The Christmas Con: A Novella

by Rachel Robinson

  “I need to text my friend Shay so she knows I’m alive,” I say after an awkward amount of time has passed. “Do you mind if I take a photo of you against that background?” I take my cell phone out and aim it at him.

  Luca leans over, taking my glass of champagne. He extends it in front of him like he’s clinking my glass, effectively covering half his face. I snap the photo and have to admit he’s good. After I fire off the photo he hands me my glass. “The bots won’t recognize my face if I cover half. I got into the habit when tagging in social media took off. I can keep a little privacy if I don’t post as the real me.”

  It makes sense. He finishes eating while I reply to texts from my rabid best friend asking a million questions about Luca and what I’m doing. I didn’t tell her his porn name because God knows there would be a million other questions that followed if she knew. Standing from my seat, I walk across the stone patio to the edge where there is a rail that overlooks the private beach. When I turn around to face the house it’s almost equally as beautiful as the water.

  It’s wealth unlike anything I knew existed. I surely never expected to see it in my lifetime. “I guess I could get used to this,” I mutter when he stands next to me. He sets a hand on my waist. My plain black dress is the cheapest thing that’s ever been inside these walls. Luca doesn’t seem to notice or care, though.

  “It’s just stuff,” he replies, and his tone implies he means it. He’s not just saying things to be polite. “Let’s go inside.”

  My phone chimes over and over in my small purse as I hook it over my shoulder and follow him through a maze of tropical flowers and sculptures and into the house. There’s a long corridor once we’re upstairs and I see a room filled with filming equipment. Luca sees me notice and turns to enter. “A work room,” he says, walking in and holding a hand out to gesture to the setup.

  There’s lighting equipment and flash boxes, a camera on a high tripod that is covered by canvas. Against the far wall, there are sheets and bedspreads peeking out of boxes. It’s the typical porn room styled except it’s more elegant. I don’t see how anything in this house could be anything else. Elegant, gauzy fabric drapes down from the four-poster bed. Goosebumps crawl across my skin. The sights this room has seen. Luca steps into the room in front of me, lacing his hands behind his head. “Rear Access to Paradise was filmed in this room,” he says matter of fact.

  I cringe. “Okay, probably won’t be running to watch that,” I deadpan. “This is weird. I’m sorry, it’s cool because you’ve made it a legitimate business or empire or so it seems, but I’m not a porn star and rear access is something I’ve never given anyone before.”

  He spins and stalks toward me. “That’s not weird, it’s actually kind of adorable.” Luca quirks a brow. “And the ultimate turn-on.”

  The air changes as he takes my face, his large hands encapsulating nearly my whole head. My eyes flutter closed for a second or two. He hasn’t yet touched me quite like this. The doctor was right; he was waiting for the tests to come back. I guess that means he has willpower. That’s rare for a man these days, right? Shay always complains that her boyfriend doesn’t have any kind of control over his dick and emotions. She explained it as one of men’s greatest flaws.

  Tilting my chin up, I close the space between our lips. I realize why women put up lies and lack of willpower. To taste this for even a night, is worth it. Luca leads the kiss, his hands tangle in my hair, and his tongue cuts against mine gently. I keep my eyes closed because I’m scared he’s going to change his mind. Can he feel the inexperience by moving his lips against mine? There’s an energy buzzing in the room, with his body pressing against mine, his cock pressing against my stomach, the taste of his groan in my throat. The smell of citrus and a spicy, earthy scent catches me, and Luca is now full-on intoxicating most of my senses.

  When he catches my bottom lip between his teeth, I gasp opening my eyes. He breaks the kiss by leaning away, gaze watching me intently. “I’ve missed that more than anything else.”

  My chest is rising and falling as I try to catch my breath and I realize Luca is doing the same thing. “Kissing?”

  “I use my tongue on every body part on the female body. Except the mouth. No kissing in my movies. That’s reserved for downtime.” He winks and fully recovered he pulls me by my arm out the door and to an elevator.

