Chapter Three
Carter
My pulse thunders as I stare at the ornament. It blends in well with the lights reflecting off it, a delicate brass filigree wreath with a small brass bell-shaped plaque hanging from the center of it and engraved with something that makes me want to throw back my head and howl with victory.
Owen leans in to read it.
“Baby’s First Christmas?” he says aloud. “It’s…it’s cute, sweetie, but it’s not Tommy’s first Christmas. And they got the year wrong.”
My gaze cuts to Susa’s as I struggle to hold back my laughter. Her lips are pressed into a thin line as she also tries not to laugh.
“Waaait for it,” I snark, and she claps a hand over her mouth.
“I don’t get it,” Owen says, looking at me, then Susa, his brow furrowed in an adorable way I know will remain embedded in my memory forever.
He’s tired—we’re all tired. It’s been a long day, and none of us are bringing our A-game.
“It’s fornextChristmas,” I gently say when I can finally speak without laughing.
Over the hand still covering her mouth, Susa’s blue gaze is locked on mine as she gives me a tiny nod.
“Next Chri—” Owen sucks in a gasp as his eyes widen.
“Theeeeerehe is,” I say, which is lost in Owen’swhoopof joy.
He turns, grabs Susa, and lifts her off her feet, spinning her around and making her laugh.
My adorable pets.
“We’re having anotherbaby?” he screams.
She nods. “August.”
Tears roll down his cheeks while Owen kisses her. This time, I do pull out my phone and snap a couple of pictures of them together. Just for us, obviously.
It’s not often one gets to capture unadulterated joy.
They’re going to be a moment, so I also take a picture of the ornament before I gently remove it from its hiding place on the tree and set it on my phone, which I put on the coffee table before I join my pets.
I wrap my arms around them, closing my eyes as my own tears finally break free.
Best.
Christmas.
Ever.
“Sneaky damn girl,” I finally say. “When did you find out?”
“Yesterday,” she responds when Owen eventually quits kissing her and lets her speak. “I’m almost positive it happened the night of the election.”
Which would make sense. After we returned to our hotel suite following her victory celebration, we put the boys to bed and then made love. She rode Owen like a show pony while I fucked her from behind. I blew my load and cleaned up, and even after she rode one out of Owen, she got him up a second time. Then it was happy trails for them both while I lied there next to them and they took turns kissing me as they fucked.
It was gorgeous watching them together, knowing how happy Susa was in that moment, meaning my boy was happy, too.
Then Owen and I got to sleep in late the next morning while she headed out for interviews with Dray, meaningIwas happy. We cooked breakfast with the boys and spent the day relaxing, watching TV with them before we packed up and headed back to the Brandon house, where Susa joined us that evening. We had a family dinner, swam, put the boys to bed…
And that night, the three of us collapsed before any of us could work up enough energy to try to talk the other two into some fun.
