“A person is allowed to learn and grow and change their mind.” Grayson didn’t even flinch at tossing my sentiment from yesterday back at me.
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Lying to and about people isn’t the same as adjusting a perspective on how many people go in a relationship.”
“Fair point.” Grayson shrugged. “Then again, he didn’t say it to or about me, so I’m not carrying the same kind of grudge.”
Jax’s barking laugh shook me. “Don’t pull that bullshit. You were fuming after you heard what he’d done.”
“It’s true.” Grayson lifted my legs and set my feet on the ground. “And speaking of Christmas, we never got to give you your gift. It wasn’t in the stack at your parent’s, because... we weren’t sure anymore.”
“We also haven’t opened the ones from you yet. It didn’t seem right,” Jax said.
“What? You have to open themnow.” I’d forgotten about presents in middle of everything else, but now they could be a priority again.
Grayson kissed the palm of my hand. “Stay here.”
He vanished into the other room, and returned a moment later with a box that held two familiar wrapped packages. He handed Jax his, extracted his own, and set the box aside. “Who do you want to go first?”
Giddiness bubbled up. “It doesn’t matter. Open them.” It was a good thing neither of them were paper savers. I’d go nuts watching either slowly cut around the tape.
I’d gotten Grayson a new set of headphones for streaming. He’d been eyeing them for months, but kept putting off the purchase for one reason or another.
Jax’s was a leather portfolio, to hold documents for sales meetings, and monogrammed. He gave me a curious look. “How did you...?”
“You said the one you carried was looking hammered.” I was pleased they both liked their presents. The pair of hungry kisses I got asthank yousdidn’t hurt either.
“Your turn.” Jax reached over to grab something else from the box. He extracted a small package, barely bigger than a business card, and only maybe an inch high.
My heart jammed in my throat. It was a jewelry box, that much was obvious from the size and shape. I’d never had a guy buy me jewelry before.
He handed me the gift. “Merry late Christmas.”
The gold foil paper glittered in the light. If I tore into it, the surprise would be over, but I was also dying to see what was inside. I slipped a fingernail under one flap, slicing the tape neatly.
“Are you kidding me with that?” Grayson asked.
I laughed and tore off the rest of the paper. Inside, nestled on a bed of cotton, was a gold bracelet. It looked like three delicate ropes braided together. I lifted it out gently, still processing how gorgeous it was. Two charms dangled from it—a pair of scissors with sapphires in the handles, and a circle that saidweapon of choice.“It’s gorgeous.”
“Here.” Grayson held out his hand.
I handed the bracelet over. He unclasped it, and gently secured it on my wrist.
“I may never take this off. Thank you.”
We spent the rest of the day with movies playing in the background, and us groping each other as much as we were paying attention to what was on the screen. We fucked to the ball dropping and ringing in the New Year, and collapsed in a tangled-but-happy heap for the second night in the row.
The next morning we took our time getting up, and there was discussion of me maybe heading home for a few hours, for a change of clothes and to prove to Lyn I was still alive. For now, I was happy in one of Grayson’s shirts and a pair of Jax’s shorts.
We hadn’t managed to leave the bedroom, when someone rang the doorbell.
“Be right back.” Grayson squeezed my fingers and gave Jax a quick kiss before leaving to answer.
“Is my sister here?” I heard Chase’s voice distinctly as it drifted in from the other room.
Jax nuzzled my neck. “Make him suffer a little longer, or grant him a reprieve?”
“Not sure.” I was going to forgive Chase. Maybe in about five or ten minutes.
“Are you here?” Grayson hollered through the house.”