by Dylann Crush
Add the king-sized bed, the iron headboard with the intricate swirls, and the crimson bedding, and the place looked like it belonged to royalty, but with a rustic elegance to it.
“It’s gorgeous,” I whispered.
Grayson wrapped his arms around me from behind. “I thought you might like it,” he murmured in my ear.
At the husky sound of his voice, my pulse beat a fast rhythm in my ears, my skin tingled, and that sensation of fairy wings in my gut went berserk.
I smiled. “Very much.” I’d never seen anything like it.
I twisted in his arms and gently kissed him. “Thank you.” My heart swelled at the generosity of this man. I had opened up and told him about my husband, and he decided to make my first time with another man—with him—more special than a regular one-night stand.
“You’re welcome.” He guided me backward into the cabin and clicked the door shut behind him.
Then my mouth was on his, thrilled the wait was finally over.
His lips parted, and our tongues moved together in a slow tango. Every nerve in my body came alive, fuses lit, ready for the countdown for the firework display to commence.
I moaned into Grayson’s mouth, needing more than just this contact, but at the same time, never wanting his kisses to end.
Grayson must have felt the same way. He kissed me like a man appreciating an exquisite glass of whiskey, each sip savored and lingered over. Each sip an unearthed treasure.
My hands smoothed over the front of his shirt, appreciating the taut muscles under the fabric. They moved up again, under the tux jacket, and I pushed it off his shoulders, hinting at what I needed.
Him.
Naked.
Now.
It took him but a second to shrug off his jacket and let it fall.
And another second to be free of his shirt, a shower of buttons raining on the hardwood floor.
He cupped my breasts, covered by the bodice of my dress. His thumbs brushed across my nipples. They tightened, and wetness rushed to my core.
“I’ve imagined all night what these beauties look like,” he said, dragging his thumbs again across the highly sensitive buds.
Another moan escaped my mouth, captured with his lips pressed to mine. He then kissed my neck. I moved my head to the side, giving him greater access, humming my pleasure. I was incapable of saying anything beyond that.
His hands inched behind my back, and with the skill of a man who knew how to unzip a dress while blindfolded, he slowly slid the zipper open. His fingertips deliberately skimmed along my skin as his hand traveled south. Each spot he touched sizzled with want, sizzled with desire. If he didn’t pick up his pace soon, I would simply combust.
And wouldn’t that be a shame?
The only sounds in the room were the crackling fire, our heavy breaths, and my heart pounding hard against my sternum, the big bass drum in a parade.
He peeled the thin straps down my arms, releasing my breasts from the confines of the fabric.
Baring my nakedness for him to see.
“Fuck,” he groaned under his breath and palmed the heavy weight of my breasts in both hands.
While he did that, I went back to appreciating the fine cut of his muscles. Neither of us had bothered to turn the light on, so I memorized with my fingertips the ridges and valleys that made up his abs.
But the exploration could only go so far, with impatience cheering in the shadows for us to shed the rest of our clothing. I shimmied out of my dress, leaving on my purple lace panties and silver stilettos.
In the dim light, I could make out Grayson’s blue eyes darkening behind his mask. Before you could say, “Bibbidi bobbidi boo,” he shucked off the rest of his clothes. The only thing still on him was his black boxer briefs, which housed a very impressive erection as far as I could tell.
I ran the tip of my tongue along my lower lip in anticipation and slipped off my stilettos.
Unsure what to do next, because it had been forever since I last seduced a man, I walked over to the fur rug. Then I looked at the bed.
Both held all sorts of delicious and wicked possibilities.
Wow, look at you. Add a mask, and you really are a different person.
I mentally giggled at the thought.
But it was the truth. In the light of the fire, with the mask on, and with a man I’d never see again, it was all bringing out someone I hadn’t known I could be.
I felt less vulnerable.
I felt free.
Grayson bent down and removed his wallet from his pocket. From it, he extracted several foil square packages.
“Wow, you come fully prepared,” I said, relieved he’d put that much thought into it. I’d come to the mountains hoping to kiss someone under the mistletoe. I hadn’t actually planned to have sex with them.
A lopsided smile slid onto his face. “What can I say? The gift shop came stocked.”
His comment surprised me.
“Are you telling me you didn’t come to Lake Tahoe with those condoms?”
His shoulders raised in a slight shrug, a boyish grin on his face. “You aren’t the only one who doesn’t make one-night stands a regular habit.”
“So, you’re more like the relationship type?”
“Not at all. At least not these days. My career comes first.”
I opened my mouth to ask him what his career was, because his comment conflicted with what he’d said earlier about doing “this and that” when I asked him about his job. But then I remembered—I didn’t want to learn anything else about him.
I smiled instead. “Fair enough.”
Grayson strode the short distance to the bed like a panther stalking his prey.
And judging from the way he was eyeing me, I was most definitely on the menu.
