Winter Miracle Page 14

  “I’m saying we take this funny business upstairs and make this a truly unforgettable Christmas. Andy’s not the only one with toys, you know,” I wink.

  Dane looks shocked. “And just when I think I know you.”

  EPILOGUE

  FIVE YEARS LATER

  DANE

  Haley’s sitting in the passenger seat of the truck blindfolded. “I hope you’re not driving me out in the middle of the woods to have your wicked way with me, Christian Grey.”

  I take a left. “Since when do I need your permission to have my wicked way with you, Anastasia?” I taunt.

  She smiles back. “I must say, I’ve been enjoying the spanking thing we’ve got going on at the moment.”

  I shrug, remembering she can’t see me. “Well, I have been a very naughty boy.”

  There’s a man waiting at the boom gate. He sees me and waves us through.

  “Well, naughty boy,” continues Haley, “you still haven’t told me what you want for Christmas”.

  “A vasectomy?” I offer.

  She laughs. “What, you don’t want to try for a fourth? Trying’s the best part, remember?”

  “It’s more the twenty-something years that come after it I’m worried about. And if we had another set of twins…”

  “Oh, you just want another set of Daddy’s girls. Isn’t that right?”

  I smile with satisfaction, because the twins are most definitely Daddy’s girls. “All my girls love Daddy.”

  “And your son?”

  Andy’s at school now, a right proper boy, and a damn fine kid at that. He actually reminds me a lot of myself—determined, head strong at times… a ladies’ man. I don’t think his kindergarten teacher knew what hit her when he started dishing up the Carr charm. “Have you checked in yet?” he asked her on day one. “Because I’ve been check-in you out all day.”

  Yep. Give it a few years and he’ll be a bona fide heartbreaker.

  The girls, Shilo and Skylar, the latter after Haley’s mom… Well, they’re so sweet they’re basically dusted in sugar—identical twins with the same honey-blonde hair as their mother. They’re going to break hearts as well. I just hope mine isn’t first.

  I pull up in the designated parking area and help Haley out of the truck. It’s warm out with a light breeze and clear skies—perfect conditions.

  “Do you think the kids will be alright with the babysitter?” asks Haley, head swiveling left and right.

  She worries too much. “They’ll be fine.” I slipped the babysitter an extra hundred to be sure.

  We’ve got more than enough money these days, but old habits die hard for Haley.

  I walk her over to the fence and stop. “You can take off the blindfold now, by the way.”

  She takes it off, looking through the fence at the F-18 Super Hornet waiting on the runway. “It’s… a jet.” She faces me. “Don’t tell me…”

  “Yes.” I nod. “Yes, we are.”

  *

  I’ve been promising Haley for years I’ll get her up in the air, but it’s only recently I managed to pull the required strings to get it happening. I could have taken her up in one of the dusters, one of the planes from the local strip, but experiencing the pull of a jet, that special g-force, is something else entirely. It’s fucking orgasmic.

  Haley’s suited up and strapped in behind me, her helmet and visor giving me no clue as to her state. “You doing okay back there?” I ask through comms.

  “About to pee myself, but yeah, sure.”

  I bring up the thrusters. “You ready?”

  “Not really,” she replies.

  “Close enough.”

  I bring the Hornet up to speed. It barrels down the runway, a slight shudder before we pull hard for the sky.

  “Oh. My. Goodness,” Haley stammers.

  “Stay with me,” I laugh, the biggest damn smile on my face. It’s been years since I’ve flown a jet like this. I’ve forgotten how addictive it is as we punch through a lone, wispy cloud.

  I pull until we’re almost vertical, rare expletives coming from Haley’s headset as I stall and let us drop.

  “Ahhhhhh,” she starts to hum, unable to get much more out as we hurtle back to earth.

  I bring the thrusters back on and peel right until we’re upside-down.

  “We. Are. Upside. Down,” she says, breathing hard.

  I can’t stop smiling. “That we are.”

  I barrel roll us out and bring us up again into a tight loop.

