Chapter 1 Henrietta
HENRIETTA
The three of us lay in our bed, wearing matching Christmas pajamas, all snuggled up under the blankets while Tyler's deep voice hummed the words to A Visit from St. Nicholas.
I glanced over at him and our daughter, Tatiana, curled up in his arms and listening to every word.
I know I thought it before, but I loved him more today than ever.
We'd been together over six years now, and life just kept getting better. First, it was the two of us, taking a leap to make the promise of marriage to each other, then growing our business together, and now, we had the most beautiful daughter with dark brown eyes and soft curly hair.
She was the best of us both. Kind and thoughtful like her dad. Loving and determined like me. Discovering more and more of her personality each day was the highlight of my life. I loved watching the person that she was becoming with Tyler as her dad, me as her mom.
Tyler pointed at one of the pages and said, “What do you think the mouse is feeling right now?”
“Essited,” she said.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think you're right.”
She wiggled happily and then reached for the next page. My parents had read me this story every year, and now we were carrying on the traditions that our families had left for us. Traditions were the ties that bound us, no matter how far apart we were or how much time had passed.
Tyler reached the end of the story and closed the book. Tatiana squirmed, rolling from her back to her belly and pressing her face to the pillow before rolling back over. “I don’t wanna go to seep,” she whined.
“Are you excited to see what Santa left you under the tree?” I asked her.
She nodded excitedly, sitting up between us. “I weally hope he got me dat Barbie.”
I smiled, thinking she would be very pleased with the present I wrapped for her a week or so ago. “All you have to do is go to sleep or he won't be able to come and leave your presents.”
Tatiana’s eyes widened and she flopped back on her bed, snapping her eyes shut so that her whole face was scrunched. She peeked one eye open to say, “You can go.”
Tyler and I exchange an amused look. “Are you sure?” he asked, “I can lay in here with you like usual.”
“No.” She shoved him before laying back down. “I need to go to seep, so I get my Barbie.”
“Okay, bunny.” He brushed back her curly hair and kissed her forehead. The tender way he treated our daughter made my heart squeeze with love.
I kissed her forehead, too, before leaving the room.
“Wait,” Tatiana said once we were in the doorway. “I didn't get to say goodnight to my baby brudder.”
I smiled, walking back over to her bed. She got on her knees and crawled over the blankets to me. Taking my belly in both hands, she kissed my bump, leaving a small wet mark on my pajamas. “Good night, baby,” she said.
We haven't settled on a name yet, but she was already so in love, just like Tyler and me.
“Goodnight.” I said again, and we walked out of the room, leaving the door shut.
We stalled in the hallway a moment, but when Tatiana didn’t call us back in, Tyler and I went to sit on the couch in our living room.
He leaned in close and whispered, “I know you're excited to get started.”
I chuckled. I really was. I had been excited for this moment since before I gave birth to her, and now she was finally old enough to truly enjoy and start understanding Christmas morning.
“Let's wait a few minutes so we can make sure she's asleep,” I said.
He nodded, reaching out and holding my hand. “So, I've thought of a name for the baby.”
I looked over at him, “Really?”
He splayed a large hand over my stomach, and I swore I could feel our baby lean into his touch. “What if we name him after your grandpa?” Tyler asked.
My heart melted as I studied his expression. “That would mean so much to my grandma.”
He smiled. “And to you, I know how much you loved him.”
I reached out, cupping his face, and kissed him slowly. He always took his time with me, savoring the moment, even though we'd kissed thousands of times before. When we pulled back, he smiled at me and bit his bottom lip. “How did I get so lucky with you?”
“I think we both are lucky.” I replied with a soft smile.
He squeezed my hand then got up and walked to our daughter's bedroom to check on her. I watched him peek his head through the door, and when he came back to the living room and said, “Not a creature is stirring, not even our daughter.”
I laughed. “She really is excited for Santa to come bring the presents.”
“Well, let's get started,” Tyler said, “I'll make cocoa while you put the presents under the tree?”
I nodded, feeling as giddy as Tatiana would be tomorrow morning. I could just imagine her stepping out of her bedroom, rubbing sleepy eyes, and seeing the tree alight and surrounded by new presents. It really would feel like magic.