“On the bed.” The low rumble of his voice smoothed over me like hot fudge daring me to eat just one bite.
Let me tell you now…when a man talks to you that way, there’s only one thing you can do.
Yep, you guessed it.
Normally, I would’ve felt self-conscious being so exposed, both figuratively and literally. It wasn’t as if I were skinny. After Stephen died, after the initial mourning phase had passed, I’d become intimate with two men by the name of Ben and Jerry.
Once I’d moved past that phase, I began working out again and became consumed by other distractions, but some of those new curves were reluctant to leave.
Thankfully, the firelight was far more forgiving of them than I was.
Grayson climbed onto the bed and started kissing me again. I slowly rolled over to my back, absorbing his weight and his heat.
He shifted down my body, and his tongue lavished one of my nipples. Not to be outdone, his fingers pinched and tormented the other. Wetness raced to my core, and I squirmed on the bed, desperate for so much more.
My fingers brushed against the short strands of his hair, careful to leave his mask undisturbed.
Aren’t you just a little bit curious what he looks like? a voice in the recess of my mind asked.
What’s the point? I mentally replied. So I can imagine him when I make myself come? Probably not a good idea.
Grayson’s mouth moved from the breast he’d been toying with, and he planted slow, languid kisses across my stomach to the waistband of my panties. Each feathery kiss felt as though he were worshiping me, taking time to memorize every inch of my body, like I’d done with his abs.
A soft, gratified moan escaped me.
He hooked his fingers under the elastic and pulled the lace over my hips and along my legs.
I knew it wasn’t appropriate, but I couldn’t help comparing his actions to those of my husband. Stephen was the kind of man who removed his clothes and expected me to do the same, and we would climb under the covers and make love. He never undressed me. He never took the time to appreciate my body that way.
Don’t get me wrong, he had been great in bed. But this—with Grayson—was so different.
&
nbsp; Like ice cream. You can eat a flavor that makes your taste buds sing. You can’t imagine anything finer.
But then you try a different one. A creamier flavor. A flavor worthy of the heavens.
Grayson was that flavor—the available-for-a-limited-time flavor.
A sad realization trickled through me at the last part.
But I didn’t have time to dwell on the realities of the moment. My panties sailed merrily over the side of the bed. Grayson pulled my legs apart, exposing my sex to him. Any hint of shyness I might’ve otherwise felt bailed to join my underwear.
He positioned himself between my legs, his breath a tickle against my clit. My body zinged, and I unconsciously fisted the sheet with both hands.
“You don’t know how long I’ve imagined this moment,” he murmured.
Huh?
I pushed myself up on my elbows. “What did you say?” I must have misheard him—or misunderstood what he meant.
His gaze darted to my face. “I’ve thought about doing this since we first kissed,” he clarified.
“Oh, okay.” That made sense.
It wasn’t as if I hadn’t imagined a few times after that kiss what it would feel like to have him inside me.
I lay back on the pillows, propped up enough to watch him.
For about three seconds.
That was as long as I lasted once his tongue teased my clit, sending my eyes rolling skyward. “Oh, God, Grayson,” I groaned, already racing to the abyss, a place I’d been heading for since our first kiss.
Just as I thought I couldn’t last much longer, he pushed a finger inside me, then another, curving them into my soft heat. He plunged them in and out a few more times, his tongue still worshiping my clit.
Those lit fuses? They quickly burned to the end, and with the next flick of his tongue, fireworks ignited deep in my belly, shooting me skyward.
Shooting me to the stars.
I cried out his name, the sound explosive on my lips.
As awareness slowly seeped into my satisfied thoughts, I heard the ripping of a foil package.
I pried my eyes open in time to see him roll a condom onto his impressive length.
Noticing that I’d partially recovered from the mind-blowing orgasm, he grinned devilishly at me, positioned himself against my entrance, and slowly pushed his way in.
I groaned as my body stretched to accommodate him.
He paused. “You okay?”
A liquid smile spread on my lips. “Definitely. Please don’t stop on my account.” I wrapped my legs around his hips, encouraging him to keep going.
He plunged inside me, and I released another satisfied groan. Then our hips moved in time with each other, taking…and giving so much more in return. And with each thrust of his hips, I climbed higher and higher.
“Christ, Kiera,” Grayson husked against my ear.
The sound of his voice was all it took.
A tsunami of contractions swept through me, and my inner muscles clenched hard around his length. I’d thought the last orgasm was intense. That had been nothing compared to feeling him inside me, feeling him branding me even though I wasn’t his to brand.
I cried out his name again. This time it was met with him grunting his own release, the sound both animalistic and all male.
6
Kiera
Cinderella only had until midnight with her prince before her carriage returned to its pumpkin form and her dress switched back to rags.
Fortunately for me, I didn’t have the same time constraints.
