The snow falling around us. The once steaming hot cocoa now just cold chocolate milk sits on the banister. And the man who means so much to me, accepting the invitation to spend Christmas with my family.
After driving back to my parent's house, Mark and I stay outside for a minute. The two of us, standing in the middle of the front yard, letting the cold snow fall around us. His warm, inviting lips find mine. After running around the yard throwing snowballs at each other Mark and I walk inside the house cold and wet.
"You two must be freezing, would you like some hot chocolate?" My mom asks as she hands us both navy blue and grey cable-knit blankets.
"My brother might have an extra pair of sweats and a shirt or something upstairs in his old room if you want them" I walk towards the stairs to my bedroom. Mark follows close behind, his cold hands never leaving my hips. "Here's a pair of sweatpants and a shirt" I say as I toss them to Mark. The two of us walk into my purple clad bedroom and head to bed.
Christmas morning is the morning most kids wait for every year. One day out of the 365 days of the year, one day that makes so many children happy and is still one of my favorite holidays. The smell of cookies is present throughout the house from the beginning of December. Christmas brings families and friends together. And my family always gets together at my house.
I roll over on my full sized bed as the clock reads 6:45 am. I roll into a shirtless Mark. I forgot he was here. This guy sleeps like a rock. Nothing can wake him up. Well, almost nothing that is.
"Mark" I mutter, as he sleeps soundly on his stomach "Mark" I mutter one more time before trying something different. Still under the comforter and sheets I roll on top of him, straddling his upper thighs. My hands explore his muscular back all the way up to his shoulder blades. My lips trail over his spine. The feeling of him shivering under my touch encourages me to continue these movements until my hands find their way to his waist where the sweatpants begin. My hands dip underneath and Mark reaches back, gripping my wrist.
"Don't start something you can't finish" He mutters into the pillow and I smile, leaning over his body
"I don't know what you are talking about Professor." I whisper and nibble his ear. After hearing him groan, he rolls over onto his back now facing me .His face full of sleep. I run a hand through his bed head and before I know it, my back hits the bed with Mark leaning on top of me with that annoying smirk on his lips.
"You know exactly what I am talking about Miss Montgomery." He grumbles and grinds his hips into mine, his morning wood not so easy to ignore. With one arm holding him above me, he leans down and captures his lips with mine. "Merry Christmas" He mutters against my lips. I snake my arms around his neck and he growls, taking both of my wrists in one hand and pinning them above my head. I smile, biting my lower lip while looking up at him. This is a new side of him.
"Wow O'Shea, who knew you had balls?" I ask and look up to see the look of lust and amusement in his eyes. A knock at my bedroom door brings the two of us back to reality. My
alarm clock reads 8:00 am
"Ness? Your cousins are here and waiting for you to come downstairs." My mom says from behind the door.
"Okay, we'll be down in a few minutes" I say while looking up at Mark as he flashes me that mischievous smirk of his.
"You heard your mom. We should probably go downstairs, the little ones want to open their gifts from Santa" Mark whispers as he looks down at me with a soft smile tracing his lips. His eyes settled from my eyes to my lips and my heart beats quickened, his hand snakes around my waist pulling me towards him until our chests collide. My breathing heavy, my eyes closed loving the feel of his body against mine.
"Mark? I can't get up if you're on top of me" I say and he steals a kiss before climbing out of my bed.
"Let's go Miss Montgomery; we don't want to keep those kids waiting any longer!" Mark says before pulling the comforter off of my t-shirt covered body.
"Mark! What the hell!" I yell, now shivering on my naked bed. I curl up into the fetal position and close my eyes. Before I know what is going on Mark scoops me up from the bed and throws me back onto it.
"Put some pants on and I will meet you downstairs. Maybe I'll have a cup of coffee waiting for you" He says as he throws the t-shirt back over his head, walks out of my bedroom and down the stairs to where my entire family is waiting. After getting up and putting a pair of black yoga pants, I walk downstairs to find Mark sitting on the living room floor with two coffee mugs.
"Morning everyone" I mutter across the room. I'm met with smiles and good mornings from each. After carefully stepping around the kids and adults who are sitting across the living room floor, I find Mark and the two steaming cups of coffee.
"What took you so long?" Mark asks as I sit down, my legs folded with my back against Mark's stomach "Did you have trouble finding appropriate pants?" He asks with a hand discreetly underneath my leg on my upper thigh, basically on my ass.
I look up at him, with fake shock across my face "I do not know what you are talking about. Yoga pants are not only appropriate, but comfy as well."
"You can wear them here, but if I ever see them on you at school...." He whispers, nudging my ear with my nose.
"You'll what? Tell me what you'd do Prof." I whisper back and take a sip of my coffee, not paying any mind to the look of astonishment on his face. A small smile slips past my serious demeanor and I feel the rumble of his chuckle deep in his core as he wraps his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. My little cousins who range from a year old to eleven are opening their presents from Santa Claus. My younger cousin Bryce, who recently turned two years old, waddles over to Mark and I with his new Spiderman doll in hand.
"Whatcha got there Bryce? Is that a new Spidey?" I ask and he plops down on my lap and smiles
"Look Nessie!" He yells and I turn him on my lap and we play with his new toy for a while. Mark excuses himself and Bryce and I begin crawling around playing with all of his new toys. All of the kids open their gifts and my brother and I receive a ton of gift cards and socks. My aunts and uncles and grandparents and parents all sitting on the couches and chairs throughout the congested room. My youngest cousin Aiden is my little buddy. I'm constantly babysitting him and his brother Bryce when my Aunt and Uncle work late and what not. I lift him up and carry him into the kitchen on my hip, bouncing him up and down as he giggles.
"What are you laughing at you silly boy?" I ask in a high pitched baby voice and he giggles even more.
"You're really good with the kids" Mark says, leaning against the kitchen counter. I turn around, with Aiden still giggling, playing with my silver necklace hanging from my neck.
"Thanks. I've always wanted a younger sibling. But now I have a bunch of cousins who can always be shipped back to their parents when they are crying or misbehaving"
Mark chuckles "That's cute. You can tell these kids really look up to you and your brother."
"What happens when they find out I am dating my professor? How am I setting a good example then?" I ask and look down at the child in my arms, so young and innocent. "I'm not sure what I would do if my little cousin Bella was to come home with her English teacher one day. But Ness did it, so why can't I, is what that clever 11-year old would claim. Mark.....How can I be a good role model if I'm not setting a good example? Is it okay to teach them that it's okay to break the rules?" I ask and look up at Mark
"Honestly, I don't know what's going to happen when your family finds out what I do. I don't know how that is going to affect the young ones in your life. I do know that throughout all of it I will be by your side."
"I'm scared"
"Of what?"
"Everything......the future. I don't know what's ganna happen Mark."
"That's why they call it the future. One thing I know for sure. You and I are ganna face it together."
YOU ARE READING
Hard To Love (Professor / Student)
Romance"No offense Montgomery, but when it comes down to it you are one of the most stubborn players any of the coaching staff has seen in a long time." "Gee, thanks Coach" I mutter while stretching out my knee and he chuckles and walks onto the court to b...