  I watch his face in the mirrored wall as we ride to the rooftop garden. His dimples are on full display. He takes my hand. He squeezes it. Like we have a secret we’re keeping between us. When the door slides open, I’m reminded again who I am and who he is.

  There are draping lights, a bean-shaped pool, a hot tub, and another winding, meticulously cared for garden. There are deep white sofas arranged in different areas, some in cabanas and others under billowing canopies. “This place would make for epic parties.”

  Luca chuckles. I was busy looking around, I didn’t realize he’d dropped trou and is standing behind me naked—waiting. “Party for two, Elizabeth. That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

  Chapter Five

  The expectation

  STEPPING BACKWARD, I wobble on my high heel. Luca reaches out and catches me by the elbow. Sure, he’s trying to steady me, but he’s doing it naked so it causes me to stumble even more. His figure is statuesque and picture-perfect. I bet they don’t even need to hit him with an airbrush. “Have I shocked you?” Luca growls. “That was not my intent.”

  “Listen, you’re shocking without trying.” I catch my breath and try to calm my nerves. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done. Wow. I’m having a moment. I’m sorry.” Hand to my chest, I turn away from Luca and walk over to one of the couches and sit down. He saunters over, dick gleaming in the moonlight like a magic scepter.

  “Why is it crazy?”

  I blow out an exaggerated breath. Where to begin? “I think you realize there are a million reasons why this is crazy for me, but I think the main one is I have no idea what to expect.”

  He throws himself gracefully down next to me. I’m mesmerized by how his muscles move. Also, the giant swinging cock is a blatant and beautiful distraction. He runs a hand on my leg, up under my dress, barely touching my panties, and back down again. “This is one of those times where there isn’t a script. No plans. No boxes to check. You’re already here.”

  If I didn’t micromanage every facet of my life and relationships before this, maybe I could have kept a boyfriend… and a job. Flying by the seat of my pants has worked out for me this far. I have a beautiful, STD-free man looking at me like I’m dessert. Live in the moment, Lizzy. A moment is defined by ninety seconds. Sometimes that’s how long it takes for an entire life to change. Ninety seconds for destruction, or a solitary moment to volley my life into an awesome, new direction. Luca is watching me intently. He reaches over and touches my hair, keeping his gaze on mine.

  “This is the part where I kiss you,” I whisper, swallowing. “And tell you, I’m not scared. That I can put who you are on the back burner to live in the moment.”

  His brown eyes turn to slits. “Who I am makes no difference. You are a beautiful woman and I’m the man who wants to claim you.”

  I don’t really have to talk myself into this. I knew full well what I was flying to Bora Bora for. Who he is really doesn’t matter right now. A prince? A gigolo? A world-renowned porn star. Fine. Brain switch off activated. Leaning toward him, I slam my eyes shut and press my mouth against his. Luca responds immediately, meeting my kiss with aggression and a hurried passion. Swinging one leg over his hips, I straddle him. A tiny groan falls from his open mouth and wetness floods me. He loves kissing, and it’s intoxicating how much energy he’s aiming directly at me. My whole body feels electrified. Chill bumps trail my legs where he’s yanking up the hem of my dress without missing a beat in our kiss. It’s a damn talent, that’s for sure. I’ll be naked in record speed and not even realize it.

  This dress didn’t require a bra so once he tosses it on the other se
ction of the L sofa I’m only wearing a red, lacy thong that has a bow in the back. It’s the raunchiest piece of lingerie I own. Luca’s eyes twinkle when he sees the small scrap of wet fabric covering my pussy. “Ah the predicament of tearing these off so I can fuck your tight body,” he says, pulling the thong to let my bare skin touch the tip of his cock. “Or to slide in right now like this.”

  In a moment of absolute wild abandon, I stand up, slide the panties off, and kick off my heels. Only thinking with my body is easy right now. Especially with him looking at me like I’m the only woman on the planet. Subconsciously there’s a nagging thought he might be comparing me to all of the women that have come before me, but I push that away. Luca folds his arms behind his head, tilting his head to the side. “You really are fucking perfect.”

  I swallow hard, doing my best not to argue with his compliment. “Thank you.” Those words taste like razor blades. A truth next, “You are damn perfect yourself.”

