Chapter 40 Christmas #2
I don't think I can go that long without hearing her voice. Ever since she's moved in the longest I've gone without hearing her voice with her beside me had to have been at least five minutes.
Goddamn, she's talkative.
"Guess what?" she rolls her head over to me and I'm placed in a trance upon seeing her looking over at me like she loves me. I don't think I'll ever get used to that look she gives me.
"What?"
"Bear totally just farted," she snorts.
"You sure it wasn't you?" I question.
"Nope. If it was me, you'd know it," she explains and that's true. She's brutally honest and she doesn't hold anything back. If she's got to do something, she's gonna do it and she's gonna make sure you know it's her that did it.
She leans into me and grips onto the side of my face. She places her lips on my cheek before trailing them down to my jaw. She knows I like it when she does that.
The kisses are innocent but when she does it, it makes me think thoughts that are far from innocent.
Then she blows a damn raspberry on my cheek and pulls away, laughing at her own actions.
She stands up and grabs onto my hand, motioning for me to get up too.
"Want to help me make cookies for tonight?" she asks me excitedly, a smile on her face.
I can't say no to that.
I know shit about baking but it's obvious she wants me to help her. I only give her a little nod and her smile widens as she starts to pull me into the kitchen.
I stand in the middle of the kitchen watching her as she skitters around grabbing ingredients from everywhere. I don't really know what to do with myself.
She washes her hands then instructs me to do the same and I do. She passes me the carton of eggs and a metal bowl.
"Crack two eggs in the bowl for me, okay?" she tells me, keeping her eyes focused on whatever she's mixing together. I look at the eggs in front of me.
My egg-cracking skills are very high level. Really at all. I can cook them, that's easy. But I can't crack them open without getting the shell everywhere.
"Um," I mumble and she pauses, looking over at me. Her eyebrows furrow in sweet concern.
"You need a little bit of help?" she questions, scooting over closer to me.
She grips onto one of the eggs, cracks it on the side of the bowl and shows me slowly how to open it without getting shells anywhere.
Then she stands back a bit and watches me as I successfully crack my own egg without getting any shells anywhere.
"Look at that!" I hear the smile in her voice, "such a good helper."
My chest fills with pride for cracking a fucking egg properly.
She gives me a few other ingredients to mix in with the eggs and before she can tell me to mix it in with the 'dry ingredients' as she called them, my phone rings.
The name Sanfred appears on the screen and the call better not be what I think it is. It's nine in the morning on Christmas.
"Yeah?" I grumble.
"I know you said we won't work today but this is really important," Sanfred explains on the other end of the phone. I wanted today to be completely work-free. The guys need a break and I do too.
I wanted to spend all day with Azalea before we go to Jai's house tonight for the annual 'gathering' he has.
"What is it?" I sigh.
He explains all the details he's got access to and the whereabouts of the case. It's only about an hour away so it's not terrible. A kid has been taken from his family into this state from Georgia. All we have to do is retrieve the kid and turn the guy in.
I place my phone down on the counter and she looks at me, a smile on her lips.
"You have to work?" she questions softly. I nod hesitantly.
"Okay," she nods, "I'll just finish these up and then I'll go see Mr. Terrip for a while."
"I'm sorry," I tell her honestly. She shakes her head immediately.
"No, no, I understand that you have to do this and it's perfectly okay," she smiles. She leans to me and wraps her small arms around my torso. I place a kiss on her head.
"I love you," I tell her. Her hands trail down to my ass.
"I love you."
~~~
?Azalea?
I am very pleased with today's events. I feel like I've gotten a lot done. Not only did I make cookies for Mr. Terrip and for Jai's house tonight, but I also went to see Mr. Terrip.
When I came home, I curled my hair too which is something I haven't done in forever. Not that I'm complaining, but Grey's been away for a while longer than I thought so I've had some extra free time.
I also had a mini runway show for Bear. He loved it, I'm sure. I'm more of a Spring/Summer type of person so I have a lot of clothes that I wear when it's warm, and not a ton of clothes to wear while it's cold. So since I haven't worn my warm-season clothes in a while, I decided to show Bear them.
Once I was done with that, I did laundry then sat down to watch Incredibles 2 because I love baby Jack-Jack.
Halfway through the movie, Grey walks in the door and a smile automatically lights up my face. He's not smiling. I pause the movie and stand, walking to him. He keeps his eyes on the ground and my smile falters.
Without a word, he tugs me to him. He bends, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist. In only a second, he lifts me up so he's not bending. I grow worried.
"What's wrong?" I ask softly. He remains quiet. He doesn't move.
"There was a kid," he starts quietly, and I squeeze him tighter.
"Some psycho took him from his parents and we had to go get him," he continues, still holding onto me for dear life. I don't say anything, I just let him talk. I let him tell me what's wrong.
