I had so much fun writing this little outtake. I figured with Little Lies just around the corner and so many of my readers revisiting The Pucked Series, a little Halloween outtake featuring our shy, sweet Lavender through Violet’s eyes was in order. I hope you enjoy it!
You can read it here, or if you’d prefer you can download a copy for your reader on BOOKFUNNEL 🙂
~xo Helena
“Momma.” Poke.
“Mummy.” Poke. Poke.
“Mama.” Shake. Shake.
My eyes pop open and I’m greeted by a face right next to my own. A face covered in a garish rainbow of makeup. The toothy grin is dotted with pink lipstick, which incidentally covers half of my four-year-old daughter’s face. She’s perched in the middle of our king-sized bed.
I swallow down the gasp and almost choke on my own spit. “Hey! Wow! What’s going on?”
“It’s Ha-ween! I ready for tick or teeting!” She bounces a few times and Alex groans from her other side.
“What time is it?” I’m a little discombobulated. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and last night Alex and I got our pre-Halloween celebration on. Of course, that didn’t start until late because we have four kids we need to put to bed and Lavender had a hard time sleeping because of her Halloween excitement. Which has ratcheted up a few notches between seven last night and now based on her face.
Her little nose scrunches up and she peers over me at the clock on the nightstand. “Sis-turdy.”
“In the morning?” It’s a stupid question, but then I’m not the smartest when I’m being woken up from what apparently was a fairly deep sleep. Also, playing lick or treat with my husband’s man unit until after midnight plays a factor in my lack of intelligence.
“Sweetie, it’s too early for trick or treating.”
“But it’s dark! It’s time to get teets!” She clambers over her dad who grunts an oomph when she knees him, possibly in the groin. She rushes over to the window and throws the curtains open. The sky is still a deep, murky grey.
“It’s dark because the sun hasn’t come up yet, honey, not because it’s already gone down.” I check to make sure I’m wearing a nightshirt–which is really just one of my husband’s oversized t-shirts. They’re not huge on him, they’re just huge on me. Because he’s a former hockey player and built like a brickshit house and I’m on the petite side. Even though he’s retired and now coaching the Seattle team doesn’t mean he’s let himself go. Not even a little. He’s still sporting the same insane six pack as he was when I first met his gloriously hot, nerdy self.
When I’m certain I’m not going to flash my daughter, I throw the covers off. There’s zero point in trying to make her go back to bed. If I’m lucky, she’ll need a nap this afternoon before actual trick or treating takes place and I’ll be able to join her.
I’m halfway across the room when the thunder of footsteps coming down the hall gives me pause. I turn toward the bedroom door, which is wide open and two seconds later Maverick comes skidding into the room. “I have hockey practice at seven-thirty!” he shouts. He stomps his way over to his dad and shakes his shoulder. “Hey dad! Wake up! You gotta take me to practice in half an hour. We’re gonna kick bass!”
“I’m up, I’m up. And don’t swear.”
“I didn’t swear. I said kick bass, with a b.”
Alex sits up, the covers dropping to his waist, showing off broad shoulders, a defined chest and those abs I’m so fond of. He runs a hand through his messy hair and blows out a breath. His biceps flex and his gaze shifts from our excited son to me, standing in the middle of our bedroom, wearing his shirt, probably looking a lot like Helena Bonhamn Carter in any one of her movies with my crazy post-last-sex-and-sleep-hair. He gives me a sleepy smile and a lingering once over before he focuses on Maverick, our middle child who most definitely lives up to his name. “I’ll be downstairs in five.”
“Sir, yes sir.” He salutes his dad wearing a cheeky grin.
“Have you eaten breakfast yet and is your hockey bag packed?” Alex asks.
“Hockey bag is packed and at the front door. I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Go pour yourself a bowl of cereal.”
“You got it!” He gives his dad the thumbs up while moonwalking backwards out of the room.
“And not the sugary crap!” he calls after him.
Maverick’s head appears in the doorway again and he purses his lips. He looks exactly like a mini replica of his father. “But it’s Halloween.”
“Sugar isn’t going to give you the energy to get through practice. And wake River up on your way downstairs. He has to come along because his practice is right after yours.”
“Rivy is up. He helped me with my makeup.” Lavender grins up at me, all pink teeth and wonky smile.
“Where is River now?”
“In the kitchen. He was hun-gee. Come see my hair. I a rainbow!” I shoot Alex a helpless look as she pulls me toward the door and down the hall to the bathroom she and her twin share.
Alex lifts his hand in a wave, showing off the tattoos that now decorate his forearm with our kids names. My husband is delicious. And a fantastic father.
