Where You Belong

Now I was feeling the pressure.

This was the ultimate test to my cooking abilities. Never in my life had I had so many different dishes going at once while I tended them by myself, but that was how I wanted it. I raced to the oven as I heard the hot pink timer go off, the one labeled as HAM with tape. Grabbing the oven mits, I covered my hands with them and took the ham out before setting it on a cooling rack on the stove top.

"One down, a million more to go," I mumbled in concentration, ripping off the label and tossing it away. I checked the other few timers and noted that while the majority of them still had a bit of time to wait, a couple of them would be going off in the next couple of minutes.

I went through my checklist of the things that'd already been cooked so far. The chicken, turkey, and ham had been cooked and were waiting to be sliced. I made sure to put a check next to the ham. Scrolling through the list, I noted that the macaroni and cheese, apple pie, pumpkin pie, peach cobbler, and banana pudding were all still in the oven. Their timers had yet to go off. The bread rolls were in the oven, too, and their timer would be going off any minute now.

Setting that list down on the counter, I moved on to my stove list. On the stove, I had several greens going. Collards, lima beans, string beans. I also had some potatoes stewing. I made sure to put a little extra seasoning in that pot.

While I waited for the next timer to go off, I began lining the cake dishes out on the island, where all the desserts would go. There were several cakes that I'd baked last night and iced this morning. There was chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, pineapple upside down, and chocolate fudge. Each was placed into a glass dish in a single file line.

I set the dessert list down and looked in the fridge, seeing the homemade punch covered and sitting, along with the poato salad and other salad mixes. I checked them off my list and left them in there for the time being.

"That is just the most fucking insane thing I've ever seen."

Whipping around, I turned to see my friends and family looking around the large kitchen in awe. The guys and girls were all there, plus Zack's and my family, and even the Haners. Parents and siblings of the others were also scattered about the huge group of people. We'd all decided that everyone would spend Christmas Eve with just their families, then everyone would meet here for one giant A7X Christmas. I'd had a lot of food to prepare, that much was for sure.

"What?" I smiled at Brian, who'd been the one to speak up, as the mothers began filing into the kitchen, "If there's one day of the year that I cook a serious feast, it's gonna be for my homeboy Jesus.

"This is pure crazy," my dad stated in awe, looking at the dessert line I had going so far, "This is what you've been in here doing the whole time?!"

I grinned, "Sure. We gotta eat somehow, daddy."

Lacey stepped forward and smacked Johnny's hand away from one of the cake dishes, "Don't you dare, Jonathan. Dinner's not ready yet."

He whined, "Dammit, I was just looking!"

She scoffed, "Well, looking doesn't require touching."

"Oh, hush," I grinned, rushing forward as the timer labeled MAC went off, the timer labeled A. PIE going off not even three seconds later. I took both labels off of them and tossed them before grabbing the oven its again, "Everything should be ready within the next few minutes, so just sit tight, y'all."

With that, I tended to the macaroni, pulling it out and examining it. I even tested it with a fork. The cheesey layer on the top was a nice, golden color, and the pasta itself was tender and warm all the way to the bottom of the pan. I smirked, setting it on a cooling rack on the countertop, then turning back to the rolls. I took those out, deciding to just give the first batch to everyone in order to hold them over until the rest of the dinner was ready. I had plenty more rolls in the freezer.

"Here," I nodded to Johnny, "Y'all go ahead and start on the bread for now. I can just make more."

I didn't have to tell them twice. The crowd of people quickly went for the bread, each person grabbing a piece or two for themselves before congregating back in the living room. Zack stayed behind with Mason, eyeing me with a small smile. I winked at him before turning back to the oven, taking out the apple pie. I checked to make sure it was ready, then placed it on the island with the cakes.

"Can I get a taste?" he asked slyly, holding Mason with one arms as he wrapped the other around my waist in a hug.

I smirked, "There's bread out in the living room."

He chuckled, pulling me closer to him, "I'm in the mood for something else at this moment."

"Oh for Christ's sake, not around the baby!" Maria shook her head, barging into the kitchen with a smile before snatching Mason from Zack's grip, "Come with me, sweet little boy."

I bit my lip, watching as Zack's mom smirked at the two of us before leaving the room. No doubt the whole living room would soon know about what she'd heard her son say. Shaking my head, I laughed and turned back to the oven to check the rest of the desserts.

