by Mary Abshire
“It’s nice out here. This town looks like one you’d see in a Norman Rockwell picture,” Matt said.
The old buildings were side by side and holiday decorations covered every one. Even the lamp poles looked historic. The few trees on the outside of the sidewalk had been decorated with clear lights. With light snowflakes falling, Matt’s description was accurate.
They rounded a corner and Emily noticed the flashing lights for an old theatre across the street. The sign displayed tickets on sale for an orchestra playing on Christmas Eve. An SUV with rock music blasting inside approached on the street. Both men watched as the vehicle passed by.
“AC/DC?” Andrew asked.
“I think so. ‘Thunderstruck’,” Matt said. “We listened to a lot of metal when I was in the service.”
An idea sprang into Emily’s mind as the two talked about music. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra often toured during the month of December. Emily wondered if they might be performing in DC, Baltimore, or New York for the holiday. All three cities weren’t too far of a drive. Talk about a Christmas night the men would remember if the band was playing and she acquired tickets.
Andrew squeezed her hand. “Not much of a rock fan?”
“Huh?” She snapped back to the present. “It’s okay. I like a variety except country and rap. You know that.”
“Make sure our child steers clear of the two,” Andrew said.
“Oh, I will,” she said.
A block later, they reached the Square. Couples and families were coming and going while others were dressed in winter coats with hats covering their heads sat on benches near the large Christmas tree. Many were holding cups. Emily’s fingers on her left hand tingled from the cold. Andrew’s heat kept her other digits warm. As soon as she stepped inside the large brick building a heat wave engulfed her and she welcomed it.
“Oh, wow,” she said as she marveled at the bright lights and holiday decorations. Another tall tree stood in the center behind a small white fence. A little train circled the tree. Looking up, there were multiple levels of shops. She’d read in a magazine at the hotel the ice rink was outside in the back, surrounded my more shops and cafés.
“Should we start at the top and work our way down?” Andrew asked.
“Uh, yeah,” she said.
People crowded the escalators on each side. To the left, Emily spotted a see-through elevator on the way to the main floor.
She tugged Andrew’s hand. “Come on.”
They reached the elevator as customers exited. A family of four stepped in once everyone had left. Emily, Andrew, and Matt entered last. She stayed to the side, away from the family with two kids in a stroller. Since they looked the same age, she suspected they were twins.
“Good thinking,” Matt said as the doors shut.
“I think I saw one on the other side, too,” Andrew said.
The elevator stopped on the second level and the family left. Emily unzipped her jacket. Matt and Andrew followed her lead. In little time, they reached the top floor.
Emily stepped out and headed toward the shops. There were so many to choose from. On the other side she spotted a scrapbooking store. She definitely wanted to browse inside it. When she’d been looking at the ultrasound pictures in the car earlier she’d come up with an idea to put a bunch of photos in a small album for Andrew. He couldn’t take it with him, but at least the pictures would be protected and he could flip through the pages as much as he’d like instead of having them in a Ziploc bag.
Andrew gripped her arm, bringing her to a halt. “What do you think?” He pointed to the jewelry store.
“You know I don’t wear much jewelry,” she said. “Besides, we agreed not to buy gifts.”
Andrew sighed heavily.
“You don’t actually expect him to honor that agreement, do you?” Matt asked.
“We’re not materialistic people.” She looked at him. “Are we?”
When Andrew didn’t respond, she added, “I’m happy to spend the holiday with you and Matt. That’s good enough for me.”
“I want to look in the store,” Andrew said.
“Go ahead, there’s greeting card shop on the other side. I’ll check it out. Text me when you’re ready to meet,” she said.
Andrew looked at Matt.
“I’ll go with her,” Matt said.
“Thanks,” Andrew said.
Emily gave Andrew a kiss before she walked away.
Matt strode beside her. He slid his jacket off his shoulders. “You know he wants to get you a gift.” He draped his coat over his arm.
“I know, which is why I’m getting one for him, too. But mine is more handmade. Sort of.”
Matt chuckled. “You remind me of my sister.”
She glanced at him. He’d never mentioned his family before. In fact, he hadn’t spoken about his childhood days much. Most of his tales were of times when he’d been in the service.
“Is she younger or older?” Emily asked.
“She was younger.”
“Was?”
“She died when she was ten.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Emily’s curiosity rose while he remained quiet. She wanted to know what had happened and more about his childhood, but she didn’t want to upset him. But she’d noticed Matt wasn’t the type of man to share details unless asked.
After she entered the scrapbook store, she searched the signs above the aisles. She found the one listing photo albums and headed for it. As luck would have it, not many people were browsing in the shop.
“Mind if I ask what happened to your sister?” She slowed her gate as she reached the aisle.
“It was a car accident.”
Emily stopped and faced him. “You haven’t shared much about your family before.”
“There’s nothing good to share. My parents were real losers. My dad was gambler and my mom drank like a fish.”
“Where did you grow up?”
“In a town outside of Dallas.”
“How old were you when she died?”
