Mrs. Claus

by Amanda Lanclos

  G’s eyes light up, and he pulls me over into a corner, keeping his voice pitched low as he speaks to me. There’s a conspiratorial tone as he no-doubt thinks about how Trick can thank him once it’s revealed whatever the gift is, was his idea. “I can tell you exactly what Trick wants, what he needs, and what he’s not thought to ask you.”

  I’m all ears; this will save my man’s Christmas and make me feel better about not being able to give him exactly what I wanted to. “Tell me. I’ll give him anything, you know that.”

  G puts his hands on his hips, proud smile on his face, as he hits me with some truth. “What he needs more than anything, Had, is some alone time with you.”

  I chew on my lip, not sure what he’s saying. We get alone time every night when the kids go to sleep. “We had alone time the other night. We even managed to turn it into kind of a date,” I argue, not sure G knows my husband as well as either of us thought.

  He shakes his head, sticking his hands on my shoulders. Making sure we’re facing each other, he bends down to look into my eyes. “No, what you had was an errand turned into a date night. What I’m talking about? Is something a little more intimate, Hadley. I don’t want details of your sex life, but I think all of us have seen Trick prowling around here needing to blow off some damn steam. You get what I’m saying?”

  My mind is working double-time. Is he telling me I need to fuck my husband? Thinking back, I try to remember the last time we had loud, bang the walls and not worry about waking up the kids sex. Valentine’s Day maybe, or was it a birthday? Either way, it was a while ago, months, if I’m honest. My body starts to warm as I give the idea wings. I mean, I’d love it too. I hate when we have to be quiet; I hate when I have to tell the man I love to tame the beast because he might wake up his kids.

  “Who would watch the kids on such short notice?” The question is out of my mouth before I can stop it.

  G tilts his head to the side, giving me a look. “Who else watches your kids on such short notice all the time? I’m becoming a freakin’ modern-day manny, so don’t let that freak you out. I got this.”

  “Are you sure? You watch our kids more than anyone else. I don’t want you to think you have to do this, or take advantage of you. It’s important to me, for you to know how much we appreciate it.” We’ve counted on G a lot, and I hate to use him every time we need to spend some time alone. He’s got his own life to live, girlfriend to keep happy, and more than likely he’s got ninety percent of his Christmas shopping left to do.

  “I’d do anything for you two, and I think you know that. Trust me, it’s not like it’s a hardship. I love those kids as much as if they were my little brother and sister. You and Trick didn’t have to give me a shot after I acted like a punk ass kid, but you have. I owe a lot to the both of you. Let me do this to help you out.”

  For a few minutes I think, and eventually come to the conclusion that it can’t do any harm. There’s no way Trick would say no if I asked him, and more than anything, I want a night alone with my husband. I don’t want to be grinding against him with one ear to the door in case a child needs me. When I’m grinding against him, I want to enjoy the feel of the man who can make my body sing louder than any other man ever has. So, if G’s willing, then I’ll gladly accept his offer. “Alright, tomorrow night good for you?”

  “Perfect.” He gives me a smile, we shake on it, and I gather Declan up so we can get upstairs and get ready for the dinner Trick and Riley will bring home. Maybe I can use that time to do a little planning, figure out what I’m actually going to be able to do with my husband for the few hours we’ll be given. One thing I do know for sure, if I can get my to-do list done today I’ll give myself extra time in the bathtub. So I can get properly ready to seduce Trick.

  A sly smile spreads across my face. My hot hubby won’t know what hit him, and I guess more than anything that’s the point. We’ve let our intimacy be quick the last almost two years since Declan’s birth. I have lingerie I bought with good intentions that still has tags on it, toys we’ve bought at the sex shop that have never been tried out. My fingers ache to run against his muscles; my nails tingle thinking about how they can scratch against his flesh.

