A Christmas Kiss: BWWM Interracial Romance (Holiday Happiness Book 1)

by Roxy Wilson

  “She came earlier also?”

  “Apparently many times. But only when I wasn’t in the apartment.”

  She raised her hand, as if to touch him, but then dropped them, as she continued to pace. “Why would she do that?”

  He cleared her throat. This was the difficult part. “Perhaps just to keep an eye on me.”

  “But she dumped you at the altar.”

  He winced at her apt description. “Yeah, I know. First she dumps me and then she stalks me.”

  “But why would she do that?”

  He couldn’t believe that he was with Arianna for a year but never latched on to that obsessive element of her personality. How could he have missed that? He’d talked to his mother after he was sure that Arianna was indeed stalking him and discussed it. According to her, he was virtually blind to Arianna’s many faults while they dated. His mother described her as a jealous, vindictive, and flighty woman who could stoop low when it suited her. And now that he could judge Arianna accurately, he was sure that his mother wasn’t that far off the mark. It was a blessing that she dumped him before he managed to tie himself to her for a lifetime of misery.

  “I’ve been trying to locate her just to find out the reason for that. But now that I’ve seen what she did here…I think it might be necessary to talk to the police first.”

  Lexi rubbed her forehead, walked over to the window, and looked out. He could tell that she was in deep thought. He could only hope that whatever she was mulling over moved her into his direction. He couldn’t bear to lose her. Finally, she turned to face him. “You would do that for me? Hand her over to the police?”

  “Yes. She means nothing to me.” When she walked over, gratitude filled his heart. She halted one step away from him. Unable to stop himself anymore, he drew her into his arms and inhaled the sweet, strawberry fragrance that enveloped her. “Arianna is in my past, but you’re my future. I want you back in my life. Without you…I’m…nothing. Come on, give me a chance, baby.”

  A wide smile bloomed across her lips when she heard his declaration. Her arms curled around his neck as she kissed him gently, softly. “Yes.”

  His heart soared at hearing that precious word. It was the most wonderful, sweetest, earth-shattering news he’d received in a long time.

  Chapter Nine

  The Christmas Eve dinner was a huge success. Lexi beamed as she sipped wine from her glass and surveyed the scene in the lounge of the senior citizens’ home. A massive Christmas tree stood in one corner, bright fairy lights twinkling on it. Colorful orbs hung down from various delicate branches and a snowy angel stood right on top.

  “You’ve done an amazing job,” said Cole as he came to stand beside her. “Everything looks beautiful. And I just tasted Brielle’s pudding. It melted in my mouth.”

  “She’s a fabulous cook,” said Lexi. “Unfortunately for her, all the cooking talent in the family seems to have gone to her. Janay and I are both terrible in the kitchen.”

  “You have other talents you can be proud of.” He put an arm around her waist. “Everyone I’ve talked to loves you to death. They can’t say enough good things about you, and I think…most of them think that I’m not good enough for you.”

  Lexi was touched by the love every one of the residents showered on her. She glanced at Cole out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not so sure of that myself.”

  He drew her against his side. “Too late, now. I’ve got you and I’m not letting go.”

  The determined note in his voice sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. Sure, they had their share of misunderstandings, but everything was great. Although Cole wanted to go to the police regarding Arianna, Lexi begged him not to do it. Surprisingly, she couldn’t bring herself to dislike the woman, even though it was obvious that Arianna detested her. So, instead, Cole changed the lock on his apartment and she beefed up her security. Hopefully, the woman would leave them alone soon enough.

  “It was kind of you to come by. Walter, Harold, Betty, and Mildred were especially delighted. They’ve read all your books.”

  “It was a pleasure to meet them.”

  “And the fact that you brought over review copies of your new book that isn’t out yet was just the thing they all needed.” He told them he would appreciate their honest opinions. Seeing that look of pride in their eyes was enough to bring tears to Lexi’s eyes. It took so little to make these people feel as if they were loved, and yet, so few people made the effort. “Thank you.” She put a hand on his chest as she gazed into his eyes.

  “It was nothing.”

  “It mattered to them.”

  He claimed her lips in response. His touch was so soft, so sweet, that she forgot herself and lost herself in the moment. “Ahem!” It was her sister’s not so discreet cough that brought her back to reality.

  Lexi glared at Janay. “What?”

  “It’s time to sing the Christmas carols,” Janay reminded her. She turned to Cole. “Are you any good?”

  “I may not be able to give you any competition because I’ve heard that you sing like an angel, but I can hold my own.” He put an arm around Janay’s shoulder in a friendly manner. “Bring it on!”

  Her sister did indeed sing like an angel, and Lexi didn’t miss that look of delight on her face when Cole told her so. This was the first time that neither of her sisters objected to her choice of a boyfriend. Usually, they took satisfaction in shredding the men she dated to pieces, but with Cole, they were firmly entrenched in his corner.

  If that wasn’t enough to make her wish she could keep Cole forever, she didn’t know what was. Lexi was fast falling in love with Cole, but he didn’t say anything yet, and neither did she. Was she ready to tell him? She didn’t know. Their relationship was fast-paced and exciting. It was also comforting and loving. In fact, come to think of it, he was damn near perfect for her. Maybe the time had come to fully disclose her feelings, but some part of her wanted to take it slow.