  “Tell me how you like it,” he commands. “Specifics. I want to please you one hundred percent, one hundred percent of the time.”

  I sigh, trying not to cross my arms across my bare chest. “This is going to be weird.”

  “Go on,” he says, urging. “Weird is good.”

  I shake my head. “No, I mean, I don’t really know how I like it.”

  “You’re not a virgin?” His face changes, eyes narrowing as he looks over my body like he’s trying to find a never-been-touched-mark or something. “Are you?”

  “Definitely not.” I cross my legs. “I just don’t know how I like it.”

  He stands in a fluid movement, licking his lips. “Ah, so I need to figure it out on my own. Good thing I like a challenge.”

  I feel dumb asking, but it’s polite, right? “What do you like?”

  “I will like it when you’re writhing with pleasure because of me. That’s how I want it, Elizabeth.” He makes my name sound like a nasty sex position instead of my great grandma’s legacy. “Right now, though, I want to kiss you more.” Luca swallows hard, his mouth watering from the prospect of kissing me. It alone is a turn-on. He kisses with his whole body, fingers entangled in my hair and his spry chest hair tickles my nipples. I’ve reached the point of no return on my lust scale.

  “God, you’re so hot,” I pant out through ragged breaths. “This, I like this.” Luca leans his forehead against mine, then drags his nose down the side of my face to my ear. Lightly, between his teeth, he grazes the lobe, on his way down to lick the spot just under my ear. I moan, and I can tell he smiles because I can see his eyes out of my peripheral vision.

  “You like that, too.” He kisses me on the way to the other side of my neck. I lose my breath when he traces my collarbone with his top lip. The pleasure surging and yielding as he lingers on some spots and skips others along my torso before kneeling before me. Luca’s face is a rare delight as he grabs my ass and forces my pussy into his mouth. He laves, licks, sucks and my knees buckle before he catches me and swiftly lays me on the couch behind us. There’s no way my muscles have a chance to work correctly when faced with his practiced tongue on my clit.

  My mind clears as my orgasm builds. It’s an intense rush—a fury of need as it builds. Luca growls and sucks my most tender spot. I look down and he’s lost in lust, his eyes reflect a deep hunger I’ve never seen the likes of. That look, not anything else, is what makes me explode into bliss. When the climax hits, Luca delves a finger inside me. “Yes, that’s it. That’s it. For me.” After he’s satisfied I’m finished, and I’m a puddle of jelly, he pulls me on his lap. “How was that?”

  I run my hands through my hair. “The most insane orgasm I’ve ever had.” Swallowing, I try to catch my breath, while processing what sex with him is going to be like. “It’s probably an inappropriate time to tell you I understand why your job is what it is. I’d be lining up for that, too.” I close my eyes to ground myself. When I open them I find him licking his lips looking at mine.

  Kissing him is the logical desire I know he craves it, so I give in, falling into his arms, my scent tingling on his lips and tongue, a reminder of what just happened and what’s to come. He bends my head back to deepen the kiss, running his fingers along my throat. “Your scent drives me wild,” he says, teeth knocking against my own. “I want to fuck you rotten, Elizabeth. Are you ready for that?”

  I nod my head. He stops kissing me, holding my face to his nose to nose. “Say it.”

  I’m panting with need and he wants words. Greedy bastard. “Fuck me rotten, Luca.”

  His smile curls into something sinister and my insides squeeze in anticipation. He pulls me once again to straddle his lap. “Sit on my dick. Go slowly. I need you to get used to it. Your pussy is so tight it might hurt a bit. Play on it a bit.”

  Play on it a bit? Who says that? No one cares who says that, Lizzy, my subconscious hisses. Get on the fucking dick!

  There’s a joke here, about me not having a big ole’ cooch because I don’t fuck for a living, but I do as ordered instead. I want it inside me. Warm and filling, a goddamn pleasure rod made for my wildest dreams. When I grab it, he hisses, but he folds his hands behind his head, the picture of self-control. His lips press into a firm line as I dip my fingers into my pussy and spread that wetness over his cock.