  Tomorrow night, all of it changes, and we do things to each other we haven’t done in a long time. Remembering back to when we first got together, I let a wave of nostalgia wash over me. Back then it was every time we made love, he did things to me no other man had ever done. Trick showed me a piece of myself I didn’t know existed. He showed me how to appreciate an afternoon spent wrapped in his arms instead of running around like a chicken with my head cut off. How to enjoy those late mornings when Riley slept like the dead and rain fell against our window. Before him, I was a single mom of an active six-year-old who didn’t have any downtime. Now I realize how much I’ve missed the downtime he and I used to share.

  It’s nice to have a secret, one that I know will blow Trick’s mind and put a little spice back into our marriage. Any couple who’s been together for a while needs that spice. The pressure of being parents, running our own businesses, and just trying to live life has apparently gotten to us. I don’t know why it took someone else to show it to me, but now I’m ready to make a change, and judging from the advice G gave me, Trick is too.

  More than anything, I hope he’s ready to spice it up, because me? I feel like a hot tamale.

  I’m used to the looks I get when I pick up Riley from her piano lessons. I straight up expect them now as I squeeze my way between the buttoned-up guys and the women who like to give me a wink when they think their husbands aren’t looking. It used to make me uncomfortable, but now I just let it roll off my back. People are going to look, doesn’t mean I have to engage. Hell, I learned not to engage with the women who low-key hit on me. It almost came to fisticuffs once. Not even going to lie, Hadley and another chick got into a verbal sparring match over me back when we first got married. It was hot as hell to see my lady fight for my honor, and maybe gave my ego a great big fucking push.

  “How’s it going?” One of the less buttoned-up dads leans over, whispering against the quietness of the room. The only thing we can hear is the piano in the background, but from where we sit it doesn’t echo off the walls as much.

  He and I have been talking for a few months; he’s been going back and forth about buying a bike. He and the wife were faithful watchers of Sons of Anarchy, and I have a feeling they have a Jax and Tara role-play fantasy. Good for them, but I don’t necessarily want to play a part in it. I’m wondering when he’s going to either put up or shut up. A man can only talk so long about getting a bike before he either does it or he moves on.

  “I pulled the trigger and bought that Harley I was talking to you about a few weeks ago.” He claps as his kid finishes up her lesson in front of the class. “I know you checked it out when I told you I was looking at it, but can I bring it in to have a thorough once over?”

  Awesome, another member of the family. I love seeing the excitement new members of the motorcycle family have when they get their first bikes.

  “Definitely.” I stretch my legs out in front of me, crossing them at the ankles, trying to get more comfortable. “You’ll need to adjust the foot pegs so that they’re comfortable for you and her. There may be a few more adjustments you need to make. Think about her comfort. Does she need a bar in the back, do you want saddle bags? There’s a lot of options you can choose, and we can show you different ways to use those options. Call the shop and we’ll get you set up.”

  “Thanks.” He claps his hand on my shoulder. These dads are super touchy-feely. Something I had to get used to after my childhood and my days spent in prison. I think I’m adjusting to it decently, but every once in a while, it gives me a shudder. “You’ve been so good at answering all my questions when you didn’t have to be. I know some parents around here look down their nose at you, but I think you’re badass.”

  The chuckle that breaks from my chest and throat can’t be helped. This
isn’t at all how I expected this conversation to go. “Thanks, Terry, I appreciate it. People are gonna judge you, no matter what. I learned a long time ago to say fuck ’em and just make myself happy.” I run my fingers through my hair, trying to get it to lay on the other side, but it flops back over in my eyes. “Like you, for instance. If that bike makes you happy, even if you drive it twenty-five miles an hour and never take it on the interstate,” I mention some of the fears he’s confided in me. “Fuck whoever looks down on you for it. If it makes you smile, what the hell does it matter?”

  He nods, crossing his arms over his chest, looking like he appreciates my affirmation. “You’ve got a good outlook on life.”

  As Riley walks over to me, her lesson done, I smile at the little girl with the big hair who stole my heart. “You can thank the kid walking towards us. She and her mom taught me everything I know about being happy.”

  “Hey, Dad.” She runs to me, greeting me with a hug, wrapping her still small arms around my waist.