The hallway is lit with several night lights, but it isn’t until we reach Lavender’s bathroom that I get a clear view of my daughter. She looks like one of her art pieces. I try to keep my voice from reflecting my horror-shock at the state of her bathroom. And my ruined makeup.
I spot a tube of lipstick that probably cost fifty dollars on the vanity, the top of it broken off. “Oh wow, honey, you’ve been busy haven’t you?”
She nods vigorously and scans the bathroom, rubbing her hands together in what I affectionately call the anxious otter. It’s then that her outfit finally registers. She’s wearing a pair of red socks that are too big and probably belong to one of her brothers. Under those are another pair of socks, these ones belonging to Robbie because they’re orange and his favorite color. Those come up to her knees, while the red ones reach her shins. Her pants are bright yellow, she’s wearing a green puffy skirt, a blue long sleeved shirt, an indigo scarf that I recognize as a gift from my mother, her Gigi, and a purple headband. The icing on the rainbow cake is sprayed in hair color in a variety of hues, all of which are also sprayed liberally around the bathroom. It looks like a unicorn murder scene in here.
“I keen up the baff-room, but I wanted to show you first.”
“We can do that together. You did a great job, honey.”
She nibbles on her bottom lip and glances toward the door. She rushes over to close it and then crooks her finger, beckoning me closer. I bend so we’re face to face.
“Rivy help me, but he not the best at staying in da lines.” She motions to her face.
“Hmm.” I tap my lip. “He did a pretty good job, but I can help fix it up a bit?”
She nods again. “But not too much. I no want to hurt his feels.”
“Gotcha.” I wink and lift her up onto the vanity counter. Ten minutes later she looks a lot less like a demented clown who went a round with a unicorn and more like a little girl dressed up as a rainbow.
“We go get cuppy-cakes today?” Lavender asks as I put the colored hair spray away and she smears make up and whatever else is stuck to the counter around with a cloth.
“Absolutely. After hockey practice we’ll pick up the boys and have some lunch, then we’ll get special Halloween cupcakes. And if you want we can stay for the parade.”
Lavender nods. “Okay. And then we tick or teet?”
“Yup. Then we trick or treat.”
“But own-y our steet.” Lavender only likes to go to the houses of people she knows.
“That’s right. Then we can come back and hand out candy.”
She gives me two thumbs up and we head downstairs.
River and Maverick are sitting at the kitchen table, cereal and splatters of milk dotting the table. Maverick is eating a combination of Raisin Bran and what looks like Corn Pops, so I have to guess that Alex lost some kind of battle, or just plain gave up.
River’s brows are pulled together and he’s focused on something under the table. His cereal bowl is empty.
“Hey sunshine, what’re you doing?”
He’s so deep in thought he startles. “Huh?”
“He went into your sewing room and found all the superhero costumes!” Maverick says with a grin.
“You know my sewing room is off limits.” My voice has gone prepubescent squeaky.
“I needed some-ting ink-a-go,” Lavender says in her whisper voice. The one reserved for public places or when she’s worried she’s about to get in trouble.
Lavender really isn’t a troublemaker. It’s more that she follows her brother’s lead and they can get her to do things she probably shouldn’t because she’s less likely to catch heat for it. Especially since the sun rises and sets for her in her daddy’s eyes. He’s not wrong. She is literally the sweetest, kindest little girl in the universe. Although, I’m a little biased since I happened to be the one who made her. With Alex’s help, of course.
River shoots Maverick a dirty look. He must decide it’s better to fess up than to try to lie since his brother has already outed him. “I dress up the naners for Ha-ween.” He holds up a banana dressed in a Superman costume.
One day they’re going to realize that those aren’t banana costumes and I’m going to have to pay for some therapy bills.
“Okay boys!” Alex claps his hands together. “Oh fuuuu-” I elbow him in the side and he coughs down the swear word, finishing with; “Fudge McGee. Where’d you get that River?”
“It from mommy’s sewing room!” Lavender’s eyes are wide and she bites her bottom lip. “I sorry. I know better. I excited for Ha-ween and it a costume for naners so I gave it to Rivy!”
“Let it go, Alex. I’ll deal with it later,” I whisper with a smile still plastered on my face.
I’m sure my face is a terrible shade of red.
“You need to lock those things up.” He kisses my temple and then crouches down in front of Lavender.
She ducks her rainbow colored head and then peek up at her dad, batting her lashes. Her heels knock together, just like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. “I sorry, daddy.”
“You were just excited. It’s all right. But next time you ask, okay?”
“Okay.” She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek, leaving behind glitter and pink lipstick.
He rises and I grab a tissue and wipe away the residue.
