Kiss Me for Christmas
Page 20
She looked down at her breasts and back up at him, exasperated. “Can we continue this conversation in front of the fire?”
He laughed and put his arms around her, picking her up, and she sighed in relief and wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked through the house into the living room. “I’d take you upstairs, but it’ll be warmer here, in front of the fire.”
“Take me anywhere you want,” she said, breathless. “I don’t care.”
“I meant…oh, never mind.” He closed the living room door behind him. The fire leapt merrily in the grate, and the room glowed with cozy warmth. He carried her over to the sofa, lowered himself carefully onto the middle cushion, and then turned and lay back with her on top of him.
Holly stretched out along him, enjoying the feel of his firm body beneath hers, his hands on her skin. He slid his hand into her hair and pulled her head down so he could kiss her, and her blood fired with desire at the heat of his mouth.
He moved both hands to her shoulders and stroked down her back, and she sighed as he brought them back up to cup her breasts, his palms warm through the lace. “Oh,” she said softly as he brushed her nipples, and he murmured his approval, sliding one hand around to the center of her back to press the clasp of her bra. It came undone in his hand.
He pushed her up so she was sitting astride him and drew the garment down and tossed it on the floor. She smiled, a little shy under his admiring gaze, sighing as he cupped her breasts again. He squeezed her nipples gently, and she moaned and arched her back, filling his hands with her breasts.
That was pretty much the end of any rational thought in either of their heads.
Noel kissed her, the full heat of his desire evident in the way he plunged his tongue into her mouth and held her tightly to him so that she was very aware of the extent of his arousal. He pressed his erection into the soft, swollen part of her, and Holly gasped, pushing her hips down, giving erotic sighs as he covered a nipple with his mouth and teased it with his tongue.
Suddenly he turned her onto her back and pushed himself up, kneeling beside the sofa. She watched, heart pounding, as he carefully unclipped her stockings and peeled them down her legs, unfastened her garter belt, and threw all of it on the rapidly growing pile of discarded clothes. Finally, he eased her lacy knickers down her thighs and calves, and then she was naked beneath him, her pale skin golden in the light of the fire.
He undid the buttons of his shirt and let that slip to the ground too before leaning over her. “God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, his gaze caressing her face and body.
“So are you.” It was true—his body was muscular and toned, and she ran her fingers up his arms and down his chest in delight, threading her fingers through the scatter of dark hair on his chest, tracing his nipples lightly. “You don’t look like a science teacher.”
He chuckled and kissed her again, then trailed his mouth down her body, planting kisses along her neck, tasting her pulse points, licking and sucking as he went until her breathing grew fast and uneven and the room spun. He reached her stomach and pressed his lips beneath her navel. She closed her eyes as he gently pushed her legs apart and continued exploring her with his mouth.
“Oh, Merry Christmas,” she murmured in a kind of delirium, and he gave a short laugh before sliding his tongue into her.
Holly lay in a state of blissful ecstasy as he aroused her slowly, the fire warming her outside as his tongue sent her internal thermometer soaring. Her long, heartfelt sighs turned gradually into moans as heat built inside her, and when she came, she clenched her fingers in his hair and cried out as the climax swept over her, wave after wave of glorious pleasure.
Afterward, she lay in a daze as he kissed his way up her body, taking time to touch his lips and tongue to her wrists and the insides of her elbows, to suck her fingers and kiss her palms, until even before his lips found hers, she could feel herself growing interested again.
“Wow,” she said as he wrapped her in his arms and nuzzled her ear. “It’s an absolute crime that womankind has been denied that for three years.”
He laughed and kissed her, and then, before she could protest, he lifted her up and sat on the sofa, pulling her astride him again. Somewhere along the way—presumably while she’d been lying there in a sexual haze—he’d divested himself of his trousers, and his eager erection pressed against her warm, wet folds as he kissed her again.
Suddenly, however, he pulled back and looked at her with something like alarm.
