Christmas Love

by Hazel Gower

  The Douglases’ backyard was beautiful, with arches covered with orchids and large vases filled with Arum lilies and baby’s breath. This was the beginning of her new life. Since meeting Derick life had gotten better and better. She’d cut down on work and gone back to school. She was now a qualified vet assistant. Derick surpassed her in every way she needed. His family and the Douglases had become a God send, helping with the twins and the pregnancy that she’d found out about only weeks after Derick proposed. Her baby boy, Kurt, was a happy little baby and very loved. Derick was an amazing father, but she knew he would be because he’d already been one to her twins.

  A chuckle from the onlooking crowd had her catching the gaze of her soon-to-be husband as he became impatient and left his post by the celebrant and came and got her.

  “You look absolutely stunning, my Luna.” He held out his hand for her. “Can I please take her?”

  Her dad squeezed her hand and let go. “She’s all yours. I trust her into your care.”

  Derick gathered her to him and leaned down and kissed her.

  “You’re supposed to wait until I say you may kiss your bride,” the celebrant said with a laughing lilt to his voice.

  Derick caressed her cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” Her life had changed and for the better. She couldn’t wait for every Christmas and New Year to come.

  A Douglas Family Christmas

  Alex

  “Daddy,” Alex heard in a loud whisper against his ear before little fingers tapped at his cheek.

  Cracking an eye open, he blinked a couple of times as his two-year-old’s face came into view inches from his own.

  Jason smiled at seeing one of Alex’s eyes open. “Daddy, itsed Christmasses. Up.”

  Jason grabbed the sheet Alex had over him and yanked it back, captured his arm and pulled. Alex didn’t even budge, but he grabbed Jason and pulled him in for a hug and a kiss.

  “Give daddy a moment,” he mumbled quietly so he didn’t wake his wife.

  Closing his eyes, he groaned as his body felt heavy, like he’d only just gone to sleep. Alex opened both eyes, reached over, and checked his phone for the time. It flashed eight past five in the morning. Fuck, he had only gone to bed four hours ago. He was a cop, and currently on night shift, and he didn’t get home last night until midnight. Then he’d helped Mia with setting up the presents and making it look like Santa had come in and stomped snow—which they didn’t even get in this part of Australia—through the house.

  “Jason, where are your brothers?” He wondered where Zane was, he was the one who usually came in on Christmas morning. He hadn’t heard Rowen on the baby monitor either.

  “Ane wake Rowwy up.”

  Bolting upright at Jason’s words, Alex scooped him up and darted to his youngest son’s room where he found his seven-year-old, Zane, trying to lift Rowen out of his crib. Rowen was giggling up a storm as his big brother tried to get him. Alex wondered why he hadn’t heard them on the monitor.

  Placing Jason down, Alex gathered Rowen out of Zane’s hold and gazed down at Zane, angry that he was trying to lift his brother out of his crib and could have hurt him. “Want to tell me why you’re in here trying to get Rowen out and didn’t come and get me or your mum?”

  “I’m helping, Dad. You and Mum can get some extra sleep.” He stuck his chest out, and Alex’s anger vanished. It was hard to be mad that he could have hurt his brother when he was only trying to help.

  “Thanks, buddy. I know you’re only trying to help, but Rowen is getting big now and you’re still just a kid. I know you want to help, but you could have dropped Rowen and hurt him.”

  Smiling down at Zane, hoping to soften his reprimand, Alex sighed when his little chest deflated. Alex felt bad, but Zane had to know the risks.

  Placing a squirming Rowen back in his crib for a moment, Alex hugged Zane. “I love you, Zane. Thanks for being our helper. Next time though come and wake me or your mum and we’ll come and move him to the play pen.” Zane squeezed Alex back, and Alex felt him nod against him.

  Zane eased back. “Okay, Dad. Can we do presents now?” Zane must have been happy with his father’s reply as he went back to what he really wanted to do. “Santa came and he left lots. He must have seen how good we’ve been.” He bounced on the spot, showing his excitement, and Alex resisted the urge to laugh at Zane’s lack of modesty.

