In one swift move, I sit up and pull Romona on top of me. I realize now that she’s still got her panties on. That just won’t fucking do. I grab them and pull, instantly hearing a ripping sound. Thank the gods that she wears the lacey, delicate kind.
I lift her up off me just slightly so I can slide into heaven on earth.Ffuucckk. “Damn, baby. You always feel so amazing every fucking time.” I can tell she’s close too because I don’t get any words back in response, just a deep, long moan. I reach up and pull down her pesky bra that is in my way. I reach up and grab a handful in each hand, moving my left hand to pinch her nipple slightly, like I know she enjoys. “Ohhh. I’m so close.” Fuck me. “So am I, Love.” She’s barely moving, but it’s just enough to keep me on the edge, creeping closer every moment to the point of no return.
I look up at Romona, and at that exact moment, she opens her eyes and looks down at me with so much heat and love that I’m almost overcome with emotion.
I thought back in high school, I loved her, and I did, but it was the young, almost surface-level love. The kind that doesn’t plunge the depths of your soul. This love we have now? It’s the kind that continues into Valhalla, and I’m here for it. I pull Romona down toward me, the need to kiss her overwhelming. I pull her to me and kiss her with everything in me. She breaks the kiss and throws her head back as she comes, sending mine rushing over me as I spill into her. For just a split second, I wish I could impregnate her, but then I remind myself we get to spend our retired years together and get something even better than kids together, and that’s grandkids. They really are the gift that all the years and trials of parenthood reward you with.
Romona starts to move to climb off me, but I’m not ready for her to move just yet, so I reach down and grab her hips to stop her. She looks at me in question. “Just enjoying this moment a little longer, my love.” I can tell by her expression that she’s studying me. “You look like you went somewhere else for a second. Everything okay, Captain?”
I can’t help the smile that she brings out. “First off, I’m not a captain anymore, just your man. Second, I just had a fleeting moment of wishin’ I could get you pregnant, but I reminded myself we get the best of it with grandkids now. We get to spoilthem, have fun with them, and—” She finishes my sentence for me. “We get to send them home and have our peace too.” She gives me a kiss and a smile back. “I’ve had that fleeting thought before, too, but then we have a moment like this, and I’m reminded that because we’re grandparents and that isn’t an option anymore, we get to do this whenever and in whatever room we want. I’m more than okay with that.” I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Romona moves, and I slide out of her, causing an involuntary moan to come out of me. She gets out of bed and heads toward the bathroom. “We may be able to do it whenever we want and wherever, but we’ve got a bunch of them coming over and they’ll be here before you know it!” She’s right. I know we need to get up and get ready, but I’ll be damned if we’re not going to shower together first. Merry Christmas to me.
I’ve got the pizza ordered and the mugs out for hot chocolate after dinner. Romona is busy getting throw blankets out for everyone to use when we watch the best Christmas movie ever.
This tradition started back when I was still on active duty and the boys were young. Hell, I think Shelby must have been only a year or two old. We were stationed in Georgia, and it was the first Christmas we weren’t gonna be able to come back home. Lani grew up only a couple of hours away from here, so she thought of this area as home, too. Anyway, we were stuck inGeorgia, and to us, the weather definitely didn’t give us the holiday spirit, so instead of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with all the fixings, we decided to start our own tradition for the night. Lani was not the best cook, and it wasn’t something that interested her greatly, so she was all for the idea of pizza. We kept the tradition of hot chocolate, and I showed them the movie. Lani hated it, so she only let it play once a year, allowing me and the boys to enjoy it. I don’t know if Shelby even really likes it or likes the tradition more.
The first Christmas after Lani passed, I wasn’t sure if we should continue it, but the kids didn’t even let me question it. That year, all of them showed up at my front door in their pajamas with pizza and hot chocolate mix in hand. Zack and Jack were just toddlers and crashed out early, but it was a big reminder that we were still a family. Although their mom was no longer here on earth, it didn’t mean we should stop living and carrying on with things.