"Once again, you've outdone yourself," he continued, refering to all the food I was making.

I smiled with a shrug, "I figured it would be nice to have a real feast of sorts with everyone here. From what I've heard, you boys are usually too busy to join in on the holiday spirit this time of year." I answered, checking the mac n' cheese and apple pie off my checklist.

Mason's cry could be heard from the next room, and with a sigh, I lowered the heat on all the pots on the stove and removed the apron from around my waist, something that made me feel like a complete housewife as the moment. I smoothed out the red sweater dress I was wearing and hurried into the living room where everyone else was in search for my son.

"Here you go," Brian's little - yet not so little anymore - sister, McKenna, smiled at me, happily handing Mason over, "I think it's his diaper."

I sniffed and cringed, "It's definitely his diaper. Thanks, Kenna," I sighed, walking slowly up the stairs in the black pumps that Zack had bought me for my birthday.

I made a bee-line for Zack's music room, knowing that Mason felt most comfortable in rooms that smelled entirely of him. His cries immediately quieted as his eyes flickered around the room. He knew exactly where he was, that was for sure.

I took note of one of his blankets in the corner and laid him on it, grabbing hold of his ankles and lifting his butt so that I could wipe it. Once that was done, I stuck the dirty wipes in the soiled diaper and rolled it up before moving it out of Mason's reach. Within seconds, he was back in a clean diaper and smelling fresh.

As soon as I sat him back up, he whined and made a grab for my chest with his hand. I grimaced, as breastfeeding had made me a lot more sensitive, and removed his hand from my right breast. With a sigh, I cradled him to me and pulled down the front of the v-neck dress, exposing my right breast to him. He latched on without a problem and began feeding.

"There you go," I sighed with a grimace, bracing myself as his gums cut into my skin.

"Boobies for lunch, eh?"

Looking up, I saw Zack grinning as he leaned in the doorway. Mason noticed him too and raised his hand in acknowledgement. I scoffed and tossed a leather pillow in his direction with my free hand, watching as he chuckled and caught it. Strolling over, he took a seat on the coffee table in front of me, watching Mason with a light smile.

Some would think it was awkwad that Zack didn't mind the breastfeeding and such, given that Mason wasn't his son, and it was what most considered to be an intimate moment between mother and child. But the way I saw it, Zack had been there throughout my entire pregnancy and had seen everything. If it didn't bother him to watch me breastfeed, then it didn't bother me.

"You okay, baby?" he asked, snapping me out of my daze.

I blinked, turning my attention to him and nodding, "I'm fine, Zee. Just a little tired, is all."

As any other man would've, a prideful smirk crossed his features immediately. I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly where his mind was going. It was old news that Zack and I had recently taken our intimacy to the next level. It was as if people could just look at us and tell because we couldn't keep our hands off each other.

Seriously, I'd baked my physician a huge thank you cake just the other day and delivered it to her house, because without her helping me stay on top of my birth control, I'd be thoroughly pregnant again already. It was clear that Zack and I were in the honeymoon stage of our new relationship, exploring every inch of our boundaries with one another. Not a day had gone by since Zack's birthday that we hadn't been intimiate on several occasions.

"You're thinking about it, too, aren't you?"

I chewed my lip, deciding not to answer my boyfriend's question, though it did me no good. He snickered and came closer, wrapping a hand around the nap of my neck and pushing his pierced lips to mine with firmness. I moaned softly, allowing my eyes to flutter shut as he parted my lips without warning.

It didn't last nearly as long as I would've liked, but the kiss had me grinning from ear to ear nonetheless as Zack pulled away. Pressing butterfly kisses down my jaw and to my collarbone, Zack made sure to leave me pining for him before he sat back on the table again. I made a move to protest, but Mason's whine stopped me from doing so.

Looking down, I saw that he'd finally finished feeding, leaving my nipple reddened and swollen. As I moved to readjust my dress, a pale hand covered my sensitive skin, gently kneading it to ease some of the discomfort I felt. I sighed deeply, leaning back into the leather couch as Zack leaned forward again and pressed a kiss to my swollen breast, sensually kissing around my nipple. I could tell he was already turning himself on as he quickly sat back up and fixed my dress for me.

"If only the baby wasn't in your arms," he groaned lowly, causing me to giggle loudly, "Here, lemme take him. You look a little out of it."

