Perfect Christmas: A Paper Dolls Novel Read online

  “Oh yeah, we got back a few hours ago and we’ve been hanging out in the hot tub since then. What have you guys been up to?” I wondered.

  “Shhhhh,” Olivia whispered to just me.

  “Uh-huh, just hanging out too,” Nat said, looking over to Layla awkwardly. They looked like they’d just had a really personal and happy time doing something physical.

  “You can join us if you’d like,” Olivia said, leaning back and looking over at them.

  “Yeah, it feels so good,” I said.

  Nat looked back at Layla and tried to figure her out. “And there’s wine inside. Do you want me to get you something?”

  “Layla hasn’t eaten,” Nat said.

  “Oh shit,” Olivia said. She moved off of me and used her arms to pull herself out of the tub. “Come on,” she said, motioning toward the back kitchen doors to the main property.

  I frowned but followed Olivia out of the hot tub. Cold hit me like a cannonball and I immediately wanted to jump back in. I trotted ahead of Layla and Nat and grabbed a towel off of the table on the way into the main house.

  I caught up with Olivia and rushed inside.

  “Holy shit, that’s cold,” I said.

  The others filed in behind me. I needed a fire or warmer clothes.

  “We’re so starting the fireplace when we go back to the pool house,” I said.

  “Come ‘ere,” Olivia said, tugging on my wrist and stealing me away to give me a passionate kiss in front of the refrigerator. “Do you need a robe or something? I can go get you one,” she whispered up to me secretly.

  “Yeah Avery, she can go get you one,” Nat teased, pinching at my naked side while she was still holding Layla’s hand with her free one.

  Layla smiled and stared over at me and Olivia, intrigued by our honeymoon state but definitely careful about it. She had beautiful eyes. I’d always thought that but seeing them close was just befuddling.

  “Maybe we should change real quick and come back,” Olivia suggested to me.

  “Yeah,” I said, turning to Nat. “Can’t give this one any more naked flesh targets,” I teased.

  I gave Nat a scowl but she knew I was kidding. She always knew.

  “We’ll be right back,” I said, taking Olivia’s hand and pulling her toward the door.

  “Cook if you want. We’ll be back in a second if you need any help,” Olivia squeezed in before allowing me to tug her away.

  We went across to the guest house and I pushed open the bedroom door and went straight to the closet, taking off my suit and finding some cozy, thick pj pants and a Stanford swim hoodie.

  “Why do I always look like crap when we have a popstar in the house?” I asked.

  “Oh my god,” Olivia laughed to herself. “You have no idea how sexy you are.”

  She pushed off her wet suit bottoms and top and found an easy soft spaghetti-strap night dress to put on.

  “You’re biased, baby,” I said.

  I tried to comb my hair with my fingers into something presentable.

  “Um. I’m not biased,” she said, moving up behind me and stopping me from fidgeting with my hair. “You look fantastic, really. Did you not see the way they were looking at you?”

  Olivia turned me and made me look down on her. She had my hands in hers. “You’re beautiful,” she urged, trying to push the words into me and get me to believe them.

  “I didn’t see but I was paying more attention to how Nat was going to attack me next and being cold,” I said.

  “Attack you?” Olivia laughed adorably. “She wasn’t attacking you,” Olivia said. “You’re like her icebreaker,” Olivia breathed. “She feels more comfortable when you’re around. You haven’t noticed?” Olivia tilted her head and stared up at me affectionately. “Mmmm, I love you in sweats. I don’t know what it is. It’s fucking adorable to me. I just want to kiss you everywhere.”

  She pushed up on her toes and stole my lips with her own, reminding me again of our hot tub time.

  “You could do that for the rest of the night,” I joked.

  “Um, excuse me,” she said, falling back down on her feet. “Is that a bad thing?” She asked, a challenge in her.

  “If I challenge you- will you try it?” I asked.

  “If you want me to,” she said. “Why? What’s your challenge?” She was always up for an experiment.

  “Make me cum without touching or kissing me anywhere you would normally concentrate on,” I said.

  “Ah- okay,” she said, pushing down off of me and turning away from me to leave me alone. “I don’t know where this is coming from but- okay,” she said, pulling her dress off and finding a thinner shorter one with way less fabric that left almost nothing to the imagination. She pulled it ontop of her and started to twist up her hair with a pin she had on the nightstand inside of the closet. As a final touch she sprayed herself with this really expensive perfume she imported from Paris. I didn’t even know what it was. It was intoxicating though and it drove me mad whenever I smelled it. “Be that way,” she said, pushing me out of her way as she walked outside of the closet to find Natalie and her musical friend.

  I watched her walk away, swallowing hard. She was too fucking hot. I knew she could do what I said but experiencing what happened now would be a present in itself.

  “Wait up!”