I get that Shelby was worried that we would stop when I moved in with Romona, but she is adamant that traditions are important and we should keep them, especially since her family celebrates Christmas Day, and we did this on Christmas Eve.
Since Lani has been gone, Christmas Day usually has me or Thomas grilling something, with Shelby helping with the sides. Luke came when he could get home for Christmas, but that day was pretty low-key. Brett usually went to his family, whileTrent was often out on a ship somewhere. The kids usually spent the day playing with their new gifts. It was always nice, but it definitely lacked the tradition of the night before. This year, with the combination of traditions, I hope my kids, along with Mick, can accept it, and going forward all of it will becomeourtradition.
My phone rings, interrupting my thoughts. I look at the phone and see it’s Thomas calling me. “Hello, son. What can—” Thomas interrupts me. “Zaria is missing! I can’t find her anywhere.” Immediately, I start looking for my keys and put him on speaker. “Where are you? When was the last time you saw her?” Thomas, sounding frantic, answers me. “We’re fucking at home! I was getting things together to come over. The boys are here, but when I called for her, she didn’t answer. She’s not in her room, in the treehouse, or any of the spots she likes to go. I saw her about thirty minutes ago when she was deciding which PJs to wear over there. Do I need to call Uncle Jeremy?”
Romona hands me my keys and tosses me my jacket as she gets hers on. “Not yet. We’re on our way. Call your brother and sister. We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.” He tells me he’ll call them and hangs up.
We both hurry out of the house to my truck and get in without a word. I peel out, going faster than I should, but fuck if I’m not gonna fly over there. I hear Romona on the phone, making a few calls while I concentrate on driving.
I make what normally is a ten-minute drive in six minutes. As soon as we pull up, we both hop out. I barely remember to shut the engine off. As we both hurry up the front walk, I hear a roar that I have learned all too well.
Thomas opens the door, and he looks past Romona and me. His eyes get big momentarily, but then his focus is back on me. “Brett and Trent were both out shopping separately, but checked their trucks and are on their way home.”
Romona speaks up and asks a question I would have never thought of. “What were you talking about with her today, or maybe right after you thought she was out of earshot?” Thomas answers her, but I don’t hear what he says as I turn around and see Micah, Jameson, Juan, and Jon getting off their bikes, and a truck is parking behind them. Jonah, Grant, and Ry hop out of the truck. Jon steps up first. “Let’s find her. Why don’t we all start here and comb through all the outside property first?” The brothers all spread out, and I ask Ry to check the treehouse with the boys. They have a decent-sized front and backyard with a couple of sheds. The brothers all spread out, looking in every nook and cranny. I know she wouldn’t have wandered away. We’ve had multiple conversations about that in the last couple of years. She knows not to go anywhere with anyone she doesn’t know.
We’ve all been looking for at least ten minutes when another truck pulls up and out jumps Mick, Madison, and Shane. Jonand Juan just came back around the side yard and are walking up to us when Madison stops Jon. She steps up and taps her brother’s arm. “While you guys keep searching out here, I might have an idea.” Juan looks down at her and asks the question we all want the fucking answer to. “Speak the fuck up, sister. Where do you think she could be?”
Madison bites her lip and then spills it all out. “She was talking about her dad being so busy with work and her brothers, and how sometimes she thinks he forgets to smile and only sometimes forgets about her. I told her that was not the case at all.” She looks over at Thomas. “I know we don’t know each other that well, but I know enough to know that you don’t forget about her at all. I also know what it’s like to be a little girl who just wants time with her dad. I told her about what I used to do as a kid. I—” before Madison can finish her sentence, Romona must remember because she runs into the house shouting Zaria’s name. “Zaria! Zaria! Sweetheart! Come out!” We all follow her, letting Thomas take the lead because I’m not sure which way my woman went. Madison squeezes past all of us and asks Thomas, “Which room is hers?” As soon as he points it out, she runs that way. Thomas looks over to me to see if I know what the hell is going on, but I haven’t a fucking clue. Jonah speaks up. “Did you look at the back of her closet?” Thomas shakes his head. “No, why would I?” Jonah smiles as we hear Zaria’s voice with Romona and Madison.
