"I have a surprise for all of you!" My mom announced as she walked into the living room. All of us were sitting around warming up from being out in the cold all afternoon. We had just gotten back from the festival and were waiting for dinner to finish in the kitchen.

"Surprise us with what?" I questioned.

"You're about to find out." She went over to the tree and started pulling out wrapped presents and handing them out to everyone. At the sight of them I knew what she was doing. Once everyone had one, including Olivia and Knox who looked really confused, did she clap her hands.

"Okay open."

All at once everyone ripped into their present, wrapping paper flying. Once I had mine open I looked inside and shook my head. Beside me Knox pulled his out just as I did. Holding it out in front of me I saw the ugliest sweater. It was black, green, and red with snowflakes and little christmas trees all over it. Putting it down I pulled out the red and black plaid PJ bottoms.

I looked over at Knox and Olivia. Olivia was grinning widely and I could see her eyes were a little glassy. Knox just stared at his like he was unsure what it was for. Mom must have seen their faces for she explained.

"It's a Lynn Christmas eve tradition where everyone gets new PJ bottoms and an ugly shirt or sweater. We wear it all night and tomorrow when we open presents. Just because you two aren't Lynn's doesn't mean you are exempt from it."

I was thoroughly impressed Mom managed to find two other sets in a short amount of time. Every year she manages to find even uglier sweaters for us.

"So everyone go put them on then we'll have dinner."

Olivia was the first to get up, gushing about the PJ's and being included. Next Annie and Lucas took the girls to my moms room to get dressed. Knox and I made our way upstairs, leaving Jackson in the living room.

"You guys do this every year?" Knox questioned as we got to my room.

"Yeah. We started the ugly sweater/shirts only five years ago though." I glanced over to him and saw the look on his face. "Don't even try and get out of it. Won't work, trust me."

"I wasn't going to."

"Uh huh." I shot him a look before going to the bathroom to change. It only took a moment for me to slip into the outfit and when I caught the sight of me in the mirror I shook my head. Mom really out did herself this time around. The sweaters were really ugly yet...cute.

By time I came out of the bathroom Knox was already changed. A smile formed on my lips at the sight of him. The sweater was a bit snug on him so it hugged his upper body like a glove. The sleeves were pushed up showing off his tattoos. He was turned to the side and my eyes dropped to his pants. They fit perfectly and from where I was standing they hugged his butt very well.

I quickly adverted my gaze when he turned around to face me.

"I think your mom got my size wrong." From the front view it was even funnier. It was almost too tight he couldn't move his arms. Mom definitely underestimated how big Knox was. When Knox lifted his arms up a little and the bottom of the sweater came up I lost it. I started laughing so hard I had to bend over.

I laughed for a solid minute before looking back up and finding him glaring at me, his arms crossed and a strip of skin showed above his pants. Just a single glance had me in another fit of laughter. Finally one thing to make him look just as dorky as the rest of us.

"Are you done now?" He asked. Trying to fight back my laughter I nodded.

"Y-yeah I'm good." Knox looked at me with an unimpressed look on his face.

"I'm taking this off." He moved his hands towards the hem of the sweater.

"No!" Leaping forward I stopped his hand. "You can't take it off yet."

"It doesn't even fit."

"I know but mom is going to want pictures first, then you can take it off."

Before he could try and talk himself into taking the ugly sweater off I grabbed both of his hands in mine and walked backwards, tugging him along.

"You do see how bad this is right?"

"It's not that bad." I actually thought it was pretty great since it really showed off his muscular upper body but I wasn't going to tell him that. "You aren't the only one it looks bad on." I said as we moved to the stairs.

The sweater was a bit big on me so it came down almost to my knees, making me look like a small child playing dress up.

"Not on you." I heard him say. I don't think he meant to say it out loud for when I looked over my shoulder I saw his eyes widened. "I mean...you look cute in it." He mumbled rubbing the back of his neck. I felt heat flood to my cheeks at the compliment. I became just as awkward at the compliment.

"Um t-thank you." Before I could make a bigger fool out of myself I turned back around and headed down the stairs, but I felt the smile growing on my face as I thought about what he said. Knox thinks I look cute.

Knox and I took the longest as we walked into the living room finding everyone already there and ready. I walked in first followed by a stiff Knox. Everyone turned to look at us but I was immediately glazed over as they all looked at Knox and his too small of a sweater.

