Cole in Her Stocking

by C. A. Szarek

  Cole in her stocking

  A Crossing Forces Christmas

  By

  C.A. Szarek

  Cole in Her Stocking

  C.A. Szarek

  A Crossing Forces Christmas.

  All rights reserved

  Copyright © November 2013, C.A. Szarek

  Cover Design Copyright © 2017, Just.Write Creations, Jo-Anna Walker

  Paper Dragon Publishing

  North Richland Hills, TX

  Smashwords Edition

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Paper Dragon Publishing or the Author.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-941151-35-8

  Print book ISBN: 978-1-941151-36-5

  Published in the United States of America

  Second eBook Edition: November, 2017

  Second Print Edition: November, 2017

  Other Books by C.A. Szarek

  Crossing Forces—Romantic Suspense

  Collision Force (Book One)

  Chance Collision (Book Two)

  Calculated Collision (Book Three)

  Collision Control (Book Four)

  Superior Collision (Book Five)

  Incendiary Collision (Book Six)— Coming soon!

  The King’s Riders—Epic Fantasy Romance

  Sword’s Call (Book One)—Also in Audio!

  Love’s Call (Book Two)—Also in Audio!

  Rogue’s Call (Book Three)—Also in Audio!

  Fate’s Call (A Novella from the World of the King’s Riders)—Also in Audio!

  Highland Secrets—Historical Fantasy/Time Travel

  The Tartan MP3 Player (Book One)

  The Fae Ring (Book Two)

  The Parchment Scroll (Book Three)

  Highlander’s Portrait (A Highland Secrets Story)—Coming soon to Audio!

  Highland Valentine (A Highland Secrets Story)—only .99

  The Princess and The Laird (A Highland Secrets Prequel)

  Highland Treasures—Historical Fantasy/Time Travel

  Highland Oath (Book One)—Coming January 2018!

  Highland Essence (Book Two)—Coming soon!

  Anthologies

  Deep in the Hearts of Texas—FREE read!

  Story: Promise (A Crossing Forces Companion)

  Chapter One

  “Baby, please. I don’t know what else to do with you.”

  Micah ignored her plea and let out a wail loud enough to shatter glass.

  Andi sighed and changed his position, propping him higher on her shoulder. She slipped onto the couch, trying not to jostle her son too much. Her vision blurred.

  He didn’t want lulled in the rocker, he wouldn’t tolerate the swing, and all hell broke loose if she put him in his crib.

  The makers of Baby Ambesol could kiss her ass.

  Nothing was working today.

  Tears hot on her cheeks, she cried as much as Micah did.

  Her son wiggled, so she let him settle on her lap. Big misty blue eyes met her gaze and Andi bit her bottom lip to stave off more tears.

  He was hurting, she was frustrated.

  Same boat.

  Micah whimpered when she smoothed his soft dark curls, but he snuggled into her chest.

  She yawned and swiped at her face as his cries softened. She lifted him closer and he buried his little face in her neck. “That’s it, Micah. Shhh,” she whispered, but the moment she rubbed his back, he started screaming again. Andi groaned. “What d’you want me to do?”

  Shoving his whole fist in his mouth, tears fell down his cheeks and her heart broke. His dimples peeked as he gnawed his little knuckles, but her baby wasn’t smiling.

  Andi grabbed the spit rag that was perma-present on her shoulder and wiped his face.

  He leaned away and howled.

  She dragged her hand down her face and sniffled.

  They’d had a rough night, a rough day—hell, a rough week. She glanced over her son’s head at the undecorated Christmas tree that dominated half the living room. Lights weren’t even turned on.

  Who had time for holiday cheer when one was the mother of the most stubborn baby on the planet?

  She was no stranger to lack of sleep. Lost count of the nights she’d stayed awake when she and Pete were working a case. But it was different when a screaming infant was the cause.

  Exhaustion was always worse when it held desperation’s hand. Especially when Andi was helpless to comfort her child.

  The front door swung open and the deep chuckle of a man accompanied by the chatter of a little boy had her heart leaping.

  Relief was short lived as Micah’s screams increased, so she scrambled to her feet.

  Cole took one look at them and froze under the archway leading into living room. “Awww, babe. The whole time?”

  Her lip wobbled as she nodded, her vision blurring again.

  Micah turned toward his father’s voice and stopped crying, taking big gulps of air and sucking in his bottom lip.

  “Mama.” Ethan smiled, but his big blue eyes were concerned. “Baby Micah okay?” her four-year-old asked.

  “He’s fine.” Andi’s voice shook.

  Your mother, on the other hand, is touch and go.

  Her husband set his many shopping bags down by the Christmas tree and was at her side in seconds. “Give him here.”

  She relinquished the squalling baby and sighed.

  Micah looked up at Cole and whimpered, but as his father whispered to him and bounced him a bit, the little traitor quieted.

  Andi frowned. “I tried that!”

