Z eke wrapped his arm around Ember’s shoulders, pulling her to a stop .
“I k-know you're on a mission, but j-just stop for a minute and look around .”
With a dreamy grin, she nestled under his arm. “I know. I was talking to Dad about this earlier. I can't believe how very lucky we are… blessed .”
Drew played over by the Christmas tree with Mercy, Chad and Lora’s little girl. The two of them had their heads together, dark and light. They’d become fast friends, even to the point of sending secret messages to each other via cell phones they’d snagged from their parents .
“I d-d-don’t know what they’re brewing up, but it looks important .”
Ember looked up at him with a grin on her mobile face, and he wondered for the five-millionth time what he’d ever done to deserve her. Her left hand was curled protectively beneath her chin, engagement ring hidden .
Anxiety pressed at him. “Is the r-r-ring okay ?”
Ember turned to him and cupped his gnarly face in her soft palms. She’d never minded his scars. “My ring is beautiful, and exactly right. I would have chosen the very same .”
He leaned down to meet her kiss. Normally, he was a little more sure of himself, but an engagement ring was such a big thing. “I t-t-took Chad with me to choose. Since he’d al-al-already done it. Dragged Duncan along with us, t-t-too .”
Her dark eyes smiled up at him. He loved how they creased at the corners when she smiled up at him. Hell, who was he kidding —he loved everything about her .
“It will take me a little while to get used to it. And I already worry about the stone. I can’t help it .”
She shrugged in the cage of his arms and leaned her head against his chest. Again, Zeke wrapped his arms tighter around her, wishing they were back home so that they could celebrate .
“Don’t worry about the stone, the ring’s insured. Hey, think we can s-s-sneak back to the office?” he whispered .
Ember looked at him, a scandalized look on her face. “No, we can’t go back to the office,” she hissed. “You are so bad !”
But her cheeks had flushed, and he knew if there weren’t thirty other people in the bar she would let him tug her back there. Happily .
When the party started breaking up, he wasn’t too concerned. It had been a nice party, but the weather was moving things along. Drew’s eyes were heavy lidded, and he would be a bear in the morning. Actually, since tomorrow was Christmas, maybe he wouldn’t be .
Zeke thought of the work he had to do yet tonight. ‘Santa’ had gotten Drew several items that needed to be assembled. He had at least a couple hours of work ahead of him tonight… hmmm, maybe his dark-haired elf could help him .
By the time they’d waved everybody out and readied the bar for the next opening, the night after Christmas, it was creeping on toward midnight. Drew dragged his feet on the way to the truck, and was asleep in his booster seat within minutes. When they got to the house, Ember moved to wake him but Zeke shook his head. “I’ll carry him in .”
Drew didn’t make a sound as he was carried into the house and up the stairs to his room. Zeke laid him upon the mattress softly, and he didn’t rouse. He pulled the little sneakers off, and the lights in the soles glittered in the dark room as they thumped to the floor .
Zeke shook his head. He’d have killed for kicks like that when he was a kid, no lie .
Ember took care of her son better than she did herself. Her work shoes would fall apart before she bought herself new ones. He understood that she’d gotten used to saving money when she’d been living alone, but jeez .
Drew could sleep in his jeans and T-shirt tonight. More than likely he’d be up in just a few hours anyway. Tucking the Captain America sheets and comforter around him, Zeke pushed to his feet .
Ember passed him in the hallway, grinning up at him as she hauled a black plastic trash bag full of toys toward the front room. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips .
“I’ll be down in a m-minute .”
She nodded, tiptoeing on down the stairs .
Zeke headed to their bedroom, feeling tiredness dogging at his heels. After working all day, then catering the party, the last thing he wanted to do was stay up for hours putting together crazy ass toys for the boy. He had asked Ember why they had to do it, and not Drew .
“Well, some of them he will want to put together himself, but others he’ll want to start playing with right away. Like the bike .”
Zeke glanced out the window a little dubiously. He would put the bike together, but he had a feeling Drew wouldn’t get a chance to ride it for days yet. The slime-green toboggan Zeke had gotten him, on the other hand, would be used immediately if the forecast for more than a foot of snow was correct .
He retrieved the bike box from where he’d hidden it in the garage and turned on the forced air heater to warm up the space. Within just a few moments the heat was rolling, and he’d dumped all of the parts onto the concrete floor .
What a freaking mess …
The bike itself ended up being pretty easy to put together. It was the assorted extra plastic parts that made him curse a blue streak. The pieces were supposed to turn the bicycle into a motorcycle wannabe. It did end up being pretty cute, even though it was a trial, and he knew Drew would love it .
