Christmas

Sera

I remembered to look at the clock before collapsing into bed. When I jolted awake to a stream of shouting, only two hours had passed. I started to lurch out of bed, fearing another raid, but was held back by the cage of Killian’s arms around my torso. He wasn’t panicked.

Then I remembered that it was Christmas morning and the shouting was Dustin, not caring that everyone had been up late mobstering when he was about to have his first Christmas with more than just a slightly expensive dinner.

I collapsed back into Killian’s bare-chested embrace, nestling my face in the crook of his elbow. He smelled like lavender oil. “What a wakeup call,” I grumbled.

Killian stirred, and I felt terrible that he had been woken up. Everyone deserved the next whole day to rest and recover. “Sleep is overrated,” he mumbled into my hair, his breath sending a shiver down my spine. I curled my toes and blushed into my pillow when his hand splayed across my bare stomach and skated upward to palm my breas