by Anthology
She heard Carter rustling around in the other room and opened her bedroom door to find him pulling on his dry clothes. The second she looked at him, her body began burning up and she knew she was making the right decision. She hadn’t known him for long, but being with him felt right—in her head and in her heart. Only question was, how could she go about getting him to drop his guard with her and let him know it was okay to ask for what he wanted?
She thought about that for a moment then walked past him to the woodstove. “So, about this interrogation,” she began as she bent forward to toss another log into the hearth, fully aware that she was giving him an up close and personal view of candy canes on her lacy panties.
“What…uh…what about it?” he asked.
She wiggled slightly and grabbed the poker to stoke the fire. “Did you still want to get to the bottom of matters?”
He cursed under his breath. “What are you doing, Josie?”
Josie stood and turned to him. “I thought we might continue where we left off this afternoon. You did tell me tight-lipped was your specialty and that you liked a challenge. I’m simply interested in your techniques, you know, in all the ways you can make me talk.”
Or moan.
His nostrils flared and the muscles along his jaw rippled as he clenched down. She closed the short distance between them and touched his face, running her hands over his sexy stubble. A strange stillness settled over him when she pressed her body against his.
“Jesus Christ, Josie,” he said, his voice so strained it was difficult to understand him.
“What is it, Carter? Is there something you want?”
He gripped her hair and pushed it from her face, a low sound in his throat as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I…I…”
“If there is something you want, all you have to do is ask,” she whispered.
“Josie…” he growled, a note of desperation in that one word as his hands fisted her hair.
Even though he couldn’t seem to say the words, she could read the want in his eyes, feel it in his body. Deciding that was good enough for now, she stepped back, gripped the hem of her nightshirt, and peeled it over her head. He swept his gaze down the length of her and groaned low in his throat.
“Oh, fuck.” As something inside him seemed to give, he wrapped his hand around her head to drag her mouth to his, and her body trembled almost controllably. “Just once, Josie. Just tonight. That’s all I can do.”
“Just once,” she murmured, her brain barely registering his words as his hands left her face to slide down toward her waist. He gripped her hips and pulled her against him until her small breasts were crushed against the soft fabric of his dress shirt. Desire twisted inside her.
“You are so gorgeous,” he said, his mouth leaving hers to go to the soft hollow of her throat. He flicked his tongue out and traced the long length of her neck, the soft blade teasing the sensitive spot that always made her quiver.
She raked her fingers through his hair as he pressed his nose to her skin. He drew a sharp breath. “And you smell so fucking good,” he murmured. He sank to his knees, and a barrage of sensations rocketed through her when his mouth found her nipple.
“Oh, yes,” she murmured and arched into him. He licked lightly and splayed his big hands over the small of her back, the warmth of his skin burning through her body. His mouth went lower, and he licked her sex through her candy cane panties.
“Sweet as candy,” he murmured. “But they’re in the way of what I really want to taste.”
She rocked against his mouth and he gripped the lace and lowered it to her ankles. She lifted her feet for him, and he tossed the scrap of material away. Behind them, Bear flipped onto his back and let loose a loud yawn. Carter froze and looked up at her, and for a minute, she thought he was going to retreat.
“Bedroom,” he said.
She nodded and he climbed to his feet. She was about to grab his hand and take him to her room, but he scooped her up, used his foot to push her bedroom door open, and dropped her onto the bed.
“Oh,” she said as he stood there staring at her, looking so hot and sexy she began tingling from head to toe.
His hands went to his buttons, and she was sure his fingers were shaking as he pulled them open. He shrugged out of the shirt, and she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off his body. Lean. Hard. Cut.
Mine for the night.
“Everything okay?” he asked, his hands going to his belt.
Her gaze shifted back to his face and she tried not to sound as breathless as she felt when she said, “Everything is better than okay.”
He grinned. “So you like what you see?”
She crooked her finger. “Actually, I see better with my hands.”
“All righty then,” he murmured, and he made quick work of his pants. “Maybe I was wrong about you all along. Maybe you’re not on Santa’s nice list.”
“Oh, I am. Come here and I’ll show you how nice I can be.”
Carter slid over her, his weight pushing her into the mattress as he settled his hard body on top of hers. She put her arms around him and feathered her fingers over his muscles as his mouth found hers. A moan caught in her throat as they traded soft kisses, his hands gripping fistfuls of her hair. Her body warmed against his, and her toes curled as his erection pressed into her leg.
His mouth left hers and slid over her throat until he reached her breasts. His lips closed around one hard nipple. She arched into him and ran her hands through his hair. He shifted to his side and caressed her skin, soft, barely touching, as he gently introduced himself to her body. His knuckle nudged her clit as his hand went to her thighs to widen them. He slipped a hand between her knees and pushed them open. She swallowed as he stroked her inner thighs, his fingers leisurely climbing higher and higher. His movements were slow, deliberate, the most intimate thing she’d ever experienced. He drew her nipple deeper into her mouth, and pleasure rippled through her as his fingers found her clit. He brushed so lightly, so delicately. Her hips came off the bed, seeking more.
