Snow Angel (The Hope Falls Chronicles)

by Shawn, Melanie

  He reached up and threaded his fingers through the soft, silky strands of her hair. His fingertips grazed her scalp as his hand reached the nape of her neck, tilting her head up to give himself better access to her plump lips. Leaning down, he stopped when they were a breath apart. “Do you know how incredibly beautiful you are?” he gritted out, his lips lightly meeting hers as he spoke.

  The soft sound of need that was now becoming his favorite sound in the world escaped her throat and she reached up. Her hands landed on his shoulders as she dug her fingers firmly into him, sending a jolt of arousal shooting straight to his groin.

  He needed her. Now.

  Crushing his mouth to hers, he felt her body instantly melt against his. The second their lips met, she opened to him and their kiss became hot and aggressive. She met his tongue stroke for stroke. He ravished her mouth with a frenzy he couldn’t control. She tasted sweet, almost like candy.

  Her pelvis rocked hard against him. Searching. Seeking.

  Without breaking their kiss, he reached down and hooked his hand under her knees, lifting her so her legs were at either side of his hips and he was positioned at her core. She immediately locked her feet around his back, causing even more intimate contact.

  A guttural groan he didn’t even recognize ripped from his chest as he felt the heat of her center through his sweats. His rock-hard length pressed firmly against her femininity as she rocked seductively into him. His fingers gripped her thighs and he could feel her muscles tighten as she moved her body in a rhythm that made him think he’d be coming if he were inside of her right now.

  He needed to feel her. He wanted to touch her skin. Lifting his hand, he moved from her thigh as he skimmed his fingertips up her hip and under her sweater. He felt her baby soft skin beneath his touch tremble as his hand traveled up her body.

  Still locked in their passionate kiss, Eric paused for a moment when he came into contact with her bra. Then, slowly, he traced its outline, her full mound rubbing against his knuckles as he did. Reaching down, she gripped his forearm and pushed his hand up towards her chest. He spread his hand wide, and the second he felt the weight of her breast in his palm, he wrapped his fingers around its fullness.

  Lily pulled away from his kiss, saying his name through short pants. “Eric.”

  Kneading her breast in his hand, he reached down to kiss her again. Just like the needy sound she made had made his favorites chart, her kisses were very quickly becoming his favorite thing in the whole world.

  She pulled away once more, causing him to still. Her breathing was labored and her eyes were heavy-lidded as she said, “You’re vibrating.”

  What?

  He had no idea what she was talking about.

  She shook her head slightly as if trying to clear it. “I mean, I think your phone is vibrating.”

  Oooh.

  Eric reluctantly pulled his hand out from under her sweater and sat her down so her feet touched the floor.

  Pulling his phone from his pocket, he saw that he had three missed calls from the station.

  Shit.

  ---~---

  As Eric checked his phone, Lily used the distraction to straighten her clothes and run her fingers through her hair. She noticed as she did that that her hands were shaking. Of course they were. She always started shaking right before she came, and if they hadn’t been interrupted, Lily was pretty sure she would have had an orgasm up against the wall of her entryway from just from kissing, dry humping, and Eric getting to second base.

  She would be embarrassed by that fact except that she had felt Eric’s erection pulsing harder and faster as they had been making out. He may not have been on the brink yet, but she was pretty sure he was headed in that direction. The thought that she could get him to that point while they were both fully clothed made her feel…happy.

  Each time they kissed, she was surprised by how connected and perfect it felt. His lips were somehow firm, soft, aggressive, and gentle all at the same time. She had no idea how he managed to pull that off. Then there was his tongue, which was the perfect combination of hot and wet. He controlled their kisses, never letting them feel sloppy no matter how frenzied they got.

  Eric kissed her with passion and authority while catering to her body’s every need. When he kissed her, it felt like he was making love to her. And when his hands wrapped around her, she felt the innate safety in his touch as well as the promise of the heights of ecstasy he could bring her to.

