Four days before Christmas
Charlotte's in the bathtub, leaning against the tub wall, her eyes closed, and her hand skimming over the top of the warm, sudsy water. Soft music plays in the background and the lights are dimmed, two candles are lit on the sink counter. A soft glow casts over her as she lays there.
The door opens slowly and Cooper smiles at her.
She cracks an eye open and turns her head to the sound she heard. "Hey." Her other eye opens and she shifts on the tub floor. "Are you still mad that I bought your way into the practice?"
"I'll get over it."
"You wanna join me?" She winks and lets out a breath.
He nods and strips. He gets into the tub and presses his back against the opposite wall. He lifts her right leg and slides his hands up along either side. "Are we exchanging gifts this year?"
She smiles. "Uh, I don't see why we wouldn't."
He places a soft kiss on the bottom of her foot. "I have your gift, I was just wondering if you were getting me one."
"What'd ya get me?"
He digs his thumbs into the sole of her foot, working up and down. "You're not gonna trick me into telling you."
"Can I get a hint?"
"I think you'll like it."
"That's not really a hint, Coop."
He laughs. "Exactly. You can wait until Thursday." He leans over the tub edge and pulls his pants closer to him. He dries off his hands with a towel and pulls his phone out of his pocket. He answers it. "Hey, mom."
Charlotte scoots over to him and rests her hand on his thigh.
"Just fi—INE." His voice gets higher as he sucks in air. He pulls the phone away. "Stop," he whispers. He brings the phone back to his ear. "No, no, sorry, mom."
Charlotte slides her hand up very slowly and grabs him.
He bites his bottom lip. "No, don't hang up, I'm here—A." He pushes Charlotte's hand away. "Not now," he says to Charlotte. He focuses on his phone call again. "Oh, no, now's the perfect time, mom."
Charlotte arches an eyebrow and brushes her palm against him.
He blinks slowly and swallows. "Mom—I um, I'm gonna have to, um, uh—." He straightens his back and nibbles on his bottom lip. He turns his head away from the phone and lets out a soft shriek. He lets out a breath. "I'm gonna have to call you back, mom—yeah, Charlotte and I are fine, mom—no—no—no—same to you and dad, mom. Spin the dreidel for me." His hand's shaking a little as Charlotte rubs back and forth. "I—."
Charlotte wraps her fingers around him and looks at him, a devilish smirk on her face, her eyes bright and determined.
"Gotta go—bye." He hangs up the phone and drops it on his jeans. He looks at Charlotte and laughs. "You," is all he says.
She leans forward, pressing her lips against his. She squeezes into the space beside him and curves her body around him. She tugs on his arm hair and kisses his neck.
He shivers and runs his hand down her naked body. "My mom wishes us a Happy Hanukah."
She runs her fingers through his hair and engulfs him in a kiss. "Shut up about your momma while I'm doin' this," she says while drawing small circles on his upper thigh with her pinky finger and gliding her lips against his, bobbing her head a little and sucking on his bottom lip.
"Mmmm, you taste like strawberries and honey."
She shifts, straddling him. She lifts her ass off his legs, sinks her knees into the tub floor, drops her shoulders, and cups the sides of his face, her thumbs brushing against his cheeks. She intensifies their kisses and presses her body against his.
"Um, hello." He laughs and reciprocates, wrapping his arm around her neck and running his fingers through her damp hair. He rests his other hand on her thigh and angles his chin. He curses under his breath against her lips when he hears his phone's quiet ring amongst the denim.
"Ignore it, Coop," she says, her voice throaty and muffled.
He nods and focuses on her again.
Charlotte's asleep on the couch, a blanket draped over her. She's hugging a pillow and drooling a little, her eyes twitching with each hushed snore.
Cooper walks out of the kitchen and over to the couch. He smiles and sits down by her feet.
The shift in weight wakes her up. She opens her eyes and fights back a yawn. She rolls onto her back and pushes herself up. She pushes her hair out of her face and rubs her eyes. "Huh?"
"Tired?"
