They’ve been here three days and tomorrow is our big Christmas Eve party. I have the twins’ ponies hidden in a barn at the very back of the property and I’m going to have Santa deliver the adorable things to the twins tomorrow night. There are sure to be squeals of delight.
Peyton stops for a second and looks at me. “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. They let me feed Pax on my very own today.”
“I wanted to be there for that,” I say a bit disappointed. “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve dropped everything and came.”
She gives me a frown. “He was hungry right that very minute. He isn’t like a grown up that you can tell to wait. He was wailing like a banshee. Anyway, it was nice.”
I run my hand over her very large breast. “So, it’s official. I have to give them up and let him have them.”
“Yep. Sorry.” She leans over and puts her lips to mine. My body heats in an instant and I have to push her gently back.
“You are off limits for another three weeks, three days, and four hours.”
Her smile makes me smile even though I am a bit frustrated. “You have it down to the hour, how sweet.”
“I do and you might want to mark the calendar. That’s a Tuesday, January the fourteenth and I’ll be bothering you at approximately three in the morning.” I run my fingers over her delicate collar bone and conjure up the picture I have of her in my mind.
Draped in white lace, she’ll be lying on our bed, waiting for me to make her mine all over again. Only at that time, she’ll be my wife. I have a secret plan to marry her on that day at midnight.
Everyone will be here. We got our marriage license last week and I’ve been putting her off on picking a day or a venue. She thinks I’m having cold feet and not pushing me about it.
Our wedding rings are ready at the jewelry store and I’ll pick them up that day, but in secret. Our parents will be here to take care of the baby for the night, so we’ll have all the time we need to get to know one another intimately again.
I foresee an all-nighter, and perhaps into the morning, since we can’t begin until three in the morning after all.
She snaps the computer shut and snuggles down in the bed. “If Max and Lexi can make it through all the things they did, and the twins made it through being born early, then Pax will make it too. I just know it. I just know the bad times are behind us, Kip.”
As much as I love optimism, I don’t like tempting fate. “Sure, it’ll be good.” I lie back and turn over, away from her. I have a hard time cuddling her without wanting to take her.
She sighs and turns away too. I suppose she has the same problem I do. I can’t wait to be able to touch her again. It seems like forever and this living almost like siblings is awful.
Peyton
Since we’ve been home, and the baby is no longer inside me, it seems Kip wants little to do with me. I mean he’s nice and helpful, but he never wants to kiss. He hugs me every now and then, but it feels like a platonic hug and always he’s quick to let me go.
I have to wonder if he’s blaming me for the baby being born early and his band mates hating his guts. Bobby went on one of those celebrity shows and spilled the beans about the band breaking up and raked Kip over the coals. Oh, and me too. He never said my real name, only calling me Yoko. He was a real ass and I wish like hell he would stop being like that.
He and Kip were friends since they were in seventh grade. He’s just being selfish and acting as if it’s all my fault. The hard part is I agree with him. That makes me even madder. I hate it when pig-headed men are right.
Kip would be thinking of nothing but strutting his stuff all over the stage if it wasn’t for me. He acts like that isn’t the case but it is. I catch him messing with his guitar and writing little songs all the time, so I know the bug is still in his brain to make music.
Rachelle and I had lunch after I introduced her to my little man, Paxxie. Kip hates that I call him that. He says it sounds like a girl’s name. But I can’t help it. It just comes out of me. I call Lexi and Max’s baby, Zakk, Zakkie, all the time. It must be one of those idiosyncrasies that I have.
We ate in one of the little cafes in the hospital and she left. I’m on my way back up to make one more check on my little man before I go back home. As I step off the elevator, I nearly run into Bobby.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask as I have no idea why the man would be on the pediatric floor.
“Nothing,” he says as he brushes past me and onto the elevator.
I spin around and step back inside it just before the doors close. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” I say.
“Shit!” he says as he looks away. “I bet you want to jump my ass about the talk shows. They invited Kip to come on them too. He had every opportunity to defend himself. He decided not to. I assume so he could stay up your ass.”
I gesture around me. “If he’s so up my ass, where is he now, Bobby?”
He looks a little confused. “Where is he?”
“He’s at home with our guests, his friends from Houston. And can I ask why you’re here?” I level my eyes on his.
Moving his weight to the other foot and crossing his arms he says, “I check in on the baby at least once a day, if you must know.”
My eyebrows raise. “Wow! No one has told us about that.”
He grins. “I have a certain young nurse I exchange pleasures with and she allows me to see Pax. I care about the kid.”
“Have you held him?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I would never go that far. I’ve looked at him and talked to him and been updated on his progress.” His eyes light up. “I heard you got to feed him, like for real feed him. That’s great.”
I stop the elevator and push the button to go back up to the pediatric ward. “How about you come with me up to see him and you can hold him. I’m sure he’d like that.”
“Really?” he asks as he shifts his weight back and forth. “You have to hate me.”
“I hate no one. Well, that’s not true. I hate the person who invented Dr. Pepper. That shit is addictive and they should put a warning label on it. But other than that, I hate no one.” The doors open and I take him by the hand.
