'Tis the Season

Chapter 18: Family

Chapter Eighteen: Family

Connor doesn't get much shopping done. He drags me along to almost every store in the mall, yet we only leave with two gifts.

I've come to understand his Christmas shopping method involves a lot of spontaneity: he walks into a store, hoping to see something he likes for a person on his list, without any real idea of what he wants to get them. If he doesn't see anything after about ten minutes of perusing, he does a heavy little sigh and says "let's bounce, baby," before walking right next door and repeating the process.

I was very amused by his determination to leave no store left unscathed... until that rule applied to Victoria's Secret as well.

"Okay, really Connor? Now you're just wasting time, who are you going to buy a present for in here?" I groan as he pulls me by my arm.

"I could buy you something," he winks and I narrow my eyes at him. He holds his hands up in mock surrender, laughing. "Or maybe that would end up more of a present for Carson..." he chuckles, running away from me as I try to hit him with my dress bag.

"You're the worst," I complain as he picks up a sexy little teddy and pretends to size it against me. I swat his hand away. "Don't think that I don't know what you're doing."

He freezes and raises his eyebrows as he puts the teddy back sloppily, ignoring the glare of a saleswoman behind him. "Oh yeah? What am I doing?"

"You just want to look at the pictures of models with impossible bodies practically naked. Pull up the website at home, let's go," I try tugging on his arm to lead him out of the store but he doesn't budge.

He laughs and shakes his head at my futile efforts. "I would never! I actually think Carson would love it if I bought him his present here," he winks at me again and I drop his arm, huffing.

"Fine, then you can stay here and browse by yourself while I move on to the next store," I tell him, walking away.

"Wait! Naomi, stop!" He has to jog a little to catch up with me and I don't slow down until the panties are out of sight and I'm halfway through the entryway of the store adjacent to it.

"Are you crazy woman? You can't leave a guy as good looking and as straight as I am in a lingerie store alone! The women in there turn to beasts!" I laugh as we sift through the little knick- knacks on the shelves of this store.

"You are such a drama queen."

His eyes narrow at me but then brighten mischievously as he follows behind me, barely even looking at what this store has to offer.

"What, no fashion show for Victoria's Secret?"

I feel my jaw drop and my cheeks turn red as I grasp for something to say. I can't come up with anything witty, so I force my jaw shut and hit him with the dress bag.

"I hate you. Will you just look around, please?"

Connor makes a big show of turning in a circle and glancing around the store for a few seconds. "Nope, nothing here. Let's bounce, baby!"

❆ ❆ ❆

When we finally do make it back to the house, I'm bursting with excitement to see Carson. How is it that we've only gone a few hours without seeing each other but I'm already so attached to him that all I want to do is hug him really tight and not let go for the rest of today?

I rush in first, heading straight to the guest room to hang up my dress before I knock on Carson's door. As soon as he opens it and sees me, he hugs me.