A McKenzie Christmas (9 page)

Rosie wiggled her brows and laughed, her eyes glanced at his crotch. She liked his kind of present.

“You’ll get that present much later, but, for now, you need to get into the truck so I can drive you there.”

He could tell by the way her eyes lit up that she was excited, but it was clear that she didn’t want to let on just how much. He grinned, excitement running through him, and stayed silent.

He helped her into the cab of his truck, and smiled to himself as he joined her, before he pulled out from the back of the club.

Everything was closed tight for the night, and Kenza would be soon. He’d agreed to close the doors at eleven so that his employees could go home to their families and friends to spend Christmas morning with them. That’s the one thing about owning a business, being fair to the people who worked for you.

“How far is it?” Rosie asked.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He smirked, and laughed when Rosie fidgeted in her seat with excitement.

As he turned onto the snow-covered street, Rosie perked up and glanced at him and the darkened house on the corner that they headed toward. He pulled into the drive without saying a word, and turned the engine off.

Rosie turned to him, her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out.

He smirked and walked around to open her door. His arms went around her and under her legs as he hauled her out into the snow.

Once she was on her feet, he took her hand and led her to the porch. Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the front door and lifted his wife back into his arms. He carried her over the threshold, and smiled. “Merry Christmas, Baby. Welcome to our new home.”

She started to cry, and he freaked.

Had he got it wrong? Did she not really like the house?

He walked over to the stairs and sat on them with Rosie in his arms. She wrapped hers around his neck and sobbed her heart out. He couldn’t speak. He had no idea what to say anyway, so all he did was hold her tightly against him as his neck grew wet from her tears.

After a few minutes, Rosie pulled back and used the Kleenex she was offered. “You bought us a house?” She sniffled.

“I did. I thought you loved this house.”

Rosie put her hand over his mouth so he couldn’t say anything else.

“I love this house, and I love you. I never in a million years expected to live here, but you bought it for us.” Tears threatened again. “Thank you.” She started to cry again.

He hated seeing tears on her beautiful face, and never knew what to do to calm her down. He hoped after her words that they were tears of happiness.

“Rosie, are you sure this is the house you want?”

She started to laugh. “I promise you, this is the most amazing Christmas present ever. I don’t think anything will ever top this.” She kissed him slow, and long. “When can we move in?”

“Whenever you want.”

“Hmm, so it’s ours already and you haven’t just borrowed the key?”

What was she saying?

“Because,” she climbed from his lap and unzipped her jacket, “I think we need to christen the stairs…now, Ruben.”

He didn’t need telling twice.

While Lucien had gotten Alexander ready for bed and given him his bedtime feed, Sabrina had put the finishing touches to their Christmas Eve dinner. She’d cooked beef stew and dumplings, which would be followed with a light chocolate mousse—Lucien’s favorite.

She still worried about her husband, but they’d been in Lexington for a couple of days and he already seemed in a lighter mood. It was as though his worry had fallen away now that he was close to his family. She didn’t really know how she felt about that because she was his family.

Her husband wasn’t only layered with scars; he had so much depth that it scared her sometimes. They’d had a very bumpy start that had lasted a good while, but once he’d taken her to his house in Denver, everything had come together. Now she wasn’t too sure what was going on with him. She knew what he told her, but getting anything out of him was like getting a tooth pulled at the dentist—painful.

The meal was now out on the table, and her one glass of wine for the evening poured.

Instead of waiting for Lucien to appear, she decided to slip down to their son’s bedroom and watch her two men together. The socks on her feet meant that she didn’t make a sound and as she approached, she heard Lucien as he whispered to their son. She couldn’t make out what he said, but as she peered around the corner, he had a book on his lap. He’d glance at their son in his arms and then back to the book as he read him a Christmas story, and her heart melted.

Lucien glanced up and noticed her, the smile on his face, the one he reserved for her, was radiant. At that moment she knew that there had been no reason to worry. Her husband felt true happiness with them, and if she was honest with herself, they were both happier for being back in Kentucky.

He stood and placed their son in his crib and with one last glance, walked toward her. Sabrina’s heart felt so full that it might burst with the look on his face. He cupped her face between his hands and tenderly caressed along each cheekbone. He backed her out of the room and kissed her. He kissed her long and deep until her knees started to buckle and her toes curled with delight.

*

Lucien had seen the look on Sabrina’s face when he caught sight of her before she’d masked it into a smile. She’d been worried, and he knew he had caused it. If he hadn’t voiced his worry at his wife’s urging, then she wouldn’t have had more to worry about.

He broke the kiss, and smiled when she moaned and tried to capture his mouth with her own. “More.” She kissed his chin and moved down to his neck and collarbone.

“Let’s go eat, and talk, because I can see the worry in your eyes.”

