Should Have Known (Camren)

Chapter 19

"W-what?" she whimpered. "So I won't get presents when I get bigger?"

I turned around to face Lauren, desperate for answers as Sofi's eyes began to water at the thought.

"No no, that's not what she means," Lauren said soothingly, sitting next to my sister and placing a supportive hand on her knee. "It's just...when you get bigger you get to help Santa. You get to help him give toys to all the little kids around the world and make them happy, and you're so busy making sure they have the best Christmas ever that you forget about your presents."

"Oh...well that's not so bad," Sofi grinned.

I smiled appreciatively at Lauren and saw the corner of her mouth curl up into a smirk in response. Her green eyes pierced right through me, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. She was so effortlessly beautiful, and she was all mine.

"Okay kiddo, time for bed," I said hurriedly, rushing over to Sofi and tucking her in so that I could finally get some alone time with Lauren.

I leaned down to kiss my sister on the forehead and tuck her favorite stuffed animal safely under her arm. "Try to get some sleep. Santa won't come if you're up walking around the house."

She smiled in understanding and I nodded towards the door, motioning for Lauren to follow me. I leaned my head out of the doorway and listened for any signs of the parents. I could hear them still in the living room, laughing over a bottle of wine, and grabbed Lauren's hand.

"Stay quiet," I warned.

In order to get to my room we had to pass directly behind the couch- unnoticed. All of the adults had their backs to us, but one slip up could cost us the alone time we both craved. Taylor and Chris were sitting in the love seat against the wall, both having a clear visual of us.

"They won't say anything," Lauren promised, sensing my disease.

I took a deep breath in and pulled Lauren along, tip-toeing behind the couch and eyeing her younger siblings to make sure they didn't say anything. They both watched as we walked but kept their mouths shut, and we made it safely to the stairs, running up them and turning the corner without getting caught.

Lauren stopped and pulled on my hand and I turned around to face her.

"What are we-" she started.

I cut her off with a kiss, gripping the hair at the base of her skull and pushing her into the wall. Her hands found my waist and she held on for dear life, slipping them into my back pockets after a while.

I pulled back, both of us gasping for air, and smiled at her. Her eyes were closed and her head was back against the wall, but I saw her smirk back at me. The light from the living room below filtered up from the staircase and allowed just enough light for me to see the contours of her face- her defined cheekbones, the way her full lips spread apart to reveal her bright white teeth as a smile creeped across them, the shadows under eyes that only made the green seem brighter as she opened them and bit her bottom lip absentmindedly, staring at my lips and silently asking for more.

"I want to give you your present," I told her.

"Shouldn't we wait until all the parents go to bed?" she asked, taking my hands in her own.

"It's not that," I laughed.

She pouted and I had to use every ounce of energy in my body to keep my hands off of her. I heard laughter from the living room below and snapped out of the daze she had me in.

"Just come with me," I sighed, desperate to break away from her before I could no longer control myself.

I pulled her into my room and shut the door and she sat on the bed.