Christmas with the Kings (The Kings of Guardian) Read online

  "Jade said all the dresses were going to be sent here? I hope no one needs alterations." Em eyed the three selections of dresses suspiciously. She had been blessed with curves, a lot of curves. The pencil skirt was out. The A-line would make her look like the Hulk, but the third one. The skirt would work… the top? She didn't look great in a halter-top, because... big boobs but this wasn't about her. She pointed at the dress she would order. “This one for me."

  Jasmine tapped the pencil skirt. "I'll take that one. Okay, just to mark this off the list, let's order them now."

  Em glanced down at the “to do” sheet. "Cake?"

  "Betty did mine." Keelee's knee bounced hard for a moment until she sat straight up in her chair. "Sky can do it!"

  "Sky Lang?" Jasmine shot a glance at Ember.

  "Absolutely. She started making cakes for Kadey's birthday parties when she couldn't afford anything else. She is an amazing baker, and the things she can do with frosting are mind boggling. I can ask her!"

  Em grimaced, "But, Jade said not to tell anyone else."

  Jasmine huffed a laugh and slapped the desk. "She wants this shit done and done in three weeks. If we have to make a few allowances to do it, then we make those allowances. Keelee, you talk to Sky. See if she's willing to try, and ask what she'll need. We can get everything from Rapid. Em, can you take the day tomorrow?"

  "Um… I have clinic in the morning, but the schedule is light because training is on hold during the holidays..." She glanced at Keelee. "I can ask Adam to cover, he has a few souls in the hospital, but he doesn't have clinic hours tomorrow."

  "Excellent. As soon as we can in the morning, let’s head down to Rapid City. We'll go in person to the florist Keelee used and beg, borrow or steal the damn flowers."

  Em stopped the truck in her driveway after dropping off Keelee. She smiled at the beautiful star affixed to the chimney of the house. LED lights, draped like icicles, framed the front of the house, and a sign that indicated Santa should stop “here” was posted prominently in the snowbank that was their front yard. South Dakota had had more than their normal forty-two inches of snow that year. It was pretty, but she could have done with a little less of the winter wonderland. Large and small snowmen scaled the mounded snow on the other side of the walk. Her men had been busy.

  She turned off the ignition and got out of the SUV still looking at the lights. "Beautiful." Her breath frosted in the air.

  "Yes, you are."

  Joseph stood in the door to the kitchen and she smiled with a shake of her head. She'd stopped jumping at his sudden appearances once she realized he was always near.

  "I was talking about the lights."

  "I know."

  She smiled, and when he walked down the stairs and stood in front of her, she rose up on her toes to kiss him.

  He kissed her again before he pointed to the door. "Get in before you freeze." He grabbed the extension cord off the wall by the garage and plugged in the heating block of her SUV. It was absolutely necessary if she wanted to start the vehicle in sub-zero weather.

  "Is Blake asleep?" She opened the door but waited for Joey to step in behind her. He shut the door as he slipped past her.

  "He went with Mom and Frank to pick out a Christmas tree for their house." Joey pulled her into a tight embrace. "Did you have a good time at Jasmine's?"

  Ember groaned and dropped her head back, so she could see him.

  A single male eyebrow arched up. "What?"

  She sighed. "Do you want the short version or the long one?"

  "The one that explains the heavy sigh." He folded her back into his chest, and she drew a deep breath.

  "Jade threw us for a loop. That's for sure." Ember laughed when her husband made a growling noise in his chest. "I had so looked forward to this Christmas being a quiet, peaceful time."

  A sudden burst of baritone laughter vibrated in her ear. "You've met my sister, right?"

  She chuckled too. "Yeah. I have."

  "What's she up to now?" Joey released her from the hug and trailed his hand down her arm to her hand. He lifted it and kissed her palm while his eyes fixed on her.

  God, the excitement of being the sole focus of a man this intense never got old. A shiver ran through her. "She's engaged."

  Joey lifted his lips away from her palm. "And?"

  "And she wants to get married on Christmas Eve, and she doesn't want to let your mom know so Amanda doesn't have to stress the details."

