The Christmas Wish

by Maggie Marr

  He unhooked the front clasp of her bra. His hand cupped one of her breasts while his fingertips circled her hard, pebbled nipple. His eyes roamed over her bare flesh. “Brinn, you’re beautiful.”

  His hand slid down to the front of her jeans, and she lifted herself onto her knees. He unbuttoned them and then lowered her zipper. His other hand slid down her back and under her jeans until both of his hands were cupping her ass.

  ““Damn, baby, every bit of you turns me on.” He pushed her jeans over her hips and then tilted her forward and tugged them off her body.

  She sat back up and rolled her sex against his hardness. Naked. She needed him naked now. She stood and knelt beside him, her hand scrambling with the button and zipper of his jeans. She got the denim off his body. His cock was swollen beneath her and she wanted him. She wanted to feel his hard and swollen maleness. She took him in her hand and stroked up the long base. She leaned down and pressed her lips to the throbbing vein at the base of his cock.

  “Oh, Brinn,” Tyler hissed out over his teeth.

  Her wet lips opened and her tongue caressed up the length of his member. Her hand stroked behind her lips. She squeezed and pulled. Her tongue circled the head until drops of pre-come came from him and she licked. The salty, rich taste of him gave her pleasure. She wanted to take all of him. His head was pressed back against the couch pillows and his eyes were half-lidded. She licked her lips and then opened her mouth and pulled the head deep into her mouth before pressing her lips all the way down to the base of his cock. She cupped her hand around his balls.

  His fingers wove into her hair and his whole body tensed as though he held tight to his control. “Oh God, yes, Brinn.”

  His cock reached to the back of her mouth, and she opened her throat to him. She swallowed, taking all of him. She suctioned around him and pulled her lips tight.

  “God, Brinn, baby. Yes, baby, yes.”

  His hips arched. She slicked her lips back down to his base, sucking harder and pulsing harder and faster. She pulled her lips back, her hand still milking his cock. His head fell forward and his eyes, Tyler’s beautiful eyes, remained locked on her.

  “You have no idea how fucking beautiful that is.” His breath was shallow, as if a wire had been tripped. His hips bucked forward and his cock pulsed into her mouth. She sucked harder and pumped faster. She was ready, she was willing, she could take all of him. He was so close she could feel it, his hips thrusting forward and back. Her hand pumped along his shaft.

  “Baby, Brinn, I’m going to—”

  The hot jet of come shot into the back of her throat, salty and thick. She swallowed and swallowed again, taking all of him. Her lips still worked along his shaft. He twitched and trembled, his breath coming in short pants. When she got to the head of his cock, she licked around the entire head and softly slid the head of him from her mouth.

  His palms clasped her cheeks and he pulled her up to him. His lips were on hers. He stood and pulled her upward and lifted her. “Baby, I need you.” His lips were insistent and her legs grasped around him. He carried them to her bedroom, where he pulled back the feather duvet and laid her on the bed. His cock was already coming back to life, ready for her.

  “Baby, you turn me on like you can’t believe.”

  He pressed over her, his hands on either side of her. His lips grasped hers and he kissed her with a hard, greedy kiss, then opened her legs with his knee while his finger massaged her clit. He bent down and his lips were on her clit, his tongue rolling over the engorged flesh.

  “You’re wet for me. I love how sucking my cock made you wet for me.”

  He pulled her clit into his mouth and caressed the tiny bit of flesh with his tongue. Her body convulsed.

  “I want to feel you inside me.”

  He pulled his mouth from her clit and pressed upward. His eyes locked onto her. The head of his cock slipped into her and he pressed forward.

  “So tight, so wet. Damn.”

  He twisted his hips, increasing the pressure against her clit as he was deep inside her. She was so close she would go over the edge. He pulled his hips back, his cock barely inside her entrance, then pressed his thumb to her clit and circled.

  “Harder.”