I watched silently as he began speaking to Mason with enthusiam before sitting him on his lap and burping him. It took merely a second for Mason to let out a rather loud belch, causing the both of us to laugh. You could tell that he immediately felt better after having burped, and was now all smiles and giggles.

"There you go! C'mon, little man," Zack sighed, cradling Mason in his arms as he stood, "Let's get back downstairs before Uncle Zacky decides to ravage that fine ass Mommy of yours."

I burst out laughing at how serious he'd sounded despite the baby voice he'd used with my son. That man was just something else. Recollecting myself, I straightened my dress out once more and sprinted down the stairs, where I heard one of the timers going off the in the kitchen.

Oh, the things I did for Jesus.

***

"Damn," my dad sighed loudly, plopping onto the couch with a beer next to Zack and Matt's dads, "My little girl can sure cook one hell of a meal."

"Someone had to cook other than Mommy; the house would've been burned to a crisp if you touched anything other than a grille," I smirked in his direction, laughing as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," he huffed, leaning back and taking a drink of his beer before turning to Gary and striking up a conversation.

"So, how old is Mason now?" Matt Baker asked, sprawling across mine and Zack's lap as we sat together on the loveseat, "He's getting so fucking big that you wouldn't know he was born early.

That much was true. Within the last few weeks, Mason had had a growthspurt of sorts, something I would never expect out of a baby who'd been born premature. He was a good solid nineteen pounds or so, as the average for a male his size would be between sixteen and eighteen. When I'd asked the doctor about it, she'd said that sometimes, things like that simply happen. I was glad he was able to catch up with his ideal weight, however. It was one less thing I'd have to worry about. I was already nervous about his lungs despite how many times the doctors had told me they'd developed enough before he'd been born.

"He's close to seven and a half months now," I smiled with a nod of my head, watching as Matt Baker cuddled my son to his chest, laughing as Mason beamed up at him, "I don't know what it is about you Bakers, but Mason just seems to be in love with all of y'all," I stated honestly.

It was clear how comfortable Mason was with Zack, as Zack had been around the most since he was born. I was sure that Mason had known who Zack was the second he'd been born, having heard Zack's voice when I was pregnant with him and everything. But he was also in love with James, as well. I wasn't sure whether it was the resemblence between him and Zack, but Mason would take one look at him and his eyes would just light up. Matt Baker was no exception, as was Maria. She was like a second grandmother to him, buying him useless shit and carrying him everywhere to spoil him pure rotten.

"It's a Baker thing," Maria smirked, coming to stand behind me and run her fingers through my hair. She was a hairdresser and had just recently layered my hair, something I got compliments on all the time now.

"I suppose so," I smiled, watching the interaction between Mason and Matt. Having been close with Matt as we were the same age growing up, I was glad to see that Mason loved him to pieces, despite the fact that he hadn't seen him much before.

"Well let me test this Baker charm, then," Zina, Zack's sister stepped forward with a smirk, her arms outstretched. Matt eyed her with reluctance, something a lot of people did when holding Mason, and I fixed him with a pointed look. With a long sigh, he handed Mason over to his sister, "Hi, baby Mason. I'm Zina, Uncle Zacky's sister."

It was as if he'd heard Uncle Zacky and made the connection in that very instant. His eyes lit up, causing Zack to smirk widely, and squealed happily at Zina. That had Zina grinning from ear to ear as she tightly hugged him to her. That's the effect my baby seemed to have on people.

"Like I said...it's in the genes!" Maria grinned before taking a seat next to my mother on the other side of the room. I wasn't sure what they'd begun talking about, but their eyes often drifted in my direction as Zack pulled me into his side more, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. I smiled up at him, meeting his soft, plush lips for a quick, innocent kiss.

"Hey! None of that while I'm here!" Matt frowned from his spot across our laps.

I giggled as Zack retorted, "Then get the fuck up, dickwad."

With that, he shifted enough for Matt to lose his balance and fall to the floor with a dull thump. I shook my head as the two brothers began bickering back and forth, allowing them to continue as I walked into the kitchen, where the majority of the girls, including Amy, Matt Sanders' sister, McKenna, and Zina were.

"What's going on, ladies?" I smiled, jumping right into the conversation. Mason smiled at me from Zina's arms and I waved at him. That boy was just a big ham; he absolutely loved new people and attention. Nothing would make him happier.

