a/n: Don't hate me...but it's been snowing here today and I'm sitting at the table watching it snow...and I couldn't help but think of Rose and Dimitri's Christmas! I'm working on getting the next chapter of 'Tempting Fate' up by the middle of the week!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter!

When Rose's ass buzzed for the sixth time, she decided maybe the person on the other end really did need to talk to her. She tried to reposition herself, but Dimitri's legs tightened around her, prohibiting movement.

"Where do you think you're going?" he growled in her ear.

"My phone is buzzing."

"Funny, so is my-"

"And I need to answer it," she cut in before he could finish his sentence. She didn't need him to tell her what was going on between his legs. It had been pressed against her lower back for the last half hour, after all. "It's the six time it's gone off."

Dimitri's legs loosened and she stood, then excused herself and left the room. She made her way to the front porch before pulling her phone out and reading her messages—all from Lissa.

Tasha's my least favorite relative on the planet.

I hate the thought of you spending Christmas alone. :(

How was Badder Santa? Do you still have your gross crush on Billy Bob Thornton?

Eeeew...Green Bean Casserole. Who the hell concocted that recipe anyway?

Mayday, mayday. We got matching sweaters for Christmas.

FREAKING OUT HERE! TEXT ME! SCRATCH THAT—CALL ME. I WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL I HEAR YOUR VOICE.

Rose laughed as she hit the picture of the green phone and then pulled her cell to her ear.

"Thank God!" Lissa breathed.

Rose laughed. "I'm beginning to see where your girls get their melodramatic tendencies."

"All I could picture was you stuck in a ditch somewhere with a dead cell...or at home, passed out with an empty bottle of tequila lying next to you!" her friend exclaimed.

"I'm happy to report that neither of those things have happened."

"Where are you?" Lissa asked. "I hear Christmas music."

Rose cleared her throat. "So...you don't have to worry about me spending Christmas alone."

"Did your parents fly home?"

"Yeah, right," Rose scoffed.

"Then...where are you?" Lissa pressed.

"Uh...I'm actually with Dimitri and his family," she admitted.

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line that went on for about fifteen seconds before Rose broke it. "Liss?"

"So...it's Dimitri now?" she finally said.

"Yeah...he just...showed up while I was in my flannels-"

"Wow. And he's still interested."

"Shut up!"

Lissa laughed. "Hey, I've seen you in those things. He must really like what's underneath if he's willing to brave the flannel."

"I regret returning your call," Rose said, turning as the door opened behind her. Dimitri stepped onto the porch in his stockinged feet. Her eyes lifted, taking in his black denim clad legs and red long sleeved t-shirt. The fabric was taut across his chest—taunting her with what she knew was beneath it.

"OK. Fine. I'm glad you called, and I'm really glad you're not spending the holidays alone. Even if you are spending them with someone you claim to hate," Lissa baited.

"I'm hanging up now," Rose told her friend, doing just that before her friend could get another word out.

"Everything OK?" Dimitri asked as she returned her phone to her back pocket.

She nodded. "Just a little friend drama. Lissa worries about me."

"Where are your parents?" Dimitri asked curiously.

"Uh...Greece? I think. Or maybe Italy. I can't remember where they said they were this year."

His eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

"Don't look like that," she chastised.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like my parents should be shot for not spending Christmas with their adult daughter."

"How much time do they spend with you?"

"Ummm..." she bit the inside of her cheek as she thought about it.

"When was the last time you saw them?" he pressed.

"A year and a half ago, I think? I'm not sure."

His eyes darkened with what she could only guess was anger, puzzling her. Was he really that concerned about her?

"Your mother lives in Russia," she reminded him. "It's not like you see her every day."

"You're right," he agreed. "I don't see her very day. But we do manage to get together at least twice a year."

"That's nice, but not everyone is able to do that," she pointed out.

He arched a brow.

"It's not like I need to be taken care of," she insisted. She really should stop speaking—she knew she should. But the way Dimitri was staring at her—he really had that interrogation thing down; she felt the need to explain herself when she never felt the need to explain herself to anybody.

"Maybe I want to take care of you," he said, his eyes softening with the words.

The fact that his admission didn't rile her up scared the hell out of her. "Well...stop...wanting to take care of me!" she ordered, realizing it was possible she was overreacting.

"I don't think I can," he whispered, his hand encircling her wrist and giving it a gentle tug. She stumbled toward what was quickly becoming one of her places—up against him.

Her hands came up between them to splay over the pecs she couldn't get out of her mind—though in all fairness, she hadn't been trying in earnest. Her fingers curled against his hard flesh. "Try harder," she said weakly.

"Too late," he said just before he sealed his lips over hers. His tongue thrust inside of her mouth when she opened it to present exhibit A as to exactly why she didn't need him to take care of her. But his tongue—sweet Lord. It was all she could focus on. He licked the roof of her mouth, the insides of her cheeks...stroked hers roughly as he gripped the back of one of her thighs and lifted her leg off the ground, wrapping it around himself. She rocked her hips against him as she felt a rush of heat between her thighs.

She groaned when he tore his lips from hers, arching her neck to give him easier access as he sucked gently.

There was a slam as the door closed, followed by the unmistakable voice of Dimitri's oldest nephew. "They're on the porch going at it!"

"Fuck," Dimitri said as he lifted his head.

Rose dropped her leg to the floor as she tried to regain her balance as well as her breath. "There might be certain...parts of me...I'd let you take care of," she admitted.

Dimitri laughed. "Roza." She felt his warm breath fan against her face as he lowered his forehead until it was resting against hers. "That's not good enough. I want all of you."

She was pleased that his breathing was as ragged as hers was; she'd hate to think her level of desire was one-sided. "'All of me' isn't up for grabs," she informed him firmly.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "We'll see about that."