A Modern Love Christmas Read online

  “What’s with the crying? At an elementary Christmas recital?” Tahlia asks.

  I saw the tears and I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut. You’d think a girl she’s known most of her life would be, too.

  She’s still the same Lennon but it seems pregnant Lennon adds a touch of curtness and removes a slice of humor.

  Whitney cowers over to Tahlia, the two talking about the upcoming trip to Oregon.

  Brady runs out of the room with Bentley, the two competing on who will get to their parents first, and he plows right into Lennon’s stomach.

  “Whoa, you gotta be careful!” I scold Brady, pulling him back from Lennon.

  “Why?” he asks. Lennon still grasps at his shirt.

  I let go and she pulls him into her, placing a soft kiss to his mop of brown hair. Now I’m the one being scolded by Lennon’s narrowed eyes.

  “No reason. Your dad is just being protective.” Lennon places another kiss to the top of his head. “You did great.” She pulls him away from her, bending down to his level. “But, next time let’s try to sing at least a few chords.”

  Brady’s head falls and all the adults around us laugh.

  “Now, who wants ice cream!” Lennon being the awesome mom she is, changes gears swiftly.

  Brady looks up, his frown turning to a big smile. She swings her arm around his shoulders and everyone starts filing out of the building.

  I catch sight of Lennon’s purse where she left it on a nearby table, and grab it, following the pack. I’m halfway down the hallway when I realize, I can finally see the pictures of our new baby. Opening her purse, I dig around until I see the ultrasound pictures and pull them out.

  My footsteps slow, and I blink a couple of times.

  Baby A?

  Why would they label the baby with a letter?

  I flip it to the second picture. Baby B?

  Flipping to the third, my mouth dries and my stomach both nauseates and flips with excitement at the exact same moment.

  Baby A and Baby B?

  Two white circles, two black dots.

  Twins?

  We’re having twins?

  Cole

  I open the door to our condo, finding Whitney’s ass in the air and her head buried under the table.

  Lifting my phone, I snap a picture.

  “Ouch.” She rubs her head and snakes out, sitting on the couch.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, rushing over and pulling her into my arms.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “What are you looking for?” I ask.

  “The back of my earring.”

  I release my hold on her, falling to my knees, feeling through our rug that’s way to shaggy to find a small piece of metal.

  She giggles and the snap of her camera on her phone rings out. “Got you back.”

  I walk toward her on my knees, my hands parting her thighs, my body occupying the spot between her legs. Her eyes hood and her breathing rate increases. All signs that say, she’s ready for me to press her body into the couch with mine.

  “Let’s get going so we can pick the best bedroom.” My hands push up from the edge of the couch to stand, but she locks me with her legs.

  “I don’t care which bedroom we get.”

  I cradle her cheeks with both of my hands, pressing my lips to hers, dipping my tongue into her mouth briefly because a kiss without tongue isn’t a kiss when it comes to Whitney.

  A small whimper leaves her throat and instead of standing, I climb up the edge of the couch, directing her to move horizontal and lay back. I hover over her, careful not to crush her.

  My hands roam up her ribcage until I massage her breast over her too thick sweater. Our lips break and my lips travel the path down her neck, her hands sliding down my back. My dick joins the party begging for a quickie, but I have to use my real head in this situation. We have to get down to the car before…I don’t even want to think about it.

  “How about some highway head?”

  She smacks me on the arm, her hooded eyes narrowing.

  Unfortunately, we both know we can’t lounge around here, but we have a whole week at a cozy cabin in the woods and I’m not too shy to tell our friends I’m sneaking off to fuck Whit.

  Standing to my feet, I position myself and offer her my hand.

  “Whatever happened to my impromptu Cole?” she asks in a teasing tone and I roll my eyes.

  Walking to grab our shoes and coats, my foot lands on something small and uncomfortable. I bend down and sure enough, it’s Whit’s earring back. I pick it up, staying on bended knee and hold it up to her.

