Santa Baby: a Crescent Cove Romantic Comedy Collection

by Quinn, Taryn

  “As I said, Beck owed me a favor.”

  “But this favor could have been a pretty amazing bed for you.”

  “I have one.” He sat up and gathered his tools. “You needed it.”

  “But this is like a thousand-dollar set.”

  “Two.”

  My eyes went wide. “Dare.”

  “It was a big favor. Besides, he makes this stuff. He charges too much.”

  “He made this?”

  “Yeah. Runs the furniture shop but most of it is his stuff.” He shrugged. “Local boy done good, right?”

  I sagged onto the bed. “It’s too much.”

  I nearly asked if he was trying to Christian Grey me before sense kicked in. Dare was no megalomaniac bazillionaire.

  He did have a caviar-level penis though, if such a thing existed.

  “You appreciate it, right?”

  “Of course I do.” Just as swiftly, I stood up. “Thank you so much.” I looped my arms around his neck for a quick hug.

  He didn’t seem to know quite what to do with his arms. Then he awkwardly patted my back. “It’s fine. Besides, I’m not being completely altruistic, Nuts Lady.”

  “Is that so, Pizza Guy?”

  He huffed out something between a grunt and a laugh. “You’re fucking gorgeous.”

  I stepped back from him and the backs of my knees bumped into the bed. “You’re just saying that because there’s a big ole bed behind me.”

  “I don’t say shit I don’t mean.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. Besides, you know you’re gorgeous. I’m not the first guy to say it.”

  “Who says?”

  He tunneled his fingers into my hair and gathered the strands at the base of my neck. Probably sweaty strands, but what was a little perspiration between friends? “There can’t be that many stupid men on this planet.”

  “Wrong answer. But no one says it like you do.”

  Six

  I wished I hadn’t said that. His eyes went wary and I wanted to chew off my damn tongue. “I just mean all rough and gruff.” I swallowed down a hysterical laugh. “Sometimes a girl likes it rough.”

  “Is that so?” His fingers twisted my hair a little tighter.

  I trailed my finger down the center of his chest to the hem of his shirt and snuck under it to flick open the button of his jeans. “My job just got really complicated and I want to forget about it for an hour. Think you might be interested in—”

  “Yeah. I’m fucking interested.” He interrupted what was going to be a saucy little question and closed his mouth over mine.

  Thank God. I didn’t want to screw this up by inserting my foot in my mouth again. I was perfectly happy with his tongue instead. Good thing, because holy mercy, was it talented.

  And he did not waste time. Did I mention thank God? Because I really didn’t want to think right now. My brain was still spinning with the quick change in my entire teaching plan.

  He tugged my hair. “With me, darlin’. Or we don’t do this.”

  “I’m here.” I snapped back into the moment and focused on his icy blue eyes. “I’m sorry. Please make me forget about today.” I could see the indecisiveness living in his frown lines. I reached up and brushed my finger down through the furrow. “None of this.” I boldly arrowed my touch down into his beard and tugged lightly.

  It was short and very neat. I didn’t have to worry about something nesting in there like some men. So blond and dense with a touch of golden streaks just like his hair.

  Like the outside wanted to give him a little shine.

  Except he worked in a dark car shop, didn’t he? How did he get all those tan lines and streaky bits?

  His other hand coasted down my ass and gripped tightly. “Stop getting all thinky or I’ll have to find a way to empty that mind of yours.”

  “Oh, yeah?” I pushed up his shirt and went for his nipple. His chest was smooth and muscled. Where his face was dense with hair, his chest was hairless. Except for the line leading into the snap of his jeans.

  No, that was definitely not smooth.

  I didn’t know quite what I was doing. My ex had expected things, and I knew to do them, but it felt different with Dare. I wanted to touch and taste. I nipped at the side of his pectoral muscle and started to slide lower.

  Instead of allowing me to go for the blow job I’d been intending—what man didn’t like that?—he cupped my face and dragged my mouth back up to his. The kiss was wild and dirty. There was no hiding from what he wanted.