  I ran after her and we walked back to the main house together.

  “You’re already off to a good start,” I said just as we got into the house.

  Nat was going through the fridge and Layla was beside her making suggestions. I cleared my throat.

  “We’re back!” I said.

  “Move,” Olivia said, walking into the kitchen and pushing Natalie out of the way. She immediately began to put certain ingredients outside of the fridge. “Oh fuck,” Olivia said. “Nat, I need music,” she insisted.

  It was a simple order but almost instantly Nat was on it and Olivia was back to setting up her food plan whatever that was.

  Of course the music Nat turned on was actually Layla.

  “Okay. No. Veto. Veto,” Layla said, moving to try and take the phone from Nat’s hands. She was too nice of course, not wanting to completely lose herself in attacking someone new.

  “Mmm, this is good though,” Olivia said, shutting her eyes and dancing a little.

  “Aw fuck, I hate when you’re like this,” Nat said, turning and looking at her as she bit the side of her bottom lip. “What did you do to her Avery?” Nat always knew.

  Olivia began to dance with her, moving against her like it was natural, Nat met her of course. It wasn’t intensely intimate but it was something they were good at, finding a rhythm and sticking there, making it theirs. Turning the kitchen into their own private club.

  After Nat was too engrossed and too quiet for far too long, Olivia turned and laughed, winking at me. “Um, okay,” Nat laughed, looking over at me and back down at her phone. “Sorry Layla,” Nat said all exaggerated. She looked down at her phone and changed the song to something else.

  “I may have challenged her and she’s pretty much won,” I said, watching Olivia closely.

  “MmMm, I don’t think so,” Olivia said, set in her cruel ways.

  “Challenged her to what?” Nat laughed. She and Layla were both sitting up on the stools now, far away from Olivia’s magnetic pull. Nat took Layla’s hand in hers and kissed the back of her palm tenderly.

  “I shouldn’t say,” I demurred.

  I turned my attention to Layla. She was looking at Nat with that new obsession look. I could see it working. They were equally hot, Layla seemed sweet, and I knew from seeing her in the news that she took no shit.

  “I’m sorry you have to witness this,” I said to Layla. “I’ve riled my wife up and she’s paying me back.”

  I knew that would get to Olivia.

  “Don’t apologize. It’s fun to watch,” Layla replied, raising an eyebrow.

  “Fun to watch, huh? What kind of food do you like?” Olivia ask
ed, all no nonsense and not into pleasing some celebrity. She brought a big silver knife out and began to chop jalapenos. Expertly working, chopping up veggies like some systematic robot only sexier.

  “I’m not picky. Whatever you have will be fine,” Layla said.

  “Whatever I have?” Olivia asked, looking up at her a bit annoyed. “I can have whatever you like. That’s kinda the point of my asking.” Olivia looked to Nat and then back at Layla all accusatory and leery.

  “Oooooohhhkay, Avery, what the hell did you do,” Nat laughed, looking over at me. “Olivia’s not usually this bitchy,” Nat covered, looking over to Layla and whispering to her.

  “What do you want for Christmas Layla?” Olivia asked, softening and then smiling all cute and fucking attractive. It was like a light switch, she could be just like Nat when she wanted to be. She just wasn’t aware of how good she really was. “I’m sure Nat told you all about me. I’m good at dancing. Do you want a lap dance?”

  She kept on chopping things but seemed to calm now that she knew she was getting a rise.

  “There will be none of that,” I said.

  “Um, excuse me,” Olivia said. “You didn’t even allow her to answer the question.”

  She put her knife down and moved to the fridge to grab a bottle of silver tequila out and just drink some.

  “Because it's not an option,” I said.

  I walked to her and took the bottle, drinking some. It burned and hurt. I almost didn't get it down. The bottle was still in my hand for a second more before Olivia grabbed it back. I coughed and sputtered, breathing hard. She said she liked me possessive. This was me saying what I would have held back.

  “It's a generous offer but I'm going to turn it down. All I wanted for Christmas was too see Natalie again and I'm here so I'm good,” Layla said, blushing. Olivia’s moods amused her and I understood why.

  “Okay, well. I’m glad you came to your senses,” Olivia smiled, reaching over to put the tequila bottle down in front of Layla and Nat. “If you’d like to harmonize with me, that’s also on the table,” she softened and went back to making them some fresh easy guacamole. Her hands worked quickly. Cutting and scooping the avocados out quick. Of course they were perfect and easily smushed with fresh tomatoes and onion and jalapeno. A little bit of lime was Olivia’s final touch.

  “Olivia’s classically trained,” Natalie explained to Layla.

  “Opera?” Layla asked.

  “Piano,” Olivia scoffed a soft laugh. “But music is music,” she said. “I get it though, if you two want to be alone. I just didn’t want you to starve in my house.”