“River’s on the ice at nine if you want to meet us at the rink.”
“We’ll be there.”
As soon as the boys are out the door I look at Lavender and she looks at me, her smile mischievous. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I ask.
She wiggles her fingers under her chin. “Lucky Charmy’s?”
I waggle my brows. “You can’t tell your brothers.”
She claps excitedly and lets out the tiniest squeal. She rushes over to the pantry, but stops and purses her lips, eyes wide, as though she’s afraid they’re going to come back and catch us. She runs down the hall, rainbow ponytails bobbing as she skids to a stop and peers through the window at the front door.
She waves and then bounds back to the kitchen. “Okay, they gone!” I let her climb up on the step stool and move the box of Wheaties out of the way so she can get to our hidden stash of Lucky Charms. It’s her favorite cereal and we eat it every Saturday morning as soon as the boys leave for hockey practice.
I have rituals with all of my kids. Robbie and I read Harry Potter books before bed together every night and try to mimic English accents. Maverick and I do math questions with Skittles that he gets to eat when he gets a question right, which is every single time, and River and I make chocolate chip cookies. Not from scratch because I can’t bake for shit, but I get the boxed ones that we just have to put on a tray and put in the oven. We also watch Disney movies together. Well, we do that with Lavender, too since they’re twins.
But being the only girls in a house full of boys, Lavender and I have a special bond. I grab the coconut milk and we pour heaping bowls of cereal and sit at the kitchen table, talking about what kind of candy is her favorite and how excited she is for the fun cuppy-cakes we’re having later.
Once we’re finished stuffing our faces Lavender helps me put together snacks for the boys who are always starving after practice. Robbie is tough to get out of bed and I suspect he was up reading until ridiculously late. By the time we get to the arena, River’s practice is almost over.
Maverick and his best friend, Kody are sitting in stands, already dressed in their Halloween costumes. They’re going as hockey players. I refused to let Maverick stay in the same gear he practiced in and made him promise he’d shower after practice.
“Freshness check.” I sniff the top of his head as Lavender and I take a seat in the aisle behind them and Robbie takes the seat beside his brother. He’s dressed in his usual Harry Potter sweater and basically looks like a younger version of him, glasses and all.
“Mom!” Maverick ducks his head.
Kody turns around. “Hi Mrs. Waters. Hi Lavender.”
“Hi Ko-ee-ack.” Lavender ducks her head and pulls herself into the seat beside mine, but I can tell she’s peeking up at him.
“I like your costume,” he says.
“Tanks.” And she’s back to doing the otter rub. “I like yours, too.”
He grins sheepishly. “It was easy. Yours is creative. You’re the Lucky Charms rainbow, right?”
Her smile is so big it practically lights up the room. “How you guess?”
His face screws up and his eyes dart from me to Lavender. He shrugs. “It’s your favorite cereal and you’re wearing the whole rainbow.”
“Yeah! Score!” Maverick elbows Kody in the side. “Did you see that shot?”
He turns back around to watch the practice.
Lavender settles into the seat next to mine, smiling for the rest of River’s practice.
An hour later we have all the kids piled into Alex’s massive SUV. With two boys in hockey, Robbie and his botany fascination, and Lavender’s art classes, it can be a real time and juggling act. On the upside, Alex doesn’t have to fly anywhere until tomorrow, so we have the entire day to enjoy.
We take the kids downtown where the local shops have set up an afternoon of trick or treating for the kids and a mini parade. Our first stop is The Knight Cap and Cupcakery, a busy little pub and cupcake shop–yes it’s a thing. It has an axe throwing enclosure, serves craft beers and fun cocktails, along with pub fare and the best cupcakes I’ve ever had the joy of eating.
Also, the guy who runs the pub isn’t hard on the eyes. Not that I would ever mention that to Alex. But Ronan has the whole hipster, plaid and tattooed vibe going on. Him and his fiancee, Blaire, co-run the place and they look like they stepped right out of a fifties sitcom. Plus, his grandfather is always in here hanging out, telling great stories, so it’s become our new favorite hangout.
When we arrive a table has already been set up for us in the back and Lainey and Rook and Kingston and Queenie, members of the NHL team Alex coaches and friends of ours, are waiting for us.
Usually when we’re out in public Lavender is pretty shy and likes to stay with me or her dad, but when Queenie is around some of that shyness dissipates. She’s also pretty much in love with Kingston. She climbs up into the chair across from Queenie and River takes the one beside her.
“Miss Lavender,” Kingston grins. “You look like a rainbow!”
“That’s cause she is,” River says matter of factly.
“And what are you?”
River is dressed all in grey and the words CRACK and BOOM are written over his chest and back in cartoon bubbles.
