Summary: Emily tries to help Cal find a gift for Gillian, and reminds him they are both expecting a little more from each other this year. A not-so-secret Santa fic for McBreezy! Love you wifesicle! :)
Pairing: Callian
Rated M for fluffy barely-established-relationship smutty smut smut.
Spoilers: none, unless you were somehow unaware of how sexy these two are together.
A/N: For those unfamiliar with the Snuggie, it's actually not a Snuggie. It's a Forever Lazy. But that name does not embody the adorable quality of Gillian Foster so I decided to get ironic up in da house. GOOGLE IT. And please enjoy!
It's Not A Snuggie
"It's sort of the perfect time for you two to get together." said Emily. "All the holiday cheer. It goes perfectly with two people that were destined to be together forever, finally admitting their feelings for each other..."
Cal heard every word his daughter was saying to him, though she wouldn't have known it from looking at him. His eyes were on the clothing, perfumes, merchandise, merchandise, all the merchandise filling the department store they'd just entered. Emily trailed off, waiting for him to respond to her. Eventually his mind caught up to the conversation.
"The restaurant was playing Christmas music the whole time." he said, grimacing at the face of a teen pop star on a display for foul smelling scent. "I nearly spewed my soup all over the second course."
"Dad." Emily said, disappointed. "Come on." she said, to encourage him out of the perfume section and even more to remind him who they were talking about here.
"You said you wanted every detail." said Cal, looking at Emily and picking up the pace. "I chose to begin with the bad."
"I refuse to believe there was anything bad about your first date."
"The Christmas music really was it for the bad. Everything else was good."
"Good." Emily smiled, and nodded approvingly. Suddenly they were in a sea of clothing racks, and Emily diverted her route to wade among them.
"Just good?" she pried.
Cal got closer to the circular rack that Emily was browsing. He got closer, but he still hung back, as if the thought of touching any of the hanging blouses stirred fear in him.
"We stared lovingly into each other's eyes and talked about work." Cal reported.
"So nothing's really changed." Emily smiled and peeked at Cal. He seemed to enjoy that observation. He smiled, lost in thought.
"No, I guess not."
"How about this?" Emily held up a shirt. Cal had no idea, not even the beginnings of one, whether or not Gillian would like it. "Dad!" Emily scolded him suddenly. Startled, he looked at Emily's face.
"I was thinking!" he said defensively, gesturing toward the...thing in Emily's hand.
"You look like you're about to puke."
"No! No, it's a nice shirt, I was pondering it's many frills and patterns, and...stitches..." The odd gesturing of Cal's right hand slowed along with his bullshitting.
"Dad," Emily said patiently, hugging the shirt to her waist. "You asked me to shop with you. So, please. Help me help you."
Cal let go of his mall hatred for just a moment, and tried to focus. "Alright." he said, adjusting his coat and making pointed eye contact with Emily.
"Do you think this would look good on her?" Emily asked, very serious as she held the shirt up again.
"She'd look good in anything." Cal replied immediately.
"Well. We can stop by the burlap sack store on the way home. But, just in case they don't have her size, we should find something here instead."
What Cal wanted to say was that he was trying to find ways to get Gillian's clothes off, but he couldn't very well say that to Emily. She would take a comment like that and run with it for days. They moved on, heading deeper into the store.
"Ooh!" Emily said excitedly. She took off from the upscale women's section and hurried toward a display table closer to the home section. "You could get her one of these!"
As Cal approached he saw the box that Emily plucked from the pyramid stack.
"How about I pay you never to suggest that again."
"Look how cute!" Emily argued, turning the box over to show him the picture of the family - including the dog - all wearing matching one-piece, zip-up pajamas.
"I thought you said the burlap sack store was later."
Emily laughed incredulously. "Such a Scrooge! Still? Even with Gillian waiting to see what you get her for Christmas?"
"She knows me, Em. She's not expecting anything more than the usual exchange. Oh, here's a leopard print, even better."
Emily remained silent as Cal looked through the display. Her eyebrows rose, and her expression remained wry. He noticed her watching him a moment later.