  Joey smirked. "Instead she wants you, Jasmine and Keelee to stress the details."

  Em cocked her head. "Very astute. A wedding in three weeks is impossible."

  Joseph tugged her into the living room and sat down, pulling her on top of him. "Is it? Impossible?"

  "No, not really, but it will be difficult to pull off." She ran her fingers through his thick hair. The greys were sneaking in, but it was sexy on her man. "She didn't want us to tell anyone."

  Joseph reached up and pulled the clasp out of her hair sending, the damn curls tumbling around her face. "You tell me everything." He pulled her down, his eyes holding hers in an intense gaze.

  "You're my safe place." She leaned down and dropped a soft kiss on his lips. "Besides, you'd never betray my confidence." She ran her finger over his bottom lip and squeaked when he snapped at it. Oh, hell, it had been at least a month since they'd been able to play. Make love, sure, that happened almost every night, but play... she sighed and looked up at the clock. Her quick glance was enough for him to know what she was thinking.

  "An hour before they said they'd be back." His fist tightened in her hair, and he pulled her down to him. "You've got three minutes to get naked and meet me in the playroom."

  "She's doing what?" Adam Cassidy dropped into his recliner and stared at his wife.

  "Getting married in three weeks." Keelee dropped in the chair with him and wiggled to settle on her hip next to him. "See?" She held up the phone and scrolled through the tabs of tasks that still hadn't been done. "Em is going to ask you to take clinic in the morning so she can go to Rapid with Jasmine."

  Adam shrugged. "That's fine." He took her phone away from her and settled her against his chest. "What does she have you doing?"

  "I got voluntold to find someone to make a cake. I'm going to ask Sky if she could do it. With only three weeks left, I'm pretty sure I'll have plenty to do. Good thing I'm done Christmas shopping." Keelee's fingers slid to the button of his shirt. Her finger snaked in and rounded the small plastic disk. It popped out of its anchor.

  "And you're supposed to keep this from Amanda?"

  Keelee nodded and circled her finger around the next button.

  "She knows everything that goes on around here. How do you propose you do that?"

  Keelee shrugged and popped the button free. "Maybe we should call in reinforcements."

  "Like who?" Adam watched as her fingers trailed down to the third button.

  "Dad." Keelee laughed at Adam's groan. "Sorry, mood killer, huh?"

  "Total mood assassin, but keep going. I'm sure I'll be able to resuscitate the patient."

  Keelee slid her fingertip to the next button. "I'm positive you will, Doctor Cassidy." She slid the button out of the material and snuck her fingers under his belt buckle.

  Adam sucked a sharp breath when his wife's fingers wiggled their way under his jeans and boxers and wrapped around his cock. "How long is Lizzy at Kadey's?"

  "All night." Keelee lifted on her elbow and batted her eyelashes at him. "Oh, look, Doctor. I think we have a pulse."

  "This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen." Chad sat in the rocking chair in Chloe's room. Their daughter was out like a light in his arms. Jasmine folded the last of the clean clothes and put them away. She shut the drawer and smiled at her family. Chad's eyes had closed, and he'd stopped rocking. The man was burning the candle at both ends trying to get the last tracks of his new album recorded before everyone descended for Christmas. His mom was coming for Christmas for the first time. He wa
nted to make sure he could spend time with her instead of being cooped up in his studio.

  "It is already a disaster, that's why we are going to go to Rapid tomorrow and sort out the flower situation."

  Chad made a non-committal sound. Jasmine quietly crossed the room and took her daughter out of Chad's arms, which was getting more difficult. Chloe was growing like a weed. Chad roused and leaned forward rubbing his eyes. "Sorry." He stood up and stretched.

  Jasmine threw him a smile as she laid Chloe down. "Shhhh..." She patted her daughter softly as she settled for the night. She kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door. Chad pulled it closed, leaving it open a crack.

  He put his arm around her and they walked down the hall to their bedroom. "I'm assuming Joseph is driving y'all tomorrow?"