  Her hands shoot to her mouth as I pretend to propose. “You shouldn’t have!”

  I open her hand and place the back of the earring in it. She grabs it and fixes her earring. “You spent way too much.” She chuckles.

  Rising again, I pull her into my chest one last time. “You’re worth it.” I kiss her forehead and then smack her on the ass.

  “Ouch!” She pushes at my chest and then rubs her ass. “You’re so romantic, babe.” Her tone is sarcastic, not judgmental.

  “Let’s go.” Sliding my arms through the sleeves of my jacket, I look around the condo. “I think we have everything.”

  She does the same, swinging her purse over her shoulder. “Yep. I made one of Tahlia’s lists, so I think we’re good.”

  My eyes widen. “You used a list?”

  “Yep. Well, I lost it, but I committed it to memory, so we’re good.”

  She opens our condo door. Just then Sparky lets out a bark from the bedroom.

  “Shit,” she curses.

  “I think you’re missing the point of a list if you forgot the dog.” I laugh.

  She grumbles as she takes off to the master bedroom where I hear her open the door and issue an apology. When she returns, Whit is holding the dog in one hand and cradling him to her chest. She walks past me into the hallway without saying a word.

  “You sure you have everything this time?” I tease.

  “Don’t worry. I forgot nothing.” She taps her finger to her temple.

  I follow behind her carrying all our bags, pursing my lips. I love my girl, but she’s far from a threat to Martha Stewart in the organization arena.

  Once we’re out on the street, I open the door to my Jeep, a smile already playing at my lips.

  “Cole!” she screeches and both of her hands land over her mouth like they did moments earlier except this time it isn’t an earring back causing the reaction.

  Jasper

  “Do you think it was selfish of us to take Brady away from your parents for Christmas?” Lennon asks, with one eye closed while drawing on her other eyelid with eye pencil.

  I’ve stayed patient. Sat through ice cream after Brady’s recital, calculating how much a baby times two will cost. When I had Brady, I did everything on the cheap until I made something of myself. Hell, my parents kept him fed and clothed his entire first year of life.

  I’m not even upset that she’s yet to tell me because I had to wrap my head around the fact that our family is almost doubling in size in less than a year. Lennon and I will be outnumbered. I pray the reason she hasn’t said anything isn’t because she’s scared at what my reaction will be.

  I sit down on the edge of our Jacuzzi tub, watching her. Her eyes flick to mine through the mirror and I raise my eyebrows.

  Holding the eye pencil in her hand, she turns to me, but remains on the other side of the room.

  “You never showed me the pictures, what did Dr. Sun say?” I ask.

  She studies me for a moment.

  “You snooped?” she points the pencil at me, her jaw cocking to the side.

  “Why haven’t you told me?” I ask softly, opening my arms for her.

  She holds her ground, staying put against the counter. “I wanted it to be special.” Her voice holds a small whine.

  I emphasize my arms again, needing to hold her, needing to touch her belly.

  At a sna
il’s pace, with her head down, she moves forward.

  “I was searching for ideas on how to surprise you last night and this whole time you knew?”

  I nod.

  “I’m scared,” she says, water pooling in her eyes.

  I nod.

  When she’s close enough, I link my hand in hers, guiding her onto my lap. My hand caresses her cheek. “Me, too,” I admit and her head draws back.

  “Well, great, if we’re both scared, who is going to be the strong one?”

  “Brady,” I answer. She giggles, the tension leaving her shoulders.

  Her body falls into my embrace and I enclose my arms around her small frame, kissing her forehead.

  “It’s amazing news and if we weren’t scared, I’m not sure we’d be good parents.”

  She nods, her hand touching my cheek. “I blame my parents. They started this whole twin thing.”

  I chuckle. “This should scare the crap out of Jacob.”