"You look just like your mother when you do that." said Cal.
"She's not expecting more than usual?" Emily asked, clearly believing the opposite was true.
"You think she is?"
"Aren't you expecting more now?" said Emily. "You're past the first date, you'll eventually want her to put out-"
"Oi!" Cal called out. "Watch your mouth."
"Just saying..." Emily sang as she walked around the display, looking for different colors.
"Just saying too much." Cal said, brow still furrowed. "And if you think the key to that is an adult sized set of a five-year-old's pajamas, you're sadly mistaken."
"Am I?" Emily asked, just to tease him. "No, you're right. I'll get her one of these myself. We've been talking about getting each other a set for months now, so if you give it to her she'll know I helped you."
"Wouldn't want to reveal the magician's secret, would we?" Cal muttered, still smarting from his daughter's smart mouth.
Cal didn't last much longer at the mall. Emily completed her shopping there, crossing the names of family and friends off her list as they went. She took her father to a smaller boutique, to a jewelry store and a few other places. He found nothing that pleased him, nothing that measured up to the idea that Emily had placed in his head: that they were both now expecting more.
Their tradition for the past few years was to get together on Christmas Eve and exchange gifts at one of their homes, since Cal usually spent Christmas day with Emily and Zoe. This year would be different. Cal did not plan on spending Christmas day with anyone but Gillian, as Zoe had moved to Chicago to start a new family, and Emily had flown there to visit for the rest of the week and through New Year's. Cal realized now that moving away was the nicest thing Zoe had ever done for him. Merry Christmas indeed.
It had not been discussed, but a sleepover at Gillian's was now on the table. It was with this possibility in mind that Cal designed his gift. If he was going to earn this, he wanted to show her he deserved it. He wanted to show her that it meant more to him than anything.
Cal knocked on Gillian's door, dressed in jeans, his softest cashmere sweater and a winter coat. When he imagined Gillian opening the door, in his mind's eye she was wearing something sophisticated, classic Gillian, effortlessly beautiful, understated but impossible not to notice. Reality became a punchline when she answered the door in her new pajamas. She'd received them from Emily earlier in the week, and he'd forgotten all about them until that moment. The door opened, and Gillian stood there smiling, embarrassed but too amused to care. She knew how Cal felt about them, and he knew that she knew how he felt about them. He'd stated his opinion many times during the girls' gift exchange at the office. Seeing them on her, in bright red no less, his mind was not changed, but she certainly made it easier to take their existence.
"Ya like?" she said. She shifted in place, her hand moving up on the edge of the door. Modeling for him. The look of amusement and pure love on his face was worth it.
"That's actually quite darling on you." he said, even as he found himself imagining the figure hidden inside the near formless jumpsuit.
"You're just saying that." Gillian accused him playfully. She stepped aside to let him in; as he passed he leaned in for a kiss. Unlike every other time he'd leaned in for a kiss on his way into her place, he didn't go for the cheek. Their lips connected, and neither of them thought about it until afterward. They both realized at the same time what had happened. Cal leaned in again to capture her lips, and she was happy to kiss back. They both smiled when they parted.
"We can do that now, can't we?" Cal asked.
"We can." Gillian agreed, watching him go. And more, she thought. Much more, she hoped. As she closed the door she felt the ultra soft fabric of her footie pajamas rub against her skin. She couldn't wait to give him his present.
When they sat down on the couch, Cal did not need to be asked. He took an envelope out of his coat pocket, and handed it to Gillian to open while he shed the coat and got comfortable on the cushion next to hers.
She studied the envelope first. It was plain to look at, with only her first name to identify it as a gift addressed to her. She gave Cal a curious look. He usually had something silly for her to open, a bottle of wine at least.
"Is this it?" she teased him. He actually seemed a bit nervous over it, which intrigued her more than anything.
"There's some reading involved, if you want to get it over with." Cal warned her. He watched her flip the envelope over and use her delicate fingers to pull gingerly at the paper. "I went to every bloody store in the city, but I just couldn't find anything." he explained. "Then I thought, you know, we see each other every day, but there are things I haven't told you. Just little things I might take for granted. I want you to know I don't. I don't take them for granted."