"When we got there, I walked in first like I always do and the guy was there waiting for us," he trails off.
"He shot the kid in the head right in front of me," he presses his face into my shoulder after finishing and my eyes widen but I don't say anything.
I'm usually a person of many words. But now, I have no idea what to say to him. So I just hug him as tight as possible, figuring it's what he needs.
"What do you need me to do?" I keep my voice strong but soft.
"Just let me hold you."
"Okay," I nod, kissing his temple. I hear Bear's collar below me and I peek down to see him, rubbing his head against Grey's leg.
He walks over to the couch and sits down, situating me on his lap, never taking his hands off me.
"That's never happened to me before," he says quietly, removing his face from my shoulder and looking at me. His clenches and my heart breaks when it makes me think he blames it on himself.
He runs his fingers through the hair at the back of my head.
"You look beautiful," he leans forward, placing a sweet kiss on my lips.
"Thank you, Sugar," I smile and his face lightens.
"I'm always here for you, just like now, okay? Whenever you need me," I place a kiss on his cheek and he nods.
"Thank you."
~~~
Grey understood when I told him we didn't have to go to Jai's house tonight but he insisted on going. I think it's because he wanted to get his mind off things.
But he's still shaken up by what he saw, I can tell that much. I think anyone would be. He's being quieter and he's not let go of me since he got home.
Even in the car on the way to Jai's, he's got his hand over in my lap, interlaced with my own.
I'm happy to know that he recognizes that I'm here for him but I just want to take his thoughts and pain away. It hurts me to see him hurt.
"We can leave whenever you want to, Sugar," I remind him, "just tell me when okay?"
He turns his head over to me as we pull into the driveway of Jai's craftsmen style house.
"Okay."
We get out and Grey's automatically by my side. On one hand, is the plate of cookies I made and in the other is his hand.
He opens the door for us and walks right in.
"Look who it is," Oaklee calls out as Jai gets up to greet us.
"Merry Christmas," he smiles before he sees the cookies.
"Oh my God, she brought cookies," he notices them, taking the plate from my hands and giving them to the grabby hands of Oaklee.
Jai brings me in for a hug and Grey never releases my hand.
"Hey man," Jai gives him a slightly sad smile, "you good?"
Grey only nods at him, tugging me closer to his large frame.
"Azalea!" Abby's voice calls my name and I gasp. I don't let go of Grey's hand, I wait until she reaches us.
"Are you here with Roman?" I wiggle my eyebrows at her and her face turns only a little pink. She gives me a nod and my smile widens. Then she looks up at Grey.
"Hey, Grey," she throws up a friendly smile and he gives her a nod.
"Y'all come in here," Maxon calls out, the plate of cookies in his hand, "we're about to start watching The Grinch."
"Aka, Grey," Oaklee coughs and the guys laugh. Grey rolls his eyes, shaking his head as he holds back a little smirk.
We take a seat on the couch and he leans his whole body into me. I place my hand on the top of his back and run my fingernails along the surface. He relaxes and sets his sights on the movie in front of us.
A quarter of the way into the movie, most of the guys get up and follow Jai into the kitchen. Grey looks down at me.
"Do you care if I go have some drinks?" he questions and I give him a soft smile.
"I don't mind," I shake my head. He gives me a soft kiss and follows a few others into the kitchen.
Abby scoots over to me.
"Is Grey okay?" she questions, "I mean he's usually pretty quiet but tonight just seems a little more than usual."
"He had a tough day today," I explain without giving too much detail. She nods in understanding.
Abby and I talk and watch the rest of the movie for another forty-five minutes before the guys start filing back in. Some stumbling already. Grey comes out walking smoothly but by the way his eyes look tired, I know he's drunk.
He's about to get real sweet.
"Watch this," I giggle a little, nodding to Grey.
"Oh gosh, is he a horny drunk?" she laughs. Not even.
"He's very, very sweet. Not hornish, but a sweetheart," I smile as he gets closer. Actually, depending on what he drank, it may not have set in all the way yet but he still looks pretty drunk even right now.
Once he's close enough to touch me, he does. He plops onto the couch.
"I need a kiss. Need it," he points to his lips, drawing closer to me. I give him a kiss and he pulls away satisfied.
"Pretty girl," he leans his forehead against mine. At least he doesn't have a chicken leg this time. He looks down at the necklace he got me that lays against my chest.
"Thank God for you," he lays his head down on my lap and Abby moves out of the way of his legs, laughing a little bit.
"I love you and Tubs," he places a kiss on my stomach and I laugh.
Running my hands through his hair, I thank God for him too.
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Y'all I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I honestly didn't even know what day, month, or even year it was. I don't know why I decided to have a little Christmas special since it's not even Christmas, but I hope y'all enjoy.
*Not edited*
Word count: 3987
-Ashlyn M.