Hot for the Holidays (21 Holiday Short Stories): A Collection of Naughty and Nice Holiday Romances

by Anthology

  I shivered, ready to explode. "Don't be gentle," I begged. I was practically panting already.

  A warm breath escaped his lips and fanned my skin; his erection teased my entrance. "I love you," he whispered as he took hold of my thighs.

  "I love you too, so much, Aidan."

  At the sound of my voice, he thrust inside me, causing my soft scream to bellow around us. Slowly he filled me, my walls hugging him the way they always did. Aidan dug his fingers into my flesh as he pumped in and out, speeding up as I moaned louder and louder. But it wasn’t enough. My hormones pleaded for more. Gripping the comforter, I begged for him, "Faster. Harder."

  He grunted, and pushed into me harder, faster than he ever had before. My skin flushed with heat at the intensity, yet it was the perfect tempo that bound our two bodies, our souls together. Waves of fiery sensations continued to rock through me as each pump and each thrust brought me closer and closer to the release I craved.

  "Baby, I’m close. I can’t hold on." Aidan’s throaty voice panted in between thrusts.

  The second his warm finger reached around my thigh and found my sex, I screamed out in pure pleasure. Two forceful pumps later, Aidan’s name fell from my lips, and my body drowned in ecstasy. I was barely able to hold myself up.

  "Fuck," Aidan growled before bracing his arms on either side of me to catch his breath.

  He disconnected from me and I rolled to my side, resting against the mattress. Aidan’s face was flushed, and a few pools of sweat beaded along his hairline. I smiled. "Mmm," he murmured, as he wiped the moisture away. "If you keep looking at me like that, you might get yourself an encore."

  "I think I’d like that," I admitted.

  A low chuckle escaped him. "Me too, but I think we need some sleep before the big day tomorrow."

  Aidan walked to the bathroom and returned in a pair of boxer briefs, and holding a washcloth. After cleaning me up, he helped me into a sleep shirt and tucked me in. He turned off his bedside light and just sat there on his side of the bed. "’Night, honey," I said to get his attention.

  But Aidan wouldn't look at me. His eyes were distant as he stared at the blank television on our dresser. I sat up with a grunt and turned on my light. "Aidan?" Still nothing. I placed a gentle hand on his bicep, and he flinched. "Baby, what's wrong?"

  His face was pale, his expression grim. ''Cassie?" he muttered, finally meeting my stare. His eyes were filled with horror.

  "What?" Flutters stirred in my belly and I grew anxious.

  He pushed back his soft hair and shook his head. "What if I poked our baby’s head?"

  I bit down on my lip to keep from laughing.

  "This is serious, Cassie." He looked so perplexed, completely consumed by this thought.

  I giggled as I brought my fingers to the stubble on his jaw and slowly caressed him. "Oh honey, there's no possible way."

  He quirked a brow and swallowed hard. "That was not gentle sex at all, Sweet Tea." He paused and closed his eyes. "I poked our baby in the face." He raised a dismissive hand in the air. "Hell, I could've jabbed her in the arm for all I know."

  "Oh, my god." There was no holding it back now. My shoulders shook as I laughed uncontrollably. "Honey, there's no way. You have to believe me." My hand glided down the side of his body until it reached his knee.

  "I just can't," I laughed so hard, tears streamed down my face.

  "You think this is funny?"

  I nodded.

  "Yeah, well, it's not you harming our daughter. Laugh it up, Sweet Tea. No more sex for you." He flashed a wink and I gasped in mock shock.

  "That's not fair! And for the record . . . you could have poked our son, not our daughter."

  His cheeks slackened and his eyebrows rose high. "So, you're saying I did?"

  I shook my head and snorted in laughter. "No! You have to believe me. This baby is more protected than an armored vehicle."

  "Really?"

  "Promise. But I still think it's a boy."

  "Nope. That's the one thing you're wrong about. It's our Maggie girl." He ran his strong hands over the lower part of my stomach. An easy smile spread across his face. "I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?"

  "Yeah, I guess so." An unsettled feeling washed over me as his words sank in.

  Aidan lowered his lips and pressed a warm tingling kiss over my belly.