  He pistoned in and out. He pressed against her clit, taking her to the edge. Her pussy grabbed and squeezed and Tyler let out a hard growl. He thrust and thrust and thrust, losing all control as they careened over the edge.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Tyler finished his sketches of the two versions for the Grande’s expansion, one version with an additional two hundred acres. He’d meet with Annalise and Mr. Morgan after the first of the year. He’d also signed a lease for office space on the same block of Main Street as Bea & Barbara’s Bakery.

  Christmas Eve Day arrived with the Emerson house bustling with activity. Mom was in her best Christmas mood. She wore her bright red apron with a picture of Mrs. Claus on the front. The tree was packed with presents wrapped in silver and gold foil wrapping paper. Charlotte was bouncing off the walls. She and her cousins ran through the house at warp speed from kitchen to living room to kitchen again, each of them barely able to wait for the arrival of Saint Nick.

  “We’ll all be back from the Grande around eight.” Tyler sat on one of the kitchen stools and peeled potatoes while his mother checked her slow-cooking prime rib.

  “I hear you came to terms on the Lansing place.”

  Tyler set the peeler down on the cutting board. He hadn’t wanted to tell his parents about him and Charlotte moving into their own place until after the holidays.

  “How did you hear about that?”

  Carol closed the oven door and turned to her son. A grin decorated her face. “Have you forgotten this is a small town?”

  Tyler glanced at the ceiling.

  “Beverly Diehlman is best friends with the mother of Lisa Toscow—”

  “The realtor I’ve been dealing with.”

  Carol pressed her finger to her nose. “Right.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I wasn’t going to say anything until after the holidays. I’m going to do some renovation, and well, I didn’t want to upset you and Dad.”

  “Oh sweetie, you’re not going to upset us. The house is three houses down. I couldn’t be happier. Give you some space of your own, and I can still waddle over any time day or night. I’m thrilled about it.” Carol turned toward the refrigerator and opened the door. She pulled out a glass bowl filled with cookie dough. “I heard you were particularly interested in renovating the kitchen.”

  Tyler blanched. His heart thumped in his chest. There were some secrets he didn’t mind getting out and some secrets he definitely, for now, wanted kept quiet.

  “I found that particularly interesting since my son doesn’t seem to ever really want to cook.” Carol cocked and eyebrow and leaned over the marble counter toward Tyler. “Unless this is a new hobby you’re taking up?”

  “No, I uh…”

  “You’re thinking of Brinn? The future? With her?”

  He couldn’t ever keep a secret from Mom. “I am.” Tyler nodded. “But she doesn’t know it. I told her I was looking at the Landry house.”

  “But you haven’t mentioned that really you’re buying it for the three of you?”

  Tyler shook his head no.

  Carol smiled. “I can’t imagine a woman alive who wouldn’t be thrilled over a surprise like that. Especially one who looks at you the way Brinn Bartoli does.”

  Tyler’s heart swelled in his chest. “I love her, Mom.”

  “I know.” Carol pulled her rolling pin from the long kitchen cabinet. “I probably knew before you did.”

  Mom knew a lot of things.

  “Your father and I have spoken with Kent. We asked him to reach out to Brinn before tonight.”

  Tyler looked down at the potato in his hand. “I’m still pretty pissed at him.”

  “And you should be, but here’s the thing—your little brother has never been in love. Lu
st yes, but not love. He still sees relationships as a game. He reminds me of your father’s younger brother.”

  “Uncle Mike?”

  “Your Uncle Mike was kind enough to tell your father my nose was too big for my face and that my hips were too wide, and just within earshot of me. You can best believe there was as scene very similar to the one between you and Kent. Someday Kent will fall in love and he’ll understand what an idiot he’s been, but until that happens, it’s our job to try to keep him in line. I know he feels bad for what he did, and while you don’t’ have to forget it, Tyler, you do have to forgive him. He’s young and stupid.”

  “You talking about Kent?” Tyler’s dad stood at the back door, his head and shoulders covered in snow.

  “How’d you guess?” Mom pulled the dough from the glass container and sprinkled flour onto her marble counter.