  After listening to his messages, he tapped on his phone and placed it to his ear. His jaw tightened as he spoke. “It’s Maguire. Tell Sullivan I’ll be there in fifteen.”

  He returned the phone to his pocket, his crystal blue eyes lined by dark eyelashes as he looked down at Lily. He sighed as he reached out and brushed a stray hair from the side of her face. Leaning his forehead against hers, he sighed again, “I have to go.”

  “I figured,” she said, her voice still sounding a little shaky.

  “I don’t want to,” he said with regret, his tone sounding much too serious.

  “I figured,” she repeated, smiling as she attempted to lighten the mood.

  He smiled at that, and she felt a little flutter in her chest knowing she was the one who put that grin on his face. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers for one more all too brief, scorching hot lip-lock before turning towards the door.

  As he stepped outside, she moved to the doorway. He patted his leg, calling Shadow, but the dog just plopped down beside her. She wanted to ask if he could stay with her, but she didn’t want to sound needy.

  Eric raised his gaze to hers. “I’ll probably need to pull an all-nighter. Do you mind if he stays with you?”

  “No! Not at all,” Lily exclaimed, not even trying to hide her excitement.

  A huge smile spread across Eric’s face. “You be a good boy for Lily.”

  Shadow barked.

  “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” Eric said as he made his way across Lily’s yard.

  “Be safe,” Lily called out as she shut the door.

  She’d said the words without even thinking about them. But after she had, she realized that there was a reason she had. Eric’s job was not safe.

  It may not be as dangerous as being a cop in a big city that had high crime rates, but it was still a high-risk job.

  Lily didn’t know what she felt about that. Maybe his job was the very reason she’d been attracted to him even though he didn’t fit the typical cookie-cutter ‘bad boy’ mold. There was a good chance that her pheromones, hormones, sexmones—whatever you wanted to call it—were responding to the fact that, although Eric himself wasn’t dangerous, his job was.

  Or maybe she’d just been attracted to him because he was ridiculously hot and then thought about him all the time because of his toe-curling kisses and the fact that he was just fun to be around.

  Shadow barked at her as she remained standing in the entryway.

  “Sorry, my handsome boy.” She knelt down to give him some love. “Or maybe I just like Eric because he has the best, smartest, most handsome dog in the whole world.”

  This time when Shadow barked, he spun around in a little happy circle.

  Sitting on the floor of her little rental house, playing with a dog that wasn’t even hers as her lips still tingled from the knock-down, drag-out, mind-blowing kiss she’d just experienced, she honestly felt like she had everything she could ever want in the world.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Eric took a heaping helping of spaghetti before passing the bowl to Nikki. She glanced down at the now almost empty bowl then, scowled and said, “Mama, I think the boys should have to fill their plates last. There’s never any left when it gets to us.”

  “Oh now hush. They are growing boys and they need their strength, Nicoletta,” his mom told his sister, using her full name. “Don’t worry. I have more in the kitchen.” As his mom stood, gathering the bowl, Laverne and Shirley, his parents' two corgis, woke from their naps
and were hot on her heels, barking excitedly as she went to the kitchen to get more food.

  Eric looked across the table just in time to see his brother giving Nikki a smug, satisfied grin.

  Nikki rolled her eyes at Jake. Calling into the kitchen, she yelled, “They are not ‘growing boys,’ Mama. Eric’s thirty-four and Jake’s thirty-one. They are grown men. Not that they act like it.”

  “Don’t listen to her, Mom! We’re still growing boys,” Jake shouted.

  Eric’s dad spoke for the first time since sitting down at the table. “No yelling at the table.” Sean Maguire was infamous for inhaling his food. Rarely did he stop to talk or even take a drink of water. If food was on his plate, he just shoveled it in.

  “Why didn’t you invite that beautiful Lily over for dinner, Eric?” his mom asked as she set the now full bowl of spaghetti onto the table and slipped back into her chair.

  “I don’t think we are quite at the family dinner stage, Mom.”

  “What stage are you at then, bro?” Jake asked as he stuffed a large piece of garlic bread in his mouth.