  "I wouldn't doubt it." Joseph was that damn protective of Ember. They ambled into the master bedroom and passed into a closet just as big as the bedroom. They both liked clothes. It was an indulgence.

  "If he doesn't, let me know and I'll drive with you." Chad pulled off his graphic t-shirt and dumped it into the closet hamper.

  "I am more than capable of driving to Rapid, or have you forgotten?" She pulled her silk t-shirt off and smirked when Chad's mouth dropped open.

  "Have you been wearing that all day?" He had his jeans half off.

  Damn, his body was fine. The cross-fit workouts combined with the exercise routine Dixon and Drake had made for him had ripped his body. The man who could have literally any woman in the world loved her. Their life was filled with love, laughter and the type of sex they both needed. Jasmine had learned a lot about herself since she'd met Chad.

  "What? This old thing?" She motioned to the leopard skin corset. "Maybe." She shimmied out of her jeans and kicked them to the side, revealing the lace-up, leopard skin panties underneath.

  "Sweet mother of pearls." Chad stood up, releasing his jeans to pool around his ankles. "How the hell do you get more beautiful every time I look at you?"

  Jasmine sauntered over to him and ran her hands up the ridges of his abs. "I have dark magic that keeps you entranced."

  Chad stepped out of his jeans and walked her backward out of the closet and toward the bedroom as his fingers struggled to unlace her corset. The laces caught in her hair. He groaned as he worked to undo the bindings. "Do you have any dark magic to get you out of this contraption easier?" He stopped walking her backward when they reached the king-sized bed.

  Jasmine pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head. "No. I guess I'll just have to pay my penance." She dropped to her knees with her hands behind her back and nuzzled his stiff cock.

  Chad's fingers carded through her hair and pulled it to the side. He tugged it back until she looked up at him. "I love you. What do you want tonight?"

  She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his cock. "I think you should teach me a lesson about wearing clothes that are hard to get out of."

  He dropped her hair and sidestepped to sit on the side of the bed. "Then over my knee, my love."

  Chapter 5

  Nic poured his best scotch into four tumblers and ginger ale into a fifth for Jason. The men he'd invited to his house laughed in the background. He carried the tray with their drinks to the sectional where they'd all gathered.

  "Thank you." Christian took his drink and one for his husband, Jared.

  Nic waited for Jacob and Jason to take their glasses and set the tray down, retrieving his.

  Jared took a sip and made an appreciative noise. "This is the good stuff. What's the occasion?"

  Nic caught a quick smile from Jacob who blanked his face quickly, but not fast enough. So much for the women not telling anyone. He cleared his throat. Dammit, he could feel heat rising to his cheeks. Just blurt it out, man. "Right. I asked Jade to marry me, and she said yes."

  Nic expected congratulations, not utter silence and vacant expressions.

  Finally, Jacob lifted his glass. "Congratulations, Nic. To the bravest, or most stupid, motherfucker on the face of the planet."

  "Here, Here!" The other three raised their glasses in unison.

  "Oh, fuck all of you. You knew!" An explosion of laughter detonated at Nic's outburst. "I should have known."

  "Jacob told us on the way over. Congratulations, man." Jared, his best friend in the fucking world, hugged him hard enough to crack a rib.

  Jason spread his arms out. Nic backed away. "Boss-man, no offense, but…” He pointed at Jacob. “I've seen you make that monster turn purple with a hug. I'll take a handshake."

  Jason laughed and extended his hand. "Congratulations. You deserve all the best."

  After Jason's bone-crunching grip, Nic shook his hand up and down. "Man, how is it you don't break that wife of yours?"

  "Practice, my friend. Lots and lots of practice." Jason smirked and raised his tumbler. Jason's taunt launched another round of good-natured laughter and several off-color remarks.

  "Congratulations, Nic. I'm glad my sister had the sense to say yes. You're the only motherfucker alive crazy enough to try to make her settle down." Nic thumped Jacob's back when the man throttled him with a hug.

  "Thanks, man. I think?"

  "I'm happy for you." Christian extended his hand.

  Nic reached for it and brought the man into him for a hug. "I only hope I'm half as happy as you and J are, my friend."

