“Really?” I cocked my head. “What’s up?”
He dragged in a breath through his nostrils before the words came rushing out. “How would you guys like to come spend Christmas Day with us?”
My eyes widened in surprise. I didn’t think we were anywhere near that phase of our relationship, but I’d been playing with the idea of inviting them, too. “We’d love that. Are you sure it would be okay?”
He caught my hand and pressed a kiss to the center of my palm. “Nothing would make either of us happier. Also, I’m proud of you for having the courage to hang all of Katherine’s decorations. I think it means you’re healing.”
“It’s all thanks to you,” I whispered, leaning forward to kiss his mouth. “I know Christmas is still three weeks away, but being with you has helped to put me in the Christmas spirit.”
“Really?” He smirked against my lips and I felt him waggle his brows against my forehead. “Do you want to be put on the naughty or nice list?”
I grinned deviously. “I think that’s up to you to decide.”
“I can manage that.” Winding his arms around me, he pulled me into his lap so I was straddling him and brought his mouth back to mine.
I melted into him, twisting my fingers into his hair and kissing him back hungrily. The soft noises he let out turned the blood in my veins to fire, and I suddenly felt far too hot.
Dropping my hands, I grabbed at the hem of my T-shirt to lift it over my head. Jacob’s fingers closed over mine a second later, taking over and running his fingertips along the sensitive skin on my belly and lower back before finally freeing me from it.
Our lips parted for the fabric to pass between us, and he pulled back even farther to rake his gaze down my exposed torso. He groaned, toying with the straps of my bra before moving his head forward to plant the softest kisses along my collarbone and neck.
While he seemed to have made it his mission to drive me mad with need, I reached for his shirt and tugged it over his head. My hips rolled against his, feeling him harden until it was like I was grinding against a metal pole in his pants.
Bubbles of euphoria traveled through me on each pass of my already very sensitive clit against him. Running my fingers lightly across the lean muscles in his arms and back, I felt him shiver against me.
It was clear he wasn’t in any rush, but I supposed we didn’t have to be. I was enjoying every second of it, and while I wanted him more than anything, I could wait. My nerves were on high alert, and with the fire crackling behind us, the music flowing, and the Christmas lights blinking, it felt like every sensation was heightened.
I tangled my hands into his hair again, gripping it softly to get him to drop his head back. When he did, his lips were swollen from our earlier kisses and parted, his eyes half-lidded but filled with so much emotion.
We locked eyes for a moment before moving our mouths forward together. Meeting in the middle, our kisses were far more urgent and passionate than before.
Jacob’s arms wrapped around me, his fingers climbing up the vertebrae in my spine until they reached my bra. He undid the clasp, dragging the straps down my arms and tossing the thing far, far away.
In the back of my mind, I hoped the bra hadn’t landed in the fire. It wasn’t a particularly sexy one, even if it wasn’t a nude-colored, cotton device, but it was one of the ones I owned that skirted the comfy-sexy line quite well.
It was soft enough not to hurt, had enough support without making me feel like I was going to drown in my own boobs, and the black padding wasn’t so thick that I felt like I’d stuffed a sock in there. Ahh well. If it’s ruined, it’s ruined.
I definitely wasn’t breaking off that kiss or that moment to check on my bra. Forgetting about it for the moment, I pressed my chest against his and moaned when my puckered nipples brushed against his warm skin.
My hips sped up and I could feel an orgasm building. If we kept going like that, it was going to happen before he even took my pants off.
His hands gripped my hips and stilled them. Then he banded one strong arm around my back and reached out with the other. The blanket I’d been snuggled underneath earlier was only just within his reach, but he snagged it with the tips of his fingers and spread it out—sort of—behind me.
Lowering me slowly while balancing his weight on his knees and mine in his arms, he laid me down on the blanket. I stared into his eyes, not blinking as he placed a large hand in the center of my chest and drew it slowly down.
He held my gaze but brought his head to my chest, licking and nipping while I stroked his hair and arched my back. I wished I could do more for him, but I couldn’t reach any of those parts. I would get my chance later. Making him feel everything he made me feel was one of my favorite pastimes and one I always insisted on no matter how long I had to wait for it.
When his lips had traveled down to the waistband of the sweatpants I’d only just put on, I lifted my ass and he rolled them off. My panties went with them, and the small bundle was dropped next to us.
Jacob knelt between my legs, that lock of hair over his forehead and his eyes absolutely burning into mine. I’d been grappling with an admission I needed to make, but as I stared up at him in that moment, I knew he wouldn’t run from me if I said it.
Many men might’ve taken off for the hills if a woman told him she loved him after only a couple of months, but not Jacob. He wouldn’t be scared off if I told him the truth.
Because it was the truth. I absolutely, irrevocably loved him more than I had loved anyone before. More than I had ever thought I could love someone.
I loved Jacob Parker. Now I only had to figure out how to tell him.
Chapter 38
Jacob
Laurie naked, her body bathed in firelight and her eyes intent on mine, was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. It had to be one of the most erotic too, but that wasn’t the thought my mind had gotten stuck on.
