The Very Naughty List

46. Hailey

46

HAILEY

As warm sunlight streams through the window, my eyes pop open with an enthusiasm that I haven’t felt in years.

It’s Christmas Day, and I’m waking up in bed with all three of the Cooper brothers surrounding me. If this isn’t the very best Christmas gift a girl could ask for, then I don’t know what is.

But just as I go to roll back over and sink back into a slow morning of snuggling with the men before I get up, I realize that my feet are buried under something heavy. I look down, expecting to see that one of the guys has their legs draped over mine—but instead, I’m surprised to see a big, furry body.

Bruno is on the bed with us, his big head draped across my calves and half his body lying on my ankles. I’ve never seen him sleep on anyone’s bed before, not even Nick’s, but here he is, all passed out and snoring and curled up on my feet. He’s so heavy that I have to put a bit of effort behind pulling my feet out from under him, and when I do, Bruno stirs, waking the guys.

“Is that… the dog?” Reid looks down groggily toward the foot of the bed.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Sebastian wriggles his feet against Bruno’s side to try to get him to jump off the bed, but the dog doesn’t budge.

Nick chuckles. “I guess he’s so attached to Hailey by now that he doesn’t want to wait until morning to follow her around.”

“Aww.” I pout out my lower lip, strangely touched by the idea.

“We need a bigger bed,” Reid groans, flopping an arm over his face.

“Either that, or Nick needs to teach his dog some manners.”

Nick rolls his eyes at Sebastian. “As if he listens to me anymore. Hailey has him wrapped around her little finger.”

I grin at my successful attempts to win over the dog’s affections. Little did I know that our relationship would begin with a pair of stolen panties.

“I can’t help it if Bruno loves me the most,” I tease. “And he knows I love him too.”

Nick grunts, rolling toward me and sliding an arm beneath me as he pulls my body against his. He kisses me on the side of the face, then down my neck and around my collarbone as if he’s possessively marking his territory everywhere that his lips touch.

I start to giggle, both because it tickles and because he’s clearly feeling a little competitive with a dog.

“Are you jealous?” I ask, still laughing.

Nick’s eyes narrow playfully as he draws back to find my gaze. “Of Bruno? Never. But I’ll be happy to remind you of who you belong to anytime you need a reminder.”

I shiver in response. I really like possessive Nick.

We all take a few more moments in bed, and then Nick manages to coax Bruno off the bed. The disgruntled dog shakes his head and rests his chin on the blanket, staring at me with adoring eyes, and I make sure to give him extra pets when we all get up.

It’s a bit chilly in the house, so Nick starts a fire and Reid makes a fresh pot of hot coffee that smells like hazelnut wafting from the pot.

The guys all have on low slung pajama pants and bare chests that make them look like carved Grecian sculptures as they walk around the house, comfortable and at ease. I pull one of their oversized flannels around me and borrow a thick pair of socks to keep my feet warm against the chilly floorboards.

Once the coffee has been poured and the fire in the hearth is stoked and crackling, the whole house takes on a cozy Christmas morning vibe.

When we walk into the living room together to sit by the Christmas tree and enjoy our coffee, I stop in my tracks in the doorway.

A small gasp falls from my lips, my eyes widening.

Set up right beside the sparkling lit tree is a beautiful electric keyboard. It’s something I’ve always wanted—but I’ve never mentioned that to the Cooper brothers, I’m sure of it.

My eyes dart between the lovely instrument and all three of the guys in astonishment.

“What’s that for?”

“It’s for Christmas, obviously .” Sebastian laughs and kisses me on the tip of my nose before walking into the room to sit down on the couch.

Nick takes my hand, and we follow Sebastian in.

“It’s for you, songbird. It’s our gift to you, so that you can compose songs and play music while you sing.”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

I’m speechless, moved to joyful tears by both the gift and the gesture. It means so much to me that they would think to get me something as special as this.

“We want to support your music,” Reid chimes in. “You’re so fucking talented, trouble, and we want you to be able to explore that. We want to see you soar.”

Tears start to fall from the corners of my eyes as I pull them close to kiss each of them.

“Thank you,” I whisper past the emotions clogging my throat. “Thank you so much. I love it!”

I walk over and run my fingers over the instrument, feeling the smooth, cool keys beneath my hands. Then a rush of excitement floods me as I remember that I have a surprise for them too. I reach around behind the tree to take out the three small packages that I hid there last night.

“I got each of you presents too.”

I can’t contain my smile as I hand them their gifts. It’s not much, definitely not as extravagant as a new keyboard, but I wanted to give each of them something special and meaningful.

Reid opens his gift first, and as soon as he pulls out the frame and looks at it, his blue-gray eyes warm.

“Hailey, this is perfect . Thank you.”

He holds up the picture, one of the four of us that my sister managed to snap on the downlow when we were all at my family’s Christmas party together.

“I know it’s not a very elaborate gift, but I wanted to give you this picture because I know it will be the first of many. This is just the start of our collection of memories together,” I tell him softly.

He gazes at the photograph for a long moment, love and adoration playing across his features. Then he tugs me onto his lap and kisses me, his lips warm and hungry. I lose myself in it for a moment, allowing myself to bask in his affection unhurriedly. After all, we don’t just have all day to spend together—we have a lot longer than that.

