by Amy Lamont
“Wrong about me?” I whispered.
“I told you at the Hotel Wynter. I don’t pick up women in bars. My dates are carefully chosen for certain qualities, including their discretion. Since I’ve built my business I’ve made it a point to keep my personal life just that, personal.” He gathered me closer and leaned his forehead against mine. “I saw you staring at me in the hotel lobby.”
I pulled back slightly. “You did?”
“I did. I thought you were beautiful but not worth the trouble.”
My heart plummeted to my feet and I struggled against his arms. Not worth the trouble? I followed him into that bar and practically tossed myself in his lap after one glimpse of him, and his first thought was I wasn’t worth the trouble?
“Be still, Emma.” He gave me a gentle shake. “It didn’t take me long to change my mind.”
I froze and searched his intense gaze for the truth. What I saw there made me stop the struggle and melt back into him.
“When you walked into that room and looked around, you were all big-eyed innocence. I thought the best actress on the planet couldn’t fake that.” He pulled me into him, tucking my face into his neck as he whispered the rest against my ear. “And all I could think about was burying my cock in you.”
“Nate.” His name escaped me on a breathless whisper, my fingers gripping his shoulders.
“I thought one night would be enough, but as soon as I had you the first time, I wanted more.” He moved his hand into my hair, his palm cradling my head. He used his hold to tilt my head back and he pressed teasing kisses on the corners of my mouth, up along my jaw and back to my ear. “I still want more.”
I shivered at his words. A small part of me urged me to ask him how much more he wanted. Just tonight? Another week? Another month? It sucked when he walked out of that hotel room. I wasn’t looking forward to feeling that way again.
But as his teeth scraped the spot under my ear, my body heated and one thought played through my mind. I could hear the words Jade spoke on the train on Thanksgiving night—adventure of a lifetime.
Whether this lasted one more night, one more week, one more month, I was going to make sure I had enough memories of this adventure stored up to last me a lifetime.
Chapter 10
I turned my head and captured his mouth with my own. He quickly took over, kissing me hard and stroking my tongue with his own. When he tore his mouth from mine, he left me gasping for breath. His hands slid around my sides, coming up around my ribs to cup my breasts. I dropped my head back against the door as he slid his thumbs over the peaks of each breast.
“There’s no lock on this door.” I couldn’t help but think of the waiters and other catering staff working in the kitchen, not more than a few feet from our hiding spot.
He grinned down at me. “We’ll have to improvise.”
I stood up on my toes to press hungry kisses against his jaw. “What do you have in mind?”
He moved his hands around to my back, sliding up until he found my zipper. He slid it down slowly. “Sweetheart, if you knew all the things I had in my mind, you’d probably run out of here as fast as your feet could carry you.”
I kept my eyes pinned to his as he slid the dress down my body and over my hips. It dropped to the floor, pooling at my feet.
I cleared my feet from the dress, kicking it to the side and leaning back against the door again. “You’ve read my articles, Nate. I have a vivid imagination, too.”
He chuckled and smoothed his hands down my sides, his gaze following his hands, and he groaned. “What are you wearing?”
I purposely bit my lip, looked up at him from under my lashes and reveled in my newfound confidence. This man wanted me. I saw it. I felt it. And I loved every second of it. I was thrilled I let Jade talk me into the black bustier and matching panties. “You like it?”
“Tease,” he whispered, as he moved in to claim my mouth again. His hands moved over my hips, pulling me hard against him and slipping a leg between mine.
His hands worked at my bustier, pushing it so that my breasts popped out over the top. He dipped his head down to take one nipple into his mouth. He sucked and licked the aching peak of my breast, and then pulled back and blew across it. I shivered and threw my head back as he shifted to give the same treatment to the other one. My panty-covered center ground down on his leg and a long, low moan escaped me.
He raised his head to whisper in my ear. “Shh, sweetheart, you don’t want anyone to discover us here.”
As he spoke, he moved his leg from between mine, only long enough to reach down and grasp the thin strings of my panties over my hips. With a quick jerking movement, he tore the panties from me.
An indecipherable sound ripped from me and he moved in close again. “No noise, baby, or I’ll have to stop.”
Before he finished speaking, he moved his leg up between mine again and returned to licking and nibbling my pebbled nipples. I bit down hard on my lower lip to keep any sounds from escaping. I might die right here if he stopped now.
I reached out to wrap my arms around his shoulders to steady myself as I slid my hips back and forth, grinding on his leg in a way that sent electric heat jolting through me. I moved my hands to the lapels of his jacket, determined to run my fingers over his bare sculpted muscles.
“Oh, no,” he said and stepped back a bit, making me lose contact with his leg. “This is all about you.”
His eyes burned as they raked over me, and I was suddenly very aware of how we looked. I stood in front of him clad in only my bustier which held my breasts up like they were being served to him, my thigh-high stockings and heels. All my important bits were on show for him.