The thought I’d gotten stuck on was how the hell I’d become the lucky son of a bitch who got to undress her, who got to make love to her while wrapping Christmas presents, and to wake up with her in the morning.
My body was so desperate for hers that my muscles were trembling, but I held myself back to commit that moment to memory. She was gorgeous and so damn sexy and mine.
I wanted to kiss every inch of her, and so that was what I did. Starting at her feet, I placed small kisses on the soles and worked my way up. Her ankles, calves, the backs of her knees, and the insides of her thighs got the same treatment.
She moaned when the next obvious destination for my mouth was her silky wet slit, but I moved on to her hipbones instead. I trailed my lips between them before moving up to her belly button. From there, I made a straight shot up to her chest.
I’d only just kissed every part of her bare torso, but I loved the noises she made when I sucked on her nipples. They drove me nuts, but it was so worth it.
My mouth closed around her hardened nub, eliciting a throaty, raw moan that made me release one of my own. I felt her move her legs farther apart when one of her thighs hit mine. Her fingers tightened in my hair and she shivered beneath me.
With my hips within her reach, she pushed down my sweatpants and lifted my underwear over my fully grown dick. Using her toes to push them all the way down, she kicked them aside and wrapped her legs around me.
Her eyes were bright but calm when I looked into them. “Have you been tested recently?”
“We had a health day at the office a few months ago. Why?”
She played with my hair and adjusted her body so my bare cock parted her folds. “Let me guess. You got a clean bill of health?”
“Yep.” I frowned, clenching the muscles in my stomach and trying to gain some fucking control. “What are you doing here, baby?”
“I’m clean too. I haven’t been with anyone in years and I had to get tested for everything when I redid my insurances.”
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” I to
ok in a shuddering breath. “Because I want you to be very sure before you suggest that.”
She smiled softly and raised her head to press a kiss to my mouth. “I’m as sure as I’ve ever been about anything. I’m on birth control, so we’re clear on that part of it, too.”
“You’re absolutely sure about that?” I asked again, even as I started sinking into her. Everything else would have to wait tonight.
She felt way too good to retreat. If she said yes, it was happening.
Laurie nodded before winding her arms around my neck and pulling me even closer to her. “I’m sure, Jacob. I want that. We’re both clean. I’m meticulous about taking my pill. I’m sure. I promise.”
Instead of replying, I slanted my lips over hers and said everything I wanted to say with my body. I didn’t know how many minutes or hours passed as I lost myself in her. If I wasn’t kissing her, I was looking into her eyes. My hands never left hers, except for when I felt her nearing the edge.
Three strokes with my thumb later and she toppled over, arching her neck and slamming her mouth to mine. I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet, though.
Slowing down only long enough for her to catch her breath, I started speeding up again when I couldn’t hold back anymore. We were covered in a thin layer of sweat by the time I felt my release right around the next bend.
Our bodies moved together seamlessly until we both cried out. I buried my head in the crook of her neck and she stroked my hair as we came down together, the occasional tremor still passing through us.
We lay with our limbs intertwined in front of the fire after. I held her close as our breathing returned to normal. The sun had set properly outside, and the only light in the living room was the flickering red, green, and yellow from the Christmas tree and the orange glow from the fire.
I’d read about making love in front of a fire, especially at that time of year, so many times. There was also so many movies with the seemingly obligatory scene of a couple getting it on on a bearskin rug while a fire roared behind them.
I’d never really understood the appeal, but I sure did now. There was something magical about that moment. Something that made me want to stay in it forever, which meant it was time to get up.
I groaned in her ear, drawing my legs away from hers. “We’d better get those presents wrapped before I fall asleep.”
“Are you sure we can’t just have a little nap?” She flashed me a sated, lazy smile when I sat up, wrapping the blanket around her.
Shaking my head, I grinned and pulled the blanket off her. “No can do. You know as well as I do that we’ll end up fooling around some more and then falling asleep until tomorrow morning. Come on, lazy bones. Let’s do it.”
She sighed but heaved herself into a sitting position as well. When I was sure she wasn’t about to doze off on me, I got up and felt her eyes on my naked ass when I walked to the kitchen to get us some wine.
“How do you feel about naked present wrapping?” she asked when I came back in carrying two glasses of red wine. She’d arranged the blanket around her shoulders, but it was toasty enough in there that it wasn’t strictly necessary.
I arched a dark eyebrow at her before running my gaze deliberately down the length of her body. The blanket wasn’t big enough to cover the important bits in their entirety, and I was one hundred percent sure we wouldn’t get much done while that was the case. “I think that sounds like your best idea yet, but we’d better put on underwear at least. I’m not keeping my hands to myself for very long if you keep sitting there like that.”
She laughed. “You say the most romantic things to me.”
“I aim to please.” I handed over her glass, pulled on my boxer briefs, and sat down across from her. “Are you ready to tackle this?”