“Yoko, are you sure?” he asks.
“I am.” I tug him along with me and the young hot nurse he apparently is trading pleasure with sees us and her eyes fly open and she looks like she’s about to pass out as she goes pale.
I open the door and smile at her. “Hi, Effie. Bobby told me everything and don’t worry, I’m not mad. I’m glad you let him in on Pax’s condition. And I’d like you to pull Pax out of his bubble and let Bobby hold the little monster who will be tormenting his Uncle Bobby in just a few years.”
She blinks and looks back and forth between us. She finally shakes her head and takes Bobby’s hand and leads him to the rocking chair next to Pax’s incubator.
I stand back and let Bobby have his moment with his best friend’s baby. He looks at tiny, sleeping Pax as Effie places him into his arms. “Hi there, buddy,” he whispers.
Tears well up and I immediately wipe them away and stop. I want to see this. Bobby coos and Pax takes his finger and wraps his tiny hand around it. Bobby looks up at me. “I think he likes me.”
“What’s not to like. You’re great. Pig-headed and can’t see what the future could hold for you, but great.” I move closer and put my hand on his shoulder and look down at my little guy. “You know, I think Silas is the problem. Kip wants to make his own songs, and he’s working on that a lot. Are you only a rock kind of guy or are you up for other types of music?”
He looks up to me and smirks. “Girl, I can play anything. I know Kip’s not a fan of what we have to play, but it pays well.”
“There is more than one way to make money from music. Tours don’t have to happen and people can make money off what they like. If they have the talent to get it out there.” I stroke Pax’s little head, and he lifts one shoulder as I do. “Come to our Christ
mas party tomorrow night. It starts at eight.”
I cut my eyes to Effie who seems to be hovering near us. “Wear red, all the women are.”
She smiles. “Really?” Her eyes go to Bobby. “Oh, sorry. You might not want to take me.”
I pat Bobby on the shoulder. “Nonsense, he’d love to take you to our party. Wouldn’t you, stud?”
A smile he gives me and then he looks at Effie. “It would be an honor to take you, Ef.”
She giggles and claps her hands. “OMG! Yes, I’d love to go!”
I look at Bobby. “This will be our little surprise to your best mate, okay?”
He nods and looks back down at Pax. “You know what, Yoko? You aren’t half bad. I can kind of see why my mate has a crush on you.”
“And I can kind of see why he has a crush on you too.”
Kip
The day of the big party has arrived and I watch my girl come down the stairs in a flowing, red, lacey gown. Her blonde hair has been highlighted and curled. Her make-up has been done by an expert and she looks like a movie star.
I give a wolf-whistle as she comes to me. “Where did my country mouse slip off to and who are you?” Her hand goes right into mine and I fold my arms around her as I take her into my arms. A kiss on the tip of her nose I leave. “You are gorgeous, baby.”
“Thanks, you are too,” she says just before she puts her lips on mine.
Our guests await and I couldn’t take her back upstairs to our bedroom if I wanted to. I sigh and pull my mouth from hers. “We better see to our guests.”
She nods and smiles. Her arm loops through mine as we make our way to the room she calls the Christmas tree room as its huge and the Christmas tree is at its center. “This is so grand and auspicious,” she says as we enter the room.
I chuckle and kiss her cheek. “It is, isn’t it?”
Everyone is here. Both our families and Max’s family. His house manager, Hilda, even flew up. She taught the cook that we hired how to make some of her famous Mexican food and I fear obesity may be in our future as her food is so good it’s hard to stop eating it.
Stepping from behind the tall and full Christmas tree as we walk in is Bobby and I nearly slip as I stop so quickly. “Hi,” I say and look at him as he’s dressed in a nice black suit and I barely recognize him as he’s had a haircut and shave.
“Hi,” he says. “Hey, sorry, okay?”
I smile and nod. “Okay.”
Peyton pulls away from me a bit. She gives me a slight shove. “Hug the man, babe.”
I open my arms and so does Bobby and we hug. I clap my hand on his back and he does mine the same way. “I missed you bro,” he mutters.
“Missed you too,” I say. “Glad to have you back.”
I notice a timid young, dark haired woman with very pretty skin standing back. She wears a lovely red dress and I narrow my eyes then recognize her as one of our son’s nurses. “Effie?”
She waves her small hand at me. “Hi, Kip.”
I look at Bobby and lean in close so she can’t hear me. “How’d ya find her, mate?”
A sheepish grin he wears as he answers, “Visiting your son, mate. She’s cute, huh?”
“Visiting my son?” I ask, completely confused.
Peyton takes my arm. “I’ll explain everything later. We have other guests. And Santa is on his way from what I’ve heard.”
Peyton
Stars fill the night sky as Zane and Zoey ride their ponies in the front of the mansion. The night is chilly so Lexi and Max tug the kids off their new favorite things in the whole world and we all retreat inside to get some hot chocolate and wind the Christmas Eve party down.
Bobby and Effie have vanished it seems. I hope that rock star isn’t in our bedroom, the horn dog. He and Kip made up and agreed to work on music together, leaving Silas and touring behind them. They plan on inviting the rest of the band to join them and they’ll keep the Kip Dixon as the band name.