  Christian's eyes found his husband, and he leaned into Nic and whispered, "You will be. The Kings aren't easy to bridle, but once you do, they learn manners pretty quick."

  Nic laughed and pulled away before Jared could give him the stink-eye. He loved Jared like a brother, but the man was jealous as fuck. Well, shit, it wasn't just Jared, all the Kings were territorial as hell.

  "So, the ulterior motive to inviting you here and giving you the good scotch was to ask each of you to be groomsmen." Nic lifted the glass to his lips and watched his guests.

  "Absolutely."

  "Sure."

  "Be happy to do it."

  "You got it."

  The responses tumbled out at the same time.

  "Have you settled on a date?" Christian asked as he sat down on a loveseat.

  "Ah... yeah. Christmas Eve." Nic sat down, which was a little awkward when his prosthesis caught on the carpet, but he was used to making quick changes in his balance.

  "Hell, you've got over a year to sweat her backing out." Jared laughed.

  Jacob snorted, "That's what you think," into his tumbler.

  Nic shook his head. "No. Christmas Eve this year, and she wants to get married at the ranch as a surprise to Miss Amanda, so none of you can tell her this shit is happening."

  Jason sat down in one of the huge recliners, dwarfing it immediately. "Keep something from my mother? You do realize she is the one who raised us, right? The woman has this..."

  "Spidey sense." Jared finished.

  "Damn straight. She knew if we were in trouble before we did. She's going to know." Jacob nodded his head. "Doesn't matter if we keep our mouths shut."

  "Right. She'll know." Jason looked at his soda. "But, I won't tell her." He lifted his glass. Slowly all the others lifted their tumblers. "If she finds out, it won't be from us. Whatever it takes." Jason proposed.

  "As long as it takes." The echo died out when they all took a drink of the liquor.

  "So, who's making the betting pool?" Jacob asked.

  "A pool for what?" Christian looked from Jacob to Jared.

  "For when Mom finds out. I'll do it. Starting when? Today?" Jared looked at his watch.

  "No, yesterday, that's when Jade told Jewell and Tori." Nic laughed. "I want yesterday."

  "We have twenty days. Nic's got yesterday. How much per day?"

  "Twenty bucks a day." Jason threw out. "Get Adam, Justin, Joseph, and Chad in on this too."

  "Hell, you know the women are going to want in." Jacob laughed as he stood and headed back over to the scotch bottle. "This is going to be epic."

  Nic
laughed and tossed back the last of his liquor. "Hey, wait. I need another groomsman. I know Justin and Chad, but not well enough to have them stand up for me." Nic shrugged.

  "Your younger brother?" Jared asked.

  "He's spending the holiday with Carmine. I don't want to pull him away and give Carmine another reason to hate me." Carmine still blamed both him and Jade for their mother's death. There was a canyon of issues separating them, and they wouldn't be solved in three weeks.

  "You should ask Gabriel." Jason's suggestion came as Jacob poured two fingers into Nic's glass.

  "Do you think he'd do it? I mean, it's Christmas Eve. I'm sure he has plans with his family." Nic would love to have Gabriel stand with him. The man was the reason he was in the room with his new family in the first place.

  "You won't know until you ask him." Jason reached for his phone and unlocked it. He pushed a button and extended the device to Nic. Calling Gabriel appeared on the face of the screen. Well shit. No time like the present.

  Chapter 6

  "Is this right, Mom?" Faith glanced over Reece's shoulder. She scanned the problem and shook her head. "Almost, buddy, but you forgot to do something."

  "What?" Reece dropped his eyes back down to the numbers on the paper.

  "You try to find it first." She ruffled his hair as she walked by to check on dinner. She was running late tonight. She'd spent the afternoon with Dani and Jade. It was probably one of the most surreal experiences of her life. Since she'd been married to Jason, she and Jade had spent a total of eight or nine hours together… maybe. Not that they didn't like each other, they did. But life was busy for both of them. Jade wanted her to be a bridesmaid? She'd never been in a wedding before.