  One day she won’t do this, and I’ll miss the fuck out of it. Today, I cherish it, circling my arms around her, hugging her back. “Ready to go pick up Mom’s Christmas gift, Sprite?”

  She nods with the same enthusiasm she has for everything else in life. “It’s been so hard to keep it a secret, Dad. The struggle is real.”

  I laugh loudly, loving her soul. She’s not as shy as she used to be, but still some of the words that come out of her mouth make me laugh daily. The struggle probably has been real for her. “C’mon let’s get out of here and go get it. We gotta get dinner on the way home too.”

  The holidays mean everyone is out and about. Traffic is shitty as we make our way across town, but luckily we make it before the shop we’re going to closes. “Remember this place?” I ask her when we pull up outside of the building.

  “Yeah.” She grins at me, her eyes wide with recognition. “This is the place we picked out her engagement ring.”

  I nod my head, pleased she remembered it. It was a big day in our lives. “Sure is.”

  I can still remember that day like it was yesterday. When I asked Riley if it was okay for me to marry her mom. My life hasn’t been the same since I met them, but it changed drastically the moment I put a ring on Hadley’s finger and gave them all my last name. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Grabbing her hand, we cross the street and enter through the front.

  “Hey, Patrick,” one of the girls who works the front greets me. “Your gift is done. I’m Laura, the only one here, since we’re about to close, but I was given instructions.” She smiles as we walk in.

  The owner of the place takes good care of me because I take good care of him when it comes to his bikes. “Thanks, I appreciate you staying. We’re running a little late tonight.” I pull Riley to my side, hand behind her head. “Traffic and all.”

  “Understandable, it’s a busy time. Let me go get your package. You can inspect it, and we can move on from there.”

  “I can’t wait to see what it looks like,” Riley whispers beside me, as we stand alone in the brightly lit room. “This place is so sparkly. One day I want a house like this.” She says it so serious that I have no doubt she believes it.

  “You’ll need to either become independently wealthy or marry a rich man, Sprite.” I chuckle as I think about how much money all of this sparkle costs.

  “I’ll be independently wealthy and marry for love.”

  Those words are grown-up words, and it causes a pain in my chest. She’s growing up way too fast on us. Sooner rather than later, she’ll be introducing me to the guy who’s going to grab her heart.

  “Here we go.” Laura comes walking from the back, bringing with her an envelope. She lays down a piece of velvet and empties the jewelry onto it. “What do you think?”

  I love it, because I designed it, but the most important person here is Riley. Her opinion is the one I respect the most, and when Dec gets old enough to do this kind of stuff, I’ll ask his too. “What do you think, Sprite? Will Mom love it?”

  She gasps as she reaches out to touch the jewels with her fingers. They sparkle in the lighting of the store. “She’ll love it!”

  “Know what all those different color stones represent?”

  She shakes her head but doesn’t take her eyes off the necklace that lies in front of her, sparkling in the lights of the place.

  “They’re your birthstone, your brother’s birthstone, and the stone for the month your mom and I got married.”

  “Dad, that’s so sweet.” She looks back at me, hands clasped under her chin with a dreamy look on her face.

  “Let’s hope Mom thinks the same thing. Looks perfect,” I tell the lady who’s been helping us. “Did I owe anything else on it?”

  She consults a piece of paper that accompanied the envelope. “Nope, you’re good. Let me wrap it for you real quick, and then you’re outta here.”

  Riley and I browse as we wait for her to wrap the gift. It kind of makes me nervous that she’ll see something and get her heart set on it. Women are expensive to have in your life, I think about the price I paid for the necklace. Taking her mind off the sparkles, I ask her another question. “What do you want for dinner?” I secretly hope she says something other than hibachi. She’s been addicted for years now, but there’s only so much sushi, rice, and teriyaki chicken a man can eat.

  “Pizza?”

  “You want pizza?” She never wants pizza, so I’ll take this any day of the week.

  “Yeah with those breadsticks I like.”