  Olivia licked her thumb and seemed to calm now. She found sea salt and sprinkled it over the lumpy guac. I think the music Nat was playing had gotten to Olivia. It was Rihanna’s song Higher. A lovely ballad for the beautifully intoxicated and in love.

  When Olivia went around to set the guac up next to some chips Natalie pulled her in to sit down on her lap. “I’ll sing with you,” Nat said.

  “You don’t even like singing with me,” Olivia beamed, rolling her eyes. Nat stopped the track.

  “That’s a dirty lie and you know it,” Natalie squeezed.

  The silence was everywhere. For a second there was no noise, just all of our breath being held.

  “This whiskey’s got me feelin’ pretty,” Olivia sang.

  “So pardon if I’m impoliteeeee,” Natalie answered her.

  “Just really need your ass wit me.”

  “I’m sorry ‘bout the other niiiii iiight.”

  “And I know I should be more creative!” Olivia squeaked.

  “And come up- with- poe-eh-tic liiiines!” Natalie let go.

  The kitchen was filled with undeniable greatness. Their voices took over the space, becoming the only thing important somehow.

  I looked to Layla and noticed that even she had gone silent, not expecting the perfection of their voices together.

  It was awkward for a second. Olivia realized, she’d allowed herself be a little too loose and open with a complete stranger. “Sorry,” she said, pushing Natalie’s hands off of her gently and walking back around to the sink to start cleaning up.

  Surprisingly, Layla’s voice broke the silence, so perfectly clear. She jumped right into the once absent chorus and struck through the awkwardness, turning it all around and making it so important somehow.

  By the time she stopped singing we were all a bit silenced and love-struck.

  “Wow, so you're better in person,” I said.

  Layla shrugged. “I'm also classically trained,” she noted.

  “Yeah, but so are a lot of people. Your voice is amazing. It's just so… Clear,” I said.

  “Thank you. I can tell that you mean that and a lot of people just compliment me because they have an agenda,” she said.

  “Do you want my pancakes?” I asked.

  I was eager to help and I’d totally forgotten about them after we got back.

  “Olivia and I were out and we got them at this amazing drive-thru. They're cold now but you could warm them up,” I said.

  Everyone was smiling or laughing at me. I only noticed when I stopped talking.

  “What?” I asked.

  Olivia just took a shot and smiled, pouring another one in the same glass and pushing it over to Nat.

  “It’s nothing baby,” Nat smiled, handing the glass back to her. Olivia poured another shot and handed it to me.

  I knew it was probably a bad idea but I took it and drank it down.

  Layla got her shot last but she took it from the small shot glass we all drank from.

  “We do actually have old pancakes,” Olivia said.

  “They're blueberry,” I added.

  “Thank you but this should be enough for me,” Layla said.

  She took a chip and dipped it in the guacamole. We all watched her eat it and savor the taste.

  “Very good,” she complimented.

  “Okay well, I really must be getting to sleep,” Olivia said, surprising me.

  She’d been cleaning up but now she sort of rushed through it.

  “You okay, baby?” Nat asked her.

  “Yeah, just tired. Long day,” Olivia said.

  Nat looked over at me a little worried.

  “You guys can sleep anywhere though,” Olivia said, acting a little more normal like maybe she realized she was acting a little strange. “Stay as long as you’d like. The treehouse, my old room. Our living room in the guest house. And if you need anything just ask; shower, clothes, blankets. I’m just kinda beat.”

  She filled the dishwasher up and washed her hands quietly.

  “Hey, come ‘ere,” I said, moving behind her to get her to stop cleaning.

  Her moods were impossible to follow. At times, I knew it was me. I affected her at some base level.

  “What's up,” I said softly.

  “Just sleepy,” she said, leaning into me lovingly.

  “You want me to carry you to bed?” I asked.

  I'd done it plenty of times. She would stay up to wait on me and fall asleep on the couch with a book. So, by the time I got home I just scooped her up and took her to bed. She was so light and small. It was nice to take care of her in that way.

  “Yes please,” she whispered, reaching her arms up around my neck as I lifted her.

  With her in my arms, I turned toward the back door.

  “Have a good night guys and hopefully we will see you in the morning.”

  “Merry Christmas, babies,” Nat said.

  “Merry Christmas, and thank you for letting me stay. It’s nice to be with good people at Christmas,” Layla added on sweetly.

  “It's our pleasure,” Olivia said. “Good night.”

  I said goodnight and carried Olivia off into the night. When I got to the bedroom I tossed her onto the bed, making sure she would land right in the center.

  I took my hoodie off and crawled into her body, pinning her hands down with mine.

  “A
re you sure that you're tired?” I asked.

  She panted, chest rising faster now. “Depends,” she said carefully, eyes dark with mystery and that eternal hunger. “What did you have in mind?”