“I was fourteen. She had a sense of humor like yours. She was stubborn and strong willed, too. Even though we had crappy parents, she was tough girl with a great heart. She stood up for me and I did the same for her. It took me a while to get over her loss.”
“So what happened?”
“One night my mom was drunk when she was taking my sister to a slumber party. My sister hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt when my mom ran into a pole.”
Emily lifted her hand to her mouth. “Oh, Matt…”
“My dad blamed my mother, of course. He stayed away from us as much as he could. I don’t like to drink much because I saw how it changed my mother. There was a time when she was good and she loved us. But times got rough because my dad gambled. She changed and loved the bottle more than anything.”
Emily swallowed hard and nodded. She’d seen firsthand what drugs had done to her best friend, Libby, in Chicago. They eventually killed her. So many people turned to drugs or liquor to escape the pressures in life.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Matt. I know we haven’t spent a lot of time together before, but I hope you know I consider you a brother. You’re family to me and Andrew, and soon to our baby.”
“Thank you for letting me stay and be a part of your family. You two are the nicest and most caring couple I’ve met. You know, when I reached eighteen, I joined the army to get away from all the negative influences in my life and to do something good. I later went to the Marines to find a purpose to my life. I think I did for a while. But once I was done serving my country, it was like a fog had clouded my path. I was the same person, but I didn’t see my purpose, if that makes any sense. Then the two of you opened my eyes. I know what I’m supposed to do now. I’m more than ready to help you and serve as a father figure for your child.”
Moisture filled her eyes. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. “You are such an awesome brother.”
“God broug
ht us together for a reason. I believe it, and so should you.”
She let go of him and sniffled. “I do. It’s taken me a while to believe, but I do now.” She wiped a tear as it escaped.
For many years she’d lost faith in religion and God. She stopped attending church when she’d been fourteen. Like most people, she got caught up with outside influences. Troy had been a dear friend to her and had helped her be a strong person, but he’d involved her in illegal actions, which could have landed her six feet in the ground. After she’d seen Andrew destroy a demon, she started to rethink things. She had known evil existed in men, but she hadn’t known demons were real. She hadn’t believed hell existed. Heaven seemed like a fantasyland people needed to believe in. But once she’d realized the truth, she decided which place she wanted her soul to avoid. It took Andrew to wake her up and reveal her purpose in life. She’d saved lives by helping him. And while she’d almost been raped and killed a few times, she didn’t regret any of her actions to prevent a demon from harming others. Moreover, she was ever so grateful God had sent Andrew because now she’d experienced love. Without any doubt now, God had a hand in everything.
“Crap, Andrew’s going to be upset if he sees I made you cry,” Matt said.
She chuckled. “It’s my hormones. They are beyond crazy. I don’t know what’s worse, being a crybaby all the time or a psycho lunatic.”
“I vote for the crybaby. I’m not sure I could handle the other.”
She grinned. “Thanks for sharing with me.”
He lifted a shoulder while he shifted his attention to the shelves in the aisle. “So what are you looking for in here?”
She took a deep breath as she refocused. “A small photo album. I want to put a bunch of pictures together to give to Andrew for Christmas. He loves looking at the baby photos. I thought I’d print off a few of us from my phone and add them.”
“Oh that’s a great idea.”
“Yeah, so something small, nothing bigger than a hardback book.”
He studied the shelves and started down the aisle. Emily browsed the other side. Relief and joy swelled within her again. She had two incredibly generous and compassionate men in her life. The world needed more like them. More than ever, she wanted their Christmas to be the best. As soon as she could get a moment alone, she’d have to search for tickets to a show they would enjoy.
Chapter Seven
“Well, I thought today was a very productive day,” Emily said.
Andrew turned out the light in the bathroom before he walked out, dressed in nothing but a pair of green boxer shorts. He found her lying on her back in bed with the covers pushed down under her feet. She wore a red baby-doll outfit with a ‘V’ neckline to accentuate her breasts. His eyes and cock approved of the outfit.
“Glad you think it was.” He stretched out next to her and put one arm behind his head, on the pillow. The light from the television created a glow in the room.
Emily rolled onto her side and put her hand on his chest. “You don’t think it was productive?” She circled her fingertip around one of his nipples.
Her delicate touch gave more life to his erection, but he didn’t give in to his desire. “It could’ve been better.”
“Why do you say that?” She pressed her body to his, her breasts to his chest. Her blue eyes met his. “We had great sex in the shower. The doctor’s appointment went well. I gave you a blowjob in the car. We had a good dinner. We spent time browsing at the Square. You gave me a fantastic orgasm in the shower a little while ago…”
He brushed her bangs to the side of her forehead. “All good things.”
“Then what’s wrong? You’ve been a little quiet this evening and you don’t think today was productive.”
He took in a deep breath. He couldn’t hide his frustration any longer. They’d spent almost two hours at the Square and he still couldn’t decide what to surprise her with for the holiday. “I want to get you something for Christmas, something nice and sentimental. But nothing stands out. Everything seems so … insignificant.”