  His dick jumps in my hand as I repeat the gesture twice to coat his shaft. When it’s slick and shiny I pump my hand a few times and position myself on top of him. The head stretches me open, but I’m so wet and horny that the girth doesn’t register as anything except intense, furious pleasure. Balancing myself with my palms on his pecs, I slide down on him a bit more. There it is. The sting of stretching farther than I’ve stretched before. He sees the moment it happens, the light in devious stare turns to concern. “Easy. This is where you play. Let me help.” Luca sets his hands on my hips, and they nearly wrap all the way around my body. “Tiny bounces.” I try to do as he says, but it’s hard. “Breathe, Elizabeth.” As soon as I obey and release a pent-up breath, he lowers me a bit further. He releases my hip with one hand and wraps it around the base of his cock. He pushes it forward. “Is that hitting your G-spot? I can’t tell with my dick, just my fingers.” He smirks.

  I’m aware he’s asking a question, but because the answer is a big fat yes, I can’t speak. Now I get what he’s saying about the bouncing. I move the tiniest fraction up and down, except now I’m nearly filled and his hard cock is rubbing just the right spot. “Oh, fuck,” I hiss as I repeat the movement. My eyes are closed as the sensations whack me like a baseball bat. “What the fuck. I’m going to come.”

  When I open my eyes and Luca looks smug. “Go on then. Work it out.” His neck works as he swallows. “I’ll wait.”

  He doesn’t have to wait long. He increases the pressure, and I continue tiny jerky movements until the waves of bliss flood my body. As soon as my core spasms around him he lets go of his dick, puts both hands on my hips and pushes me all the way down. The orgasm intensifies. Throwing my head back, I scream and pant out my release as he jerks his cock inside me. When the pressure subsides, I lean over and tuck my face into his neck. I inhale his scent and relish this moment of elation. “You’re good at that.”

  He takes my head in my hands. “You have enough endorphins pumping through your body right now to power a third world country.” Luca clears his throat. “Natural painkiller,” he explains. He kisses me, biting my bottom lip a little harder than he did before. He lifts me up and hisses out a pleased groan when he drops me and lets me fall back down on him. “You’re going to need it now, because, Elizabeth? It’s my turn.” He kisses me. “You have one task right now.”

  I make a noise of agreement against his mouth. “Kiss me anytime my lips are free and you can reach them.”

  “Whatever you want.”

  “I’m not going to be easy. You have me frenzied. It’s a state I’m never in. A place I never allow myself to go. Behind the line of control. Are you ready to handle that?”

&nbs
p; Tonguing his neck, I trail up to his ear. “I’m ready. Do your worst, Luca.”

  He pulls my face back with two hands and grins widely. His eyes are near slits right now—he’s turned-on. I imagine this is what his point of no return looks like. “I wouldn’t say that. If I do my worst, you’ll never be able to look at me again. How will that work out back in New York when I meet your family?”

  Instead of getting into a conversation about my family right now, or how I would let him fuck me any day for any good reason because of how good it feels, I start sliding up and down on his cock. His grin turns into pleased laughter. Not the small gyrations, I’m full-on riding his dick, his girth stretching me, and his warmth creating the textbook friction. His smile quickly fades into intense concentration. Luca swoops me up and under him. He’s pumping in me at a slow, luxurious pace, so I wrap my legs around his lower back and let my fingers glide over his biceps and lock behind his neck.

  “You had one job,” he reminds me.

  Wrapped up in being penetrated by this glorious, magical machine, I’d forgotten. I kiss him and let my tongue wander past his lips and into his mouth. It drives him mad—his pace speeding up to a more aggressive assault that rubs my clit on each stroke. I take my job seriously and even though a third orgasm is approaching I give my all to the kiss. Focusing on his lips and tongue instead of the pulsing knot of nerves at my core, begging to be filled with a hot stream of come. My orgasm hits, and I ride it out as calmly as I can. He’s right. The endorphins have turned what could have been something painful into this delicious fat cock sliding in and out of me at an expert pace. This is the kind of sex that is devastating because nothing else will live up to it.