Page 2 of Connected By Christmas
“We have many more memories to make there. Next year, we will have our daughter with us. Your parents’ memories will never fade, Em. We will share your stories with our children, and then one day, they will pass them on to their kids. It will be a place we can all go to keep their memories alive.”
“I love that idea,” she whispers.
“I do, too,” I say softly. Her breaths eventually evens out as the plane gently lulls her to sleep. Placing my hand on her belly, I smile down at my sleeping wife. Every time I look at her, I’m flooded with so much love. It’s hard to believe sometimes that she’s real. I spent so many years wondering if I would ever hold her like this again…wondering if I would be lucky enough to spend another lifetime with her.
A movement against my palm has me grinning at her belly. “I know it’s getting crowded in there, baby girl,” I whisper, “but please go easy on your daddy and stay in there for a few more weeks.” I’m rewarded with another kick and chuckle. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
I settle back against the seat and close my eyes. This is our last Christmas with just the two of us, and I plan on making it one she will never forget.
I pull the black beanie down further over my ears. Jesus, I don’t remember it being this cold when we visited last year. I grab the rest of our groceries from the back of the four-wheel drive truck I rented for the two weeks we will be staying here.My breath is visible in the mountain air as I walk up the front wooden stairs.
The cabin sits in the mountains outside their small town, Maple Pines. Most of the houses in this area are spread out and surrounded by trees, giving each home privacy. The cabin has been doing well with bookings, especially with the upgrades we made. Emma’s parents had started on some of them before they passed away, and we made sure to implement what they wanted while adding our own touch to the place.
When I open the wooden front door, warm air hits my face from the fire blazing in the huge stone fireplace. “God, it feels good in here,” I laugh, walking across the wooden floors and setting the groceries on the black granite island. Taking off my winter coat, I hang it over the back of the barstool.
“It’s definitely not Florida Christmas weather,” Emma grins and starts unpacking the groceries. “I still can’t get over how amazing this place looks. You did everything my parents talked for years about doing to this cabin and exceeded what they always envisioned.”
The first moment I stepped inside this place, I knew exactly what it needed and how to make it stand out from other rentals in this area. With the tall A-frame and the open floor plan with the loft, all that was missing was a breathtaking view of their backyard overlooking the mountains in the distance. I had the entire back of the house replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving every room in the house a view of the wilderness.
“I loved designing it for you. Considering we are booked solid for the next two years, I’m guessing everyone else loves it, too,” I grin. “I knew we would be spending every Christmas here with our family, and we’ve already talked about having my whole family up here next year, so it was perfect timing to get it all done,” I shrug and help her put away the last of the groceries.
“One of the many reasons why I love you so much.” She comes over and wraps her arms around my waist.
“Because I love to remodel houses?” I lift my eyebrow at her and grin.
“I love that you love to do that, but I was talking about your big heart,” she says, placing her hand on my chest. “You made sure we kept this cabin in our family. Then, you turned it into this five-star getaway so all our family and friends could enjoy it.”
“Only five stars? You obviously forgot what the master suite looks like.” I scoop her up, causing her to giggle as I walk us through the kitchen to the other side of the house. The wide plank floors extend throughout the whole house, matching the walls and ceiling. A huge king-size poster bed sits against the wall, overlooking the view. In this room, though, since I knew it would be ours, I wanted an extra wow factor. I took advantage of no neighbors in the back or on the side and made both walls glass, giving us a one-eighty view of the mountains.
I lay her down on the white-down comforter and cage her in with my body. “You also obviously forgot what can be done in here, too.” I lean down and taste her neck with my tongue. “Way better than five stars,” I whisper, tugging lightly on her skin.
Her hands free my hair from the beanie as her fingers dive in and grasp me tightly. When a soft moan escapes those lips, my body instantly reacts, causing me to strain against my pants. No matter what lifetime we are in or how much distance separates us, she is the only one who has ever had this effect on me. She’s my oxygen…what my body craves and needs to live.
Chapter Two
Noah and Emma
EMMA
My body becomesalive under his touch. A moan escapes when he tastes the sensitive spot behind my ear. Ever since I got all my memories back from the car accident, my feelings for him have only intensified.
When I look at him, lifetimes of memories flood my body. I remember every touch we’ve ever shared…every place his lips have grazed my skin. It’s a deep connection that our souls instantly remember as our bodies try to keep up with everything we feel in the present moment.
Desperate to feel skin, my hands skim up his back, loving the feeling of his hard muscles beneath my palms. He breaks away and sits back on his knees before removing his shirt in one swift motion. I will never tire of looking at him. He’s…he’s beautiful. There is no other word to describe him as I take in the sight before me. I reach up and brush his dark hair that has fallen over his left eye. He briefly closes his eyes at my touch beforehe opens them and pierces me with those ocean blues. I run my hand over his light scruff before gliding down his arm, filled with our memories permanently etched on his skin. It’s all our stories through time, woven together in a beautiful blend of art.
He watches me through hooded eyes as I save his newest one for last. A beautiful lily covers his heart now. It’s always been my favorite flower, and he tattooed the first one on his arm years before I came back into his life so he could feel close to me. If you look closely at this lily, though, you will see a shooting star woven in with the date we first met. He told me the day he knocked on my door and realized our souls had found each other again was the day this lifetime truly began for him.
His eyes darken as I hold his gaze and move my hand down lower over his hard abs. He grabs my hands and pins them above my head as he cages me in on all fours. Crushing his lips to mine, our tongues tangle together as he kisses me with such need that it has me writhing beneath him. By the time he breaks away, we both are breathing hard and in desperate need of each other.
He quickly removes my sweatshirt and bra before feasting on me. My breasts are fuller now with the pregnancy and more sensitive, if that is even possible. This man has the ability to make me cum just by his mouth alone when he devours my breasts like this.
My hands dive into his hair, and my back arches on a moan when he pulls hard on my nipple. “Noah…” His name escapes my lips with a desperation to my voice.
“I’ve got you, baby,” he breathes against my skin. “I’ve always got you.” His hand goes into the waistband of my leggings, and when I feel him push two fingers inside, I greedily lift my hips to bring them in deeper. “God, you’re soaking for me, Em. I fucking love that I can make you this wet.”
His tongue swirls my nipple, and when he softly bites it, desire shoots straight to my core. I pull on his hair as my fingersclutch his head tightly against my breasts. He groans against my skin as his fingers go deeper and faster.
“Cum for me, Em. I want my fingers coated with you.”