  “Ohhhhhhhmyyyyyygooooddddddd….” starts Haley again, growing silent as the g-force pins us both to the back of our seats.

  I break out of the loop and level her up. “What’d you think about that?” I ask, looking back to find Haley’s greyed out, her head loose on her shoulders before it suddenly snaps back to attention.

  “Did I… just?”

  “Blackout?” I laugh. “Sure did. The g-load lockout was too much for you, baby.”

  “Do it again,” she taunts.

  I bank left and prep for another run at it. “That’s my girl.”

  *

  Back on ground, the local base commander, an old friend, is waiting to help Haley take her helmet off.

  She shakes her hair out, visibly sweaty. In fact, her general appearance has something of a post-coital feel about it. I’m pretty fucking diamond hard myself.

  “How was it, Goose?” the Commander asks her.

  “Goose?” I laugh, my own helmet underarm. “She was Iceman up there.”

  Haley punches me in the side. “Who you calling a man, mister? Besides, I thought you Air Force guys hated Top Gun.”

  Tim leans over to her, lowering his voice. “It’s bullshit. We love the hell out of that movie. That beach volleyball scene… woo-wee do I love some shiny man muscles.”

  I shove my helmet into his chest. “Funny, I thought the shower scene was more your style…”

  The Commander directs Haley to the main building to change, stepping around in front of me. “I can see why you put a ring on that. I never thought I’d see the day, of course, but damn, I get it.”

  “Hands off, hot shot,” I laugh. “And thanks.” I look back at the Super Hornet. “I spared you a flyby this time.”

  “Why thank you.” He bows sarcastically. “How’s it going out there in… where did you say you are?”

  “Merit.”

  “Never heard of it.”

  “And therein lies the beauty.”

  But I’m watching Haley walk away as I say it, thinking not of the town but of the woman that brought me to it—my wife, my everything.

  HALEY

  CHRISTMAS MORNING

  The master bedroom is completely dark when I wake.

  I bring a hand to my head. “I think your little joy flight the other day rearranged my brain or something.”

  Muffled laughter follows beside me. “You sure it’s not from last night?”

  I shake my head. Thank god there’s a lock on the bedroom door.

  “Are the kids up yet?” Dane asks, a hand moving across the quilt, under my slip and onto my belly.

  I listen, but the house is silent. “Not a creature was stirring, not even a…”

  The hand on my belly runs down into my panties and the wetness already gathering there. “It won’t be for long,” I warn.

  We’re interrupted by a loud banging on the door. “Mom, Dad! It’s Christmas.”

  It’s Andy, keen to get on with the important business of opening presents.

  “One second,” calls Dane, removing his hand and switching on the bedside light. He flicks another switch beside it and the blinds in front of the bed lift automatically, the North Pacific Ocean in all its sparkly splendor revealed.

  I remember the first time Dane brought us down here. I cried. It was the first time Andy and I had seen the ocean, been anywhere but Merit. We watched the ocean from Big Sur, making a fire down on the beach and dancing like idiots until we could barely stand. It seems like forever ago n
ow, since we bought this second home on the Californian coast.

  It’s modern and well-appointed, ocean views from every bedroom. It’s the antithesis of our home in Merit, everything about California is, but I love them both equally, as does the rest of the family.

  A lot has changed in the last five years. Dane had plenty of money saved away, enough to last us a quite a while, but I knew he wouldn’t be able to spend his days playing Mr. Domestic in Merit. I helped find him a job flying out of the local airstrip—joy flights, crop-dusting, whatever was going. When the old man who owned the place died, Dane bought it up and got to work. In the space of five years he’s turned it from a hangar and three planes to an entire fleet. He’s got three full-time employees, a helipad, and a non-stop stream of work. It’s how we were able to afford a second place.

  That’s not to say I don’t miss Merit when we’re away, but I’m no longer scared of the greater world. We’ve been to Hawaii, Australia, even Ireland. Andy’s got more stamps in his passport now than most people will see in a lifetime. We had to slow down the travel when the twins came along, of course, but now they’re growing up the need to explore is pinching again. As always, I’m up for anything.

