A Billionaire
Brothers’ Christmas (BBW - Billionaire Brothers 6)
by
Jenn
Roseton
Copyright ©
2015 by Jenn Roseton
All rights
reserved
No part of
this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any
means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the
copyright owner and publisher of this book.
This is a work
of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the
product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.
This is a
contemporary romance novelette.
6 years after the Epilogue in The Cowboy’s
Mail Order Bride (BBW Romance - Billionaire Brothers 5)
Aspen, Colorado
December 23
Sophie’s eyes lit up as she entered the
mansion, careful to stamp the snow off her shoes. The foyer
featured a glittering gold and silver chandelier, complementing the
cream walls and duck-egg blue carpet.
This year, her husband Mitch and his
brothers had organized a week-long family Christmas in Aspen,
Colorado. Usually, the Trask brothers and their wives spent
Christmas in Vermont with Linda and Tom Trask, the brothers’
parents, or with their own wife’s parents. But this festive season,
Sophie’s parents’-in-law had decided to go on a tropical cruise
instead, and experience a balmy Christmas. They’d invited Tom’s
mother, known to the whole family as Grandma, and her second
husband, whom she’d married many years ago.
When Mitch and his brothers had found out
about their parents’ plans, they’d upgraded their parents and
grandparents to the most luxurious cruise imaginable, before
deciding to do something different as well. Alex had found this
house through one of his business partners, and all the brothers
had chipped in for the week-long rental. Sophie didn’t even want to
think about the cost, but she knew however much it was, Mitch could
definitely afford his share.
“Like it?” Mitch wrapped his arms around
her waist, his touch gentle on her barely noticeable
bump.
“I love it.” She peeked through the
doorway into the luxurious great room. A large stone fireplace
dominated the space. Comfortable looking dark leather sofas and
armchairs invited her to sit down and relax, while enjoying the
view of the snow-covered garden through the large
windows.
Trailing her fingers over his hands, she
added, “The baby likes it too.”
“Another five months and I’ll be holding
her in my arms.” His clean, warm breath tickled the side of her
neck.
“It might be a boy,” she teased him,
electricity coursing through her. Although they’d been married
eight years, every time Mitch touched her, it felt like the very
first time.
“I don’t mind if it’s a girl or a boy, as
long as our baby’s healthy.” He nuzzled her neck.
“Stop smooching and bring in some bags,”
Alex called out. In his mid-forties but still lean and muscular,
with dark brown hair and brown eyes, like all the Trask brothers,
he dumped two heavy suitcases on the floor.
Mitch mock-saluted him then kissed Sophie
lingeringly, before carrying in their own suitcases.
“Mommy, Mommy, I want to see my room!” A
five-year-old boy zoomed into the great room, Maddie and Garrett
Trask following closely behind.
“Yeah, Mommy!” A little girl tugged at
Maddie’s hand. “I want to see too!”
“Give your mom a minute,” Garrett advised
his offspring with a grin. He wrapped his arm around Maddie’s
shoulders. “You okay to help them choose their room?”
She smiled up at him. “Sure.”
“I’ll bring up all our stuff.” His
lips snared hers for an instant, before both kids tugged on her
hands, urging her forward.
“Daddy, will Santa know we’re here?” A
little girl with blonde hair looked up at Cole Trask, a worried
frown on her face as they entered the house.
“Of course he will, little Phoebe. Don’t
you worry. I know exactly how to tell Santa where we are.” Cole
ruffled his daughter’s hair.
The little girl clapped her hands in
delight. “Goody!” She raced up the stairs to explore.
“Did you bring all the presents?” Phoebe
crinkled her brow, rocking Hailey, their six-month old baby girl in
her arms. She’d had last minute customers at her antiques store,
and Cole had taken over the packing of the Christmas gifts for
their daughters, as well as her sisters-and-brothers-in
law.
He drew her and Hailey into his arms. “Got
it covered. Don’t worry.”
She relaxed in his embrace. As long as he
held her like this, she didn’t think anything could go wrong.
“Daddy, we have another letter for Santa.”
Identical twin four-year-old boys looked up at Alex, serious
expressions on their face.
“Another one?” Alex dumped more suitcases
on the floor and took the list from them.
“Mommy said to give it to
you.”
“Did she now.” A smile edged the corner of
his mouth as he scanned the list written in crayon.
Dear Santa
Please bring our Christmas dinner this year
because Daddy told Mommy he’d take care of it.
Tommy and Tyler Trask
“What’s that?” Laura Trask tried to peer
over her husband’s shoulder.
“We’re giving Daddy our new letter for
Santa,” the twins piped up.
Alex wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist
and kissed her hair. “I’ll take care of it. You go and relax.”
She smiled at him, reaching up to kiss his
cheek. “You’re the best.”
His arm tightened around her for a moment,
before the twins claimed his attention.
Logan, Ellie, and their two-year-old
daughter Penny walked into the great room.
“It’s beautiful, Logan.” Ellie gazed
around the luxurious room.
“Not as beautiful as you.” He dropped the
bags and drew her into his arms.
The two-year-old holding Ellie’s hand pulled
on her father’s leg. “Me too, Daddy!”
“Of course, my little princess.” He picked
her up, holding her in his arms. “We’d never forget you,
Penny.”
Logan and Ellie shared a secret smile. Just
after Ellie met Logan, she’d discovered that her long-lost mother
had been the queen of a European principality. It seemed only
fitting that they used “princess” as a term of endearment for their
daughter.
