9. Delphine
9
delphine
Salvatore’s up earlier than usual for his day sledding with the kids. I wake to the sweet scent of syrup in the air as I find the bed empty and my husband in the kitchen making breakfast for the family.
“I didn’t even hear you get up.”
He glances over his shoulder at me. “That was the idea. I was hoping I was discreet.”
“You were if you didn’t wake me. Can I help?”
“Coffee needs to be made.”
I pad over to the cabinet to grab the mugs and get the coffee pot brewing. “I passed by the room that was Marcel’s on my way down. It was empty.”
“Seems I wasn’t the only one who woke up early.”
“He’s made his choice. I wish he would’ve chosen differently, but I’m also not going to ruin our holiday for him.” I turn away from the counter once the coffee pot’s tinkling and move closer to Salvatore. My arms slide around his torso and I rest my chin on his shoulder. “I’m still determined to show you Christmas can be magical.”
“Phi, that’s not your job. Don’t put pressure on yourself.”
Salvatore emphasizes his point with a sweet kiss on the mouth. I smile against his lips as he draws away, still holding my face in his hands.
“I’ve told you,” I say. “You do so much for the kids and me. This Christmas is supposed to be for you to enjoy.”
“Sledding with my mini me’s? What’s more enjoyable than that?”
By the time we’re done with breakfast, the others in the cabin house are waking. Sasha’s first to make her appearance alongside a yawning Bryce. I head up to go wake the rest of the kids and pass Dad and Stitches on my way down.
“Delphi honey,” Dad says. “Don’t let Marcel’s absence bring you down. His mistake to make.”
“I know. I just wish one of us was able to talk sense into him.”
“He’ll realize the error of his ways like I did. It’ll take time.”
For the rest of the morning, we sit around the breakfast table and enjoy the eggs and pancakes that Salvatore made. The kids can’t stop talking about how they’ll be going sledding this afternoon with Salvatore and Stitches.
Dominic and Bryce bet who will be able to make it down the hill first while Serena can’t stop talking Salvatore’s ear off about wanting to share his sled.
I listen in between small laughs and sips of my coffee.
Sasha and I help zip the kids into their winter coats and accessories. Serena resembles a starfish as she beams up at me in her thick puffer coat, mittens, and beanie. I kiss her on the tip of her button nose and tell her to behave herself.
Dominic and Bryce have already raced toward the door, fussing with their coats and boots.
Salvatore shoots me a knowing grin. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it. We’ll be back in a few hours.”
He kisses me on the cheek, and then he and Stitches herd the little ones out the door.
Dad retreats to the den to read a book by the fire. Sasha and I decide to focus on readying some of the preparations for our Christmas Eve feast tonight and wrapping the last-minute presents we need to put under the tree.
“How are you doing after what went down last night?” Sasha asks.
“You mean with Marcel? What can I really say? My brother decided he was going to try to ruin our Christmas.”
The wrapping paper crinkles as Sasha snips some more from the roll and tugs tape off the tape dispenser. I’ve carefully placed the shiny metallic bow on the last present I’ve wrapped, which happened to be a gift for Salvatore. It’s as I set it down on top of the pile of other wrapped gifts that I notice I have several missed calls.
All of them from Marcel.
My brows knit closer, my heart skipping a beat. I quickly select his number to return his call. The phone rings in my ear over and over again until I’m reaching his voice mail.
“Marcel, you’ve called me five different times. What’s up?” I ask, pacing back and forth. “Is everything okay? Give me a call back.”
“You sure he wasn’t just calling to let you know he reached his destination?” Sasha asks.
“Five times? With no voice message?”
She shrugs. “Girl, maybe he knew you’d be worked up. He could be doing it on purpose.”
Though she could be correct, it doesn’t chase away the latest premonition that strikes me. I check my phone again and then sigh. Part of me hopes what Sasha says is true; it could be more of Marcel’s petty games.
Or it could be something else altogether…
Christmas Eve dinner runs late into the night. The kids are nodding off at the table by the time we’ve dug into the desserts. We scoop them up and take them upstairs to tuck them in before returning downstairs to finish our sweets and drinks.
