Eyes fluttering open softly, Miranda awoke to a wonderful familiar feeling. A slow purr escaped her as warm lips descended on the skin of her neck. "A girl can get used to a wakeup call like this," she said, the early morning haze caused her voice to be huskier than normal.
Ben smiled against her skin. His beautiful wife's voice was like bottled sex, especially in the mornings. "Can I blame myself?" Moving upward, kissing the delicious column of her neck as he did so, he finally reached the little patch of skin directly below her ear. "You are irresistible Dr.Bailey." He began to suck.
Miranda let out a moan. "Mmmm, and that's Chief Bailey … oh yes." Any thoughts of sleep or having a conversation for that matter were thrown out the window. Moaning, Miranda turned quickly and captured her husband's lips in a hungry kiss, enjoying the groan of pleasure only she could give him. 8 years of familiarity had only heightened their mutual need rather than diminished it. And that said mutual need was intensifying at that point, Ben slowly nudging Miranda on her back as he took up the space above her. 'Oh, what a wonderful world.'
Suddenly the doors to their bedroom flew open, soft feet pattering on the carpet. "Mommy, Daddy," piped two little voices. "It's Christmas Eve!" Soon enough, as always, four-year-old Madison and 5 year old Daniel leapt right on top of the bed ,or more accurately right on top of mommy and daddy. "Wake up mommy and daddy."
"They get that from you," Miranda mumbled against Ben's lips, thanking God they had put on pajamas the night before.
Ben broke the kiss and narrowed his eyes at her. "Why is it whenever they do something irritating they take after me?"
"Because I said so, and it is so." She smirked.
"Mommy!" Danny whined, wanting attention. He tugged at her shoulder.
Grinning, Miranda shot upright and enveloped her son, tickling him mercilessly. "Good morning honey."
"Sounds like fun," Ben said, quickly snatching up Madison doing the same, the sound of happy giggles filling the bedroom.
"Mommy… stop," Danny squealed.
"No more daddy," laughed his sister, kicking her feet.
Deciding the kids had had enough Ben and Miranda stopped, pulling each child into their side. The boisterous toddlers stared up at their parents, Danny having Miranda's eyes and Madison having her father's. "So, you guys are ready for Santa right?" Ben asked, Maddi and Danny nodded vigorously. "That's good, always be ready. In fact," he beamed at Miranda "You guys can help mommy bake Santa's cookies later today, but only if you go downstairs and eat all your breakfast."
"Yay!" they shouted happily. "Cookies, cookies!"
Smiling like an idiot as he watched his little ones dart off, Ben turned to see Miranda scowling at him. 'No, not the Bailey glare.' "What did I do?"
Miranda rolled her eyes. "Seriously Babe? I love my kids but you know how they are when they "help" me bake." She wasn't really angry at him but enjoyed watching him fluster. It was just so adorable.
"But they love helping you Miranda," Ben replied, getting on his knees and positioning himself behind her. "They love their mommy almost as much as I do." Bringing his hands to her shoulders, Ben began to knead the knots of sleep out of them, dropping feather light kisses to her pulse to heighten the sensation.
"That's good," Miranda replied huskily. 'Damn his magic touch.' It had been this way since they first met, the way she relaxed at his touch; it was almost as if her body recognized the feel of his fingertips, or his lips. "But I'll be covered in cookie dough and sugar."
"Don't worry sexy," Ben said, sucking at her neck. "I'll clean it all off afterwards, personally."
"Mmmmm," she moaned, "I like the sound of that." The mood from earlier was now back.
The sharp wail from the adjacent bedroom ended it once again. "Mom! Dad!" Eleven year old Tuck charged into their room, mixing the determined strides of his father Tucker with the fierce certainty of his mother. "Brooke and Bj are at it again."
"Couldn't you calm them down Tuck?" Miranda asked. Her eldest and the apple of her eye.
"I tried, but as usual," he smiled, "They just want mommy."
Chuckling, Ben kissed his wife once more behind the ear before rising. "Don't worry baby. Check in on Brooke and Bj. Tuck and I will get breakfast ready. Sound good sweetie?"
"Sounds like a plan," Tuck smiled.
Donning her robe, Miranda padded to the nursery, opening the door to be greeted by two wailing little humans. "Oh my little ones," she cooed, eyeing four-month old Brooklyn Callie and Benjamin Alex Warren. "It's ok, it's ok." With years of practice with having Danny and Madison so close together she hefted both into her arms, sitting on the rocking chair in the corner. "Mommy is here."