By that time Gillian had the envelope open. She pulled out a card - it had a cartoon snowman on the front, simple but cute - and opened it up.
I know exactly what I've gained by entering into a proper relationship with you. You mean the world to me and I don't intend to lose you, ever, for any reason.
I promise I won't mess this up.
I love you.
- Cal
Cal chewed on his lower lip, using all of his patience to wait for her response. Gillian looked up at him, giving him one of her inscrutable, unreadable looks. She wasn't angry or amused, he could tell that much.
"I was reminded," he said, patience gone and the silence too deafening to wait any longer. "By a good friend of mine, that what we have is a little different now."
Gillian nodded in agreement.
"So," he said. "I decided to go with something a little different."
Gillian glanced down at the card. "You're right, it's not the typical gift from you."
She really did like to torture him, didn't she? No, the truth was she was deeply touched. She recognized how difficult it was for Cal to express those deep feelings he had for her. Receiving that promise, seeing it in his handwriting and signed with his name, meant more to her that year than any tangible object.
"This means a lot to me." she said aloud, since he'd been nice enough to share his feelings. Hearing her say it in her serious tone caused him visible relief.
"Yeah, I knew it would." he said, feigning sudden confidence. He dropped the act for a grateful smile, and Gillian dropped her mysterious look for one of warm gratitude as well.
"Thank you." she said, crawling toward him on the sofa. He leaned in, and they shared a very sweet kiss. "I love you too." Gillian said softly, kissing him again before she sat back. Cal was patient for about three more seconds before he made a show of glancing around the room for his gift. The coffee table, the kitchen counter, behind the couch. He found nothing, and so he turned to Gillian and asked simply:
"Where's mine?"
Gillian gazed at him. The look alone was delicious. "It's under this." she said softly, sweetly, as she glanced down at her onesie pajamas. Her hands stroked the soft fabric on her inner thighs, and she raised her shoulders, scrunching them up as if to show him how snuggly it was.
And his gift...was underneath?
Cal stared at her with slackened jaw. She looked over at him, maintaining that smile that was as naughty as it was nice. Cal's mouth slowly formed a smile, and then a grin. That pleased Gillian very much. He barely knew what to do with himself, and she enjoyed his lack of control.
"I think you should open it." she said, her voice as soft and smooth as the velveteen fleece fabric that covered her entire body. As an article of clothing, it bordered on the absurd. As full body gift wrapping? It made Cal's mouth water.
Gillian leaned back, resting her head on the back of the couch. Cal chuckled at the ease of her flirtation. There was no filter anymore. She was inviting him to take her body, and she was doing it so playfully.
"It's a bit blasphemous, don't you think?" Cal asked as he scooched closer to her. "Celebrating the birth of the little baby Jesus like this?"
"Mm." Gillian agreed softly, maintaining eye contact. "I didn't want to wait for your birthday."
Cal set his elbow on the back of the couch, and rested his head on his hand. "Right." he said gratefully. His other hand gestured toward her zipper. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all." she said, adding, as his hand moved closer, "I hope you like it."
"There is no way you could disappoint." Cal assured her, taking hold of the zipper pull. He moved achingly slow, and Gillian's chest rose as she inhaled. A few inches of bare skin were revealed. Then a few inches more. He couldn't decide whether he wanted her completely naked under there, or to have one last layer to get through. Revealing the end of her sternum, Cal found evidence of a bright red bra. As he pulled further down, nearing her navel, the sides of the zippered fabric moved apart naturally, revealing the wispy white accents on her undergarment.
Cal studied it, the way he'd faked studying the shirt at the mall. This time he really was pondering its details, and more intensely the tops of Gillian's round breasts, which were pressed up toward him, packaged and offered to his senses on a red and white fur-lined satin platter.
"Merry Christmas." he heard her say. He looked at her face, into her eyes, and she offered a faint smile. Cal's hand slipped inside the fleece, coming to rest on the side of her rib cage. Gillian inhaled sharply. The response was involuntary, and it revealed how sensitive she was to his touch. He stroked her skin gently, taking great care with the gift that had been given to him.