All five couples and their children explored
the mansion, choosing who slept where. The kids darted in and out
of the bedrooms, trying to decide which one they liked best, until
their parents stepped in and settled the matter for them.
Soon, the house was quiet. All the
kids had been put down for a nap, the journey from Wyoming even
wearing out the eldest Trask child.
Maddie, Laura, Phoebe, Ellie and Sophie
gathered in the great room, relaxing on the soft, comfortable sofas
with lattes made from the fancy coffee machine in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, the Trask brothers gathered in
Garrett and Maddie’s bedroom.
“This is going to be a great Christmas,”
Garrett said. He unzipped a suitcase and rummaged through it. “I’m
going to be Santa.” He held up a new red Santa suit.
“You mean
I’m
going to be Santa.” Alex raked a hand
through his hair. “I thought it would be fun to pretend to be him.
Dad usually does it for the kids when we spend Christmas there, so
I thought I’d take over this year. I brought my own
suit.”
Cole, Logan and Mitch looked at each other
in dismay.
“I was going to be Santa.” Mitch
frowned.
“Hell, I was too,” Cole
growled.
“So was I.” Logan crossed his arms in
front of his chest.
“What are we going to do?” Alex
quirked an eyebrow. “We can’t
all
be Santa, can we?”
“We should decide on who bought their
costume first,” Cole said. “I bought mine in November, when I heard
Mom and Dad were taking Grandma on a cruise.”
“So did I,” Garrett said.
“Yeah,” Logan added.
“And me,” Mitch gritted.
“You don’t even have kids, Mitch,” Alex
said. “If we have to choose, it should one of us who’s already a
dad.”
“I don’t have kids
yet
.
But I’ll be a dad in five months’ time.” Mitch glowered at his
older brother. “I was getting into the Christmas spirit. And I
didn’t think you guys would have even considered who would play
Santa this year. So I stepped up.”
“Good thinking.” Garrett’s mouth
quirked at the corner. “I just wish we’d coordinated things a bit
better.”
“I know what you mean,” Logan said
ruefully. “I guess we’ve all been busy.”
“Yeah.” Alex exhaled. “You have no idea
what it’s like with twin four-year-old boys. They want to know how
everything works - all the time.”
“Just try having a five-year-old and a
baby. Both girls. I’m at their beck and call - constantly.” Cole’s
expression softened. “I don’t want them wearing out
Phoebe.”
“And you love it.” Logan clapped Cole on
the back.
“Yeah,” Cole admitted.
“This should make pretty good padding for
my Santa costume.” Mitch grabbed a pillow off the bed and held it
against his stomach.
His brothers followed suit, each snatching a
pillow off the king-sized bed.
“Good idea.” Garrett pulled on the red
Santa coat, placed a pillow inside against his torso, and fastened
up the large silver buttons. “How do I look?”
“You need a beard.” Logan tossed him the
white fluffy beard that came with the suit.
“And the pants,” Mitch added.
“Right.” Garrett yanked on the red
trousers, buckled the wide black belt and looked at himself in the
full-length mirror. “Not bad.”
“Pretty good,” Cole allowed.
“Yeah,” Logan added.
“So how do we decide who gets to play
Santa?” Alex brought their attention back to the main
question.
“How about all of us?” Amusement crossed
Logan’s face.
“What?” Cole frowned.
“All of us brought a Santa suit. The kids
are going to have stockings hanging over the fireplace. Each
of us can dress as Santa, take turns, and put the gifts in our
kids’ stockings. If any of them wake up and creep down to see if
Santa is here, he’ll see only one of us pretending to be Santa. And
if we wear the beards, we probably won’t be recognized if we keep
our face averted.”
“The kids haven’t recognized Dad yet when
he dresses up as Santa to deliver the gifts in the middle of the
night and they sneak a peek,” Garrett added.
Mitch’s face fell. “Didn’t think of bringing
a stocking for our future baby. Sophie didn’t either. She’s been
rushing to finish a landscape design so we could get here
today.”
“Got you covered.” Cole winked at his
younger brother. “When Phoebe found out Sophie was pregnant, she
insisted on bringing an extra stocking for the baby.”
“Thanks.” Mitch grinned, punching his
brother lightly on the arm.
“I’ll go get it.” Cole left the room and
quickly returned, carrying a green fabric stocking with the words
Baby Trask stitched on it in wobbly silver embroidery. “Phoebe has
some antique samplers in her store and wants to make a sampler of
her own to hang inside the living room, so she’s learning
embroidery.”
“It’s beautiful,” Mitch said gruffly,
staring down at the homespun gift. “Thanks, bro.”
“Okay.” Alex cleared his throat. “So we’ll
take turns being Santa tomorrow night. When the kids have gone to
bed, and we’re pretty sure they’re asleep, each of us will sneak
down the stairs and put the gifts in our kids’
stockings.”
“What if they see us
creeping
down
to the living room? Won’t they wonder why Santa was hanging
around upstairs?” Cole asked.
Alex blew out a breath. “Fine.
We can hide our Santa suits somewhere
downstairs
and when the kids are asleep we can change
into them
downstairs
and then place the gifts in the stockings.”
“We’ll have to bring the presents
downstairs too,” Garrett said. “Otherwise we’ll be dressed as Santa
going upstairs to get the gifts and then going back down to put
them in the stockings.”