“Alright. I’ll ask Santa.”
“Thanks, Momma.” He gives me a kiss and hug.
“I love you, Bubba. More than the moon and the stars.”
“Me too.”
I close the door quietly and walk down the hall to the master bedroom. My husband is in his glory, already naked, propped up against the headboard. What should look presumptuous and ridiculous makes my breath hitch. He’s already hard, his erection standing proud as he slowly moves his hand over the length.
“Shut the door, Kinley,” Danny orders quietly. I slowly push the door closed, the click sounding loud in the otherwise quiet room.
I start with my ever-present cardigan, and toss it on a chair. Danny’s eyes track my movements with a single-minded focus. “Did you talk to Ollie about babies?”
His eyebrow rises at the topic. “No. Isn’t three a little soon for the birds and bees?”
“He said he wanted Santa to bring him a friend that lived in his house,” I explain as I take off my top, then bra.
“And you said?” he asks absently, distracted with the jeans slowly sliding down my thighs. I watch in rapt attention as his hand squeezes at the top, before moving down his length again.
“I said I would ask. What else could I say?”
“Why don’t we figure it out later and you come over here?” I can see by the flexing of his stomach that he’s prepared to get me himself if I don’t follow his suggestion.
Moving to stand at the foot of the bed, I crawl up his body, using my tongue to trace the veins in his feet, which I know are particularly sensitive. I’m rewarded with a hiss and muffled curse, the sounds bringing my heart on a steady climb to pounding.
I open my mouth on the tender skin on the inside of his knee, and suck. “God damn it Kinley.”
I move my eyes up to meet his eyes. “You want me to stop?”
“Fuck no. The show might be over before you get above my balls, but we’ll risk it, K?”
I smile against his thigh and nuzzle the slightly course hair there with my cheek. “You’ve never given me a reason to doubt your stamina.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears, sweetheart.”
I spread kisses up one thigh, then down the other, opening my mouth and tonguing, sucking at random.
“Swear to Christ, Kinley,” he growls, lifting his hips slightly.
“Are you regressing now?” I tease.
“I was shooting for fifteen, actually. At least I don’t have pants on,” he pants.
I move closer to his inner thigh and say against the sensitive skin in between his length and lower, “you’ve never come unless I wanted you too.”
“I have no idea what you just said. My brain went white for a second. I think I may have just seen the light.”
“I’m speaking perfect English.”
“Let’s try speaking in tongues and see how that goes?”
I slide my tongue up his length and stop at the glistening drop at the top. “But, I’m not done playing yet,” I whisper as he strains against my bottom lip. Danny’s mouth opens and closes, whether he’s trying to form words or gasping for breath. Either way I’m more than ready, but seeing Danny speechless isn’t a thing to squander.
I sip the wetness from him and hum at the taste. To say that I learned the art of sex with this man is an understatement. He has brought me more pleasure than I can even conceive and I love giving it back. When I finally take his length deep into my mouth, his fists clench in the sheet beside him. He quickly lets go and moves the hair out of my face so that I can watch his baby blues sparkle with lust.
I can tell when he sets his mind to forestalling his release. Sweat breaks out on his brow, his eyes go half mast and his jaw clenches. Using my hand to take the base of him, I set a rhythm that slowly increases in tempo. I lick and suck, swirl my tongue and go down again until his hips are clearing the bed, and his hands are more forceful, but always mindful to not go too deep. My scalp prickles where his hands are clenched and makes me go faster. My nipples are being abraded by the hair on his thighs, and I arch my back to get more contact. I moan with him as deep as I can and swallow.
“Fuck, you’re done,” I barely hear over the pounding of my pulse. He grabs me swiftly under the arms and I’m fully seated with him inside of my body before I have time to close my mouth. Danny takes full advantage and sits up in the bed, attacking my mouth. His tongue mimics the hard ride he sets with his hand on my ass.