He looked just as he had when I first spotted him this evening. Not a hair out of place, his tux jacket and black tie remained pristine. Two weeks ago standing naked and on display with a fully clothed Nathaniel Wilder would have sent me running, just as he said. But now, just the thought of it made my breath come in pants and wetness pool between my thighs.
“Please,” I said on a whisper. I needed his touch.
“Your wish is my command, sweetheart.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine in a gentle, almost chaste kiss. My eyes drifted closed.
He lifted his head and I could feel his breath against my lips. I used the tip of my tongue to lick them, tracing along the seam of his in the process. I shifted forward so the tips of my breasts just touched the rough front of his jacket, every sense on high alert.
“I can’t wait another minute to get inside you,” he growled.
My eyes flew open as he turned me in his arms. One hand moved to my back to push me slightly forward.
I didn’t need any more of an invitation. I leaned forward and braced my hands against the door. I trembled with need as I heard the metallic clip of his belt buckle followed by his zipper. A wrapper crinkled and I looked over my shoulder to see him rolling a condom down his long shaft.
He leaned forward and cupped my breast with one hand. He rolled my nipple between his fingers at the same time I felt his erection prodding my entrance. He leaned over my back and whispered, “Spread your legs for me, baby.”
I did as I was told and he rewarded me by sliding inside me to the hilt. I pressed my face against my arm to muffle the sounds that wanted to break from me and held on as he pulled out. His deliberate slowness allowed me to feel every inch of him until just the tip remained inside me. He thrust again, slamming into me, and I couldn’t help my whimper.
“Quiet,” he murmured. “Don’t make me stop.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and he moved again, picking up speed as he thrust in and out of me. His long length hit me in the perfect spot, over and over. I felt myself getting closer to losing all control when he whispered again. “Touch yourself for me, sweetheart.”
I leaned down further and kept one hand against the door, that and his hands at my breast and hip the only thing keeping me from tumbling down. I moved my other hand down b
etween my legs and found my clit. I pushed it back and forth and I could feel him sliding in and out of me against the very tips of my fingers.
A white heat spread through my body as all those sensations took over. I kept playing with my clit as he picked up speed. I fought to hold on longer, but I couldn’t wait one more second. Something burst inside me and my wet core clamped down on him. My body rocked with my release and at the same time he shuddered behind me with a groan. Just as I feared my legs would give out, he scooped me up and held me against him, my back to his front. The chafe of his clothes against my bare skin sent another shiver skittering over my body.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
I laid my head back against his shoulder and gave him my weight as I waited for my breath to even out and my legs to steady themselves. He used one arm around my waist and another around my chest to keep me against him.
I turned my head so my cheek rested on his shoulder and whispered, “I can’t believe we just did that.”
He chuckled, low and deep, and his arms tightened.
After a few minutes, I felt steadier. I twisted to face him, still in the circle of his arms. I raised my eyes to his. The warm affection on his face made my stomach turn over. And this time, I knew exactly what it was—excitement and no small amount of hope.
The feeling gave me strength. At least enough to ask what I really wanted to know. “What now?”
His lips turned up in the corners. “Well, I suggest we start by setting you to rights.” He slid his hands down and tugged my bustier back into place. “Though I will admit, that does seem like a real shame.”
I giggled. Giggled. I stood there, as near to naked as you could get, next to the hottest man to ever walk the earth, and I wasn’t searching for a sheet or scrambling into my dress. A Christmas miracle. I could feel the smile spreading across my face at the thought.
“You look happy,” he said.
I looked up at him flirtatiously. “I have to admit, I don’t have too many complaints at the moment.”
He grinned.
“But I guess you’re right. As much as I hate to end this,” I said as I stood on my toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, “someone might send a search party out if I don’t turn up soon.”
I pulled away from him and reached for my panties. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him dispose of his condom in a paper towel from one of the shelves and then drop it into a waste bin in the corner before readjusting his clothing.
I found my panties near the door, split in two. I held them up and made a face at him. “I guess these aren’t going to be of much use.”
“I’ll take care of those.” He pulled them from me and pushed them into his pocket. A thrill surged through me at the thought of him walking around the party, looking perfect and elegant and aloof, knowing my undies were tucked in there.
I wiggled back into my dress and did my best to smooth out any wrinkles. I turned my back to him and looked over my shoulder. “Zip me, please?”
He moved behind me and pulled the zipper up. Then he stepped even closer and laid several sweet kisses along my shoulder.
“To answer your question,” he murmured close to my ear, “I’m not done with you yet.”
I turned and kissed him again. “Good.”
I took his hand and pulled him from the pantry, hoping his words meant he was looking for more than just another encounter in a different closet in the Roberts’ home.
We were met by knowing looks from the catering staff. My face heated but I managed to straighten my shoulders and keep moving. What just happened in there—totally worth a little embarrassment.
We stepped into the large family room where most of the guests were mingling. A sudden thought stopped me dead in my tracks. “Did you come here with someone?”
He stopped at my side and amusement brightened his eyes as he looked down at me. “No. I did hope to speak to a few people tonight, but you were first on my list.”