"Leana's trying to think of ways to get Jimmy to start trying for kids," Michelle smirked from her barstool, as Leana turned pink.

"Aw, Lee!" I grinned, reacing for her and pulling her into a hug, "You and Slim-Jim would make great parents!"

She sighed with a smile, "Thanks, B. I just don't know how to officially break it to him that that's what I want. His eyes go wide anytime someone even brings up a joke mentioning kids." she said softly, casting her eyes to her ground.

I frowned, "Baby, he's a male. Of course that kind of talk makes him nervous!"
Val nodded, stepping forward, "I think you should tell him how you feel, Lee. Sit him down and talk to him."

That was when her eyes teared up, "I'm scared he's not going to want the same things I want. And if he doesn't, then a conversation on that topic is gonna make things worse. You saw how it tore Zack and Gena apart. What if the same thing happens to us?"

I sighed, understanding where she was coming from. From what Zack had told me, the second the possibility of kids were mentioned, he and Gena seemed to be on different pages. Just like that, a picture perfect couple was simply torn apart. Their differences were just too great to ignore at that point. I would never forget how heartbroken Zack was over her leaving and promise to have an abortion.

This was something to which I couldn't lend my opinion. After all, things were going just fine between Michael and I until I mentioned I was pregnant. The next thing I knew, he never looked at me same again. He became cold, distant, even hostile. He was on the phone arranging hookups with random girls within the same twenty-four hours. No relationship was ever perfect, but I'd thought that our relationship was as perfect as one could get. That went to shit in a heartbeat.

"How will you ever know if you don't talk to him?" Zina smiled, walking forward with Mason, "We'd never mentioned having kids until I found out I was pregnant with the twins. Everything turned out fine with us, and things will work out the same with you and Jimmy."

I grinned at the sudden expression of optimism on Leana's face, "And you can always get him used to idea of having kids around by babysitting Mason...take him to your place for a weekend and get a feel of parenthood before you practice babymaking."

Leana smirked then, "Why, so you and Zack can fuck like rabbits on every surface of this house?"

"Precisely," I grinned back, causing Zina to cringe.

"That's just gross," Zina muttered with a shake of her head, reaching over and grabbing a slice of red velvet cake that Lacey'd cut for her.

I rolled my eyes, "Unless you're into incest, Zee, then yeah, the thought of your brother's dick should be repulsive. For me, however--"

"Alright, alright! I get it, damn it!" she interrupted loudly, causing the others to giggle.

Even though the girls and I had convesations like this often, it felt good to gather with everyone's family and have a good time. The parents and siblings being there with us just made the occasion even more special. Looking around, I knew that I could never leave my friends and family again, no matter how far or close they would be. I couldn't help but to smile through the rest of the evening.

***

"And that's the fucking last of them!" Zack exclaimed with a smile, dramatically shutting the front door behind his parents and leaning against it. I giggled and rolled my eyes, making a bee-line for the kitchen so that I could clean up.

It was nearing eleven at night, and I was tired. Cooking and serving food all day was extremely tiring. I forced myself to work my way through the dirty dishes despite my exhaustion, scrubbing crumbs and stuck on food from each dish before placing it into the dishwasher. I put away the leftovers, which we had more than plenty of, before wiping down the countertops and island. Then, I moved onto the rest of the rooms and cleared off the tables where people had eaten.

It didn't take long for the house to look clean again, but that wasn't without some effort on my part. Cutting off the lights in the kitchen, I left a lamp or two on in the downstairs area before trudging upstairs.

"Zack?" I called, having no idea where my boyfriend was in this maze he called a house.

"Nursery," he answered quietly, and I realized then that he was only a few feet away from me.

Walking inside the dimly lit nursery, I took note of Zack sitting in the rocking chair in the corner, Mason in his arms and fast asleep as Zack hummed quietly to him. I smiled, stepping inside and leaning against the doorframe.

"How long has he been down?" I murmured, catching Zack's gaze from across the room.

"Lacey said she put him down about half an hour before she left, so it's been close to three hours," he answered simply, looking back down at the sleeping infant, "He was crying a little when I came up here, though he doesn't seem like he's hungry."

"He needs a bath," I stated knowingly, "He usually gets one right before bed, so he probably knows something about his schedule is off."

"Do you think it'll keep him up if you don't bathe him?"