Ember ducked her head out the door. “How are things coming on your end ?”
He stood, stretching his back. “Okay, I think .”
She looked at the small pile of hardware on the floor at his feet. “Are you supposed to have extra bolts like that ?”
“Yes,” he growled .
“Well, when you bring it inside I’ll have something to warm you up .”
He looked up at her and wiggled his eyebrows .
She laughed lightly before disappearing inside again .
Zeke sat back down on the stool. There were a lot of stray parts. He started going through the directions again. If Drew got hurt because he hadn’t read the damn papers right, he’d be pissed at himself .
That was what he’d learned he needed to do as a father. He took his step-dad status very seriously and once he and Ember were married he would start the adoption process. Drew was an amazing little dude. Cute like his mother but a little strong willed, bullheaded even, like his granddad. Zeke shook his head with a chuckle. What a combination .
When he wheeled the bike into the house, Ember was there waiting for him. She grinned when she saw the frustrated look on his face .
“What’s wrong ?”
He shook his head, unwilling to admit that he hadn’t found a place for all the parts he’d had left over. He’d ended up putting them into a little cubby for later. The TBI he’d suffered when he was wounded affected his reading but Drew’s safety was more important than his pride. If anything started wobbling on that bike, he’d ask one of the guys at work who was handy to help him rebuild it .
Ember gushed over the bike, as he’d known she would. Hell, he could have put together a damn bow and arrow and she would have gushed, because she was just like that. She supported everything he did and made sure he knew it .
“Do you think he’ll l-l-like it ?”
She quirked a brow at him. “Are you kidding? I think he’ll love it. I think he’ll love everything we got him. Well, other than the clothes .”
Zeke knew she was probably right, but he still worried. This was his first real Christmas as a dad and he wanted everything to be right .
“Hey,” she said, stepping close. She cupped his rough face in her hand. “Why are you stressing? He’s six . I guarantee you he will have an epic Christmas .”
Zeke smiled down at Ember. She was totally right. “Okay. What’s next on the list ?”
Grinning, she stepped back and held her hands out to her sides in a cute pose. “Me .”
A surge of heat rolled through him. “I get to do you ?”
She giggled and nodded, reaching back to pull the ponytail holder from her long, dark hair. “I’ve always had this dream of being unwrapped under the tree by the man I love, my fiancé .”
“Well, then,” Zeke told her seriously. “I consider it my s-solemn duty to fulfill that wish. How would you l-l-like to be unwrapped? Top to bottom? Bottom to top? I can go slow and unwrap carefully, or just rip all that clothing off q-q-quick .”
Ember giggled and turned to toss a blanket and a few pillows on the floor. “I think quick and dirty gets the job done tonight. We’re both a little tired .”
Zeke widened his eyes, “Oh, I’m fine now .”
“There will be a little boy knocking on our door in just a couple of hours, though .”
He winced, knowing she was right. Stepping behind her as she flung out the blanket to straighten it, he cradled her against his front. She shivered as he nibbled kisses down her neck. He reached around her front and started unbuttoning buttons, but she stilled his hands. Turning in his arms she whipped the shirt up and over her head. Zeke automatically looked down, then blew out a breath in surprise. Wow , her tits looked fucking awesome in that pretty green bra. “Can we leave this on? You look like a m-m-illion bucks in this .”
Ember grinned, brushing her breasts against his chest. “You like this, huh ?”
Zeke cupped her hips, letting her feel the instant erection she’d sprung him into .
“Oh, yeah …”
Even as tired as he’d been a couple of minutes ago, his heart began to thud heavily in his chest. Ember got his blood going like no one else ever had. Or ever would .
Zeke knew she was the woman for him, he had known it for a year now. It had been easy to give her the engagement ring earlier tonight. Actually, once he’d gotten the thing in his hands three months ago, it had been hard to keep it from her. But he was glad he had waited until tonight. Proposing in front of all their friends would be a memory they’d both cherish .
The metal on her finger was cool as she cupped his rough face. “I love you,” she whispered .
“I love you too, babe .”
She spun away from him, hips swaying back and forth as she crooked a finger at him to follow. Which he did, with a laugh and smile, unbuttoning his flannel shirt as he walked. Her eyes heated as he began to undress, and he loved that fire in her eyes. Never would he have imagined seeing that look on a woman’s face again. After he’d been blown up in Iraq, his face mangled by the concrete wall, he hadn’t been comfortable out in public. His looks had changed drastically .