“I hope you’re not planning on speaking to everyone the way you spoke to me,” I teased.
He chuckled and slid an arm around my waist, pulling me close to press a kiss to my forehead. I wanted to do a little dance at his casual show of affection. I let my gaze wander the room in an effort to hide how much I craved his attention.
It worked. This room was totally different than the entryway. A towering tree stood in the corner decked out with colorful lights and a mixture of ornaments. I knew from past Christmases spent here that those ornaments were special to the family, the ones passed down through generations and some Jade made in elementary school. There were even a few that Paige, Katelyn and I had made and given Mrs. Roberts as gifts over the years.
Mrs. Roberts’ enormous Christmas village took up another corner. I squealed when I saw it and tugged Nate over to see it.
“Mrs. Roberts puts this up every year,” I said. “When we were little, Jade, Katelyn, Paige and I would spend hours making up stories about the people in the village.” I looked up at him to find him smiling at me indulgently.
“Does your family do big Christmas celebrations?” I asked.
His expression shifted, closing down a little, and I immediately missed the warmth.
“No. They aren’t big on Christmas.”
I waited a minute, but he didn’t say any more.
“That’s a shame.” I turned to take in the room and inhaled the scent of pine wafting through. “There’s something magical about Christmas. Can’t you feel it?”
He smoothed a hand down my back, letting it come to rest at the top of my ass. “Hmm, I’m beginning to feel something magical.”
I laughed up at him. “You’re no fun. I don’t know if I can spend any more time with you if you don’t like Christmas.”
His face got serious as his eyes grew warm. “Maybe I need you to convince me.”
“Really? What would it take to convince you Christmas is magical?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him, expecting him to get into the teasing and come back with some kind of sexual innuendo.
Instead, he pulled me closer, all traces of laughter gone. “Spend Christmas with me.”
I stilled. “What?”
“Only two days until Christmas Eve. I’d like to take you to my home so we can spend the holiday together. Just the two of us.”
My breath caught in my throat. I usually spent Christmas with Paige and her family and then stopped in to visit the rest of my friends. But what I hadn’t admitted to anyone was how hard the holidays had been for me since my parents passed away.
The first few Christmases after their accident were tough because I still grieved for them. After that, as much as I loved the holiday, I still felt like a fifth wheel when I spent it with someone else’s family. Everyone always went out of their way to make me feel included, but it wasn’t the same.
The thought of spending Christmas with Nate made joy burst in my chest.
“Emma?” he prompted when I’d been silent for too long.
“I’d love to,” I whispered.
He bent and kissed me, a soft, sweet press of his lips against mine.
“Get a room, you two.”
I dropped my head to Nate’s chest when I heard Jade’s voice from behind me.
“From the looks of her dress, I’d say they already have,” Paige said, dryly.
“Ignore them,” I told him. “Eventually they’ll give up and go away.”
“No way. I’d rather draw attention to you two so my family will stop asking me questions about my love life,” Jade said.
“What love life?” Katelyn teased.
I felt his shoulders shake underneath my cheek and raised my head. “Maybe we can go start celebrating Christmas now?” I asked hopefully.
“We might just be able to arrange that, sweetheart.” And with that, he bent and kissed me right in front of all my friends and their families.
Chapter 11
I nuzzled my cheek against Nate’s bare chest and looked up at the l
ights on the Christmas tree. Best Christmas ever.
We didn’t end up leaving Jade’s parents’ party early two evenings ago. Instead we stayed and laughed and joked with my friends and their families. Nate had wandered off to do some networking.
I didn’t mind. It gave me a chance to fill my friends in on our encounter in the pantry. I left out some of the details, though. I had to hold something back to share on New Year’s when we settled our bet.
Nate and I didn’t spend that night or the next together. He told me he had to tie up loose ends before the holidays but he’d pick me up at my apartment early on the morning of Christmas Eve.
Part of me feared this was his way of letting me down easy. Maybe he regretted issuing the invitation in the heat of the moment.
But I decided to take my more confident attitude out for a spin and take him at his word. Besides, if we were going to have Christmas together, I had a few things to do myself. What the heck did I buy for the man who could afford to buy and sell several small countries?
My friends jumped to the rescue, helping me plan what to wear and a few special surprises. And my confidence paid off. Nate texted me several times over the next few days and called me the day before Christmas Eve to confirm our plans.
“Are you sure you want to spend Christmas with me?” I had to ask him. “I know it’s not really your thing, and well, I may go a little overboard with the whole Christmas spirit thing.”
His warm chuckle had filled my ears and made every nerve-ending tingle. “I’m sure, sweetheart. Remember, you promised to show me how magical the day can be.”
I knew from his tone of voice he had more than tinsel and Yule logs in mind when he spoke of magic.
As it turned out, Nate had spent the two days before Christmas Eve much the same way I had. Well, maybe not quite the same. Where my friends and I had run around like crazy to get ready for Christmas, Nate had a full staff at his disposal to get his home holiday ready.