Part 10 (1/2)

I still couldn't form simple words so I just kissed him on the lips and nuzzled into him. Maddox lifted me up with him. I thought he was going to take me to my room but he pushed his jeans off. He lay down on the couch with me on his chest and covered us up with a blanket. We both fell into a blissful sleep.

The next morning I woke up in Maddox's arms and it was the best feeling in the world. Every time I slept in his arms I got the best night's sleep and I felt safe and warm. I was tracing a finger around his nipple ring when it twitched and I looked up and saw Maddox was smiling down at me. ”Good morning beautiful.” I smiled and kissed his stomach. ”Mmm, yes it is.”

He pulled me even closer to him and then my back was on the couch and he was on top of me. He started to move his head down but I put a hand to his chest to push him off me. ”I just have to brush my teeth really quick and then I'll be back.” Maddox put a hand over my wrist and brought it up and around his neck while inching his mouth closer to mine. ”I don't care about your morning breath sweetheart. There's nothing that could keep me away from your sweet little mouth.”

I moved my head to the side and then he started nuzzling my neck but pulled back. ”Although on second thought, you probably do have really bad morning breath.” I turned my head and started to yell at him but his mouth was on mine. He was sucking on my tongue before I could argue with him. I wrapped my arms around him and tilted my head to deepen this kiss and moaned into his mouth.

After a couple minutes of the best make out session ever he leaned back. He looked at me and then tilted his head to the side. ”Yep, maybe you should have brushed your teeth.” A huge smile came across his face and then I started laughing at him. He kissed me again on the lips and then started to lift off me.

I sat up and asked, ”Where are you going?” Maddox's back was to me but he turned around and said, ”I've got some shopping to do for my beautiful girl today.” After he got ready he kissed me and went on his way. For the rest of the day I just lounged around the house. Sarah and Gabe stopped by before they left for home and told me to have a great holiday. I wrapped Maddox's gifts and then read for a while. I thought he would be home soon but eight hours later he still wasn't home. I thought he would call or text me to let me know he was okay but nothing happened.

I was getting ready for bed and as I started to turn off my bedroom light I realized I really missed Maddox. So I walked out of my room and went into his. Even though we were dating we both needed our s.p.a.ce so we still slept in our own rooms but tonight was different. I went into his room and curled up under his covers. My head was on his pillow and his scent was all around me so that even without him being here physically I felt safe and drifted off to sleep.

At some point I felt arms wrap around me and Maddox kissed my neck. I turned around in his arms and he was smiling. ”I didn't know if this was okay; I can leave if you want your own s.p.a.ce.” Maddox just chuckled and said, ”This is definitely okay sweetheart.” He leaned down and kissed me on the lips. I thought he was going to deepen the kiss but he simply pulled me closer to him. I wrapped a leg around his waist and cuddled up to him. Within seconds we were asleep in one another's arms.

Chapter 14.

A week later I woke up to Maddox jumping up and down on my bed. ”Merry Christmas sweetheart!” He looked so gorgeous in the morning. His hair was all over the place, eyes glistening, and a huge smile on his face. ”Merry Christmas Madd.” I jumped up off the bed and grabbed him and kissed him. I didn't even care that I had morning breath. It didn't matter anymore because nothing could never stop me from kissing Maddox's lips.

Before he could grab me I jumped up off the bed and ran to my closet to get his gift. I couldn't wait to see his eyes when he opened it.

Maddox was sitting on my bed just staring at me.

Typical.

I walked up to him and handed him his present. ”Here you go.” He took it from me and started to rub the back of his neck. ”Sweetheart, I feel terrible because I didn't get you anything. I didn't know what exactly to get you so I just thought I could take you shopping. Would that work?”

A normal person would have been devastated.

But I wasn't normal. Far from it actually.

I couldn't remember the last time I got a present for Christmas.

Or my birthday.

So this was nothing new. I would have been more shocked if he had actually gotten me something.

I put my hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him. ”Hey, don't worry about it. You let me stay here for free so this is the least I could do.” He was looking at his present probably trying to figure out what it was but then he looked up at me. ”Sweetheart, you really don't understand just how much you already do.”