She nods. "Didn't get much sleep last night and the hospital was busy today."
He hands her the coffee that he brewed for her and shifts on the couch cushion. "Did you have a nice nap at least?"
"It was heaven." She mixes her coffee with the candy cane and took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. She takes a sip and smiles. "Thank you for the coffee."
"I thought I'd make it festive."
She sucks on the candy cane and smiles at him. "What time is it?"
He looks at his watch. "A quarter to eight."
She breathes in the smell of the coffee and then takes another sip. "Almost a two hour nap—that's a new record for me." She laughs.
"Did you get my gift yet?" He asks, changing the subject.
"Yes. I've had your gift for weeks."
"Can I have a hint?"
"Well, I didn't really know what to get you. You already have all the latest electronics and gadgets and whatever, so it's sort of a gag gift."
"Now I'm curious."
She laughs. "That's the point."
"Are you gonna be my hot date for Christmas Eve?"
"Maybe. Are you gonna be my hot date for that dreaded hospital fundraiser tomorrow night?"
"Maybe."
She sets her coffee cup on the side table and shifts so her back is against the cushions. She curls her legs under her and drapes the blanket over herself.
Cooper scoots over and presses his lips against hers, raking his fingers through her hair at the same time. He separates from her and smiles. "So are you gonna be my date?"
"Course, Coop. Are you gonna be mine?"
"Course." He kisses her quickly on the lips and lets out a breath.
She leans against him, hooking her arm around his and resting her head on his shoulder. She lets out a breath and closes her eyes.
He smiles and takes a sip of his coffee. "I'm sure you'll look amazing in that dress—if that's the one you're wearing."
"The gold one?"
"Uh-huh."
"I'm wearin' that one."
"Good. I can't wait to see it on you." He smiles. "I like having you living here."
"I like living here." She sinks into the cushions and slides her hand up and down his arm.
"Let's watch a movie." He reaches for the remote and turns on the TV. He flips through the channels, not sure what's on. He turns off the TV. "Well, so much for that."
She laughs.
"I can give you a full body massage."
She lifts her head up and raises an eyebrow. "You're offerin' to give me a massage?"
"Yes. Do you want one? Believe it or not, I like giving you massages—I get to touch you, see you naked, and rub lotion and oil all over you…what's not to love about that?"
She smiles. "So it's that kinda massage, huh?"
He smirks. "Oh yeah, baby."
She stands up and picks up her coffee cup. She sucks on the candy cane while she disappears into the kitchen to put her mug in the dishwasher. She comes back out and tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Good 'cause those are my favorite." She walks into the bedroom and locks herself in the bathroom.
Cooper stands up and carries his mug into the kitchen, placing it into the dishwasher before following Charlotte into their bedroom.
Three days before Christmas
Cooper's sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling up his socks. He slips his feet into his dress shoes and turns his head when he hears the bathroom door slide open. His eyes widen and he smiles. "Wow—my girlfriend's gorgeous."
Charlotte clasps her earrings and smoothes down the front of her dress. She adjusts her bra and smiles at him. She's wearing a gold sequined floor length gown. Her makeup is barely visible, her hair is clipped back, and she has her white gold cross, that Big Daddy got her when she turned sixteen, around her neck. "I decided to go a little fancier this year."
"You look incredible." He stands up, pulling down on his pant leg a little. He walks over to her and places a soft peck on her lips, resting his hand on her neck. "Beautiful."
"Thank you." She pushes him back a little and loosens his tie. She quickly reties it right and kisses him. "You really gotta learn how to put on a tie, Coop."
"Thanks—for fixing my tie."
She looks at the clock on her bedside table. "Crap. I'm late." She walks over to the closet and slips into her gold strappy heels. She straightens and pull out her wedgie.
"That's hot." He laughs.
"I don't need your commentary, Coop." She looks in the mirror and makes final adjustments. She grabs her clutch on the dresser and tucks it under her arm. She groans and puts her purse down. She walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. She comes back out and Cooper's standing there, looking at her. "What?"
"You need to breathe."