She scooted closer and pressed her mouth to his. “You’re all I want for Christmas. Don’t you know that?”
“You got something for me. I know you did.”
“Okay, I’m working on something, but it costs less than twenty bucks if it makes you feel any better.”
“I don’t care how much it costs. I thought we agreed not to give gifts.”
“I think we both need to admit we can’t honor that agreement. You just said you wanted to get me something, so you’ve been planning as much as I have.”
He grumbled and shifted his attention to the television past her. “It’s not fair that you’re giving me something and I have nothing to give in return.”
She placed her hand on his cheek. “Look at me.”
He moved his gaze back to her.
“I don’t need anything but you. If you feel you have to get me something, than it doesn’t matter what the gift is. I know it will come from your heart. Don’t try to impress me with something expensive or fancy. I’m not that kind of girl. You know that. If you got me some fuzzy stuffed animal, I would be fine with that. Just pick a cute one.”
She brought a smile to his face. She always could no matter what kind of mood he was in. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight pressed to his body. She gave him another kiss.
“I just wanted to get something special for you to remember me by,” he said.
“Maybe you’re overthinking this gift idea. Keep it simple.” She ran her fingers into his hair.
“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I don’t have much time to find something.”
“You can have all day if you need it. Go with Matt. I’ll stay here. I can relax, watch some TV, and do some research on the web. I don’t mind hanging out in the suite.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t mind if Matt and I spend some time shopping?”
“Of course not.”
Her words gave him hope. If he could go back to the Square, he could probably find a gift for her. Based on what she’d said, he had a few ideas now.
“What are our plans for Christmas Eve, anyway?” he asked. “If we’re not doing much, I’d like to go to Mass at midnight.”
He’d noticed several Catholic churches in the area while they’d been in town. It was common practice for them to have late-night Mass on Christmas Eve.
“We could do that. And I have another idea. I wanted it to be a surprise for both of you, but I have to check to see if the band is even playing nearby.”
She piqued his curiosity. “What band?” he asked.
“They’re called the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They’re a rock band and every Christmas they put on this stunning show. I think you two would enjoy it, but I’m not sure if they’re playing anywhere close enough for us to see them. I need to check in the morning. I wanted it to be a surprise…” She lifted a shoulder. “To heck with it.”
He leaned his head forward and claimed her lips. “You’re amazing and so creative.”
“If I can’t get tickets I guess we can just have a nice dinner and go to Mass. It will still be a nice evening with the three of us together.”
“You’re right.” He brushed her damp hair with his fingers. “We can have a nice time being together.”
She merged her mouth with his. When she slipped her tongue inside, he welcomed it with loving caress. His length grew, along with his need to have her. He slipped a hand under her lingerie and rubbed her back while his other hand groped her ass. She brought her leg up and around him. He moved his hand lower and squeezed. The lace bikini was so thin his fingers felt the heat from between her legs. Of course, he wanted her even more now.
She broke the arousing kiss and sat upright. Saying nothing, she gripped the edges of her top and then lifted it over her head. He marveled at her breasts while she tossed the lingerie. He sat up and claimed both girls with his hands. They’d filled out a little more in the last few months. He coul
d imagine how scrumptious they would be closer to her due date.
“You’re so beautiful.” He pinched her erect nipples between his fingers.
She placed her hands on his chest and slowly brought them up until she cupped his face. “I want you. I need you.”
He would never tire of hearing those words from her. Crazed with desire, he locked his lips with hers. He sucked on her tongue and she let out a soft moan. She slipped her fingers into his hair again, but this time she grazed her nails over his scalp. Hot need coursed through him from her touch, her sounds, her desire to get closer to him from the way she thrust her breasts into his grasp. She was everything he needed and would ever need.
He slid one hand between her legs. Heat and moisture penetrated her lace panties. Soon he would be penetrating her.
She pried her mouth from his. “Undress.”
Before he could get a word out, she climbed off him and rolled onto her back. She hurried to push the red bikini down her legs. Andrew followed her lead, lay back, and then shoved his boxers off. His thick erection sprang forward. She climbed back on top of him before he had time to kick the shorts away.
“I want to ride you,” she said as she wrapped her fingers around his length.
Her touch sent another jolt of desire through him. “Ride me as much as you want.” He smoothed his hands over her thighs.
Slowly, she lowered onto him. Her warm depths were so slick and snug. She began rocking her hips, taking him in and almost out. He couldn’t resist her jiggling breasts, so he captured and squeezed them. Biting her lower lip, she steadily increased her movements. His body flamed with need, enamored by her desire. He lifted his groin as she came down on him. He slid deep inside her again and again. She held his hands over her tits. He squeezed her perky buds, and she moaned. Her passionate cries drove him crazy for her. She ground into him faster. The pressure in his balls became too unbearable. He needed relief, but he refused to allow it until he felt her come first. His heart thudded as she endeavored to claim what she needed. She was so beautiful, so passionate, and he was ready to burst.
