Milk And Cookies

"Seriously, keep your fingers outta there until we sit down and someone says grace."

Jori Erickson looked up just in time to see her mother swat her older brother's hand away from the steaming platter of turkey she had just finished pulling off the bones. It was the only part of the Christmas meal Jori didn't offer to help with, and that was simply because she didn't eat meat.

"Jori, sweetie, can you call everyone in from outside before your brother eats everything?"

Her brother, Chad simply rolled his eyes and carried on into the den where her two brother in laws sat watching re-runs of some hockey game. Jori wandered over to the sink and rinsed off the potato masher then washed her owns hands before drying them on the towel laying on the counter.

"They look like they're having fun out there." She glanced out the window above the kitchen sink. Her mother nodded but continued on working as Jori moved around to the sliding glass doors. She watched for a moment through the glass as her father, her boyfriend, and her two other sisters played football with their children, three boys and a girl in the snow.

Christmas Eve every year was some what of an event in the Erickson household. Their family was large to begin with, but now Jori's oldest sister Marissa was married to Nathan and had two sons. Her second oldest sister Jolene was married to Josh and had a daughter. Then her older brother, Chad, had a pregnant fiance` named Carol. And now, being the youngest of the four siblings, she was the last Erickson to bring home someone for the holidays, and her family couldn't have been more accepting.

Hayden Christensen was everything she'd ever imagined in a man. Sweet and considerate, quiet and funny, hard working and driven and he loved her of all people.

After dropping out of college in her hometown of Vancouver and moving to Los Angeles, meeting a Canadian celebrity while working in a little coffee shop to make ends meet was definitely not on her list of possibilities. But it'd happened and that was all that mattered.

She grasped onto the brass knobs, gave them a twist, and pushed the doors open letting the chilly breeze waft through the house as she stepped outside onto the shoveled off deck.

"Hey, dad!" she yelled as she approached the railing around the deck and leaned up against it. "Mom's ready to eat."

They made one more play before her father called it quits and ushered everyone up towards the house. Her niece and nephews raced up the stairs past her, followed by Marissa and Jolene.

"You should have played with us. Fist time we've ever beat dad." Jolene smiled triumphantly on her way by.

"You probably cheated," Jori accused playfully and stood up straight as her father and Hayden approached.

"They did cheat." her father accused with a snort as he took his last step up onto the deck. "Four girls against two and a half men." He laughed.

Jori rolled her eyes at her father's referal to his grandson as half a man. "Now come on dad, he's probably better than both you old farts."

Her dad scoffed but kept walking as Hayden made it up the stairs, football in hand. "We got our asses kicked." he grinned that lazy grin and her heart jumped up into her throat.

"Sounds like I should have played?" she asked rhetorically.

He nodded and reached out for her with his free arm. He wrapped it nice and snug around her waist, pulling her nice and close into his warm embrace, and kissed her on the top of the head.

Mrs. Erickson tapped lightly on the glass with the backs of her knuckles. "Come on you two lovebirds. It's getting cold in here."

"What about, Carol?" Jori asked of her brother's fiance` as she grasped onto Hayden's hand and lead him into the house. "We're not waiting for her?"

"She will be here soon. Had to do some last minute shopping." Chad stated as he took the seat to the right of his father at the head of the table.

Marissa sat down beside him and pulled her chair close. "Something you probably could have done already rather than making your pregnant girl do it."

"We had a game to watch," Nathan defended him with a smile.

"Good god," Jori huffed and pulled out two chairs across the table for her and Hayden. "Watch the highlights again later."

Hayden couldn't help but laugh as the family suddenly errupted in chatter about sports and the importance they hold in the male life.

"Just ignore them." Jori nudged him with her arm before flipping their wine glasses over to fill them up.

A few moments later just as their father was about to say grace, Carol barged into the house and demanded help with all the gifts.

"I'll help." Hayden quickly excused himself from the table and helped Chad haul all the gifts from the landing, up into the house and to the tree. The tree he was sure Mrs. Erickson had decorated to it's twinkling perfection.

"Thanks, sweetheart, but I don't think we've met." Carol held one hand out to Hayden, the other placed gingerly on her belly.

He shook her hand and smiled awkwardly as she began to recognize him. "Hayden Christensen. Jori's boyfriend."

"Like the actor?"

"Yeah," he confirmed with a smile.

"Good lord," she laughed heartily. "How did you find your way to these hooligans?"

"I got some good directions." he offered her his arm and escorted her up the steps from the entry way and into the dining room.

"I might have to trade Chad for you," she teased as they approached the table.

Jori grinned at them from across the table and shook her head in protest. "Sorry darlin', no way I'm givin' him up."

"I don't blame you." Carol thanked Hayden before taking her seat.

After dinner, Jori, along with her sisters, and Carol helped clean up while the guys gravitated to the TV.

Her only niece, Jordana, walked into the kitchen. "When can we go to bed?"

Jolene turned to her daughter with a look of curiosity. "You wanna go to bed already?"

"The quicker we can get to bed," Jordana stated matter of factly, "the quicker Santa will get here."

"That's true." Jolene nodded. "Go get your cousins, you guys can get Santa's treat ready, then we'll head to bed."

Jordana turned on her heels and ran.

"Well that was easy," Jori laughed and hung up the dish towel she was holding in her hand. "I wasn't sure how you were going to get her to go to bed, she was so excited earlier."

