Last Love | Book 3

Chapter 22

(Josh)

Just before the sun comes up, I sneak out of the house, making sure not to wake anyone. I've still got a few hours before Jen usually wakes up, but I didn't want to take any chances of getting caught. There's only about a week left until Christmas, and like the shitty husband I am, I still haven't bought Jen anything. I just didn't know what to get her. I mean of course she'll be happy no matter what I get her because she loves me, but I want to really buy her something she'll like. I still don't know what I plan on buying her, but I drive to the lingerie store anyway. I know she bought me something sexual. I could tell when she walked through the door last weekend, bags in hands. Even though she claimed to have been shopping for the kids, the look on her face gave her away. I park the car and walk in, trying to be quick, but also look casual. I'm trying to get home within an hour, just to be safe.

I've been looking around for at least twenty minutes, but nothing's really seemed right for Jen. I walk around to the other side of the store and notice a Christmas collection. There's only a few pieces left, since it's on sale, but there's enough for me to find some in Jen's size. I pick out two sets, both red. One has bows tied on the side straps of the bottoms and on the middle strap on the top piece, and is all made of see through lace. The second set is a simple strapless bra covered in dark red lace,with the bottoms having matching red lace on them too. The second set also came with a dark red silk robe. I hold all of those things in one hand while I look around a bit more. They've got a small display of lipgloss too. I pick a red one and a clear tube out of the bin and walk back up to the front of the store. As I'm wandering through the aisles heading back towards the front, I come across something that catches my eye. Butt plugs. A whole set of them. I actually laugh out loud in the middle of the store. Jen is going to think this is hilarious. I grab the box off the shelf and take it with me up the register, along with the other items in my hands.

I sneak back in just as quietly as before and hide the presents in our hallway closet. They'll be safe in there, neither of us use the hallway closet for anything. I'll have to wrap them later. I tip toe back upstairs and climb back into bed, carefully taking my shoes, pants, and shirt off and tucking them underneath the bed. I smile at her sleeping face. She'll never even know I was gone.

After breakfast, Ava begs Jen and I to go out side and play in the snow with her, so we do. We get all bundled up and take Ava and Cole outside into the backyard. There's only a few inches of snow, but the kids don't seem to mind. They attempt to make a tiny snow man, and Jen and I try to help, but there's not enough to snow to make it look right. After a few minutes Ava and Cole give up, But Jen and I keep working on it until we hear someone scream behind us. Both of us turn around to see what it was. It was Cole. He screams again, this time his scream turning into laughter as Ava hits him with another handful of snow. Jen and I both look to each other and laugh. Then I reach down and pick up a handful of snow, mold it into a snowball, and throw it at Ava. She screeches and reaches for another snowball to throw back at me, but Jen beats her to it, smacking me in the
side of the head with a giant ball of snow. From there, it turns into a full on war. I take Coles side and Jen takes Ava's. I work with Cole to build a little pile of snow for him to duck under, while he makes snowballs, dodging the ones Jen and Ava throw at us in the process. Then Jen takes on a new strategy, she grabs two snowballs at once and throws one at me and one at Cole, hitting us both. I jump up, collecting as many snowballs as I can hold, and spring into action. I hit Jen three times and Ava only once, before I run out of snowballs. We continue as our fingers and toes start to feel like they're about to freeze off, and the snow starts to melt. One last snowball hits Jen on the butt and she screams, obviously surprised. "Okay! That's it I'm done! We surrender!" She puts her hands up. "Yes!" I high five Cole and scoop him up into big bear hug. "We won, buddy! Mommy gave up!" I tell him, excitedly. "Whatever. This game is stupid anyways." Jen mumbles, pouting. I know she hates losing. "Oh come on, Jen. It was a close tie." She ignores me. "Seriously. I was just about to give up but then you did." I wasn't, but she seems to buy it. "Let's go inside. My ass is freezing." She says, starting to walk back to the house. "I could help with that, you know." I wink at her and she rolls her eyes. I follow her back into the house and we all change out of our cold, wet clothes and into dry, warm ones.

When everyone's all cleaned up and sitting on the couch, I get an idea. "Who wants hot chocolate? I ask. "Me!" Ava, Jen, and Cole, all scream at once. "Okay. Be right back." I walk into the kitchen and get out four packages of hot chocolate mix. When they're finished cooking, I bring two small mugs into the living room. I hand one to Cole and one to Ava. Then I make a second trip to get the other two mugs. I had Jen her's and sit down with mine. "Oh, yeah, I slipped a little extra something into ours." I say, just as she's about to take a drink. "Oh, really?" She takes a sip and smirks at me. "Vodka. You're efforts are greatly appreciated. Come over here. I think my butt's still cold." She gestures for me to move closer to her, so I do. We snuggle up together, and I turn on a kids movie for Ava and Cole. They snuggle up next to us too, watching it, while we all sip on our hot cocoa.

A/N: Christmas is coming up!! That also means I'm going to be updating more because I'll have more free time and the next few chapters are gonna be Christmas related so be ready to get Christmas af. (Also I didn't read over this chapter at all so I hope everything looks okay and makes sense and everything)