"So the anticipation is killing you too?" he asked her.
"For seven years now." Gillian confessed, her body tense and her breaths shallow.
"Then I don't need to ask if you're sure about this."
"A girl doesn't dress like this unless she's absolutely positive."
"Let's get it off you and see the rest of it then?"
Gillian nodded, her hands reaching for him as he leaned in to kiss her. Warm, warm, wet and warm, their first honest to goodness let's-get-sexual kiss happened with Cal's hand already inside Gillian's clothes. In reaction to feeling Cal's tongue inside her mouth, Gillian raked her fingernails over his scalp and arched her back, urging him to keep exploring her body with his hand. The pajamas hid an absolute wonder. With his eyes closed, while he was kissing her, he could see in his mind's eye the contour of her body, how it transitioned from slender waist to wider hip, from hip to smooth thigh.
Gillian whimpered into Cal's mouth. His hand swept its way up her body to the exposed part of her stomach, resting flat on her ribs, just beneath the sexy Santa themed bra she'd picked out. Her hand remained on his head, fingers in his hair, as he leaned back to look at her body.
"This is some sort of psychological trick, isn't it?" Cal asked, gazing at her breasts like a man hungry for his dinner. "To try and get me to like Christmas or something?"
Gillian bit her lip and looked into Cal's eyes, her own eyes glistening with arousal and amusement and sheepishness because he was right.
"Is it working?" she asked him. Cal moved his hand up and squeezed her softly, testing the pliancy of the cup of her bra. The wispy white fur tickled his knuckles, and he felt the true size of her breast each time he squeezed.
"I have to say it is. I'm suddenly seeing the appeal of Santa Claus, bearing gifts like these." Cal bowed his head toward them as he spoke, and planted a soft kiss.
"Mmm," Gillian enjoyed the sight of Cal kissing the tops of her breasts as much as the feel of it. "I'm not Santa Claus here." she told him. "You are."
"And what does that make you?" Cal murmured, burying his face in her cleavage. "Mrs. Claus?" he guessed, as her body writhed beneath him.
"No," she murmured back. "I'm one of Santa's slutty helpers." She giggled when he growl-moaned into her cleavage, pleased to experience such easy banter in their most intimate moment to date. Unable to keep from kissing her, his next words were muffled against her lips.
"Let's get the potato sack off you..."
Gillian returned his kisses, sitting up so Cal could push the fleece from her shoulders and down her arms. Once freed of the top, Gillian pulled him close to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Cal snuggled closer, employing a bit of gentle manhandling to put her on her back beneath him. She was incredibly warm, all the body heat that had been held by her outfit suddenly accessible through her skin. Cal still had his sweater on, so he pressed his face against her neck. He kissed her there, and caressed the side of her stomach with his entire hand. Gillian sighed, resting her hands gently on his head as he shifted his entire body down. He buried his face between her breasts again, kissing their softness and soaking up the warmth. She used her upper arms to push them together, giving him a real pillow to nuzzle with his face. Gillian grinned at his reaction, the intensified kissing and licking that followed her action.
"You like those, don't you?" she teased him.
"They're perfect." he replied, voice muffled against them. He snuck his arm underneath her waist, his hand searching for the clasp. He wanted to see them in their full glory.
"Wait." Gillian murmured, twisting her upper body away from his fingers. "I want you to see the whole thing." she said. There was a matching pair of underwear, and she'd spent far too long staring at herself in the mirror, wondering whether she could live up to her own promise, to let Cal snap her bra off without seeing the entire outfit.
She didn't have to ask Cal twice - or even once, for that matter. He knew what he had to do. Kneeling between her legs, Cal put his hands on the upper part of her pajamas, which laid limp around her waist. Gillian lifted her hips, and Cal pulled the pajamas down to her mid-thigh. Then Gillian lowered her hips, resting once again on the soft cushions of her living room couch. Her bottoms were red, the same bright festive red as the bra. Instead of white fur, however, there was the impression of a black belt around the waist band, which didn't so much wrap around her waist as it did the width of her perfectly proportioned hips.