I frowned, "Not necessarily. He probably won't sleep as well, so I'll just give him a bath now. I doubt he'll wake up, but it'll calm him enough to sleep through the night."

With a nod, Zack handed Mason over to me before making his way out the room, claiming that he'd had to go check on something. I didn't question him as he walked downstairs and padded over to his room, stepping into his bathroom and filling the tub with warm water.

Tugging off the Christmas outfit that my mother had bought him, I held Mason to me and checked his diaper, It was clean, as Lacey had probably changed it before she'd put him down, and grabbed the things I would need for his bath. I grabbed a wash cloth and some Johnson & Johnson's baby products that I could wash him and his hair with. Once I had everything on the edge of the tub, I stripped down myself and slowly slid into the water, making sure not wake Mason.

I sighed as the warm water soothed my aching feet and back, deciding to sit and absorb some of the water's heat before I got started. Mason was knocked out cold against my chest, so I held him with one hand and began bathing him with the other. I started out with his arm and legs, lathering them in the body wash and gently scrubbing his soft skin. I then cleaned his back and butt before gently turning him over in my arms so that I could clean his front. I finished bathing him and began washing the tight little curls of dark hair on his head, which I'd noticed were slowly turning lighter.

"Hey, you almost done?"

Looking up, I smiled and nodded at Zack, who strolled through the door with a patient smile. He crouched down at the side of the tub, chuckling at the sight of Mason's sleeping figure. He hadn't stirred one bit since I'd first started bathing him.

"I guess you were right," he laughed lightly with a shake of his head, "He's out like a light."

I nodded, "All that overstimulation from today probably wore him out," I guessed, grabbing a cup and using it to rinse him off with the bathwater. Zack reached over and shielded Mason's face as I brought the cup over his head, pouring water on his hair in order to rinse the baby shampoo out. He did the same after I'd applied the conditioner and let it sit for a minute or two,

"Done?" he checked, to which I nodded. He turned and grabbed the towel I'd set out for Mason as I stood on my feet. He shook his head, "I'll get him straightened out. You look like you could use a relaxing bath, so don't worry about it."

"Are you sure you don't need me to--"

"I got it, babe," he smiled, wrapping Mason up in the white, fluffy towel and cradling him to his chest.

I sighed, lowering myself back into the water, "If you're sure."

With a wink, Zack disappeared into the bedroom. I couldn't seem him from where the tub was, though I could hear him moving around in there. I focused on my bath, deciding to reach forward and add some hotter water to the mix. I'd only kept it lukewarm because I knew Mason couldn't handle much heat. Easing myself back against the wall, I grabbed some of my own body wash and began scrubbing my arms and legs.

Once I was finished, I simply sat in the steaming water. I knew I'd have to get out eventually, but I was just too tired to move at the very moment, besides the fact that the warm water felt so good against my aching body. Leaning back, I sighed and closed my eyes so that I could rest for a minute.

I was brought back to reality at the feeling of cold steel against my collarbone. Jerking upright, I opened my eyes and laughed as I was met with a pair of jade green eyes. Zack smiled and chuckled, leaning over the edge of the tub to give me a kiss.

"Fallin' asleep on me, huh?" he teased, watching with a smile as I slowly sat up.

"No, I was just resting for a minute," I answered honestly with a giggle, "Though had you waited any longer, I probably would've been out cold. I'm dead on my feet."

Zack smirked, "Allow me to revive you," he grinned, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine. I cupped his face with my hands a the cliche little butterflies began squirming in my stomach.

I fought the urge to moan as he took my bottom lip in between his teeth and tugged on it, "Join me?"

He chuckled, pulling away from me, "You don't even have to ask, princess."

With that, he stood and began undoing the buttons to his shirt before tearing it off and tossing it to the floor. I smiled at the sight of the colorful ink that adorned every inch of his skin. Next to go was his belt, followed by his boxers and pants in one go. I scooted forward so that he had room to sit behind me, and allowed him to pull me in between his legs once he'd sat down in the water.

"Today went well," he murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to the nap of my neck. I bit my lip as his calloused hands moved to my shoulder blades and began massaging them, working out the knots and kinks in them.

"It did," I breathed, nodding in agreement, "I'm glad that everyone could get together. It was a great turnout for a holiday that usually had conflicting family schedules."

