10. Beck #2
I was excited about the opportunity to spend some time with them, so I quickly accepted. I spent the rest of my day trying to think of all the things I needed to buy while I was out. I had most of it figured out, except for what I was getting Thomas for Christmas.
I had no idea what I was going to get him.
I thought about it all day, and I was still thinking about it the following day when I met up with the girls.
We’d been shopping for hours and had stopped at a small coffee shop for a quick break.
We’d all just gotten settled at the table when Mia leaned down at her feet and grimaced.
“I’ve got the worst case of kankles today.
This baby needs to hurry up and get here, or I’m going to need a walker to get around. ”
“When exactly are you due?”
“Next week, but I don’t think I’m going to make it.” Mia was Stitch’s daughter and Wrath’s ol’ lady, and she was incredibly beautiful and expecting their first child. “This kid has to weigh at least twenty pounds already.”
“I feel ya.” Londyn was Savage’s ol’ lady, and she looked equally beautiful as she ran her hand over her very pregnant tummy. “This little stinker has been dancing on my bladder for the last three days, and I can barely breathe without needing to go to the bathroom.”
“Oh, and if you sneeze,” Mia scoffed. “You can forget it.”
“Every time,” Londyn snickered. “I just don’t get it. What is it with these Fury men and their enormous children?”
“Must be in the genes,” I giggled.
“Must be,” Mia groaned. “But I love him, and I can’t wait to meet our little guy. I just gotta make it through Christmas and New Year's, and then, I’ll be set.”
“Same, girl. Same.” Londyn shook her head. “At least I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping.”
“Me too, but that’s only because Mom has done most of mine for me.” Mia leaned over to me as she asked, “So, how about you? Have you finished all your shopping?”
“I’m pretty close. I just need to figure out what to get Thomas.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t have any idea what to get him.”
“He hasn’t given you any hints?” Londyn asked.
“Nope, not a single one, and if I ask him, he says he already has everything he wants.”
“Don’t you hate when they do that?” Mia complained. “I can push and push, but Charlie never tells me anything. Last Christmas, I got him a pair of sunglasses and some new boots, but he’s never worn either of them. I have no idea what happened to them.”
“Malcomb does that, too!” Londyn groaned. “I bought him a couple of new shirts last Christmas, and they still have the tags on them.”
“I have to think of something, even if it’s something small,” I told them. “This is our first Christmas together, and it needs to be something memorable.”
“I wish I could help, but I suck at the whole gift-giving thing.” Jules was Q’s ol’ lady and had tagged along with us.
While I didn’t know her very well, I was growing to like her more by the minute.
“Quinton is always so thoughtful and buys the perfect gifts for the boys and me, and I end up getting him something stupid like a keychain or a razor.”
“You could get him some new riding gloves or slippers,” Mia suggested.
“I don’t see Thomas wearing slippers, but gloves aren’t a bad idea. The ones he has are a little worn out.”
“Then, get him the gloves, and you could always try a little romantic getaway,” Londyn added. “Just you two at the coast or at a cabin in the mountains.”
“I thought about that, but I just started my new job, and I’d hate to ask for time off so soon. And there’s the whole Ava thing. I’d have to get Mom and Dad to watch her—not that they’d mind watching her.”
“Yeah, I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Mia smiled. “Sweet Ava has your daddy wrapped around her little finger.”
“You’re telling me,” I scoffed. “It’s like he’s completely forgotten he has a daughter.”
“Oh, he hasn’t forgotten,” Mia argued. “That man is just as crazy about you as my dad is about me. It’s the only-daughter thing. It can be a blessing and a curse.”
I don’t know how long we sat there talking about our crazy fathers and how much we loved them, but I could’ve spent all day there talking with them.
They were the family I didn’t know I needed, and now, they were mine.
We left there, and after spending another hour or so at the mall, we all headed home.
As soon as I got to the house, I took my gifts inside and hid them in my closet.
I called Mom to see if she and Dad would keep Ava a little longer, and it was no surprise when they offered to keep her for the entire night—giving me a chance to have a night alone with Thomas.
Of course, I accepted and got busy making dinner.
In a blink, it was after eight, and then, it was eight-thirty.
Nine came and went, but there was still no sign of Thomas.
I tried to busy myself with reading, but I couldn’t keep my focus.
I was starting to worry that something was wrong, and it didn’t help matters that he hadn’t called or texted and neither his truck nor his bike was in his drive.
I was looking so forward to our quiet night alone, but now, dinner was cold, the wine was still untouched, and the candles I’d lit had flickered out. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I just knew if he was okay or not. I hated the not knowing. It was the biggest downside of being an ol’ lady.
I’d seen my mother go through it a thousand times.
Dad would be off with the brothers, doing whatever it was they did, and if he wasn’t home exactly when he told her he’d be home, it would send her spiraling.
She would start to pace and send him message after message.
She’d try to track his location, but nothing eased the worry until he walked through that door.
I promised myself that I wasn’t going to do that, but it was hard. I cared a great deal for Thomas—even more than I wanted to admit, and my heart ached at the thought of something happening to him. I was teetering on the edge of losing it when I heard the familiar rumble of Thomas’s motorcycle.
I closed my eyes and let out the breath I’d been holding, and once I got it together, I went out to the kitchen and waited for him to come inside.
As soon as he walked through the door, I could tell that he’d had a long night.
His jeans were dirty, and his hair was a mess, and he looked exhausted. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Are you okay?” I didn’t move. I wanted to, but I couldn’t seem to make my feet move. “Did something happen?”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle.”
“I was worried.” I swallowed hard, trying my best to ease the knot forming in my throat. “I thought something might’ve happened.”
“I would’ve called if I could...” A tear trickled from the corner of my eye, and I quickly wiped it away. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I lied with a nod. “I’m just glad you made it back.”
“Come here.”
Fearing I might cry, I didn’t move.
I lowered my eyes to the floor as I told him, “I made dinner.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry I missed that.” I could feel his eyes on me as he repeated, “Come here.”
This time, I obliged and started over to him. As soon as I got close, he slipped his arms around my waist and pulled me towards him. “I’m sorry I worried you.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not.” He brought his hands up to my face, cupping my cheeks. “But I can’t promise that it won’t happen again.”
“I know.”
“You gotta know, I would’ve been here if I could.”
“I know.”
It was hard to explain, but he made me feel complete in a way I never had before.
When I was with him, it was like I’d found a piece of myself that I didn’t even know was missing.
He was the only man I had ever met who could touch my heart and ignite every nerve in my body with desire at the same time.
I let out a grumbled sigh as I told him, “You’ve really done it, you know it? ”
“Done what?”
“Made me fall for you even harder than I did when we were kids.” I eased up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, kissing him briefly. “And that’s saying something.”
“You’re not the only one who’s fallen.” His voice was low and filled with a hint of mischief. A thrill shot through me when he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine, making me instantly forget that I’d ever been upset. “I’ve fallen right along with you.”
His touch was tender yet demanding as he swept his tongue across my bottom lip, teasing, and I gasped, giving him the opportunity to delve deeper. I placed my palms flat against his chest, trying to steady myself from my shaky knees.
The feeling of his mouth on mine had me aching with need.
Anticipation raged through me as Thomas’s hands slid to the hem of my sweater.
He eased it over my head, and when he started working on my bra, it was clear that a simple kiss wouldn’t be enough for him.
As he looked down, an admiring grin spread across his face. “Mine. All mine.”
A flash of hunger blazed through his eyes as he lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom where Thomas showed me time and time again that I truly was his and only his.
And I loved every second of it—just like I loved him.