Cal grinned at the very idea of Santa panties. "That's a conspiracy, that is."
Gillian pressed her lips together, fighting her smile. "You're going to love Santa, and Christmas, and everything about this holiday from now on."
"Everything?"
"It doesn't matter what. It will all remind you of this."
"Of you."
Gillian nodded, her smile downright evil. It was sweet, too. Cal didn't mind it one bit, no matter how nefarious her plan.
"You're going to love this too, you know." Cal informed her.
"I bet I will." said Gillian. She wiggled her hips, reminding him to free the rest of her legs from the PJ's.
"Oh. Do that again." Cal said, his mouth hanging open as he stared at her hips. She placed her hands over her head, and moved her hips slowly. "Wherever he is," Cal said, pointing at the ceiling. "Santa just fell out of his sleigh."
Gillian laughed, and tried pulling her legs out of the pajamas herself. She just wanted to wrap her legs around Cal's waist, pull him closer and cuddle until they both came. Cal tugged at the pant legs, with slightly different intentions. When he'd freed her and discarded the pajamas entirely, he shifted further down the couch, with his head between her bent legs. Gillian gasped outward when his next kiss connected. He kissed her open mouthed and he breathed hot against her. At the same time he pushed his hand underneath her ass and squeezed, his thumb pushing gently against her softest parts. He massaged her with mouth and hand, his other hand used to support his weight. How quickly he got her to lose control, to start moaning and whining for him.
"Cal..." Gillian breathed out. She meant to say let's move this to the bedroom but that thought got lost in the shuffle.
"Santa's slutty helper is getting wet," Cal murmured. "Santa likes it."
Gillian smiled as she groaned. Suddenly Cal sprang up, his face next to hers. His hand was still between her legs, massaging the spot his mouth had just been.
"You know," he said conversationally. "You might be de-Scrooge-ing me..."
Gillian's breathing was still labored, and her hips still wriggled with pleasure as his fingertips and palm worked her over the fabric of her panties.
"But in doing this you run the risk of ruining it for yourself. All the fun and innocence, perverted by all this naughty roleplay and sex..."
"Cal." Gillian said, as clearly as she could with the natural moan in her voice.
"That's Santa to you, Ms. Slutty Helper."
"Santa?" Gillian complied, the corners of her mouth turning up into a wicked smile.
"Yes, love?"
"Have I been naughty or nice this year?"
"Oh," Cal pondered this very serious question. "Well, dressing up like this was very nice."
With his hand he pressed just a little harder, and moved just a bit faster. He leaned closer so he could press his cheek to hers and send his low murmur right into her ear.
"But spreading your legs and giving me a reason to like Christmas was very, very naughty."
Gillian moaned, but she still had some control. Her hands were in his hair again, and she returned his low murmur when she spoke gently into his ear.
"Then spank me." she suggested.
In one smooth motion, Cal replaced his hand with his hard cock, rubbing against her through his clothes. They kissed, and Cal's sweater was tugged over his head, right before his pants were unfastened by two delicate, desperate hands. Gillian reached inside his boxers, stroking him as he pushed his pants further down. She moved with him, never losing her grip. He struggled, not wanting to be lost, but wanting to be rid of his clothing as soon as possible. Once he'd succeeded, shoes and all, Gillian used her other hand to caress his chest, stroking the skin on his neck and the side of his face when he leaned down to kiss her.
Cal hooked one of his arms under one of her legs, stroking the skin on the underside of her thigh in doing so. Gillian, distracted by the feeling, lifted her hips to get some more friction. Without warning Cal drew back his hand and smacked her ass hard enough to startle her. She moaned into his mouth - it was a good startled - and he smacked her again, with just enough force to make it sexy.
Gillian took both hands back and reached for her black belted panties, pushing them down from her hips, as far as she could reach in her position underneath Cal's body. Cal took up where she left off, bringing her legs together just long enough to slip them up and over her feet.