"I hate bein' late, that's all."
"Well, come on." He steals a quick kiss and walks into the living room.
She grabs her purse and follows him.
Charlotte's in the bathroom, fixing her makeup. Cooper kissed most of it off and she sweat off the rest.
Addison walks in and looks at the blonde.
"You look like ten miles of bad road," she says, looking at her colleague, noticing her pale and sweaty appearance.
Addison disappears into a stall and falls to her knees. She throws her head over the rim of the toilet and warm liquid spews out.
Charlotte blinks. "Well, damn." She pauses. "Is it somethin' you ate?" She asks, concerned about the 150 guests in the ballroom at the moment.
"Clams," Addison mutters between burps.
Charlotte rests her hand on her stomach and swallows. "Shit," she mumbles under her breath. She lets out a breath and puts her mascara and lipstick in her clutch. "Um, good luck with that," she says and walks out of the bathroom. She heads into the ballroom, on a quest to dispose of all the trays with clams and to warn everybody.
Two days before Christmas
Charlotte's wedged between the wall and the toilet in her bathroom with her head leaning over the rim as the warm chunks spew from her cracked lips.
Cooper walks into the bathroom and kneels down beside her. He pulls up her tank top and lightly brushes the wet folded-up towel against her hot skin. He clips her hair back so it's not in her face and sighs.
She lifts her head and wipes her mouth off with her hand. She leans back on the wall and closes her eyes. She holds her stomach as she breathes in and out. She burps and swallows the little bit of vomit that came up with it.
He hands her the water bottle he grabbed for her, untwisting the cap first.
She takes a few gulps and quickly gives it back to him. She flings her head over the bowl and burps up more vomit. She toggles the flusher and slumps against the wall again. She's breathing quicker now, her hand resting on her stomach still. She opens her eyes slowly and focuses on Cooper. "This sucks."
A soft laugh escapes. He sits next to her and wipes off her sweat with the cold, damp towel. He kisses the top of her head and brushes her hair away from her eyes. "You're sure it was the clams?"
She presses her pointer and middle fingers against his lips and nods.
He stands up and helps her up to her feet. He hooks his arm around her and guides her into the bedroom. He pulls back the sheets and drops his arm.
She crawls into bed and rolls onto her side, resting her head on the pillow.
He sets a bucket on her nightstand and pulls the sheets up to her neck. He places a soft kiss on her shoulder and strokes her hair. "Can I get you anything?"
She shakes her head, shifting on the mattress.
"Ok. I'll be watching TV in the living room if you need me." He pauses. "Feel better. The bucket is on your nightstand if you need it, your water bottle is there too—you need to drink."
She nods. "I know."
"Of course you do, just reiterating the importance of staying hydrated." He smiles at her and walks into the living room. He hates seeing her this miserable.
Around six, Cooper's sitting on the couch, listening to his Ipod and reading a Sports' car magazine with the TV on in the background.
Charlotte walks out, in her sweats and sits on the couch next to Cooper. She bends her legs up on the couch and leans against him.
"You're awake," he says, taking out his headphones and closing his magazine. He sets his Ipod and magazine on the coffee table and lifts her chin a little. He presses his lips against hers and smiles. "How are you feeling?"
"Better—nauseous and achy, but better."
"Good—the better part, not the nauseous and achy part."
She laughs. "Obviously."
"Just had to clarify." He pauses. "I hope you'll be ok to be my date tomorrow."
She lets out a breath and covers her mouth with her hand to conceal a nod. "I'm gonna try and go back to sleep."
"Ok—you can sleep here if you want. Put your head in my lap and relax. Unless you want to be in the bed."
She lies down, resting her head in his lap and stretching her legs. She closes her eyes and relaxes, being soothed by Cooper's light stroking of her hair. She doesn't really have the energy to go back into the bedroom and besides, Cooper's warm and being with him calms her.
He lowers the volume on the TV and looks down at her, watching her as she falls asleep. He could get used to this.
