Chapter 22
BELLA
“Are you coming tonight?” Lucy yells across the gym.
Hardy’s head pops out from behind a piece of scenery, and he looks at me in confusion. “Do you have plans tonight?” He almost sounds hurt.
“I thought we were painting tonight,” Avery says, running over.
Lucy walks over, checking out the progress we’re making as Isaac stands on top of a ladder, earbuds in as he paints. “Sorry, I didn’t know you had plans. It looks great,” she says, pointing to the flats that are nearly finished.
“We only have a little bit more to do. Maybe another hour or two of work, depending on how the little one holds out,” I say, setting my paintbrush down.
“So, you’re not coming? It’s okay, I can tell the girls. I mean, this will be the first time in seven years you haven’t made it to the ugly sweater party, but I’m sure they’ll be cool with it even if they were hoping to see Hardy too.”
“Shoot, that totally slipped my mind. But way to lay on the guilt, Lucy.”
“We got this, if you want to go,” Hardy says reluctantly.
“Can I go?” Avery begs.
“Actually, it’s kind of a grown-up-only party,” I explain.
“But I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay and help with the glitter.”
I give Lucy an apologetic look, and she winks at me then glances at Hardy. “I’ll let the girls know you can’t make it.” She walks out, and I turn back to my flat, picking up my brush and dipping it in the paint when Hardy walks over.
“Avery goes to bed at eight.”
“Seems like a reasonable bedtime for a six-year-old, but it’s not a school night. You could live a little, Hardy.”
He lowers his voice. “What I’m saying is I won’t miss any time with Avery if we go after she’s asleep. Maggie can come over in case she wakes up, and we can have grown-up time.”
“Oh? Oh!”
“I swear to everything holy, if I can’t taste you tonight, I’m going to lose my mind.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” I say, a smile crooking one side of my face as I try to pretend that I’m only interested in what I’m painting in front of me. When now, all I can think about is his mouth on me teasing, his hands groping me and spanking me while he fills me up with his fat cock.
“Your ears turn red when you’re horny too,” he whispers.
I grab one, attempting to hide it from him. “They do not!”
“You’re right, they don’t. But now I know you’re horny too.”
My head falls back in laughter as he walks over to help Avery with her painting. For the next two hours, he’s a man on a mission, working on overdrive to get things done so we can get Avery to bed and have a parents’ night out.
I text the girls that I’m coming to the party late, and Hardy and I decide to have him pick me up once Avery’s asleep.
My sweet neighbor Cora agreed to hang out at the house with Isaac so he won’t be alone, and she’s fixing herself a cup of decaf when Hardy knocks on the door. I thank her again and grab the box I made for Hardy.
When I open the door, I can’t help but take him in from head to toe. He is easily the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. “You’re not wearing an ugly sweater.”
“This is the first Christmas season that I haven’t lived in a firehouse, so my wardrobe choices are limited.”
“You have two options: We can stop and get you a sweater, or you can carry this around all night.” I hold up a square white box, wrapped up with a beautiful red bow.
“Since we aren’t going to be at this party for long, I’ll take the box.”
“An excellent choice.”
“Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?” he says, examining the package. “And what is this hole for?” He shakes the box, and it starts vibrating.
“Since you don’t have an ugly sweater—and trust me, you don’t want to show up without one—I made you a makeshift costume. All you have to do is hold that box in front of your crotch.”
He lifts the corner to peek inside. “Is this what I think it is?”
“It’s a dick in a box! Like the SNL skit. Well, it’s a vibe in a box. I didn’t think you’d want to put your actual dick in a box.”
“It’s purple. People are going to think that I have an alien dick.”
“Oh no, those have way more tentacles and doodads according to some books I’ve read.”
“What?” he asks, looking like he’s seen a ghost.
“Don’t worry about it.”
He holds up the vibrator in one hand, easily covering most of it with his large palm. “It’s kinda small, don’t you think?”
“That’s actually pretty average. You, sir, are larger than most.”
“Can’t say I don’t love hearing that.”
“Don’t act like you don’t know you have a big dick.”
His smile is wolfish as his eyes take in my outfit.
“Does that say you’re an expert ball handler?”
I grin, pulling the sweater tight across my chest so he can see the hands cupping the ornament balls that are strategically placed to look like they’re holding my tits.
“That’s fantastic.”
“You have the cock, and I handle balls.”
“We’re a match made in tacky Christmas sweater heaven,” he says as we head to his truck. He opens the door for me and looks back at the house. “You know, I’m kind of surprised you don’t have more lights up.”
“That would require dangling from a ladder, and as we all know, I should not be trusted with those. Projector lights and inflatables are my safest options.”
“Maybe I could hang some lights for you next year,” he offers as he climbs into the driver’s seat.
My heart does a little fluttery dance in my chest. Is this man making future plans with me? “I would love that.” I can feel my cheeks heat as he places a hand on my thigh and backs out of the driveway.
——————
“You made it!” Summer says when we walk in her house. “And you brought the hunky EMT. Or are you a firefighter?”
Hardy smiles, throwing an arm around my shoulder. The move feels claiming, and I sink into him. “Both, actually.”
“He’s not wearing a sweater,” Raven says flatly, crossing her arms.
“But I have a dick in a box,” Hardy says, shaking the box.
