Under The Mistletoe

An Unusual Holiday Romp

Music: All I want for Christmas is you by Fifth Harmony

Beverly let herself into Derek's apartment, he'd given her a key card the previous year and added her name to the short list of people who were allowed access to his penthouse suite.

To make it easier for her to come and go, he'd said, but for her, it had signified a small step forward in their relationship.

He stood behind a sofa in his living room, legs apart, hands crossed over his chest in a casual stance as he talked with a beautiful woman on the screen of his large flat screen Tv.

As she came into the room, she briefly noted the connection he'd made between his ipad and his Tv, and the easy casual conversation that flowed between the two conversing adults.

From the little she'd overheard, it seemed that he was speaking to his sister, who looked quite busy multitasking as she pottered about her kitchen while chatting nonstop with her brother who stood listening quietly, but interjecting every now and again.

He turned as she walked in and she saw a look of surprise enter his eyes for a brief moment and then it was gone.

'Hi,' she mouthed, standing by the living room door and out of view of the Tv screen. He'd talked quite a bit about his sister but up until now she had yet to meet her and she didn't want to barge in and make her presence known, especially if he wasn't ready to make the introductions.

He glanced back at his Tv screen and then at her, and she saw his hesitation a split second before it was gone and he held out his arm to her, drawing her to his side, 'Julissa, I want you to meet Bev, Bev, my sister, Julissa.'

'Hello,' Beverly greeted, coming within view of the video call on the screen as Julissa paused what she was doing to stare inquiringly at her.

'It's lovely to finally meet you.' Bev said, 'Derek talks about you quite a bit.'

'Nice things, I hope,' she responded cheerfully, waving a hand clad in oven mitts as she checked on what she had baking in the oven, 'Derek has never introduced any of his female..er friends to me, so believe me when I say the pleasure is all mine.'

'Jules,' Derek growled in a warning tone.

She laughed, 'Alright, I'm gonna go and let you two lovebirds be, call me later Derek, Merry Christmas Beverly.'

'Merry Christmas Julissa,' Bev smiled at her as Julissa ended the video call, the frozen screen signifying the end of their connection.

She smiled up at Derek as he drew her into his arms, 'hey,' she said softly, 'thank you for the beautiful roses.'

She'd received five bouquets of red roses, each bouquet composing a hundred stems, delivered in a procession with a note that simply read; 'Merry Christmas Bev, Derek.'

As impersonal as the message had been, he'd more than made up for it with the roses, which had been anything but impersonal.

She had to assume he hadn't sent five hundred roses to any other woman that Christmas morning.

'My pleasure,' he murmured looking down at her.

She stared at him for several moments longer, lost in his smouldering dark brown eyes, until she remembered the gift she'd brought along with her.

'I have something for you too,' she said detaching herself from his embrace to reach for her handbag on the couch, and pull out the beautifully wrapped gift.

Handing it over to him, she said, 'it's not five hundred roses, but I think it's special.'

I'm sure it's fine,' he said cocking a smile as he unwrapped her gift to reveal the emerald green leather box with it's tiny gold stitching. His smile widened as he glanced up at her before opening the box.