  He chuckled, but when his gray eyes met hers, his expression sobered. “It’s okay. I got him. Why don’t you go catch a few?” Cole pulled her into his chest with his free arm and pressed a kiss to her lips.

  Ethan grabbed one of her hands as she rested her head against her husband’s chest.

  Andi let her eyes slip closed and inhaled his aftershave, mixed with Micah’s clean baby scent.

  Cole rubbed her back and she pulled their older son to her side, his slender shoulders against her thigh.

  She patted his little chest and he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. Andi smiled. “Thanks, baby. I needed that.”

  Ethan grinned, then pulled away, dashing to the shopping bags. “Mama, we got ornaments and presents!”

  “Buddy, you’re not supposed to tell her that,” Cole admonished, but he laughed.

  Unrepentant, the little boy started to dig in the bags.

  Micah sniffled but his dad bounced him, and once again, their baby quieted, sucking on his small fist.

  She yawned and shook her head, but kissed his soft cheek and caressed his downy hair.

  “Go ahead and nap, babe,” Cole whispered. “I got the boys.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes ma’am.” He kissed her. “I’ll change and feed him. You need a break.”

  “I do not.” Andi harrumphed.

  Her husband smirked and she couldn’t bite back a wry smile.

  “My stubborn wife. It’s okay to let me help you. Thought you would’ve learned that by now. My kids, too.”

  “I don’t want to admit defeat. I should be able to handle him.”

  Micah gave a loud yawn that made both his parents smile.

  “Looks like you wore each other out,” Cole said.

  “Yeah yeah. See you in a few, then.” She
made a dismissive gesture. “Ethan, come give me a kiss.”

  “Hours,” Cole muttered, but Andi ignored him.

  The little boy rushed to her and she swept him up into her arms, grinning at the loud smack he planted on her cheek. “Be easy on your dad, okay?”

  He nodded and slid to the tan carpet, returning to his exploration of the fruits of the shopping trip.

  * * * *

  Andi awoke to a delicious scent tickling her nose. She stretched and glanced at the clock. 4:39 glowed in neon blue. She yawned away the remnants of sleep and stared as she oriented.

  Oh, yeah. Saturday. Four days before Christmas.

  Popping up, she dragged her hand down her face. “Holy crap, I slept for three hours.”

  She scrambled out of bed, disregarding the jeans she’d slipped out of to take her nap. She folded them, laying the dark denim on the trunk at the end of the king sized bed.

  Soft gray sweats caressed her thighs as she pulled them on, and Andi gave into the urge for a nice full body stretch. She felt rested.

  Dreaded the evening and overnight if Micah was going to continue his fussy teething routine, but at least she’d caught up on a little bit of shut-eye.

  She paused as she opened the bedroom door. Christmas music drifted down the hallway. She cocked her head to one side. The only other thing she could hear was the hum of Cole and Ethan’s voices.

  No screaming baby.

  Was it too much to hope that her husband had coaxed him to sleep?

  Andi made her way to the living room.

  Her man and older son were decorating the tree; neither noticed her just yet.

  She surveyed the room.

  Playpen. Small form visible.

  Sleeping?

  Tiptoeing to the mesh side, she peered in. Her five-month-old was indeed out like a light, his angelic face turned toward her. One small fist was tucked next to his cheek, his onesie-covered rump in the air.

  Leaning down, Andi caressed his soft his dark curls.

  “Hi, Mama! Look!” Ethan grinned, holding up a small teddy bear Christmas ornament that displayed a number pale blue number two.

  She straightened and smiled. “I see. Your two-year-old ornament.”

  Ethan nodded and turned toward the fluffy fake evergreen. Although he didn’t place it very high, he carefully attached the hook to the tree.

  “Good job, buddy,” she said.

  “Hey, babe.” Cole flashed dimples that made her heart trip over itself. He was at her side in seconds, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss into her lips.

  Andi sighed into his embrace, suddenly wishing they were alone, sans children. Naked would be good, too. They’d both been so tired because the baby wasn’t sleeping; it’d been a while. “Hi,” she whispered into his mouth.

  Steel eyes darting to Ethan, he kissed her once more, but the quick brush of his lips wasn’t nearly enough. “Later. But definitely tonight. Really.” His gaze was intense.

  At least they were on the same page.

  “I want you,” he whispered in her ear.

  Shivering, she nodded and stayed close, reveling in his arms around her and the hard muscles of his chest. “Something smells good.” Andi needed a distraction to tamp down her rising libido.

  “Lasagna in the oven.”

  She smirked, and pulled back to meet his eyes. “Going for Super Dad and Husband-of-the-Year?”

  “Yeah, but don’t tell anyone.” One corner of his mouth shot up.

  Andi grinned. “Oh yeah, Detective Lucas would never live that down.”

  Cole chuckled.

  “Mama, wanna help?” Ethan called, taking more of his favourite ornaments out of the large red and green sorter.

  “Yes, sir.” She bit back a yelp when her husband smacked her butt. Her mock-glare only got her another flash of dimples. Andi shook her head, but couldn’t keep the grin off her face.