While Tyler went to our kitchen, I traveled back to the bedroom.
My feet and ankles were swollen more than in my first pregnancy, but at least this time, I knew what to expect with my changing body.
I walked to the closet and pulled out two boxes with presents, stocking stuffers, and the stocking that Tyler's mom had embroidered with Tatiana’s name.
Balancing the boxes between my arms and hips, I carried them out to the living room.
The overhead lights were dim, but the strand of bulbs around the Christmas tree cast a magical glow over the room. The hues caught Tyler’s form as he stood over the stove, making homemade hot cocoa with one of his mom's recipes.
Smiling to myself, I carefully arranged the presents so that they were spread around the bottom of the tree.
Then I tucked any number of objects that we would probably regret tomorrow into her stocking, including slime, plenty of candy, and a few noise makers, plus an orange.
My grandma always insisted we had an orange in our stockings, and I wanted to continue that tradition with Tatiana.
Once it was all set up, I went to the kitchen.
A metal spoon scraped softly over the pan as Tyler stirred our drinks.
I bumped his hip with mine before reaching up for the container of flour.
The cabinet was barely open before Tyler came behind me, crowding my back with his warmth.
He grabbed the flour and set it on the counter.
“Here you go,” he said, and dropped a light kiss on my shoulder.
I nudged my backside against him, about ready to abandon this whole operation in lieu of taking him to the bedroom.
These pregnancy hormones were no joke. I swear we could do it all day, every day, and it wouldn't be enough.
Not that he was complaining. I guess I had to make up for all those years I spent as a virgin.
“Hey now,” he hummed. “I thought you were getting the presents ready.”
“I am,” I said flirtatiously.
He nipped at my ear, putting his hands on my hips. “Keep playing games, and I’ll have you bent over right here.”
I shuddered. “Why are you holding back?” I bent over further, wanting him to sate this need that flamed up as quickly as the burner on the stove.
Deftly, his hands slipped under my pajama pants and when he reached my sensitive spot, he groaned against my shoulder. “You’re already wet. How long have you been waiting for this?”
“Too damn long. I can’t get enough of you,” I replied, moving my hips for more friction of his hand.
“So impatient.” He slipped a finger inside, making me quiver. It wasn’t enough.
“More,” I begged, my voice getting whiny.
“Whatever you need.” He withdrew his finger long enough to slide down my pants, and soon his tip was at my entrance. I clenched.
“Hurry,” I begged.
“I like it when you beg for me,” he said, a dark, playful edge to his tone.
“Please,” I said, looking over my shoulder at him for puppy-dog eyes. He was so damn hot haloed by Christmas lights. Eyes dark, jaw strong. Hands digging into my hips.
He drove into me, inch by inch, and the relief was so sweet my eyes stung with tears. “Tyler,” I cried out softly.
“I’ve got you, baby.” He ran his hands over my hips, my back, leaving a trail of heat everywhere his calloused palms went.
Bracing myself with one arm on the counter, I used my free hand to circle my clit.
“Make yourself feel good,” he said. “Use me, my cock. Make yourself come.”
This man. He knew exactly what I needed. And he braced himself for me. Letting me ride him, letting me angle the way that felt just right until I was shuddering, falling apart around him, breath coming just as hard and fast as my orgasm.
As I leaned forward against the counter, he pumped into me, riding the waves of my release to his own.
When we both had caught our breath, he wet a washcloth for me, letting me clean myself up while he attended to the hot chocolate. My cheeks were flushed and warm when I tossed the rag in the hamper and turned to face him. “I don’t know where that came from. But thank you.”
His eyes sparkled from the Christmas lights. “Obviously, me getting flour for you is incredibly sexy.”
I giggled, feeling light and happy. “That reminds me. I better get to work.”
I went and got one of Tyler's work boots, and used it with the flour to create a trail of footprints from our faux fireplace to the Christmas tree. The effect was so adorable a puppy couldn’t compete.
Once I was done with that, I got a few sugar cookies that Tatiana and I had made with Tyler's sister, Liv, and her children.
As I placed each one on a tray, I took a couple of bites to give the full Santa effect.