  “The M.Y.O.B. stage,” Eric replied.

  “Ohhh burned,” Nikki said as she rubbed her palms together like they had when they were kids and someone had been ‘burned.’

  “I don’t understand all these abbreviations you kids use these days.” His mom shook her head. “I just found out what L.O.L. means. Now what is this M.Y.O.B. nonsense? And is it a good stage for a relationship or not?”

  “It means mind your own business, Mom. It’s not a relationship stage,” Amy matter-of-factly explained.

  “I gotta hit the jacks,” his dad said as he stood from his chair and stretched his hands over his head before heading down the hall. Like clockwork, the minute the last bite cleared from his dad’s plate, he went to the john.

  “Have you figured out what you’re going to wear for the party, Mom?” Nikki asked, clapping her hands together in excitement.

  “Oh well, I’m sure I’ve got something up in the closet that’ll do.”

  “Mom, this is your fortieth anniversary party. You need to get a new dress!” Nikki exclaimed dramatically.

  “Oh, no one’s going to be looking at me.” Eric’s mom waved her hand dismissively.

  Nikki looked at their mother like she could not believe those words had just left her mouth. “Everybody is going to be looking at you, Mom. It’s your party!”

  Usually Eric thought that Nikki was a tad too dramatic about things, but in this case, he actually agreed with his sister. “It might be nice if you got something new, Mom,” Eric said, throwing in his two cents.

  “Well, if you think so,” his mom nodded in agreement.

  “Oh. My. God. Are you kidding me?” Nikki said, shooting Eric a dirty look, to which Eric just smiled and winked at her.

  He knew that it drove his youngest sister crazy that his mom did tend to favor the boys. His mom maintained that it was how she was raised. Traditional Italian. Amy never seemed to mind it. At least she never mentioned it bothering her.

  Eric would have been upset on his sisters’ behalf if his father hadn’t treated the girls like they were angels—which one of them was, but the other one had horns! It was fair to say that his dad was tough on his boys and let his girls get away with murder. So in Eric’s book, the two of his parents pretty much canceled each other out.

  “What are you wearing to the party, Pops?” Eric asked as his father rejoined them at the table.

  “Well, boyo, it’s been donkey’s years since I’ve tried on my good ol’ faithful suit but I bet ya the old boy still fits.” His dad made a show of rubbing his belly.

  “Are you bringing that lovely Lily?” his mom asked.

  “Yes, son, are ya bringing that fine thing?” His dad leaned forward in his chair.

  “Oh, Lily’s coming,” Nikki said casually as she cut her pasta into small pieces

  “How do you know she’s coming?” his mom asked as she reached out and patted his sister’s hand, making a tsk sound.

  In Italy, it was a big no-no to eat spaghetti like that. You twirled your spaghetti with a fork and spoon. Never cut it. He knew his sister was only doing it to get on his mom’s nerves.

  When Nikki didn’t answer right away, Amy spoke up, “We invited her the other night at our book club meeting.”

  “Oh, that’s lovely my bella,” his mother said affectionately to Amy.

  It didn’t matter that she’d already been invited by his sisters. Eric was still going to ask her to go with him.

  He’d planned on inviting Lily himself, but the last two nights he’d had to work, picking up patrol shifts since the department was so understaffed. So he’d only seen Lily long enough to drop off Shadow. And kiss her. Yeah, he probably would have had time to ask her if the second she’d answered the door he hadn’t grabbed her and pressed her up against the wall. Just like the sound and the kiss, that wall was quickly becoming his favorite place in the entire world.

  Nikki’s phone beeped, and right after that, Amy’s did as well. Both girls pulled their devices out of their purses and their faces lit up at the same moment.

  “We gotta go,” Nikki said hurriedly, wiping her face as she began to stand. “Amanda’s back from her honeymoon and all the girls are meeting at JT’s Roadhouse.”

  “What about dinner?” his mom said, a hurt expression crossing her face.

  “Dinner was great! Dad’s already done and so am I.” Nikki leaned over and kissed their mom on her cheek as she pulled her purse onto her shoulder.