  That goes for the bedroom, too. After the twins I was worried I wouldn’t be the same down there, wouldn’t feel the same desire, but it ran in completely the opposite direction. There’s not a single room in either house we haven’t made love in. As Dane said all those years ago, we’ve learned the art of the quickie, stealing time whenever and wherever we can. We keep things spicy after-hours as well, even venturing into light BDSM of late, my very own Christian Grey to play with as I see fit. As for the dog-eared Kama Sutra under the bed…

  With three kids and a husband who at times is a kid himself, life’s as full as can be, but there’s more joy for it. Yes, it gets crazy, and yes, sometimes I want to cry, but it’s all part and parcel of life—that intangible, crazy thing that passed me by for so many years.

  Now I have Dane. He’s my rock, my solace. It took some time, but he did warm up to Merit and its silly folk eventually. Everyone in town knows him by name and reputation these days. We’ve poured a lot back into Merit together, but now it’s because we want to, not because I feel obligated.

  And Mrs. Ainsworth? She’s practically the president of the Dane Carr fan club, constantly bringing over meals, offering to mind the children. Ever since her daughter left for college she’s been most cordial. She even knitted us matching sweaters for Christmas—prickly, garish articles that look like they came direct from the 1930s.

  Dane loves to play the Dad, though, wearing the ridiculous sweater with pride and passing out the presents on Christmas Day. He ‘Ooohs’ and ‘ahs’ at Andy’s macaroni necklace, the plate he made him at school with ‘I love you, Daddy’ in bold, blue script.

  It means the world to him. I know it does. He finally has the family he wanted. He has purpose and significance, a place—no, two—to call home.

  But home is where the heart is, and though it’s heavy at times, it’s made lighter knowing we’re in it together, a team.

  It was a storm that brought us together.

  And it would take one hell of storm to tear us apart.

  We’ve weathered our share of troubles—the twins being born prematurely, the odd run-in around town with folks too set in their ways to look at us any different, but I’m stronger with Dane by my side. We are strong.

  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  We head downstairs to the sunken living room where the girls are already waiting patiently in their My Little Pony nighties, Andy clapping his hands together in anticipation.

  Dane dons his sweater and Santa hat, winking at me. “So, who wants a present?”

  I raise my hand.

  “Oh, I’ve got a big package for you, Momma.” He winks, the innuendo going right over the kids’ head as he starts to divvy out the presents.

  I watch him help the kids, completely immersed in the role, still as sexy as ever even if he has put on a pound or two around the middle. I’d like to say it’s all that good home cooking, but he does most of it anyway.

  The kids are completely wasted come day’s end. Whether it’s a sugar coma or the excitement fall-off, I’m not sure, but they’re sound asleep when I check on them.

  Dane joins me by the door to the twins’ room. They’re both sleeping in exactly the same position, their pudgy hands raised above their heads just like Andy used to, their well-worn comfort toys, rainbow monkeys, tucked in beside them.

  “God damn we make cute kids,” says Dane.

  I turn around and kiss him, allowing my tongue to work its way between his lips. He takes me under the thigh, lifting it up against him, his erection grinding against my pelvis. “Care to take this into the master bedroom, Mrs. Claus?”

  “Lead the way, Saint Dick.”

  We don’t even make it to the bedroom before we’re on one another, clothes floating to the floor, the two of us giggling like horny teenagers.

  I break the kiss to glance down between us, our bodies naked, Dane’s cock at full, glorious mast. It’s always happy to see me, even after three kids.

  Dane pulls me into him, hands locked tight behind my ass.

  “Strong as ever,” I note.

  “I’ll show you how strong I am,” he smiles, suddenly lifting me up and spinning me in the air until I’m upside down, my head just beside his cock and my pussy right below his mouth. He holds me there easily.

  My head starts to grow heavy. I’m dizzy.

  It’s crazy, but this is Dane—always the showman.

  “Maybe you should put me down,” I suggest.

