Chapter 32 Audrey
Chapter Thirty-Two
AUDREY
I walked up the stairs to Dallas’ family home, kicking the snow off my boots when I reached the door.
Fresh snow had fallen during the night, dusting the landscape with fairy dust. I stepped through the door, nudging it with my shoulder.
I had a large basket filled with rolls and pies.
Thea, being the whirlwind she was, had assigned various tasks for cooking today’s Christmas dinner.
We’d done most of the cooking and baking at my parents’ home because the kitchen here was empty from when they’d moved out.
After Dallas had shown up two days before Christmas, I had changed my plans when he asked me to stay.
Instead of visiting my parents, they were coming up here.
Thea and I had stayed up late last night cooking in our kitchen.
She’d carted the ham and a few casseroles here this morning to stay warm in the ovens, while I'd finished up the baking. The house had lost some of its empty feeling. The sheets had been pulled off the furniture. Dallas had left my parents’ house this morning to meet Noah and Ian here to shovel off the stairs and make sure the heat was working.
My mind spun back to another conversation with him last night. He’d made a passing comment that he wasn’t so sure we should do Christmas at their family’s home. I’d recalled Thea’s concern, which I shared, about how heavily their father’s actions had weighed on him.
“Dallas, it’s the best place for Christmas,” I’d said.
He’d started to roll his eyes, but I’d caught his hand in mine across the table. “Instead of letting him ruin everything you had, take it back. Thea wants to do this, so let her and enjoy it.”
He’d looked doubtful, but the tension had eased from his features. I was hoping today might show him it would feel better for them to enjoy Christmas here again.
I followed the sound of voices. Once I stepped into the kitchen, my mother spun around from where she was standing by the island in the center of the room.
This was a lovely old kitchen with tall ceilings, windows that let light splash in from the outside, and cabinets lining the walls with a massive island in the middle.
“Audrey!” my mother exclaimed as she hurried over, unloading the basket from my arms. I had made cheese rolls, along with a pumpkin pie and an apple cherry pie. My mother, Sarah, pulled me tight for a hug.
“Hey Mom, I’m so glad you and Dad could drive up today.”
Her silvery hair was wound into an elegant knot atop her head with loose tendrils hanging around her face.
Her brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile.
She tended to dress in rich colors, and today was no exception.
She had on black slacks with a wine red sweater.
When she stepped back, she angled her head to the side.
“So, Dallas?” she asked.
I felt my cheeks heat. “Not now, Mom. Okay?”
She laughed softly and leaned over to drop another kiss on my cheek. “It's okay. I think it's perfect. He called your father last night.”
Dallas had told me he wanted to call my father because he didn't want to hide anything. I had felt a bit strange about it, but he insisted he wouldn’t feel right not having everything out in the open. My father came meandering over and pulled me into a quick hug.
“Hi, dear,” he said gruffly. “Very good to see you. Before you ask, the drive was uneventful. The snow stopped early this morning in Massachusetts.”
My mother nudged him as Dallas walked into the kitchen from the back door. Dallas’ cheeks were ruddy from the cold. One look at him sent my pulse lunging and heat rolling through me. My body had no regard for where we were.
My heart squeezed in my chest. It was hard to believe yesterday I’d woken up still wrestling with how much I missed him and yet determined to accept it and move on.
In the span of twenty-four hours, joy and a sense of peace had fallen over me.
His eyes caught mine from across the room as he shrugged out of his jacket.
Noah and Ian were right behind him. All of the Tate siblings shared almost black hair.
Thea and Dallas shared bright blue eyes, while Noah had dark brown eyes, and Ian had piercing green eyes.
I tried to recall the last time I'd seen them all together. It had been years since the last holiday season before their father went to jail. I recalled Dallas had seemed out of sorts then. I realized now, he’d probably been deep into the financial investigation and might've already known of his father's involvement.
It was heartwarming to see them all together once again.
Noah glanced my way, flashing a grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hey Audrey. Long time no see.”
I stepped to his side, and he pulled me into a quick hug with Ian right behind him.
It was strangely familiar to be here. Our families had spent many holiday gatherings together.
The early afternoon passed quickly as we bustled around the kitchen.
By some miracle, Noah had finagled a television and the guys were watching football.
We were all scattered around the living room.
We’d eschewed a formal meal at the dining room table.
I was in the middle of a conversation with Thea and my mother when Dallas slipped onto the love seat beside me, his arm sliding across my shoulders.
A sense of comfort rolled through me, and I glanced up.
His bright blue gaze locked with mine. Sweet hell.
It was ridiculous the effect he had on me.
It didn't matter that his family and mine surrounded us.
I would be perfectly content to find somewhere to sneak away.
My mother laughed, and we both looked in her direction. She smiled softly.
“It's nice to see you two together. A while back, I wondered,” she commented.
“Wondered what?” Thea asked.
My mother lifted her shoulder and a shrug. “Oh, I saw the way they used to look at each other. I figured perhaps for Audrey it was nothing more than a crush, but I didn't know. I always thought you two would make a good match,” she said with a satisfied smile before taking a sip of wine.
The afternoon rolled into evening with plenty of food and wine.
At some point as darkness swept in and the stars glittered over the ocean, I was in the kitchen washing up.
I felt Dallas come up behind me, his arms sliding down my shoulders to curl around my waist. I was elbow deep in soapy water and glanced up to the side.
“Yes?” I asked.
He dropped a kiss on the side of my neck, sending a hot shiver through me. Goose bumps prickled over my skin.
I glanced at him sideways, needing to ask something. “So are you glad Thea rounded you all up for Christmas here?”
His eyes held mine, a grin curling the corner of his mouth. “Yes. You were right. Happy?”
I laughed, my heart feeling full. “Yes, but not because I was right. Just because it’s a good thing for you.”
He chuckled, dipping his head again and dropping more kisses along the sensitive skin of my neck.
“I think we should sneak away,” he murmured.
“You've got to be kidding me,” I said with a laugh.
Not to be deterred, he spun me around. I splashed water and soap on his shirt.
He shook his head, his eyes dark. “Not kidding at all. This house is huge. Come on,” he murmured, dipping his head and dropping hot kisses along my collarbone. I couldn’t have said no if my life depended on it.
“Hang on,” I choked out. “Let me dry my hands.”
Between giggles and a few gasps, I quickly grabbed the dishtowel and dried my hands.
I let him tug me upstairs. I knew this house well because I’d spent so much time here when I was younger.
One room I'd only seen and never been in was his old bedroom. Next thing I knew, he was pulling me through that door, his eyes hot on me. He’d spent every step of the way here being naughty with his hands.
I was flustered and hot and wet. We yanked at each other’s clothes after he kicked the door shut behind us.
I moaned at the feel of his hot skin, his cock hard as steel in my palm.
We tumbled onto the bed. The mattress was bare, but it was a bed.
He rolled atop me, lacing his fingers into mine and stretching my arms up over my head. The feel of his cock sliding against my wet folds sent a shudder through me.
“Dallas, don’t make me…”
“Wait,” he finished for me the second he filled me.
I cried out, the delicious stretch of his cock so good, I almost came instantly.
He didn’t make me wait, the sweet crash of my release coming swiftly as he pounded into me.
“Merry Christmas,” he murmured a few minutes later when he collapsed against me.