Zack's hands slipped from my shoulders to my waist, not missing the opportunity to caress the sides of my breasts on the way down, "Once my mom realized it was Mason's first Christmas, she and Kimmy started calling everyone and convinced them to drop their plans and come today."

I snorted, "Sounds just like Maria."

He chuckled, "Yeah. I'd say Mason is a happy camper. I've never seen a single baby get so much shit for Christmas."

I rolled my eyes in agreement, "Especially when all he wants to do is play with the damn box half that stuff came in." I giggled, leaning back into his chest as he trailed kiss after kiss down my neck.

Most days with Zack were like this, and I loved it. His kisses were always so soft and gentle, but were enough to awake unexplainable feelings in me. I couldn't help but to smile everytime he looked at me or touched me, and I knew that he felt the same. I sighed in content, catching Zack's attention.

"What was that for?" he mumbled softly, wrapping his arms around my middle before smothering the side of my face in kisses.

I grinned, "I just never thought I could be this happy after Mike. He left me feeling so...broken, I guess. Unwanted. And then you come along, and it's like I was never hurt to begin with."

I turned my head just in time to see Zack's features light up with happiness, "I'm glad I make you feel that way, babe. I could say the same for myself. I was a fucking wreck after Gena, but you were the one to put the pieces back together from the moment you got back. You made me whole again...and shut up if you're gonna tell me I sound sappy."

I threw my head back and laughed, "Way to ruin the fucking mood, Baker! I wouldn't have said that to you, because I feel the same way."

Zack smirked, "It's not completely ruined."

I opened my mouth to ask what he meant by that, but quickly shut it as I felt his erection come to life against my back, "You dirty bastard."

"That's not very nice," he chuckled, caressing my sides as I stifled my own laughter.

"Who said I was nice?" I scoffed playfully, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, the little voice that pops into my mind every time you give me head, for one--"

Gasping, I turned around and smacked his chest, "Zack!"

"Well, it's true," he shrugged, lifting my by the hips and turning me so that I could face him, "It always makes sure to mention how nice your soft little lips feel when they're wrapped around my di--"

"Oh my God," I laughed, shoving his shoulder, "You don't have voices fucking telling you that!"

"Sure, I do," he grinned widely, "You know what else they tell me?"

"I'm not sure I wanna--"

"How nice it feels to be buried inside of you as you moan and scream my name," he mumbled lowly, pressing our lower halves together. I gasped at the feeling of his erection dangerously close to my entrance.

"Z-Zack, what are you--" I began, but he cut me off, keeping one hand on my hip as he used the other to gently take my clit in between his thumb and forefinger. I hissed at the sudden contact, feeling a shiver shoot down my spine as he slowly ran two fingers up and down my opening.

"Shh," he hushed me, kissing my collarbone as I braced my hands on his chest, tossing my head back as the hand he kept on my hip slid down and grabbed my ass, "I need you to get ready for me."

Those words alone were enough to unwravel my nerves.

He grinned, leaning forward and taking a hardened nipple into his mouth, bringing the bud in between his teeth as he sucked, before moving onto the other, "Princess, not a day goes by that you aren't so ridiculously responsive," he groaned as I cradled his head to my chest, urging him to continue. He kept at it for a minute or two before I yanked him up by the hair so that I could place a raw, lusty kiss on his lips.

When I finally pulled away, he was smirking widely, "C'mere,"

I smiled knowingly at him as he removed his fingers from me and placed both hands on my hips, positioning me just above his erection. My body was racked with an involuntary shiver as a small bead of precum seeped out of the head. Zack's chuckle met my ears and suddenly, I was lifted and slammed down onto his hips.

I moaned, feeling Zack's entire length fill me, "F-Fucking hell, Zack!"

Zack groaned lowly in response, throwing his own head back as I scratched and clawed at his chest, a small smile spreading across his features in the process. I couldn't seem to control the noises that came from me as I entangled my fingers in his dark hair, taking control by slowing up the pace. I rolled my hips forcefully into his, causing a grunt of approval to leave his pierced lips.

Several minutes passed as I worked towards both our releases, leaning my hands back on Zack's thighs to keep my balance as I repetitively threw my hips into his. I could see that he was slowly coming undone beneath me, his fingers curling into my hips as he held me in a tight grip, restraining from taking control of me. Leaning forward, I covered his chest and neck in kisses, eyeing him as he struggled to keep his breathing even.