“Prove it,” Raven challenges.
Hardy opens the box and proudly waves the vibrator for the girls to see. “Just so you know, it’s not to scale.”
“Wait, are you saying it’s bigger or smaller?” Lucy asks, a sense of wonder in her tone.
Hardy’s eyes cut to mine, avoiding the question.
“Oh my God. Good for you, Bella,” Lucy gushes, and I look up at Hardy, trying to hide the blush on my face.
“I’m going to go grab us some drinks,” Hardy says, kissing my forehead before he heads off to the kitchen.
“Oh, you two are totally banging,” Summer says as the girls circle around me.
“Summer!” I scold, looking back at Hardy to make sure he didn’t hear. “I can’t deny it, and at this point, I’m not sure I want to.”
“Called it! Pay up, ladies,” Lucy says, sticking out a hand. Raven and Summer each slap a fiver into Lucy’s palm.
“Ten dollars? That’s all you bet?” I ask in shock.
“They said it was an inevitability,” Raven says, pointing at Lucy and Summer.
“I knew when he came to the bar.” Lucy smiles.
“I knew the minute I saw him walk into the PTO meeting,” Summer adds.
“We weren’t banging then,” I say, but part of me knows they’re not talking about when they first thought we were hooking up.
Hardy returns and hands me a red cup. I shift uncomfortably, not wanting him to catch on to our conversation.
He must sense my discomfort, and he peers down at me, searching my eyes for some kind of clue.
“Is that mistletoe?” he says, his eyes lighting up as his fingers grip my chin and tilt my face up to his so he can seal his mouth to mine in a kiss.
It starts sweet and chaste, but we lose ourselves in the moment as his hand slides up to hold my cheek, and I grip his waist while balancing my cup in the other.
“Okay, okay, we get it, get a room,” Raven teases.
“I think it’s sweet,” Summer says.
I can hear Lucy laugh. “There’s too much tongue in that to be considered sweet. And they’re not even under the mistletoe.”
Hardy pulls back, and I feel like one of those cartoon characters still pushing my lips out in a pucker looking for his.
“Fuck mistletoe. I don’t need an excuse to kiss her,” Hardy says to them, his eyes still locked on me. He leans in to kiss my cheek and then whispers against my ear, “I hope you know we aren’t staying at this party for long.”
“Your place or mine after?” I flash him a seductive smile.
“Given the layout of the bedrooms at my place and how loud I plan to make you moan, my place might be the safer option.”
——————
“I think the last time I got naked this fast was when Avery had a blowout while I was changing her and she sprayed me with poop,” Hardy says, whipping off his shirt and kicking off his shoes at the same time.
“Totally what you want to hear when you’re getting naked with your fella.
” I laugh, and he gives me a sheepish grin.
“I’m just messing with you. Remember when you saw Isaac’s massive poop?
When you become a parent, your dignity goes out the window and you have to be able to pivot from poop talk to sexy time since you never know when the little semen demon is gonna cock-block you. ”
His shoulders shake in silent laughter. “I love how you make me laugh. You could’ve given me shit for ruining the mood, but instead you always lean into the humor, and I love that.”
“You do, huh?” I say, standing in front of him in only my underwear as I take a step closer to him. He still has his pants on, and I thread my fingers through his belt loops and tug him against me.
“I do. I didn’t think I’d ever find my sense of humor again, let alone joy. And I love that you’ve brought that back into my life. Into our lives.”
That’s an awful lot of loves. Is he testing the water to gauge my reaction?
“What else do you love about me? You know what a fan I am of lists.”
“I love—”
“Daddy!” Avery’s voice calls from the hall, and we look at each other in wide-eyed panic.
I grab my clothes and run to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. My breaths feel loud, but I try to stifle them as I quickly and quietly pull my clothes back on. I totally jinxed us with the mention of cock-blocking.
The room gets quiet, and I peek my head out and find it empty. I pull out my phone and send Lucy a quick text for a ride and locate my shoes, slipping them on as Hardy sneaks back in the room.
“Sorry, I need to go take care of this. Turns out she had a little too much water earlier and had an accident.” He walks over to the closet and pulls out a set of sheets for Avery’s bed.
“It’s okay. Lucy’s coming to get me. I realized you picked me up and then let Maggie go home so I needed a ride anyway.”
“Fuck, I totally didn’t think about all the logistics. I’m sorry.” His brows are pinched, and he looks like this pains him, and I reach up to smooth the wrinkle between them.
“No need to apologize. I’ll see you in the morning, handsome,” I say, stretching up on my tiptoes to kiss the tip of his nose.
I love the way he feels touching every inch of my skin, and even though the kiss is chaste, it makes me want him to throw me over his shoulder and manhandle me, but we can’t seem to catch a break tonight.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he says, pressing his forehead against mine.
“I know you will. Now go take care of your little elf princess.”
“Oh shit! I forgot about the elf!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll throw something together while you change her sheets and get her settled. I always have extra elf plans for school.”
“I wish you could stay.” There’s a look in his eyes that makes me think he’s wishing for more than just one night.
“Me too,” I say, snuggling into his chest. “Text me in the morning.” I bury my face between his pecs to hide the devious smile lighting up my face when I think about what I have planned for Sprinkle McPinkle Pants.