I strain my legs to keep the fast pace, and move my hands to his hair. Arching my back, I finally stop trying and let him do with me what he will. Danny moves his hands to the sides of my breasts, his fingers spanning my ribs, lifting me effortlessly as he takes first one nipple then the other into his mouth.
Once he’s shown his adoration to them, I’m released and moved on all fours, facing the foot of the bed. He tunnels in again on a hard thrust, and I give a soft cry and clench against him. “Look baby.”
I look up at the soft command, and see our reflection in the dresser mirror.
“From that first lick on my damn foot you gave me the perfect view of this ass. So good.” He squeezes my ass and I watch him focused on where we’re joined.
The image is so erotic I feel myself about to unravel. “Danny,” I whimper.
“That’s right, Kinley. Take it,” he grunts, moving a hand around my stomach to circle his fingers around my clit. I come with a muffled scream, forcing my arms to unlock so that I can smother the sound in the mattress. Seconds later, Danny loses his rhythm and I feel his hand on my back, hot as he pulses inside of me.
When he pulls out my muscles clench to keep him with me. Danny’s lips start at the base of my spine and move up to the nape of my neck, making goose bumps spread over my entire body. I shiver as he settles beside me, sliding the hair from my face. “I love you, Kinley.”
“More than the moon and the stars,” I whisper as I slide into sleep.
Chapter 6
“I need you to get me out. I can’t sleep there again.”
I look into the haunted eyes of this child and squeeze her hand tight. “Alright. Is there anything you need from your house?”
She shakes her head as her face crumbles. I catch her against me before she can topple to the floor and smile slightly at the barista looking on in concern.
Bending my head, I whisper, “it’s okay. Everything is going to be just fine.”
With one hand I pull out my cell phone and text my organization’s law team. They would get the ball rolling with the police and Child Protective Services. The first thing we would have to do is get her into the system so that we could get her checked out by a physician.
After I wipe Dominique’s eyes with a napkin, we detour through the department store to grab her a jacket. The closer it came to Christmas, the colder it was getting in the foothills and I had yet to see her in anything but hoodies.
Once we’re in the car, she asks tentatively, “where are we going?”
On the drive I explain to her the laws in place to protect her, but because she’s a minor we have to go straight to the hospital to file a report so that her parents couldn’t force her to leave with them.
Three hours later I’m talking with the social worker and police outside of Dominique’s curtained off room.
“We have enough evidence to place her in state custody, the only thing is she doesn’t want to go,” Rachel says with a helpless shrug.
“What do you mean? She knew that was the only option,” I say, stepping forward.
Rachel looks at me with tired eyes. “She says she wants to talk to you. I’m going to file this.” She nods to the police officer and walks down the hall. I thank the man, and leave him to talk to Dominique.
“Hey, I heard you wanted to talk to me.”
Her chin trembles as she twists her hands, the light blue gown tenting over her big stomach. “If you put me somewhere I just know he’ll find me. He said if I ever told anyone he would get me and it would b
e worse. I can’t go back anymore, please.”
“Alright. What if I had a place that was gated with a guard? Protected so that no one could ever get to you. Would you go there?” I ask, my heart in my throat.
She nods, looking scared. “What is that place? It sounds like a prison.”
I laugh, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms in the cold sterile room. “My house. When I adopted my son I had to become a foster parent first. Legally you can stay with me, but only if that’s what you want.”
“Yes. I trust you.”
The worry and doubt of taking this child into my home disintegrates with her words. I know how hard it is to trust anyone, and that this girl would give me that gift left me no alternative. She was coming home.
“Momma!”
I catch the bundle flying toward me midleap and spin him around. His laugh launches my own. Bringing him down to my hip, I kiss his cheek. “You’re lucky I have good reflexes, you could have went splat on the floor.”
“Uh huh. Ollie go splat,” he smiles, eyes twinkling. Boys. I put him down and turn to the timid girl behind me.
“Ollie, this is Dominique. She’s going to stay with us for a little while.”
“Okay. She stay in my room?” he asks eagerly.
I shake my head and pull them both down the hall. “No. She’ll stay in the guest bedroom.”