  Joyously, they sang the carols while everyone joined them. Every one of the residents whom Cole had met seemed to like and admire him. He was just that kind of a person. People gravitated towards him like magnets, and that was because he was willing to offer more than he received.

  Once they gave a lively rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and the residents took their medicines for the night, Lexi, Brielle, and Janay began to clean, along with the rest of the staff. Cole joined in. Together, they finished the task quite quickly.

  “I’ll drop all the ladies home,” said Cole as they stepped outside.

  “We’re not going home,” said Janay in a breezy voice. “Brielle and I are going away for a weekend to this lovely cabin in the mountains.”

  Cole turned to Lexi. You’re going too?”

  She rubbed her hands on her arms to keep warm. “If I was, I would have told you.”

  “She’s ditching us for you.” Janay rolled her eyes. “There’s our cab. See you guys.”

  “Have a great weekend. Merry Christmas!” Lexi hugged both her sisters and saw them off. “Call me when you reach the cabin.”

  After they disappeared, Cole and Lexi walked towards his car. “Did you really not go because of me?”

  “Since it’s our first Christmas together, I thought it would be good for us to spend it with each other. We could have breakfast together…or whatever.” She’d made the plans without consulting him, but now, she felt a little self-conscious. What if he had his own agenda? Maybe she should have discussed this with him before she finalized everything.

  He opened the car door for her. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone.”

  “The locks have been changed,” she reminded him. “And we have better security now.”

  He joined her in the car and switched on the heater. “Why don’t you come and stay with me until your sisters are back?”

  After putting on the seat belt, Lexi put a hand on his arm. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll come and s
tay with you.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh at his determination. “Are you actually worried about me or do you just want to spend the night with me?”

  “Both,” he admitted without hesitation.

  She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. An expression she never saw before glowed in his eyes. It wasn’t desire, or lust, but rather love. She could feel his need, yet he didn’t say anything. “My place is still quite a mess.” A heartbeat passed in utter silence. “Why don’t I go back to your apartment?”

  The smile that lifted his lips melted her heart. “That’s a great idea.”

  Together, they went upstairs to collect her stuff. Although she felt a little bashful now that they were both acutely aware of what the other was saying without uttering the words, she tried her best to look as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Even though it was a while since she’d seen a man naked, she didn’t want to appear like a nervous schoolgirl. As they sat in his car and rode to his apartment, her heartbeat accelerated at the thought of making love to him. She could imagine spearing her fingers through his hair when his lips crushed against hers, their bare bodies entwined, and his hands sliding all over her limbs. Desperately aroused, she presented a calm demeanor as they went into his apartment.

  He’d put up a festive Christmas tree in one corner of his living room. “Would you like a hot bath?” he asked as he put her luggage in his room. “I’ve got a Jacuzzi.”

  “Sure.” She grabbed the chance to avoid the inevitable moment. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t a naïve child who didn’t know the score. Neither was this her first time. But she still felt as nervous as she did when she lost her virginity.

  “I’ll open a bottle of wine. We can drink it in the Jacuzzi.”

  Her heart thumped in her chest. “We?”

  “I thought I might join you. Why don’t you run us a bath while I bring the wine.” His voice was nonchalant, but she detected an edge to it as he strode out of the room without waiting for a reply.

  Was it possible that he was just as nervous as she was?

  The thought eased her a little. Perhaps, this wouldn’t be as awkward as she imagined. Going inside his massive bathroom that boasted a shiny, milk-white Jacuzzi, she opened the taps. As the water swirled and whirled in the ceramic tub, she opened a bottle of bubble bath and poured it in. Deciding that it might be a good idea to slip inside while he wasn’t around, she quickly took off her clothes and slid into the warm water. Immediately, she could feel her muscles relaxing as she hid under the bubbles; only her head was visible above the water.

  Much better.

  Somewhere in the house, Cole switched on the music and the notes of Sinatra’s “Winter Wonderland” threaded through the speaker that was installed in the bathroom. Who would have thought a Christmas song could be so sensual, so enticing? The stage was set for seduction. Knowing that Cole did it not only to set the mood but also because he was the kind of guy who liked to woo a woman, she relaxed a little. The realization that he was going to all this trouble, when they could have easily fallen into bed as soon as they entered, eased her mind and washed away her inhibitions.

  When Cole walked in, carrying two glasses of wine, his eyebrows rose at the sight of her. “You look like a mermaid who’s just about to surface from the water.”

  “And perhaps grant a wish?” Her voice was playful, but she could hear the quiver in it. He put the glasses on the corner of the Jacuzzi and slipped out of his clothes. Oh man! He was all hard muscles and smooth skin; it was a bonanza for her eyes. Her gaze traveled from his wide chest to his lean waist and down to where his arousal was evident. When she saw his penis stand at attention, her own reaction was instantaneous. She felt the heat build in her velvety center as he dipped his foot in the water and then lowered his whole body.

  “Like what you saw?”