Her screeching newborns immediately quieted down. Their little eyes, their chocolate brown orbs, gazing wondrously at their mother. "Looks like all you needed was mommy huh?"
Looking at her beautiful babies, hearing the laughter from downstairs, Miranda sighed happily. 'How did I get such a wonderful life?'
She remembered getting pregnant with Madison the very next year after Danny. She was thrilled to say the least. She always wanted a girl. Madison was such an easy pregnancy, but her child was feisty and a daddy's girl.
When Madison turned three Ben asked her for another baby. Miranda thought about it for a while then decided why not one more couldn't hurt, but one more turned into two more and she was having twins. She wouldn't have it any other way. She never thought honestly that she would find love again after Tucker, but she did and now she has five beautiful children. She was complete.
"Refresh my memory babe" Miranda stated simply, the ghost of a grin formed on her lips. "How is it that you run into burning buildings but you can't even put together a tricycle?"
Swearing under his breath, Ben twisted the instruction sheet sideways, then upside down, then sideways again. "Give me a moment Miranda, I'll figure it out. Can't be harder than building a tree house."
Kids long since gone to bed, the giggle of young voices murmuring about when Santa would likely arrive, Ben and Miranda had padded out of bed in the wee morning hours to move the gifts from the basement and set them around the tree. Or at least they were trying.
"Here, let me." Miranda picked up the screwdriver. "Hmmm." She pursed her lips, grabbing a screw lying on the carpet and inserted it into a downward facing hole. Once it was tightened the tricycle could stand on its own. A triumphant grin was plastered on her face.
"Don't say it," Ben grumbled.
"Don't say what," she replied innocently. "That the great and intelligent Benjamin Warren got showed up by a girl?" Miranda batted her eyelashes. "Now why would I say that?"
"Cocky," he muttered, not helping the smirk that formed on his face. Rising, he moved to the fireplace and turned on the gas, a butane lighter igniting a roaring fire. Heat soon bathed the living room in warmth. "Now," Ben murmured, eying Miranda in her silk robe hungrily. "How about we finish what we started this morning. Puttting his hand on her ankle. She was just so beautiful in the low firelight.
Her body instantly warmed itself, the sensation having nothing to do with the crackling fire. "Ben," she whispered apprehensively. His hand was slowly moving higher, inching its way up her shin and onto her thigh. Fingertips sent tendrils of pleasure coursing through her. "The kids are upstairs."
Ben couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips. "They're zonked out Danny and Madison aren't going to come down because of Santa, Brooklyn and Benjamin Jr are knocked out and you know how Tuck sleeps." It was a battle just to get him out of bed. "Besides," his fingers danced on her inner thigh as he leaned into her ear. "I want to unwrap my favorite Christmas present." Ben knew his wife was just as insatiable for him as he was for her.
Groaning, Miranda reached for the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. His kisses took her breath away as they always did. Soft lips molded together, parting to allow tongues free access to caverns already explored. How could this man turn her, the confident, tough as nails chief Bailey, into a pile of love-struck mush? Miranda moaned into Ben's mouth as their tongues connected, surrendering control to him. She loved him; and knew she loved her.
Feeling her surrender to him, Ben slowly lowered his wife to the floor. He pulled back from the kiss. Her hair was splayed out on the carpet like a halo, lips red from their kisses. Her honey brown skin was glowing from the firelight, her ample chest rising thanks to her breathing. "You're beautiful." If anything she was more beautiful than she had been they day they met.
Even after years Ben could still make her blush so hard. She was the luckiest woman on Earth, the sexiest, sweetest, handsomest man ever created staring at her as if she were a goddess. As if it were the first time they kissed. "Come here baby." Miranda reached for him, needing to feel him against her.
Untying the sash of her robe, Ben eased Miranda up to slip it out, leaving her in nothing but a sheer red negligee. "So that's why you were in the closet earlier." He played with the hem, hand deliciously high on her thigh. "You are irresistible Miranda."
"I'm glad you like," she smiled sultrily. "Now," Miranda husked as she slowly pulled a lace strap down her shoulder. "Why don't you take off your clothes so you can start unwrapping me?"
Growling, Ben practically ripped off his t-shirt and pajama pants. Soon he was standing in nothing but his boxers. Cracking his neck, Ben looked down and saw Miranda staring hungrily at his upper body. "See something you like Dr.Bailey?" He knew he had her speechless when she didn't retort "That's Chief. Bailey."
