Chapter 38 - Noelle
NOELLE
Christmas morning dawned crisp and bright.
Freshly fallen snow transformed the clubhouse lawn in shades of silver and gold.
It reminded me of something from a fairytale.
Sheets of icicles hung from the eaves in curtains, and the evergreens across the street boasted branches bowed low with the weight of the new snow.
A fire crackled in the living area, and the scent of cedar teased with the combination of gingerbread in the oven.
I stood at the kitchen window wrapped in one of Bishop’s shirts and a pair of comfortable sweat pants.
Reindeer socks Rafe had handed me last night with a bashful look covered my feet.
I’d never felt more at home, more understood, than I had after their adamant defense yesterday.
Was there any better Christmas present than finding the place I belonged?
Pink streaks raced across the sky as the sun rose.
It glittered on the snow and set the horizon on fire with beauty.
I wrapped my arms across my stomach and propped my arms on the counter so I could lean closer to the beauty on the other side of the glass.
“Morning, beautiful.” Rafe’s arms came around me from behind, and he rested his chin on top of my head. “How’d you sleep?”
“Better than I have in months.” I’d almost said ‘better than the dead’ but I wasn’t ready for any macabre jokes after almost losing them.
I leaned against Rafe’s chest and breathed in his familiar leather and pine scent.
“What are you thinking?” His question came out tentative, like he’d never asked it before.
“That it’s gorgeous out there.” I overlapped his arms with mine and lifted my head to kiss the underside of his jaw.
He rumbled deep in his chest. “Not nearly as gorgeous as you.” His lips pressed against my temple. “I like seeing you this way.”
Bishop appeared in the doorway, dressed in jeans and a blue shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes.
For the first time since we’d met, the scar on his arm was on full display.
He held his good hand to his wounded shoulder and made small, circular motions. “Morning.”
“Coffee’s ready.” Rafe nudged us to the side so Bishop could reach the full carafe.
Bishop brought four cups down from the cabinet beside him, lined them up with military precision, and poured them all full.
Except one.
He left that one half full, turned to the stainless steel refrigerator, and pulled out a bottle of my favorite creamer.
He topped off the cup until it was the perfect color, gave it a swirl with a spoon, and handed it to me with a kiss on the lips. “Morning.”
He knew how I liked my coffee.
I stared at the cup, then at Bishop. “I love you.”
A smile appeared, slow at first.
He kissed me again, like we had all the time in the world. “I love you too. Merry Christmas, Little Viper.”
“Who wants motorcycle pancakes?” Ash sped into the kitchen, his hair wild and jaw unshaven. “Oh, coffee. Thanks, Bishop.” He snatched up the cup and took a hearty gulp.
Bishop started to say something but shook his head when Ash yelped and waved a hand in front of his mouth.
“Speaking of Christmas.” Rafe’s chest vibrated along my spine.
Ash stopped fanning his mouth and sobered. “We have something to ask you.”
My nerves attempted to fire up, but I tamped down the urge.
Bishop set down his coffee cup. “We want you to stay.”
All the breath left my lungs. A ‘what?’ squeaked out.
Rafe tightened his hold. “We want you to stay. For good. As our official Old Lady.”
“Like, till death do us part, permanently.” Ash hopped onto the counter and popped a gingerbread cookie into his mouth.
He held one out to me, head first, then winked when I took a small bite.
I worked through the words one by one.
Stay.
Permanently.
“Hell yes.” It wasn’t that I had to make up my mind whether I wanted to stay.
I’d just been shocked by the suddenness of their asking. “I’d planned on quitting my job and finding something else.”
A fresh start in a place where people loved and appreciated me sounded too perfect to pass up.
Rafe brushed his chin back and forth over the top of my head. “Good.”
Ash ate another cookie, brushed his hands together, and picked up his cup again. “Can we show her now?”
“Show me what?”
Bishop glared at Ash. “It’s a surprise.”
“I like surprises.” I drank my coffee and had another cookie.
“You’ll need to get dressed. Ash has what you need.” Rafe kissed my cheek and released me.
He met Ash’s gaze over my head. “Don’t tell her anything. No matter how much she begs.”
“Oh, don’t even get me started on begging.” Ash grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs toward their giant shared room.
An hour and a half later, we were bundled up in leathers and riding across a winter wonderland.
We left the town behind and tore down a country road that reminded me of a scene from a Christmas card.
Red barns stood out against a snowy background.
Chimneys puffed smoke into the air, and kids scrambled through the snow to build snowmen.
At least one group engaged in a snowball fight, and for a minute I thought Ash was going to stop in the middle of the road and join in.
I rode behind him, my arms around his waist and the rumble of his Harley beneath us.
Cold air cut into the sliver of space between my helmet and my scarf, but the rest of me was completely protected from the frigid temperatures.
