“Is that true?” Dad stepped outside.
Trip realized the whole clan had come to see the showdown. Morrie and Ossian were standing just outside the walk-through from the bar. Donal leaned against the kitchen door, and their parents were staring him down from less than half a dozen paces away. It was like an intervention of some kind.
“I love her, Dad. I asked her to come with me, and she’s accepted.” Trip took a deep, steadying breath. “Why can’t anyone just be happy for us?”
“I am,” Morrie called out. “Can I rent your place while you’re in Germany, Ash?”
Trip would have to thank his baby sister later. She’d basically jumped on a grenade for him. His parents and brothers swung around to stare at her. Only Ossian looked unsurprised.
“Mary Maureen McKinloch, what’s this nonsense?” His father’s stern voice made them all cringe.
“You heard me. I want to get my own place. I was going to start looking after New Year’s, but Ash has a really nice place, which is apparently going to be empty.” Morrie looked completely unperturbed by the blow she’d delivered.
Trip had to give his sister credit. She definitely showed grace under pressure.
“Did you know about this?” Ashton murmured.
He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot just behind her ear. “Not a thing.”
“This is your fault.” Mom rounded on Trip again. “Why can’t you just settle down here like everyone else?”
Trip was tired of being lambasted for his career choice. “Because I don’t want to run a pub. You’ve got plenty of sons for that. You don’t need me. And I’m good at what I do, Mom.”
“I don’t want to run a pub either,” Gavin said.
His sudden admission shocked everyone but Ashton. “You want to open a bakery.”
He nodded. “In the spring.”
Despite all the bad feelings between himself and Gavin, Trip was happy for his brother. “Following a career you want isn’t an easy decision to make, but you’ll be glad you did.”
“Fuck you, Aiden,” Gavin snarled. “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got two brothers left. Your opinion isn’t worth any more than your word.”
Trip was glad for the warmth of Ashton’s embrace to soften his brother’s harsh words. He wanted to say something, but there were too many wrongs to fix all at once.
“What’s wrong with you three?” His mother reached out for his father. She huddled in his arms against the cold and the perception of her children’s desertion.
“There’s nothing wrong, Mom,” Ossian said quietly. “There’s really not room for all of us here forever. But it’s the place we’ll always come home to.”
Their mother choked back a sob and pulled away from their father. She stumbled back through the kitchen door and let it slam behind her.
Dad sighed. “The six of you had better get this all straightened out before tomorrow. We’ve got less than an hour left of business to handle tonight, and then I want you all on your best behavior tomorrow.” He eyed them each in turn. “Understand?”
ASHTON ADDED HER agreement to the McKinlochs’ and watched Jack go back inside the pub, presumably to try and soothe Ella. Ash felt as though she’d been through a war, and now everyone had to get along for Christmas dinner? This was insane!
She snuggled into Trip’s embrace for his warmth and security. His brothers and Morrie were moving in closer as if they intended to huddle together to chat. Was this what it was like to be part of a big family?
Gavin pursed his lips and gave Trip a withering stare. “You are such an asshole.”
“Yeah, but I’m a monogamously committed one.” Trip’s dry tone made Ash giggle despite the situation.
“I’m not kidding around, Aiden. I don’t care what Dad said. Hell will freeze over before I let this go. You think you’re some hot shit pilot who can have whatever he wants.”
Oz gripped Gavin’s shoulder. “Let it go for now. You can be pissed at him the other 364 days this year.”
Morrie stared at them as if trying to decide how she felt about it. “Are you guys going to get married?”
“Why, are you trying to buy my house?” Ashton couldn’t help her smart remark. Morrie’s request had come completely out of left field.
“Okay, enough.” Ossian seemed very comfortable in big-brother mode. “We all need to agree to let this shit go before tomorrow.” Gavin snorted, and Oz glared him into silence. “It’s Christmas.”
Donal hadn’t stopped staring at Gavin. “When were you going to tell me about your bakery idea?”