Miranda's brain had turned to the consistency of goo. 'It should be a sin to look so good at his age.' Almost forty, Ben's upper body was still delightfully firm, muscles rippling underneath taut skin. Though, she hated it Firefighting paid off. "Take off those boxers Benjamin."
Ben blinked; Miranda's voice had taken an almost feral edge to it. "So sexy," he husked, fingers curling around the waistband of his boxer briefs and pulled them down. Lips curled into a grin at the look on Miranda's face. "Why Chief. I think you are speechless."
"Bennnn…" she whined. Miranda rubbed her legs together to ease the ache, feeling wetness pool out of her. "Take me please."
Hearing the desperation in her tone, Ben took pity on his poor wife. Without waiting he nestled in between her legs. "So gorgeous," he whispered, latching to her neck and sucking in the skin there. "Delicious and mine."
"Yours baby," Miranda moaned, running her hands down his back. "Only yours. I… ah… always will be… oh shit, more." He had eased down the top of the negligee, exposing her luscious breasts. Rubbing one between his middle and forefinger Ben sucked it in his mouth, rolling the nipple between his teeth. "Don't tease me Ben," she gasped. "I need, ah…"
Reaching between her legs, Ben brushed the red lace aside and plunged two fingers into her waiting heat. "You were saying Miranda?"
"Mmmmmm." Feeling his fingers pump in and out, Miranda shamelessly rocked her hips, trying to take as much of him as possible. However he pulled out. "No, no, no, no!" she whimpered.
"Sorry baby, I just need to be inside you." Peeling off her soaked panties and lifting the negligee off, Ben knew he couldn't wait any longer. Crashing their lips together, he embedded himself to the hilt in a single thrust. "Jesus Miranda," he said through clenched teeth. She was so damn tight. Even after four pregnancies.
"Oh my God! Ben!" Miranda screamed, biting down on his shoulder as he began to thrust deeply. "Harder!" There was no better feeling than having her husband inside her. No matter what position he took or role they played, she could always feel his love for her. The care he took. He was everything to her. "I'm close Ben." She moaned out
"Me too," he ground out. "God Miranda." Ben found it harder and harder to push through the tightness, her walls clenching around him like a vice. Speeding it up, his fingers found her clit and stroked.
"Damn. I… Bennn!" Miranda crashed her lips to his to muffle her screams, biting on his lower lip as she let go.
Feeling her rippling inner muscles was just too much. Their tongues fighting for dominance, Ben let go, spilling into her. Eyes were locked as the couple rode out their climaxes, bucking and writhing together.
Soon after, Ben rolled them over so that Miranda was on top of him. "Here baby," Ben cooed, reaching for a blanket and covering his wife's back.
"Here I have something for you. "Ben said reaching by the tree pulling a rectangular gift out.
Miranda sat up straddling his waist.
"What is it?" Miranda said smiling.
"Just open it. Miranda pulled back the sliver wrapping and stared at her gift. Her eye eyes instantly started watering. She sat up a little more "its this… oh my god." She gasped "how did y-" she couldn't believe she was staring at the picture of them in the chapel 8 years ago when they first got married in Vegas. The night she only remembered in pieces. She had a white dress on and cheetah print heels. They look so happy and in love to be intoxicated.
"How did you get this."
"I called and asked if they had any records of that night and they did. They had pictures but lost the video footage." So I got them to mail the picture."
She looked back down staring at the picture again her heart melted at it. "Benjamin Warren." A tear fell from her eye, Miranda cupped his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too," Ben replied, kissing her knuckle.
Miranda put the picture down and snuggled against his chest.
Five hours later, Ben and Miranda were fully dressed and sitting side by side on the couch as their children ripped open their presents. Arm wrapped around his wife's waist, her head tucked into the crook of his neck, Ben gazed at his family with a look of adoration. Tuck tore into his gifts quickly, smiling and shouting thank you when he saw his new game system. Danny and Maddi ran around the tree giggling. Miranda meanwhile had Brooke and BJ in there baby bouncers side by side, showing off their new gifts. Both babies stared with inquisitive eyes. 'Smart just like their parents,' he thought, choking up. "To think it all started accidentally."
Sniffling, Miranda snuggled closer to her husband and placed a kiss underneath his jaw. "I love you," she whispered so that only he could hear. Ben didn't respond, instead tightening his grip. He understood why she was emotional because so was he.