Salvatore and Stitches are full of stories about today’s sledding excursion. They tell us about how Dominic and Bryce were serious about their race down the hill. Neither boy won as they both tipped over in their sleds and face planted in the snow. Both Sasha and I react in instant worry before Salvatore and Stitches tell us about how they dusted themselves off and demanded to go again.
“You kidding? Those boys got right up!” Stitches says with a swipe of his arm. “They got up faster than I did when I face planted. Took me five minutes and a kick in the ribs from Psycho.”
“Then there was Rena,” Salvatore says proudly. “She demanded she steer the sled we were in. I let her, and we damn near crashed.”
“But she was giggling nonstop! You’ve got some daredevils for kids, Mrs. Phi.”
I lean into Salvatore and smirk up at him. “Why am I not even surprised? They take after their father.”
“ And their mother,” he adds. “Who has been known to cause some trouble.”
Dinner officially comes to an end with me warm and tipsy from the occasion, feeling better than I did earlier in the day. Salvatore helps me in the kitchen with putting away the dishes and leftovers.
“Tomorrow morning’s the big day,” he says, waggling his brows. “You sure you’re ready?”
“More like are you sure you’re ready for your present?”
“If it’s got you purring like that, I’m more than ready.”
We meet midway for a kiss with his hand immediately palming my ass. He eagerly squeezes the soft, curved flesh and then tells me to get my ass upstairs. Simple words that do the trick in getting me to quickly obey and do as he says.
The moment the door’s shut, Salvatore’s like a wolf who’s returned to his den with his prey. I giggle and let him overtake me, dropping kisses onto my neck and shoulders. His fingers are as skillful as ever as he quickly undoes the buttons on my blouse and pushes the silky fabric off me.
It will never cease to amaze me how hungry he is. His instant eagerness, as if we haven’t been together for nearly a decade.
Longer than that if you count our relationship when we were young.
Sometimes our excitement rivals those days, like we’re still two young adults exploring each other.
In a way, it’s true—we’ll always evolve as people and always need to learn these new versions of ourselves together.
Salvatore helped me do so when we first became parents. I was experiencing some mild postpartum difficulties that had me feeling less sexy, less like myself. He loved me through every moment of it, showing me how irresistible he still found me.
I was soon pregnant a second time as proof.
Now, years later, I’m in another new stage. I’m more confident and comfortable in my skin than ever. I’m also more sexual and curious than any other period in my life.
As Salvatore strips me of my blouse and bra, he fondles my breasts and then bows his head to spread kisses onto the soft, supple mounds of flesh.
I angle my head backward and moan at how good his lips feel. My nipples have peaked, dark and puffy beads that he happily takes into his mouth to suck and nibble on.
They’ve been extremely sensitive since breastfeeding, an instant erogenous zone for me. I’m trembling under his ministrations, shivers racking through my body. Salvatore’s tongue flicks my nipples while his fingers tweak and pinch at them.
He suckles with the right amount of suction to make my pussy throb away.
My jaw drops open and I moan his name.
The suction only increases, intensifying like he’s trying to milk me.
“Fuck… Jon…” I pant. “Keep… please keep…”
The air I’m breathing runs short and makes it impossible for me to finish.
Salvatore gets the message, running his tongue along my areola and then sucking hard. I tip over onto the bed, reeling from the sensations exploding from my breast. If he keeps going, I’ll come from this. I’ll orgasm from his intense breast play alone.
He climbs over me and holds me down as he makes it his mission.
“Look at these tits,” he growls. He bows his head to kiss and nibble on them some more. “You’ve always had a gorgeous fucking pair.”
I arch against his mouth, so on edge that pleasure thrums like a drumbeat inside me.
I have my eyes squeezed shut and don’t even notice when the lights go out. It takes Salvatore’s mouth and hands leaving my breasts to make me realize something’s happened. I blink my eyes open and find myself plunged into a pitch-black room.
Salvatore slides off the bed, his energy immediately tense.
“Wha… what…?” I choke out, dazed from my near orgasm.
“Grab the kids and lock the door,” he says. “The power went out.”