  And I so didn’t want to hide.

  Reckless abandon ahoy.

  He pushed at his jeans and the heavy thud of his work boots nearly clipped my toes. I lost my footing and bashed into him. Instead of annoyance, he used the momentum to spin me around to face the bed.

  He curled his forearm around my waist as he pushed down my cutoffs. “Don’t need these.” He lifted me and dumped me on the naked mattress.

  I shot a look over my shoulder. “Dare.”

  He reached behind his neck and grabbed his T-shirt, dragging it over his head. “Yeah? You wanted to be distracted, right?” He kicked my legs apart. “I aim to provide.”

  I collapsed onto my chest and struggled onto my elbows only to have him haul me up and move me higher on the bed.

  “I need a little room, darlin’.” He lowered his mouth to the dip right above my butt.

  I wiggled, suddenly nervous and uncomfortable. My butt was not my finest asset. A strangled giggle broke free. Asset indeed.

  He pushed my shirt up with his nose. “Find this funny?”

  “You probably wouldn’t.”

  He tucked his hand under my belly and down between my thighs. “I prefer screams to laughter.”

  I hissed out a breath that ended in a laugh. Something very hard, and very insistent dug into my thigh as he shoved my shirt higher. I definitely didn’t find that funny. Nope. Just wanted more of it. And not poking me there.

  I shifted restlessly under his touch, trying to urge him higher. Suddenly, all the sunlight in my room was gone as my shirt got tangled in my hair as he tried to get it off me. I arched to help and he flipped the cups of my lacy bra up. His rough fingers abraded my skin and made my nipple tighten. “Holy crap, right there.”

  He tugged harder. “Weren’t kidding with the rough. My hands aren’t for pretty skin like yours.”

  I couldn’t see him, but his words were doing a very effective job. I put my head down and tried to get myself free. Dare decided to go for my panties instead. He inched back down my body and pulled them down as his mouth followed the trail.

  I crashed into the mattress, my head going fuzzy with disorientation just as he licked from my clit to…oh, God. He wouldn’t. I shrieked a little as he buried his face deeper.

  I managed to get my shirt off and greedily inhaled oxygen. I didn’t think I could get any wetter than I had last weekend, but he definitely proved me wrong. The man was dirty and raw. He held me open when I’d have pushed him away. I’d never let anyone go for there. Hell, I had barely done doggie-style in the past. I was far too self-conscious about my flat ass compared to the rest of me.

  Not that I was overly curvy anywhere, but…

  “Guh,” I muffled a moan as he licked and stroked and used his fingers to stretch me everywhere.

  “I love eating your pussy. Fuck, it’s like sunshine and honey with whatever that orange stuff is.” He mumbled against my center as he filled me up with two fingers…maybe more. I couldn’t tell anymore. All I could do was push back on him.

  My brain was blissfully empty as I chased whatever it was between us. This place where sex and lust got all fuzzy and fizzy at the same time. My skin burned as he spread me wider. My nipples ached as I rubbed myself against the mattress. I couldn’t seem to find a way to ask for something more.

  For the first time in my life, my words didn’t work. They were stuck between panting words of praise and unintelligible grunts as he teased me.

&n
bsp; Finally, his name exploded from my lips as I bucked against his fingers. He stopped and suddenly, he was gone. I dropped my head onto the mattress. What the fuck?

  Then I shrieked as he was back, pushing me toward the top of the mattress where the headboard was. He lifted me just enough and straddled my thighs.

  What the hell? I darted a glance over my shoulder. His cock was hard and proud, jutting from his golden skin. God, that was so wrong. He was stupidly beautiful in such a rough, man’s man kind of way. His forearms were tightly muscled, dusted in golden hair, but it was his hand I couldn’t stop staring at.

  He was dragging a condom down the length, his gaze on my ass. I shook at the thought of him coming for something more than my lady garden. He dragged his hand down over my cheeks. “Don’t worry, Kels. I wouldn’t ever ask for more than what you want to give.” He inched closer and slid two fingers deep into me. “This is all I want right now.”

