Chapter 4
They needed to go in early to finish setting up for the party. That’s what Ryan had told her. His parents, who were temporarily living with the family once again, would bring the kids by just before the event started.
Her husband had a second agenda beyond party prep.
Madison Zhao swallowed the moan that wanted to escape, leaning her hips farther back into Ryan as the heated water sluiced down both their naked bodies. “You’re killing me,” she whispered.
A low, dirty laugh escaped him, and whatever magic he was doing with his fingers between her legs increased in tempo. “No, killing us is having my parents living with us, using our bedroom, and us sleeping on an air mattress in the living room where we have no privacy.”
Tension ratchetted upward rapidly as Maddy let her head fall back on his shoulder. One minute after arriving in an empty yet completely decorated and prepped fire hall, Ryan had pulled her into one of the private rooms at the back, stripped them both naked, and tugged her into the shower with him.
Not that she was complaining. “Stop talking and fuck me already.”
“Such language,” he teased. “No wonder our three-year-old caused a ruckus in the grocery store the other day when Justin started singing a song about shit.”
“Wasn’t my fault,” Maddy protested. “I’ll explain…later. Oh, please.”
“Much later,” Ryan agreed.
He spun her, pressed her back to the wall, then dropped to his knees. A moment later Maddy teetered on one leg, the other draped over his broad shoulder as Ryan covered her sex with his mouth and went to town.
She clutched his head for balance then stared down to take in every second. His blue black-hair stuck up in messy tufts as water ran in small rivulets over her belly and onto him. Pleasure spiraled upward as he continued to work, and she caught her lip between her teeth and hummed quietly.
A soft laugh escaped him, and all of it slipped over her in a moment of near perfection. Ryan, giving as usual, such a strong link between them that when he stood and slipped his cock deep, it was the final coming home she needed.
“Ryan.” His name rushed out as a wave started in her core and spread.
He stared into her eyes, lips curled in a smile as he rocked deep, over and over, the motion dragging out her orgasm until he too gave in. His eyes closed briefly then reopened, complete connection and love in their depths.
They washed up slowly afterward, hands continuing to caress and touch, all the way until they were dressed again and ready to rejoin the rest of the world.
“Thanks for the secret moment to ourselves,” Maddy whispered before Ryan opened the door.
“We deserved it,” Ryan offered, kissing her one final time before pushing open the door. “And now you can tell me about the shit song.”
Which meant she was laughing as they joined the others now gathered in the common room. The scent of turkey and ham and sweet pumpkin spice carried on the air as they made their way to the side of the room where games for the kids would be run.
“Your dad found a comedian who did a whole routine about how funny the English language is about the word shit. Stuff like…don’t touch my shit because it’s important, yet other people’s shit is annoying…”
“Oh no,” Ryan muttered.
“It was a funny routine,” Maddy informed him primly. “Only Dad played it for me, then your mom, then another half dozen times over the phone for friends. None of us realized Justin was awake from his nap and listening the whole time.”
“Little mastermind,” Ryan said proudly.
“Wait until I tell you about our fifteen-month-old. Mikayla said ‘duck’ to your mom.” Maddy snickered. “I’m positive she wasn’t talking about the floaty toy.”
Ryan’s lips twitched.
Maddy patted Ryan’s chest, admiring how the traditional gaudy sweater stretched across his body.
His phone went off, and he checked it quickly. “Mom and Dad are here with the kids.” He smiled at her. “Having a nearly sixteen-year-old who can drive is a glorious thing, when I’m not scared to death about Talia behind the wheel.”
“She’s an excellent driver,” Maddy assured him. “Let’s go grab them. We can make a grand entrance as a gaudily dressed family.”
At the base of the stairs, Ryan paused then let out a contented sigh as Maddy stepped beside him. She spotted what had his attention.
Ryan’s parents stood a few feet inside the main doors, right beside the shiny, polished trucks. They chatted enthusiastically with Ashton and Sonora Stewart, the lot of them all wearing sweaters in a wild assortment of bright colours.
Justin held onto his grandpa’s hand, his dark hair slicked neatly into place. Talia waited beside them, adjusting the bright yellow barrette in Mikayla’s pale reddish curls.