  Reaching back into the crib, Alex picked Rowen up and took him to the change table where he put a new nappy on him and added a bib to his outfit. “Let me make Rowen a bottle and give your mum a couple of extra minutes before we wake her and unwrap presents.”

  “Too late. This little monkey woke me while you changed Rowen.”

  Alex turned to the door to find Mia with Jason grinning and nodding at his mum’s words. He’d been so focused on Zane and Rowen, he didn’t keep an eye on Jason.

  Going to his wife, he leaned down and hovered over her lips. “Sorry, sweetheart. I was going to let you sleep a little longer.” He kissed her.

  “Ewe. Yuck.” Zane moaned. “You’re always kissing.”

  “Yuck. Yuck. Yuck,” Jason said in a sing-song voice.

  Mia ended the kiss and put Jason down. “Thanks.”

  She smiled at Alex, and his heart beat faster. He fell a little more in love with her every day. She was the best mother and a wonderful wife, and he was so grateful to have found her.

  Wrapping his arm around her waist, he hugged her to his side. “You never have to thank me. I love you and would do anything for you. Now let’s go open all the presents.”

  She leaned over and kissed Rowen before she eased up on her tiptoes and kissed Alex’s cheek. “How’d I get so lucky? Love you too. Let’s go make these children of yours happy and open their presents.”

  Squeezing her waist, Alex nodded. “Zane, Jason, let’s go open your presents.” Looking at Rowen, Alex tickled him. “You ready, Rowen?”

  Rowen giggled, and they left the room. He knew that his lack of sleep was all worth it when Zane and Jason noticed the Santa feet and the half-eaten cookies and squealed with excitement.

  * * * *

  Mia

  Mia was exhausted. She’d been up the last couple of nights wrapping presents. She might not have anything to do with her own family, but Alex’s family was big and getting larger by the year.

  Christmas in the Douglas family was big. They all gathered at Alex’s parents’ house for a huge Christmas dinner. Alex’s work partner and his parents even came to Christmas dinner, then there were Chad—Alex’s Rugby player brother—and his wife Lana’s family and friends who had become a part of the family too.

  The Christmas tree was overflowing with all the gifts. Her boys’ presents were each in their own Santa sack. There had been a couple from Alex and Mia, but the sacks had been filled all from Santa.

  The boys had undone all their presents. Well, Jason and Zane had, but Rowen was still too little, so for the couple of gifts Rowen had, Mia and Alex unwrapped them. Mia was now putting the finishing touches on the desserts she was making for the family dinner.

  Bending over, Mia opened the oven and lifted out the cheesecake. As soon as she placed it on the cooler, a hard body settled behind her and arms circled her waist.

  “Why don’t we go lay down and rest in our room while the boys play with their new toys?” Alex whispered in her ear as he rubbed his hard-on against her.

  Turning, she raised her arms and hooked them around his neck and stared up at him. He was so handsome with his jet-black hair, five o’clock shadow, full, thick lips, and manly jaw. Every time she looked at him her heart beat faster and her stomach flipped. She loved this man so much. She fell in love with him more every day. She couldn’t ask for a better father and husband.

  Mia would love to go to their room and make love, but she knew her boys wouldn’t give her the time they’d need. Maybe a quickie if she fed Rowen.

  She smiled up at her hubby. “Give me a half an ho
ur to feed Rowen and change him, and I’ll set up the boys with their favorite TV shows and some snacks and meet you in our room.”

  “I’ll sort out Jason and Zane while you feed Rowen.” Alex leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. She wasn’t alone anymore. She had an amazing husband and a wonderful family. Mia was one lucky woman.

  * * * *

  Chad

  Chad awoke with a shot of pain before he heard, “Wake up! Santa came.” His daughter Olivia jumped on his stomach again, and he grunted as her knees dug into his stomach.

  His son, JR, patted his cheek. “Daddy. Santa. Dadda. Come. Santa.”