“Rivy is the is storm cloud dat brings the rainbow!”
Queenie rests her chin on her clasped hands. “What a smart idea! Who came up with that?”
“Lav’der wanted to be a rainbow so I decided to be the cloud,” River replies.
“Well I think it’s great. Very creative.”
We spend the next few hours with friends. Lavender wants to live in the cupcake half of the shop because she thinks it’s like a fairytale and that Blaire, the woman who owns it is actually a secret princess, just like she believes that Queenie and Kingston are actual royalty.
Lavender and River nap on the way home, which means I won’t get to, but being a little tired is totally worth their excitement over the day. In the evening Lavender goes out with her brothers to trick or treat on the street and then she comes back home and gives out candy, and I shame all the tweens who can’t be bothered to put on real costumes.
By seven-thirty we’re out of candy and Lavender has managed to smear blue eyeshadow all over her face because she keeps rubbing her eyes. She’s determined to stay up until her brothers get home, though. Thankfully, twenty minutes later they come bursting through the door.
We set the kids up in the living room and put on a Lavender friendly movie while they sort through their candy. River shares his with Lavender and her other brothers always give her a share of their candy since she comes home so much earlier than they do.
At eight-thirty, Alex carried a passed out Lavender to bed and River follows, rubbing his eyes, crashing after all the excitement. We let the older boys stay up until nine, and then they’re off to bed, too.
We look at each other once they’re all in their rooms. Alex arches one of his sexy eyebrows. “Wanna play lick or treat with me, or are you too tired?”
“I’m exhausted, but I’ll still play. No licks, just treats, though. And you have to be on top, and do all the work, because I think all I’m capable of right now is lying there and taking the treat.”
He laughs and pulls me into his hard, warm chest, wrapping his arms around me. “You’re really selling it, Vi.”
I poke the front of his pants where his semi is starting to make itself known. “Your peen seems to be buying it, regardless.”
“Come on, let’s go snuggle.” He grabs me by the ass and hoists me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and nuzzle into his neck.
“You’re a sexy DILF.”
“And you’re a sexy MILF.”
“A sexy, tired MILF. I had all these great plans for Super MC.”
He chuckles and shoulders open our bedroom door. “Speaking of, you need to lock up your sewing projects.”
“I know. That’s the second time one of the boys has dressed up the bananas. Don’t forget to lock the door.”
He turns the lock on the inside, so the kids can’t burst in without knocking first. “Are you sure you’re even going to be able to stay awake long enough to enjoy a round of lick or treating?”
“Alex, you rearrange my uterus every time we have sex, I can’t sleep through that.”
“Fair.” He pulls the covers down and lays me out on the bed.
“Undress me.” He reaches for the waistband of my jeans and I hold up a hand. “Wait, undress yourself first.”
“Yes, Mrs. Waters.” He smirks at me, it makes the corners of his eyes crinkle.
He lifts his shirt over his head and I sigh at the sight of all of those muscles and ridges. He’s just so damn beautiful. It’s like I married the hottest version of Henry Cavill. His pants go next, and I smile at his underwear. They’re the superhero ones I bought him last month. He has quite the collection.
When he’s gloriously naked he gets to work undressing me. And then, because he’s the best husband in the world, he takes his time with me. Not that there are a lot of other options. He’s got too much going on below the waist to go in with zero prep. Even after four kids.
He gets me all wet and ready with his fingers, whispering dirty things in my ear, telling me how much he loves me, kissing my neck in just the right spot, giving me a pre-sex orgasm. And then, as promised, he settles between my thighs and does all the work. Hips pumping slowly, lips moving over mine, reminding me that I need to keep it down because the kids are down the hall. Threatening to pull out if I can’t rein it in–he’s clearly joking about the last part, he’d sooner put his palm over my mouth to get me to shut up than do something like that.
“I’m sorry. Stop being so damn hot and I might be able to keep my mouth shut.”
“Just whisper in my ear.”
“I’m trying. It’s hard when you–oh shit, yup, just right there, please, yes–” I grab a pillow and put it over my face to muffle the rest of whatever is going to come out of my mouth because I’m coming and that always means I’m going to lose verbal and volume control.
A few seconds later Alex tosses the pillow over the side of the bed. He cups my face in one hand and moves over me, eyes hot and fixed on mine, giving me the perfect view of his stunning face as he free falls into the land of orgasmia.
Even after all these years together, he’s still the sexiest man alive. And he’s all mine. My favorite treat who knows all the right tricks.
You can learn more about The Pucked Series HERE
And Lavender Waters HERE
Download the BOOKFUNNEL version for your ereader
