D.I.L.F

The house smelled amazing.

Christmas Eve had always been one of my favorite days of the year, and my mom knew exactly how to make it special. The scent of baked ham, mac and cheese, candied yams, and collard greens filled every corner of the house, making my stomach growl every time I passed by the kitchen. She was in her element—dancing around to old-school R&B Christmas songs, humming as she stirred a pot of something that probably had enough seasoning to make a grown man cry.

The tree lights flickered softly, and the fireplace crackled, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Noelle was sitting on the couch scrolling through her phone, occasionally glancing up to make sure Mom didn't call her into the kitchen. Smart girl.

I, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about Lorenzo.

It was the first holiday since we'd started dating, and even though I was happy to be home, I missed him. A lot.

I sighed, checking my phone for what felt like the millionth time, but there were no new texts from him.

"Who you waiting on?" Noelle asked, smirking.

"Nobody," I lied.

She rolled her eyes. "Just FaceTime him."

"After dinner," I mumbled, putting my phone down.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Noelle leaped up like she had been expecting someone.

"Oh, that must be Zolani and her dad," she said, rushing to the door before I could react.

I followed behind her, smiling when I saw Zolani standing there with a big grin, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a Christmas gift in the other.

"Merry Christmas Eve, bestie," she said, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas Eve," I laughed. "Come in before you freeze to death."

She stepped inside, shaking off the cold. Right behind her, her dad, Mr. Williams, walked in with his usual warm smile.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greeted me, pulling me in for a quick hug. "It's been a while. You keeping my daughter out of trouble?"

I snorted. "I try, but you know how she is."

Zolani rolled her eyes. "Don't try me. Where's your mom?"

"In the kitchen, where else?" I chuckled.

She disappeared toward the back of the house, and I turned back to her dad.

"Dinner should be ready soon," I told him.

He nodded. "Good, because I came hungry."

We laughed, and soon enough, everyone was gathered around the dining table, plates stacked high with food. The atmosphere was perfect—laughter, stories, and the warmth of family and friends.

But even as I enjoyed my mom's amazing cooking and joked around with everyone, my mind kept drifting back to him.

As soon as dinner was over and we had helped clean up, I snuck upstairs to my room, shutting the door behind me.

I grabbed my phone and, without hesitating, clicked on Lorenzo's contact.

The phone rang twice before his face appeared on the screen.

And damn, he looked good.

He was sitting in his office, wearing a fitted black sweater, his silver hair slightly tousled. His sharp jawline and piercing brown eyes immediately made my heart skip a beat.

"Ciao, amore," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. "I was just about to call you."

I smiled. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "I missed you."

I bit my lip. "I miss you too."

His expression softened. "How was dinner?"

"Amazing, as usual. My mom does not play when it comes to Christmas cooking."

He chuckled. "I believe that."

"What about you?" I asked. "What did you do today?"

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Meetings, last-minute holiday shopping... nothing too exciting."

I frowned. "You worked on Christmas Eve?"

"It's hard to avoid sometimes," he admitted. "But I'm off for the rest of the weekend."

"Good," I murmured.

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the silence between us comfortable. Even through the screen, I felt connected to him.

"I wish you were here," I admitted quietly.

His lips twitched into a soft smile. "Me too."

I sighed, laying back on my bed. "Christmas feels kinda different this year."

"How so?"

I hesitated, then said, "Because now I have you."

His expression turned serious, and for a second, I thought I had said too much. But then, his eyes softened, and he murmured, "You have no idea how much that means to me, Zaria."

I smiled, feeling my cheeks warm. "I got you a gift, by the way."

His brows lifted. "Did you?"

"Mhm. And you're gonna love it."

He smirked. "Now I'm curious."

"You'll just have to wait and see."

"Hm." He tilted his head. "I got you something too."

I grinned. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

He chuckled. "You'll find out tomorrow."

I pouted. "That's not fair."

"Patience, bella."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Fine."

We kept talking for a while, about everything and nothing at all. Eventually, though, I could hear my mom calling for me downstairs.

"I should go," I said reluctantly.

Lorenzo nodded. "I'll see you soon?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

His gaze softened. "Buonanotte, amore mio."

My heart melted. "Goodnight, Lorenzo."

As I ended the call, I stared at my phone for a moment, my heart still fluttering.

Yeah.

Christmas definitely felt different this year.

And I loved it.