  A moan slipped from beside him before it turned into a chuckle. “I’m glad they always jump on you, but damn your kids are loud.” Lana snuggled into his side but sat up so she could see JR and Olivia.

  “How come they’re my children when they’re waking up at some ungodly hour?”

  Olivia eased off of him, but both his children shook him to wake him further. Giving in to them, Chad sat up and grabbed his phone to check the time, groaning when it flashed a quarter to five. Argh, he was an early riser due to his job and keeping in shape, but six-thirty was his usual wake time. Today was a day off, and on those he slept in until seven-thirty, so right now it was way too early.

  He’d been up late making the final touches for today for the kids. There were half-eaten carrots out the front of the house. He’d half-eaten two different cookies and drank the beer they’d left out. Not that those had been a hardship to do, but then he’d attempted to help wrap the last of the presents, and that hadn’t gone well. He couldn’t wrap for shit, and his poor wife had to fix the messes he made. But he’d made it up to her when she came to bed.

  His cock rose at the thought. and he focused on anything that would make it go down—a broken leg, his parents making out, his kids being around. It definitely wasn’t the time for what it wanted to do. His dick deflated, and he slipped out of bed.

  “Come on, let’s go get breakfast while Mummy has an extra couple of minutes to wake up.” Chad had a feeling Lana was going to need a nap before they went to his parents for family dinner.

  Gathering up a child in each arm, they giggled with joy, and his heart soared at the sound. It was one of his favorites, the other being when his wife scream, moaned, or sighed his name, and when she laughed and giggled. He loved Rugby, and it had been a dream come true to do it for a living, but he would give it up without any thought for his wife and children. They were his biggest treasures, and this year he hoped they would add to their family.

  Lana had told him last night that she’d stopped taking the pill and was ready to try for another child. That had been the best Christmas gift she could give him. Chad loved watching her ripen with his seed, and he looked forward to all the fun they would have adding to their brood.

  “I love you. Thanks for giving me time,” Lana said as he reached the door.

  Chad never understood why she thanked him for taking their children or getting up some mornings. As long as he lived, she would never raise his children alone again. They were his kids too, and they were a team.

  He placed the kids down. “Go shake some gifts and try to guess what they might be. I’ll be down in a moment.” Chad watched them scamper off before he turned back to Lana who was sitting up in bed. “You don’t ever have to thank me for taking care of you and our children. I love you, and we’re in this together—a team.”

  The beaming smile she sent his way had his dick going instantly hard, and a groan left his lips because he knew he didn’t have time to do anything about it. Turning, he followed his kids and hoped that once the presents were unwrapped he’d be able to whisk his wife away and start on baby number three and a merry Christmas to him.

  * * * *

  Lana

  She loved Christmas. It brought together all her family, and this year was special as her own had come from England. She was helping cook toward the huge Christmas dinner. She wasn’t as good a cook as Mia, but she was getting better. Her mother was trying to teach her how to make Yorkshire pudding while she was visiting. Lana wasn’t really a fan of them, but she didn’t have the heart to tell her mum, and anyway Olivia and even JR seemed to enjoy them. Chad only seemed to like them when her mother made them; he wasn’t a fan of hers, she just couldn’t get them fluffy.

  Strong, tanned arms circled her waist, and lips ran up and down her neck, brushing gentle kisses. “Can I help?” Chad whispered in her ear.

  Spinning in horror, she shook her head frantically. “No! I mean, no thanks, I have it all sorted.”

  Chad couldn’t cook if his life depended on it. Every time he even attempted to help, he only made it worse. Lana didn’t even let him near the barbeque; he’d set two on fire and one of those he almost set the house with it too. When he ruined his tenth barbeque, she banned him from ever going near one. He wasn’t allowed in the kitchen either. Chad burnt toast.

  His chuckle had her relaxing that she hadn’t hurt his feeling. He took a step back and raised his hands. “I know. I’m banned from the kitchen, but you look so stressed I thought I’d at least offer my help.”