  Somehow now sounded more like a prequel than final.

  I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that. This was just for fun. To empty my brain for a little bit. I couldn’t think about a round three. Round two was already messing with my head, making me want more.

  Then he turned his hand and his thumb brushed against the other, more forbidden part of me. The one that made everything tighten. He lowered his mouth to my back as he stroked me deeper and brushed his thumb over the sensitive puckered skin. I was so wet that everything was slick and easy to probe.

  Breath shuddered out of my chest and all I could do was push back on him. Instinct warred with embarrassment. Curiosity overrode it all as pleasure consumed me and the whole room hazed.

  “Fuck, yeah. That’s it. You’re so ready for me.”

  I was?

  I mean, okay, maybe kinda, but not really. Curiosity was one thing, but there was— “Oh, wow.”

  Dare pulled his fingers from me and then I was all filled up. There was nothing but his cock filling me, spreading me out until there was no room for any other thoughts. He covered me, his fingers lacing with mine as we lurched forward until we reached the top of the bed.

  He braced himself over me and our mouths crashed into another hot, dirty kiss. Teeth and lips and that glorious beard teased my chin before he went for my neck.

  He powered into me again and again until the headboard slammed against the wall.

  That deposit was toast.

  I didn’t even care.

  I reached behind me with one arm and we crashed forward, but then he was even deeper. And I didn’t have any words or thoughts.

  There was nothing but his shaft filling me, the head of his oh so talented cock slamming into something deep inside that I’d only read about in books. He bore down on me, and the sounds I made…

  I was sure I’d be embarrassed later, but right now? I screamed his name as my whole body shook. He rose up behind me and his fingers bit into my waist as he thrust into me again and again.

  A million different words tumbled out of my mouth. As if all the ones I’d lost earlier came careening out. In the end, the only one that mattered was, “yes.”

  So many ways to say yes, finally. As I literally came my brains out. I wasn’t aware it was a thing. At least not until now.

  His groan behind me before he finally let me go was the whipped cream on my sex sundae. I landed face first on the mattress sometime between that and a sweet kiss between my shoulder blades.

  At least, I thought that was what it was. Maybe it was just him losing his balance after coming.

  I wasn’t sure I cared.

  Post-sex bliss was a concept I didn’t have much experience with. It was hard to think around.

  He dragged his chin between my shoulder and neck. “You can stop saying thank you now.”

  “What?”

  “You kept saying thank you. If I wasn’t already coming, it might have distracted me.” He huffed out a laugh and nipped at my jaw. “But you’re welcome.” Then he slid off of me and I covered my face with my hand.

  Well, that was perfect. I’d gone from Nuts Lady to Thank You Girl.

  Never a boring moment between us.

  I flopped onto my back and stared at the ceiling. My bra was still on and the bed had moved out a good foot from where we’d started with it. All in all, I’d call that a spectacular nooner. Or was it a tryst if it was after three and before dinner? Hmm.

  Dare cleared his throat and I sat up.

  He leaned against the doorjamb of my bedroom. Whoa, how had he gotten so far away so fast?

  “Not that it’s not incredibly tempting to go for another round, but I have to go back to work for a few hours before I…” His gaze flicked down to my legs and the very naked rest of me. He crossed his arms and fisted his hands under his biceps.

  Why was that so delicious? I’d never been the kind of woman to go for the jock or gym guys. Not that I thought Dare was necessarily into that either, but he was in shape somehow.

  I didn’t know much about him. Did I want to?

  I kind of liked this physical, no strings thing we had going.

  Overthinking again, Kelsey.

  I glanced around the room and spotted my cutoffs next to his foot. Very nice white socked foot. That surprised me a little. The clean part, no, but that they were so white. Or maybe they were fresh out of the package like half of mine? Hmm.

  He followed my gaze and bent down to get my shorts. “Looking for these?” He dangled them from his finger.