  “Luck, I guess. Anyway, I got your butter, your cream, and your extra bag of ice, though with the weather the way it is, not sure why we needed ice. Could have just gotten one of those icicles hanging from the roof.” Roger walked into the pantry.

  “Grandpa!’ Squeals and the patter of little feet as the girls ran through the kitchen. “We’re having a Christmas tea party in the playroom—will you come?’

  “Well of course! A Christmas tea party, how could I miss that?” He pulled his boots off and followed the girls.

  “Ladies, after I get these cookies baked and cooled, we’re going to decorate. Got it?”

  “Got it, Grandma!” Ashley called.

  She and Grace each pulled at one of Dad’s hands while Charlotte pushed him from behind. They all exited the kitchen.

  “I tell you, I couldn’t be happier that you two are home and I couldn’t be happier about you and Brinn.”

  “Charlotte loves her too.” Tyler leaned forward and pulled an envelope from his pocket. “You know about this, right?”

  Tyler slid the letter across the counter to Mom. She unfolded the paper and put on her reading glasses.

  “Oh, my precious girl. So smart. So sweet.”

  “A wish for her mommy and a wish for me, that I keep Brinn because she makes me so happy.”

  “What about Charlize? Anything?”

  I’ve called and e-mailed and I’ve gotten no response. I’m pretty pissed off.”

  “Tyler.” There was a warning note in Mom’s voice.

  “What? She’s not only blown off her daughter for six months, but she just canceled a trip that Charlotte has been looking forward to since her mother canceled the trip last summer. It’s been nearly seven months since Charlotte saw her mom, and now who knows when she’ll see Charlize? Right? I mean. come on. I have a right to be pissed.”

  “Sweetheart, the Dumont family has never been known for being touchy-feely. They are beautiful people to look at, but crazy and cold on the inside. At least Charlotte has you, and now she has Brinn and she will always have all of us. It’s more than a lot of children get. It’s not perfect, but what is? I mean, you’re here and she’s surrounded with love. Do I wish she could see her mother too? Of course. But I know she’s going to have the best Christmas that you, me, and the entire family can give her.”

  Tyler stood and took the pot of potatoes and put them on the stove. He turned toward Mom. “I love you, Mom.” He pulled her into a hug.

  “I love you too.” She squeezed him tight. “Now get out of her before I start crying. Go to that Christmas tea party in the playroom. Those three little girls will be happy to have you.”

  *

  “I just can’t get my head wrapped around your dating Tyler Emerson.” Deborah, Brinn’s younger sister, sat on a tall stool beside the giant table in the center of the bakery’s kitchen. Ma, Dom, Alison, and Brinn swirled around Deborah like elves at the North Pole.

  Brinn walked toward the oven with the final tray of sugar cookies that she would bake today. The bakery would close for Christmas Eve in about two hours; however, she wanted to bake and decorate one final batch. These sugar cookies were special—they were princesses. She was going to decorate one for Charlotte, Ashley, Grace, and Deborah’s daughter Lucy, who was with Nonna.

  Deborah was not known to be a hard worker. She was more of a display piece. She was pretty to look at, but with little to no function other than to brighten a room with her knockout good looks.

  “Well, we are dating.” Irritation at her sister’s comment flamed through her. She shut the oven door a little harder than necessary.

  She really didn’t feel the need to explain to Deb Tyler’s reasons for dating her. Her own sister couldn’t see all she had to offer a man? That said a lot about Deb and how Deb truly viewed her older sister. A raw ache claimed Brinn. She’d been through this with Ma and Tyler’s brother Kent, and she simply didn’t want to go through having to defend who she was to her sister too. What was wrong with these people? She was an entrepreneur, a hell of a woman, and really kind of hot. Definitely not a Barbie doll, but a real woman with curves and a warm smile.

  “It’s just Tyler always seemed to have a type. You know, kind of like…” Deborah’s voice trailed off as though she couldn’t say the name.

  Brinn turned to her sister. “Charlize? You can say her name. Doesn’t bother me. She was Tyler’s high school sweetheart, his first wife, and she’s the mother of his daughter. They’ll always have a relationship. They have a child together. I get it. But you know what, Deb? She’s pretty to look at, but the woman has some problems. She hasn’t seen her daughter in nearly seven months.”

