Crossing Boundaries [COMPLETE]

As Long as There's Christmas

The ringing of Chris's phone reverberated throughout the living room. The couple sat on the sofa, facing each other, eyes in shock.

Tiffany moved closer to Chris. She wrapped an arm around his neck. "We should be answering that," she whispered in his ear before brushing her lips on his left cheek.

"What perfect timing," the frustrated Chris grumbled under his breath.

She giggled. "Well it must be the universe telling us to slow down." Her words were calculated and kind not wanting to throw him off. Tiffany knew how stumped he had been and the last thing she wanted was to thwart him even further.

She grabbed her undergarment from beside him and straightened herself out. The ringing stopped. Chris was still leaning on the sofa. Tiffany disappeared to the kitchen and when she emerged, she was holding his blue shirt.

She went back to sit beside him, her expression emanating calmness. When she faced him, Tiffany's eyes only glowered with tenderness and Chris could feel it in every fiber of his being as he drowned in her gaze. Then, he too had slowly restrained the boiling heat inside him.

After helping him into his shirt, the two indulged themselves into cuddling while waiting for the phone to ring again. Truth be told, Chris could get carried away with the passion he felt for Tiffany but easy moments like this one, he cherished even more especially now that they have crossed beyond the friendship boundary.

The second set of rings came as both were about to doze off. Chris kissed her temple. "Christmas get-together time, Tiff."

They sat back on the sofa, turned on the TV, where his phone was connected, then answered the call.

There, on the huge smart TV, his entire family was beaming, all wearing their Christmas hats. In unison, they could be heard greeting Chris and Tiffany the warmest holiday greeting. The two waved their hands at them replying with the same giddiness and greeting.

It was Christmas lunch at the Evanses and dinner in Bled and although they were a thousand miles away from family, the conversation over food during this time of year was more than enough to make them feel like they were home.

From the live feed, Chris was able to get a glimpse of his mom, whose expression bore sharp motherly instincts. He tried to evade her gazes as he didn't want to give anything out just yet, but his actions towards Tiffany would betray him.

It was just a huge challenge for him to act as if nothing was going on between them when everything she did dictated his responses, verbal or otherwise. Tiffany wiping off his messy lips from eating, he replying with the warmest smile. She, filling his plate with food or feeding him. He, answering back with kisses on her forehead or her covered shoulders.

Sure these were already common gestures between the two ever since they became friends. The only difference was, this time, their eyes were inflamed with something so much more than platonic love. And that was hard to hide from prying eyes.

By the time the dinner ended, all the adult Evanses in Sudbury bore meaningful stares at the two, in which the couple simply shrugged off by asking about how their pets were doing. Both Dodger and Penny were wearing Christmas hats, too, while feasting on some nice holiday food. Just like their humans, both dogs were getting along well.

As the night progressed, the wine was replaced by much more potent alcoholic drinks and Chris and Tiffany still managed to dodge questions about them. That was until it was time for the opening of gifts.

Naturally, it was the kids who had to open their gifts first. Everyone sat watching as Carly's children ripped out the nice gift wraps to free their presents. There were loud joyous screams when they finally found out what their gifts were.