The Davenport Christmas Chronicles
Page 1
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
ROAD TO JOY
Copyright
Back Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
UNWRAPPED
Copyright
Back Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS
Copyright
Back Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
Fanning the Biker’s Flame
Book List
Reading Order
About Piper & Jack
Liz Kelly:
Thanks again. Your insight is always so spot on!
Brandy
Thanks for keeping the timelines and characters straight. You are a godsend!
Mary, Gail, Trudy, and Carrie Marie
Thanks for always being willing to do last minute reads!!!
2017-2020 Piper Davenport
Copyright © 2017-2020 by Piper Davenport
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States
Road to Joy is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
18+ for language and sexual situations...
Join the members of the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club as they try to catch a thief in the middle of preparing for their Christmas Celebration, and revisit your favorite characters during the most festive holiday of the year. (This novella is smack dab in the middle of the Dogs of Fire and the Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter series’).
For my readers
May the magic of the season bring joy to you and your families.
Dani
“Okay, Ducky, it’s time for bed,” I told my almost ten-year-old daughter, Daisy. We’d called her Daisy Duck for about a week after she was born, before my boys just shortened it to Ducky.
“But, Mama, I want to help,” she argued. She always argued. She was the perfect definition of FOMO, and we battled bedtime every night. It didn’t help that we were preparing for the annual club Christmas party, something our kids looked forward to every year. Our nineteen-year-old son, Cash, was home from college, and even Archer, a very manly sixteen, was excited to help with the festivities.
“Everything will be here in the morning,” I said as she climbed into bed.
“Will I be able to tie the ribbons?”
“Yes, baby, I promise, I’ll leave the ribbons for you.”
“Tell me a story.”
I sat with my back against the headboard and she snuggled close to me. “What do you want to hear?”
“Tell me about the Christmas I was born,” she said. “And please, Mama, don’t leave anything out. Even the bad words. Tell it like Daddy does. I promise I won’t repeat them.”
I chuckled. “Hmmm. Do you think I can remember the whole story?”
“I know you can.”
“Okay, let’s see...”
Ten years ago...
“Danielle Harris Carver!” Austin yelled from the back of the house. “You need to get that sexy ass in the recliner right now.”
Austin “Booker” Carver had been my husband for over a decade, and I loved him more today than I did yesterday, but I still rolled my eyes at his overprotective tone. “Honey, I’m fine. The baby’s fine, we’re all fine. I need to get these favors done.”
“Danielle,” he warned.
I was currently standing at my kitchen island, because sitting was way too uncomfortable, and stuffing mini-stockings for all of the neighborhood kids, the Dogs’ kids, whom we’d nicknamed the Wolfpack, and any others that might show up to the Dogs of Fire Annual Christmas Party happening the following Saturday. Every year, we collected gifts for Toys for Tots, and then gave any cash donations we received to Bikers Against Child Abuse.
“Kim’s going to be here in less than ten minutes... I don’t want to leave her a mess to deal with,” I said.
My almost nine-year-old, Cash, walked into the middle of the kitchen and crossed his arms. “Mom. You need to listen to Dad.” He pointed to the chair. “Go sit down.”
I forced myself not to laugh. You’d think I’d never had a baby before.
Granted, this pregnancy was a huge surprise, considering our youngest, Archer, was almost six and we’d decided we were done after him. But my husband and I fucked like rabbits, so I suppose this was inevitable (I kept the fucking part to myself. My daughter did not need to hear any of that. But I enjoyed the memories as I censored my words). On top of that, Austin was raising mini-Bookers and I couldn’t wait to have this little girl to even the score a bit.
I turned and stared down my very alpha first-born. “Listen, buddy, I pushed you out of my vagina, and if you want to keep giving me that attitude, I will have no qualms about shoving you back up there. So, how about you give me a break, and either help me with the stockings or empty the dishwasher, hm?”
“Ugh, Mom.” He groaned. “Do you have to make everything gross?”
“Yes. It’s my job. I gave birth to you so I could embarrass you whenever I got the chance.”
“I’ll help with the stockings,” Archer offered, appearing like an apparition. “Cash can do the dishwasher.”
“Both of you can help with the stockings, while Mom sits down,” Austin countered as he walked into the room, still pulling on a T-shirt. “Get on those dishes, Cash.”
I’d hoped that Austin’s shower would take a little longer, because I had shit to do and he kept stopping me from doing it, but I was thwarted once again. I had about six weeks left and I prayed she didn’t come early, because a Christmas birthday sucked for kids and I really didn’t want to do that to her.
Austin slid his hands down my hips and kissed the back of my neck. I leaned back against him and settled my hands over his, which were now on my belly. “How’s our girl?”
