Chapter 55 Tish
TISH
The soft beeping of hospital monitors fills the quiet room as I cradle my newborn son against my chest.
His tiny fingers curl around mine, and I can’t help but marvel at how perfect he is.
After everything we’ve been through, none of that matters now. What matters is this beautiful baby boy and the four incredible men surrounding us.
“He’s perfect, Trisha,” Carl whispers, his voice thick with emotion as he gently strokes Jac’s downy hair.
The silver-haired coach who’s always been so controlled looks completely undone by this tiny human.
Jake leans over from the other side of the bed, his green eyes bright with unshed tears. “Look at those little hands. He’s going to be a hockey player for sure.” His usual playful demeanor is softer now, more tender than I’ve ever seen him.
Ash stands at the foot of the bed, his brown eyes never leaving our son’s face. “Jac,” he says quietly, testing out the name we chose together. “J for Jake, A for Ash, C for Carl. It’s perfect.”
Trent clears his throat from his position by the window. “He looks like a little angel. You did good, Sis. Mom and Dad would be proud.”
I look around at these men—my men—and feel overwhelmed by how blessed I am.
A year ago, I was a struggling single mother who’d just lost her job.
Now I have three devoted partners who love me unconditionally, a brother who’s finally found peace with our situation, and a beautiful baby who will grow up surrounded by so much love.
As they file out of the room, I settle back against the pillows with Jac still sleeping peacefully in my arms. The quiet feels strange after months of chaos, but it’s a good strange. A peaceful strange.
Christmas Day – Jac’s First Christmas
“Jac, look at all these presents!” I coo as we sit in the living room of our new home.
The eight-bedroom house is perfect for our unconventional family, with enough space for everyone to have privacy when needed but plenty of common areas for us to be together.
Jac babbles happily from his bouncy seat, his dark eyes, so much like mine, taking in all the colorful wrapping paper and twinkling Christmas lights.
He’s grown so much and watching him discover the world has been the greatest joy of my life.
“Someone’s excited about his first Christmas,” Jake says, scooping Jac up and spinning him gently in the air. Our son squeals with delight, his chubby hands reaching for Jake’s face.
“Careful with him,” Ash warns, but he’s smiling as he says it. The team captain has turned out to be the most protective of all three men when it comes to Jac, constantly checking on him and making sure he’s safe.
Carl emerges from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolate. “Krystal’s finally asleep,” he reports. “She was so excited about Santa coming that I thought she’d never settle down.”
My heart warms thinking about Carl’s granddaughter, who’s become like a big sister to Jac.
She and Becky are thick as thieves, and having them both here makes our house feel even more like a real family home.
“Where is Becky?” I ask, suddenly realizing I haven’t seen her in a while.
“She’s in her room, playing with her new dollhouse,” Ash replies. “She said she wanted to set it up perfectly before showing Jac.”
I smile, thinking about how naturally Becky has adapted to our expanded family.
She adores all three of her “daddies” and has never questioned why she has more parents than other kids. To her, it’s just normal, and maybe that’s the most beautiful part of all.
Jake settles onto the couch with Jac, who’s starting to get drowsy after all the excitement of the day. “I think someone’s ready for bed too.”
“I’ll put him down,” Ash offers, reaching for the baby. Jac goes willingly into his arms, his little head already drooping against Ash’s shoulder.
Carl and I watch as Ash carries our son upstairs to the nursery. The sight of the strong, protective hockey player being so gentle with our baby never fails to make my heart skip a beat.
When Ash returns from putting Jac down, he finds the three of us curled together on the couch.
His brown eyes darken with desire as he takes in the sight, and I feel heat pool low in my belly.
It’s been weeks since we’ve had time for just the four of us, between the baby’s schedule and the hockey season.
“He’s out like a light,” Ash reports, his voice slightly rougher than usual. “Won’t wake up for hours.”
The air in the room shifts, becoming charged with the familiar electricity that always sparks between us. Carl’s thumb traces circles on the back of my hand, while Jake’s fingers play with the hem of my sweater.
“The girls are both asleep too,” Carl adds, his blue eyes meeting mine with unmistakable intent.
My breath catches as I look between the three of them. Even after all this time, they still have the power to make me feel like the most desired woman in the world.
The way they look at me—like I’m something precious and beautiful and theirs—never fails to set my pulse racing.
“Upstairs?” Jake suggests, his voice husky with want.
I nod, suddenly breathless with anticipation.
We make our way quietly up to the master bedroom, the largest room in the house with a king-size bed that accommodates all four of us comfortably for these such occasions.
We all have our own rooms, too.
Once the door is closed behind us, the careful restraint we’ve all been maintaining dissolves.
Carl’s hands frame my face as he kisses me deeply, his tongue sliding against mine with practiced skill.
I moan into his mouth, my hands fisting in his shirt.
Jake presses against my back, his lips finding the sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder.
His teeth graze my skin, making me shiver with need. “I’ve missed this,” he whispers against my ear. “Missed having you all to ourselves.”
Ash moves to the bed, sitting on the edge as he watches us with hungry eyes. “Come here, beautiful,” he says, his voice commanding in that way that always makes my knees weak.
Carl and Jake guide me toward the bed, their hands never leaving my body.
The familiar dance of undressing begins, shirts pulled over heads, jeans pushed down legs, until we’re all skin and heat and desperate need.
I find myself in the center of the bed with all three men surrounding me, their hands and mouths worshipping every inch of my body.
Carl’s lips trail down my throat while Jake’s hands cup my breasts, his thumbs teasing my nipples to hard peaks.
Ash’s mouth finds mine, his kiss deep and possessive.
“So beautiful,” Carl murmurs against my collarbone. “My beautiful Trisha.”
“Ours,” Ash corrects, his brown eyes fierce with possession. “She’s ours.”
Jake’s laugh is breathless as his mouth replaces his hands on my breast. “Definitely ours. Every gorgeous inch of her.”
Their words, their touches, their complete devotion to my pleasure, it’s overwhelming in the best possible way.
I arch beneath them, my body singing with sensation as they work together to drive me higher and higher.
When Carl’s fingers find the heat between my legs, I cry out, my hips bucking against his touch. “Please,” I gasp, not even sure what I’m begging for.
“We’ve got you, sweetheart,” Jake soothes, his lips brushing against my ear. “We’ll take care of you.”
And they do.
They take turns worshipping my body, bringing me to the edge again and again before pulling back, until I’m trembling with need and desperate for release.
When Ash finally moves over me, his eyes locked on mine, I feel complete in a way that still amazes me. “I love you,” he whispers as he joins with me, and I feel tears prick my eyes at the emotion in his voice.
“I love you too,” I breathe, my hands tangling in his hair. “All of you. So much.”
Carl and Jake’s hands never leave my body as Ash moves within me, their touches adding layers of sensation that make my head spin.
When my climax finally crashes over me, I cry out their names, my body arching as waves of pleasure consume me.
Afterward, we lie tangled together in the aftermath, our breathing slowly returning to normal.
Carl’s arm is around my waist, Jake’s head rests on my shoulder, and Ash’s fingers trace lazy patterns on my skin.
“Merry Christmas,” Jake murmurs sleepily, pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder.
“Best Christmas ever,” I agree, feeling more content than I ever thought possible.
As I drift off to sleep surrounded by the men I love, I can’t help but think about how far we’ve all come.
From that first day when I walked into the Thunderwolves’ office desperate for a job, to this moment, lying in our shared bed in our shared home with our beautiful son sleeping peacefully down the hall.
We’re not a conventional family by any means, but we’re perfect for each other. And that’s all that matters.
Ready for more Christmas romances? Binge read the entire series here.