  He dropped his hands as she gazed around. Surely there had to be something he could do that wouldn’t ruin the food or burn down the house. A batch of cookies shaped in Christmas trees sat on the table waiting to be decorated. Maybe he could ice the cookies and not wreck them?

  “Okay. Let’s try something simple. Olivia may even help you if you ask nicely.” She batted her eyelids at Chad, and he scoffed. “Those cookies need icing. The green is behind the white in the things that look like long cylinders. Give a gentle squeeze to the ends.”

  She turned back, hoping he would help and not ruin them. She lost herself in baking a roast lamb and sweet potatoes. Catharine, her mother-in-law, was making roast beef and pork with extra crackle, along with baked pumpkin and carrots. Mia was making roast chickens, turkey, and baked potatoes. She was an amazing cook, and Lana knew she wasn’t just going to bring those things. She always went overboard, bringing bunches of food, and everyone fought over any leftovers. This time Lana wanted to contribute, especially with her own family being there and staying with her mother and father-in-law.

  “Done,” Chad said.

  Surprised at how quick he’d been, she turned and gasped—what she saw had her shaking her head. The green icing was thick and covered the whole cookie, no outline, the white icing seemed to blend into the green, and you couldn’t tell they were Christmas tree cookies.

  Darting her gaze up at a smiling Chad, she couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. He was trying to help. “Try one,” she gasped out between giggles.

  He looked down at his work and frowned, then picked one up, getting icing all over his hands and shirt before he shoved it in his mouth. “Still taste good,” he said as crumbs fell out of his mouth.

  Chad leaned down, and she backed up until she hit the counter. He leaned down, and his icing-covered lips took hers. She sighed and gave in, opening her mouth and tasting the sweetness.

  “Mummy, Daddy stuffed up the cookies,” Olivia yelled as though they weren’t a few inches from her. Easing from him, Lana saw her daughter shove a cookie into her mouth. “Still tastes good,” she mumbled with a mouth full of cookie.

  Sighing at how much her daughter was like her father, Lana went and took the plate full of cookies so Chad and Olivia didn’t eat them all. They weren’t going to be taken to her mother-in-law’s Christmas dinner. She’d put them away so Chad and Olivia didn’t consume them all and not eat dinner.

  “Ohh, Mum,” Olivia moaned.

  “Olivia, we’re going to dinner in an hour. So we can’t eat the amazing cookies I helped make.”

  Olivia burst into giggles. “Daddy, we can eat them. If you made them, we wouldn’t.”

  Chad winked at Lana, and she watched as he gave a mock growl and then chased after Olivia. Lana would usually tell them not to run around the house, but it was Christmas, and
right now she enjoyed watching her husband with his daughter. She was truly a lucky woman.

  * * * *

  Catharine

  Catharine gazed around at her expanding family, smiling when she saw that her son Alex’s partner Derick had brought a woman and she had two little ones. She glanced over at Derick’s parents. They seemed to be satisfied with this new woman in their son’s life.

  This year a lot had changed. She’d noticed that Locklen, her youngest, had started to settle down. Well, more like not go out as much or seem to get as many women. Owen had built the business up so much he barely had a moment to spare, but she could see he was starting to get tired and was lessening his work load. It was Stephanie who she worried about though. Her outgoing, bright, and opinionated girl had dimmed a little this year, and she would make it a goal to keep a close eye on her daughter this coming year.

  Everyone gathered around the huge twelve-foot Christmas tree overflowing with gifts. She caught the gaze of every one of her family, and her heart soared. She knew with such a strong and loving family that they would rally around those in need, and this coming year, with all of them working together, it would be just as good as this year had been, if not better.

  Squeezing her husband’s hand, she caught his gaze and mouthed I love you.

  He smiled, leaned down, and kissed her cheek before settling back and saying, “I love you too.”

  She looked around the huge family room one more time and smiled. “Merry Christmas! Okay now, everyone, let’s start present time.”

  The children squealed with joy, and Catharine sat down by the tree and started handing out the gifts. Happy and blessed beyond belief.