Hazel woke up the next morning in a cocoon of warmth.

Smiling, she felt Nick right behind her on the couch, his arm locked around her and her quilt blanket wrapped over them to keep them warm as the snow had started to pour down outside last night.

Now, awakening in her living room, Hazel yawned and remembered all too vividly their adventurous night. Nick had been the perfect combination of gentleman versus caveman. The way he had handled her kink had been just how she had hoped he would – perfectly. Her wrists still slightly ached today. Among other things.

As she started to stir, Hazel felt Nick come alive behind her as well and groan deeply. None of them spoke for a moment, both still too tired from last night. Instead they simply just enjoyed each other's nearness while cozily waking up.

Maybe this was breaking another rule, but cuddling on a chilly Tuesday felt completely right in this moment. Hazel almost didn't want him to leave for work, but sadly she had plans for the day as well.

All dreams had to end at one point, as they said. You had to wake up so you could realise them.

"How'd you sleep?" She tiredly smiled as Nick gave her a deep sigh and chuckled silently, a rasp to his voice.

"Mmm. I slept pretty darn good," He murmured and kissed the crook of her neck. His arm tightened around her. "How about you?"

Hazel couldn't remember ever having slept sounder or better, even on her small cramped couch. "I slept just dandy. What time do you need to be at work?"

"I have to be at the mall at 10. What time is it?" He asked, but then reached over to her coffee table himself to grab his wristwatch. After giving it a glance, he sighed heavily. "8.24. I'm going to need to borrow your shower."

"Of course," Hazel turned around on the couch and laid down on her back to face him. Nick's morning hair and tired face was the most beautiful thing she had seen in a long time. She had worn him out too, though not too much, judging by the hot rod resting against her thigh. "How long do you take to get ready?"

Nick pulled the quilt down and exposed her pert breasts to the nibbling cold. Her nipples stiffened in the air, but not for long as he leaned down and cupped one full mound. Slipping one erect bud into his mouth, Hazel moaned and arched as he leisurely suckled at her breast like a newborn, switching to her other when it begged for his attention.

"I'm always ready with you around," He huskily replied, slipping his hand below the covers to find her wet mound equally ready. Mewling, Hazel parted her legs for him as he started sliding one finger along her moist lower lips. "You're more addictive than sweets, Hazel."

Hazel twisted the quilt in her hands as he slicked one finger over her clitoris and massaged it gently, bringing life to all her nerves. A garbled moan then fell from her mouth when he inserted two fingers inside her and started pumping them fervidly. Her lower body arched up and Hazel gave a weak cry when he struck against her love spot. Her ōrgasm came raging to the surface, pushing against her skin in a heated fashion.

"Nick!" She tossed her head back and bit her lip to stop herself from screaming. His lips came to her mouth and claimed them before her teeth pierced through the delicate skin. With nothing but his mouth to draw air from, Hazel nearly passed out in pleasure as he brought her to ōrgasm before breakfast. All of her muscles tightened and released rhythmically as he worked her through it, her own hand wrapping around his length and pumping it in her euphoria.

When her climax faded, she caught his lips hungrily and heard him grunt in approval. Her hand worked up and down his stiff shaft, and with some maneuvering, Hazel managed to shift to her side and stroke him better. Nick breathed hotly against her lips and raked his fingers through her messy hair. He couldn't get enough of her lips, even as he groaned against them when she reached down and cupped his balls.

"Oh, fuck," He breathed. His hips reared forward on pure instinct and thrust into her hand that clenched him tightly and squeezed his base. "Just like that, Hazel... just like... that."

She continued to work his silky length that started dribbling clear precūm. It ran down his shaft as his breathing grew labored and a light sheen of sweat spread on his skin. He gripped tighter onto her hair and groaned garbled against her mouth, and then, with a final few thrusts, he erupted in her hand.

Hazel watched as he was overcome with pleasure. He panted hard and rocked back and forth slowly as it faded quickly, leaving him as much of a mess as Hazel herself. When they both fell down from their euphoric high, their eyes locked and a smile spread on their faces. Nick chuckled again and kissed her lips while Hazel felt him slowly deflate in her hand, but couldn't find the heart to let him go. Nick kissed her slowly and then rested his forehead against hers.

"We should get up," Hazel whispered after a moment. She opened her eyes and saw Nick's eyes still closed, simply just breathing her in. "Wouldn't want Santa to be late."

