh and cupped her face in both hands, his thumbs brushing her cheeks. "Don't baby…" he kissed her softly, "Don't regret the past. I think we're better for it." He kissed her again and moved his hands to the back of her head, bringing her closer as he went deeper. Needing to breathe, he broke the kiss, his voice breathy, "Besides, if you had listened to your heart sooner, we wouldn't have this tradition… would we?"

She smiled beautifully, he always knew what to say, to bring her out of any retrospective mood. "No, we wouldn't," she said, rising up on her knees, leaning forward and bending her head to capture his lips again.

He rose up on his knees, and without breaking the kiss, wrapped one arm around her waist, lowering her gently back onto the blanket.

Her hands delved back into his hair as the kiss deepened more. She whimpered when his lips left hers, only to moan as a shiver raced down her spine when his lips traveled down to her neck, and he sucked on her ear lobe and then nipped at the sensitive skin below.

It became a slow motion poetic ballet as she unbuttoned his shirt and he moved hers slowly up her body and over her head, capturing her hands in his as he laid claim to her lips once more, before casting both their shirts aside. He laved her lace covered breasts only momentarily, until he couldn't stand not tasting her flesh any longer. He deftly flicked the front closure of her bra and thanked God and the inventor of the front closure bra for the ease with which he could get to the treasure underneath. He stared reverently at the soft mounds for a few moments, and marveled at how her nipples peaked with him merely looking at them. He had no doubt as to his effect on his wife, there was never a time the two of them came together to make love and she wasn't ready, even with a spur of the moment quickie, but he still marveled at the changes in her body at the mere hint of his desire for her. He blatantly showed her his intentions when he shifted to lie between her legs and thrust his erection against her.

Calleigh had not been still. Her hands roamed Eric's back and backside, her hips undulated against his. She was mindless with the need to be one with her husband. Intermittent moans and sighs were the only sounds she made. Her hands moved to his head and held him at her breasts, then moved to his jeans, making quick work of the button and zipper.

Eric groaned and surged against her again when her warm hands made contact with his pulsing erection. Her hand began an easy rhythm, but her efforts were hampered by his jeans. With an impatient whimper she moved her hands to his hips and slipped his jeans and boxers down as far as she could.

"Eric, please," she pleaded, unable to move his pants down further. He moved away from her long enough to slip off his jeans and hers, throwing them onto the growing pile of clothing.

She watched as his gloriously nude tanned and muscular body settled back down between her creamy white legs, and she threw her head back with a gasp as he surged against her lace covered crotch again and again.

"Oh Jesus," she cried out.

"The Lord can't help you, baby," he ground out between thrusts.

"Eric, please…I need you," she cried again, thrusting back against him

"Need me where?" He was toying with her. He wanted to hear the words he heard six years ago.

"Oh God…Eric…,"

Her lips were claimed in a searing kiss. "Where baby?"

"I need you… inside me."

He smiled against her mouth. "My pleasure," he murmured as moved downward, placing kisses on the tips of her pebbled breasts, then down her stomach to her navel. He slipped his fingers in the waistband of her lace panties and slipped them down just far enough to expose her intimately. He sighed, nuzzling the soft nest of curls at the apex of her thighs and breathed in her musky scent. She cried out, surging upward when he ran his tongue intimately along her nether lips before slowly slipping her panties down her legs.

Eric threw her panties over his shoulder and then sat back to admire her beautiful form. Two babies later and she was still slim and toned, and all his.

Calleigh's head thrashed from side to side, frantic with desire. "Eric," she pleaded again as she lifted her hips, offering herself to him as she'd done six years ago.

He moved over her then and kissed her hard as he slipped inside her perfectly with a strong thrust. She arched her body against him, head thrown back, groaning at the sheer pleasure of having him inside her.

Eric began a slow and easy rhythm, moving out all the way before thrusting back inside. He alternated between suckling on her breasts and kissing her lips as they moved in perfect unison. As the pace grew, he slipped his hands underneath her bottom to bring her closer. Now she cried out at each and every exquisite thrust, her hands grasping for purchase, fisting the blanket in her hands. He sensed the oncoming of her orgasm when he felt her body begin to contract, saw her body begin to go taut underneath him, heard her breath catch and hold. He covered her lips with his to drown her scream, not wanting the children to wake. She ground her hips against his, prolonging her orgasm and he quickened his pace, their bodies slapping against each other as he sought completion. Without warning he reached his peak. He called out her name as he came, drawing out each vowel in her name against her palm, which she'd placed against his mouth as soon as he began to call out.

He collapsed bonelessly on top of her, then moved to her side as he gathered her in his arms, their heartbeats returning to normal. He kept one hand over her nicely rounded bottom, keeping them intimately joined as they softly kissed.

"I love you so much," Calleigh whispered, nuzzling her face into his neck.

He stroked her mussed hair, "I love you too, baby," He murmured in reply.

After a few moments he slipped from her body and grabbed the other blanket to cover their nude bodies. It wasn't long before both of them fell asleep.

Calleigh slept cozily in his arms and fell into a dream, a dream about a fantasy she often had with Eric…making love out in the rain. In this dream they were on the beach, a secluded beach…miraculously no one else was there. They had a picnic lunch, followed by a fair amount of kissing, and when the rain began to fall they looked at each other and smiled…and began to make love. She lay back on their blanket as he removed first his clothes and then hers, as the light rain sprinkled down on them. She arched her body skyward when he trailed kisses down her abdomen to the sweet heaven between her legs, and cried out when his tongue slipped intimately inside.

Her eyes shot open as a climax threatened to course through her body, and she realized she was living part of her dream, for Eric's face really was between her legs. God how she loved it when he woke her up in this manner! Her hands flew to his head, holding him there as her head thrashed from side to side, and the climax ripped through her with a lightning speed. She was still in the throes of her orgasm when he moved up and claimed her again with a full ripe thrust, extending her climax. His climax came just as quickly and he poured himself into her.

When his hips stopped rocking against her, he levered himself with his arms to keep from crushing her, and smiled down into her eyes.

"I love it when you do that, you know," she murmured, a smile quirking her lips.

"I know," he winked in return. "I needed to wake you up so we could play Santa Claus. It wouldn't do for Emma to find us here like this."

"Mmmmm, you're right." She reached up to kiss him soundly. "Let's get moving, so we can take this back to our bedroom."

"My thought exactly." He reluctantly disengaged himself from her body, rose and then extended a hand to help her up. He enveloped her nude body in his arms for one last hug before they donned their robes. "Merry Christmas, Baby."

"Merry Christmas," she murmured, kissing him one last time before "Santa" came.