"You're coming with."

"No way."

"Simon, please?"

"I'll stay and keep Snickers company."

"He doesn't need company – he's a loner."

"Our bunny is a loner?" Simon asked with an incredulous look.

"Our bunny?" Katie smiled. "How sweet! But you're still going."

"Katie, I don't want to go. I'm exhausted."

"Well, whose fault is that?"

"Yours I believe."

"What?"

"My wife is insatiable."

"Wait just a minute there!"

"I'm serious," Simon grinned at Katie who had climbed out of bed. "I cannot be expected to satisfy my very energetic wife as well as go Christmas shopping."

"So what you're saying is that it is my fault we have this amazing newlywed lifestyle?"

"I don't know that ‘fault' is the right word, but yes. Otherwise, exactly right."

"It's all for me?"

"Yes, I live to make my wife happy."

"Really?"

Simon stood up and reached for Katie, pulling her towards him and pushing her robe out of the way so he could kiss her shoulder in the hope of coaxing her back to bed. "Yes, really."

"You know what would make me really happy?" Katie murmured pushing Simon back towards the bed he had just left. "I mean really happy?" she added with a sexy little smile as she pulled the sash on his black robe and pushed him onto the bed.

"Anything," Simon managed to whisper while desperately trying to pull his wife down with him. He failed as she stepped just out of his grasp. "Whatever you want."

Katie smiled. "I want you to take a shower and get dressed so that we can go Christmas shopping!" she said excitedly, clapping her hands together and heading for the bathroom.

Simon pulled a pillow over his head and groaned into it. "My wife is a heartless tease!" he growled towards the half closed bathroom door.

Katie stuck her head out the door and gave her husband her best innocent smile. "You love me anyway."

"Yeah, I do." Simon merely sighed and closed his eyes as he heard Katie turn the water on in the shower. "Hey!" he said in surprise as a ball of fuzzy fabric hit him in the head and settled over him. It took him a second to realize that it was Katie's robe. He looked back at the door.

Katie smiled at him from the doorway and crooked her finger as she said, "We don't have time to both take a shower if we are going to have any chance of getting a parking space at the mall. We'll have to share." With that, she turned and stepped into the shower. Simon joined her only seconds later, having deposited his robe on the growing pile on the bed.

"Hi," he whispered into her ear as he put his arms around her waist and pulled her under the water with him.

"You sure moved fast," Katie laughed.

"Motivated. Can't wait to shop."

"Uh huh," Katie giggled as Simon kissed her collarbone.

"Katie?"

"Hmmm?" she managed in between sharp breaths.

"I love being married."

"I was just thinking the same thing myself."

--------

"I've thought it over, and I've changed my mind," Simon said as he looked at the masses of people in the crowded parking lot.

Katie barely looked up from the list she was reviewing. "Too late now, mate."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No!" Katie smiled, doing her best to look aghast. "Never!"

"You are!" Simon accused. "First you trick me into coming shopping with you and then you make fun of me!"

Katie leaned over and kissed the side of his mouth. "Thank you for coming with me."

"Don't do that."

"What?" she asked, again trying to look innocent.

"I was going to spend the afternoon complaining about crazy American shoppers so you would feel bad, and we could go straight back to bed when we got home. And now I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'll feel bad."

"So all I have to do is be sweet and you'll do whatever I want?"

"Don't let it go to your head."

"This is good information to have." Katie looked over at Simon, who really did look miserable at the prospect of the mall. "I have your name on this list of presents. Does that help?"

"No."

Katie took off her seatbelt and leaned over so her mouth was right by Simon's ear. "But we can still go right back to bed when we get home."

Simon turned his head and kissed his wife. "What are we waiting for then? Let's shop!"

Katie laughed and followed Simon to the door of the mall. She couldn't help but think this would be the best Christmas ever.