Beautiful Perfection (Beautifully Unbroken Book 2) (3 page)

“So,” Blake said as he pulled away from me quickly and looked at his watch. “We now have approximately thirty minutes until your mom gets here.” He placed his arms around my waist and pulled me back to him.

“We are going to have the best Christmas ever.” Blake’s eyes twinkled against the lights from the tree as he smiled down at me.

“It already is the best Christmas ever,” I lifted onto my toes and kissed Blake’s cheek, “thank you.”

“Now as I said, we have a half an hour to spare, what can we do in thirty minutes; twice?” His voice was husky as he placed his lips to my neck and began trailing kisses along my collar bone.

“Just twice?” I asked breathlessly.

“You are insatiable do you know that?” Blake laughed as he continued to trail gentle teasing kisses across my skin.

“What can I say? I am the luckiest lady in the world who has managed to nab the sexiest man in the world, and he treats me like a princess,” I panted. “Now stop talking and take me to bed.”

The world beneath me disappeared as Blake took me in his arms and carried me out of the room and up the stairs, I was going to be making the most of the next thirty minutes.

I heard mum arrive just as I stepped out of the shower, she was singing Blake’s praises to Blake himself, as per usual. If anyone could walk on water in mum’s eyes then Blake was that man. She was right to think so though, how he had managed to buy the one house that I had always wanted back since we left here when I was a child was nothing short of a miracle. He really was perfection in everyone’s eyes including mum’s. I quickly dressed and headed downstairs to find mum, Blake and Jasper sat in the lounge. Jasper immediately ran towards me and began clawing at my legs desperate to be picked up.

“Hello little one!” I reached down and lifted Jasper from the floor; he squirmed in my hands until he got close enough to lick my face all over while his tail wagged frantically. “This is your new home, yes it is.” I laughed as Jasper continued to lick my face as I walked over and sat next to mum on the sofa. “I can’t believe that you knew about this all along and never told me,” I smiled.

Mum nodded as her face lit up with the biggest smile I had seen on her face for a very long time, “I don’t know how I didn’t manage to tell you either dear, but there was no way I could ruin this surprise.” Mum’s eyes roamed the room as she let the old memories of us all here flood back into her mind. “It feels like we were never away from here doesn’t it dear?”

“It really does,” I agreed. “Did you know that the treehouse is still in the garden? And the swing too.”

Mum gasped with joy, “I couldn’t be happier for you my dear Josephine, for either of you for that matter. You deserve this; you deserve every ounce of happiness that comes your way. And I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am that I will get to see my grand children grow up near me too. I have to be honest with you; the thought of not being part of their lives was worrying me somewhat.” Mum took a deep breath and returned her eyes to me, “but everything is going to be just fine.” Mum placed her hand on my knee and gently squeezed me with re-assurance.

“I’m gonna take this little man out for a run in the garden and leave you two to chat.” Blake stood and took Jasper from my arms.

“That boy,” Mum smiled happily as she watched Blake leave the room.

“If you weren’t my mother, I would swear that you were in love with him yourself,” I said shaking my head at her, we both laughed for a moment before mum’s face straightened and her eye’s watched me with concern.

“Are you doing okay, dear?”

“Of course I am Mum, I couldn’t be happier,” I replied confused. Mum edged closer to me and took my hands in hers.

“Good, I just worry about you that’s all. You have been through a lot this past twelve months, if you are ever worried, upset or just need anything at all; you know I am here for you don’t you? I am not just your mother Josephine; I can be your best friend too.”

“You are my best friend Mum, and you have been through a lot too, so the same goes for you too, anytime you need me, I am here okay? And of course Moses out there will always be there for you too, in between him parting water and all that. I love you Mum.” I placed a kiss to mum’s cheek before resting my head onto her shoulder.

“I love you too dear.” I heard mum sniff back her emotion before she cleared her throat and straightened her back. “Right then, that’s enough soppiness for this year. We have Christmas to celebrate.” Mum stood and headed into the hall, “I will just take my things upstairs and then we can bake some of those cookies that we used to make when you were a child, would you like that dear?”

