Page 106 of All of You

“It’s a real Christmas miracle.”

“Wanna do presents?” I ask.

“Yeah. But like, do you wanna take off your coat first?” Hereaches for the zipper but I swat his hand away and blush.

“I’m cold. It’s fine. Where’s my gift?” I laugh out.

Lang grabs my hand and tugs me past the living room, where their tree is lit in simple white lights and lots of gold sparkly baubles, and yanks me up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom door.

“You put my present in your room?” I ask. I could not have planned this any better.

“Actually, my room… sorta is your present,” he says before kissing my forehead and telling me to close my eyes. “You definitely won’t need your coat though.”If he only knew.

He pulls me through the door with a hand slapped over my eyes.

“Okay, open,” he says and removes his hand.

Lang has decorated his bedroom as a tropical getaway. There are beach towels on the bed and a small kiddie pool on the floor next to it. Inflatable Flamingos perched in two corners. Palm tree blow-ups. Leis, one of which he hooks over my head. There are pineapple candles. He strips off his sweater—it’s warm in here, like tropical warm—to reveal a Hawaiian shirt. Beach sounds on his speaker fill the room. A space heater runs in one corner. His room is covered in little fairy lights. I gasp and slap a hand over my heart. It’s amazing, thoughtful and so…fun.

“You said you wanted to be somewhere tropical…this is the best I could do,” he says.

I push up on my toes and kiss him. “It’s amazing. Perfect! I love it!”

“Care to lay by the pool?” he chuckles.

“Absolutely,” I say, “Mind finding us a spot?”

Langdon rubs the back of his neck, smiles, and leaps onto one of the beach towels before patting the other in invitation.

The moment of truth has come and suddenly I’m nervous, even though Lyra said what I got was absolutely smokin’ and would blow any dude’s mind. I pinch the zipper pull on my jacket and slowly lower it.

“I hope you like your gift,” I whisper as his eyes follow the zipper.

The jacket parts and I slide it off each shoulder until the coat hits the floor and I’m standing in lingerie so strappy and lacey and skimpy that I might as well be naked.

Langdon swallows as his eyes widen slightly and his eyebrows flash up and hold.

“Holy shit,” he whispers.

My cheeks flush and the room suddenly feels ten degrees hotter as he takes me in. I have the overwhelming desire to move closer to him. To touch him. My stomach flutters as his lips part and he stares slack-jawed, the pulse in his throat throbs. He wipes his palms on his knees then pushes to stand up. My whole body tingles as he approaches.

Langdon’s fingertips make contact first and I swear my skin is on fire as they glide over me. He pulls me flush against him, wets his lips.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“Do you like it?” I say, “Your present?”

His lips ghost mine. “Best. Present. Ever.”

His warm lips move against mine, softly to start but ravenously in no time at all. He walks us to the bed as his hands roam my body. He pulls me down on top of him and fumbles with the lingerie while kissing me.

“How does this come off?” he chuckles against my neck. I’m breathless and hungry for him. I need all the clothes off. Mine, his. All of it.

Straddling him, I sit up and yank at his shirt. He raises his arms for me and flings the shirt to the end of the bed. I shimmy out of the lingerie as gracefully as possible—which isn’t all that graceful. His pants get shucked off, pooling on the floor just below where his feet hang off. He’s huffing out breaths. I’m heaving too. His hands cup my breasts and a moan slips between my lips.

“You like that?”

I nod. My fingers hook the waistband of his boxers and pull. Langdon arches his back—lifting me with him—to slide the boxers out of the way. We’ve never been this naked together. This close. His hands clutch my hips, holding me steady. I run my hands along his chest, his hard abs, lower. He is magnificent. Literally the most glorious thing I’ve seen.