  “I love you,” he mouthed, whistling and moving back to the tree. He arranged the fat globe lights she’d had him add to their pre-lit tree.

  “I’ll get you later,” she muttered, ignoring his laugh as she squatted down next to her son.

  “Hope so,” Cole answered, waggling his eyebrows before ducking out of sight behind fake evergreen.

  She laughed, ruffling Ethan’s copper curls when he grinned and handed her an angel from the box.

  They decorated the tree as a family, something Cole had declared was a new tradition for them. It was Micah’s first Christmas, but it was also their first Christmas as a family.

  Her man must’ve been deprived all those years on his own, because Christmas was suddenly a big deal around the MacLaren-Lucas household. It was great to watch him having so much fun, especially with the boys.

  Andi’s former FBI agent husband had been working a case last Christmas, and undercover the one before. He’d lived alone in New York City the whole time he’d worked for the Bureau.

  She grinned as she watched them together, laughing as her tall husband lifted their son to place the angel on the top of the seven foot tree. At six foot four, even without Ethan, Cole didn’t need a stepladder.

  The phone rang and she glanced over her shoulder.

  Cole groaned as he set the little boy to his feet. He and his partner, Jared Manning, were the on-call detectives for the entire week of Christmas.

  “Don’t worry. It can’t be work. They would’ve called your cell.”

  “True,” he said.

  Making a dash for the cordless, Andi hit the talk button without looking at Caller ID. A fit of coughing greeted her ear before she could even say hello, but the cough-voice was familiar. “Mom?”

  More coughing amongst a croaked, “Yes.”

  “Mom, are you okay?” She frowned.

  Her mother and step-dad, Ed, lived in Ohio. And were supposed to be on a plane to Texas in the morning.

  “Hi, baby,” her mom, Debbie, said. Heavy congestion obscured her normal tones.

  “You don’t sound so good.”

  “I’m not.”

  Dread settled over Andi. “What’s wrong?”

  “Ed and I have the flu. Fevers, the shakes, vomiting, the works. We’re not going to be able to come.”

  “Aww, Mom. It’s Christmas.”

  “I know, baby. I know. And I really wanted to see you guys. But even if we came, we’d just infect the whole family.”

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded even though her mother couldn’t see her. She bit her lip to stave off tears.

  They hadn’t seen her mom and her second husband since Micah was born.

  “Okay.”

  Cole shot her a look at her shaky tone, so she turned away from her husband and son. Neither of them needed to know she was close to tears.

  “Can you come next week or something?”

  I need your help with my screaming baby.

  “Well, Ed’s already been out of the office over a week. You know how he fusses.”

  “Mom, he’s the boss. It’s his company.”

  Her mother sighed and Andi clutched the phone tighter.

  What’s wrong with you?

  Crying for her mother at thirty-two years old?

  “I’ll see what we can do. As soon as we feel better.”

  Her stomach sank to her toes at the same time guilt crept up. She hadn’t even focused on the fact her mother felt horrible. “I’m sorry. I really hope you feel better. It’s just…I wanted to see you. I love you.”

  “Oh, I know, baby. I love you, too.”

  “Cass, Dale and the kids couldn’t get away, either. They’re coming after New Year’s. Maybe we could time it so we’re all together.”

  “We’ll see. It won’t be Christmas without you.”

  Andi almost choked on the lump in her throat. Had to force polite words out. “Get better, Mom. I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too, and those grandbabies. Kiss them for me. And give Cole my love. I need to go. Ed’s hollering for me.”

/>   “Okay, Mom. Say hello to Ed and give him our love, too. Merry Christmas.” She hung up, dropped the phone in its cradle, and sighed. “Guess it’s just us for Christmas.”

  Chapter Two

  Cole’s heart thumped at the disappointment in his wife’s expression. What was wrong with just them for Christmas? A quiet family thing, with her and their boys, was right up his alley.

  He liked his in-laws all right, but still. He’d miss his sister, the girls, and even his brother-in-law, but they’d see them in a few weeks, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t missed out on his nieces opening presents before. Well, like every year for the last…six or seven.

  Andi was having a hard time admitting their baby was taking it out of her, so he understood she wanted her mom, but what was he, chopped liver?

  He’d been up just as many an overnight, midnight feedings, diaper changes and just plain comforting Micah as she had.

  How many times did he have to tell her ‘my kid, too.’?

  All that aside, Cole wanted to comfort his wife. “C’mere, babe.”

  Andi buried her face against his neck as soon as his arms were around her.

  He inhaled her strawberry scented shampoo, squeezing her against him and closing his eyes. Cole held her as she sniffled into his shirt. He rubbed her back in wide soothing circles like he’d done when she was pregnant with Micah.

  Trying to hide tears was so like Andi.

  “Hey, listen. It’ll be okay. We’ll have an awesome Christmas,” he whispered.

  She met his gaze, blue eyes misty. “I know. I feel like an ass for being upset. I am looking forward to Christmas with you and our boys. Really, I am.”