She raised her head, worried he’d decided he couldn’t go ahead out of respect for his dead wife or something. Please don’t let it be that. “What?”
“Shit. Sorry, Holly, I didn’t think. I don’t have any protection.”
“Ah.” She studied him, knowing she should be upset, but unable to feel anything but a glow at the knowledge he hadn’t planned this, hadn’t come here intending to seduce her. Everything had happened naturally, organically, and it felt right.
“Do you?” he asked hopefully.
She shook her head, adding, “I had no idea I was going to be this lucky.” He gave a short laugh, but she could see his brain working furiously. “You want me to walk to Fort Augustus? I’m happy to.”
His eyes were bright with amusement. “Hopefully that won’t be necessary.” He lifted her and moved her next to him. “Give me a minute.”
He disappeared out the door and she heard him run up the stairs, taking two at a time. She brought up her knees and hugged them, still trembling at the intensity of her orgasm, crossing her fingers as she willed there to be a pack of condoms somewhere in the bathroom.
Within twenty seconds, he reappeared, holding up a line of foil packets triumphantly. “Ta-da!”
“Thank the gods!”
“Thank Paul,” he said fervently. “Remind me to replace them before we leave.” He tossed the packets onto the table and pulled her to her feet. Lifting her, he wrapped her legs around him before sinking back onto the sofa with her astride him again. “Now, where were we?”
…
Noel was in seventh heaven. Or maybe even eighth or ninth. How many heavens were there? Whatever the number, he was definitely somewhere near the top. Holly kissed him and filled his senses with her fragrance and taste. She smelled of roses and mince pies, and she tasted of chocolate and sweet white wine. Her skin was like satin beneath his fingertips, and her breasts were full and heavy in his hands. Her nipples had softened during his dash to find condoms, so he rolled them between his forefingers and thumbs, enjoying the way she moaned against his mouth as the velvet peaks tightened to firm buds in his hands.
He played with her until her breathing grew irregular and her soft sighs filled the room, and then they made each other laugh by reaching for the foil packets at the same time. He tore one off and extracted the condom, holding his breath as she took it from him and gave him a knowing wink. She rolled it onto him slowly, making him groan, his hands curling into fists as he struggled to control the desire threading through him, strong and neat as the whisky he’d been drinking.
Eventually, she lifted herself up and he felt the tip of his erection press into her. He caught his breath as she lowered herself, and very slowly, he slid into her welcoming body.
His head fell back on the sofa, and he breathed out in a controlled exhalation. He’d forgotten the intensity of this feeling—this wonderful sensation of oneness, of being inside a woman, feeling her close around him, warm and wet and magnificent.
“Noel?” She kissed his eyelids, his cheekbones, his lips. “Are you okay?”
He waited for a sweep of guilt, a twang of remorse that Ella was fading from his mind, but he couldn’t dredge up anything except pleasure and joy at the fact the woman he was loving at that moment was so real in his arms. “I’m sublime,” he said, opening his eyes and staring up at her. She looked wanton and alluring, all ruffled hair and swollen lips, her eyes half-lidded with passion. “God, Holly, you’re so beautiful.”
She smiled and bent her head to let her lips hover over his as, slowly and gently, she rolled her hips to let him slide out, then back in again. “Oh, that feels fantastic,” she sighed.
“Oh, yeah.” He ran his hands over her, enjoying the dampness of her skin in the heat of the room, the softness of her heavenly feminine form.
She continued to move on top of him, tipping back her head and arching her spine, then bending forward to kiss him as she welcomed him deeper and deeper inside her. He began to lose himself in her, all thoughts and emotions melting together as his body took over and desire rose in a great wave to sweep over him. There was no past, no future, nobody else in that room except him and Holly, and he felt a deep, dark craving rise within him for this kind, passionate, sexy woman.