Christmas Eve
Charlotte's standing in front of the full length mirror. She's wearing a deep red, figure-hugging, one shoulder dress and black peep-toe pumps. She combs her fingers through her hair and slowly spins around, checking herself out in the mirror. She's a little weak, and she feels a little achy still, but she was feeling a hell of a lot better than she was yesterday.
Cooper knocks on the door and walks in. He stumbles a little when he sees her. He catches himself on the wall and pulls a piece of lint from his sweater. He looks her up and down. "Damn, woman."
She turns her head and smiles. "You like it?"
He steps closer to her and presses his lips against hers, savoring in the kiss a little longer than usual. "Like it? I love it. You look beautiful." He tucks her hair behind her ear and looks at her again. He rests his hands on her hips and brushes his lips against her neck. He pulls back and smiles at her. "How are you feeling?"
She shrugs. "Ok. I'm a little dizzy and tired, but I'm ok."
"We don't have to go."
"No, no, I'm fine. Nothin' a martini can't fix."
He places a delicate kiss on her lips. "You ready to go?"
"Just give me a second."
"There's no rush. We've got plenty of time." He smiles and walks out of the bathroom.
Charlotte's sitting on the sand with her feet in the water. Her legs are bent and she's digging her toes into the wet sand.
Cooper walks over to her and nudges her with his toe. "Can I join you?"
She angles her head up and nods. "Go ahead."
He sits down next to her and places a soft kiss on bare shoulder. "What're you doing all by yourself over here?"
"I have a headache—just wanted some peace and quiet. Ocean seemed like the best place for that. The sunset is peaceful."
He nods and presses his thumbs into her temples, rubbing in a circular pattern. He brushes his lips against her neck.
She shivers and melts into his soft kisses.
He takes off his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders. He drops his hands and slides them up and down her arms. "You wanna head home?"
"No, I'm ok."
"You sure? I don't mind leaving early."
She kisses him on the lips and leans against him. "I'm fadin' fast—I can hardly keep my eyes open. I almost fell asleep makin' my drink."
He laughs. "You haven't slept in two days—not very well, anyway." He pauses. "Let's go home."
She smiles and yawns. "Why don't you see if Pete can drive you home? I don't wanna spoil your evenin'. I'll be fine. You stay. Keep havin' a good time. These are your people, not mine." She pauses to stand up. "Better yet, I'll just take a cab home."
He looks up at her. "I really don't mind."
"You're havin' a good time. Stay. I just wanna go home and sleep—if I can."
He pushes himself up and presses his lips against hers, letting his hand slide through her straight hair. "I'll see you at home then, I guess."
She nods. "Have fun."
He takes her hand and they walk up to Addison's porch. He gives her a quick peck on the lips and walks her to the gate. "Be careful."
"I'm a big girl, Coop."
He laughs. "I'll be home later. You want me to call you a cab?"
"I can manage that. Go rejoin the party." She kisses him and smiles. "Bye."
He sighs. "Bye." He watches her leave and shuts the gate. He walks back over to his colleagues and friends and takes a sip of his beer. At least she came in the first place, he thinks before sinking into the chair next to Violet, who doesn't look like she wants to be here either.
Christmas
Charlotte's sipping her morning coffee on the couch. She feels a lot better today, but she hasn't regained all of her strength yet. She fights back a yawn and sets her mug on the coffee table. She leans back on the cushions and closes her eyes. It's early—7 AM—and Cooper's still sound asleep in the bedroom. Charlotte lets out a breath and finds herself drifting back to sleep. Her heads bobs forward, and her body sinks farther into the cushions. She lets her head rest on the small square throw pillow and she wraps herself in the blanket. She shifts to get comfortable and soon, by 7:05, she's asleep again.
Charlotte opens her eyes and sees Cooper's plaid pajama pants in her line of vision. She swallows and angles her head, looking at him. "Mornin'."
Cooper smiles and sits on the coffee table. He takes a bite of his buttered toast and scratches his cheek. "What're you sleeping out here for?"
"I woke up to pee, but I couldn't get back to sleep, so I made coffee and just sat on the couch. I fell asleep." She looks at the clock on the TV and blinks. "It's almost eleven."