“When were you going to tell me that you and Stacey are separating once the baby’s born?” Gavin’s derisive words dripped sarcasm. “Or were you going to wait until tomorrow when she never shows up to Christmas dinner because she opted to go to her parents’ place?”
Donal lunged at their youngest brother. He swung hard, his raw anger plain to see. Gavin managed to dodge the bulk of the blow, though Donal’s fist clipped Gavin’s chin before Oz intervened.
Before Ash could take a breath and process the implications of Gavin’s blunt disclosure, Trip had set her gently aside. Wrapping an arm around Gavin, he held the youngest McKinloch out of the way while Ossian struggled to keep Donal subdued.
“Enough!” Oz snapped. “So we’re all fucked-up in some way, shape, or form if we hold ourselves to Mom and Dad’s standards. Or we can just be good to each other and accept what we’ve got. You hear me?”
“I’m sorry,” Gavin said. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.”
Donal gave a hard nod. “And I’m not going to sit back and lose my family without putting up a fight.”
Morrie wormed her way closer and flung her arms around Donal. “We’re not giving up either, big brother.”
“Hell, what time is it?” Ossian gazed up at the brilliant sky as if he were expecting Santa to drop in at any moment.
Trip glanced at his watch. “Twenty-three twenty-seven.”
Morrie rolled her eyes. “Normal people time, you dork.”
“Sounded normal to me,” Oz said. “Eleven twenty-seven, for you mere civilians, which means we need to get started with the cleanup. Morrie and I will handle the bar.”
“We will?” Morrie made a groaning noise and did an exaggerated stomp back to the door.
Gavin sighed and nudged Donal. “We need to get started on the kitchen cleanup.”
“Gavin, wait.” Ashton felt suddenly overwhelmed by everything that had happened. The whole night had been confusing as hell, but that didn’t mean she wanted to leave things so awkward with Gavin. He’d been nothing but nice to her. That alone deserved consideration.
Trip seemed to guess her intention. “I’ll wait for you inside.”
“Thank you.” Ash was so grateful for his instant understanding. She gave him a quick hug, savoring the feel of his body heat against the cold.
Gavin shot Trip a dark look, watching his brother disappear back into the bar before speaking. “I already told you what I think about this whole thing.”
“I know, and I’d be lying if I said every one of those arguments hadn’t crossed my mind at one point.” Ash moved in closer, shifting position on her frozen feet. “Look, I never meant to lead you on or make you think there was a chance of something more between us.”
“So there was never a chance.”
How could she explain what she barely understood herself? She and Trip made no sense, except they made perfect sense. It was nonsensical, illogical, and definitely the craziest thing she’d ever experienced. “It doesn’t really matter if there was a chance for you and me to be a couple. Nothing has been the same for me since I met Trip this past summer.”
“One night, Ashton. It was one night.”
“I know. And the most important part of that is someday you’re going to meet someone who will be your one night. You’re going to meet a fantastic woman who is perfect for you, and I want you to be ready and waiting.”
“For
her? Some vague idea of a woman that might possibly exist.”
Had she ever known Gavin to be this sarcastic? Ashton’s heart ached for him. “I don’t want this to come between you and your brother. Trip didn’t do anything wrong. He was torn up about it as soon as we realized what had happened. Please believe me that neither of us wanted to hurt you.”
Gavin sighed, lifting his face toward the sky. “I know. I do. Sometimes, though, just once, I want to have something he doesn’t.”
“Oh great, so I’m just a one-up prize?” Ashton nudged him with her arm. “You do have something he doesn’t.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re about to open your own bakery, Gavin. You’re a really talented chef. That’s something nobody can take from you. You aren’t your brother, and no one is asking you to try to be him. You’re a great guy.”
“Just not for you.” Gavin looked down, his face relaxing into a smile.
“Nope, just not for me.”
“I suppose you’re going to want me to call a truce for Christmas.”
