“Since the family isn’t here to pick you up, and the boys aren’t here for us take home. I say we just go together,” I said and watched Paxton and Tracker actually think about it.
“I don’t think they’d let you do that,” Tracker said and sighed.
Paxton chewed his lip, then looked at Mac. “We could leave when Mrs. Stone isn’t looking. Maybe they wouldn’t find us this time,” Paxton said and looked to Tracker for his okay.
I would have to watch these two. At least until they felt comfortable in our home.
“I’m ready, Mr. and Mrs. Cortez. Just need your signature on these copies,” Mrs. Stone said and turned the paperwork around on her desk and set a pen on top.
Mac and I stood and walked to the desk. Mac signed, and then I did. We were officially the foster parents contracted to Tracker and Paxton.
“If you’re coming with us, let’s hit the road. We have a few hours to drive to get to the house,” I said and looked at both boys.
“I baked cookies yesterday for you. And when we get to the house, you’ll meet some of our friends. There are even a few kids and several more on the way. Everyone’s waiting to meet you guys,” Mac said.
It taken a few seconds for the two boys to figure out what was going on. Tracker was the first to catch on.
“For real? We are staying with the two of you?” Tracker stood.
“Yes, you are. Mr. and Mrs. Cortez are officially your new foster parents. I’ll come once a month for a home visit,” she said to the boys, then turned to me and Mac. “I’ll let you know ahead of time, so you both have ample time to arrange to be off.” She then turned back to the boys. “It took some time, but I did my best to get you together. Congratulations, boys. Because I think you’re going to enjoy this home and maybe find that it had been worth the little inconvenience.”
I was proud of Mac, she held back as long as she could. “Can I have a hug, Paxton. I’m so happy we get to be a part of watching you grow up.”
Paxton latched on to Mac when she opened her arms. He cried along with her. When I looked over at Tracker, he stood watching, his expression one of longing, but he stayed in place.
“Hope you’re ready. She’s gonna want to hug you, too,” I said to Tracker, and he sighed.
“I guess I could let her if she needs to.”
Mac released Paxton and turned to Tracker. “You might as well get used to it. I’m going to do it a lot, so fair warning.”
Tracker looked at her and slowly stepped toward her. When he finally was close enough, Mac stepped in and closed the distance. She wrapped her arms around him until he finally moved his arms and hugged her back.
“You and she have done a good thing. You both are going to be good for the boys,” Mrs. Stone said in a low voice beside me.
“It’s all Mac. She’s going to be the best thing that has happened for the three of us,” I said as I watched Tracker when he and Mac broke apart, he turned his head and wiped his eyes.
Mrs. Stone replied, “Funny, on the phone the other day, Mac said a similar thing about you.”
The first part of the drive back to Shades Valley had been quiet. Tracker and Paxton had never been off the reservation, so they’d spent the time with their noses smashed to the windows, taking in everything around.
We stopped and ate, and when we sat and it came time to order, the two boys looked at one another.
“Whatever you want,” I said and was glad to see them relax. It made me wonder what went on in the other foster homes or with their mother. It didn’t really matter because they’d never have to worry about having enough to eat. Or even where they were going to sleep from one week to the next.
The way Mac had already started to take the boys under her wing, I knew we’d have the adoption talk soon. And I was good with that. It was odd, they already felt like mine.
We pulled off the main road and reached the gate onto the compound. I let the window down and gave the prospect a chin lift and drove through.
“That’s where we’re going to live?” Paxton asked and pointed.
I chuckled. “No, that’s the clubhouse. It’s used for meetings, gatherings, things like that.”
“Oh.”
“All this land belongs to your motorcycle club?” Tracker asked.
“Yes.”
“Cool. Are Paxton and I sharing a room?”
“No, you each have your own room with a shared bathroom between them,” Mac answered.
I watched Tracker from the rearview mirror, he smiled. It was the first real one he’d had all day. Being the oldest, I had no doubt he’d take the longest to adjust. Paxton would embrace the changes a lot easier.
Following the road to the house, I shook my head when they came into view.
Everyone was outside, and there were balloons attached to my porch railing along with a banner that read ‘Welcome to Black Hawk MC Tracker and Paxton.
“What’s the big garage for at the house we just passed?” Tracker asked.
“That’s where me and my brothers build custom bikes.”
“Will you teach me?”
“You want to learn how to build bikes, Tracker?”
“It’d be cool.”
“Then I’ll teach you.”
“Can I learn, too?” Paxton asked.
“Sure thing, Pax.”
“Are all these people part of your club?”
“Sure are. And it’s your club now, too, Tracker.”
He didn’t respond, and I noticed he did it when either he was upset or he didn’t want to share what he thought. We’d work on that, we had plenty of time.
I pulled the truck on the side of the house, and everyone got out. Paxton walked beside Mac and held her hand. Tracker walked boldly out in front. The kid had a backbone for sure and I was glad to see it.
We reached the front of the house where my brothers, their ol’ ladies and kids stood with huge smiles.
I introduced the boys, then Mac took over with introducing the adults. It wouldn’t take long for the boys to remember everyone.