“Donny stay with me.” Ollie pulls away from me to hold her hand. The girl looks scared to death, and keeps glancing around like the house will swallow her up any second. I smile encouragingly and walk ahead, leaving them to trail behind me. When I get to the kitchen, Rosa is banging a spoon on a pot.
“Ah, Mija. I know you like to cook, but you have such a long day, and is so cold I make you dinner.” She shakes her head and waves a hand through the air. “No, no Kinley. I tell you, I make you my famous chili and you say nothing but thank you, si?”
I smile and nod obediently. “Thank you, Rosa.” I bend to kiss her cheek and she hugs my shoulders. “Rosa, I want you to meet Dominique. This is Rosa, she’s our right arm around here.”
Dominique jerkily pulls out a hand and shakes Rosa’s. Rosa eyes the girl up in a glance, immediately taking her to the table and pouring a glass of milk for her. Ollie climbs up to the table and shows Dominique his toys, trying to get her to play with him.
Rosa meets my eyes and her’s lift after she takes the corn bread out of the oven. I shrug. What was I supposed to do? Rosa puts sour cream in the chili and melted cheese on the corn bread. “Are you trying to fatten her up?” I ask quietly.
Rosa’s mouth gets tight and she swats me lightly with a kitchen towel. “That girl is eating for two, you nitwit!” she whisper shouts to me.
I gasp quietly, putting my hands over my mouth. “I had no idea.”
Rosa gives me a droll look and walks out with Dominique’s food, leaving me chuckling behind her. Rosa and I have always gotten along. She’s really the rock of this hodpodge family. I follow behind her with Ollie’s bowl and we eat to the tune of a toddler’s ramblings. When the door slams open everyone jumps, but Dominique the highest.
“Ho ho ho! Let it be Christmas!” Danny yells through the house. Ollie is long gone to launch himself at his dad, but when I turn the corner it’s clear he wont be jumping since Danny is pulling the hugest tree I’ve ever seen into the house.
“Where did you get that thing?”
“Oh at the liquor store, baby,” he shoots back immediately. I giggle as he gives me a dry look and a smirk. “Where do you think I got it?”
“Okay, you got me. It’s huge, though.” I tilt my head for a kiss, and get my bottom lip bit before pulling away.
“That’s what you tell me,” he whispers before straightening and looking behind me. He says out of the side of his mouth, “Um, Kinley? Don’t look now but there’s a nesting doll behind you.”
“What?” I ask.
“You know. A child inside of a child.” He shrugs. “Nesting dolls.”
I turn and wave Dominique forward as Ollie climbs Danny. Danny lets go of the tree finally to pick up the toddler.
“Dominique, this is my husband, Danny. Danny, Dominique is going to stay with us for a bit.”
“William and Mary right? Virginia is beautiful, have you been?” Danny asks as he holds his hand out. We can all tell she doesn’t want to take it, but he keeps his hand steady as I hold my breath. Finally she touches his hand with hers, quickly letting it go.
“No. Not yet, but maybe one day,” she says quietly.
I move to her side and put a hand around her should. “Of course you will.”
She puts her hands on her round stomach, and Danny and I make eye contact. He sets Ollie down and pulls the tree through the French doors and into the living room. I make hot chocolate for the kids as Danny wrestles the tree into a stand.
Once they’re settled I make a call.
“Wassup girlfriend?”
“Hey, Ali. I was wondering if you had any maternity clothes still?”
“Holy shit, did Danny water your seed finally?”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “Shut up. I have a seventeen year old at my house that’s about to pop. She can’t go back to her house and she can’t really leave the neighborhood until her birthday in a few weeks. I can give her Danny’s t-shirts to wear for tonight and go out tomorrow, but you and I both know you’re itching to go shopping for new stuff.”
“You got that right. I was going to take them to Goodwill so that I could prove I didn’t have anything that fit anymore. You’re saving me here, Kinley.”
“Ha. Yeah right. Bring it over when you can, and we’ll make due. Thanks, Ali!”