  "’Night, Sweet Tea." With his kiss still lingering on my skin, he peered up at me. His lashes fluttered over his beautiful eyes. Expressive hazel eyes I hoped our baby would inherit. They had magical powers, and always made me feel so calm and comforted as I stared into them.

  My face creased into a sudden smile. "’Night, baby."

  We crawled under the covers, my husband knowing to place a few extra pillows around me. Upon tucking a large feather pillow between my legs, I glanced at the clock. It was five minutes past midnight. I grinned; giddiness grew wild inside me. Turning toward Aidan, I found his hand and coiled our fingers together. "Merry Christmas."

  "Mmm. Our first Christmas as a family." He brought my knuckles to his mouth. "Merry Christmas, baby."

  There was something to be said for a first holiday together as a family. There was no telling what the day would bring, but something inside said it would be magical.

  Chapter Two

  It was still dark outside and the house was silent as I stood in front of the piles of presents placed around the base of the tree. It was early Christmas morning when I had slipped out of bed to use the restroom and couldn't fall back asleep. I wandered down the hallway and found myself staring at the twinkling lights on the fresh douglas fir we purchased two weeks ago. It was our first Christmas as a family. Jase was almost three, and his excitement and understanding of the holidays was more fun at this age. I couldn't wait to watch him barrel around the corner to see what Santa had left for him.

  The only thing that had me tossing and turning for hours was something Aidan said last night. "I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?"

  The fact we were celebrating today and we didn't know what to call our baby began to eat at me. At first, not finding out the gender seemed the right thing to do. I didn't have a clue what I was having when Jase was born, and it all turned out great. But the woman inside me screamed, yelled, and made me regret this decision now. The sonogram with the results was sealed in an envelope above the fireplace, next to the tree. I couldn’t stop staring at it.

  Maybe, if I just snuck a quick peek and kept it to myself, I’d feel some sort of comfort?

  As I stepped forward, a slight pain tightened my belly. I steadied back on my heels, pressed my lips together in a grimace, and glanced down at my cotton-covered stomach. My lungs stilled as I rubbed my sides and the pain quickly subsided. I brushed it off as probably nothing and returned my thoughts to the white envelope. As I took a step forward, a husky voice froze my movements.

  "Morning, Sweet Tea." Aidan rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he lazily made his way toward me, a pair of plaid pants hanging from his hips. "You're up early." His lips curved to the side in a tired smile. "Excited to see what Santa brought you?"

  Not exactly . . .

  "Uh," I paused and shook my head, fidgeting with my fingers. "Can we talk?" He raised his eyebrows. "Now, you've got me worried." His gaze swept over my body. "Are you okay? Cassie, what is it?" Urgency swam through his rushed words and I instantly regretted my question.

  "No, no." I reached out and touched his arm. "I'm fine. It's nothing big." My attention dropped to the white envelope once again. "I mean, it is a big deal, I guess. I have to ask you something."

  A soft finger tilted my chin up, and our eyes met. "What is it, Sweet Tea?"

  I rubbed my belly, searched for the right words, and smiled when I felt a tiny kick. Aidan's hand immediately touched next to mine. He loved when he could feel our baby. Grinning, I moved my fingers and pressed his palm where the kicks were. Two beats later, his face lit up.

  "Merry Christmas, sweet baby," he murmured. He
glanced down, his face in awe. He or she had been kicking for quite some time, but he never seemed to get over the amazement of it. My heart swelled at his loving words and his gentle voice. I couldn't have asked for a better man.

  "I’ll never get over that." His whole face spread into a smile before he raised a quick brow. "So, what am I about to get suckered into here?" He ran his hand over my stomach in a smooth circular motion before he crossed his arms and smirked.

  It was now or never. "I know we said we'd wait until the baby was born to find out the gender." Both of his brows were now raised high. "But what if we find out this morning?" My words rushed out as if I had opened a floodgate. Aidan blinked several times digesting my request, so I continued, "We could open the envelope together and find out what we’re having. Make it a Christmas to remember!" Enthusiasm and hopefulness filled my unsure voice.

  He rubbed his lips together and shifted his weight. "You've been against this since we had the ultrasound done. Why now?" he asked. Curiosity laced his soft tone.

