Chapter Fourteen
Eric
Idiot.
Reckless fool.
An embarrassment.
My talk with Dad went as expected. He exploded on me, reminding me of all the things I already knew. But, at some point, it evolved.
Coward.
That’s the word that got to me. It dug in like a tick and I wasn’t able to fully remove it. The word replays over and over inside my head. I’m infected by the truth of it.
“Most of the food is ready,” Yolanda says from the passenger seat. “I’ll just need a little help bringing it all out.” She reaches over and touches my arm. “No drinking tonight.”
I bark out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, Ma, I know. I think I’ve had my last drink for a long time.”
Not one to dwell on bad things, she chatters on about how proud she is of our honorable mention at the gingerbread contest. I’m bummed we didn’t actually place, but there’s always next year.
“Smoke & Sugar winning first left a bad taste in my mouth,” I admit as we turn into my parents’ neighborhood. “They shouldn’t have been allowed to compete.”
“Right?” Yolanda agrees. “They’ll probably put it on the menu and charge an ungodly amount, too.”
Their menu was impressive, I’ll admit that. But, it was also expensive. I’ve eaten at places in Manhattan that cost less. They’re pricing themselves way too high in my opinion.
“Oh, look,” Yolanda says, pointing ahead. “Clara is already here.”
I tense up at the mention of her name. I’ve avoided the love of my life these past few days, choosing to hide out with James at his house. While it was nice getting to know him, I also felt terrible for hiding from my problems.
Coward.
Eventually, I’d had enough, and knew I needed to face our parents, since that was still unsettled. Dad raked me over the coals for a solid hour over my stupidity, but then it changed.
“Everything’s going to work out, Son,” Yolanda says, shooting me an encouraging smile. “Enjoy tonight with our family. Like old times.”
Guilt claws at the inside of my chest. I spent so many Christmasses away and I hate that. I’ve been a horribly absent part of this family.
That ends now.
We pull up along the curb and I put Dad’s truck in park.
I climb out and then walk up to the house with Yolanda.
Before we reach the front door, I can hear “Jingle Bell Rock” blasting from the speakers.
Yolanda chuckles and shakes her head. Nothing’s changed on that front in this Christmas-loving household.
Inside, we interrupt a festive dance party. Dad has both Layla and Ruthie clinging to him as he dances around like he’s Elvis. It’s comical and such a far stretch from the bitch-out he gave me hours before.
Where’s Clara?
Sitting on the loveseat with Frosty on her lap, she watches them with a small, sad smile on her lips. Her eyes are swollen like she’s been crying. I feel like a monster.
Frosty barks happily when he sees me, bouncing off Clara’s lap, and racing to me. I shut the door behind me and scoop him up. He spends a good solid minute licking my face.
“I missed you, little guy,” I murmur, scratching behind his ears. “How’ve you been?”
Once I’ve had enough, I set him down, and he then runs circles around Dad and the girls. Clara doesn’t look at me, even when I sit down beside her. My heart sinks.
I ache to talk to Clara, but she’s upset with me. Understandably so. All I want is to make it all better. To make her happy again.
“Eric,” Yolanda calls out. “I need help, remember?”
With a groan, I rise to my feet and stride past Dad. He rolls his eyes at me and mouths, “Coward.”
Ignoring him, I make my way into the kitchen. Yolanda grips my arms and forces me to look at her.
“You know how to fix this, Eric. What fixes everything?”
I blink in confusion at first before I finally understand. Then, I set to making the most badass, delicious hot chocolate ever. Once I have two mugs filled, I head to the living room and sit beside Clara again.
Yolanda calls for Dad and the girls to help her. He lowers the volume of the music and ushers them into the kitchen.
“Here,” I say, handing Clara the drink.
She frowns, but once she smells the chocolatey goodness, she folds and accepts the peace offering. I stare at her pretty sad face as she sips it.
“Thanks,” she mutters.
Frosty hops up onto the sofa, nestling himself between us. I pet him with my free hand. She does the same and our hands rub against each other. A zing of electricity shoots through me.
“I’m sorry.”
Clara says nothing.
“When shit gets hard, I leave. It’s what I do,” I tell her bitterly. “But, I’m tired of running. I’m facing my problems and dealing with them like a man. I don’t deserve a woman like you, but I want to be that man who does.”
She jerks her head my way, eyebrows pinched together. “What? We can’t.”
“Why not?” I demand with a growl.
Her lip curls up as if she thinks I’m dumb for asking. “We’re family, remember?”
I burst out laughing. “Not a good enough reason.”
“Are you insane?” she hisses, glancing over her shoulder. “They’ll hear you. We’re already in enough trouble over this.”
I take her hand in mine and refuse to let go. At first, she glowers at me as she tries to remove it, but eventually gives up with a long sigh. I relax and stroke her hand with my thumb. This feels right. Fucking terrifying, but right.
I’m tired of being a coward.
Dad walks back into the room and I tense up, but don’t let go of Clara’s hand. I meet his gaze with a firm stare of my own. He smirks. Yolanda follows him and winks my way.
“Who’s ready for presents?” Dad calls out.
Everyone cheers. Even Clara. Even Frosty.
The living room is a mess and gifts are strewn everywhere. My chest is warm with happiness. I can’t believe I missed out on this for years.
Clara’s favorite gift is the one I got for her. It’s a zip-up onesie with snowflakes all over it. She wanted to change into it, but I asked her to hold off. I still have a surprise for her and she needs to be dressed for it. Hopefully, later, I’ll get the pleasure of unzipping her like a gift.
