Ever-Greene
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Other books by Annabella Michaels
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Ever-Greene
Souls of Chicago Series Holiday Novella
Copyright © 2017 Annabella Michaels
annabellamichaels.blogspot.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual person, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover art provided by Jay Aheer of Simply Defined Art – www.jayscoversbydesign.com
Editing provided by Pam Ebeler of Undivided Editing – www.undividedediting.com
Proofreading provided by Judy Zweifel of Judy’s Proofreading – www.judysproofreading.com
Interior Design and Formatting provided by Stacey Blake of Champagne Book Design – www.champagnebookdesign.com
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original publisher only.
This book contains sexually explicit material and is only intended for adult readers.
Copyright and Trademark Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges the copyright and trademarked status and trademark owners of the following trademarks and copyrights mentioned in this work of fiction:
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Simon & Schuster Publishing, Bill Martin, Jr., John Archambault
Green Berets
Navy SEALs
United States Air Force Pararescuemen
Jeep: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Perry Como “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays”
National Lampoon’s Christmas vacation: John Hughes Entertainment
Superman: DC Comics
Skype; Skype Technologies
Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock”
Wham! “Last Christmas”
Eddie Cantor “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”
How The Grinch Stole Christmas!: Dr. Seuss, Random House
Fleshlight; Steve Shubin, Interactive Life Forms, LLC
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Other books by Annabella Michaels
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Other books by Annabella Michaels
Souls Of Chicago Series:
Feeding the Soul, Book 1
Music of the Soul, Book 2
Protecting the Soul, Book 3
Renewing the Soul, Book 4
Contructing the Soul, Book 5
Uniting the Souls, Book 6
This book is dedicated to my husband. Of all the Christmases I’ve had and all the Christmases yet to come, there is no one I’d rather spend them with than you. You are my best friend, the love of my life and my soulmate.
I pulled into the driveway and smiled when I saw the lights on inside the house. I’d ended up staying later at the restaurant than I’d expected because I had to finish filling out a supply order. With Christmas just a week away, I knew the suppliers would be shutting down for several days. So, as much as I wanted to hurry home, I’d had no choice but to stay late and get it done.
I loved being a chef and running Romero’s with my husband, Giovanni, but there was nothing better in the world than being home with him and our daughter, Sarah. Those were the moments I lived for, when it was just the three of us, watching a movie, eating dinner, or reading books together.
I parked the car and grabbed the bag from the seat next to me. The wind was howling when I opened the door and it hit me in the face like an icy blast. I’d grown up in Chicago, but sometimes, I was still taken by surprise at how frigid it could get in the winter. The local meteorologists were predicting we’d have a white Christmas and I hoped they were right.
Most people thought I was crazy when I told them I loved snow, but I’d always enjoyed it. Some of my favorite memories were of me, my brothers, and sisters going sledding down the big hill in our backyard. Mom would bundle us up in so many layers of clothes that it was surprising we could still walk, and then we’d spend all day racing down the hill with the snow and wind in our faces.
Mom would call for us to come inside and despite the fact that we could no longer feel our bodies, we still always tried to argue that we weren’t cold. She would insist though and there would be hot chocolate with miniature marshmallows on top and a plate full of Christmas cookies waiting for us in the kitchen. They were great memories and I wanted my daughter to grow up experiencing that same kind of carefree joy.
I stepped into our home and sighed gratefully when I saw that Gio had started a fire in the fireplace. I set the bag down on the small entryway table and hung my coat up in the hall closet, laying my shoes inside there as well so I wouldn’t track any dirt into the house. I walked over to the fire and spread my hands out in front of it to warm them.
I thawed out after a minute or two, then took off in search of my husband and little girl. I smiled when I reached the top of the stairs and heard Sarah’s uninhibited peals of laughter. I followed the sounds and found her in the bathtub, laughing hysterically as she gazed up at her daddy who sat on the floor next to the tub. I couldn’t see what he was doing because his back was to me, but whatever it was, it was obviously very funny.
I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms as I watched them interact with each other. Gio had dreamed of being a father for years and I’d always imagined he’d be a good one, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the reality of watching him be a father to Sarah.
From the moment the little four-year-old came into our lives, Gio had been putty in her hands. Of course, he often said the same about me, which I would have to admit was true. Sarah had come to us when the adoption agency had contacted us about a little girl who they were having trouble finding a permanent home for because people were leery about taking on the responsibility of caring for a child with Down syndrome. We agreed to meet her and when they brought Sarah into the room, Gio and I had looked at each other, tears welling up in our eyes. We’d known right away that she was meant to be our daughter. We started the adoption process immediately and soon we were able to bring Sarah home to live with us, becoming a family.