“No, thank you! I’ll be over in the morning.”
“See ya.” I hang up, and make my way into the living room, where Danny is hooking his phone up to the entertainment center.
“What are we doing?”
Danny turns and smiles, flashing pearly whites and dimples. “Decorating. Will you start that fire, babe? Wait, that’s the man thing. Can you make hot chocolate?”
I point to the kids with a grin. “Already did.”
Danny gives me a dark scowl. “You’re messing up my flow, woman. Go open the back door then.”
“Why?”
Danny raises his arms and lets them fall in exasperation. “Because I’m lighting a fire, and it’s going to get hot. If you open the door, it’ll get cool.”
I shake my head, catching Dominique’s eyes as she tries to hide a smile and open the door. I also turn the heat down in the house.
Danny brings up boxes from the basement, giving Dominique the first ornament to hang on the tree. It’s a cameo of a child, with a dark purple background and velvet ribbon. A clothing designer made them for after I wore a prototype to an award show. They symbolize domestic violence awareness and are the figurehead for my company.
Dominique takes the ornament softly, rocking from side to side to get to the end of the couch so that she can stand. We watch silently as she puts it right in the middle of the ten foot tree and steps back. Danny and I share a smile. Ollie moves to her side to place his ornament as close to Dominique’s as he can. The tree requires a ladder to get the top, and I about have a heart attack when Danny takes Ollie to the top to place the angel.
Before bed Ollie stands at the rails on the second story and wave to the angel. “Night, Lulu.”
My body breaks out in goosebumps as Danny silently takes Ollie to bed, and I direct Dominique down to the end of the hall and into the master bedroom. Lu is Danny’s sister that passed away before Ollie was born. She is the one that brought us all together and holds a significant place in our hearts.
I take a deep breath and move around the room. “This is yours for as long as you want to stay with us. I’ll get you some sleep shirts and we’ll work out your school work in the morning. Feel free to lock your door.” Dominique looks around the room, looking lost. “Dominique.” I wait for her to bring her eyes to mine. “You’re safe he
re.”
She nods silently.
Once everyone is in bed, Danny meets me in the bathroom as I’m brushing my teeth. He leans against the counter and I get distracted with watching his arms flex when he grabs the lip of the marble with his hands.
“Babe, eyes up here.”
Bringing my eyes back to his face, I mumble, “Sorry,” and spit the toothpaste out. “What’s up?”
His eyebrows raise. “Well, when we were talking about Ollie asking for a friend to stay at his house, I didn’t think you would be so literal.”
“I didn’t have a choice. I’m sorry I couldn’t talk to you first, she had just went through an extensive doctor’s check up and talked to the police to press charges against her stepdad. She said she didn’t feel safe at a foster home. This is the safest place I know.”
“I’m glad, baby.” Danny reels me into his chest. He kisses my neck, moving the hair out of his way as he kisses up my throat. “I always want this to be a safe place, for whoever comes here. I just don’t want you to get attached. She’s going to go off to college.”
“I know,” I sigh. “Maybe she’ll become a lawyer or social worker and come work for me.”
“We’ll do whatever we can for her. She won’t have to want for anything, you know that,” he reassures me, pulling my shirt over my head. I nod, pulling his shirt off and running my fingers lightly over the lilies tattooed over his ribs.
“Did you hear what Ollie said?” I ask.
“Yeah. Lu’s all around us. I wonder if she brought this girl here.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” I admit.
“I miss that girl,” Danny rumbles. I put my head on his chest and hug him tight.
“Me too.”
Chapter 7
The weeks fly by with the activity of the holidays, mixed in with two children that need vastly different things. Danny is gone for days at a time as he does appearances and various performances and award shows. My days are more hectic than usual as I work from home as much as possible. Dominique gradually gets more comfortable with her surroundings, often walking in the woods and down to the barn. She’s always quiet, but the councilor that we have her seeing says that she’s coping far better than if she didn’t have the environment and people that know what she’s going through.
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