  Amy stood as well but she had her and Nikki’s dinner plates in her hands. “Do you need help with the dishes, Mama?”

  “Oh no no no, my sweet Amalia. You go have fun.” Then, lowering her voice to a whisper, his mom added, “And keep an eye on your sister.”

  “I can hear you, Mom!” Nikki shook her head in irritation.

  Jake’s phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Looks like the boys are meeting up there too.”

  “Great,” Nikki said, seeming disappointed.

  “Don’t worry, sis. I won’t cramp your style.” Jake stood, put his arm around Nikki’s neck, and started giving her a noogie.

  “Dad,” his little sister whined.

  His father stood. “All right now, that’s enough, boyo. Don’t be an eejit.”

  Jake immediately released Nikki, who, in turn, stuck out her tongue at him.

  Shaking his head at his siblings, Eric grabbed his coat. “Do you want a ride?” he asked Amy, who lived down the street from his parents, since she had walked to their house for dinner.

  “Sure,” Amy replied.

  As he and his siblings left his parents’ house, he heard his dad yell, “Look at my kids. All headed out together on the tear. Now don’t go getting locked.”

  Jake looked at Eric sideways. “Only our dad would be proud of his kids all going out drinking together.”

  “Hey, he did say not to get drunk,” Nikki defended. “Daddy’s girl,” Jake said under his breath.

  “I’d rather be a daddy’s girl than a momma’s boy!” Nikki pushed her brother.

  “Kids,” Eric said to Amy, shaking his head as they got into his SUV. He truly believed that those two would still be acting like this in their eighties.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I came to meet my friends,” Lily told Levi, for at least the tenth time in so many minutes. He kept teasing her, insisting that she’d come to see him.

  “Sure ya did,” the bartender said with a wink as he went to take a newly arrived couple’s order.

  Looking around, she couldn’t believe how packed the place was. All of the tables in the dining area were full. The three pool tables in the back all had groups of people hovered around them, players and spectators alike. And the bar itself looked to hold about fifty people and there were only a handful of stools open.

  To his credit, Levi seemed to be handling the crowd like a pro. Everyone was served and happy. She watch
ed as he filled several orders at once, chatting with some customers.

  On paper. Levi had it all. He was cute, funny, and tattooed, and he definitely screamed bad boy. But Lily looked at him and felt nothing.

  No sparks. No fireworks. No volcanic eruption of tingles.

  Which was exactly what happened when she looked at Eric. Or kissed Eric. Or just thought about Eric.

  The last few nights that he’d come over to drop off Shadow, he’d definitely left her hot and bothered. Not that she minded. Those few stolen moments they’d been sharing every day had been some of the best of her life.

  She loved the way that the second she opened the door he would press her up against the wall and kiss her senseless. It felt raw. Like Eric needed to kiss her as much as he needed his next breath. It was a heady feeling to have that kind of attention focused solely on you.

  Every night he ended the kiss the same way. By reluctantly pulling away and, in a very serious tone, saying that they needed to talk. And every night she would just nod her head, not really able to form words in her lust-drunken state. Then he would kiss her once more, turn and leave.

  They hadn’t actually gotten around to the ‘talking’ part of the program yet. Which was just fine by Lily. In fact, if all they ever did was kiss, Lily would be perfectly content.

  Well, that wasn’t true. They would definitely need to move things past the kissing stage if she was going to be truly satisfied. But she would definitely take kissing over talking any day of the week.

  “You sure I can’t get you anything else?” Levi asked as he walked past her and opened up the cooler, grabbing a few beers. “It’s on the house.”

  “No, I’m good, but thanks.”

  Taking another sip of her water, she wondered just what Eric wanted to talk to her about. Was it her? Her past? Was it them?

  In Lily’s experience, the few guys she’d been involved with actually appreciated the fact that she didn’t like to talk about herself, her past, or any kind of relationship status. They genuinely seemed to prefer it that way. But Eric had told her three nights in a row that they needed to “talk.”