Mrs. Erickson pulled the milk and cream from the fridge. "Well make sure you move on it, before she changes her mind."

Jolene nodded in agreement. Jori moved to help her mother make her famous 'special' hot chocolate. Which basically meant that along with the smooth chocolate taste, it contained alcohol.

Once the kids were in bed, everyone else settled in the living room to drink their hot chocolate and chat.

When the conversation dimmed some time later, Chad spoke up. "So, Hayden. This house has a tradition."

"Oh lord," Jori laughed and snuggled into Hayden's embrace a little more. He looked across the room at Chad, genuinely interested.

"Since you're the new guy, you get to play Santa tonight."

"Okay," Hayden answered tentitively. "For the kids?"

Marissa cleared her throat. "Basically it's just something we do. We have the suit. You dress up, take all the presents that are in the closet down the hall, and you get to put them into everyone's stockings."

"On the plus side, the one who plays santa gets the only three shortbread cookies mom makes." Jolene added, "and they're to die for."

"It's silly," Jori looked up at him with a soft smile. "You don't have to do it."

"Yes he does," Nathan chuckled. "I had to do it, you have to do it."

"I'd love to take part," Hayden looked from her family then down to Jori. "Family traditions need to be kept."

Unlike the grinch, she was sure her heart swelled nine times the size it was originally. If he was thinking about being a permanent part of her life, she couldn't be happier.

"That's what I like to hear." Her father pushed himself up from his reclining chair and gestured down the hall. "Come with me, son. I'll show you where everything is."

Jori moved off Hayden's lap so he could sneak out from underneath her and follow her father down the hallway.

"Well, I do believe it's time to call it a night." Marissa rose first a few minutes later, followed slowly by the rest of her family.

Jori bid each of them goodnight and waited in her chair until Hayden returned.

"That thing is just going to hang off you," Jori laughed as he held it up to inspect it.

"Oh well." he chuckled before setting it down and making his way over to her. "It's the idea of it that counts right?"

She nodded as he leaned down in front of her and pressed his lips to hers.

"When do I put this thing on?" he asked as he took a step back, both of them looking for the time on the clock above the fireplace.

"Anytime basically after the kids are asleep."

"Well then, I'm gonna go put this thing on." He stood up straight and headed down the hall for the spare room they'd be staying in. Jori got up and put her mug into the sink before heading to check on her niece and nephew and then to her room.

"Okay, I look ridiculous," Hayden was buckling up the belt around the jacket as he looked at himself in the mirror when she walked in.

"Mmm you look like one hot santa," Jori smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed and looked him over again via his reflection.

"I need a belly," he patted his stomach and she rolled her eyes before tossing him the hat.

He tugged it onto his head over his short hair then smiled at her before heading to the door. "I'll be back baby, and then I want a hot kiss from Mrs. Claus."

He left the room before she could reply. And with his final statement in mind, she set to work.

***

Hayden stuffed the last pair of socks into Mr. Erickson's stocking before standing up straight and eyeing is handy work. It may be a silly tradition in every one else's eyes, but he'd found it kind of fun.

"You're a hard working man, Santa. I think you need to take a break and enjoy something a little more than milk and cookies."

He spun around quickly. His eyes landed on the doorway leading into the kitchen. The source of the voice stood before him in nothing but a pair of red panties, and a red bra, trimmed with white faux fur. In one hand was a plate of cookies and in the other a glass of milk.

The smile that came to his lips made her pulse race. It was out of the ordinary for her, or him for that matter, to be so brazen. But right now, she was completely turned on.

"God I love this tradition," he muttered as he walked slowly towards her.

"Yeah?" she smiled up at him. His hands removed the plate and glass from her grasp and he placed them on fireplace mantle.

"I'll definitely take over every year."

Jori laughed as his arms wrapped around her waist and his hands found her ass. He squeezed gently and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to the couch. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap.

She didn't waste any time. She wanted him naked, and quickly.

They'd always been the couple to par-take in the long sexual escapades that always included alot of foreplay. This time, Jori didn't want it. She didn't want him to have time to think about anything, just feel.

Her hands worked quickly to remove all of his clothes except for the ridiculous red pants and his boxers.

"Don't you dare stop there," he warned her as her hands raked lightly down his chest.

"No?" she asked teasingly as she slipped from his lap until her knees were on the wood floor.

"Please, don't stop there," he reached out and ran his fingers through her hair as she worked to rid him of all his clothing.

After a few minutes and before she could even stop him, he was reaching for her, picking her up and pulling her onto the couch. Seeing him as needy as her made her moan outloud.

"Sshhh baby," he spoke softly as he worked her panties from her hips. "You're absolutely beautiful."

He continued to speak softly and shower her with compliments as he joined them body and soul. The sex may have been quick and hard, but it was in no way less loving.

Afterwards as they lay stretched out on the couch, Hayden sighed in content. Jori was tucked snuggly against his body, the blanket off the back of the couch draped over both of their warm naked bodies. Their clothes on the floor beside the couch and the fire withering down.

"I love you," Jori whispered.

Hayden dipped his head and pressed his lips to her temple. "I love you too."

She shifted slightly in his arms so she could look up at him with a smile.

He locked his eyes on her and grinned. "And Jori, I definitely vote this santa gets more than milk and cookies again next year."