Sweet Love of Christmas

Before They Come

LENA POV

"Wait! Hold up! I think you need to move it a little to the left!" I call up to Stef who is standing on a ladder hanging some greenery we had just went out and purchased.

After making love for most of the night, we had slept in a little bit, and both decided that maybe it would, in fact, be a nice surprise for our friends if we at least decorated a little bit before they came as well as baked some Christmas cookies and cakes and possibly some other goodies.

"You just said left, and that's what I did, silly!" She looks down at me as I shake my head.

"I meant, right! Geez! I think I need more coffee! That or your ass if distracting me!" I giggle now as she laughs loudly.

"How's this, goofball?" Stef moves it the opposite direction as I hold up both thumbs.

"Perfect!"

"Alrighty then! I think we're done!" Climbing down the ladder, she turns to look at me and winks before beginning to close it.

"Well, we probably should still hang the mistletoe," I laugh as I hurry to grab it off the coffee table. I had insisted on buying a few sprigs of it considering we'd have a lot of fun throughout the cabin, hanging it in various doorways.

"Of course," Stef smiles as she walks past me and towards the back to put the ladder back in the small shed.

I quickly find various spots for the mistletoe as I hang one bunch over the kitchen doorway, one above the landing heading upstairs and for good measure, I hang the last bunch over the main bathroom door as I giggle to myself. If only we could tell everyone that Stef and I are an item, but I am beyond nervous for that considering Tess and Julius feelings about her, something I wouldn't tolerate in the least this time.

"Where did you go?" I hear Stef's voice coming from downstairs as I quickly run down the steps and towards the kitchen.

"I was hanging the mistletoe. Remember?" I laugh as I automatically walk up behind her as she is in front of the kitchen counter making another pot of coffee. She's so perfect to me as she is in a pair of jean overalls, a tank top underneath and red and black plaid shirt, open.

Wrapping my arms around her, I nuzzle her neck breathing in her scent. "Mmmm, you smell nice," I whisper as I hear her soft laugh.

"Well, if we're going to make the Christmas cookies we discussed making, maybe we shouldn't start complimenting each other like that," she teases as she turns her head and I lean in to peck her lips.

"Ya? I don't recall hearing you complain with all the compliments I gave you last night," I tease her right back as I pull back and swat her ass, and she turns to look at me, a smirk apparent on her face.

"No, you're right, I did not. Damn, baby, you're so hot in bed, and even right now, and I just don't think these cookies are going to be started. Do you?" She turns to lean against the counter as I laugh and open the small drawer nearby and pull out two aprons.

"I mean, if you're offering, BUTTTTTT, if you wait, then you'll have to contend with cranky Julius and the sound of me beating his little skinny ass." I toss her an apron as she laughs and puts it on before heading to pull out ingredients.

I head over to the table to pull out the sprinkles, icing, nuts, cookie cutters and so much more that we also had bought earlier when we were down in Evergreen. I hear Stef turn on the little radio as a weatherman comes across letting us know that a giant snowstorm is headed our way, and as I turn to look over at her dancing as Silent Night blares across the room, I see how genuinely happy she is. The happiness she is portraying is a far cry from the crushing spirit I saw when her two brothers, Eddie and James, went missing, and then not long after, Mike, her husband. That broken Stef was one I never wished to see again, for it had nearly killed me.