Aspen Falls

BRB -- December 24th

I knew the minute she'd came back into the room. I always knew. She'd been upstairs with Bristol and Jolene getting questioned. She gave them the G rated answers if she was back down so soon.

I didn't look up at her. The baby in my arms had me transfixed. Lauren, I think, had asked me to hold him while she got things settled. I didn't know why me, but I took him all the same. I wanted one. Scratch that. I needed one. With Aspen.

"There's my BabyGirl!" My mom. Just like every other time, she was squeezing Aspen's cheeks. I knew that without looking too.

"Hi RosaMomma." Aspen's name for my mom. It made me smile that their relationship was so strong.

She came around to where I was setting with the little guy. She ran her fingers across my shoulder blades, walking behind me, bringing my gaze from baby to my girl. Aspen leaned down to my ear, planted a quick kiss and whispered, "Swoon Brighton. Explode my ovaries."

I chuckled a little. "In time Baby. Plans." I winked and pulled her in between my legs, by the phone pocket on her leggings. She immediately took the baby and settled in. All I could picture was watching Aspen putting a little one to sleep in the future that looked like her.

"I take it that Lo is here." She placed a kiss to the baby's forehead. "Hi my sweet boy. Uncle Beau took care of you?" She put her finger in his tiny hand. "He didn't drop you, so I say he did ok."

"We were doing fine." I put my chin on her shoulder watching her. Yup. I needed this to become a reality. Take my man card and hand me exploding ovaries too.

"Beau. This is the newest and freshest member. Our nephew Hudson James. Hudson. That's your uncle Beau." She hugged him.

"Ya know...we don't have any." Oh Teresa Ellington. Ever so subtle.

"You've had five Mom." Aspen shot back, never taking her eyes off of Hudson's face.

"Grandbabies Aspen. We don't have any yet." Her mom was going.

From where I had slipped my fingers under her zip up, I felt all the goosebumps appear when I drew circles on her hipbone. "Talk to Hunter and Bristol, Mom." She kissed Hudson's head again. "Or I'm sure with Casey being deployed, Lauren will let you have Baby H. Right my sweet boy?"

Aspen couldn't see my mom in her eyesight so I just winked at her unspoken, but twin ideas to Teresa's. I got you, I mouthed over Aspen's shoulder. Both moms catching the promise. Smiled.

"I knew he'd find his way to his favorite." Lauren came back smiling.

Aspen perked up and hugged her. "Hey Lo. I better be his favorite. Right Little H? You're my favorite" I squeezed her hip to remind her that I was behind her and could hear her, her hand fell to my knee. "Lo...this is Beau. Beau...Lauren. Casey's wife."

"Finally good to meet her guy. SEAL too?" Lauren asked. I just nodded.

"First deployment?" Casey was Delta Force with the Marines. Anything this group knew how to do it was the military. By last count there were four in, not including the three Ellington brothers and me.

"Missed this little guy's entrance and might possibly be extended." She tried smiling but it didn't reach her eyes at all.

Aspen squeezed her fingers. "Well hey. Mom's over here pushing for grandchildren so pass the little man off for a day and we'll go shopping."

"Thanks little sis."

"OOOOOO I see Little Ell has her baby!!" Jason came thru the kitchen, handing me a beer. "Giving you ideas Brighton?" He wasn't quick enough to get away from me hitting the bottom of my bottle to the top of his and alcohol went spewing everywhere. "Fuck!"

"And that's why Baby H...we don't like that Ellington." Aspen cooed. She tried handing Hudson back to Lauren.

Lauren just kissed his head. "It's gingerbread time." She winked.

"You're getting cut this year Carls." Some buff tatted dude pulled her braid and winked, making me grip her hip a little tighter. He nodded his head at me. "Declan."

I moved my free hand over Aspen's head to shake his. "Beau." The realization hit him instantly. Good. Fucker.

"Beau..." Aspen shook her head at my tone. Reading me. "That's Declan Grant. The one who's done every single one of the tattoos."

"Oh shit." I swallowed my beer quick. "Sorry man. Your work's amazing."

"Thanks bro. Carls and Bris are my best." He laughed a little then, "No worries dude. We all know she's your girl. I got the rundown." Which meant, there had been a reason to get the rundown.

It was Aspen's turn to snort while I relaxed a little. "I'm ready for the rib piece whenever you have the time Dec." My brain instantly went to the gutter...my girl is getting rib ink. I bet I could make her moan licking that. My fingers immediately slipped a little lower under the elastic of her leggings while I slowly rubbed more goosebumps onto her skin.

"Bear?" He looked over at her and she nodded.

"Ok! It's past 630. Children!!" Momma T had hands on her hips. Commanding attention. "I know we have new people and Beau's back this year but goodness." A lot of murmurs and sorry's went around the huge kitchen. "This isn't anyone's first Christmas Eve. Take your seats. We did ugly houses last year. This year is beautiful." Ahh...that's why Aspen's being cut. "Get going. Get going." Momma T was swatting asses and pushing kids as soon as she got her apology kisses.

It was a sight that made me internally laugh. All the guys in this house were either military or famous athletes, well over 6 feet tall. All of us possessive, hardened and an extreme Alpha in our own ways. But as soon as Teresa Ellington demanded the gingerbread contest to start, they all turned into fucking marshmallows.

"Why me?! It's not my fault Mom picked good houses this year!!"

"You're a professional cookie maker A." Baylee chimed in.

"I have a good shot this year Carls!" Tate hollered from his spot.

"In your dreams Tate. You can barely hold onto a ball long enough to get a first down let alone decorate a house." He faked being wounded by her shot. "Plus...I'm not the only one in the business! Bristol is my partner!"

"I do cakes and cupcakes, not cookies!! Two different types of magic, Twin!" Bristol hollered from behind Hunter.

Teresa Ellington was tapping her foot on the floor now. Every single kid stopped talking. She was definitely the most respected mother of the entire family. "When y'all are ready?" She raised an eyebrow and everybody fidgeted in their seats. She cleared her throat and looked at me. "Beau Remington." She gestured to the rest of the kids, waiting on me to move from her daughter so we could get to decorating.

I shot up out of my seat, my own mom laughing. If there were days when I was too hellion for my own mom after Dad's death, then Momma T had me straightened out in ten minutes. I smoothed Aspen's hair and kissed her head. "I told you I won't go against her." I ran passed Momma T, quickly kissing her cheek, before she swatted my ass. "Sorry Mom." 28 or not...

"Yeah Yeah." Her own sons were laughing at me. They knew all too well how powerful of a force their mother was. "Thank you. Now y'all can start." She hit the stopwatch.