[trickmas] jingle bell rock. [tag; murphy]

Oh, her back hurt.

It was her Uncle Jorund's fault. She'd realised too late that instead of helping her, he was actually hindering her tasks. Erika had been balancing on the backs of chairs, on banisters, on stairs and on tables to make sure every decoration was just- so. Until he thought he'd be funny, insisting things weren't bang on and dead centre and she'd been forced to move them back and forth three or four times.

"You are such an arse!" The tall blonde finally exploded, smacking his chest and shoving a fluffy reindeer at him and storming off and away from a chorus of mad cackling. Men! Really! By the time she'd escaped, she was red faced and out of breath. She hadn't drunk enough. There wasn't really enough time to drink and she was starving. The mini burger and a sausage roll she'd had before just wasn't cutting it and suddenly, her stomach gave a loud growl and she died a little inside.

"Tag! You're it!"

Erika let out a squeak of surprise as a chubby little finger was jabbed quite rudely into her lower back, causing her to wheel around with wide eyes before they settled on three small children. She blinked. The kids were a mess. Their bright blonde hair was all sticking up, they had chocolate sauce around their little mouths and they were high on sugar.

"Right," Erika said to the children's delight as they offered her wide, toothy grins, giggling merrily. "I'm coming to getcha!" With that, the kids let out loud squeals and set off into a sprint, thundering off, scattering adults in their wake. Her long fingers brushed back her hair before she set off after them. Chasing down people in three inch heels wasn't an issue, she'd been doing it for years now. "Rawr!" She called after them, following the sound of giggles as they all broke apart. One ran up the stairs, one headed to the ballroom and the other hide under the table.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are ~" The treasure hunter called in a sing-song voice. She loved kids. She did. They were all mental. "Is little Asmund in heeeere?" She called out, checking behind a curtain, picking on the older child first. She could hear him giggling and she grinned. "Where could he be?"She sighed heavily as she tapped her bottom lip with her index finger, pretending to be in deep thought. "Or is he in here?" Erika spun and then stopped dead. Her smile faltered as she saw someone she wasn't expecting.

Shit.

Shit, shit and double shit. Murphy Regan. Erika stared, her big blue eyes wide. Oh shoot, she'd forgotten to invite him and guilt hit her like a wave. She squinted, not entirely sure it was even him but then he gave that smirk that made her stomach flip over. No, it was definitely him. Unable to help herself, her eyes trailed down his form. He looked good. He always looked good but tonight he looked good. Was that suit custom made? The material clung and flattered his tall, broad shoulders and she swallowed. Was it hot in here?

"Erika, Erika! You're meant to be catching us!" Little Erlend said, his clubby little hands yanking on her dress as his big blue eyes watched her. But she still stared. "Follow Asmund and Hemming, they've found a dragon!" The little boy gasped, let go of her and thundered after his younger cousins, leaving her along for a moment. She turned her back, checking her reflection in a champagne flute, her long fingers hastily smoothing and fluffing out her hair before she took a deep breath, steeled her nerves and crossed the ballroom towards him in a waft of floral perfume.

"What are you doing here?" Erika asked when she was close enough, her eyes wide. She could already smell Murphy's expensive cologne and it was wilting her resolve so she stayed in a polite distance. He smelt like a man. A manly man. After shave and leather and spice and something that was utterly delicious, she wanted to bite him. It was entirely unfair. He also sometimes wore glasses. Glasses were her kryptonite. She was a goner, that much was certain. She chewed on her lower lip, absently imaging tying him down to her bed using that tie of his. Maybe if they just went upstairs now, no one would have to know and they could --

"I mean," she stammered, flushing furiously as some of her family members saw them together. "Merry Christmas," she added lamely, her cheeks still burning. Just then, she realised he hadn't attended the party by himself. Erika looked down to see a beautiful little thing with the biggest eyes she'd ever seen. "Hello," she said with a kind, warm smile. She stooped a little, holding out her hand. "I'm Erika. You must be Ava."

When Erika finally focused on him, Murphy refrained from indulging in a bit of ego rubbing. As she’d forgotten him in this instance, he knew her body hadn’t. He could feel her pressed against him as if with a ghost sensation and his free hand squeezed into a fist, blunt nails digging into his palms. He was supposed to be mad at her, wasn’t he? All he could focus on was the smile that he wanted to see curving her lips, or the sensation of her nails in his hair as he was laying against her stomach, tangled in cool sheets. He was supposed to be upset because she seemed to have easily forgotten him while he was unable to forget even the brush of her touch, but he found that upset dying in the site of her.

Annoyed with himself, he turned away from her and looked at the tiny blond in his arms. Pressing his cheek against Ava’s, he rubbed his beard gently against her chubby cheeks, chuckling low into the tinkling accompaniment of her delicate giggles. Setting her down, he sighed lightly when she wrapped against his leg, putting her tiny feet on his shoes. Ava had his same desire of touch, and felt much better when she could be wrapped around some one. They were gently conversing when Erika found them, and Murphy blinked slightly as he gazed upwards at the woman.

