“It’s missing the thing that goes on top.” I dig through the bags from our shopping and pull out a furry black spider and the black cat we found in the Halloween clearance section. I place them both in the branches on the top, then pull Emery into my arms and admire our creation. “Now it’s perfect.”
“Ya know,” Rowan tilts her head, studying the masterpiece. “It is kind of cool looking.”
Carey grimaces. “It looks like a fucking graveyard exploded in our living room, Ro.”
I nuzzle Emery’s neck. “I want to make love to you under this tree.”
She giggles. Yep, that’s right. Emery giggles. “This isn’t the kind of tree you make love under, Theodore.”
“No?” I run my hands along her body, feeling her warmth through her cable knit sweater. “What kinds of things happen under a tree like this?”
Her eyes flash with that dark deviance I fucking love. “Lots and lots of things that would put us on the naughty list.”
“Should we bring our toys?”
She slips her hands up over my shoulders and locks them behind my neck. “Absolutely. And maybe some plastic to protect the carpet. Blood stains.”
“You guys know we can hear you, right?” Carey sounds mortified.
We both burst into laughter. I scoop her into my arms and make my way to the stairs. I need to get naked with my wife.
“Ignore anything you hear coming from our room for the next couple hours,” I say over my shoulder.
“I’ll try to keep my screaming to a minimum!” Emery yells.
I place her on our bed and slam and lock the door.
“Our roommates are so easy to fuck with.” She slips off her sweater and tosses it across the room.
I pull my shirt off over my head while prowling toward her. In the short time we’ve been married we’ve spent more time naked than we have in clothes. I’ve memorized all the places that make her moan, and all the ways to make her scream. Making love to my wife is my most favorite thing to do. My second favorite is just being close to her.
I grab her in a bear hug and we tumble to the bed. Her head on my chest, leg thrown over my thighs. “I can’t wait to hear Kaipo’s reaction to our tree.”
With my lips pressed to the top of her head, I chuckle. “I’m sure we’ll hear it from up here.”
She traces the tattoo on my left ring finger, one word in black script—Emery. “I hope you didn’t get me anything expensive for Christmas.”
“Me? Never.” I smirk knowing she can’t see me. I got a smokin’ deal on a ’92 Ford Bronco. It needed new tires, some wiring, and body work done, but Carey has been helping me out with that. His mom has a connection with a body shop here in town and we’ve been sneaking in the hours to work on it here and there.
“I’m serious. You know I can’t afford to get you anything fancy and you already do so much—”
“You’re my wife.” I kiss her knuckles then return her hand to my abdomen. “It’s my job to spoil you.”
“Shouldn’t I be spoiling you then too?”
“You do.” I pull her on top of me, loving the feel of her body heat pressed against my chest. I have never known another person who has made me feel this completely loved and accepted. “Just being mine is enough.”
She presses a soft, tender kiss to my lips. “I am yours.”
“Forever.”
“Mmmm,” she hums as she kisses me again, this time parting her lips to toy with mine. “Carey and Rowan think we’re doing all kinds of illegal sexy stuff in here.”
Confession: Our sex life isn’t as deviant as we lead everyone to believe. There are no toys and never blood.
I cup her ass cheeks with two hands and squeeze. “This ass should be illegal.”
She pulls back and stares down at me. “Wow, that was awful.” A burst of laughter comes from her delicious mouth and I can’t help but kiss her and roll her to her back.
If someone would’ve told me months ago that I would have Emery as my wife and that she’d giggle and burst into laughter, I would’ve told them they’re confused. Every day since the night in the hotel in Tempe, her protective shield chips away more and more. She still delivers off-handed comments about murder and manages to freak out everyone within earshot, but now she smiles while she says them. Which, if I’m being honest, makes her even more terrifying to those who don’t know her.
Only I know her down to the very essence of her being.
And everything I know is absolute perfection.
“I love you, Emery.”
Her answering smile is lazy and sexy as hell. “I know you do.” She wiggles as best she can with my hands gripped firmly on her ass. “So make love to me.”
“See how you spoil me?” I kiss her throat, lick up her neck to her ear. “Giving me you is the greatest gift you could ever give me.”
She cups my cheek, crystal clear eyes staring down into mine. “Then take what’s yours, Mr. Web.”
I push off the mattress to roll on top of her. “Gladly.”
Emery
Theodore and I had the best first Christmas in the house alone while all our roommates went home to be with family. We stayed up late, slept in later, and enjoyed the simple act of being together. A few days after Christmas we took a drive up the California Coast to San Francisco for a couple nights to celebrate my new job working as an assistant in BSU’s
criminal studies department. I’m still working at the coffee shop, so the two jobs along with the student loan and my husband’s financial support, I’m able to stay in school.
As December comes to an end, the house fills up again. To celebrate ringing in the New Year it was Kaipo’s idea to throw a party. Rowan invited Bex, and our roommates invited the entire university, so the three