The kids were saved for last, and I noticed Ally, Neely, Paxton, and Tracker were having a stare-off. Sami noticed it, too, and nudged Ally.
She sighed and stepped closer to the boys. “Hi, I’m Ally,” she said with no enthusiasm in her voice.
“Why don’t you try that again?” Sami scolded.
“Fine. But can someone please have a girl around here. We’re drowning in penises.”
Tracker and Paxton both burst out laughing. Which was the first sign that things would work out.
Chapter Sixteen
Mac
I walked in the bedroom and pushed the door until I heard the click. When I turned back, Emery sat on the bed leaning against the headboard with a smile on his face.
“You know you don’t have to check on them every hour, right?”
I stuck my tongue out at him, and he chuckled. “For your information, I was just making sure they were asleep. We still have to set things out for Paxton from Santa. And don’t forget to eat the cookies and make it look like you drank the milk. He set the plate and glass on the table by the tree.”
“I was there when he did it, cariño.”
“That’s right. I just don’t want to forget anything,” I said and sat down on the end of the bed.
Emery patted the bed beside him. “Come here.”
I crawled up the bed from the end until I rested back against the headboard like Emery.
“Rest for a minute. You’ve been going for days. From baking cookies to wrapping the presents, and the food you’ve been cooking. We’ll never eat all of it. And did I tell you the ham and turkey you baked were excellent? And the stuffing, and the mashed potatoes, and the green bean casserole...”
“Stop it.” I chuckled. “The whole club was at the clubhouse. We needed that food. Did you not see the three turkeys after everyone was done? Luna picked what meat was left on the bone for Karma, and there wasn’t much. Two hams were d
emolished, and the desserts Claire brought? I almost lost a hand reaching for the last strawberry cheesecake cupcake.”
Emery lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Who dared to deprive you of a cupcake?”
“Kiyaya!”
Cruz had driven to the reservation the day before and picked up Kiyaya and drove back to Black Hawk without Emery or I knowing about it. When Emery answered the door after someone knocked, the surprise at seeing Kiyaya was written all over his face. I didn’t understand until Cruz explained that Kiyaya had never visited Black Hawk even though through the years he’d been invited.
The bed shook as Emery laughed. He grabbed his stomach and groaned. “Shit, I’m full. Don’t make me laugh.”
“Serves you right. It isn’t funny. We both reached for it, but I got it first. I was raising it to my mouth when he said, ‘I don’t need all that sugar anyway. Even though this could be my last Christmas.’”
“Ahh, cariño, I’m sorry you didn’t get your cupcake.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t give it to him. I told him we’d miss him and ate it in front of him.”
Emery pulled me closer, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head, then rested his head on mine.
“I think they are starting to get comfortable here. They weren’t as quiet around the brothers at dinner,” Emery said. He worried more than I did about Tracker and Paxton.
“It’s going to take them a while, honey. They’ve been here less than three months. And as far as being quiet around your brothers, have you tried getting some of them to talk. Then there’s Roscoe, that man could carry on a conversation by himself. I saw Sue walk by and pop him on the shoulder four or five times for saying inappropriate stuff. You might want to keep Kiyaya away from him while he is here,” I said and sighed, then wiggled my toes.
Christmas Eve dinner with the entire club and their families had been loud and fun. And I’d never seen a group of men put away so much food. Anything left, we made individual dinner packages and sent them home with the single men. All the women in the club fixed the food, which had been planned out weeks ago. The only woman who’d gotten out of cooking was Carly. She brought the paper products and drinks because Crusher had told us ahead of time that unless we wanted half the club in the ER, then we needed to avoid assigning her any food dishes.
Christmas Day, the men would spend with their families. The ones with no family would spend the day with Sue and Roscoe this year. Black Hawk made sure none of their members spent the day alone.
“I might have gone overboard on presents,” I said, and Emery chuckled.
“You hit overboard a couple weeks ago. Not sure what you would call the boxes and shit in our closet.”
“I want them to have the best Christmas since they’ve never really had one.”
“We can’t erase everything they’ve been through. But we can change their future. They’ll never have to worry about having food, clean clothes, or a bed to sleep in ever again. And it will take time for them to adjust to having those things every day without worrying if the next day it is all going to vanish. One day at a time, Mac.”
“I know.”
“I think it’s safe for us to tote the stuff downstairs and put it under the tree,” Emery said, and I nodded.
“We better get started because if I don’t get, I’m going to fall asleep.” I yawned.
After what felt like a hundred trips up and down the stairs. I stood with Emery in front of the Christmas tree.
“Our first Christmas,” I said as I watched the lights on the tree fade, then come back in a different color.
“There is one thing missing from the tree,” Emery said and bent down, picking up a package. When he stood back up, he handed it to me. “Open it. It’s for the tree.”
I tore the paper off to find a white box with a lid. I lifted the lip and inside, surrounded in material to keep it from breaking, was a crystal ornament. It was round with etched snowflakes. The globe was beautiful, but the words on it were what made my eyes fill with moisture.
2019
First Christmas
Family
It’s what you make of it.
“It’s beautiful, Emery. Here you put it on the tree.” I held the box while Emery lifted the ornament, then positioned it front and center on the tree.
