Wyatt
“Ellie, baby, we’ve gotta go!” I know we are a short walk over to Grant’s, but we are going to be late. And I know that Laney probably cooked one of the best meals tonight. I’ve been counting the hours all day, knowing I’d get her food as a reward.
“Wyatt, I swear. If you had a car horn, you’d be honking it right now!” She stomps her feet down the stairs, acting like she’s pissed off after I just spent an hour in the shower with eating her out.
“Sunshine, you didn’t seem so agitated a bit ago when I was licking you until you saw stars in the shower.” I wink at her as she smacks my chest.
The moment she reaches the bottom of the steps, I give her a kiss on the lips and realize I’d take any attitude she flung my way because I love her beyond anything imaginable. My Sunshine. She is a ray of light on my mostly cloudy persona.
“Let’s go. I want to see everyone. Tessa texted a reminder to grab the whipped cream for the pies.”
“I thought that was for later!” I whine.
To say our sex life isn’t dull is an understatement. Ellie is wild in bed, and I think I unleashed a beast when I met her ten years ago.
“Stop it, Wyatt.” Her cheeks blush, and she acts all shy when I’m outwardly inappropriate.
“El, no one is here besides us. It’s best I let it all out now versus in front of everyone.”
She doesn’t even give me a comeback and marches over to the fridge and grabs the bowl of freshly made whipped cream.
“I’m serious, Ellie. There better be more in that fridge for later. I love that stuff. Licking it off you is just a bonus.” I may not be playing hockey anymore, but I’ve still got an appetite.
I retired from coaching a few years ago, knowing Tessa might need more of my help as she entered her teenage years. I’m glad I did because being home and available for all the drama that has ensued since she started talking to boys has been a great way to keep her out of trouble. I swear, if she brings one more dickwad of a boy to this house again, I may lose it. These kids look like they just tumbled out of bed to take her on a date. It’s ridiculous.
“You thinking of our daughter’s last date again, Wy?” Ellie chuckles as she passes me, grabbing her coat on the rack behind me. She smirks, and it’s evident she knows me too well.
“Why does she have to date morons?” I stand there, grabbing yet another item to place in the bag for the dinner we are going to be late for.
“I doubt the dads you encountered as a teen thought highly of you either, sweetie.” She taps my cheek like she’s pretty much talking down to me even though I’m towering over her.
“Excuse me, I’m a catch.” I puff out my chest.
“Yes, a true ray of sunshine.” Ellie rolls her eyes and opens the door. The moment the cold breeze hits both of us, we pull our coats closed a little tighter and make our way down the steps.
“You and I both know I’m the fun one between the two of us, right?” I love getting a rise out of her, and today is no different.
“Wyatt, don’t you start. You’re as pleasant as a colonoscopy for most.” She laughs, loud, at her own fucking joke.
I stop in my tracks and stare at her. When did she become this sarcastic? Did I teach her this?
“Excuse me, you married me,” I throw back.
“I did. You’re amazing in the sack, and your daughter won my heart.”
That’s it. I put all the bags down. Fuck the cold weather and the snow that’s threatening to fall. I pull her into my embrace, my gloved hands grabbing her cheeks, and kiss her hard. She’s smiling at first, and then I deepen the kiss, and she melts into me.
I hear a soft moan escape from her, and a part of me feels awfully satisfied by my ability to make this woman melt in my arms even after all these years.
I pull away, my eyes opening to see she still has her eyes closed, and her cheeks are rosy.
“You’re more pleasant than a colonoscopy, Wyatt. I forgot how sensitive you are.” She brings herself up on her tippy toes and gives me another, albeit soft, kiss. I pull her up into my arms, her feet dangling off the ground.
“I love you, Wy. Merry Christmas Eve.” She looks at me, her eyes full of love toward me.
“I love you, Sunshine.” Even all these years later, I don’t know what I did right to deserve her, but I’m damn glad she has stuck by me as I have her.
Our years together have always been about adjustment. That first year married, I still found her taking in moments between us and probably feeling a pang of guilt regarding Beau. I always gave her that space. I never saw her love for Beau as a lack of love for me. I simply saw it as love for both of us but in completely different ways. We have complimented one another, and not a day passes that I’m not grateful we get to do life together. She has been my rock, especially as I navigated Tessa throughout the years. She’s been a mother to our kids, filled the role, and surpassed what I think even Tessa imagined possible in a maternal figure.
We’ve got two girls home now while Tyler and Hannah are off living their lives. Tyler ended up getting a scholarship for basketball and now lives in Connecticut, coaching a small college team out there, and seems to love it.
Hannah is studying fashion out in Los Angeles. To say Ellie took the distance harshly is an understatement. For an entire month, each time she passed Hannah’s photo in our room, she would cry. It seems Hannah is feeling homesick as well and plans on moving back after graduation. I could bet money she’s transferring to an East Coast school by next fall.
I’m trying not to focus on Mia and her impending departure to college next year. She’s been my little sidekick, aside from Tessa. She and Tess pretty much grew up together once we all became a family, and to see a piece of my duo girls away will be hard for me. Maybe I’ll be the one crying with her picture in my hands when she’s off to college. I’m hoping one of the schools we toured in the city will entice her to choose them over leaving the state like her older sister.
“Where’s your mind at, big guy?” Ellie smiles at me, her blond hair outside of her beanie flying around us with the breeze.
“Big guy, huh? Trying to butter me up for later?” I waggle my brows and give a slight thrust toward her. I swear I’m a teenage boy when I’m around my wife.
“Oh gosh. I’ve awakened the beast.” She chuckles.
“Wow. Big guy and beast. Baby, you’re making me want to turn around and take you to bed. Fuck that holiday meal. Let’s go.” I make like I’m taking us back to our house, and she starts laughing.
“All good things to those who wait. Come on, they’re waiting for us.” She pulls on my hand.
This girl could take me anywhere, and I’d follow. The love she’s shown, not only to me but Tessa, is something I never saw coming. Love, support, and partnership are all things she gave me from the moment we came together. She may have fought it, but I know deep down she felt that connection the instant we touched. The fact we’re here all these years later and still feeling like she hung the moon only makes me more excited for what’s to come.