  "I dunno," I said on a long sigh. "Something was different this morning. I . . . I just want to know." I patted my hand over my chest. "My heart wants to know."

  "Ah, baby." Strong arms wrapped around my body. My ear flattened against his chest and I listened to his loud heartbeat. "We've waited this long. What's a couple more weeks? Let's hold on a little longer. You're stressed." He held me away from him, love veiling his hazel irises. "Sit and relax before Jase wakes up. I'll get breakfast started."

  "So, that's a no?" My lips twisted in a dissatisfied grin.

  He chuckled under his breath. "If it's what you want, you know I'll give you anything. But I don't think it's what you want." He pivoted on his feet and headed toward the kitchen.

  I cocked my head and picked at my fingernails, watching his backside as he left. "And how do you know what I want?"

  He turned, his lips curved to the side in a devious smile, his eyes half-mast. Aidan prowled toward me like a lion in heat. It didn't matter if I was two months pregnant or ready to burst in an instant, he'd always turn me into a needy woman who craved his touch. He stood barely an inch in front of me. My chest began to heave, and my body tingled as he opened his mouth.

  "I'm your husband, and I’ll always know that these goosebumps," he paused, ghosting a finger down my arm, "and the red tinting your face are because of me," he caressed the apples of my cheeks. I moaned, ready to reach for his chiseled stomach and bring him closer to me.

  "That little moan right there is the sound you make right before you tug at the hem of my shirt or graze your finger across my waist." He leaned closer and nibbled at my earlobe. "And of course I know you get anxious when you're stressed. And that you never stop fidgeting with your fingernails when you're overthinking something." He pulled back and covered my hands with his, a slow smile stretching across his stubbly face. "And let's not forget the way you pause right before you ask me something—something you're not ready for but you think you want." I bit down on my lip, overly aware of how right he was. "That’s where I come in and stop you from making a decision you might regret."

  I was beginning to think he knew me better than I even knew myself. A heavy sigh passed through my lips. "How’d I get so lucky to have you?"

  "Fate." His voice was a low timber.

  I closed my eyes, the heaviness of the word settled deep inside of me. We were brought together by a fate stronger than either of us would ever realize. A fate that was so beautiful, yet so sorrowful that it was actually painful to discuss aloud. Our story was one for the books.

  His minty breath fanned my face and tingled my lips. "I think I need an X."

  I quivered and parted my mouth in a smile. "I think I need an O." It was as if I could hear his grin. "XO," I whispered.

  The heat from his close body emanated onto mine as he gathered me into his arms. "XO, Sweet Tea," he said before he kissed me with heated passion.

  I mewed into his mouth and lifted the hem of his shirt. Caressing my fingertips gently against his rippled abs, his muscles contracted under my touch. Eager for more, I dipped my hands under the waistband of his pants. A thick growl ripped through his throat before his tongue ravished mine.

  "Mommy! Daddy!" Jase’s high-pitched squeal froze the movements of our heated bodies. My eyes flashed open to see Aidan’s wide gaze on mine. "Sanna came! Sanna!"

  Jase’s little voice grew closer and we pulled apart, our bodies burning. Aidan ran a hand over his face before he crouched down with his arms open, waiting for our son.

  "Merry Trimas, Mommy and Daddy!" Jase barreled around the corner in his Robin pajamas, and threw himself into Aidan’s embrace.

  Aidan lifted Jase in the air. "Merry Christmas, buddy!" The boy giggled when Aidan swung him around in a circle. Jase wriggled to the floor and he all but ran to me, squeezing his arms around my lower legs.

  "Morning, Jase." I bent in half to pick him up, and as I did, another tight pain shot through my stomach. I sucked in a breath and concealed my cringe. I didn’t want my husband to worry. I was still a few weeks from delivery, and Braxton Hicks contractions were more than likely the culprit. Pushing the thoughts away, I lifted Jase into my arms and propped him on my hip.

  Kissing his squishy cheek, I hugged him tightly. "Merry Christmas, sweet boy."

  Aidan closed in around us, folding us into his long arms, and kissed Jase’s other cheek.

  "Sanna come?" His little brown eyes grew huge as his gaze ping-ponged between us.

