Jessica's Fate

Chapter 120

I studied the room, my eyes taking in the multitudes of mistletoe that I'd hung after my package had arrived from home; the Christmas tree that Cam and I had decorated in a fit of giggles and bad singing to Christmas songs while we drank hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows. I'd made dozens of cookies, decorating them with Cam's help.

Help.

Ha. It was like trying to keep Luke from eating all the chocolate chips. He ate more icing than he used on cookies. But it was fun. It was a whole lot like home and it worked.

My eyes skimmed past the stockings that we'd hung by the chimney. They'd been a surprise, a surprise I'd appreciated but we laughed about because they came embroidered with Jessica and Camilla. I'd added a small one for Eiffel and we'd filled them over the month and I couldn't wait until we opened them later tonight. I smiled, taking a sip of wine and watching as our friends mingled at our Ugly Sweater Christmas Eve party.

It had been good; we'd had appetizers and prizes for worst sweater. Even if my friends from Italy and Russia didn't really understand the party idea, they'd still come in the ugliest sweaters they could find. Fabio had brought pans of pasta that he'd made and Tasha had brought several sweet pastries that made me homesick for spending time with Raven because they were exactly the type of pastries I'd made for him for the past few years. I was happy that my friends had mingled and got along so well with Cam's friends from the hotel. It meant that we may have the opportunity to put together some game nights at some point after New Year's. 

That would be a lot of fun.

I sipped my wine, casually talking with Tasha as the party wound down. After she left, I started clean up as Cam let the last of our friends out of our place. "It was a nice party."

I glanced over my shoulder. "It was. I think we'll end up having some game or movie nights next year. It would be a lot of fun."

He slid his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my temple. "I love that idea. Good times, good food and wine... good friends." He nodded. "Yes, we'll hopefully be able to swing an evening a month."

I smiled. "Thank you for going along with the sweaters." I wiped my hands and turned, remaining in the circle of his arms. "I'm sorry you didn't win though. Who would have thought your light up snow man would lose to a gingerbread cookie with a snapped leg."

He smiled before shrugging. "Guess you have to lean into the audience and cookies are probably always going to win with the baking crowd."

"You're probably right." I nodded before grinning at him. "Now what?"

"Wait for Santa?" he asked.

I laughed. "A waited for Santa never arrives, you know that, right?"

"That would explain all my failed attempts to catch him when I was growing up." He said.

"I'm sure we can cuddle with the kitty for a bit... open stockings?"

"Maybe. Are you still homesick?" He asked. I'd been in quite a puddle of emotions after my conversation with my mom this week and today had just fed into my misery of wishing I was home for the holidays.

"No, not anymore. Tonight ... and the wine... helped a lot." I admitted.

"Aw, Jess... are you buzzed?" he teased.

"No, I don't think so." I said. "Just... more in tune with myself for the night." I hooked a finger in his belt, pulling him closer before I raised my chin and kissed him.

"And what is it that you want tonight?" His eyes narrowed in on mine, after he pulled away to study me. He sucked in a breath when my hands slipped along his abs as they slid under his sweater. "Oh, I see..."