I’d never felt more alive as Ash turned onto a narrow lane marked with a rustic looking sign.
The letters were too old to make out, but I thought I read PINE at the beginning.
The lane wound through thick woods.
The pine boughs drooped toward us, ready to unload a burden of snow on our heads at any second.
We rounded a curve, and the cabin that came into view took my breath away.
I’d thought the house in town was a fairytale, but it had nothing on this.
The cozy log structure was pushed back into the edge of the trees.
A wraparound porch with rocking chairs would be amazing in the summer.
A single light glowed in the front window.
Ash jogged onto the porch and bent down.
Seconds later, Christmas lights burst into brilliant color.
They wrapped around the posts, lined the eaves, and draped across the windows. Inside the house, a Christmas tree burned brightly.
“Oh, my God.” I yanked off my helmet and stumbled forward. “What is this place?”
“You like it?” Bishop caught me before I fell.
“Like it?” I covered my mouth with both hands. “I love it.”
I spun in a slow circle, taking in the pristine forest and the absolute silence broken only by the sound of our breathing. “How is this real?”
“It’s mine.” Bishop held out a hand. “Ours.”
He led the way up to the porch where Ash waited at the door.
The door swung inward, and I gasped again.
The inside was even more magical than the outside.
Garlands draped over a mantel, and a fire burst into life at the touch of a button.
It smelled like cinnamon and spruce, and from the looks of it, a romantic dinner sat ready on the table.
A bottle of wine chilled in an ice bucket, and I caught sight of a tray of cookies on the counter.
“How did you do all of this?” It was barely noon. They hadn’t had time.
“Colt.” All three of them answered at the same time.
Rafe stepped ahead of me and checked the wine. “He was more than happy to help once he found out our plan.”
“We wanted to give you a perfect Christmas.” Bishop helped me out of my coat and hung it in the closet alongside his, Rafe’s, and Ash’s.
I took my time walking across the living room.
A long couch sat in the center of the room facing a window that overlooked the snowy yard.
A heavy flannel blanket covered the back, and it was too easy to imagine all of us piled on the couch with nothing but the blanket and our body heat to keep warm.
“Our first Christmas together as a family.” Ash rubbed his hands together.
Family.
It landed in my chest and stuck there. “I couldn’t ask for more.”
“Not anything?” Ash raised his eyebrows. “You can’t think of anything else you might want from us?”
I laughed at the playfulness in his voice. “Okay, yes. I can think of something I want. All of you.”
“Done.” Rafe pulled a chair out from the table. “We’re all yours. And I vote we start with a meal.”
The afternoon melted away in a haze of contentment.
We ate.
I explored the cabin.
Ash suggested a board game by the fire, and it quickly turned into a fight to see who could win faster.
We took turns telling stories, and I learned more about them in one afternoon than I had in a month.
Ash brought me a glass of wine, and Rafe finally explained why he’d always hated Christmas.
My heart broke for the boy forced into manhood too soon.
He’d practically raised Colt, always making sure Colt had what he needed, even if Rafe went without.
The wine and soft firelight brought a lull and a sense of peace to the room.
We sat on the long couch, Rafe on one side of me and Bishop on the other.
Bishop ran his hand up and down my thigh in a slow caress.
His eyes drew me in, and I leaned forward to kiss him.
Rafe took the glass from my hand and skimmed his lips over the back of my neck.
“Not here.” Bishop stood, pulling me up with him. “Bedroom.”
He took my hand and led the way to a massive room with a king-sized bed covered in a thick flannel comforter.
They took their time removing my clothes, worshiping my body as they progressed.
My skin tingled with their kisses, and I almost lost my mind when Ash nudged me onto the edge of the bed and knelt between my legs.
“It’s been too long since I tasted you.” He thumbed my clit and blew a soft breath over my sensitive skin.
I fell back on the bed, and Rafe and Bishop joined me.
The three of them touched me at once.
Kisses.
Strokes.
I’d had all of this before, but not with their promises of love living in my mind.
It heightened my senses and made every touch more intense.
Ash used his fingers and tongue to drive me toward the edge.
Every stroke fisted my hands in Rafe’s hair and Bishop’s muscled back.
He pressed a kiss to my navel and watched me as Ash thrust his tongue into me and added a harder pressure to my clit.
“I want all of you inside me again.” No matter how many times we went to bed together, I’d never get tired of this.
Them pleasing me, me pleasing them.
It was more than sex.
I loved every second we spent together, and while we’d had sex in a myriad of ways, today felt different.
The whole world felt different.
They loved me.
Ash lifted his head and grinned at me. “Oh, you’re going to have us inside you. In time.”
Rafe winked and kissed my earlobe. “We have all the time in the world. And we’re going to spend it here with you.”
Merry Christmas, indeed.