“So ready.” I watched her dig out her underwear from underneath the pile of clothes and awkwardly wiggle her way into her panties without standing up, then hook her bra behind her back. “Better now?”
When she turned her attention back on me, I could already feel my body reacting to her again. My tongue came out to swipe across my lips, and my briefs felt tighter than they had even a second before.
“Nuh uh.” She waved her finger at me and chuckled. “You said we had to get this done first. I’m keeping you to it, mister.”
“I say stupid things sometimes. Maybe we should leave it until tomorrow morning after all.”
“No can do.” She reached for a roll of giftwrapping and grabbed the closest present to her.
It was a shaving kit with a specially mixed pot of shaving soap for her dad. She’d told me he loved that brand, but it was difficult to get a hold of since it was imported, and it was on the more expensive side.
According to her, everyone was getting spoiled that Christmas, though. She felt like it was the least she could do after everything they’d put up with from her. I completely disagreed that anyone had had to put up with anything unreasonable from her, but she wouldn’t hear it.
I didn’t try to change her mind. It was her money, and if it would make her feel better to spoil her family, then she should absolutely use it for that.
I sighed heavily but threw my hands up in surrender and got to wrapping. We goofed around while we were busy and she showed me how to tie a bow after I’d watched her do the first one and declared hers miles better than my own.
It also turned out that while I could technically make the corners, I couldn’t do them without the wrapping crinkling at the fold. After she showed me the same trick her mother had shown her, it started going much better.
We kissed and drank our wine while the festive music continued to play in the background. That same sense of peace and satisfaction from before still lived deep in my chest whenever I was with her.
This is going to be the best Christmas yet. I just know it. Especially now that she’s agreed that they’ll spend it with us.
Laurie dropped her head back and laughed. Her hair had come loose in all our rolling around, and she’d left it that way. In the firelight, it glowed and formed a golden halo around her head.
A lump formed in my throat, and before I could even think about stopping them, the words were coming out of my mouth—not that I wanted to stop them anyway.
It was true and there was no reason not to tell her. “I’m in love with you, Laurie. I think I have been for a while already. Maybe even since the day I learned your story and saw how strong you are.”
Her jaw slowly went slack, and her laughter froze as she moved jerkily to face me.
I wasn’t done yet, though. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. The best person I ever could’ve hoped to meet. And Katie is the best thing that’s ever happened to Allie.”
I gulped down a long sip of my wine, swallowed, and tried to order my thoughts. There were so many. All of them wanted out at the same time.
“I think I was meant to take your case for more reasons than just doing what was right,” I said. “I think I was meant for you. To make you happy however I could, and I would like more than anything to keep doing it.”
Incredulity shone from her eyes as they searched mine. I watched the graceful column of her throat move with several hard swallows before she crawled over to me and pulled me in for another breathless kiss.
“I love you too,” she whispered, resting her forehead against mine while her fingers played with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I think you were meant for me too, but I also think I was meant for you. It might be early days yet, but you’re it for me, Jacob. I know you are.”
Chapter 39
Laurie
On Sunday morning, Jacob, Katie, Allie, and I all went for a drive. When we’d gone to pick the girls up from their sleepover on Saturday, we’d parted ways for the day.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Jacob and what we’d said to one another on Friday night, and I was still feeling all giddy about it. He’d texted me throughout the day, and when I’d told them I wanted to take
them somewhere today, he’d readily agreed.
We chatted in the car, Jacob and I sneaking smiles at each other whenever we thought we could get away with it. I’d had a long talk with Katie after I collected her from Sue’s, and I knew he’d done the same with Allie. It was one of the reasons why we’d decided to go our own ways for the rest of the day.
Both girls had seemingly had the same reaction. There had been lots of giggles, squealing, hand clapping, and bouncing. They were overjoyed, and as soon as we’d picked Jacob and Allie up from their house, they’d insisted that we kiss again and had started cheering for us.
It was time to tell someone else. I wanted Katherine to be the first person to know—other than the girls, of course—even though I was slightly nervous that they’d be freaked out about going to the cemetery.
Katie and I came there all the time, but obviously, Jacob and Allie weren’t frequent flyers. Not yet anyway.
A slight frown tugged at his brow when I pulled into the parking lot, but then he glanced at me and understanding dawned in his eyes. We were trying to keep the displays of affection to a minimum in front of the kids, but he reached for my hand when we climbed out of the car and held it firmly.
“We’re visiting Katherine?” he guessed.
I nodded and brought him with me when I walked around the car to get the blanket out of the trunk. “I know you might think it’s really weird, but we wanted to introduce you to her.”
The flask of hot chocolate we’d made before leaving home sat in a basket next to the blanket, and the red leaves of the poinsettia we’d picked up peeked out between the wicker weave. Katie appeared next to me, taking the blanket while I lifted the basket out.
She linked arms with Allie and led her to Katherine’s grave, but Jacob held me back for a beat. After taking the basket and setting it down on the ground, he wound his fingers around my hand, came to stand in front of me, and looked right into my eyes.
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