“Oh, God,” she cried out and grabbed his shoulders, loving the way his muscles rippled beneath her hands. His mouth left her breasts and he slid downward, positioning himself between her legs. He lifted his chin to meet her eyes, and she caught the intense look on his face as he widened her thighs even more. The heat in his eyes licked over her body in ways that made her aware of how much he wanted her—how much she wanted him. She knew this was all happening fast for her, but the truth was, this was Carter. Deep down, she knew he was a good guy, and she’d never needed to be touched by anyone quite like the way she needed to be touched by him.
He lowered his head, and her breath grew shallow at that first sweet touch of his tongue. The heat from his mouth boiled her blood as the wet tip skated across the seam of her lips. He trailed his tongue all the way from the bottom to the top, then widened her with the soft blade. Sparks shot through her body at the sweet invasion.
She drew a shaky breath and gripped his shoulder. “Carter,” she murmured, her nails digging into his skin.
He licked slowly, softly, and wanting, no needing more, she lifted her hips to hurry him along. But he pressed his hand to her stomach, pushing her into the mattress to still her. As his mouth did delicious things, he inserted one finger, and she could feel her muscles rippling around him.
“Christ,” he murmured and eased his finger in and out of her in long, sensuous strokes that had her panting and begging for me. He wiggled his buried finger, and she could feel the tension rising in him as she grew slicker. She gripped the bed sheets and closed her eyes against the pleasure…so much pleasure.
“Yes,” she whispered with effort.
His tongue found her clit as he inserted another finger, taking her higher and higher, but he didn’t seem like he was in any hurry to push her over the edge. Instead, he burrowed his fingers, taking his sweet time with her. Honest to God, he was so different from the few college boys she’d been with. T
hey were always in a hurry to get themselves off, paying little regard to her needs.
“You taste so good,” he murmured from between her legs, and she went up on her elbows to see him.
He brushed the hot bundle of nerves inside her, and her body quaked as he slowly built her orgasm. Cripes, the man sure knew how to touch her. He made another slow pass with his tongue, and she became feverish with need. She writhed beneath him, her body shaking as he worked her into a state of aroused euphoria.
“Carter, please…”
He thumbed her clit, using slow, torturous circles that damn near drove her mad. Desire stirred deep between her legs, and soft quakes began at her core. His fingers plunged deeper, harder, and her hands went to her nipples to relieve the ache. He spent a long time between her legs, and she tossed her head from side to side, reveling in the erotic sensations. As if knowing she couldn’t take any more, his mouth closed over her clit, his teeth scraping over the engorged nub. She gave a broken gasp, her body reacting to the increased pressure.
Her hips came off the bed, and her throat tightened as her body let go. Her sex muscles clenched around his fingers, and Carter’s breath came in a labored rush.
“So good…” she murmured, a shudder ripping through her as an orgasm hit hard.
He stayed between her legs until she stopped quaking, then he climbed back up her body. His lips found hers.
“Josie,” he whispered into her mouth, his kiss so full of tenderness it made her breath catch. “Tell me you have a condom.”
“I do,” she whispered. “My nightstand.”
Carter slid off her, and she touched his strong back as he sat on the edge of her bed and rustled around inside her nightstand. A second later, she heard the foil rip, and after rolling the condom on, he climbed back over her.
She widened her legs for him and his tip pressed against her opening. A tortured look crossed his face and he briefly closed his eyes. Once again, she thought he was about to change his mind, but when she lifted her hips and he slid in an inch, he let loose a growl and plunged inside.
She sucked in a sharp breath as he filled her. “Oh, God, Carter,” she cried out. He stilled inside her and one hand went to her cheek.
“Josie,” he murmured. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” He shook his head. “I just…I needed to be inside you so fucking bad…I couldn’t slow—”
“Carter.”
“Yeah.”
“Zip it.”
“Okay,” he said and began moving, rocking into her. She lifted her hips and met each thrust. Moisture broke out on his forehead, and she brushed his hair from his face.
He shifted his body and his fingers burned her flesh as they raced over her, touching every inch of her like he couldn’t get enough. His palm closed over one breast and he buried his mouth in her neck.
Her body tightened as he pumped deeper. In no time at all, the rippling waves of another orgasm took hold. Her whimper filled the room and Carter stilled inside her.
“I can’t hold…” His breath came in a ragged burst. “I’m there,” he murmured, and she held him tighter as he let go high inside her.
He collapsed on top of her, and she hugged him with her thighs, holding him inside. His breath was hot on her neck as he sucked in air.
“Jesus,” he murmured. “I never came so fast before.”
She hugged him tighter, loving the way he lost it with her. They stayed like that for a long time, until he grew flaccid. He slid out, discarded the condom, and fell back into bed beside her. Josie rolled into him and ran her fingers over his stomach, liking the way his muscles trembled beneath her touch.
Feeling content, she stretched and said, “Just for the record, Carter. I don’t have many sleepovers.”
“I know.”
