#Holiday: A Hashtag Series Short Story (Hashtag #6.5) (6 page)

Ivy felt it, and the corners of her lips turned up. “Already?” She lifted a brow.

“You gave me the greenlight. You’re never going to get any rest now, woman.”

Her laugh was throaty, but she climbed off my lap.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Not far.” She settled between my legs and grabbed onto my shaft. The ends of her hair were wet and floated out around her in the water. She grabbed a nearby sponge thing she brought and added some soap. I submitted to her hands as she washed me thoroughly. Then I returned the favor.

The whole time I washed her, I whispered to her how beautiful she was to me and how much I loved her body. I really fucking did. I don’t know where she ever got the idea she was fat, because she wasn’t. But I didn’t lecture her. I just drove her to near orgasm with my hands.

When she was whimpering my name and I was so hard it hurt, I got out of the tub, lifting her with me like she weighed nothing more than a single feather.

Since we were both soaking wet, I didn’t lay her on the bed. Instead, I spread out a thick quilt on the floor right in front of the hearth and laid her completely naked body out before me as a feast for my eyes.

I made slow love to her right there beside the crackling Christmas Eve fire until we were both spent and weak limbed.

We were completely dry and totally drowsy a long time later when somewhere in the room my cell phone started ringing.

I didn’t want to answer it, but it wouldn’t stop ringing, so eventually, I found it in my discarded jeans.

“Rome?” I answered, wondering why he was calling and not just knocking on the bedroom door.

I wondered if we’d been loud and everyone knew what we were doing in here.

I decided I didn’t care.

“Need you, B,” he replied.

I listened intently as he spoke quickly.

“Be right there,” I said and reached for some clothes.

Romeo

My pants were fully in place. We’d moved from the backseat to the front by the time B pulled up in the white Range Rover Evoque he’d bought for Ivy before she had Nova.

I was still in a state of bliss.

Damn, my girl knew how to keep me happy.

Since she was cuddled up in my lap with her head on my shoulder and drifting off to the sound of the holiday music I’d found on a local radio station (hey, it’s her tradition, and now that I knew about it, it was going to be
our
tradition), I didn’t want to get up and wave them down.

I settled for rolling the window down and flinging my arm out as they rolled to a stop in the center of the road nearby.

The heavily tinted window of the Rover rolled down to reveal Braeden grinning like a smartass beneath the black beanie he was wearing. “Don’t get up or anything,” he called.

I gave him the finger. “Took you long enough!”

“I gotta say, Rome. I’m disappointed. I thought you were a better driver.”

Trent’s laughter floated out Braeden’s window.

“Fucking garbage collectors were on my ass,” I spat.

Braeden’s face hardened, and he got out of the car, leaving it running. “Come on. Let’s get you out of there. I left Ivy and the baby at the cabin with Drew.”

“Baby,” I murmured, and Rim stirred. “Over to your seat,” I said gently and reluctantly lifted her off my lap to place her in the passenger seat. “B’s here. I’m gonna help him.”

“I’ll help, too,” she said, her eyes popping open.

“No way. Stay here.”

She gave me a hard stare, and I gave it right back. I wasn’t relenting on this. She could stay in the heat where I wouldn’t have to worry about her turning into a Popsicle or falling on the ice and hurting herself.

“Fine,” she muttered, sensing the hard stance I was taking.

I kissed her forehead and got out. B and Trent were standing at the back of the Rover, so I joined them. B lifted the floorboard of the trunk to reveal a place where he’d stashed half a hardware store.

“Damn, you rob Auto Zone?” Trent whistled.

“If there’s ever a zombie apocalypse, I’m riding with you.” I slapped B on the back.

He held up both his middle fingers, one for me and one for Trent.

“I ain’t letting my wife and daughter go driving around without the shit they need.”

“Does she even know how to use a carjack?” Trent asked, doubtful. “Or a flare gun?”

I snickered.

B slammed a bag of sand in Trent’s middle, and he wheezed out a breath, then laughed.

