I take a deep breath and try to calm down as I toss the box into the back of the Jeep and jump back into the driver’s seat.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Seri says.
“It’s okay.” I sigh heavily. “My heart will recover.”
“I’m sorry.” A tear runs down her cheek.
“You were right to be cautious.” I reach over and squeeze her hand. “It’s all right. Let’s just get back home.”
When we get back to the cabin, I decide I’m definitely not going to tell Seri what I learned. She’s all smiles as she locks herself in the bathroom to prepare Christmas presents. I have no idea what she might come up with as a gift, and it has me racking my brain trying to come up with something I can give her. I look around the cabin, but I really don’t have much of anything that isn’t absolutely necessary for survival.
That gives me an idea.
“I’ll be right back!” I call through the bathroom door. “Just running to the barn!”
“Okay!”
I quickly run out to the barn to get together what I need. It doesn’t take long to find everything, and I spend more time trying to carefully wrap the gift in fur and tie it with twine to keep it together.
Before I return, I turn on the two-way radio and give it a try.
“Kirk? Can you hear me?” A few seconds pass before I get his reply.
“Yeah,” Kirk says, “loud and clear. I’m kinda surprised.”
“Any sign of those guys?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay, let me know if that changes. I think the radios will work well as long as the weather is clear.”
“I’ll keep an eye and ear open.”
“Thanks. Out.”
I head back to the cabin and get the present under the tree before Seri comes out of the bathroom, feeling pretty pleased with myself. I’m all smiles as I sit down in the chair, and Solo jumps up in my lap.
“I hope she likes it,” I whisper to him as I stroke his ears and neck.
Seri is positively giddy when she returns, holding her gifts to her chest so I can’t see them. She quickly shoves them under the tree and then races over to kiss me.
“You have a thing for Christmas, don’t you?”
“How can you tell?” She laughs and hugs me. “Now, we have to go to bed early so we can be all rested up for Christmas morning.”
“I like the going to bed early part.”
“Oh really?”
I grin as I toss a couple of extra logs on the fire, hoping to warm the room up just a bit more. The flames rise, and I stalk over to Seri and take her face in my hands.
“Are you wanting something?” she asks innocently.
“Uh huh.” I lean in and cover her mouth with mine.
Seri reaches up and runs her hands through my hair as she opens her mouth to me. I press against her body for a moment, then run my hands down to her backside.
“I love the way your ass feels when you’re wearing my sweatpants,” I whisper against her lips.