"We'll set those right here." Cal murmured, draping them on the couch cushion so they could still see them. As he lowered himself toward her, covering her body with his own, Gillian reached for his cock with both hands, her breasts pushed together as a result.
"Take it off." Cal said of the bra, his words swallowed by Gillian's mouth as they kissed.
"Make me come first," Gillian mumbled against his lips. "Then you can open your presents."
Cal kissed her hard. She was stubborn as ever, more so now that she knew she held the true power here, no matter which one of them was doing the spanking. He thrust his hips, enjoying the tight grip of her soft, warm hands. He knew there was somewhere even tighter and warmer for his cock, but if she wanted to make him wait, he'd wait. The longer they were naked together the better; she was just as beautiful naked as he'd always imagined.
Cal's fingertips found her bare entrance, not quite penetrating but teasing her open. Gillian cried out, moaning, and let her head fall back onto the couch cushion. She felt something nice working its way into every nerve, foreshadowing what was sure to be a satisfying release.
"You want me inside you when you come?" Cal asked her. Gillian nodded, heaving a lusty sigh as she tilted her head to look down between their bodies. They let go of each other, and Cal took himself in one hand, the hand he'd used to touch her. Lubricated by wetness he'd taken from her, Cal stroked himself and looked into her eyes, letting the moment sink in. She looked back at him, shifting her hips and waiting.
"If you knew how many times I've imagined this..." Cal said, letting the words hang between them.
Gillian's heart was pounding in her chest. She chuckled nervously, but her hands were all over his arms, rubbing him encouragingly, feeling his bicep flex as he masturbated over her.
"Me too." she confessed.
Cal smiled. "Was it good?"
"Every time." said Gillian, feeling slightly embarrassed but completely safe. Cal's hand stopped its motion, and he shifted his body closer to her. To facilitate the angle, Gillian lifted her leg to rest her calf on the back of the couch. She tried not to hold her breath, but it got caught in her throat when she felt the beginning of his penetration. One of her hands moved to clutch the cushion her leg was resting on, and her choked moans told Cal to use caution even as they turned him on.
"Tell me if it's too much." he said, his own voice strained by pleasure.
"It's fine-" Gillian breathed heavily. "It's just-...it's been a while..."
Cal moaned and pushed slowly through the tightness, the feeling of it combined with the spread of her thighs and the way she clutched at him, at the couch, at the nearest object just to brace herself. She moaned loudly, and he could have exploded inside of her at the sound. He thrust gently, and kissed her lips. He thrust again, and their heads tilted, mouths opening. His hand supported her neck, and he pressed his mouth against hers and kissed her deeply. He pressed his entire body closer, and suddenly the bra was not a novelty, it was in the way. Gillian struggled to get her arm underneath her own back. Cal lifted his own body to allow her access, and in a few seconds her body was completely bare to him, the bra thrown toward the coffee table without a glance. Cal lowered his upper body toward hers, and it felt like miles of skin touching, all warm and soft and smooth, her breasts like pillows for his naturally lean chest.
He was all the way inside her, their hips flush, and the way their bodies pressed together, he stimulated her right where she needed it. He felt it when she dug her nails into his lower back, and when she pushed her hips up toward him. Staying inside her, instead of thrusting in and out, Cal began to rock them both up and down, giving her more friction. The only parts of them not touching were Gillian's dangling legs and their faces. He watched her face, the furrowed brow and the mouth that hung open as they moved together.
"I'm so close," she moaned. "Cal, that feels so good..."
"Feels incredible." he agreed, moving gradually faster and faster.
"Oh, shit..." she squeaked, her voice a whisper. Both of her hands clutched at him, and her hips bucked underneath him. They didn't move much since he had her pinned so securely, but he felt her trying, thrusting against him wildly. Even Cal's eyes rolled back a bit as she came. Her orgasmic moans were still ringing in his ears, and her body still rocked up and down, when he began to thrust his hips again, thrusting himself up and into her.
Gillian held on to Cal, and he braced them both against the couch arm with one hand. She felt the length of him slip out of her and push back in, again and again; and her orgasmic moans transitioned to those of appreciation of his length, his girth and his energy. He needed her body, and she wanted him to use it.