  “Yes.” I reached out for them, but kept myself crunched forward on the bed. Not the most attractive angle. I was going to need to clean the stupid mattress because we had definitely defiled it.

  Not sure Febreze was going to cut it.

  He arched a brow at me with a half grin. “Are you hiding yourself from me? I was all up in that a few minutes ago.”

  “That was different.”

  He laughed and tossed the shorts at me. “You’re something, Nuts Lady. Or do I get to go with Thank You Lady now?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him as I quickly stepped into the shorts and tugged them up sans underwear. God, I needed a shower. What was the booty call protocol? Kick him out? Offer him a beer? Then again, they were mystery beers. But they were sealed and they didn’t seem to bother him the other day.

  I blew out a breath and snatched a T-shirt off the pile of laundry on a box. “How about Kelsey,” I said after I pulled on the shirt.

  “Is that your name?”

  I rolled my eyes and pushed him out the door with a laugh. “Think you’re a funny guy.”

  “Not usually. You bring it out in me.”

  My belly went to mush and I shook my head at myself.

  Nope. Do not be charmed by your two-day-stand.

  That wasn’t how it worked. I didn’t think so anyway.

  “Is this how I get treated after bringing you a bed and putting it together for you?”

  “Well, we christened it too. Don’t forget that.”

  “Oh, I won’t,” he said over his shoulder.

  I blushed. “It really was too generous of you. I’ll pay you back.”

  He shook his head. “You needed it.”

  I wasn’t used to anyone doing anything for me. Of course my folks had done what they could to help out when I’d impulsively moved to Crescent Cove, but they were on a fixed income.

  And I was my own woman, dammit.

  “I could have gotten one.” On credit.

  “Now you don’t need to. Just talk up Beck to whoever sees it and likes it.” He frowned as he opened the front door to my apartment. “Not that I mean you should immediately show someone the bed.”

  I was single and could show my bed to whomever I liked. But the idea of anyone else doing with me what we’d just done was really hard to picture. And I wasn’t sure I’d get the image of Dare kneeling over me with that impressive bit of hardware out of my head anytime soon.

  “You’re blushing again.”

  “Curse of my Scottish blood.”
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br />   “Not Irish?”

  I shook my head. “Well, maybe. Who knows? The Scottish and the Irish often have very mixed bloodlines.”

  “Is that right?”

  I nibbled on my lower lip. “Sorry. Lots of useless trivia in my brain.”

  “It’s cute.”

  “Cute?” I didn’t want to be cute. Five minutes ago, I was a ball of exploding orgasms.

  He leaned down and nipped my lower lip. “See ya around, Thank You Girl.” Then he was gone.

  I closed the door and thunked my forehead against the wood. From hot to girl next door in less than ten minutes. That had to be a land speed record.

  Not that I had time to think about that. I had a first-grade game plan to come up with.

  Even if part of me wanted to chase after Dare and prove him wrong.

  Seven

  September seemed to go by in a blink. It took me a few weeks to get the hang of building a new curriculum. Kindergarten was my favorite grade, but I’d done a lot of my undergrad work in middle school. Finding the right balance for children who were going to school all day for the first time was…exhausting.

  Actually, everything seemed exhausting.

  “Miss Kelsey?”

  I looked up from my lesson planner screen that I’d been zoning out on. “Yes, Weston.”

  The little boy wrinkled his nose, twisting his fingers into the hem of his polo shirt. “I hafta go to the bathroom.”

  I resisted the urge to wince. The nervous twitch could’ve been caused by a number of things. Until the screech that came from the back of the room. I examined his fingers closer and saw the purple color staining the material.

  Laurie Hamilton stood up at the back of the room and spun around. “Gurt. He put gurt on me!”

  I stood up. “Weston.”

  “I didn’t. I swear.”

  I sighed. “Then why is your hand all sticky?”

  He dragged the palm of his hand down his khakis. “No, see.” He held up his hand. It was still outlined with GoGurt, the favored snack time choice for many of the students.