We go back to the Christmas tree room as I have named it. In a circle we sit around the huge tree, decorated with red and green ornaments. My entire family, Kip’s family, even his half-brother, Dalton, and his sisters, and mother came. Our friends Rachelle and the Lane’s. Everyone, except Effie and Bobby hold hands as we sing Silent Night.
Kip looks into my eyes as we sing the Christmas carol and his sweet smile makes me smile. I look away at our huge family and my heart fills with emotion.
Never did I know I could be filled with this much love and happiness. Of course the only thing that is missing is our baby, but next Christmas he’ll be here and we’ll make that one special for the little man.
I turn and look back at Kip and see the rest of my life in him. If it wasn’t for his tenaciousness I would be back in Texas, alone with my parents, most likely in bed by this time.
Kip has brought colors to my life I never knew existed. He’s the brightest star in my sky and I pray we have a long and happy life together, building our family.
The song ends and everyone claps. The sound of heels clicking over the marble floor comes from behind us and Kip and I both turn to see Bobby and Effie, a white bundle in her arms.
My heart stops and Kip jumps up, pulling me with him. “Who do we have here?” he asks as we go towards them.
“Is that?” I ask and have to stop as tears flood my eyes and my words are stopped by a huge knot in my throat.
Effie nods. “Surprise and Merry Christmas. Paxton David Reed-Dixon has officially been released, and he’s home now.”
I’m shaking and Kip pulls me into his strong arms. “You okay, Momma?”
Everyone laughs and I shake my head. “No, I’m beyond happy and my body doesn’t know how to react to that.” I laugh and wipe my tears away.
Effie smiles as Bobby has his arm wrapped around her narrow shoulders. “You want to take him?”
I press my hand to Kip’s chest. “You hold him, I’m too emotional right now.”
Kip kisses the top of my head. “I got this, love.”
He lets me go and takes our tiny son in a bundle of white and takes my hand in his and leads me to sit with him on a red sofa. I gaze at my little sleeping man as lights flash.
I look up to see everyone with their cell phones taking pictures of us and sniffle and wipe my eyes again. “You guys are terrible. I’m a mess.”
Kip touches my chin, his thumb brushes away an errant tear I missed. “You are not a mess. You look beautiful, let them take all the pictures they want. I want to be able to look back and remember this very moment. The moment you and I got to have our first born at home.”
His blue eyes hold mine and he slowly leans in. His lips touch mine and warmth spreads through me. I feel complete, like never before. Our son is home and we can start life as a real family on this early Christmas morning and I have never been happier.
Kip
A tiny cry I hear and wake up to find Peyton holding little Pax and trying to get him to breast feed. “Is he giving you trouble, love?”
“He seems to have an aversion to my breast.” She continues to try to get the infant to latch onto her large breast.
“Are you sure that he’s my son?” I ask as I sit up next to her in our bed and run one arm around her and one under our baby. “Here, let me show him what he’s missing.”
Peyton giggles. “Okay, Kip. Show him how it’s done.”
I take her breast and rub her supple nipple over his lips and sure enough he turns to it and latches on immediately. “There, see. I think you were doing it too hard or something. Just tease him with it, make him want it. You know, like any other male in the world.”
She presses her sweet lips to my scruffy cheek. “Thank you, Kip. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Running my hand through her tangled hair I say, “You never have to do without me. We’re a team, you and I. We’ll do it all together.”
She sighs and leans back against my chest. I look over her shoulder and watch our baby eat. So much l
ove moves through me. I had no idea I could ever feel this much. They never tell you that. No one ever tells you that you will grow what feels like a whole new part of your heart.
I can’t see how couples break up after having a child together. I can’t see ever walking away from her or letting her walk away from me. Not in a million years would I allow that to happen.
Peyton switches the baby to her other breast, and he squirms and goes all red faced as he’s about to cry in protest, then she rubs her nipple over his little lips and he latches back on. All the redness that had crept into his face immediately vanishes and he suckles contently.
“There you go, buddy. She wasn’t cutting you off.”
Peyton giggles and looks at me. “I think that’s exactly what he thought. You must have a mental connection with him already. You’ll be a great father, Kip.”
“And you’ll be a great mother, Peyton.”
I take her lips with mine only for a moment as the touch of them like that makes me ache for her. We have a little over two weeks before that can happen. The plan to surprise her is still in the works.
Everything has finally fallen into place. All that’s left to do is marry my son’s mother, the love of my life.
Part 12 Star Bright
Peyton
Lightning flashes across the night sky as I stare out the window. Pax fell asleep a little while ago and Kip is nowhere to be found even though it’s nearly midnight. He’s been so secretive this last week and I have to admit I’m beginning to get freaked out.
He’s left our bed for several hours each night. I suppose he thinks I’ve slept right through his absence each time, but I haven’t. A silent return he makes and I wake in the early morning to find him back in our bed.
A cold tension has begun to build between us. He’s never given me any reason not to trust him, but this sneaking thing is beginning to make me lose trust none the less.
The Naughty One Page 43