“Dad!” Sarah said as she pointed in my direction. My heart melted at the excited look on her face as she saw me.
“Hey, baby girl! Are you getting a bath?” I asked as I stepped into the bathroom.
Sarah nodded her head and Gio turned around to face me. As soon as I saw his face, I realized why Sarah had been laughing so hard and I found myself chuckling too. Giovanni had a full beard of bubbles on his chin and a dollop on his nose. He looked utterly ridiculous and beautiful at the same time, and my heart tripped all over itself at how in love with him I was.
“Hey, baby, welcome home,” Gio said with a happy grin. I bent down and gave him a kiss, not caring that I was getting a face full of bubbles. I’d been
away from him all day and I wanted to feel him as close to me as possible. Of course, what I wanted most would have to wait until after we put Sarah to bed. Gio winked at me as if he knew what I’d been thinking, and I felt my face heat as I stood back up to grab a couple of towels from the linen closet.
“There’s that blush I love so much,” he said quietly as I handed him one of the towels.
He made sure to brush his fingers over mine as he reached for it and a thrill traveled up my arm and throughout the rest of my body. I used to wonder if some of the passion—the desperate need—I had for him, would fade once the newness of our relationship wore off, but instead, it had only grown the more time we spent together. I honestly couldn’t imagine that there would ever come a day when my body wouldn’t react to his that way. The man just did it for me.
Gio wiped the bubbles from his face and then began draining the tub while I hauled a wet and squirming Sarah out of the water and wrapped a towel around her. I kissed the tip of her nose as I ran the towel over her hair and she giggled. I sighed happily. Sometimes, I still couldn’t believe how perfect my life had turned out. I was married to the most wonderful and sexy man, we had a daughter that was loving and sweet, I had an amazing family, and spent my days working a job I loved. Life just doesn’t get any better than this.
“How about I take this little cutie and get her ready for bed while you change,” Gio offered, holding his arms out for Sarah and making a silly face at her which made her giggle.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I’ll be in soon to help tuck her in.”
I went to our room and pulled a pair of pajama pants and a soft t-shirt out of the dresser and started unbuttoning my shirt. I could hear Gio and Sarah over the baby monitor we kept in our room in case she ever needed us in the middle of the night. The sounds of him blowing a raspberry somewhere on her and Sarah’s high-pitched squeals in response had me grinning. I hurried when I heard him start to read her a bedtime story, not wanting to miss telling her goodnight before she fell asleep.
I walked across the hall to her room and found Gio in the rocking chair. Sarah was sitting in his lap with her thumb in her mouth as he read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Gio smiled at me as I walked in and sat down on the floor in front of them, never stopping the steady cadence of his voice. My gaze traveled back and forth between the two people who owned my heart so completely.
Sarah’s eyes grew heavy and she leaned her head on Gio’s chest. Within minutes she was sound asleep, and he shut the book, handing it to me as he stood from the chair while cradling our daughter in his arms. I kissed her cheek gently, so I wouldn’t wake her, and then Gio laid her down, kissing her forehead and raising the rails along the side of the bed so she wouldn’t roll out and hurt herself. I covered her with a blanket and then followed my husband out of the room, switching the light off as I went. We made our way down the stairs quietly.
“I brought dinner home from the restaurant,” I told him, grabbing the bag of food from where I’d left it near the front door.
“Mmm. That sounds great,” Gio answered as we walked into the kitchen.
“You don’t even know what I brought,” I said with a chuckle.
“I like everything you make so it doesn’t really matter what it is,” he responded with a shrug.
I pulled him towards me and kissed him then whispered in his ear. “You are going to get so lucky for that comment.” My tongue flicked out, tracing the shell of his ear.
Gio leaned back so he could see my face. His eyes darkened considerably, and I felt his breath fan against my skin as he spoke. “There’s suddenly something I want more than food.”
“Oh, what is that?” I asked coyly.
“You,” he answered, slamming his lips over mine.
He coaxed my mouth open with his own and I moaned when his tongue swept inside, brushing against mine and licking at the roof as if it were the first time and he wanted to explore every inch of me.
My hands gripped his broad shoulders as I felt myself begin to sway. His hands came down and cupped my ass, his touch burning me through the thin material of my pajamas. I tilted my head back as he licked a path down my neck, stopping to suck on the tender flesh where my neck met my shoulder. Gio had always liked to mark me, staking his claim on me.
There had been a brief time when he had ended things and it had hurt to see the marks he’d left behind. They’d served as a reminder of everything I had lost, but we made it through that rough patch and were stronger than ever. Now, when he marked me, it was a reminder of our love and the passion between us, and it filled me with a sense of pride.