Ash shrugged. “That was your father, not me, although I would appreciate a little less tension for my first family Christmas.”
Gavin ushered her back toward the warmth of McKinloch’s. “I suppose that could be arranged.”
Chapter Eleven
December 25—12:05 a.m.
The weather outside is frightful, but the bath is so delightful…
The holiday tune played lazily in the back of Ashton’s thoughts as she shifted against Trip’s chest in her bathtub. The claw-foot monstrosity was one of the things she’d miss most about her place, but it certainly wasn’t enough to make her give up a chance to go to Europe with the most incredible guy she’d ever met.
Ashton contemplated the whirlwind travel plans. “Are you sure you want me tagging along with you to Germany?”
“Absolutely.”
Since she couldn’t see his expression, she would have to believe the certainty in his voice. He sat behind her in the tub. She’d filled it to the brim with blissfully warm water.
Ashton rested her head against his shoulder so she could see his face. “You know, this wasn’t what I had in mind when I said I needed to shower.”
“Yeah? Well, I couldn’t wait a second longer to feel you skin to skin. This was my compromise.” As if emphasizing his point, Trip cupped her breasts in his hands.
She forgot any lingering apprehension about whether or not he really wanted her to go with him. Her worries about the explosive potential of Christmas dinner melted away. The only thing that remained was the sensation of his thumbs flicking her nipples into hard little points.
Sharp jolts of pleasure lanced from her breasts to her pussy. She closed her eyes and gave herself over to the sweet torment. He brushed his lips against her shoulder, ending the caress with a sharp nip that made her squirm. The water sensitized her skin, amplifying every gliding movement.
He gave her nipples one last tug before placing his palms on her belly and sliding them lower. “I can’t wait a second longer to touch you. Bend your knees for me, darlin’.”
She did as he requested. The new position left her feeling vulnerable. With her knees above the water and pressed against the cool edges of the tub, her slit was exposed. Trip used the fingers of one hand to splay her pussy open. She quivered as the water tickled her sensitive folds.
He pressed the pad of one finger against her entrance. Her womb clenched in anticipation, but he moved in a light, teasing fashion. She made tiny noises of pleasure, longing for him to sink a finger deep inside her. His cock was like an iron rod nestled against the small of her back.
Their lips met in a desperate bid to get closer. She kissed him greedily as he began stroking her pussy in a quick rhythm. He slid his fingers against her clit. Ashton moved her hips with his touch, tension drawing her muscles deliciously tight.
He broke the kiss. “I’m going to make you come. And then I’m going to put my cock inside you and help you come again.”
The words made her shudder inside. She wanted to climax, needed the release. Her hands gripped the edges of the tub, the white porcelain smooth and cool against her skin. It was a stark contrast to the flames consuming her from the waist down.
He stroked her harder. Her pussy was empty and wanting. Unbearable pressure built at the base of her spine. She arched her hips against him, grinding against his hand as everything inside her snapped and orgasm ripped through her body.
“God, you’re so hot. I can’t wait to be inside you.” Trip helped her rise from the tub.
Rivers of water streamed onto the floor. He grabbed a towel and tossed it down to sop up the mess before lifting her out and setting her on her feet. She paid no attention to her quickly cooling body. She was too busy feasting on the sight of Trip stepping clear of the bath.
Liquid beaded in the deep grooves bisecting the hard muscle of his lower belly. His damp skin was enticing. She wanted to lick each contour, following the deep furrow that crossed his hip on each side before plunging to the nest of dark hair at his groin.
His erection bounced lightly against his belly. A smear of precum glistened below his navel. His satiny shaft was laced with thick veins, the head flushing purple.
“Like what you see?” he asked.
“More and more every time.” The more she stared, the more she wanted to taste him.
He cupped her face in his palms. “What are you thinking?”
She didn’t answer, choosing to sink to her knees on the wet towels instead. Gripping his cock in both hands, she laved her tongue across the crest. His groan ricocheted off the bathroom tile and lifted the hair on the back of her neck.