Her breathing quickened and she was moving more purposefully, but it wasn’t hard or fast enough, so he held her tightly by the hips and moved forward onto his knees on the rug in front of the fire, making her gasp. He lowered her onto her back, groaning as she tightened her legs around him. He pushed himself up almost to a kneeling position, leaning over her and sighing as she stretched out beneath him, arms over her head, reveling in the heat of the fire on her skin.
He withdrew, then pushed forward, deep inside her, and she moaned, arching against him and welcoming him in. He thrust more urgently, lifting her hips with one hand to angle himself so he was arousing her as he moved, watching her and enjoying her sighs of pleasure as he thrust hard.
He felt her orgasm begin from miles away, listening to her breathing change, seeing her cheeks flush, feeling her start to grow tighter around him. “Yes, Holly, come for me,” he urged, and she gasped, climaxing hard and fast, squealing with the intensity of it. He glowed inside at the thought that he was the cause of her pleasure.
And then he felt the heat rush over him, and he shuddered and came inside her, groaning as she raked her nails down his back and pushing up hard to encourage him to thrust deeper. His orgasm seemed to go on forever, and by the end, he was sweating and exhausted, shaking, and wrung out.
He rested his forehead on her shoulder as his breathing slowed. He felt her kiss his ear, and her hands stroked his back gently.
When he finally lifted his head, it was to see her green eyes shining with affection, her lips curving as she ran her hand through his hair. “Happy birthday,” she said and giggled.
“Merry Christmas,” he said, and they both started laughing.
She kissed his nose. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He kissed her lips. “You’re amazing.”
She chuckled. “You’re not so bad yourself. You did damn fine considering you haven’t had any for three years. I was half expecting you to only last thirty seconds.”
“It wasn’t easy. I deserve a medal.” He groaned as she laughed again, and he withdrew from her as gently as he could, rolling over onto his back. He disposed of the condom, then pulled her to him, and she curled up, her head on his shoulder.
“Thank you,” he murmured, feeling the heat of the fire wash over him, sated and content.
“You are very, very welcome.” Her fingers played with the hairs on his chest. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure, sweetheart.” She raised herself up on an elbow and looked down at him. He reached up a hand and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead, returning her hesitant smile. “What?” he asked, sensing that she wanted to ask him something.
“Do you…do you feel okay? I mean, you don’t regret what we just did?”
He laughed. “That would be a resounding no.”
“I’m serious, Noel. Because of Ella, I mean. I know you’ve waited, and I don’t want you to—”
He kissed her to stop her talking. Then he kissed her again, slower, more thoroughly, because it was nice.
“Mm,” she said, pressing her lips together.
“Does that answer your question?”
“Kinda.” She wrinkled her nose at him.
“What’s the time?”
She checked her watch. “Nearly midnight.”
He smiled. “It’s nearly your birthday then.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” She studied him thoughtfully. “Have you got me a present?”
In reply, he ran his fingers lightly down her back and raised an eyebrow.
“Already?” she said, pretending to be shocked.
“Well, come on, it’s been three years. I’m going to make the most of you while I’ve got you.” He held her tightly and tipped her onto her back, making her squeal. “Unless you’d rather watch another movie instead?”
“Oh, no,” she said, threading her fingers through his hair. “I know what I want for my birthday.”
“It won’t be a surprise. You’ve already opened it.”
“You could tie a bow around it for me.”
“Only if you promise to undo it with your teeth.”
They both laughed, and then they were kissing again, and as the logs rustled in the grate and the snow continued to fall outside, they lost themselves once more in each other, content on that Christmas night to make love until the fire died and the room grew cool.
…
The vibrating of Holly’s mobile phone woke her. She’d set it to silent the night before, but it rattled on the bedside table, jerking her awake.
Light seeped through the chink in the curtains, and she blinked blearily at the display that read just after seven thirty. She looked at the caller ID.
Jackson.