It wasn't long before my walls clenched around his throbbing member, and I quickly reached my orgasm. Zack, however, wasn't quite there yet. I moved to continue, but the grip he had on my hips tightened considerably, causing me to look up. The second I saw his expression, I smirked and with a nod, allowed him to take control.

Before I could finish that thought, he was slamming my hips down onto his at a relentless pace. I struggled to breathe at sheer intensity of it all, tossing my head back a time or two to let out a soft scream. I grabbed onto his shoulders, clawing at them as well as his arms as he brought me near my second orgasm of the night.

There was more bath water on the floor than there was in the tub, I was sure of that. Zack didn't seem to mind as I grinded my hips into his with force and ran my hands down my body, something he seemed to like very much. Without further warning, a long string of curses left his lips as he stiffened inside of me. Knowing what was coming, my body reacted harshly, shudders racking my shoulders as I tightened around him like a vice grip, moaning loudly as he coated my insides with his seed.

Physcially and emotionally spent, it took a few minutes before we'd gotten ourselves back together. The smirk never left Zack's face as we both climbed out of the cold water and dried off, heading straight for his bedroom. I didn't bother with getting dressed, and neither did he. Plopping down onto the large, dark bed, I lay on my side as Zack laid on his back and lit a cigarette to calm his nerves.

"Zee, we were supposed to exchange presents after Mason got his bath," I mumbled in realization, tracing my hands across the tattoos that covered his pale skin.

"Baby, you're tired. We can do that first thing tommorow," At that, Zack smiled to himself, turning and reaching for something on the nightstand next to him, "Although, this one is an exception."

Turning to put out his cigarette, he then took my hand in his and placed something in my palm before closing my fingers over it. Frowning, I opened them back up to see what it was that he'd put there. A small, silver key rested there, a red ribbon looping through the hole in the top.

I cocked an eyebrow, "Zee, baby, what's this?"

"A key," he answered simply, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

I rolled my eyes playfully, "I know that, but what kind of key is it?"

"A silver one."

"Zack!" I sighed in exasperation, causing him to chuckle, "For real, what's it go to?"

"The house."

"The house?" I eyed him with confusion, "But you already gave me a key to the house."

He smirked, shaking his head, "No, I gave you the spare key to the house."

"Well, what's different about this one?" I wanted to know, holding the key up in front of his face.

He grinned, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him, "It belongs to you. For however long that you wanna keep it."

I blinked, looking down at the key in wonder, "Uh, thanks, babe. That's really--"

Zack's laughter stopped me from continuing, "Baby, I'm asking you to move in with me."

"Huh? I'm already--"

"Permanently."

"Permanently?" I gaped, looking over at Zack in shock, "What do you mean permanently?"

Zack shook his head in what looked to be disbelief, "Permanently, as in living here all the time. Not looking for a new apartment, but staying here with me. Moving more things of yours and Mason's in here, changing things around if you want."

I was speechless, "A-Are you sure that's what you want? What if--"

"I've wanted this for a while," he nodded, smiling softly at me, "But to make this work, you have to want it, too. Do you?"

I'd thought about the issue more times than I could count. After staying with Zack for the past month or so, I'd grown to love being here with him even more so than before. I honestly couldn't picture myself anywhere else, though I'd been careful to not get too comfortable here. I'd always thought that that would be moving too fast for us, something Zack wouldn't be entirely comfortable with. However, he'd proved me wrong by asking me to officially move in. I knew my answer.

Nodding, I answered with a small smile, "I'd love to, Zack."

He grinned, "Good. Merry Christmas, princess."

I giggled at how cute he was, "Merry Christmas, Zack."

Turning off the bedside lamp, Zack pulled the covers over us and allowed me to curl up into his body. I tossed a leg over his hip as he curled an arm around my middle, bringing me to his warm chest. Just as I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I heard his voice once more.

"Just because we already had sex for the night doesn't mean you can't model that Santa's Helper nightie you have hiden in the broom closet for me tomorrow night. Just saying. G'night."

I gaped at him as he closed his eyes with a smile, breathing evening out as he went to sleep. How in the hell he knew about that was beyond me. I'd specifically hidden that babydoll in the broom closet because I'd thought he wouldn't look there. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to slip into a peaceful sleep.

That man would be the death of me.