All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Sixty-Five

        Grayson stirred, shifting beneath me. Groggy, I half-opened my eyes, looking around. The fire had been reduced to embers, the last few coals faintly glowing. Gray sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting dim shadows across the room.

        He was still asleep, his mouth slightly open. I couldn't help but smile; I have to admit he's pretty adorable. So I laid back down, snuggled in his embrace.

        "Are you awake?" he mumbled. Okay, not asleep.

        "Yes, are you?" I teased.

        "Yeah," Grayson yawned, stretching for a moment before hugging me again. "Merry Christmas, Jacks."

        "Merry Christmas, Grayson," I said, closing my eyes again.

        "Are we going back to sleep?" he asked.

        "I kind of feel like it," I confessed.

        He smiled, brushing aside my frizzy hair. "But don't you want to open presents?"

        I considered. Naps are fun, but presents are even more fun. "Okay," I yawned.

        I shrieked as he sat up, scooping me into his arms and carrying me over to the Christmas tree. Some people should not be allowed to have stamina in the morning. "Grayson!" I yelped, clinging to his neck for dear life.

        He laughed (how cruel) and set me down on the carpet before plopping down next to me. I noticed that he turned on Christmas music too, the faint tunes fluttering through the speaker on the shelf.

        "Let me start the fire again," he said, moving over to it and grabbing some firewood. I sat patiently by the tree, watching with drooping eyes.

        Grayson returned, then immediately laughed again. "Oh, Jacks, you really are tired."

        "Sorry," I yawned. "I actually slept last night, too."

        A devilish grin took over his face. "What, does my cozy embrace make you drift off?" he teased.

        "Stop, you know how much I appreciate the cuddles," I complained. The shrieking started up again when his cruel fingers reached for my sides and started up a round of tickles. I tried fighting back, but he always kept me at arms length.

        "I'm–no, no, I'm taking back your present if-heh-you don't stop!" I cried breathlessly, at his mercy.

        "You know you're too excited to see me open it," he pointed out. I hated that he was right.

        "Okay, open it then!" I pleaded, the last of his tickles fading.

        Grayson let me go and reached for the big box under the tree. He tore off the shiny paper and opened the lid, curiously peering inside. A huge laugh escaped his mouth as he pulled out the cowboy hat and shirt, tossing aside the box.

        "Jackie," he giggled.

       "I know!" I cried, also laughing.

        First, he yanked the flag shirt over his pajama shirt, which was already such an incredible upgrade. Then he crammed the cowboy hat on, tilting it at a jaunty angle. "I feel terribly stupid in this," he said, his southern drawl absolutely abysmal.

        I almost toppled over laughing. "I don't know, I think it makes you more handsome than ever," I wheezed.

        "Really? Perhaps I out to wear this get up in public," he joked.