  We shared a smile and I slowly lowered Jase to the floor. "Go see, honey!"

  His lips puckered and his brows rose in excitement. He clapped, and then as if Santa himself were waiting with this present, darted toward the room faster than I’d ever seen him run.

  "He came! He came!" He ran around his new bike at least three times before he went straight for the bell Aidan installed on the handlebar.

  Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring . . .

  Aidan pulled me into his side and rested his cheek against my hair. "So, this is what Christmas morning feels like as a parent?" Awe and wonder saturated his low voice and I melted into him.

  "I never want to forget this," I whispered, mentally taking a picture of Jase with the twinkling tree behind him.

  "Me either," he muttered. "And to think, next year we’ll have two kids."

  "I can’t wait." I swirled my hand over my stomach and smiled. "But until then, I need to get started on this meal or we’ll be eating pancakes and eggs for Christmas dinner instead." I giggled and pulled away from his comforting side.

  We had agreed to host dinner this year. Grandma Maggie had been saying how much work it was for her, and with our new house big enough for everyone, we agreed to have the family over. It sounded like a great plan until I realized that I’d be nine months pregnant and cooking.

  "No way, Sweet Tea. Let me do all of it." His firm gaze landed on mine. "You relax. I’ve got this."

  I was pregnant, not dead. There was no way I’d leave him to prepare a meal he probably had no clue how to make.

  "Have you cooked a meal like this before?"

  He gasped in mock defense. "Are you doubting my skills, baby?"

  I chuckled and nodded.

  Jase rode by on his bike with the training wheels secure to its sides and the bell ringing constantly. Aidan winked at me before he followed behind him. Glancing over his shoulder as he tailed Jase’s bike, he asked, "What time do I need to get the turkey in?"

  He was really planning to do this. I knew he’d help, that’s who he was, but this was an entire meal of dishes I wasn’t sure he’d ever made before. "Around eight. But I still have to peel potatoes, prepare the stuffing, and wash the veggies." I sighed. There was a laundry list of food to prepare.

  "Sweet Tea, stop doing that. I’m helping. End of subject." Aidan ruffled Jase’s messy hair as he got off his bike and ran over to his stocking, pulling out toys and chocolate.

  "I’m not on bed rest. I can do this," I grumbled.r />
  Aidan left Jase to his candy and stuffed animals and sauntered toward me. Lacing our hands together, he gazed down at me, his morning stubble overly sexy. "I tell you what." A slow smile spread across his face. "Why don’t you go sit and relax? Enjoy this moment. I’ll make you guys breakfast and then we’ll discuss dinner." He ushered me toward the couch before he brought me a small silver wrapped box with a red bow.

  I blinked up at him, and excitement bubbled up inside me. "What is it?"

  "You have to open it."

  He pivoted and started to leave, but I grabbed hold of his long fingers and secured them inside my grip. "Wait," I begged. "Please stay."

  He turned back around and crouched in front of me, his hands instantly warming my knees. "I’m not going anywhere, Sweet Tea."

  My lips bowed at his response and I lowered my gaze to the gift that lay in my lap. I twirled the red tendril of ribbon and my smile grew. "It’s so beautiful."

  A soft chuckle filled the space between us. "The gift is inside the box, baby."

  I bit back my laughter and glanced up at him.

  "Open it."

  With eager fingers, I peeled back the thick silver paper until I got to the white box underneath. I eased the lid off and pushed aside layers of bright red tissue paper. I sucked in my lips and covered my mouth as I stared at a platinum frame with a picture that instantly melted my heart.

  "Oh, Aidan." My words were muffled by the palm of my hand.

  Looking up at him was a mistake. Tears silently escaped the corners of my eyes as I watched his cheeks split into an even bigger smile.

  "I took it while you were in the rocking chair reading Jase a bedtime story. You both had fallen asleep and I knew I wanted to save that memory."

  "I love it," I whispered. I glanced down at the picture once more, adoring the scene. Jase was on my chest, my head against his, my hand protectively over his little body as the book lay open on my lap. "It’s the perfect memory to have framed."

  My vision had blurred as I looked up at Aidan. He rose from the floor and pressed his loving lips to my forehead.