Then I got a glass of milk from the fridge and set it beside the cookies, stepping back to admire my handiwork. “Tyler, come look,” I said.
“Perfect timing,” he replied, like we didn’t just have hot sex in the kitchen.
I could hear the whoosh of the whipped cream can as he added the topping to the hot chocolates. He came into the living room and passed me my cup, taking in the work. “Our daughter is so lucky to have you,” he said.
My heart swelled. “I just really wanted to make it a special day for her.”
“It will be,” he replied, kissing the crown of my head. “Come sit on the couch with me.”
I followed him, going to the couch and tucking my feet underneath me. Sitting down, I studied my hot cocoa. He had even shaved little pieces of chocolate on top. A sip proved it tasted just as good as it looked.
“I have something for you,” he said, setting his cup down on the coffee table.
I raised my eyebrows. “Aren’t we supposed to be opening presents tomorrow morning?”
He gave me a look. “You know that tomorrow morning is going to be all about Tatiana, and I want to see your reaction to the present I’m giving you without any distractions.”
I placed my free hand over my heart. “That's so sweet.”
“You know me,” he joked. “So hold still, I'll be right back.”
“I’m pregnant and just sat down,” I replied. “I'm not getting back up until you haul me out of this chair.”
Chuckling, he walked away toward our bedroom.
My mind spun around a dozen ideas of gifts he could have gotten me, but I wasn’t confident in any of my guesses. So I sat, not so patiently, waiting to see what he would come back with.
I was more than a little surprised when he returned holding a padded mailer with Christmas designs on it. “You got the mail for me? How sweet.”
He rolled his eyes at my joke. “Just open it.”
“It's no fair that you didn't come dressed as a sexy mailman,” I carried on as I pulled at the flap.
Tyler shook his head at me. “That's something Rhett would do, not me.”
I laughed. That was exactly something his younger brother would do. Rhett was always up for a laugh. The plastic ripped enough for me to peer inside, but all there was a sheet of paper. I pulled it out, studying the page. It was a property listing… in California.
“This is my parents' neighbor's house,” I said. “Why did you get me a picture of it?”
He took the picture from me and set it aside before holding both my hands in his. “I know that we enjoy our life here in Cottonwood Falls. But I also know you miss your family. Especially with your grandma getting older, time with them feels so precious.”
I looked around at our home. It was an apartment in the original Hen House. We had renovated it all those years ago when we were newly married and made this place thoroughly ours. “But this is home.” I said. Even with how much I missed my family, I couldn’t imagine leaving Cottonwood Falls.
Tyler leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“This is home, but what if we have a second one right next door to your parents?
So over the summers, when the kids are on school break, we can go and stay there, and you can have all the time you want to visit with Birdie and Mara without worrying about crashing on someone's couch or booking a hotel room?
The kids will have room to play, and maybe one day when they grow up, they'll want to go to college at Brentwood U. They’ll have a great place to stay right next to their grandparents.
I know it's our money, but I have savings for a downpayment, and I think it would be a good investment for us.”
“But how?” I asked, completely stunned. “The neighbors have been living there forever.”
“One time when we were visiting, I was talking with them over the fence with your dad. He went to check the grill, and when we got a second alone I said that if they ever considered selling to please let me know. Turns out they're looking to downsize.”
My eyes were stinging with moisture, and not just because of the pregnancy hormones. Because he was right, and I was finally letting myself dream about what this would mean.
I missed my family like crazy, and a week or two here and there wasn't enough. I wanted more time to spend with my nieces and nephews. I wanted my children to know their cousins, their parents, their grandparents, their great-grandma.
“I hope those are good tears.” Tyler said cautiously as he used the pads of his thumbs to wipe my eyes.
I let out a tearful chuckle. “The best tears,” I replied, pulling him close and hugging him tightly. “Now the wallet I got you feels really lame.”
He laughed. “This life we have with each other, our love, that's all I need. I couldn't ask for anything more than what you've given me.”
Now the tears were full on coming, and since I was so overcome with emotion for words, I poured it all out in my kiss. This was the best Christmas Eve ever, and I knew tomorrow would be even better.