But as the embers in the fireplace began to slowly die away, I was reminded I couldn’t stay here, in bed with Grayson, any longer.
At that somber thought, my rib cage shrunk one size, making it harder to breathe. All the more reason for me to leave now and not once the sun had risen.
The man in question slept in what seemed like a peaceful slumber. His mask was slightly askew, but not enough for me to see his features in the dimly lit room.
Was I surprised that he was asleep? Not at all. After the fourth round of sex, I’d be shocked if he didn’t sleep for eight hours straight.
We’d also cuddled in front of the fireplace and talked. Talked about nothing in particular—nothing that would give away too much about our real lives outside the cabin walls.
As tempting as it was to stay here until morning, it would be better to follow Cinderella’s lead and hightail it out of here.
But unlike in the fairy tale, there would be no prince combing the kingdom to find the runaway girl. This prince would be returning to Chicago, and I’d be returning to San Francisco.
I adjusted my mask. Then, careful not to wake Grayson, I scooted off the bed.
I wasn’t familiar with the rules of one-night stands, but I did know one tended not to overstay one’s welcome. The awkward morning-after was always best avoided.
“Good-bye,” I whispered, wishing the night could’ve lasted longer. Thankful for the gift I’d been given, even if what we’d shared had been for only one night. “And thank you.”
I retrieved my clothes from the floor and soundlessly put them on.
One thing Cinderella never had to worry about was doing the walk of shame. She also didn’t have to return to her hotel room through falling snow while wearing stilettos.
She had no idea what she’d missed out on.
I certainly would never regret it.
Nothing about this night would ever be a regret.
Epilogue
Logan
Three Weeks Later
I pulled the small package out of my condo building’s mailbox and checked the return label. It was from the hotel in Lake Tahoe, where I’d stayed for Jingle Balls.
Curious as to why they were sending me anything that would fit in a small box, I ripped open the brown paper while walking to the elevator.
The door opened as I approached. I entered and pressed the twentieth floor.
Inside the package was a piece of paper. I unfolded it and read the brief note:
Dear Mr. Mathews,
The enclosed necklace was found in the cabin you stayed in while you were a guest at our hotel.
I removed the lid from the box. A gold necklace with the familiar script “Believe” gleamed in the elevator light.
My gut tumbled two stories, the cable cut clean through. Kiera’s necklace—the one I’d given her as a graduation gift.
It must have come unfastened during one of our super hot sex-a-thon sessions. I bet you aren’t too surprised by that.
According to the date stamped on the wrapper, the package had been sent a few days after Kiera and I stayed in the cabin. But I’d been on the road a lot since then, and it was probably delayed in the mail due to the holiday season.
For a second, I considered what to do with the necklace, but in the end, I decided to do nothing.
It had been from me and not Stephen. It would’ve been a different story if he’d given it to her.
The elevator door pinged open, and my legs made quick time to my apartment.
Had I thought about Kiera since that night? You’d better believe it. But what she and I had shared was nothing more than a single night of incredibly hot sex.
A one-night stand.
A forbidden romance with my best friend’s wife.
I entered my condo, walked to the dresser in my bedroom, where the photo of Livi, Stacy, and myself sat, and pulled open the first drawer.
Smiling at the picture, I dropped the box with the necklace inside, on top of my underwear. Then I returned to my living room and retrieved the iPad from the coffee table to FaceTime with my daughter before I was due at the arena for tonight’s game.
“Hey, how’s the weather in San Francisco?” I asked her after she’d told me about her day at school, and all about Mrs. A—the best second-grade teacher in the whole wide world.…
Also By Stina Lindenblatt
By the Bay Series
Decidedly Off Limits (free on all
vendors)
Decidedly with Baby
Decidedly with Love
Decidedly with Mistletoe
Decidedly by Chance
Decidedly with Luck (coming January 2021:
Kiera and Logan’s story continues)
Other Rom Com Series
Love Undercover
Copper Creek
About Stina Lindenblatt
Stina Lindenblatt has lived in a number of countries, including England, the US, Finland, and Canada. This would explain her mixed up accent. She has a kinesiology degree and a MSc in sports biological sciences. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband and three kids.
Website: https://stinalindenblattauthor.com
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/stinalindenblattnewsletter
Part X
Licking His Candy Cane
Elizabeth Lynx
About… Licking His Candy Cane
I never meant to be stuck in a dark closet, naked, at the holiday gala.
But here I was with just some holiday string to cover my, uh, junk. Don’t judge. I work with what I got.
Then the door opened, and a beautiful woman appeared. My savior. Until she stepped inside, the door swinging closed and automatically locking behind her.
Now she’s trapped with me. All we had was time. Might as well get to know each other.
1
Monty
One day. One day my brother would pay for this.
“I’m naked.” I gnashed my teeth and raised my voice just enough for James to hear.
As I pressed my ear to the door, I heard his muffled snickering.