“Okay, Sebastian,” I say once we break apart. “You’re next.”

I watch as he opens his package, hoping that I didn’t miss the mark with this gift.

For a few seconds, Sebastian just stares at the small plaque I got him without saying a word. His brows are furrowed, and I can’t read his expression. But then he pulls me into a hug and buries his face against my neck.

“It’s fucking perfect, shortcake,” he breathes. “God, I love you.”

“What is it?” Nick asks, wanting to see the gift that is still in Sebastian’s hands and partially obscured by our bodies.

When Sebastian lets me go, he holds up the sign that I had made for the front door of his garage.

Cooper Automotive

Sebastian Cooper, Owner, and best damn mechanic in all of Chestnut Hill

“It’s just that the garage never really had your name on it after your father passed away. And I know how much that place means to you, so I?—”

I shrug, breaking off, and Sebastian cradles my jaw, kissing me deeply.

“I can’t wait for you to come visit me there like you used to,” he murmurs. “I’ll set up a spot just for you.”

“It’s a date,” I tell him, my heart fluttering.

Nick is the last to open his gift, and when he pulls out the shirt that has the word Chief embroidered on the back of it, he immediately pulls it over his head, tugging it on. It fits him perfectly.

“I know you’re not fire chief yet , but you will be someday.” I grin. “I figured you should start looking the part.”

He chuckles. “I like the way you think, songbird.”

“I know the presents aren’t anything big.” I lift a shoulder, feeling my face flush. “I wish I could do even more, but?—”

“Are you kidding me?” Nick tugs me closer, drawing me into his arms. “ You’re our present. And that’s the best fucking gift I’ve ever gotten.”

My heart flip flops as they all kiss me, sparks dancing across my skin everywhere their hands wander.

This could all easily heat up, with me nestled between them in nothing but a flannel shirt, socks, and panties, and two of the men still shirtless—but we manage to pry ourselves apart several minutes later, breathless and mussed. As much as I’d love to spend the entire day naked with them, Christmas only comes around once a year, and there will be plenty of time for that later.

Once we’ve untangled ourselves from each other, we carefully set our gifts by the tree and go get ready for the festivities we have planned with my family.

When we arrive at my parents’ house an hour later, my mom and dad greet us all warmly. I can tell they’re still adjusting to the new dynamic between me and the guys, but they were never really upset about it the way Lucas was. And Pippa and Grandma Dee? They’re all in.

Grandma Dee gives me a hug first, and then dotes on each of the guys. She gives Nick an extra long squeeze as she compares him to one of the characters on Shadow’s Edge and calls him a “real life Romeo” for snagging her granddaughter. Nick banters back with her easily, and watching the two of them joke around brings a smile to my face.

My sister waggles her brows at me, smiling from ear to ear as she glances between me and the guys. When I go to give her a hug, she sticks her finger on my arm and makes a sizzling sound, causing me to burst out laughing.

“Glad you’re here.” Lucas steps out from behind our sister to give me a hug before nodding to his friends, his lips tilting into an easy grin. “Pippa wouldn’t let us touch the cookies until everyone arrived.”

He rolls his eyes, and Pippa gives him a playful smack on the shoulder as the Cooper brothers laugh.

“Well, we still have to wait a bit,” my mother interjects. “Addison and her family aren’t here yet.”

I blink, glancing over at my parents. The fact that they invited the triplets’ older sister and her family warms my heart. Now it really will be like we’re all one big happy family together on Christmas Day.

When Addison finally arrives with her husband, Michael, and Iris, I brace myself for a bit of awkwardness. I haven’t seen Addison since the news broke about me dating all three of her brothers—but fortunately, she doesn’t bat an eye as she steps up to give me a big hug.

“Thanks for including us in your celebrations,” she murmurs. “We’re so glad to be here. And I have to say, I’ve never seen my brothers happier. That’s got to be your influence.”

I swallow, giving her another squeeze before releasing her and stepping back. “Well, they make me happy too.”

“Good.” She beams at me.

“Hi, Hailey!” Iris chirps. “Merry Christmas!”

“Hey, Iris. Merry Christmas to you too!”

I give my cookie baking companion a wave, and she looks up at me with a wide-eyed expression as she asks, “Are you going to be my new aunt?”

Her question catches me completely off-guard, and I choke on my next breath, my jaw dropping open.

“Please say that you are!” she adds. “You’d be the coolest aunt ever! We could bake cookies all the time, and play games, and?—”

I glance over at the triplets as Iris rambles on excitedly, trying to hide the flush that I know is creeping up my face. I expect to see them looking a bit awkward or uncomfortable, but all I see in their eyes is banked heat—which only makes me blush harder.

Thankfully, my sister comes to the rescue before I have to come up with an answer for Iris.

“Okay, everyone’s finally here! Who wants Christmas cookies?”

As we settle in with our cookies and eggnog, the smell of my mother’s homemade Christmas dinner wafting out of the kitchen, I can’t seem to stop smiling. It feels like I’ve gotten everything I never knew I wanted for Christmas this year—and to think, I was dreading coming to Chestnut Hill.

Thankfully, the universe knew what I needed even better than I did.