“I need you, little one,” Gio said, pulling my shirt over my head and dropping it to the floor. My heart raced when I heard the special name he used only for me.
“I’m all yours,” I told him, my voice coming out breathy and full of need.
He growled low, the sound rumbling up from his chest. He obviously liked my answer because he didn’t waste any time as he pulled me closer. I sucked in a breath when my aching cock brushed deliciously against his body as he lifted me. My arms slid around his broad shoulders and I locked my legs around his waist as he carried me from the kitchen into the living room.
Gio laid me down on the rug in front of the fire then brushed the hair off my forehead as he stared down at me. I gazed up at him and was met with so much love and adoration in his eyes that it literally took my breath away. I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat as my emotions threatened to choke me with their intensity.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” he whispered. His fingers brushed down the side of my face and his thumb grazed my bottom lip. My tongue flicked out to lick it and he hissed between his teeth in response.
“Show me,” I demanded. I knew this man better than anyone else in the world. I knew who his heart belonged to because he told me every day in a million different ways, but right then, I didn’t want any more words; instead, I wanted our bodies to speak for us.
We quickly divested ourselves of our clothes until we lay naked, Gio’s hips nestled between my legs, his body covering mine. He kissed me deeply while his cock rubbed up and down alongside mine, igniting the flames inside me until I was sure my body was running hotter than the fire beside us.
He licked his way down my neck until he reached one of my nipples and then he latched on, sucking it hard, in the way he knew drove me insane. My hips punched up off the floor and I cried out as electricity shot through my body. His tongue swirled over the rigid nub, soothing the sting away as his hand traveled lower until it circled my cock.
My breaths came in short puffs as he continued to move further south, his fist gripping me as it slid up and down my length. Pre-cum flowed from my tip like a leaky faucet, coating his fingers and increasing the ease of the glide. He kissed his way across my stomach and stopped to let his tongue dip and swirl inside my navel.
I reached down and gripped his hair in my hands, guiding him to where I so desperately wanted to feel his touch. As always, Gio gave me exactly what I wanted. He sucked the head of my cock between his full lips and moaned as my juices coated his tongue.
As if my flavor had flipped a switch inside him, he began sucking me with wild abandon. His head lowered further down my shaft, his wet heat engulfing me all the way to the root. He held my cock in the tight channel of his throat and swallowed at the same time his finger, slick with pre-cum, slid inside my body.
“Gio!” I gasped as he increased his suction, his finger thrusting in and out of me until I was out of my mind with desire. “Please, Gio. I can’t wait. I need you, now,” I begged.
His lips were red and swollen and glistening in the firelight as he rose to his knees. His eyes never left mine, not even when he reached into the drawer on the coffee table and pulled out a bottle of lube. I heard the click of the cap and he poured some onto his fingers. I spread my legs wide for him as he stared down at me hungrily.
“I will never get tired of seeing you li
ke this; naked, vulnerable, exposed. Knowing that I’m the only one who gets to see you like this, that you’re all mine. It awakens something in me that I’m not sure I can hold back,” he rasped.
“Then don’t. I never want you to hold back with me. You’re mine and I want every single thing you have to give, Gio,” I told him.
He stared at me for a long moment as if testing the weight of my words and then he slicked his cock and lined it up with my hole. He hesitated for a second and I opened my mouth to speak, but then his hips punched forward, and he drove into me, smoothly, perfectly, as if our bodies were made for one another. He leaned down and covered my mouth with his own, effectively swallowing my scream so we wouldn’t wake Sarah.
He held still, allowing me time to adjust to the size of him, but I didn’t need that. My body recognized his like we were two perfectly matched puzzle pieces. I reached my hands down and palmed the round globes of his ass, gripping them and pulling him forward. He slid in the rest of the way until his hips were pressed snugly against my ass.
“Don’t hold back,” I demanded. Gio stared down at me with a fierce expression and then he reached above my head and grabbed one of the throw pillows which had fallen off the couch. He handed it to me and I gave him a puzzled look.
“When you need to scream, bite it,” he growled.
My eyes widened, and I almost came right there, but then I was too busy following his instructions as he latched his arms around my thighs and lifted my hips off the floor. With my legs locked tightly around his waist and my ass in the air, I was completely at his mercy. He could do whatever he wanted to me while I was expected to just go along for the ride and I. Loved. It.
His hips thrust forward, and the head of his cock grazed that exquisite spot inside me. I bit down on the corner of the pillow, muffling my screams as he pulled back out, awakening every nerve along the way. His fingers dug into my skin as his hips continued to punch forward, pegging my prostate with perfect accuracy every time. Sweat dripped from his forehead and landed on my stomach as he bent forward to watch my body swallow his cock.