“Is that some dried astronaut food?” I guffawed and pointed to some kind of long-term food supply. “Got any dehydrated ice cream?”

“I’m not the one stuck in the snow,” B muttered and shut the lid.

“Aww, don’t be mad, B.” I followed him across the street to the back of the Cat.

He leaned in the window and waved at Rim. He popped open the door. “I came only for you, sis.”

“BBFL!” she hollered.

I rolled my eyes.

Trent ripped open the sand and started dumping it behind the back tires and around them to give them some traction. When that was done, he added some around the front tires just for good measure.

“You drive out. Trent and I will push,” Braeden said.

“You sure?” I questioned.

“Just don’t run us down, huh?” Trent cracked.

B thought that was hilarious and he laughed hard.

I picked up a chunk of ice coated in snow and threw it at him. It bounced off his shoulder. Some of the powder exploded and hit him in the jaw.

“You did not just do that,” B deadpanned.

“I’m thinking he did,” Trent answered.

He made the same battle cry sound he’d been making since we were kids and scooped up his own huge pile of snow and hurled it at me.

Just like that, we were ten years old again.

Snowballs and insults went flying. Trent joined in and managed to get a good shot right in the back of my head. Snow coated my hair, and my fingers were red and numb, but I didn’t care. We just kept on throwing snow.

“What on earth are you doing out here!” Rimmel yelled and popped out of the car.

Braeden launched a snowball at her. It hit the roof of the car and exploded.

She screeched and ducked. The next thing I knew, she was at my side, giving as good as she got.

The four of us played around longer than we should have, tackling each other and throwing snow. Both our cars still ran, and at one point I managed to face plant B right into a pile of white stuff.

It was a good time.

Finally, I called a truce when I noticed the way Rimmel flexed her fingers between throws in an attempt to give them some warmth.

After that, it didn’t take us long to get the Hellcat back on the road. The first couple attempts resulted in some slipping, but ultimately, the sand and the muscle of two football players got us out.

On our way to the cabin, I made another unexpected turn. This one wasn’t onto a back road, though.

It was into the parking lot of Walmart.

“What are we doing here?” Rimmel asked. Her nose was still pink from the cold.

“You need to get stuff to make those cookies,” I said, sliding into a parking spot.

“It’s already late,” she hedged.

“It’s still Christmas Eve.” I pointed out. “A tradition’s a tradition. Besides, I want to taste these cookies. I’m hungry.”

She smiled, and I met her at the back of the car on the pavement. When she looked up at me, I took her face in my hands. “Just because we’re together doesn’t mean we can’t still do the things you always loved to do. No more not doing something because we’re too busy or because it might upset someone else. We’re gonna make our own holiday, Rim. Your mom might not be here, but she’s always going to be part of it.”

“If you make me cry right now, my tears will freeze on my face.”

I laughed. “No tears. Just cookies.”

“Just cookies.” She agreed, and we went inside the huge store.

About an hour later, we pulled up to the cabin, and I parked right behind the Rover. We managed to carry everything we’d bought inside in one trip and dumped it all on the giant island in the kitchen.

“What the hell, man?” B called out. “I thought you were stuck again. I was about to come out looking.”

He and Ivy were sitting on the couch, the fire was going, and she was leaning right up against his chest, his arm folded around her and the baby in her arms.

Trent and Drew were also on the couch, and some Christmas movie was playing on the nearby TV.

“We had to make a stop.” I tossed my coat nearby and stretched. “Rim’s gonna make cookies.”

“Good, I already ate like half the ones we had in there.”

“I ate the other half,” Trent said.

“Pigs,” Ivy told them.

Drew laughed. “Seriously, though. I went to get some earlier and there weren’t any.”

“I’ll make extra.” Rimmel laughed and walked out of the kitchen carrying a large pack of ice in a towel. She reached out and set it on my shoulder in just the right spot.

“Thank, baby,” I murmured.

“Hot tub out back,” B said, glancing at my ice. “Might help with that.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “Good call.”

“Just don’t freeze your balls off getting out to it,” Drew quipped.

“Wanna go?” Rim asked.