His lips twitched, and finally he opened his eyes and looked at her as well. "Santa's never late, darling."

~~~

Hazel left her apartment that morning and had plowed through the heavy snow. Christmas had officially arrived along with the nibble of Jack Frost. Hazel smiled as she watched the landscape while she drove, trying to settle on the perfect location to grab some pictures tomorrow. They had promised more snow all week, so she would have her pick of days.

Today, though, she had different plans.

Driving towards her sister's, she parked her car in their shoveled driveway – Jim's handiwork no doubt – and went inside. As expected, her niece ran towards the door like a dog summoned by the doorbell. "Auntie Hazi!"

"Hi, monkey!" Hazel grinned and crouched down to greet her niece. Ashley gave her a bear hug before jumping up and down excitedly while Hazel removed her shoes and jacket. "Are you excited for today?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Hazel laughed, but then looked up as she heard the telltale sign of her sister shuffling in with baby Michael on her arm.

"Hey," Camille chuckled while bobbing a colicky Michael on her shoulder. Hazel leaned in for a quick hug and gave her crying nephew a chaste kiss as well. "I'm so happy you could help."

"Help? Are you kidding, this is my pleasure," Hazel laughed. Making holiday treats and playing board games all day was a surefire way of scoring her company. Nobody in their right mind would say no to some homemade cookies and hot chocolate over a game of Twister and Operation.

– Even in the company of a crying infant and an overly excited kid.

"I started setting up everything in the kitchen for the baking, but then Michael decided he wasn't getting enough attention," Camille sighed and rubbed her screaming son on his back. She looked like she hadn't slept for about a year, and Hazel couldn't help but pout, sympathetically.

"Come here," She said and held her arms out to receive her impossible nephew. Camille willingly handed him over and sighed in relief and took Ashley's hand to venture back into the kitchen to set up while Hazel kept Michael company. He only stopped crying for a moment to see what had happened before he opened his little lungs again and started all over.

Boys truly were trouble right from the start.

The day went on with baking and playing. Michael calmed down eventually and cried himself to sleep. That gave Camille the opportunity to get a few hours of rest as well while Hazel kept Ashley company in the kitchen. They started with a delicious brownie fudge cake, and while it was baking, they played a spirited game of twister wherein Ashley won and Hazel earned herself a mild hernia. By the time the brownie cake was done, she was starting to feel the fatigue.

She couldn't believe her sister and so many other mothers (and fathers) handled this kind of energy all day.

They had just started rolling their fresh cookie batter into small balls when Camille came downstairs with Michael again. He was hungry and crying a little again, but at least Camille looked a few shades fresher after a couple hours rest.

"How's my happy bakers doing?" She smiled and took a seat at the kitchen table with an impatiently whiny Michael. As she pulled up her shirt and started breastfeeding him, he quickly calmed down.

"We're good, aren't we?" Hazel grinned and looked at Ashley who nodded and beamed. "There's a delicious brownie fudge cake cooling over there on the rack, and in about 20 minutes, there'll be freshly baked, hot chocolate chip cookies."

"With M&M's!" Ashley squealed. "Look, mommy!"

She showed the little roll of cookie batter in her hand which they had folded in with some chopped chocolate pieces and M&M's for added crunch. All that sweetness was going to give them tummy aches, but it would be all worth it in the end.

"Mmm, looks so good, baby," Camille smiled and looked up at Hazel. "How are you holding up there?"

Hazel chuckled and scratched her forehead with the back of her hand when her fingers were covered in cookie dough. "I'm good, but I think you deserve a medal. Or the first piece of the cake," She glanced around the kitchen mess, then down to her niece who was still fire and flame. "I don't know how you do this every day."

Camille grinned tiredly and looked down at Michael who was feeding nicely in her arms, eyes almost closed again. "I don't know either. It's 40 percent I want to kill them and 60 percent I love them more than I can express. Some days it varies."

Hazel laughed. Shaping a cookie into a round ball, she pressed it against the baking sheet and watched her niece do something similar, though taking an M&M from the dough and eating it beforehand. "Well, as long as it's all worth it." And that it surely was.

"Speaking of which," Camille voiced and rearranged Michael when his little legs started to kick about. "Are you seeing a certain someone again tonight?"

Hazel nodded. "That's the plan. I mean, unless something else pops up. Why? Do you need me for anything?"

"No, no!" Camille assured her with a laugh. "Just wanted to hear if it was still going well between the two of you."

"Can't say much's changed since yesterday," Hazel pointed out. Camille shrugged. Hazel turned back to finishing the rest of the cookies and stopping Ashley from eating all of the M&Ms. After propping them into the oven, they all agreed to head back into the living room to watch a movie. Ashley decided on Frozen and so they all sat down with their hot chocolate to watch the frozen Disney Queen learn the power of love.

And, you know... Olaf.

As evening slowly came and Jim returned, Hazel said goodnight and headed home for a much needed shower before her guest arrived. She was exhausted after spending a whole day trying to match her niece's energy and baking up a storm of treats worse than the dark snowy clouds rolling in over the mountains.

Hazel had just emerged from the shower when the doorbell chimed. She quickly put on her bathrobe, perhaps not the sexiest garment she owned, but as the chilly air from the outside flew in and pulled at her wet legs, she shivered and gave a chattering smile to Nick who quickly stepped in.

"Am I early?" He asked as Hazel quickly secured the lock on the door and blocked the cold out. "I got off earlier today because of the snow."

Hazel shook her head, but then noticed he was actually dressed in normal clothes for once. Since the day at the park where he had caught her taking pictures, she hadn't really seen him in anything but his suits.

Birthday included.

"Oh, no," She assured and ran a hand through her tousled hair which was still damp from her shower. "I just got back from my sister's about half an hour ago. I was helping her with a few things, keeping the kids entertained."

"Oh," Nick smiled at the mention of her sister. "Do you see them a lot? Your family?"

That was a loaded question, wasn't it. "Uh... yeah, my sister, I do, I suppose. Her husband works a lot, so I help out whenever I can."

"That's nice of you. She seemed nice, from what I can tell from the two times I've met her," Nick chuckled, and Hazel couldn't help but laugh nervously as well. "My favorite was when she pushed you into my arms."

Hazel warmed when he leaned down and cupped her cheek. When his mouth came upon hers, she closed her eyes and had to admit her sister had made a good judgment call on that. She always did have good taste in men.

"I have to admit I wasn't thrilled at first, but... you turned out to be pleasant surprise," Hazel smirked slowly when Nick rose a piqued brow. "I definitely didn't expect you to be such a sweet talker for a Santa."

"Don't you know, darling? Cursing gets you on the naughty list," He teased and surprised her by pinching her butt. Hazel laughed and threw her head back.

"In that case, I better not fuck up—whoopsie."

Nick growled lowly and swept his hand through her wet hair. "Watch the language, sweetheart. I might have to teach your mouth a lesson if you don't."

Hazel smiled and sighed and loosened the tie around her robe. She let the whole thing drop to the floor. "I was so hoping you'd say that."

• • •

I'm making it a thing to cut you off at midnight so I'll have more playroom after.