"I've been up since nine, but you seemed so peaceful so I didn't wanna wake you up."
"You've been watchin' me sleep for two hours?"
He laughs. "No. I've been watching you sleep for the past five minutes. You're cute when you sleep. You snore a little. I think it's adorable."
She smiles. "Nothin' 'bout snorin' is adorable, Coop."
He hands her the plate. "Toast?"
"I'm starvin'."
"I'll make cinnamon pancakes for breakfast."
She smiles. "Sounds amazin'."
"We'll exchange gifts after we eat."
She nods. "Ok."
He presses his lips against hers, resting his hand on her thigh. "Morning." He pauses. "You can take a shower or whatever. I'll let you know when breakfast is ready."
"I was thinkin' 'bout eatin' breakfast in my pajamas. I'm comfy and it's not like I'm doin' anythin' productive today. I'll get dressed if I need to."
He nods. "I don't wanna get dressed either." He laughs and walks into the kitchen.
She pushes herself up and disappears into the bathroom.
Charlotte and Cooper are sitting on the couch. She smiles and hands Cooper the wrapped box.
He shakes it and raises an eyebrow. He rips open the dancing penguin wrapping paper and lifts up the lid of the box. He looks up at her and smiles. "A gumball slot machine, creative."
"I didn't know what else to get you."
He shakes his head. "I love it, Char. Thanks. You even filled it with gumballs." He takes it out of the box and sets it on the coffee table. He pulls the lever and smiles. "Hey, look, I hit the jackpot." He takes the gumball and pops it into his mouth. He kisses her on the lips and smiles. "Thanks."
"You're welcome—open your card."
He pulls the card off the wrapping paper and opens it. He looks at the front cover. There's a little dog on it wearing a Santa hat. "You make my Christmas Merrier." He opens the card and smiles. "And nakeder." He laughs. "Likewise my dear." He puts the card on top of the box and hands her his gift.
She takes the silver wrapping paper off the rectangular box and opens the velvet case inside. She smiles and looks at him and then back down at the charm bracelet. The charms include a horse, a C, a heart with love engraved on it, the caduceus medical symbol, a bra on a hanger, a mockingbird, the state of Alabama, a martini glass with olive, a snowflake, and a rose. She looks at him and smiles wider. "Thank you. My favorite one is the bra on a hanger."
He laughs. "Mine too." He pauses. "And I know you don't like roses—."
"It's because my dad gave me a rose when my brother was born, isn't it?"
He nods. "Yeah."
"I got that, Coop." She takes it out of the box and puts it on. "Perfect fit." She leans into him and closes the gap between their lips. "Thank you."
"It's 14 karat white gold."
"Cooper, you didn't have to—."
"Shhh." He kisses her and smiles. "It wasn't that much, and even if it was, you're worth it."
"You really didn't have to buy me anythin'."
"I don't have to do a lot of things I do, but I do it because I want to. I did this because I love you. Merry Christmas—read the card."
She rips opens the envelope and pulls out the card. She looks at the cover, which has a picture of Santa Claus standing next to an elf. "Say hello to my little friend." She opens the card. "Merry Christmas from me, my elf, and I." She smiles. "I look forward to these cheesy cards every time—I didn't think I would."
He flashes her a smile. "I look forward to them too." He presses his lips against hers, kissing her hard on the lips.
She shivers, letting her lips glide against his. She scoots closer to him and wraps her arms around his neck. She kisses to the side of his mouth, brushes her lips against his cheek, and then she sucks on his earlobe, gently biting it. "You know what the perfect way to celebrate is?"
"I can guess that it starts with S and ends in X."
She pulls back and hops off the couch. She smirks at him, pulling her shirt over her head. She unclasps her bra and drops it on the floor. She turns around, giving Cooper the full frontal view of her now bare upper body. "So do you wanna celebrate or not?"
He smirks. "Right behind you." He stands up and follows her into the bedroom, shutting the divider as he steps into closer to the bed.
:)
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