"Is it just me or is Knox about to rip out of his shirt?" Jackson said out loud. I watched as Annie covered her mouth to keep from laughing, Lucas beside her his lips twitching. Even Olivia looked at her brother with an amused expression.

When my mom saw what Jackson was talking about she covered her mouth.

"Oh hun I'm sorry." She looked him over and sent him an apologetic look. "I didn't know your size and just went with Jackson's."

"Wow thanks for the boast of confidence mom." Jackson muttered to which I grinned. If she went off of Jackson's size no wonder it was on the smaller side. Knox was easily a few inches taller and wider in muscle than my brother, and it wasn't like my brother wasn't in shape. As a coach he was still in great shape and worked out with his players.

"Lets hurry and get a few pictures than you can change."

I sent Knox a 'I-told-you-so' look as my mom gestured for all of us to stand in front of the fireplace. In front of us was a camera on a tripod waiting.

It took us a lot longer than I think we'd like to admit to get everyone in the right spots. Either someone wasn't in frame or you couldn't see a face in the lighting. But finally we managed to get it all perfect.

Lucas and Annie stood at the top, both girls in their arms. Followed by Jackson who stood beside my mom who was in the middle. Then it went Me, Knox in the back and Olivia on his other side. With the limited space with the couch and Christmas tree in the way, I was pressed into Knox's side with his arm around my waist.

It took us seven times, one crying fit, and a bit of grumbling to get a decent picture of all nine of us. Next my mom wanted individual photos with each 'family/couple'. Jackson muttered something about not being able to participate and took a seat on the couch to watch.

Somehow Lucas and Annie managed to get the two girls to focus for a couple of pictures before they wanted to be put down to play with their toys. I gladly stepped off to the side as my mom took pictures of Olivia and Knox together, which judging by the look on Olivia's face meant the world to her. Then finally it was Knox and I's turn.

Like the demanding person she was she directed us under the doorway and told us how to stand; Knox's arm wrapped around me and my hand on his chest. We posed in multiple positions before she was done. Although I wasn't complaining about being pressed up against Knox for that long.

Just as we were pulling away a voice spoke.

"Wait! You two are under the mistletoe." At Annie's words I looked up and saw the mistletoe hanging right above us. Looking at both Annie and my mom's face I knew it wasn't a coincidence. "You two have to kiss."

"Oh thats okay." I stammered out shaking my head.

"No it's tradition you have to kiss or its bad luck." My mom waved at us. I looked up at Knox for some help.

"Kiss! Kiss!" I heard Sophie and Charlotte chant along with everyone else. I turned my body to face Knox as I felt my face heat up. Having everyones attention on us and seeing that I was about to kiss him, made me suddenly really hot.

But as soon as Knox's hand came up to cup the side of my face the sound of everyone else faded. I stared up at him as my body thrummed with tension. I really was about to kiss Knox.

His thumb softly grazed my cheek as he looked down at me, his eyes taking in every inch of my face as if memorizing it.

Like the night before our heads leaned in like we were two magnets drawn to each other. My breath hitched in my throat as I felt the first graze of his lips. As soon as his lips finally met mine I was gone.

A zing went straight through my body as I kissed him back, my hands coming up to rest on his chest. I could feel the hard muscle under my fingers and I could have sworn I felt his heart racing as well.

The way he kissed me....it was unlike anything I've ever felt before. I thought I had had the perfect kiss but boy was I wrong. This was the perfect kiss. Our lips molded together like they were meant to be and I felt a fog start to descend around me.

Knox was soft yet rough at the same time. Taking and giving. It was the type of kiss I could get lost in and would gladly do so.

We finally pulled away and I couldn't even bring it to myself to feel bad for practically making out with Knox in front of my family. And honestly...I'd gladly do it again. The kiss was everything I had wanted it to be and more.

Slightly out of breath I peered up at Knox. His hand was still cupping my jaw and my hands were fisted in his sweater. When I saw he had no expression on his face I felt my heart start to drop. Maybe it was all one sided. Was I the only one who felt that?

But before I could pull away I watched as his lips turned up into a soft smile as he gazed me. And for the first time in my life I felt something settle inside of me.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"A dog!"

"No."

"Is that a bird?"

"A bird?" Knox sent me a 'are-you-kidding-look'.

"What it looks like a bird." I defended my guess.