She went up onto her elbow to see him. “Oh, and how do you know that?”
His brow pulled together, and that same tortured look she was becoming familiar with returned. “Because you’re so fucking sweet, Josie.” He waved a finger back and forth between them. “Never once did you strike me as the kind of girl who took this kind of thing lightly.”
“You’re right. I don’t.”
He frowned, and emotions crept into his voice when he said, “You’re the kind of girl who wants a family, kids, a future. I knew that the second I met you, which is why, before we started any of this, I told you I couldn’t do more.”
“I know. I get it. It was a onetime thing,” she said, and while she thought she could be okay with that—not worrying about what tomorrow brought after a night with Carter—she wasn’t so certain anymore. The sex had been so very sweet and tender, his every touch gentle and caring, that it tugged at her heart and drew her in that much deeper.
“We should probably get some sleep.” He grabbed the blankets and pulled them over them. “I’ve got a long flight tomorrow.”
As he crossed his arms behind his head and stared at her ceiling, there was something so lost and vulnerable about him it had her wanting to know more, everything about him.
“So you said you don’t have any family waiting for you back home.”
“That’s right.” He averted her gaze, but not before she caught the pain etched on his face.
She shifted and laid her head on his chest. He pulled one arm out from beneath his head and adjusted the blanket over her shoulders before wrapping his arm around her. It was a small gesture, but it made her feel so close to him.
“I tell you what, if you end up here for Christmas, you can share my family.”
“Josie…I…why are you being so nice to me?”
She tipped her chin and found him looking at her. “Because I like you.”
“Why? I mean, you know I let the casino deal go through, right? Even after your father asked me to stop it. Those people at the church aren’t going to have a place to go, to eat.”
She frowned. “You’ll do the right thing.”
“The deal is done. There is nothing I can do now.”
She put her hand on his face and kissed him. “Christmas is a magical time, Carter. A time when wishes come true. All you have to do is believe.”
“No, it’s not,” he said, his voice full of cynicism. He made a choking sound. “It’s not that at all.”
She caught the deep sadness in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. “Then what is it to you?”
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
She rested her hand on his chest, and she could feel the powerful beating of his heart. “Maybe it matters to me.”
His hand closed over hers. “I just don’t like the holidays, okay?”
“Bad memories?”
“You could say that.”
“Maybe we could make new ones, ones that make you feel—”
“That’s just it. I don’t want to feel.”
“Carter?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe this year Santa will bring you what you want.”
She listened to him scrub his chin. “I stopped asking for things fifteen years ago.”
“What happened? Why did you stop asking?”
“Because every year I asked for the same thing. But a kid who is tossed around in the system because no one wants him never gets what he asks for.”
“What did you want?”
His throat sounded tight when he swallowed. “I wanted the family I was placed with to keep me. Things were going so well. I was so happy. I was sure it was going to happen. So sure that, for the first time, I actually asked Santa for something else.”
“What?”
“A dog.”
“And instead of a family and a dog, you got moved?”
“Exactly.” He snorted. “But I’m not complaining. I learned a few good lessons that year.”
“Like what, that you should never ask anyone for anything?”
“Something like that.” He went quiet for a long time then said, “I have no idea why I’m telling you any of this.” He scoffed. “Maybe you’re w
ay better at interrogation than I am.”
“No,” she said, understanding what was really going on. “It’s not me.”
“If you tell me it’s the white wolf, I’ll—”
She rolled on top of him and wet her bottom lip. “You’ll what?”
His ran his thumb over the seam of her lips. “I’ll have to find a way to get you to zip it.”
“I can think of a few ways,” she whispered and closed her mouth over his.
7
Carter rebooked his flight and closed the laptop Josie had lent him earlier that morning. He took a sip of his coffee and watched her sway to a Christmas song as she wrapped a basketful of presents for her family. She tossed him a big smile, a smile so warm and sexy it had him reminiscing about everything they did in her bed the night before. He could feel his cock harden, wanting to drag her back to the bedroom for round two, even though he knew it was a bad idea. Last night never should have happened, but his body had been too fired up to think past the moment. Really, how could he be expected to think with any sort of clarity after glimpsing those sexy candy cane panties?
But seriously, he really should have kept his distance. She was a nice girl who needed a nice guy. What she didn’t need was a prick who’d hardened himself to others and was about to put those less fortunate out on the street.
“All done,” she said, and then started packing the presents back into the basket. “What time did you say your flight was?”
“Not until after dinner.”
“Good, then we have plenty of time.” She dashed to her room and came back wearing a knitted sweater. He looked at the dancing Christmas elf juggling three bulbs.
“Plenty of time for what? To sign up for the ugliest Christmas sweater contest?”
“Hey,” she said, and tossed one at him. “I’ve got one for you, too.”
He threw it back. “Like hell I’m wearing that.”
“Come on, Carter. It’s for the kids.”
“How does that change things? I don’t even like kids. I didn’t even like myself when I was a kid.” When she continued to stare at him, her lips all pouty and sexy, he gave an exaggerated exhaled. “Josie…”