Page 29 of Trip

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JJ

When she finally woke up, it was with a scratchy throat and puffy eyes. Crying herself to sleep was beyond ridiculous.

It was a very emotional moment with the ring and it being Meri’s idea. It was so overwhelming; the emotion had to come out somehow, and it chose her tear ducts.

But one thing was so clear through her blurry vision, it was time to tell Trip and Meri the truth. Meri could decide if she wanted to tell the twins or not, but Trip and Meri deserved to know.

As she pressed a cold cloth to her eyes, she thanked whatever higher power was listening that Jake disappeared years ago and never came around. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if something happened to Meri or the twins because she couldn’t face the truth of what had happened to her.

She wasn’t exactly in a festive mood, but it was Christmas and Meri and the twins would be there soon, so she donned her Rudolph pajamas, complete with flashing nose slippers, and went in search of Trip. She would tell them, but not here, not today with the kids around. Today was about family and celebration.

Trip was cooking… again.

“This is becoming a theme.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “About last night. I have some things to share with you, but I want to wait until after the holidays.” Trip was silent and just let her speak. He was always good about that, and it was nice to see that hadn’t changed. “Are you okay with waiting to know why I played the part of a busted sprinkler last night without poking and prodding for the rest of the holidays?”

He’d kept his back to her until she stopped speaking, but when he turned, all memories of the night before fled in the face of… “What in the actual fuck?”

Trip looked down at himself like he didn’t have a clue what he was wearing. From the back she really didn’t pay attention as she was talking to his ankles, but from the front was the full glory of his Christmas onesie. Santa body in the off-season wearing a speedo in serious need of a wax and a personal trainer. How in the hell had she missed that?

“This? This is Taps’s idea of festive wear. Last time I trust that fucker to get me appropriate family holiday pajamas.” He turned the eye of the stove off and slid the pan to the back before stepping into her personal space to give her a good morning kiss. Something about the way the man walked was just sexy as hell. Even looking like he had a geriatric chest and legs in those hideous one-piece pj’s.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he greeted as he kissed her. His arms wound around her waist, pulling her in close. He leaned back and spoke. “Take all the time you need. Shit comes when it comes and I’m not going to force it, as long as you tell me you can be happy waiting, then so am I.”

The smile he caused was one she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Thank you.” She stepped around Trip to check out the main attraction, biscuits and gravy. “At least I didn’t sleep through breakfast.” JJ snagged a biscuit.

“Technically, no. But you slept through breakfast time.” Trip grabbed her from behind and spun her for another kiss.

This was the life she’d always wanted and couldn’t believe it was going to be reality. She was clueless about being an old lady. Was there a secret handshake or did she get jumped in or something? She was amusing herself until she remembered a book she’d read where the president had to have sex with her or something. JJ couldn’t imagine Granite being like that.

Trip stepped back at her giggle. “What’s so funny?” She would not mention the thought that sped through her brain.

“You. I mean, I can’t even with those hairy gray legs, and the cookies and milk belly.” Trip stepped back and modeled the pj’s like he was on a runway in Paris.

“You didn’t even notice the best worst part yet.” When he spun and flexed his ass cheeks in the skintight suit, she choked on air, or maybe biscuit crumbs.

“OH. MY. GOD. You have hairy plumber ass and a tramp stamp.”

“Yep. Is it doing it for you?” He turned back and waggled his eyebrows.

“Not in the least.”

“Aw, come on babe, no Santa fetish?” He caught her in his arms again. It was so natural. Them. “Even though you know what’s under here?”

Trip nuzzled her neck, and she was goo. A moan escaped her throat when he grabbed her ass and ground her against his erection.

“There is nothing I want more than to crawl back into bed with you, but what time is it? Shouldn’t Meri and the kids be here? I thought she was going to be here for breakfast?” The very last thing she wanted was to get caught with her pants down.

Trip groaned, but let her go and swiped his phone off the table. JJ pulled hers from her pocket, too.

“Shit. She should’ve been here hours ago. I’m going to call.” Trip halted her fingers.

“She’s only about thirty minutes late. I spoke to her already, and she bumped breakfast to lunchtime. No need to send out the National Guard just yet.”

Cold prickles danced along JJ’s skin. She couldn’t explain it. She just had a sense of doom and couldn’t shake it off at Trip’s words. It wasn’t like Meri to pass up time with Trip. Especially not at Christmas, when her efforts to get them together were well underway.

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