He went harder, deeper, trusting Gillian to let him know if she couldn't keep up. The way she cried out and pushed up with her hips only drove him harder, deeper, and he put his arm around her waist for support. He kissed her mouth, licked her neck, twisted his body so he could suck at her breasts.
"Oh, god, I love you..." Gillian moaned, one hand in his hair and the other braced against the couch arm just under Cal's hand.
"Love you too." Cal's strained voice replied. His face found hers, but he didn't kiss her. He looked into her eyes, their noses almost touching, and he found a rhythm with his hips that would make him come inside her. The top of Gillian's head would have hit the couch arm if she hadn't been pushing away from it with her hand. Feelings overwhelmed her, both physical and emotional, and she held on through the intensity until she felt Cal tense up.
"Gill-" was all he choked out, the name surrounded by a moan. Gillian threw both hands around his neck and hugged his body to hers. He buried his face in her neck, his thrusts seconds apart but harder than ever. They slowed and softened after he'd emptied himself into her. Momentum. It felt too good to stop so soon.
When his body came to rest they remained there in silence, just holding each other and relaxing. When Cal's body shifted and he slipped out of her, they moved only enough to facilitate a cuddle. Twenty minutes later he was still on top of her, face down in the cushion next to her head. Her legs still framed his waist, he felt her breathing, and he felt her fingernails scratching lightly all over his scalp. There was no better feeling in the world.
"How do you feel?" Gillian asked softly a few minutes later.
Cal's chuckle made her body shake. "There aren't words to describe it, Gill."
Gillian smiled, unseen, and gave no reply. Cal sensed that he would need to spell his feelings out in many future greeting cards if she was still unsure as to how he felt about her. Since his gift was his endless reassurance and undying devotion, he lifted his head and faced her doubts. She looked up at him, and the look in her eyes did make his heart ache.
"You know this is all I've ever wanted." he said to her. She cast her eyes down, bashful. He feared she misunderstood him, so he touched her cheek with his fingertips, pulling gently so she would look at him again.
"Not just the sex." he said.
Gillian's smile was soft and appreciative. She knew, but until that moment she still needed to be told.
"I want to be as close to you as possible." he continued. "Closer, even. In every way."
"Me too." said Gillian. Her hands wandered over his chest and his back, hugging him as she lifted herself up to kiss his lips.
"I don't just want it," Cal said as she laid back down. "I need it. I need to know what you're feeling and what you're thinking." He touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "So, even if you're feeling good," he shrugged, trying to keep things light. "I can make it better."
Gillian's smile deepened, and she savored the sweetness of his honesty. "What I'm feeling," she said, taking his hand in hers and giving his palm a kiss. "Is that I'm in love with you." She looked into his eyes, and a smile appeared there before it reached his mouth. "And I'm thinking about how glad I am that we did this."
"That's good." said Cal, the smile spreading everywhere, even in his touch. "That's really good."
"It is, isn't it?" Gillian narrowed her eyes as she asked him. He wasn't exactly saying it back.
"It's terrific, actually." Cal deadpanned. "Convenient, too."
"Convenient?"
"Yeah. Well, I'm in love with you too."
"Oh." Gillian nodded, humoring him. "Thank goodness."
"And," he continued, matter-of-fact. "I have to say I am also quite glad."
"You should be." Gillian said smugly. "I've never been able to come that way with anyone else."
That shocked him into silence for a moment. She very much enjoyed her own ability to mentally slap him when she wanted to.
"You know, I think our banter works better when we're naked." Cal said after recovering.
"Really?" Gillian tilted her head to the side and scrunched her features, pretending not to be convinced.
"It's gonna be like that, then?" Cal grinned, and lowered his head to give her neck a bite, or a lick, or both at once; anything to make her break character. It worked; he tickled her and she giggled, and they agreed that whether it would convince her or not, they'd take the rest of the weekend to test their naked banter together.
"Did you get what you wanted for Christmas, Gill?"
"Everything, Cal. And it was even better than I imagined."