Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
I roll onto my side and reach for a stray lock of hair lying across his eye, gently pushing it back, and freeze when he stirs and mumbles nonsensical words. I quickly move back, anticipating what comes next, just as his foot shoots out, missing my hip by a hair’s breadth. He tosses himself onto his side and sighs, settling. “Oh, you beautiful little thing,” I whisper, shuffling closer to him, unable to stop myself from gently stroking his cheek. Listening to him breathe as he sleeps, watching him, brings back a long-lost sense of peace. I move back, getting more of his strewn little body in my sights, and reach for his hand, brushing across his fingers with the pad of my thumb, staring at the cute dimples where his knuckles are yet to develop. Pure hands that have done no wrong in this world. A mouth that hasn’t spoken hurtful or harmful words. A heart that knows only love, whatever kind it might be.
Clarity hits me, and it hits me hard, making my blood warm and my heart beat strongly. This is a life raft. He is my life raft. Because I’m scared to think about where I might be now if I wasn’t here with them.
Lonely.
Hateful.
Empty.
“I need to go talk to your daddy,” I whisper, reaching over and kissing his cheek. I hop out of bed and look down my front, wondering where the T-shirt came from. I lift it. And my knickers too. A vague, sleepy memory comes back to me—of Dec wrestling my uncooperative body to get me covered up. Anticipating the invasion of his bed by Albi.
I smile and head downstairs, pulling my hair up as I go. Dec’s standing before the open fridge when I make it to the kitchen, glugging down some orange juice from the carton. In his boxers. I take a brief, quiet moment to appreciate him. His back muscles undulating as he tips the carton, his hand holding the door open making the muscles in his arm solid. But most of all, I appreciate that I’m here with him.
Padding over quietly, I move in behind him and thread my arms through his, hugging his back briefly before kissing my way up to his neck, reaching up on my tippy-toes as he lowers his head and puts the orange juice back. “Morning to you too,” he says, spinning around and dipping, getting me onto his shoulder.
“Whoa!” I cry, cocking my head as I watch his butt cheeks tense and swell from his long strides to the island. His palm connects with my arse. “Ouch!” He bends and sits me on the counter, the cold stone sinking into my warm flesh which makes me sit up straight. Shiny orbs of mischief gaze back at me. “Yes,” I say before he can speak, sweeping my palms across his shoulders.
“Yes, what?”
“I said, yes.”
“What did I ask you?”
“You didn’t ask me. You demanded in a roundabout way.”
His head tilts. “Go on.”
“I want to be with you all the time.”
A discreet smirk tilts one corner of his mouth. “Go on.”
“You and Albi.”
His eyebrows lift, his smile more apparent.
“Here,” I add, letting my hands drift down his bare chest as his palms stroke their way onto my thighs. My nose scrunches. He wrinkles his in return.
“I’d ask what’s changed your mind,” he whispers, slowly bringing his mouth close to mine, making sure that by the time he kisses me, I’m frantic for it, “but I really couldn’t give a shit.” He takes my neck and holds me in place while he kisses me deep and hard, moving his body between my thighs. Things happen down below that shouldn’t be happening when I’m half naked on the island and Albi is within a mile radius, and judging by the deep, guttural rumble that emanates from the back of Dec’s throat, it’s happening to him too. But I take the moment, enjoying our closeness, no matter how long it lasts. We just have to keep it under control.
“Three more sleeps!”
“Oh my God,” I mumble.
“Fuck,” Dec hisses.
“Get off!” I shove him away and quickly slip off the counter, hearing the thumps of his little feet getting louder as he races down the stairs. I get myself on a stool and pull my T-shirt down my thighs as much as possible just in time for him to come bombing into the kitchen.
“Three more sleeps!” He runs laps around the island, my eyes following him until I’m dizzy. Blinking repeatedly, I find Dec, who’s got his front pushed close up to the counter. He looks in pain. I smile. He scowls.
“Albi, fella, slow down.” Dec doesn’t move. Can’t move. Those boxers aren’t hiding anything.
“Three more sleeps!” He screeches to a stop, breathless, and looks between us. “I want some Coco Pops.”
“You’d like some Coco Pops, please,” Dec says, correcting him. “Father Christmas doesn’t visit children who don’t have any manners.” He frowns to himself, peeking down his front, and I chuckle as Albi climbs up onto a stool next to me.