  She laughs at her twin brother’s expense, her feet lifting off the floor. “He’ll never have sex again. Oh, I can’t wait to tell him the Hart twin thing is not skipping a generation.”

  “There’s a bright side.”

  “I think there’s a lot of bright sides,” she says, her eyes falling to her stomach.

  I place my hand on her belly, circling it around. “There’s a ton of bright sides to the fact our family is growing.”

  “We might have to move.”

  “We’ll definitely have to move.”

  “Brady might get jealous.”

  “Probably.”

  “The cost alone.”

  “We can afford it.”

  “Twins,” her voice waivers, finally losing the fight of all the unanswered questions and predictions.

  “Twins.” I sigh, content in the fact the woman I love is carrying two of my babies. “What did Dr. Sun say? Should you be off your feet?”

  She laughs, stands and points that pencil at me again. “Oh no, you’re not putting me on bed rest, buddy.”

  “I can’t wait until the hormones hit and you want to have sex all the time.” I follow her to the sink, wrapping my arms around her body.

  “How will that be different than now?” she asks, staring at me through the mirror.

  “Double the hormones, I might as well chain myself to the bed naked and let you have your way with me.”

  Her eyes crinkle. “You forget what I do for a living.”

  I shake my head, my teeth grabbing a hold of her earlobe. “We both know your inspiration might come from me, but those battery operated toys don’t even compare.”

  She turns in my arms. My hands mold to her hips and I plop her up on the counter. “Remind me again.”

  “Gladly.”

  Five minutes later, her palm is pressed to the mirror as her orgasm racks her body. Let’s see a battery operated machine do that.

  Lucas

  I bring in the last box of Christmas decorations and my head falls back to my shoulder blades.

  “Tahl, you’re going overboard.”

  She looks down from the ladder where she’s placing garland over the tall windows.

  “It’s Christmas, we need decorations.”

  “There was a poinsettia when we got here.”

  “A half dead one. Seriously, the guy who rents these out needs to invest in a woman’s touch.”

  Blowing out a breath, I walk over so I can at least hold the ladder. Her need to make every event a huge thing is a part of her I love, but it’s exhausting at times.

  The ladder wobbles on my way and I rush over, catching her before she falls.

  She lands in my arms, and her face morphs into that you’re-my-savior look that I’m addicted to.

  “My hero,” she says, kissing my cheek.

  “Let’s go make use of one of the rooms.”

  She glances to the boxes and up to the unfinished task of the garland half hanging down from the window. I gradually let her feet down to the floor and then climb the ladder myself to finish the job with the hope that I’ll get rewarded for my help before the others show up.

  She heads to the other boxes, pulling out lights.

  “Babe, I’m not putting up Christmas lights.”

  Her lips turn up. “I thought you and the guys—“

  “We’re on vacation.”

  She falls to the floor. “I want everything to be perfect.”

  I shake my head, climbing down the ladder, the garland hanging down the middle of the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out into the mountains of Oregon covered with snow.

  “It is perfect. We’re together. Our friends will be here soon. We’re going to have a week of fun and get to celebrate Christmas together.”

  I hold my hand out and she grabs it letting me pull her to her feet. “Come on. Let me show you why we came up here.” I wink and she falls into my arms like usual.

  “Ten minutes,” she warns as I lead her up the stairs.

  “Thirty,” I counter and she doesn’t argue.

  One place Tahl rarely argues is the bedroom.

  “I’ll let you undress me,” I joke, winking as we round the staircase.

  “Oh jeez, thanks babe.”

  I pull her into the game room and slam her back to the wall, my body caging her in, my gaze dipping down to her chest as her ragged breaths make it rise and fall.

  God, she’s gorgeous.

  “Kiss me,” she says, her fingers dipping into my waistband and pulling me forward.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

  The loving kiss turns frantic, our hands pulling each other’s clothes off, our bodies moving as one throughout the room until we fall onto the pool table.