“Love you, cariño.”
“Love you, more.”
We watched the lights reflect on the crystal ornament and absorbed the moment before we headed upstairs.
Tomorrow would be anything but peaceful.
I opened my eyes to darkness, then lifted my head from Emery’s chest and glanced over at the clock. It read two forty-five in the morning. I laid my head back down on his chest and shut my eyes and concentrated on his heartbeat.
It hadn’t helped. I was too excited for Christmas. Not so much for me, but for Tracker and Paxton. I couldn’t wait to see their faces.
Last Christmas, I spent it alone. Dirk had been in Afghanistan, and he and I had no other family. My eyes filled thinking of my brother dealing with everything alone. It still stung he hadn’t wanted me in Maryland. I’d honored his wish and stayed away. I even understood to a point that he needed to do it on his own. I’d given him his time, and when he’d told me he was getting fitted for his prosthetic, I’d invited him to come for Christmas. I wanted him to meet Emery and the boys, but he’d made excuses and said he’d make the trip in the spring.
“What’s the matter, mi esposa, my wife?”
“I woke up and now I can’t go back to sleep,” I said and snuggled closer.
“Who would have thought you’d be more excited for Christmas morning than Tracker and Paxton.”
“I can’t help it. I’m so happy, then I feel guilty for being so happy because Dirk is alone when he doesn’t have to be. And before you say it, I know it isn’t about me. But it has only been the two of us for a while. From the time we lost our parents, we’ve only spent a handful of the holidays together. Dirk was either deployed or I was working. I don’t want him to be the uncle the boys see once every other year.”
“Give him time, Mac. He’s gotten his prosthetic, and he has therapy. He’s essentially having to learn to walk again. By spring, he should be mobile enough to maneuver around an airport.”
“People fly all the time with disabilities. The airlines have people to help them.”
“Yes, they do. But you are talking about your brother, the master sergeant who is used to helping others, not having that help extended to him.”
“You’re right.”
“Excuse me. Could you repeat that?”
“Stop it. You heard me. I have no problem with saying you’re right. You’d hear it more if you were right more,” I said and then was on my back with Emery looming over me.
“I’m right a lot. Like now, for instance.”
“How are you right now?”
“Because I know what will help you sleep,” he said and bent his head and captured my mouth. As he moved to my neck, I placed my hands on his back, touching him. It was still hard to believe he was mine.
I slid my hands down his back, my destination was his butt checks, but they fell short.
“Ugh, your body is too long.”
I felt the sting from his bite on the tender skin between my neck and shoulder. “It could be you’re too short.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it is you,” I said and felt the vibration from his chuckle.
“This will help,” he said and flipped us, putting me on top of him.
I pushed up until I straddled him and placed my hands on his chest and felt the muscles and hardness of his body. Once I started, I couldn’t stop touching him, he was mine. I traced his nipples with my fingers and teased them and found it sexy as they grew hard under my touch. I loved this. I loved him. Sometimes my need for him was so much, I would swear I felt fire working its way through my veins.
Leaning forward, I placed my lips on his, and
with my tongue, I licked across the seam. He opened and I entered. Our tongues met and our tastes melded together.
I broke the kiss and looked down at him, barely making out his eyes in the dark. His heart raced under my hand.
“I’m the luckiest woman.”
“Ah, mi hermosa esposa, my beautiful wife, I am the lucky one to have caught you.”
He grazed my breasts with his fingertips, then rose, bringing himself to a sitting position with me still straddling him. His hard length pressed against the thin material of my panties.
Emery grabbed the hem of my nightshirt and pulled it over my head and tossed it to the side. I rocked my hips, and he groaned.
I gasped when he grabbed hold of my panties and pulled. The lace giving away easily.
He moved his hands and palmed my breast, and I leaned my head back and enjoyed the roughness of his large hands. He rubbed his palms over the nipples, and they puckered and strained toward him. When he bent and sucked the tip, then bit down gently, I moaned as a shiver ran through my body.
I groaned and ran my hands over his shoulders and down his back and up until I reached the back of his head. Holding him in place. Emery put all his focus on my breasts. My nipples were hard and tingling as he took turns with each, rolling the nipples and circling his tongue around them.
I felt his hand move between us, then he cupped my mound, easily finding my clit and brushing a finger across it. I arched my back and pushed my breast further into his mouth. I felt wanton and self-confident in a way I had never felt before with my body until I was with Emery. Being with Emery was amazing, and I get to spend my life with him.
He released my nipple with a little pop and then kissed his way back up my neck and took my mouth. I felt branded by the kiss.
My core ached, and I rolled my hips. The finger on my nub moved back and forth, then circled sending me over. As my body rode the orgasm out, he lifted me and brought me down, filling me.
Emery lifted me up and down on him over and over until we were both on the brink. With one last push in, I felt his cock pulse and I followed him over the edge.
He leaned his face into the crook of my neck, and we both fought to gain our breaths. He lifted his head and lifted my body from his. With some maneuvering, he laid us both back on the bed.
Coast (Black Hawk MC Book 6) Page 14