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CH 26- O Christmas Tree

Arriving back at his apartment, Clay carried Emma's bag upstairs and took it into the bedroom.

"Hey babe, let me make some more room for your stuff. I don't think one drawer's gonna do it."

"Thanks. I'm going to call Hannah and let her know to pick me up here tomorrow instead of at home. Is it okay if she comes over?"

"Sure Em. You don't have to ask. I want you to feel at home here. And, you know I like Hannah. What's the plan tomorrow anyway?

"Hannah has some shopping to finish up and I need to do some wrapping."

"Would you want to get a tree and some ornaments for here when I get home?"

"Absolutely. You would want to do that?"

"Yea, it can be our tree." He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"Our tree. I like that." She stood up on her tip toes and claimed his lips. He pulled back reluctantly, before things got too heated.

"Sorry babe, but you heard your dad. I have to report early tomorrow and I'm still a little tired."

"Don't be sorry. I'm just happy to be here with you."

Clay changed for bed and went to clean out another drawer in the dresser while Emma called Hannah. When she finished up on the phone she went to unpack. Clay was lying in bed reading.

"Will it keep you up if I put my stuff away?"

"Nope. I'm gonna finish this chapter anyway." She got all of her clothes put away and went to find room for the rest of her stuff in the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face while she was in there. When she stepped back into the bedroom, Clay was turning off his light and lying down to sleep. Emma grabbed her sleep tank from the drawer and got changed. She slipped in bed next to Clay. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"'Night Emmie."

"Good night honey." Emma smiled to herself and snuggled into his embrace.

Morning came and Clay's alarm went off way too early. He rolled over to turn it off and got up. Emma grabbed the covers and pulled them over her head.

Clay laughed. "Aren't you gonna get up and fix me breakfast sweetie."

She grunted and burrowed even further under the blankets. He tried to uncover her, but she had an iron grip. Her muffled voice warned him, "Beat it Spenser."

"What? Don't you want a kiss Emmie?" He was laughing at her cute crankiness.

"Don't you have somewhere to be," she asked as she uncovered just her eyes.

"Aw, come on. Don't be mean," he teased.

"One kiss and then let me sleep."

"Deal."

She pulled down the blankets and puckered her lips. He leaned down and gave her a quick buss on the mouth. She pulled the covers back up immediately. He really did have to get moving, so he decided to leave her be. He stood back up, stripped off his clothes and went to take a shower. As he turned to shut the bathroom door, he could see her eyes peeking out. She was spying on him.

"See anything you like Em?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

"I thought you were too tired to wake up," he asked her as he continued to stand there buck naked.

"Well, if you don't want me looking, then don't walk around nude."

"You know you don't have to look."

But his body was much too fine not to admire when she had the chance, she thought to herself.

"Maybe I want to…" She could see that charming, shit-eating grin stretch across his face. "Oh, go get in the shower. Unless you want to explain to dad why you're late."

"In just one minute." He walked back over to her, leaned down and kissed her senseless. Then he turned and walked to the bathroom and shut the door.

Emma turned over and stared thinking about his shoulders, his abs, his firm ass. She was definitely going to have some sweet dreams!

She finally woke up again around 11:00 and was ready by the time Hannah arrived. "Hey Han. Come on in. I just have to get my bag." They decided to do lunch first and then hit the stores. It took a while, but the girls finished their shopping and wrapping and were watching TV when Clay got home.

He walked over to the couch and leaned down to give Emma a kiss. "Hey babe." She went to put her arms around him, but he backed up and warned her. "I'm all sweaty. We ran a bunch of drills today."

"I'll get going so you guys can go get your tree."

Clay stopped her. "Let me walk you to your car."

"It's fine. It's still light out." She, like Emma was still a little sensitive to being out at night due to the mugging.

"I know. But I'm still going to walk you to your car and make sure you get going safely."

He opened the door and waited for her. "Be back in a sec Em."

He was back up quickly and Emma opened the door for him. "You said Dad had you running drills all day. Do you still feel like getting a tree?"

"Sure thing. Just let me grab a quick shower."

While he was cleaning up, Emma started a list for the grocery. He was out of almost everything. She was in the kitchen looking in the cupboard when he came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms and began sucking at her neck.

"Mmmm, that's nice." His hands crept up under her sweatshirt and cupped her breasts.

"It's so wonderful coming home to you baby." His fingers toyed with her nipples through her bra and she began to grind herself back into his growing hardness.

"Ahhh, babe, if we don't stop, we'll never have a tree or any food."

"You started it."

He spun her around and dropped a kiss on her lips, "And we'll finish it later, I promise."

"So, what do we need for meals.?"

"Don't you want to eat at your house with your Grandma?"

"Yes. But we can have a few meals here, just the two of us."

"Can you make your lasagna one night?"

"Sure, any other requests?"

"Whatever you make is good honey."

They decided to get the tree and ornaments first. They opted for artificial so they could keep it. Then they decided on decorations.

"Do you want a theme to the tree," she asked.

"I think I'd rather just get what we like. I mean once the kids start making ornaments, how's it gonna look?"

"The kids…" she blushed.

"Yea babe, the kids, our kids."

She smiled and bit her lip. "I love when you talk about that." She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged tight.

"About what?"

"About our future."

He kissed her forehead and they went back to picking out decorations. He found the perfect ornament, but he wanted to surprise her with it. He put it under some others and soon they were finished. They checked out and Clay loaded everything in the truck.

"Grocery now?"

"Yep."

They finished the shopping quickly so they could get home and put up their tree. Once they were home, Clay carted everything upstairs. Emma made some sandwiches while he put up the tree. They sat on the couch to eat. It didn't take long and they started to decorate.

They had the lights on the tree and almost all the ornaments when he pulled one out from behind his back.

"Here Em. Hang this one." What he held was a heart-shaped ornament that read 'Our First Christmas, 2019.'

"I know it's a little corny."

"No, it's not. It's perfect." She placed it front and center on the tree. "Go turn off the lights."

He did as she requested and then returned to hold her. She laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

"Tired Emmie?"

"No, just…just happy."

"Me too honey."

She looked up at him and he lowered his mouth to hers. They kissed long and slow as she began to unbutton his shirt and push it from his shoulders. They undressed each other and sank to the floor by their tree. He made love to her in the soft, glowing light. As they lay there together, Clay reached over to the couch and grabbed a blanket to cover them. He stroked up and down her back and soon he felt her drop off to sleep.

He carried her carefully and laid her down in bed. After setting his alarm, he followed her under the covers and spooned himself behind her. He fell asleep hoping that this was the way they would spend every Christmas from now on.