Axes & O’s

42. Fox

Chapter 42

Fox

Our conversation ended with the decision we’d keep sex off the table for the rest of Nathan’s stay here. That’s how we all ended up moving to the living room to sit in the glow of the Christmas tree. Nobody spoke, and eventually, Nathan fell asleep with Morgan’s head in his lap. When her eyes closed, too, I allowed mine to shut for a bit. Now, I’m wide awake with the sun, and all I can do is stare at the two people on the couch.

“Quit thinking so loud,” Nathan’s sleep-husky voice says, echoing my words to him from yesterday morning.

Our gazes meet, and his lips move into a soft smile.

“What time is it?” he asks quietly after seeing Morgan asleep on his lap.

“Just after eight,” I whisper.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” I echo.

Nathan’s eyes move to the tree, and I don’t miss the way the morning light highlights the flush of his cheeks.

“How do you feel?” I ask tentatively. “I know that was a lot.”

“A little frostbitten.”

My brow knits with concern until I see Nathan’s chest shake with quiet laughter. “I’m fine, Fox. I liked it.”

“I know.”

Nathan shakes his head at me, but before he can respond, Morgan groans. “Too early,” she whines, burying her face in Nathan’s crotch. His head drops back on the couch, and his eyes shut tight.

“Lamb,” I say. “You’re not on a pillow.”

She doesn’t say anything. Instead, she rubs her cheek against Nathan’s growing wood like it’s a magic lamp.

“Morgan,” he says huskily. “Don’t tempt me.”

I see her pout, but then, she shifts off his lap. When her eyes fall on the packages on the mantle, she brightens, suddenly awake and perky like a child is on Christmas morning.

“I think we should open presents.” Morgan stands and takes the packages from the mantel, keeping one for herself and then dropping one in Nathan’s lap. I didn’t expect to have one to open, at least not traditionally. Morgan knows I don’t like receiving gifts unless they’re practical or in the form of sex. Knowing my wife, she’ll surprise me with one of those two things later.

Nathan shifts uncomfortably, and he looks between the two of us, his brow adorably wrinkled. “Why do I have a gift?”

“It’s from Santa.” Morgan smiles, and I tug her to me. She wiggles her ass on my crotch as she settles on my lap. “Right, Santa?”

I shake my head at her antics but glance back at Nathan. “Open it.”

He stares at the package for a long moment before he says, “You first, Morgan.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” she chirps. While Morgan and I don’t celebrate this holiday as much as some, my wife likes gifts, and I like giving them to her—and I know she’ll like this one.

Nathan watches Morgan with a broad smile on his face, one that bites into my chest and makes me wish I could erase everything that happened in the last few hours. When she pulls back the paper and pops open the small box, he looks just as excited as she is. Images of every holiday being like this appear in my mind, and I’ll admit that while it’s a little scary, it’s nice. We’d be like this, together. A family. I wonder if Nathan’s family would join us, too.

Morgan rips open the box and pulls out a small piece of paper folded in half. She flips it open, and I think her jaw hits the floor. “Are you serious?” she asks me.

“I wouldn’t give that to you if I wasn’t.”

She holds the paper to her chest, and a devilish smile appears on her face.

“What is it?” Nathan asks curiously.

“Can I show him?”

I nod, and Morgan smiles wider, handing the paper to Nathan. We both watch him read it, his nostrils flaring and his throat bobbing as he gives it back to Morgan.

“I didn’t know you’d do that,” he says.

“Rarely. Let’s just say someone new came into our lives the other night, and I felt compelled,” I say.

Time stops as the three of us look at each other. So many things being said, so many things left unsaid.

Eventually, I clear my throat, looking down at the package in Nathan’s hands. “Open it.”

“Alright,” he says quietly. “But I don’t have anything for you.”

My lip twitches at his thoughtfulness. “I wouldn’t expect you to. Just open it.”

He expels a small breath then tears open the brown paper before taking out the small box and popping the top open. When he looks inside, my heart races while I wait for him to take out his gift.

He swallows. “You made this?” He holds up the small wooden figure of a wolf. The wolf I carved for him.

“I did.”

“Is that why you took so long in the office the other day?” Morgan asks.

“I wanted both of you to have something to open on Christmas,” I say simply .

Nathan clears his throat, his eyes fluttering rapidly as he runs his fingers over the lines of the carving with reverence. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

I open my mouth to respond when a loud noise draws our attention outside of the cabin. We freeze as if a bomb has gone off. The reality that we’re no longer snowed in settles among us when we see the headlights of the plow clearing part of the driveway. A moment later, the slam of a car door makes Nathan and Morgan flinch.

“I guess that’s my ride,” he says quietly.

My hand tightens around Morgan’s waist, knowing she needs the extra comfort.

While we knew this was coming, and Nathan asked for time, I think part of her hoped we could change his mind before he left. That we could erase my stupid words completely and go back to the way things were before I changed everything. But now our time is up, and we have to let him walk away.

The doorbell rings a moment later, and Nathan stands, the wolf gripped tightly in his hands.

“I should get my things.”

Morgan and I stand with him, and then we’re all staring at each other, unsure of what to say. Eventually, Morgan steps forward and throws her arms around him, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. “I’ll get your clothes for you.” Then she darts toward the mudroom, leaving Nathan and I alone.

“Will she be okay?” he asks after a brief heavy pause.

“My wife is a strong woman.”

“She is,” he says wistfully.

Another ring to the doorbell, and Nathan glances over his shoulder.

“I’ll get it. You go get ready,” I say.

As I move to step around him, Nathan grabs my arm. Before I have time to react, he kisses me. It’s not a gentle kiss but a hard one, one that’s searing, claiming. One that catches me off guard and stuns me, not allowing me to take over .

“Thank you for helping me see that there’s nothing wrong with me.” He reiterates the words he’s said before, his tone so somber it makes my heart ache. I want to say more, to take him in my arms and tell him to stay, that he can take the time he needs with us, but I know that’s not what he wants. He needs to process this weekend, and maybe Morgan and I do, too.

Nathan takes a step away, but this time, I’m the one grabbing him. “We’ll wait for you, Nathan,” I say with conviction. “We’re on your time.”

He clenches his jaw and blinks back the tears I see in his eyes. I squeeze his bicep one final time and drop my hand reluctantly.

As he walks away, I think I hear him whisper, “I hope so.”

But I could’ve imagined it.