“What my little one told your little one was about when she was her age, she used to hide in the closet when the house got too noisy or when she wanted some time with me, but didn’t know how to use her words to ask for it. She would hide in the closet with one or two books. I would find her and spend the next half hour or so reading to her. Your little girl is a lot more outgoing, but I have a feeling she likes having time with you one-on-one more than she can express, especially at her age.”
I watch Thomas take in what Jonah just said as he heads into Zaria’s room, the sound of her laughter floating through the air. Jon gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Glad she’s been found. We’re gonna head out. Jane, Ma, Kierstie, and Nicky are watching the kids and are all worried about little Zaria. We’d better get back and let them know she’s found and safe.”
I nod. “Thank you guys for dropping everything and rushing over.” I follow them out to the porch to watch them leave. Most of the guys give a wave or a chin lift as they head back to their bikes to head out.
I turn around to find both Jonah and Grant, with their arms crossed, staring me down. “What?”
Jonah speaks up. “First, don’t ever forget that you and yours are family and that isn’t just for parties and shit. It’s like marriage, in good times and bad. We’re here for all of it. You’d best get that through your retired cop brain.” I nod because the urge to laugh at his trying to intimidate me is almost overwhelming.
Grant steps up next to Jonah. “Secondly, why are we just finding out from Linnea that Jeremy is bringing Millie to Christmas dinner? Are they datin’?” Jonah turns his head and gives Grant a confused look. “That’s not even close to what I was gonna say, brother. I think you’ve been hanging out with my woman a bit too much if that’s your fucking question.” These two can get going, and no one’s got time or energy for that right now.
“I just learned that this morning. I think he might have gotten his head out of his ass, but I’m not sure Millie’s believing it. I think he saw Christmas dinner as a safe bet that she would say yes since she and Jameson have been to Romona’s Christmas dinner before.” I need to go see Zaria with my own eyes. “I promise to stop by and give you an update and a play-by-play at church in a couple of days. You will have the gossip before Juan, Ry, or Saxon.” Jonah gives Grant a shove, and they start heading to the truck as Madison comes out of the house and says her goodbyes.
Within a couple of minutes, everyone has left, and Thomas comes down the hallway with a smiling Zaria in his arms. She’s got on a princess nightgown and slippers. She looks at me and gives me the smile that is the reason she has me wrapped around her finger. “I told Daddy I didn’t mean to hide so well. I’s sorry I scared you and my Mona.” She leans forward, and I take her from her dad’s arms and give her a hug. “All’s good, princess. What do you say we head over to our house and eatsome pizza and introduce your Mona to the bestest Christmas movie?” Zack and Jack blow past me with Jack looking back. “Come on, Grandpa! Dad just said Uncle Luke is there, and the pizza just arrived. Pizza is waiting and I’m starrrvvviiinnggg.” Romona comes up next to me with a big smile on her face. “You heard the boy. Let’s go.” Time to get this evening back on track. Romona squeezes my arm as we walk toward the truck. “Maybe now you’ll tell me what movie you guys watch every year. I mean, it’s Christmas Eve after all.”
Thomas comes up to grab Zaria to put in his SUV. “It’s the classic and time-honoredA Christmas Story. Leg lamp and all.” It’s moments like this that make me question why I had kids. But then I remember what I got my grandkids for Christmas, and I know we’re more than even. “Thanks for that, son. Let’s get going. I think there’s a bunch of candy and cookies at the house that need to be eaten.” The kids all cheer, and Thomas glares at me as I open the door to my truck for Romona. “Well played, old man, well played.” Let’s get our celebrating on.
CHAPTER SEVEN