“Maddy, can I get your help?” The call came from the room above them.
“Of course. One minute,” she called back.
Ryan gave her a squeeze. “You go. I’ll get the family. We’ll meet when it’s time…”
“We’ll meet a dozen times before then,” Maddy promised before hurrying away.
The next hour was chaos at its finest. The common room slowly filled, and filled some more, until Maddy was a little concerned they were on the verge of breaking some maximum occupancy regulations. And wouldn’t that be annoying considering the fire hall was the one to put the regs in place in town.
“Looking good, Mad.” Brooke breezed past, the cookie monster on her sweater holding a three dimensional jar to hold the cookies. The bulge of her growing baby belly formed the swell of the jar, and Maddy approved.
“You, too,” Maddy offered sincerely. She spotted potential trouble on the horizon, though. “Favour to ask. Can you guys go make sure the marshmallow toss has more tossing of the material than eating of them? We’re going to run out of supplies at this rate.”
“On it,” Brooke promised. “Come on, guys. We have marshmallows to save.”
Mack winked at Maddy. His sweater looked like a tinsel covered brick wall, and the small plastic garbage can he’d rigged with a sling rested at hip level.
Little Landon sat in the can, his ruffled hair poking up every direction.
The shoulders of a very fluffy and ragged green sweater just visible as the two of them twisted to follow Brooke.
Very Oscar the Grouch vibes.
“This evening gets stranger and stranger every year, and I love it,” Yvette said as she paused beside Maddy.
Maddy took a good look at her. A glowing pale blue nimbus surrounded her friend as the fish and other sea creatures on Yvette’s sweater swam back and forth in slow circles.
“How are you doing that?” Maddy demanded. She leaned in closer. “Are those LEDs?”
“Fiber optics and teeny processors, and that’s where I can’t answer any more details because Alex got this together with Petra from High Water, and the tech talk they tossed at each other while figuring out how to make it work was above my paygrade.”
“It’s sick.”
“Thanks.” Yvette glanced around the room and hummed happily. “Good turn out.”
“Lots of new volunteers this year,” Maddy pointed out. “With the community hall burning down this fall, there was a rush of community spirit. We have more helpers than we need at times.”
“A good problem to have.”
A clang echoed from near the kitchen, followed by a familiar voice.
Brad Ford called out loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Change of plans! Gaudy sweater contest is before dinner, folks. Apparently, someone forgot to turn on the second oven and the sweet potatoes are not yet toasted.”
Oops. Maddy glanced around to see where she was needed then hurried to help get the spotlight lined up properly.
Music played, and laughter rang out. In singles or groups, everyone took their turn stepping into the spotlight and twisting so that everyone could admire their sweaters. As the fourth official year for the sweater contest, everyone had fully embraced the event.
At one point something bright flashed from a corner of the room that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the contest, but Madison was more focused on the here and now.
On her friends and family all coming together once again to celebrate being community.
Being important to each other and being there for each other.
One ugly sweater at a time.
“Ready for our turn?” Ryan slipped his hand into hers. He held Mikayla in his other arm. This year, their family sweaters were a starburst of red and green checkerboard.
Their daughter reached out. “Mama.”
“Gotcha, baby girl.” Maddy cuddled her in close then settled her on a hip just as Justin grabbed hold of a pant leg.
Talia picked up her brother then stood happily beside her father. “Ready, Mom?”
Maddy smiled at Talia then met Ryan’s eyes. “It’s showtime. Come on, family.”
They stepped into the spotlight together.
I hope you enjoyed all these stories, especially the brand-new ones for Ginny & Tucker, Edison & Kevin, and the firehall crew.
If you have a moment to leave a review for others, I’d appreciate it.
There is one more adventure for Heart Falls. It’s listed as the fourth book in the Skyes of Heart Falls, but includes ALL our friends from the area. The Stones, the Fields, the Colemans, the folks at Red Boot ranch, the firehall, and you name it.
One final chance to catch up, and also see a couple other romances bloom…or at least begin to bloom.
A HEART FALLS COWBOY CHRISTMAS is the happy end of a saga.
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Thank you for being awesome and loving romance, hope, and happy-ever-afters.