"Times up!" Mom yelled. Knox put down his marker and shook his head.

"So what was the answer?"

Knox looked at me with a deadpanned look.

"It's a bear."

"A bear?! How is that a bear!"

We finished dinner not too long ago and decided to play games which has lead us to playing Pictionary. We split into teams and of course Knox and I were a team but so far we were not doing well. Knox had no artistic ability. Like none whatsoever.

"Look at the ears." He pointed to what were little points on the top of a head." It was not a bear. At all.

"Okay so no points for Aubrey and Knox. Olivia and Jackson you are up."

Knox took a seat beside me grumbling under his breath.

"A bird." He muttered.

"Not my fault you can't draw." I shot back.

In front of us Olivia was drawing on the board while Jackson guessed. In literally seconds they had guessed what it was. They put Knox and I to shame. We shared a look. If we didn't pick up our game we were going to get our asses kicked.

When it was our turn again I went up to draw, leaving Knox on the couch.

"Ready...set....go!"

I quickly got to work on drawing the the Eiffel Tower as Knox started guessing.

"It's a building." I nodded and made a triangle like shape.

"What the hell is that!"

I drew it as best as I could while gesturing to it but like before Knox was not getting it. Beside him I could see Olivia shaking her head and face palming. When the timer went out and he still didn't guess it I threw my hands up.

"The. Eiffel. Tower."

"That is not the Eiffel Tower at all!" Looking back at my drawing you could totally tell it was the Eiffel Tower, it wasn't Grade A material but you can tell what it was.

"Nope I'm done. I want a new partner."

"Maybe I'm the one who needs a new partner." Knox quipped.

"You!?" I exclaimed.

"Okay you both are out." My mom suddenly cut in. "Lucas and Annie will take over." The tone of her voice told us her decision was final. Grumbling I handed the marker over to a smug Lucas.

"Thanks a lot." I muttered falling onto the couch beside Knox.

"That looked nothing like the Eiffel Tower." He started arguing with me again but a quick glare from my mom made the two of us instantly shut up.

With Annie and Lucas now playing against Olivia and Jackson, the two of us were in charge of the girls. Without even being told the two of them came over to us. Sophie crawled up onto the couch and plopped right on my lap to watch her parents. Charlotte stood in front of Knox and raised her arms up, waiting to be picked up. I grinned when he easily lifted her up and placed her in his lap the same with Sophie was in mine.

The two of us sat there like we had been put into time out as we watched everyone else play. I was half tempted to give Knox the cold shoulder for making us get kicked out of playing, but one look at him smiling down at Charlotte made me forget all about it.

I watched her play with his dog tags and he gladly let her. He sat still as Charlotte babbled incoherent words while moving the tags back and forth. Knox may come off as very intimidating but clearly the 3 year old didn't care.

A pair of hands on my cheeks pulled my gaze away from the drool worthy man in front of me and back to the little girl in my lap.

"Bre." I couldn't help but smile every time Sophie said my nickname.

"Yeah sweetheart." Her hands stayed on my cheeks as she pulled my head closer to hers.

"Is Noc your boyfweind." She whispered. My grin widened when she said Noc instead of Knox. Sophie stared up at me with such curiosity and such pureness that only a child had. I found I couldn't lie to her.

I snuck a quick glance over to Knox one more time. The kiss we shared just a bit ago playing in my mind and just the thought of it made my heart beat just a tad bit faster. There was something between us. I'm not sure how but there was.

In a matter of days we have gone from barely tolerating each other to...well I wasn't quite sure. From the moment I saw him at the cafe back home I was attracted to him, even after our little heated moment, I couldn't deny I saw something in him. And now here we are after spending the last three days together. We've shifted.

I wasn't sure if it was all one sided or not. I've caught him looking at me when he didn't think I'd notice and even Annie and Olivia have noticed. Knox was such a closed book I can never tell what he is thinking.

So as crazy as it sounded I liked Knox. Feeling my heart pound at the realization I turned back to Sophie.

"I really hope so." I turned my gaze back towards Knox and found him already looking at me a soft smiling gracing his lips. Right then I felt my heart start to pound just a tad bit faster than it did before.  

THEY KISSED! IT'S HAPPENING GUYS!! STAY CALM!! AHHHH!! I love everything about this chapter. The ugly sweaters, the kissing, playing games. Cute!