  “Not until you come.”

  “I can’t like this.”

  “You can and you will, my love.”

  He licks from the top of my slit to the bottom, gathering my arousal on his tongue and running it over my clit.

  You’re such a pushover, I tell myself, quietly moaning in delight.

  Dane nips and tugs at my folds, pulling and stretching them before he kisses the insides of my thighs, my pale flesh mutinous.

  My hair hangs down around me, light curtains of it swaying back and forth as I struggle to remain conscious. Blood runs to my head and there’s pressure behind my eyes, but Dane doesn’t stop licking, doesn’t let up on my clit. He’s nothing if not relentless.

  I can’t help reacting to this, getting more and more turned on by his lips and mouth against me, by his strength and precision. You’d think he’d be sick of me now, but nothing could be further from the truth. He’s as hungry for my body, my pleasure, as ever.

  He narrows his tongue into an arrowhead and drives it deep into my hole, his nose nestled against my taint and my thighs gripping his head hard as I struggle to stop myself from slipping into a premature climax.

  He draws away. “You know what would make this extra special?”

  “What?” I breathe out.

  “My cock, in your ass.”

  We’ve done anal before, of course, the sheer naughtiness of it tipping me into orgasm before he even got his full length in. I’ve come to quite enjoy it, actually, the deeper, more carnal pleasure it provides.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle. You’ll take my size in no time, you always do, but for now…” He draws my clit between his lips and sucks, the light vibrations of his mouth causing me to quiver in the air, my head rolling against him, his cock hot against the side of my face.

  It’s heaven having a man so willing to go down on you. If he had his way I’m sure Dane would simply stay down there twenty-four hours a day, licking and lashing for all eternity.

  Fresh sensation courses through me as he grips my ass tight and continues to work, my pussy clenching in response.

  Traitor.

  “Are you ready to come for me yet, baby?”

  “No, no,” I mutter, but I know it won’t be long, the familiar tug deep in my core already starting, even inverted like I am.

&nb
sp; “You’re so fucking wet. I’ll be tasting you for weeks after this. Do you know how hard that makes me?”

  The pressure behind my eyes borders on unbearable, but the welcome pressure above is too great to ignore. I beg, plead, but it falls on deaf ears.

  He talks dirty between tongue strokes, our little secret language, and with that I come, my body giving up with barely a fight, my thighs crushing his head and my pussy drawing his tongue deep inside. Halfway through, he bites down gently on my clit and another orgasm rolls over the first, smashing its way through mind and body until I really do think I’ll pass out suspended like this.

  When I’ve recovered, he lets me down onto the floor, lying beside me and kissing his way up my body. The room saws back and forth, the dizziness overwhelming.

  As soon as he kisses me again, I shake and tighten against fresh need.

  Once more, he has me, this husband, this father, this playboy turned domestic pro.

  Dane lifts me from the floor, placing me in the center of the bed.

  He touches me now with that same tenderness he did back at the Merit Motor Inn all those years ago, his fingers a salve as they play with my lips, the velvety interior of my pussy. My body responds. It has no choice. Soon my wetness coats his fingers, his hand. I look back to him and see the obsession in the pits of his eyes, how bad he wants this.

  “As punishment for coming too soon, Haley Carr,” he begins, “I’m going to take your ass.”

  This role-playing, this power play, always turns me on. I can’t believe how far I’ve come… and how many times.

  He withdraws his hand, moving to close the bedroom door and submerge us in absolute and complete darkness.

  “I think your pussy’s had enough attention for now, don’t you think? Get on your knees. Put your ass out for me.”

  I can’t see it, but I know he’s stroking his cock behind me, readying it. That’s the incredible thing. All this time and I’ve barely seem him limp. He’s super-human, his member always at the ready for me.

  He draws his hand up over the puffy lips of my cleft until a single digit sits against the tight pucker of my anus. He holds it there, pressing with the lightest touch until a shiver of sensation runs down my spine. I try to close my buttocks, but I can’t hold the position.