Page 10 of A Constant Christmas

Although it’s going to be hard to be away from my babies, I know this trip is needed. And hopefully, I will feel refreshed and ready to come back with a bit of a new attitude.

I finish packing up my suitcase and head downstairs, telling Tyler to pack his. Since he knows where we are going, he would be better at picking out his clothes than I would.

Tess arrives soon after, and we spend the rest of the evening spending time with the kids and going over everything. After all the kids are put to bed, Tyler and I make our way upstairs to our room while Tess and Alexander head to the guest bedroom.

I figure the moment we enter the room, my husband is going to rip my clothes off before I can even shut the door. But instead, he walks over, gets undressed, and slides into bed.

“What happened to you ravishing my body?” I ask, a little disappointed.

Getting comfortable, he says, “Sam, you and I haven’t had sex in damn near two months. When I fuck you, everyone in a three-mile radius is going to hear it. I don’t think that should be my sister, her husband, and our kids.”

I giggle. “It’s going to be that good, huh?”

“Kansas, you have no idea.”

I smile at the nickname he gave to me so long ago thanks to my home state. “What are you going to do to me, Trust Fund?” I ask, using the name I picked out for him back in the day.

“Everything.” He says with hunger in his eyes.

“Can’t wait,” I say as I slide into bed next to him. And for the first time in forever, I actually mean it.

Chapter Nine

Sam

The next morning, we are up bright and early to get on the road. I figure we are headed straight for the airport, but Tyler jumps on the highway instead.

It was hard saying goodbye to the kids, but they seemed excited to spend the week with Aunt Tess and Uncle Ace (Tess’s nickname for Alexander which the girls adopted as their own). That helped me to relax a little bit. I mean I know they’ll be well taken care of. As Tess said, if they need anything, her and Ty’s parents are only a short drive away.

I’m determined to make this next week about Tyler and I and trying to rekindle the spark between us…as well as trying to find a more healthy approach for myself on how to juggle everything at once.

Tyler reaches over and grabs my hand, linking my fingers with his. Our hands rest comfortably on the center console between us as his thumb strokes the back of mine. The gesture would seem small to most, but to two people who are constantly looking after three kids and their busy lives, it means so much more. It’s just a reminder of how much he has always been there for me…even when I wasn’t quite sure how to be there for myself.

We ride in comfortable silence, occasionally singing along to the radio. As we drive a little further, I suddenly begin to realize where we are going.

His family’s house in the Berkshires.

A giant smile crosses over my face, and Tyler takes notice.

“Did you figure it out, Kansas?”

“The Berkshires?” I ask, trying to keep my tears at bay.

“You guessed it. But only for a couple of days. Then, we are off somewhere else. I plan on cramming as much into this week as I can.”

I smile and turn my attention back out the window. This house means a lot to me.

To us.

We came here when my psycho ex was stalking me. It was a chance to get out of the city and into our own little secluded paradise. We loved it so much that when we got married, we exchanged our vows in the back yard.

We came once more when the girls were babies to spend Independence Day with the Wendell side of the family, but we haven’t been back since. I guess life has just gotten in the way. Now, when we have family events, typically, they are at our house since he’s the only one out of the four Wendell children to have children of his own.

Butterflies flutter in my stomach at the thought of spending a couple of uninterrupted days here with my sexy as hell husband.

I can barely sit still in my seat the rest of the way, and when we are pulling into the driveway, my mouth hurts from smiling so hard.

“Thank you for bringing us here,” I whisper.

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