  “Oh my God. Seven months? That does not sound like the Charlize Dumont I was friends with.”

  Brinn held her tongue. Charlize’s behavior might be unfamiliar to Deborah, who had been a JV cheerleader and had idolized Charlize’s varsity and older-girl status, but to Brinn? Charlize’s behavior fit perfectly with the girl she remembered from high school. Unless you lived in the upper crust of the high school social strata, Charlize was cold and aloof, only able to think of herself and her own wants.

  “Hey, Brinn,” Alison called from the front of the bakery. She stood in the doorway, her hair a bright Christmas red peeking out from beneath the Santa hat on her head. “There’s someone her to see you.” Alison’s gaze landed on Deborah, who was lounging on the stool drinking her coffee. “You know, Deb, we’re slammed out front. I could really use your help.”

  “No problem.” Deb flashed her brilliant smile. “Be there in a minute.”

  Alison looked at Brinn and Brinn shrugged. What could she say? Deb was pretty, but she definitely didn’t know a thing about hard work.

  Brinn passed through the doorway and into the front of the bakery. “Who’s here?” Her gaze went from Alison to the front counter. Her heart bounced in her chest and her lips pressed into a thin line.

  Really? Not the person she wanted to see, but probably a necessary part of her Christmas Eve.

  “Hi, Brinn. Do you have a minute?” Kent Emerson smiled that cocky smile that he’d always used to get himself off the hook.

  “Sure, but just barely. You know Christmas Eve is our busiest day of the year.”

  “Oh.” Kent looked around the bakery, as if realizing for the first time that there were things going on around him. A giant line, workers bustling. “Yeah, sorry. Probably not the best time.”

  “Nope.” Brinn walked out from behind the counter and toward a table in the far corner. She pulled out a chair and sat.

  “I came by to apologize.” He sat at the table across from Brinn.

  “Okay.” Brinn waited as Kent tilted his head. Did he believe that simply saying those words was enough? That he didn’t need to say anything more? That his presence and attempt to be repentant should assuage Brinn’s hurt feelings?

  He squirmed under her gaze. Had no one ever expected anything from Kent before? That he act like a decent human being. Had he truly skated through his entire life on his good looks and the good will of his family name in Powder Springs? Yeah. Probably. Wow, very similar to the
woman now lounging in the kitchen beside the oven on the busiest day of the year.

  “Riiiight. What I said the other night at the family dinner. I don’t think I meant it the way you took it.”

  “Really? You didn’t mean to say that I was a Volkswagen bug and Charlize was a Maserati?”

  Kent sat back in his chair. “No, well… That’s what I said, but… but what I meant was that I was just surprised that after marrying Charlize, Tyler would choose you.”

  “This is your apology?”

  “What? I was, I am. I mean, it’s just hard for me to get my head wrapped around it. Not because I don’t think you’re nice, and probably really good for Charlotte and you obviously make Tyler happy. But come on, Brinn. You and Charlize? Completely different types of women. You’re utilitarian and she’s high maintenance.”

  “I can’t believe they let you out of the house with that mouth.” Brinn’s voice contained no anger. How could you be angry with stupid, which was just exactly what Kent was.

  “Kent!” Deborah rushed toward him and gave him a big hug.

  “Deb, babe, you look great. Long time! So good to see you.” He circled her in his arms. Brinn rolled he eyes toward the ceiling. Yes, of course, here she was standing on the outside of the beautiful people.

  “Have a very Merry Christmas.” Kent flashed Deb his pearly whites and walked toward the door.

  “What was that about?”

  “He said some things at the family dinner that I overheard, and they weren’t kind. Brinn didn’t even want to share with Deborah for fear that she’d agree with Kent.

  “He’s always been a douche bag. Even in school I always wondered how such a selfish person could come from such a great family. I guess there’s always one. Except for our family, we’re just lucky that way.”