Before I could respond he dropped his present on my bed and was out of my room. I followed after him into his room. ”Maddox what are you doing?” He was searching through his closet for something. ”Wait, I might have something you could have in here. How about you just go sit on the bed while I look?” I turned around to sit on the bed and when I turned back around Maddox was standing in front of me with a gift in his hands. I looked at it and then looked up at him. ”What's this?”

He started to laugh. ”What do you think it is Sweetheart? You really think I'd forget to get my girl something for Christmas?”

I sat down on his bed and whispered, ”I just - I didn't expect anything.” I didn't know what to do so I just sat there like an idiot with a stunned look on my face. ”Don't just sit there. Open your gift sweetheart.” He pushed the gift into my hands and I looked down at it. The gift was covered in red wrapping paper with Santa Claus in his sleigh and Rudolph and the other reindeers pulling him around. There was gold ribbon wrapped around it and at the top was a bow with a tag attached to it. I read it and almost cried.

To My Sweetheart,

Our first Christmas together, but certainly not our last.

Your Munchkin

I looked at him and bolted out of the room. I could hear him talking to himself in his bedroom and then I heard him kick the wall and march out of his room. ”Sweetheart, it's just a gift you don't have to frea-. Oof!” He was hunched over and holding his stomach.

My eyes got huge. ”I'm sorry. I was just getting you your gift. Are you ok?” Maddox stood up straight and looked at me. ”Oh yeah, I'm fine. Come on, I have tattoos and piercings. I'm a mother f.u.c.king bada.s.s. A little hit in the gut is nothing.”

I looked at him and started to chuckle. I could see that my running into him was hurting him but he was trying to play it cool. ”Ok well, come on Bada.s.s Maddox.” I dragged him into the living room and I stopped dead in my tracks. ”What's all this?”

There were presents everywhere, breakfast was made, and hot chocolate was sitting on the coffee table. Maddox walked in front of me like nothing was different. ”It is Christmas after all.” I could feel my eyes starting to mist and a lump forming in my throat. ”Why'd you do all of this?” I didn't understand what was going on. This was just so different from anything I had ever experienced or expected.

Maddox was loading a plate up with breakfast items. Although when he saw that I wasn't standing next to him he put the plate down and turned around. ”I f.u.c.ked up, didn't I? It's ok, we can do something else, I just really wanted you to enjoy today. That's all.” He started clearing off the table and talking to himself when I walked over to him grabbed his arm.

”Maddox don't do that, I just needed a minute.” He was just staring at me so I proceeded. ”n.o.body has ever done anything like this for me, so I just needed a minute...or five to take it all in.”

”What do you mean Isabelle? You've never celebrated Christmas?” The look in my eyes must have said it all and before I knew it I was in his arms. He started to rub my back and kissed the top of my head. ”Well, you will from now on. You hear me?” He was holding me to him so I just nodded. We stood like that for a couple more minutes and then Maddox pushed me back. As he wiped away my tears he said, ”Alright, enough of this Lifetime s.h.i.+t. Let's get down and dirty in these gifts.” He looked at me one more time and the look in his eyes was different.

We walked back over to the breakfast bar and he handed me a plate.

When did he have time to do all of this?

There were eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, bagels, and blueberry m.u.f.fins. My favorite. I put the plate down, grabbed a napkin and a m.u.f.fin. I started to nibble on it and smiled. I could feel a pair of brown eyes on me and turned to look at Maddox. ”What?” He just laughed. ”Really? I make all of this food and you grab a d.a.m.n m.u.f.fin. Unbelievable. Well, more for me.”

After Maddox got all situated, we walked into the living room and he handed me a hot chocolate. From out of nowhere he pulled out a can of whipped cream and piled it on my drink.

I took a sip of the hot chocolate and realized it was peppermint flavored. I set it down on the coffee table and then heard Maddox gulp. I thought he was choking so I turned to look at him and he had this weird look on his face. ”What?” Maddox put his plate on the coffee table and the second he turned around his lips were on mine. I opened my mouth and felt his warm tongue against mine. I started to moan and then Maddox pulled away. It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. When I did I saw that Maddox had a smirk on his face while he was eating his bagel sandwich. ”What was that about? Not that I didn't enjoy it.”

Maddox finished the bite that was in his mouth and then swallowed. ”You know I have to taste the peppermint hot chocolate. Plus you had whipped cream on your face. We'll definitely have to use that.”

Dear Lord,

This is the best Christmas ever!