Her heart leapt into her throat. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Noel still asleep in her bed, lying on his back and tangled in the duvet, his chest rising and falling evenly. They’d finally made it up to her room shortly after one in the morning, but their lovemaking had continued there, long and lazy, as they filled the night with their moans and soft sighs.
She thought about canceling the call, but knowing Jackson, he’d only call again until she answered, and she didn’t want to wake Noel. She slid out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown and slippers, pressing the answer button on the phone as she slipped out of the room.
“Hello?” she said.
“Holly?”
“Hi, Jackson.” She only just stopped herself from saying “Jackass,” and tried not to giggle.
“Hey.” He hesitated. “Where are you? You sound different.”
“I’m in Scotland.” And I sound different because I’ve been making love all night with an insatiable science-teacher-turned-stud.
“Scotland? What are you doing there?”
“A friend asked me if I wanted to go with him, and I didn’t want to spend Christmas alone,” she said defensively.
There was a moment’s silence. “Him?”
She bit her lip. That had been a slip of the tongue. “Just a friend from work.”
“I see.”
She massaged her forehead. “What do you want, Jackson? What business is it of yours anyway whom I choose to go on holiday with?”
“It’s none of mine, I know.” He sounded apologetic. “It’s just…I wanted to wish you happy birthday.”
Of course, it was her birthday. She closed herself in the bathroom, sat on the toilet seat, and ran her hand through her hair. “Oh, yeah. Well, thanks.”
“I got you a present.”
She frowned. “Oh?”
“It’s that guitar case you wanted—the one with flowers all over it?”
She stared at the floor, puzzled now. She’d wanted the case desperately for ages, but the thought of him buying it for her made her feel uncomfortable. “Why are you buying me presents?”
“I…I miss you.”
She blinked, shocked. “What?”
“I realized how stupid I was. I love you, Hol. I always have. I don’t know what I was thinking. It was a crap Christmas Day—usually you’re there making things all wonderful, with fantastic food and great music, making me laugh, but it was just crap, and I really missed you.” He sounded genuine. “I want you back, Hol. Come home.”
“We all say stupid things when we’re angry. I know you don’t like some of the stuff that goes on at work, and sometimes it made me frustrated that you didn’t join in. But I went out with the lads on Christmas Eve and, to be honest, I’m getting tired of them. They’re immature, making jokes all the time, thinking of nothing except beer and football and getting laid.”
“I thought you liked getting laid.”
“I do,” he said earnestly, either missing or ignoring the irony in her words, “but only with you, Hol.”
Confused, she walked across the room to the small window and pushed it open. Snow fell from the window ledge onto the floor, and the crisp, cold air seeped in to chill her. She had a history with Jackson. Years of familiarity. She knew his family, his friends, and he knew hers. She knew his ways, what made him tick, what food he liked, how to please him in bed.
“I want kids,” he said.
Her heart seemed to shudder to a halt. “Kids?”
“Yes. Children. With you, Holly. I don’t know why we never talked about it before, but I want a family with you. I want it all. Come back to me, Hol. Come and marry me, spend the rest of your life with me.”
“Jackson, stop!” This was too much. She pressed her palm to her forehead. “You’ve never talked about any of this before. You’ve never mentioned marriage or children.”
“I know, and I don’t know why. It’s all I keep thinking about, and I want it all.”
I want, I want. She realized he hadn’t asked her what she wanted.
What did she want?
She thought about Noel. Okay, so she’d seen him at school for a year or so, but she didn’t know him. She’d only really talked properly to him over the last day or so. He was a widower who had clearly adored his late wife, and it was obvious he was having difficulty getting over her. Sure, they’d had sex last night, but Holly had told him before she stripped off they were two adults seeking comfort from each other, no more, no less. They’d had a great night. But that didn’t mean they’d have a future. Noel might be racked with guilt when he awoke. He might never be able to get over Ella. He might decide he never wanted to get married again, or that he couldn’t bear to have children with another woman. She’d known him intimately for one night. She couldn’t base any hopes on what they’d experienced.