This past year he’d decided that he was about done with the reconstructive surgeries. They were so stressful, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well; and not just for him but for Ember and Drew, too. He was pretty content with where he was now. No, he’d never win any beauty pageants, but he appealed to the only woman that mattered. And Drew didn’t seem to care at all, though the boy had to recognize how different he was from other dads .
Ember stopped in the doorway of the living room and posed, hips cocked, breasts up. God, she was gorgeous. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders .
Zeke drew close and reached out to run a finger over the swell of her right breast. She backed away from his touch and glanced pointedly above her. A small sprig of mistletoe had been hung from the doorjamb .
“Did you d-do this?” he laughed .
He knew she had, but he loved the playful expression that lightened her face. “I did. I want to start some new traditions just for us. And I know that in general it’s just a nuisance plant, but it’s meant to be a good luck charm for a long married life .”
He smiled at her. “I think it’s a fabulous idea .”
Reaching out, he wrapped her in his arms. “I love you, Ember, you are my whole world. I know I tell you th-th-that all the time, but I really m-mean it .”
“I know you do, babe .”
The acceptance and encouragement in her eyes fed his soul like nothing else could. And the need he could see in her expression encouraged his body. Zeke finished unbuttoning his flannel shirt, and dropped it to the floor. Then he did the same with the T-shirt he wore beneath .
“Are you sure little man is out ?”
She grinned at him, her straight white teeth gleaming in the shine from the Christmas tree lights. “Totally. And Dad won’t be over till later tomorrow. He’s staying with Karen .”
Zeke leaned back to peer down into her eyes. “How do you feel about that? Seems kind of sudden to me .”
Ember smiled, her eyes calm. “I think it’s fine. I know they haven’t been together long, but they seem right together. He’s been alone for a long time, and it seems only fair that if my life is evolving his should be able to as well .”
Yes, that was very true. In the past year their lives had changed dramatically. And Hank’s had, too. Hank had snapped around Christmas time last year, sending Ember to the hospital after hitting her in the fog of a flashback. It nearly broke her heart to do it but Ember had him arrested, it had been the best thing she could have done. Hank had gone to jail for a couple of days, then the judge sentenced him to counseling for his PTSD. And over the course of the year, Zeke had seen him change into a different man. Hank laughed more and seemed open to everything. His relationship with Ember had blossomed, as well as with his grandson Drew. Zeke felt privileged to be a part of his healing .
The relationship with Karen had kind of come out of the blue, though. Hank had come home from the bar one night and said that he’d met someone. He’d been flushed and sweating, but there had been a masculine excitement in his eyes that was undeniable. Like Hank, Karen was a Vietnam Vet herself, having served in the Army as a nurse in the field hospitals. She was a calm, solid woman with a playful streak that balanced Hank out perfectly. It seemed very natural that they were together; like Zeke and Ember, they fit .
Now, Hank had practically moved in with her .
Karen’s grown children were coming home for Christmas, and this was the first chance they would have to meet Hank. His father-in-law to be was looking forward to meeting her family but a little nervous, too. Zeke hoped all went well for them .
So, their house was quiet – their little mouse was all snug in his bed, and Zeke had a beautiful, half dressed woman right in front of him. He glanced up at the mistletoe. “I’ll kiss you under the m-m-mistletoe, but I don’t think it will matter. I plan on having a l-long, loving life with you for many years to come — the rest of my life .”
Ember’s expression softened. “I know you do. It’s not like I’m ever going to let you go,” she laughed .
He took her mouth in a seductive kiss and gathered her into his arms. Ember was the best armful of anything he’d ever held. As she looped her arms up around his shoulders, her breasts pressed into him even harder .
Need surged through Zeke. He reached down, cupped her delicious ass in his broad palms and lifted her up to eye level, grinding his erection into her. “There. We’ve sealed this mistletoe deal before Santa caught us .”
Giggling, she shivered in his arms, her thighs widening to accommodate him. “Take me to the couch,” she whispered .
Zeke thought that was a damn good idea. Turning with her in his arms, he went to the couch and lowered them down onto it, Ember still straddling his hips. With a quick kiss she pushed away from his heavy chest and stood before him to wiggle out of her jeans. Then, with a saucy pose, she shimmied out of her panties. She let him look for a long moment, then walked toward him with a sway in her hips .
Zeke unbuttoned, then unzipped his fly, pushing his jeans down his hips but not off. He still wore his boots, but he didn’t want to take the time to remove them .