  My mouth waters and my stomach growls. It’s been hours since lunch. “Those breadsticks are some major yum,” I agree. “Do we get extra red sauce and pepperchinis?” I cut my eyes over to her, a smile tilting the edges of my lips.

  She smiles back. “You’re my twin, Dad.” She leans over, putting her head against my waist.

  I put my arm around her. “Of course we are. I wouldn’t be a dad if it weren’t for you.”

  “Lies.” She shakes her head, face and tone serious as I’ve ever heard them. “Declan really made you a dad.”

  It’s not often she makes any kind of deal out of the fact that Declan is my biological child and she’s not.

  “Wrong, Riles.” My voice is pitched low so only we can hear it. “You made me a dad. If it hadn’t been for you, Declan wouldn’t be here, because I never thought I was cut out for anyone to love me.”

  “That’s crazy.” She wrinkles her nose. “I love you to the moon and back.”

  “Just as crazy as you thinking you didn’t make me a dad, right?”

  I can see my point has been made when she relaxes against me. “Got it, Trick,” she giggles as I tickle her side.

  “What’d you call me?”

  “Got it, Dad,” she laughs when I shoot her a glare.

  “That sounds better.”

  Before I can say anything else, we’re brought Hadley’s gift. “Let’s go grab dinner and head on home, Sprite. I’m starving.”

  “Me too.” She grabs my hand as we cross the street.

  We get into the truck, and I sigh. It’s a happy one, full of excitement about how my life has turned out, full of gratefulness because I have the life now that I never knew I wanted. Sometime soon Riley’s not gonna wanna hang out with me. She’ll have friends who are way more important than her dad. I remind myself like I always do to cherish this while I have it. She won’t be little forever. Yeah, I’ll have Declan, but Riley will always have a part of my heart that’s hers alone. Regardless of what she thinks, she taught me everything about loving, patience, and being not only a dad, but a good person. There’s nothing that can ever take that away from her.

  “Pizza was a good choice,” I moan as the cheese melts in my mouth, pulling taut as I take the bite from the steaming hot pie. “I’m surprised you wanted it, Riles.”

  She looks up at me, a breadstick shoved in her mouth. “Wanted the breadsticks,” she admits around a mouthful.

  “Who can say no to
the breadsticks?” I know I can’t, but I’m a bread lover, and my daughter is a girl after my own heart.

  “Declan.” Her voice is deadpan as she watches her brother playing with his food.

  I giggle, giving her a smile. “He was hungry earlier and ate a banana. He’ll eventually eat dinner. Did you and Dad have fun?”

  They share a look, and not for the first time I feel like an outsider in their relationship together. I couldn’t have asked for a better man to decide to make my daughter his own, but every once in a while, I’m a teeny bit jealous of the way they communicate.

  “We did.” She gives me a grin that says she has a secret I’m not privy to. Chances are it’s about my Christmas gift with the holiday being so close.

  “Why the grin?” I pepper her with the question. Every once in a while I can get her to tell me, but the way her eyes sparkle, I know this isn’t going to be one of those times.

  “No reason.” She shakes her head, her curls bouncing as she does. “Just know you’re going to love it, Mom.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” I shoot a glance at Trick, silently questioning him with my gaze.

  “You will,” he agrees, leaning over so that only I can hear his words. “You’ll love it so much you’ll be thanking me naked.”

  My body responds to the promise. It’s been way too long since we’ve been able to enjoy each other, and right now I’m beyond thankful for the plan I’m putting into motion tomorrow. “Oh yeah?” I question, running my hand up his thigh under the table so neither of the kids can see.

  When I get to his crotch, letting my palm skim over the already half-hard bulge at his zipper, he coughs on the drink of Coke he’s taken.

  Leveling me with a gaze over the glass, he finally answers. “Oh yeah.”

  The tension is thick between us, but it’s nothing new, and my hope is that our kids grow up respecting a healthy sexual relationship with their chosen spouses. He clears his throat, pushing his hips deeper into my palm. I can’t help but squeeze the thick erection in my hand, enjoying the feel of his length and rigidness.