I shook my head. “Cookies first.”

“C’mon, then,” Rim said. “I’ll make you some cocoa. You can watch.”

“I’m not watching.” I grabbed her up and one arm carried her back into the kitchen. “I’m helping.”

The entire time we made her mom’s favorite cookies, she talked animatedly about the things she and her mom used to do around the holiday, and I listened aptly. Hell, it really didn’t matter what she talked about. Just the sound of her voice drew me.

Even so, the stories were entertaining. Rim as a child had been even clumsier than she was now. Her voice and wistful tone (and I suspect the scent of baking cookies) drew everyone to the island, and before I knew it, there was a platter of warm snickerdoodles in front of us, cocoa heaped with marshmallow cream (it was better than regular marshmallows), and candy canes for stirring.

We all laughed and talked. It was the kind of time I’d hoped for when we rented this place. Not just because it was fun, but because this was family. It was what I wanted for Rim, for my niece, and even for myself.

There were a lot of things in life—good things, great things.

But this was the
best
thing.

We talked so long Rim had time to make up another pan of holiday Rice Krispie treats, and Ivy got in on the action and started making a pan of brownies.

B was getting out a huge container of red and green sprinkles when Nova started fussing in the nearby sleeper.

“I got her,” I announced and went to pick her up. She wasn’t wearing her hat anymore, and dark hair covered her head. It was the same color as B’s. Dark hair and blue eyes.

This girl was likely going to give all of us gray hair.

She was crying when I tucked her into my arms. It was kind of like holding a football. Except she was more wiggly.

“Hey now,” I murmured. “Ladies don’t cry when Romeo holds ‘em.”

“What ladies would that be?” Rimmel asked from the other side of the room.

I made a face at the baby, and her eyes turned watchful. “Uh-oh. Don’t be telling Auntie Rim about all the stories I’ve told you.”

Without thought, I started swaying a little with her in my arms. Funny how three months ago, a baby seemed like an alien to me, and now holding one seemed as natural as breathing.

“Give the kid a cookie,” Drew said.

Ivy laughed. “She needs teeth for that.”

“Details,” he muttered and then shoved another entire cookie in his mouth.

“She needs a bottle,” Braeden said, coming toward me with a warm one in his hand.

I glanced down at her. She was still staring up at me, and my heart turned over. “I got it,” I told him and snatched the bottle out of his hand. “Get outta here,” I said. “I need some alone time with my niece.”

Braeden obliged, joining Ivy at the island and making a big show of kissing her loudly.

I sat on the couch and propped my arm up to make the baby more comfortable. When the bottle was finished, she fell asleep on my shoulder, and the feel of her warm, small body made me drowsy.

The next thing I knew, the couch dipped, and I cracked open an eye, rubbing my hand over Nova’s back.

Rimmel was looking at me with an odd expression.

“What?” I asked quietly, concerned but not wanting to wake the baby.

I could hear the family talking in the kitchen, and the scent of cookies and brownies swirled around in the air.

“Seeing you like that…” She began and smiled. “It’s like a little glimpse in the future of what you’re going to be like with our baby.”

I reached for her hand to entwine our fingers. “I love him already.”

Her eyes turned misty. “I know you do.”

“You just say the word, Smalls. The second you’re ready for one of these, we’ll make it happen.” I didn’t want to push her. She was just finishing up school and finding her groove at the shelter she ran. We were busy and we were still newlyweds. But it would be a lie to say I didn’t think about her with my child in her belly.

Rimmel smiled and gently fingered the soft hair on the baby’s head. “She’s beautiful.”

“It’s a damn shame,” I said, forlorn.

Rimmel laughed low. “Even if she had four heads, you’d still say that.”

I grinned fast. “Probably.”

“Cookies are done,” she said. “Thank you for helping me make them.”

“Thanks for letting me eat them.” I wagged my eyebrows.

“How’s your shoulder?” she asked.

It was fine. The ice helped, and I hadn’t thought about it in a while. But I didn’t say that. “Could probably use a soak in the hot tub. You game?”