New Beginnings ✅

18. Sleepover Interrupted

Christmastime is my favorite time of the year. I love going everywhere and seeing colorful lights and decorations scattered through the city. Living in New York it was always especially special. Between Rockefeller Center and Times Square it was the epicenter of the holiday season. "Do you know how to ice skate?" Josh asks as the two of us sit on his couch together, snuggled up. Liam was spending the night at Riley's house so I could actually have an actual date with my boyfriend for the first time.

"I do" I nod. "Why? Do you?" I ask curiously, lifting my gaze to his.

"Mhm" he nods. "You ever been to the big rink in the center?" he asks. I laugh.

"When I was really little" I reply. "It was before my dad left though" I explain. "After that my mom just didn't have the time to take me on journeys into the city and we definitely didn't have enough money to rent skates."

"What about with Dean? You guys never took Liam?" he asks curiously. I shake my head.

"We were teen parents" I remind him. "We had to save for the necessities and plus" I shrug, "by the time he got old enough to actually enjoy it" I trail off. Josh's grip around my waist tightens as he leaves a kiss on top of my head.

"Sorry" he apologizes but I shake my head and smile.

"It's okay" I assure him. "So, have you decided what you're doing for Christmas yet?" I ask hopefully. Dean's family liked to get together on the day before the holiday while Josh's liked to celebrate the day of. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to finally introduce our relationship to the families. I was worried about Diana's reaction and I knew that was why Josh was so apprehensive about the whole ordeal. He already knew Mia and Kyle was totally supportive of my budding romance but Dean's mom hadn't spoken to me since Thanksgiving. The only reason I knew I was even still welcome in her home for the upcoming holiday was because Mia had called me a few days ago and she had extended the invite to Josh.

"I don't know" he sighs. "I think you coming to my place will be good but I don't know if I really wanna go to the house where Dean grew up" he says. "I just feel like that woman already hates me and going to her home isn't going to make it any better."

"Josh" I protest as I push off his chest and focus on him. "It is impossible not to love you. She'll forget all about her hostility towards you when she meets you and sees us together. She'll be happy that I'm so happy and she'll be even happier to see how you are with Liam."

He sighs, rubbing his neck. "I just don't know Maya" he says. "I really don't want to spend my holiday somewhere where I'm not wanted."

"I understand that" I nod, "but what if we end up getting married someday? Are we just gonna have to drop off Liam at his grandparents' house while we go back to our place to celebrate alone? It's not like I'm cheating on him. I lost him and that still hurts every single day but I'm trying to move on and she has to accept that" I ramble as tears fill my eyes.

"Hey" he says softly, wiping the couple tears that had managed to fall. "Breathe" he insists. I do as he asks and take a few long, deep breaths. "I'll go. But if I notice I'm making the woman uncomfortable then I'm going to leave. I'm not going to make that woman feel uncomfortable in her own home" he insists. I nod in agreement.

"Okay" I concede. "Thank you" I smile as I lean in to leave a soft kiss to his lips but soon enough we're making out on his couch with me straddling his lap. He kisses my neck causing soft moans to escape my lips. He grabs the hem of my top and yanks it up, tearing the shirt off my body.

His eyes widen at the lacy red push up bra I had decided to put on at the last minute before coming over. "You're trying to kill me sweetheart" he laughs as he reaches back up for another kiss. My hands slip under his shirt, running over the curves of his abs. I push the fabric upwards and break my lips from his, bringing them to his chest. I trail my lips down his chest all the way down to where his belt buckles. "Stop" he says softly. I look up to see him clenching his eyes shut and trying to even out his breaths. "Baby we gotta slow down."