“She’s good, honey.”
“She’ll be better in the chair,” he said, and guided me to the recliner.
“Wait,” I said. “I have to pee. If I sit down now, I’ll never get back up.”
“Pee.” Austin faced me, kissing me gently. “Then you’re in the chair.”
I smiled, reaching up to stroke his gorgeous face. “Then I’m in the chair.”
He patted my butt, and I headed to the bathroom, returning to the sound of the doorbell. “I’ll get it.”
“No, you won’t,” Austin countered. “Ass. In the ch
air. Now.”
I stuck my tongue out at him, but sat my ass in the chair and reclined all the way back. Archer came over and kissed my cheek, settling a blanket over me. He was my sensitive little prince and was always making sure Mama was taken care of.
“Thank you, baby.”
He smiled and joined his brother at the island again to finish the stockings.
“Auntie Dani!” Cambry squealed, and rushed inside. God, she was growing up so fast. She had just turned eight, but she was already a total beauty and I had it on good authority Knight bought a new gun every year on her birthday.
“Watch Auntie’s belly, Cam,” Kim ordered, and I grinned over at my best friend who was directing while her husband, Knight, and their son, Jagger, set bags in our “staging area” in the dining room.
My niece hugged me. “How’s the baby?”
I guided her hand to my belly and grinned. “She must know you’re here... she’s jumping around.”
Cambry giggled. “We have too many boys in the pack, we need more girls.”
“Right?” I said.
Knight wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her close. “Give us dads a break, princess. We already have a hard enough time keeping the boys away.”
“You said that’s why you have guns, Daddy,” Cambry said. “Which is silly.”
Knight grinned and gave her one more squeeze, before following Austin into the kitchen. Kim gave me a kiss on the cheek, then sat on the sofa next to Cambry.
“How are you feeling, Mama?” she asked.
“Like a whale,” I admitted.
Kim smiled. “Well, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, bestie. You’re good value.”
“I tell you that shit every second of every day, but when Kim says it, she’s ‘good value’?” Austin complained as he set a cup of tea on the little table by my chair and leaned down to kiss my cheek.
“Where the hell did you come from?” I asked. “You’re like a ninja.”
“Badass biker ninja,” he corrected. “And don’t you forget it.”
I grinned. “Thank you for the tea.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed my mouth, then walked back to the kitchen.
“Do you boys need help with the food?” Kim called out.
“We got it, sugar,” Knight responded.
“I love it when he has it.” She tucked her feet under her and grinned. “Means I can relax.”
I shifted, balancing my teacup and saucer on my belly. “I’m going a little stir-crazy. We have so much to do and Austin won’t let me do it.”
“Honey, we’ve got this,” Kim assured. “Jesus, Dani, we have almost a dozen women not including you, so it’s all good. The men’ll do all the heavy lifting... you just need to sit there and look pretty.”
“Listen to your bestie, baby,” Austin called out.
“Stop eavesdropping,” I retorted, and he laughed, leading Knight out to the deck.
“I brought a bunch of Cambry’s old clothes,” Kim continued. “Want to go through them with me?”
“Ohmigod, yes,” I said, and set my teacup on the side table again.
Kim helped me out of the chair, then she and Cambry carried bags (and bags) of clothing into the nursery.
“Oh my gosh, Auntie, this room looks so cool!” Cambry exclaimed.
She was right, it did. Pinks and creams, and lots of blingy, girly things mixed in with motorcycles. It could only be described as biker chic.
I gave Cambry a quick hug. “Thanks, honey. Your mom helped... a lot.”
“Sit down, Dani,” Kim ordered. “Cambry and I’ll show you everything and then you can tell us where you want it.”
I lowered myself into the recliner and sat in awe of everything Kim had brought. It shouldn’t surprise me. Kim was loaded and loved to shop, so her daughter was the best-dressed little girl on the planet, and now my little girl would benefit from her shopping addiction.
“Dad says steaks are done,” Cash said from the doorway.
“Thanks, honey,” I said. Kim helped me out of the chair and we headed to the dining room.
One of the things I loved the most about my best friend was that she knew my home almost as well as I did, and since I wasn’t allowed to lift a finger, Kim took over getting everything set out on the table.
We always tried to do dinner once a month, but tonight was special because it was Jagger’s birthday and I’d baked him his favorite cake, banana with chocolate frosting. In pure Jagger fashion, he plowed through dinner just to get to the celebration.
“Boys, dishes rinsed and stacked,” Austin ordered, while Kim and I settled ourselves on the sofa. She had wine, I had water (joy).