“I need to show you something,” I say to her, taking her hand again. “Put on your coat and shoes.”
She frowns but nods. I’m grateful she’s not icing me out. Ma was right. Hot chocolate fixes everything. The entire family pulls on their outerwear and we head outside.
Yolanda went outside ahead of us and turned on the lights, so by the time we make it there, the green and red lights blink happily, beckoning us over.
“Is that a…food truck?” Clara asks, confusion in her tone.
“Yup. Come check it out.”
We make our way over to the small thing. After my talk with Yolanda and Dad earlier today, and their ultimate blessing to be with Clara, Yolanda and I impulsively bought a food truck.
“You like it?” Yolanda asks her daughter, beaming out the window. “Come look inside. It’s awesome.”
The girls race ahead of us and Dad grunts at their unending energy. Clara steps onto the food truck and gasps.
“It’s so cute! Why did you buy a food truck, Mom?” she asks as she opens a cabinet to peek inside.
I hug Clara from behind. At first she’s stiff, and then she melts against me. The girls make gagging sounds until Dad tells them to knock it off.
“She and I did a thing,” I say with a chuckle, hugging her to my side so she can see her mother. “We’re going into business together.”
She whirls around to face me, eyes wide with confusion. “What?”
I cup her cheeks with my hands. “I’m not leaving, sass. And, if you’ll ever forgive me, I want to make us official.”
Dad mumbles something about “never getting used to this,” but Yolanda shushes him.
“Say something,” I murmur, voice cracking.
“They’re going to kiss again,” Ruthie tattles and then giggles.
“Ewww,” Layla groans. “Boys are gross.”
“I’m not gross,” I say, unable to keep from arguing with the kid. “Right, Ma?”
“Handsomest boy I’ve ever known. Besides your father of course.”
I snort and turn my attention back to Clara. “I love you. More than anything or anyone in my entire life. This thing between us was written in the stars. I knew it the first time I laid eyes on you.”
Clara’s eyes water. “I knew it too. That’s why I was so pissed you left us. Left me.”
“I’m sorry.” I rest my forehead to hers. “I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness—”
“I forgive you,” she blurts out and then presses her lips to mine.
“On that note, we’re out of here,” Dad grumbles as if he’s annoyed.
He squeezes my shoulder on his way past us. I swear I hear him say, “That’s my boy.” When it’s quiet again and it’s just the two of us, I break from our kiss to grin at her.
“I have a question for you,” I say as I shove my hand into my coat pocket. “There’s only one answer I’ll accept.”
She gasps when I drop to one knee. “Eric!”
“Nope. Not the word I was looking for.”
Her head shakes back and forth as if she can’t believe what’s happening. Since I haven’t asked the question yet, I don’t accept that as an answer. Finally, I pop open the small jewelry box. I bought it the day after the blowout. James helped me pick it out.
“Will you marry me? You’re already my soulmate. I want you to be my wife, too, sass.”
A sob escapes her and then she blurts out what I want to hear. “Yes!”
If she says anything else, I don’t hear her because I’m too busy kissing the love of my life.
“Beg me to fill you up,” I growl as I piston my hips.
I’ll never get tired of being deep inside this stunning woman. She whimpers and shudders, close to orgasm.
“Please,” she says with a moan. “Fill me up.”
“Why do you want to be filled up? Hmm?”
“Because it’s hot?”
I nip at her neck until she cries out. “Wrong answer. You know what I like to hear.”
My hand slides down to her clit and I punish it until she’s thrashing in ecstacy. Her pussy squeezes my cock as she comes. I fuck her harder, rougher.
“Say it,” I command. “Be a good girl or Santa isn’t bringing you shit.”
Her fingers thread into my hair and she tugs. Our eyes meet. Hers are filled with fire. I’m sure mine are the same.
“I want your baby inside me. Get me pregnant.”
My entire body thrums with pleasure. I’m going to grant her that wish. Our parents are going to be grandparents before they know it.
I come with a grunt, my cock throbbing out thick ribbons of cum that coat her insides. We’ve fucked twice since I proposed. Once in the car on the side of the road on our way home. It was too damn hard to wait a few more minutes.
“I’m going to sleep like this,” I say, grinning down at her. “You like my cock inside you?”
She tightens her legs around my waist. “It’s my favorite thing.”
“Good girl.”
I relax, but leave my softening cock inside of her.
My lips find her neck again so I can kiss her sweetly.
Frosty huffs from the floor. It creeps him out when we’re intimate, but he’ll have to get over it, and sleep on the floor tonight.
I’m sleeping inside my woman. I’ll be damned if I let a little furry old man shame me out of it.
“I love you, Eric,” she murmurs. “Thank you for coming back to me.”
I squeeze her and grunt. “I was stupid for thinking I could ever leave. We’re bound. We always have been. I was a fucking coward. Not anymore.”
“My brave brother.” She starts giggling when I groan and my cum runs out of her.
“I prefer fiancé, smartass.” My cock hardens again. “And I told you to keep my cum inside you. Now you have to let me fill you up again.”
Her laughter shakes the bed and causes Frosty to bark at us.
“You’re going to be one of those guys who keeps his wife pregnant, aren’t you?”
“All the damn time.”
And then we spend the rest of our night trying our hardest to make at least one baby.
For now.