“I would love nothing more Mum.” Mum smiled and nodded before disappearing up the stairs. I grabbed my coat and headed out to the back garden where I could hear Blake and Jasper playing and chasing each other, Blake’s eyes met mine and a smile spread across his face.

“Just trying to wear this little fella out, sleepless nights are not allowed for at least the next three months.” Blake joked as he threw the stick he was holding as far down the garden as he could which had Jasper chasing straight after it. Blake jogged back to where I was stood and wrapped his cold arms around me. “You doing okay?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I asked frustrated.

“Because we all love you and worry about you.” Blake placed his cold lips to my nose.

“Well if I was you, I would worry more about catching pneumonia, you are freezing!” I pulled away from Blake just as Jasper returned with his stick and dropped it at Blake’s feet before looking up at him expectantly with his big sad eyes.

“Give daddy a second little guy, momma needs cuddles.” Blake’s arms wrapped around me again and I took his coat in my hands before placing a lingering kiss to his mouth.

“Thank you.” I said breathlessly as our lips parted.

“Thanking me for kisses now are we? Hhmm imagine what I could get for sex.” Blake said teasingly.

“You know what I am thanking you for.” I smiled.

“You don’t have to thank me for giving you everything that you deserve.”

“I do.”

“You don’t.”

“But I do.” I laughed against Blake’s mouth before kissing him again. Blake’s face may have been cold from the freezing temperatures but his tongue felt like warm silk as he stroked it against mine continuously. His hands gently tugging at my waist trying desperately to get us as close together as possible.

“How much room is there in the treehouse?” He whispered against my lips between kisses causing me to laugh.

“No.” I stated firmly.

“Oh come on,” Blake whined. “You can’t kiss me like that and then expect me to just walk away.”

“My mum is right in there,” I replied in shock.

“Jo, I don’t know how to tell you this.” Blake placed his lips to my ear, “I think it’s pretty obvious to anyone who knows us that we have had sex before.”

Blake lifted his head and smiled at me as he placed his hands to my bump.

“Unless of course, I really am the God that your mom thinks I am and this here was an immaculate conception.” Blake laughed hard as he reached down and once again threw the stick that Jasper had sat patiently next to for the past few minutes.

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, “You will just have to wait until tonight,” I stated. “Mum is staying in my old room so there is plenty of distance between rooms,” I winked.

“Tonight huh?” Blake smirked.

“Yep. Tonight.”

“Okay then,” Blake nodded with a wink. “I am going to hold you to that. Come on Jasper, fetch!”

I left my two boys and headed back into the house where mum was stood in the kitchen wearing her apron and gathering together the ingredients for our special Christmas cookies.

“There you are,” mum smiled. “Come on let’s get this Christmas officially started.”

Blake

I had spent the past ninety minutes running around the garden with Jasper. It wasn’t that I wanted to be out here that long but my nerves were well and truly shot. My family would be arriving any minute now and the more time that I spent around Jo, the more chance there was of my brain to mouth filter failing miserably. I don’t even know how Diana was managing to keep it secret; she was obviously as good an actress as she was portrayed to be, so staying outside in the freezing cold was going to be the best option for now.

I couldn’t wait to see Jo’s face once everyone arrived, she had been talking about us all spending Christmas together since we got engaged, but I had managed to make excuse after excuse. After all, Jo didn’t know about the house until yesterday so it was easy to make the excuse that there wasn’t room for everyone at Diana’s home, yet all along in fact, it was arranged for us all to be together, here in our new family home. Everything had worked out so perfect that it made me even more nervous that something was going to go wrong.

At the very last minute, Casey and Alex had decided that they too would be joining us to spend Christmas here. They had originally decided to spend Christmas alone together in New York but when Alex confided in me that their marriage hadn’t exactly gotten off to a good start, I convinced them that the break here would do them both good. I don’t know exactly what was going on between them both but I was sure that it could be fixed; after all, they were Casey and Alex, they were indestructible.