  “Say your mine.” My hand slides down the front of her naked chest.

  Her one dimple indents. “I’m yours.”

  “Damn right.”

  Two hours later, the doors of the cabin open and a furry four-legged animal runs in and lifts his leg on the half dead Poinsettia.

  “No!” Tahlia drops the lights and screams. “Who brought a dog?”

  We both turn toward the front door, but only one of us is surprised by whose dog it is.

  Whitney

  I bite my lip and cringe over my shoulder at Cole.

  “Get him outside!” Tahlia screams at Cole.

  Sparky whines against his leash in protest that the little mutt gets to run around and he can’t. Cole unhooks him and Sparky chases after the other dog.

  “He’s not mine,” Cole says, walking down the steps toward a large gift basket on the counter. He eyes the selection before lifting a muffin and taking a good size bite. Like I never feed the man.

  “Whose is he then?” Tahlia’s eyes are laser focused on the dog’s movements, shifting from corner to corner.

  “Lucas, do you know whose dog that is?” I ask, sliding into one of the bar stools and grabbing a muffin. I lean in close, “told you this was a bad idea,” I whisper to Cole.

  “All I did was agree to bring the thing up here. You were supposed to keep him in the car until Lucas was ready.” He takes another large bite of muffin.

  “You failed to tell me that until I’d opened the Jeep door. The thing sprung from my arms like it had slinky legs or something.”

  He chuckles. “Slinky legs?”

  “Don’t judge. I thought you got us a second dog.” He turns to spy on Sparky to make sure he’s not doing anything crazy. Noticing he’s curled up in front of the fireplace, his attention returns to me.

  “I’ll buy you another dog if you want one.”

  “I don’t want another dog.” I spin the chair around to watch the show in front of me before I begin obsessing about not being engaged again. I’m not even sure why I want to be. We’re happy. Our life is great, so I really wish I didn’t fixate on a ring.

  “Lucas?” Tahlia is now on the other side of the room, her eyes glued to the small little puff ball in her fiancé’s arms.

  Yeah, yeah,
they got engaged four months ago.

  “You know they say that you should own a dog before having a baby.” Lucas holds the dog like a baby. I swear the dog purrs like a cat as he runs his hand down his back.

  Cole chokes on his muffin. “You’re pregnant?”

  Tahlia’s neck twists sharply to us. “No.” It twists back in Lucas’ direction. She crosses her arms. “Dogs are dirty.”

  “Sparky’s not,” Cole says. “Ouch!” He grabs his side.

  “Not our business,” I murmur.

  He rolls his eyes grabbing a cookie from the basket.

  “He’s cute. Hold him.” Lucas holds him out in the air, the dog fighting the distance.

  “What on Earth gave you the idea I have time in my life for a dog?” Tahlia crosses her arms.

  Lucas must have hit his limit on her stubbornness because he makes the first move and heads her way. She steps back, but runs into the bannister before she can escape.

  “Come on, he’s cute.” If I was him, I’d be saying bad idea, I’ll return the puppy.

  Tahlia’s features soften as they usually do with his persistence. “I have a business, we have a wedding to plan. I don’t have time to train a puppy.”

  Lucas ignores her arguments, holding the dog out for her to take.

  She stares at him and I’m unsure if she’s going to knee him in the nuts or hold the dog.

  Slowly her arms extend and Lucas places the dog in her arms. She stares down at it and then up to Lucas. “You’ll be taking it out at three in the morning to go to the bathroom.”

  Lucas glances to us over his shoulder, a cocky grin on his face, as if to say, ‘I know my girl.’

  I nod.

  Touché. Seems he does.

  “Deal.”

  Then Tahlia opens her arms and screams. The dog falls to the ground and Tahlia is pulling her now wet blouse away from her skin. Uh-oh, I think the puppy might be going back after all.

  Tahlia

  “What are you doing now?” Lucas comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach, nuzzling his face into my neck.