Ember pushed his knees apart and lowered herself to the floor in front of him, looking at him up the length of his body. Anticipation slammed through him. He knew where this was going and the thought of the pleasure he was about to feel whipped through him .
Yup. There she goes .
Ember pulled his underwear away and wrapped her mouth around him in one smooth movement. Zeke was glad he was sitting down because all of the blood left his head in a rush, heading south .
To her mouth .
It was epic .
Damn. Rocking his head back against the couch, he looked at the ceiling, counting peaks of stucco. He needed to do something to try to control his response to her talented mouth, otherwise this was not going to last long. They were a year into their relationship, and he still responded to her as if this was their first time, every time . Ember had admitted that it was the same for her, this excitement and wonder .
Maybe because they kept doing things like this .
Ember wanted him focused. With a squeeze, she made him look down at her .
“Do you know how much I love you?” he asked her, his voice gruff .
She quirked a brow at him, as if to say ‘you’d better’ , and he chuckled. Then she did something with her fingers under his balls and he lost all coherent thought. He could feel the orgasm building fast, but he let her go until he was right on the edge. Then, clutching her upper arms, he pulled her up into a kiss .
Ember moaned at not being able to finish him, but he didn’t plan on letting her be disappointed long. “You can f-f-f-finish me in a minute .”
Leaning forward into the kiss, her wrapped one arm around her back to keep her still, then felt down around his bunched jeans until he found her silky skin where she leaned into him. She gasped against his mouth as his fingers travelled down, pausing at the small patch of hair at the apex of her thighs. Then, very carefully, he pushed down further, using one finger to part her wet folds .
She moaned as he brushed over the focus of her pleasure, the little bundle of flesh so small beneath his big, male fingers. Zeke had practiced bringing her to climax this way many times. It was an art, this gentle manipulation. With the smallest of movements he began to pet that tiny little bundle of awesomeness .
Apparently, he was mastering the art of pleasing her pretty well. Ember tried to pull her mouth away, but he kept her tight to him, kissing her thoroughly as he continued to ever so carefully direct her body. She gasped and began to pant, her hands coming up to clutch his face as her body surged against his hand. Zeke felt her abs contracting against him as she worked herself against his hard finger .
Their mouths still touched, but they were merely breathing each other in as her pleasure built. And when she did that high, little cry of release and her body began to convulse against him, melting into his hand, he took her mouth to swallow that cry. He had given her that pleasure, and he felt justified to take it inside himself .
Ember sagged in his arms, but her slight weight was never a burden. Rather, it was a gift that she gave him, that trust .
He let her catch her breath for a few seconds, but his body demanded release. When he shifted, she seemed to know what he wanted. Cupping her ass in his strong hands, he lifted her up as he shifted his hips to the edge of the couch. Then he set her down perfectly over his straining cock .
Her orgasm had left her sopping wet, and as that heat enveloped him, he clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. Ember braced her hands on his chest and shifted once up and down before a secondary orgasm rippled through her .
Zeke did gasp then, because he felt every tiny wave as her body tightened around him. Hands clenching on her hips, he pulled her down against him. They were skin to skin, almost bone to bone, they were so tight and Ember began to grind against him .
Zeke dragged in another breath, his big hands on her hips, controlling her movements instinctively. But she had a goal she was working toward, he could feel it. She wanted another orgasm .
Tilting her pelvis forward, more in line with his own, he positioned her so that every movement rocked her clit against his hardness .
Unfortunately, what felt good for her felt just as good for him, and the ball of heat and expectation in his groin built to the point he couldn’t contain it any more. With a mighty lunge, muscles straining, teeth bared, he let the pleasure take him over .
Ember cried out as she felt his release and he thought he felt her come again as well, but his mind had gone blank. Then he heard her cry out, and she was tightening around his cock once more .
Oh, fuck …
For several minutes, they just panted and drew oxygen back into their lungs. Ember curled up on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, happy to have her on his heart .
“Merry Christmas to me,” she whispered. Then she looked around, a little dazed. “Guess we didn’t need the blanket and pillows .”
Zeke blinked and glanced down at the pile of bedding on the floor that they hadn’t gotten to. “Nope .”
Then, gathering his strength, he pushed up from the couch, setting Ember gently on her feet. While she headed to the bathroom to clean up, he gathered their scattered clothes and tossed them to the laundry room floor before heading to the master bathroom. Ember’s gaze lifted to his as he stripped off the rest of his clothing and climbed into the shower with her .
“I love you,” he told her softly, gathering her to his heart .
“And I love you,” she whispered back .