I never felt nervous, never. Usually, I was the one who held the reassurance; it would always be me that would spend my days convincing Jo that everything was going to be okay, but because I was holding this secret close to my heart, I could finally see what Jo had been fearing since the day I first met her, I had convinced myself that something was going to go wrong.

The sooner everyone arrived and we got them all settled, the sooner we could all enjoy our perfect Christmas.

“Are you going to stay out here all night?” Jo pulled me swiftly from my thoughts as she stood just outside the door that led through to the kitchen. She was wearing a cooking apron that clung to her bump while her face was spotted with cooking flour. She looked so beautiful and innocent; she somehow managed to drain all of the worry and nerves from me. “You have been out here now for almost two hours, I am beginning to think that you love Jasper more than me,” she folded her arms across her chest and pouted as she looked at me with the most gorgeous puppy eyes I had ever seen; even more gorgeous than Jasper’s actual puppy eyes.

“That’s impossible beautiful,” I smiled and made my way up the steps to where she stood. “I just wanted to leave you and your mom to it for a while. Have you had fun?”

“It’s been wonderful, although, mums biscuits look far more edible than mine,” she frowned.

“Maybe that’s because you are wearing the ingredients rather than baking with them,” I took Jo’s face in my hands and brushed the flour from her face before placing my lips there. “Hhmm, now, I think that you are the tastiest Christmas cookie that I have ever tried.”

“If you are thinking of asking me to go to the treehouse again then you can forget it,” Jo laughed.

I nuzzled my face into Jo’s neck and began nibbling, “I promise you that before the night is out, it will be you that is asking me to meet you in the treehouse.”

“My mum is right in there Blake, stop it,” Jo whispered breathlessly.

“You will be begging me, I can already see it now, and let me tell you, I cannot wait.” Jo continued to laugh as she tried half-heartedly to struggle from my hold. “I am telling you Jo, it will happen.” I continued to tease Jo as the kitchen door swung open and Diana’s eyes met mine.

“I think we have carol singers,” she said loudly as she continued to nod towards the house. Jo gasped and she clapped and hopped from foot to foot with excitement.

“Our first carol singers!” Jo said excitedly as she headed into the house and towards the front door before Diana and I had managed to get back into the kitchen.

“Is it them?” I asked quietly as I approached Diana.

“Your mother sent a message to my mobile phone saying that they were just approaching.” Suddenly the house was full of noise as one by one I heard my family and friends spill into the hallway, Jo’s excitement was very evident in her voice even though I couldn’t see her yet; but the way she squealed with happiness made me feel so proud.

“You did it again Blake; look at how happy she is.” Diana patted me on the back before rushing past me to meet my family for the first time. As Jo came into sight her eyes locked with mine from across the hallway. She took a deep contented breath and smiled the biggest smile I have ever seen grace her beautiful face.

“Thank you,” she mouthed to me before turning her attention back to Fraser who was tugging desperately at Jo’s apron to show her the tiny airplane that he was clutching tightly whilst zooming it through the air.

I saw mom walking towards me, her eyes glazed over with happy emotion. “Blake,” she sighed as she wrapped her arms around me. “This house is just …. I am so proud of you do you know that?”

“Well I did learn from the best mom in the world now didn’t I?” Mom lifted her head from my chest.

“How did you grow up so quickly my sweet boy? How did I not notice you growing up into such a wonderful young man?” Her smile faltered slightly as her eyes dropped down to my jacket, she took a deep breath before shaking her head sadly.

“I know I’m going to be spending the majority of my time here now mom, but it changes nothing between us I promise, we will see each other just as much, I will make sure of that.”

Moms eyes shot back up to meet mine, “oh darling, I know that,” she smiled once again before taking my face between her soft hands. “I love this house, I love Jo, and I love everything that you have achieved. Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.” I replied.

“Promise me that you will never take Jo and those babies for granted, because before you know it, you will be wishing your life back, wishing you could go back and re-live every single precious moment that you let slip by un-noticed. Do you know what I would give right now to be able to go back and make sure that I did everything the way I needed to do to ensure that you and Jasmine had the best lives I could have given you? ”