She dropped her head to his chest and he felt her inhale against him.

“You smell good. You always do.” Sabrina smiled up at him and let him take her hand as they walked to the table that she’d set out beautifully.

The table was black marble, and Sabrina had placed green napkins down to match the red plates. He smiled. She’d obviously done some shopping because he only remembered having black plates and dishes in the cupboards.

“You like?” She smiled, and urged him to take his seat.

She’d made his favorite dish and served it with potatoes. His belly rumbled at the sight, but he found that he couldn’t eat just yet. He needed to make Sabrina realize that he really was all right. He took a sip of wine and said, “I love you.”

He was glad that he’d caught her off guard. Oh, she knew that he loved her but it wasn’t something he usually just blurted out.

“Back in Denver, I suffered from anxiety, Sabrina. It was an accumulation of my life being turned upside down, and for the better. Once we arrived in Lexington, and I mentioned to you about moving back here, everything seemed to fall in to place.”

Sabrina reached for his hand, staying silent while he continued.

“When I locked my emotions away, I found it easier living away from my family, but once I had you, and eventually Alexander, everything was unlocked and I missed being here.” He sighed. “Am I making any sense to you?”

“Oh, Lucien. You are making so much sense, and I’m so glad that you’ve finally let the past go because that’s really what you’re telling me, isn’t it?”

He felt tearful at Sabrina’s words because she was right. He had finally let the past go, and he looked forward to their future in Lexington.

“Fuck,” the last word to leave Ramon’s mouth before his cell smashed in the hearth. That fucking woman would be the death of him.

He turned and found Noah standing behind him with a huge smile as he tried to contain his laughter. “What did she say?” Noah finally gave in and chuckled.

“You would find it funny,” Ramon grumbled.

If the wedding guests had anything to eat, he’d be very surprised. The caterer was a pain in his ass. In fact, much to his embarrassment, she was after his ass or rather his dick, which was why she was being so damn awkward.

God give him strength.

Noah finished pouring himself a coffee and faced his fiancé. “I find it amusing that the caterer is after you when she is supposed to be planning the meal for our wedding.”

“You’re not jealous. Why aren’t you jealous?”

“Ramon, you’re acting like a child.” Noah rolled his eyes. “I’m not jealous because she isn’t a threat to our relationship. No one is,” he admitted.

It shut Ramon up instantly.

“You want a fight and I refuse to give you one.” Noah headed outside, dropped his jeans and climbed into the hot tub while Ramon watched him.

Noah was right of course. Ramon had wanted a fight to get rid of the sexual tension. They’d agreed that for the month of December,
they wouldn’t have sex, or a hand job until after their wedding on New Year’s Day, so yeah
,
he was frustrated as fuck
. Seeing Noah naked in the fucking hot tub didn’t help either.

“Ramon, let it go and join me in here.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Ramon admitted.

“I agree, but it’s Christmas Eve and I want you in here with me.”

He smiled, and found his feet moved on their own accord, and before he knew it, he was standing at the side of the tub. Ramon reached out, ran his hands through Noah’s hair and felt him shudder at the touch.

“Mmm, don’t tempt me. Please behave.”

With a deep inhale, Ramon stepped away and stripped before he joined his guy in the hot water. It was freezing in the snow, but the tub sure made up for that. The company did as well.

*

Noah watched Ramon climb into the tub and his knuckles gripped the ledge inside the tub to stop himself from reaching out. Ramon had a beautiful body and when he was aroused like he was, he reminded Noah of a Greek god—all muscle with his rigid length stuck out from his body.

Ramon sat in the water as Noah closed his eyes to get his body under control. No sex meant
no
sex. If only his body realized that’s what it meant.

Noah snapped his eyes open when he heard Ramon clear his throat. He glanced over at him and saw the smirk on his face.

Noah chuckled at having been caught thinking about Ramon’s body. It would be written all over his face.

“So, what the
fuck are
we going to do about Miss.
Painintheass
?”

Noah couldn’t help himself and laughed. “I have a brilliant idea.”

When the silence got the better of him, Ramon grumbled, “I’m waiting to hear your wonderful idea.”

“Impatient as always.” Noah grinned. “You need to set your mom on her. She was disappointed that you wouldn’t let her help with the arrangements with you being a control freak. So, I think you’d make her day if you passed it on to her.”

Ramon grinned. “I’ve been thinking about that. She’d set her straight and it would get rid of her for us.”

“It would.”

*

Ramon sat back and tried to act relaxed with being in the hot tub with Noah, especially when he was anything but.

He had fond memories of the hot tub and they all involved them both naked.

Noah smirked and moved closer between Ramon’s legs. Ramon gulped and groaned when Noah stood in front of him in all his naked glory before Noah climbed from the tub.