“Cambry, wipe up, princess,” Knight said.
“Okay, Daddy.”
While our men and kids took care of the chores, we went about solving the problems of the world... or at least the get together happening in less than a week.
“Hawk and Payton are taking care of collecting and cataloguing the toys,” Kim said. “I think Ace and Cassidy are collecting from the drops in Portland, and Hatch and Maisie are taking care of Vancouver.”
“How many drops do we have now?” I asked.
“Ten.”
“That’s awesome.” I smiled. “Darien got busy.”
Kim chuckled. “She sure did. She got Melody Morgan involved, which means Mack had more to do.”
Darien Reed was married to Mack, and a very successful author. In fact, her multi-million selling romance novels were currently being turned into movies with the hottest actress, Melody Morgan, as its star.
I sipped my water. “Don’t feel sorry for Mack, he loves every second of it.”
“This is true.”
“We’re gonna get out of your hair,” Knight said, handing Kim her jacket. “Ace and I’ll be by after lunch tomorrow to grab everything and take it down to the compound.”
I smiled up at him. “Thanks, buddy.”
“No problem.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek, then rubbed my belly gently, before helping his girls with their jackets and ushering his family out the front door.
“Anyone have homework?” Austin asked.
“No,” both my kids answered.
“Okay, go shower and get ready for bed.”
Once Cash and Archer left us, Austin sat on the sofa and set his beer on the coffee table. “How are my girls?”
I rolled my head to smile at him. “We’re good, honey.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “So good, I kinda wanna do dirty stuff to you.”
He laughed, but his eyes got soft as he leaned over and kissed me gently. “As soon as the boys are in for the night, I’ll let you.”
I licked my lips in anticipation. I loved this pregnancy. Mostly because I was horny all the time. Maybe it was because I was having a girl this time. With Cash and Archer, I was sick a lot and it took a while for me to feel normal. Now, however, I couldn’t keep my hands off my husband and Austin was way into it.
Truth be told, he was always way into it, pregnancy or not.
Austin turned on the television for me, and as he went through the bedtime ritual with the boys, I found myself in and out of wakefulness for the next hour or so.
A gentle kiss woke me and I smiled up at my man. “Hey.”
“Hey, baby. Let’s get you into bed.”
I shivered. “Yes, please.”
“To sleep.” He held his hands out and I let him pull me up.
“Hell, no. You promised.”
“Did I?”
I leaned forward and ran my tongue over his bottom lip. “You absolutely did.”
He stroked my cheek. “You sure?”
“Ohmigod, Booker, get your sexy ass in the bedroom and get naked.”
He chuckled. “Usin’ my club name... you must be serious.”
“I’m horny, so yes, I’m very serious.”
He grinned, taking my hand and leading me to our bedroom. Once he
locked us in, his mouth was on mine and he was removing our clothes. I loved how he could undress me in ten seconds or less (we’d timed it once), and then it was all about me and what I wanted.
“On your back,” I said, and Austin stretched out on the bed.
“You gonna let me taste you?”
I smiled. “Of course I’m gonna let you taste me. I’m not a monster.”
He chuckled and pointed to the headboard. “Assume the position, baby.”
I crawled onto the bed and anchored myself to the headboard, while Austin slid his face between my legs, raising his head to run his tongue over my clit.
I shivered as my body responded to him, like it always did. As he focused on sucking my clit, he slid two fingers inside of me and I dropped my head back as he played my pussy like an electric guitar. God, what this man could do to me, even after all these years.
My walls contracted around his fingers and then he was guiding me onto his cock and I was riding him while his thumb connected with my clit again.
“Austin,” I breathed out.
“Hold it, baby,” he begged.
It had always been difficult for me to keep my orgasms at bay, but over the past few months, it became virtually impossible. Austin knew this.
“Get there, honey,” I ordered.
He gripped my hips and slammed up into me again and again, then finally, he grunted out, “Now, baby,” and I came, settling my hands on his chest and smiling as we caught our breath.
“Fuck, I love you,” he rasped.
“Back atya,” I said, and climbed off of him, heading to the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub and settling my hands on my belly.
He followed. “What’s wrong?”
I took a slow, deep breath. “Just had a little cramp.”
He hunkered down in front of me. “No more sex.”
I gasped. “Um, no, you don’t get to arbitrarily make that decision.”
“Dani, you’re barely a month away from having our baby girl. I will not put you in jeopardy.”
“But I can’t go all that time without sex, Austin.”
He sighed. “You just want me for my body.”
“Well, this is true, but you knew that going into this partnership.”
He chuckled. “I’m gonna get you some Tylenol, then bed for you.”