His lips curved into a wry smile as he let his gaze appreciatively trail her form slowly like a caress. “ I was invited.” He began, head tilting to the side. “By Leifr. Merry Christmas, Erika.” He murmured softly in response, moving closer to her. Was she being rude on purpose? Had she not wanted to see him? His pride flinched at the blows, but nothing of it showed on his face. “I’ve got you a bit of shine.” Petting his pocket, his present for her weighed heavily in the face of her seeming unhappiness with his appearance. “Ava got you a bit of flash as well.”

That drew Erika’s attention to the tiny girl pressed against him. Well, Ava was leaning forward and trembling with excitement. Daddy had promised her that she’d meet the lady he liked, and she was excited to meet her. Ava stepped off of her father’s shoe, reaching up to wrap both of her hands around Erika’s. She squeezed gently, tugging Erika lower. “I Ava. You pretty lady!” Ava giggled, tugging her again before looking up at her father. “Da, prezzies? She need shinies, pwease?” She didn’t let go totally of Erika’s hand, one tiny paw curled around the woman’s fingers as her other hand tugged at her father’s pants, messing up the crease.

“Pwease da! Shinies!”

It was hard not to miss him, really. Murphy has was the kind of man that filled a room with his mere presence. Tall and broad, the room seemed smaller somehow but delightfully so. The fact that he was here shook her completely. He probably wouldn't understand that she'd simply forgotten to invite him; nothing more, nothing less. It was a simple mistake. Erika didn't want him to think she was shamed of him or something because she wasn't. Maybe a small part of her wasn't ready to introduce him to her family but wasn't that the normal thing?

It also didn't help that he looked at her the way she liked to be looked at.

Erika bit down on her lower lip, blushing furiously, her red cheeks contrasting wildly with her cream coloured ensemble. Murphy Regan was trouble. Pure and simple. But the best kind of trouble. It was entirely unfair. She was so wildly attracted to him, it was sometimes almost impossible not to fling herself at him like some sex crazed weirdo. Self-consciously, her hand went to the back of her neck, her fingers absently tugging at a stray lock of pale blonde hair. Anything to keep her focused.

Erika realised how rude she must be sounding. "Leifr?" She asked, her bright blue eyes wide. He knew Leifr? She frowned. "I'm sorry," she said softly, standing her ground as he advanced on her. It was so hard to concentrate when  her hormones were skittering everywhere. Bugger it. Leaning in, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. The hand she had resting on his shoulder to support her slid down his arm fondly to his wrist where she squeezed affectionately. "I'm glad you're here," she said honestly. "I should have invited you myself."

Shock was apparent on her pretty face. "You did?" Erika asked, watching his hand go to his pocket and her heart flipped in her chest. "You didn't have to," she said determinedly but the flush of pleasure was clear as she offered him a lopsided grin. She'd gotten Murphy something, too. A few things, actually. They were all wrapped beneath the main Christmas tree in sparkly red wrapping. She'd bought him a weekend cooking course at one of the top hotels in London because she knew he could already cook (and cook well) but she thought it might be fun, too. She should go and get them.

"I got you something too." Erika took a half step backwards, turning to go and get the gifts from across the dance floor when he said Ava had kindly bought her a present, too. Luckily, Erika had bought her one, too. Beneath the tree and sticking it's head out of a gold coloured bag was a soft stuffed bunny.

"That's very kind of you," she said to the little girl with a warm smile, flicking her eyes back up to her father. "Kind of both you, honestly. You shouldn't have -- oh!" The treasure hunter let out a squeak of surprise as Ava pulled her closer, her long bare legs stepping forward as she laughed softly. The little girl was surprisingly strong. "Hello," she said again, her scarlet lips breaking into a grin at Ava's adorable compliment. "Why thank you," she said warmly. Her hand reached out to run a thumb across the little blonde's cheekbone with her free hand affectionately. "And you are very beautiful. I really like your dress," Erika said earnestly.

As little Ava tugged again, Erika dropped to the floor. She didn't mind. Kneeling on the shiny floor was fine for her, she'd been doing it all night as she chased around her younger cousins under various tables. She squeezed the little girl's hand back and she looked up to Murphy with a slow smile; she had him wrapped around her little finger. It was a daughter's prerogative, after all. She really was the sweetest little thing she had ever met.

"Well I do need shinies," Erika was quick to reply, grinning at her father as she arched an eyebrow. "Hey Ava," she said gently. "Have you had anything to drink?" She asked. "Are you hungry?" She enquired. It was a Trickett thing; feed anyone and everyone who entered the house, whether they'd already had dinner or not. "Because I saw some marshmallow snowmen that I really wanted to try. Or do you and Daddy want to come over to the Christmas tree so I can give you your presents?" She asked Ava because she seemed to be a determined little thing and she wanted her to feel welcome. She wanted them both to feel welcome.

"Oooh. Ow," Erika grumbled. After spending a few minutes on her knees, the pain set in and she winced. "Could you give me a hand, pretty please?" She asked Murphy, extending her hand to him in an invitation for him to help her up. She blushed fiercely as she remembered the few times they'd been in this position before at his place. How wholly inappropriate.