He tasted heavenly. She kissed and sucked a trail up and down his shaft. He caressed the hair piled atop her head. Glancing up and meeting his gaze, she took him deep inside her mouth until the head of his cock bumped her soft palette. His ass clenched tightly, and he thrust into her mouth.
Cupping her hand around his balls, she began bobbing her head up and down. Saliva made him slick and warm. His hand shot out and grabbed the edge of her pedestal sink for balance. Pausing in her rhythm, she rasped her teeth lightly along the underside of his cock and then let her tongue delve into the tiny hole at the tip.
“Fuck, Ashton. Enough. Enough.” His breaths were raspy. “I can’t hold back anymore.”
She pulled back and let him go. “Then make love to me, Trip. I need you.”
He dragged her to her feet and turned her toward the sink. “Hold tight. I want to see how wet you are.”
He lifted her left leg and braced her foot against the low-tiled sill of the window flanking the sink. The frosted pane of glass was cool against her toes. Sliding his palm the length of her leg, he followed the line of her thigh up to her crotch.
“You’re so wet. Are you ready for me?”
She couldn’t answer. Her focus was centered on the way he parted her pussy lips so that he could slip a finger deep inside her channel. She groaned, loving the penetration but wanting more. She squeezed him tightly, gratified when he added a second finger to the first.
“You’re so tight. Relax for me,” he said.
She exhaled deeply, rewarded when he put a third finger into her pussy and began to spread them apart inside her tight channel. Her back arched, and she gave herself over to the erotic torture.
“I love that I’m about to fuck you without a condom.” He moved into position behind her, removing his fingers from her cunt. “I love feeling you skin to skin, and I love to come inside you and make you mine over and over again.”
The possessiveness in his words drove her to the precipice. When his cock probed her entrance and sank deep inside her pussy, Ashton climaxed a second time. He growled and drove deeper. Still pumping as she came, Trip held on to her hips to control his thrusts.
“Again, darlin’, again,” he said.
Her entire world was reduced to that moment in time. She focused on the man sl
iding his cock in and out of her pussy. The scent of sex permeated the air, and the sounds of their bodies slapping together filled the tiny room.
Friction built to a crescendo inside her body. She threw her head back and surrendered. His cock drove up into her body to touch that one spot, the magical spot that magnetized her whole being.
Trip growled and thrust hard. “I’m coming.”
She felt it happen. The pulsating heat of his seed spilling deep into her body was exquisite. He thrust hard, and she snapped like a rubber band. She climaxed a third time, her muscles straining hard as the undulating waves of release overtook her.
She would have collapsed to the tile floor had he not scooped her into his arms. He cradled her close. “I’ve got you.”
There was no more worry about being too much of a load for him to carry. Ashton simply didn’t care. She felt warm, sated, and loved beyond her wildest dreams. Not bad, as far as Christmas presents went.
Chapter Twelve
December 25—24:45 hours
Trip loved the way Ashton burrowed as close to his body as she could. She pushed her rounded backside against his groin. Despite the fact that he’d been inside her less than an hour before, his cock began to stir. He pulled the duvet closer and sighed. Now was not the time, but he could wait. He had all the time in the world.
The bedroom was warm and cozy. In the orange glow of the streetlamps outside, he could see nothing but a white blur. The snow had started again not long after midnight passed. This would be St. Louis’s first white Christmas in years.
“Maybe I should just stay home while you go have Christmas dinner with your family.” Ashton threaded her fingers with his. “I don’t want to be the cause of a Jerry Springer Christmas episode.”
He understood why she would say such a thing. The idea of surrounding herself with his family’s holiday drama had to be completely foreign. “You’re part of our family, Ashton. We want you there. I want you there.”
She took a long while to find exactly what she wanted to say. “I’ve never had a big Christmas dinner like this one before.”
Clan McKinloch: Stars, Stripes & Xmas Bells Page 10
