Chapter 14 Annie
Annie
I came home from work to the most welcoming thing imaginable—another home-cooked meal filling the house with warmth and mouthwatering aromas.
This.
This was something I was beginning to get dangerously used to.
Usually, it was me scrambling to pull together something “exciting” for dinner, because Ruby had been on a kick lately where she needed to try new things every night. As a parent, I should have been thrilled she was expanding her palate, but truthfully? It was exhausting.
Brooks, though… somehow he managed to keep up with her whims and make it look effortless.
Kicking off my snow-dusted boots and dropping my purse by the front door, I padded into the kitchen.
The soft glow of the string lights we’d hung around the cabinets glimmered off the polished counter, giving the room a festive, cozy warmth.
Brooks stood at the stove, broad shoulders relaxed, a wooden spoon in his hand.
Steam rose from the pot in front of him, carrying the rich scent of butter and garlic.
I leaned around him, peeking into the pot. Mashed potatoes. Creamy, smooth, perfectly whipped.
“That smells delicious,” I murmured, stepping close and sliding my hands to his sides.
Brooks glanced back over his shoulder with a smirk that made my knees weaken.
“Ruby picked this dinner out,” he said. “She even helped me peel all the potatoes. Diced them, too—with the kid-safe knife I bought her at the store today.”
I narrowed my eyes, though the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me. “What did I say about buying her things?”
He turned back to the pot, shrugging innocently. “You should’ve seen her face. I didn’t stand a chance.”
I groaned, rubbing my hands up and down his sides. “Oh no. She’s got you right where she wants you.”
His low chuckle rumbled through his chest, and the sound spread heat through me.
“Speaking of,” I asked, “where is she?”
“In her room. Watching a video on her tablet.”
“Perfect.”
I slid my hands forward, smoothing them over the flat planes of his stomach before slipping beneath his shirt.
Each ridge of his abs tightened beneath my fingertips, and I took my time exploring, dragging my nails lightly across his skin.
My touch trailed downward, brushing over the dusting of hair just above the waistband of his sweatpants.
His muscles tensed under my hand, hard and unyielding, but I pressed closer, teasing lower until my hand slipped beneath the fabric.
Brooks’ breath caught.
“Annie,” he said, his voice low, roughened, already unsteady.
My fingers curled around him, stroking as he hardened beneath my touch. The silky heat of him sent a thrill straight through me, my own body aching in response.
Brooks let out a quiet, helpless groan, and I couldn’t help the victorious smile that curved my lips.
“With Ruby preoccupied…” My voice came out husky, full of intent. “…I can think of a lot of things we could do.”
His smirk returned, slow and dangerous. “Oh, I’m still on working duty, remember? Wouldn’t this technically count as prostitution?”
I laughed, but the sound hitched when he suddenly spun around, trapping my hands where they were. Instead of pulling away, I simply adjusted, fingers gripping his backside now as he stepped into me.
He caught my jaw in his hand, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. His eyes glittered, full of hunger and heat, before he dipped down and pressed his mouth to mine.
The kiss was fierce, unrelenting, stealing the air from my lungs. I melted into him instantly—into his taste, his warmth, his strength. My hands shifted again, wrapping back around him, stroking, tugging, making him groan into my mouth.
“I haven’t paid you yet,” I teased breathlessly against his lips. “I’ll just deduct it from your check.”
“Deal,” he growled.
In the next instant, his hands left my face and swept beneath me. He lifted me effortlessly, my legs locking around his waist on instinct. Brooks spun us both, and I threw my head back with a laugh, breathless and exhilarated.
“Brooks!” I squealed, laughter bubbling up in my chest as he spun me around. My head was dizzy, not just from the movement, but from the sheer joy of being in his arms.
He finally set me down, and I braced myself against him, breathless. He leaned closer, his lips just about to meet mine, when the unmistakable sound of little feet pattered down the hallway.
Instinct took over. I pivoted, slipping in front of Brooks, shielding the unmistakable evidence of his arousal as Ruby barreled into the kitchen.
“Mom!” she shouted with delight, her arms already outstretched.
I caught her, lifting her into the air as her laughter rang through the room.
So close. Of course she’d come out now.
“Ruby,” I sang back, pressing quick kisses to her cheeks until she giggled so hard she wriggled against me.
“I heard you laughing,” she said breathlessly, “and I wanted to know what was funny. What were you and Brooks doing?”
I darted a glance at Brooks. He was leaning casually against the counter, his smirk smug, though all evidence of what we’d been doing was gone. Relief washed through me.
“Well,” he said, stepping forward and offering his arms, “I was showing your mom a trick.”
I passed Ruby over, like a sack of Christmas gifts, and Brooks took off with her in his arms. He spun her in circles, faster than he had me, her giggles filling every corner of the kitchen. Her head tilted back, her hair wild, her cheeks flushed, while Brooks laughed right along with her.
My chest ached as I watched. It was the kind of ache that came from something fragile, something beautiful you were afraid of losing. Seeing Ruby so happy. Seeing Brooks here, in our home, as if he belonged. It all felt too good. Too temporary.
When he finally set her down, Ruby came racing back to me, crashing into my legs. I bent down, kissing the top of her head, breathing in the warmth of her.
“Mom,” she whispered, glancing up at me and then at Brooks, her expression filled with something far too wise for her seven years.
“What’s up, sweetheart?”
Her smile wobbled, though her voice was steady. “I love this family.”
The words knocked the breath from me. My heart lodged in my throat as I stared at her, my brow furrowed. Family.
She must have noticed my confusion because she leaned closer, dropping her voice to a whisper, yet it was still loud enough for both Brooks and me to hear. “I don’t want Brooks to leave. Can’t he stay forever?”
My throat tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak. My gaze lifted to Brooks, and the soft look on his face nearly undid me. Those deep brown eyes held mine, steady and unspoken, and for a heartbeat, I was lost.
Lost—and found—all at once.
“I don’t know about that, kiddo,” Brooks finally said, his voice gentle as he rescued me from the silence. “Once the holidays are over, you’ll be back in school, and you won’t need me anymore.”
The ache in my chest sharpened. Ruby’s smile faltered, but she nodded bravely, even as she pulled away from me.
And just like that, the reminder hit—our little bubble, this fragile holiday miracle, wasn’t meant to last. Soon, life would slip back into routine. Brooks would leave.
But for now, I clung to it. To the warmth of Ruby’s laughter, to the comfort of Brooks in my kitchen, to the flicker of holiday magic I hadn’t felt in years.
For the first time in a long time, the season didn’t feel heavy. It felt alive. It felt like hope.