AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We walked into the huge, fabulous kitchen that opened into a big great room, where everyone was mingling and having a good time already. I took in all our friends and the little ones all dressed up. Our group was so much fun and we loved spending the holidays and a lot of time together. I was glad that even with the changes and everyone having their own families, that it hadn’t changed that.
Within a minute, Embry was rushing toward us, but where she usually wrapped herself around me, this time, she headed straight for her Uncle Landon. Stopping directly in front of him in her Disney princess, Belle costume, fromBeauty and the Beast, she looked up at him with pleading eyes you couldn’t resist and asked the question I knew would be coming as soon as she had seen the baby room.
Once I had told everyone about what Landon had done, they all had come to see the mural. Embry was enamored with the room and her uncle, who could now do anything in her eyes. Not to mention, for the very first time my husband’s talent was exposed, and our friends were flabbergasted that he had been hiding his artistry away.
“Uncle Landon,” Embry started in her cute little voice. “Can you draw me a picture on my wall for Christmas?” She looked back at her parents as if a thought had just come to her and then she added, “Not that I don’t love my room mommy and daddy did, but I really want a pretty picture like the ones you know how to do. Pretty please?”
“I think I could do that for you, Princess,” he said to her, looking pleased and honored.
She squealed and hugged his legs tight and then with enough energy that you would think she just drank ten red bulls, Embry raced around the room telling everyone what her Uncle Landon was going to do, even though they had all heard the conversation.
Her brother, not one to be left out and who adored his big sister, tried following. Hudson was walking, but not steady on his feet, so he couldn’t keep up and kept falling to his knees. But he was giving it his best, dressed in an adorable lion costume.
My eyes landed on all the food and my stomach growled. Landon chuckled from beside me and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the smorgasbord of dishes that looked heavenly. Everyone looked great and we ate, took a full tour of the house, and laughed among friends.
The whole gang was there, Jurnee’s parents included. They wouldn’t miss a second they could spend with their grandkids. When they adopted Jurnee, it turned out to be the best thing for so many people. Not only Jurnee and her adoptive parents, but also Summer, and I because they brought her into all our lives.
After spacing off while I took a trip down memory lane, I was brought back to the moment when a loud whistle ripped through the room.
I should have known it was Kace. It was his signature sound that could grab the attention of a whole football stadium. As everyone stood with their attention on him, he said, “Gyth and Summer have an announcement.”
All eyes swung to the happy couple standing together, Gyth’s arms wrapped protectively around his wife, his head resting on the top of her head. The man was a beast and damn tall. “Sunshine, you tell them,” he said to her.
What the heck was going on? She looked happy, so I didn’t think it was going to be bad news. And when Summer finally told us, everyone in the room erupted in cheer.
“Well...” She paused, taking a deep breath. “You know how I have been battling with my health over the last year and am finally getting things under control and managing it. We decided not to mess with that and how much my body could handle, so Gyth and I have been looking into adoption. We didn’t want to say anything because it can sometimes be a roller coaster of a ride, but there is a five-year-old, sweet little boy who needs us, and we have started the adoption process to make him part of our family.”
I was ecstatic for them. This was incredible news. Everyone else felt the same way, gushing and hugging the happy couple. Then Embry screamed, “Yay, we are going to be best friends!” Everyone chuckled as they usually did when it came to the little girl and her adorable enthusiasm.
After that, Jurnee’s parents volunteered to stay at the house so someone was there to hand out candy, as the doorbell had already been going off non-stop and the rest of us walked with the kids around to the houses close by in their housing development. It was hilarious to see the looks our large group got, with the big bad men, and us all dressed up, as we walked two kids around.
My overprotectivehusband—it was crazy sometimes to still call him that—wouldn’t stop worrying about me walking around and kept asking if I was okay. I swear if I’d let him, he would have carried me the whole way or put me in one of those red, wooden, Radio Flyer wagons.
Anything as long as I was off my feet.
I couldn’t deny once we had finally gotten back to the house that I was tired and being off my feet felt good the moment I sat down. We stayed for a while but were the first to say our goodbyes. I was ready to fall into bed with my man. And even as tired as I was, I knew sleep wouldn’t come first.
Not with him next to me.
* * *
LANDON
It was a great night.
All these memories we were making together were something I had wanted for so long. We had them before and then they were gone. Years apart when we could have had so many more. But we were not looking behind us, just ahead. And the fact we were doing it with all our friends and family made it even more special.
A moan interrupted my thoughts and I looked at Alley. We’d gotten home, changed and climbed into bed. As soon as she said that her feet hurt, I offered to rub them for her. She didn't hesitate to turn the opposite way on the mattress and plop her foot in my lap. And if the sounds coming from her were any indication of how much she was enjoying her massage, I’d say she liked it a whole hell of a lot.
“That feels so good,” she said, moaning again.
Sliding my palm up the inside of her thigh, I said, “I know something that would feel even better.”
“I don’t know, Pretty Boy, this feels pretty darn good.”
“I’ll show you good,” I told her in a husky tone. Touching Alley always fueled the fire that burned inside me for her.
And when my hand reached the vee of her thighs and brushed across her black, lace panties, I could tell she was about to go up in flames at just that one touch. Her words confirmed it.