  She met his gaze. Her tongue licked her bottom lip. “Oh, yes.”

  The wine lay forgotten as they both kissed. The need and hunger that was slowly building towards this point developed into a full-blown volcano that erupted in her stomach. She could feel every nerve and vein quiver as his hand slipped down her arm and cupped her breast. The gentle motion of the water against her skin, the cool sensations, and the desire that pulsated in her heart accumulated to form a craving that hungered to be sated. She wanted to touch every inch of his body and savor every lick and caress.

  As his lips roamed over hers, long coils of desire curled in her gut. Lust, simple and furious, lanced through her stomach. She wanted this man, and she wanted him now. His tongue dove inside to taste her mouth, hot and demanding, and she welcomed the intrusion, taking delight as he tasted every nook and cranny as if it were a dessert he wished to savor till the last bite.

  Her arms lifted to encircle his neck and her body plastered against his. She relished his hard angles while her soft curves pressed into his muscled body. She could feel his hard arousal as his penis dug into her hip. It throbbed with need. She kissed the pulse that beat at the base of his throat and then threw back her head as he trailed a line of gentle nips and kisses down her shoulder. With a sudden heave, he lifted her up and made her sit on his hips.

  A few moments ago, she might have felt self-conscious when his gaze fixed on her breasts, but now the need that twisted inside her was enough to make her demand that he hurry. He swept some water from the tap and allowed it to cascade over her torso, cleaning the bubbles that clung to her skin. Bending his head, he caught her nipple in between his lips. The sensations that careened through her veins were wild and fiery. Her fingers gripped his hair as he caressed and sucked on her engorged bud. Desire was like a molten fire that lanced through her veins. Her body arched back, giving him greater access as he moved from one breast to another. The scent of the soapy bubble bath and the musky smell of arousal and need filled her. Her fingers dug into his muscles, to knead and stroke, while her nails scraped over his skin as she shuddered through the stormy assault that threatened to drive her to the edge of insanity.

  He wasn’t doing much better. She could feel the ragged quality of his breath and the slight tremor in his muscles as he buried his face between her breasts. He inhaled deeply as if he wanted to absorb her scent into his own body. His hands fisted over her waist as she lifted her hips, and then she came down on his penis in one smooth movement. He slipped inside her and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

  “I can’t wait anymore, baby!”

  Neither could she. Need was a storm that crashed through her senses. Her breath was caught in her throat as she moved up and down, stroking in and out. The water lapped against her skin while her hands gripped his shoulders. She flicked her tongue across his cheek; she bent down as she moved. While she was overwhelmed with the urgent need that coursed through her body, it appeased her to see the same glazed look in his eyes.

  In and out, she stroked with ferocity and speed. She rode him hard and good, her pelvis thrusting against his as she pushed down deep with each movement. Her lips parted as the orgasm swept through her, reducing her to a pile of quivering, shuddering jelly. Underneath her, she felt his body tighten. She could feel the vibrations in every pore of his body as he trembled with the force of the climax.

  It was a beautiful, fulfilling moment.

  Lexi rested her head on his forehead as she took deep breaths. Man! It was the most amazing sex she’d ever had. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so taken aback by her own emotions and the depth of her feelings when she made love. This was unprecedented, and yet it felt right

  In a way, it was like coming home.

  She was finally where she belonged. Love was a big emotion for Lexi, and she was now surer than ever that she was completely, irrevocably falling in love with Cole. But did he feel the same way? Or perhaps it wasn’t as earth-shattering for him as it was for her.

  Whatever it was, she was stuck in a quagmire of emotions that she’d never experienced in her life, and if she didn’t want a way ou
t, she might find herself in greater trouble than she ever was.

  Chapter Ten

  Cole was awakened in the morning by a sound that didn’t seem natural. For a few seconds, he was disoriented. Something strange and delightful teased at his subconscious and then he became aware that his arm was numb. He turned his head and was greeted by the most beautiful sight he’d seen in a long time. Lexi was sleeping peacefully, her long lashes curled over her eyes.

  Something tugged at his heart.

  And then he realized that it was Christmas morning and this was the first time he woke up beside the woman he loved.

  Love?

  Yes. I’m damn sure of it.

  Sunlight streaked in through a chink in the curtains and lit her beautiful face. He longed to wake her up and make sweet love to her, but she was sleeping so serenely, he didn’t have the heart to do so. Suddenly, she winced and turned her head to the side. The light that was filtering in disturbed her. He got out of the bed to close the curtains. As he pulled them closer, his ear picked out a sound.

  He froze. What was that? It sounded oddly familiar but he couldn’t place it. He listened hard again but nothing stirred in the apartment. Had he imagined it? Or was there someone in the apartment? No! It couldn’t be.

  He walked back to the bed and then halted. Lexi stirred and sat up. “Good morning, Cole.”

  “Hi, beautiful!” He bent to kiss her. “Merry Christmas.”

  She stretched. The sheet that covered her body fell, exposing her heavy, firm breasts. His reaction was instantaneous. “Merry Christmas.”

  “You could sleep in for a while if you want.”

  “I’m awake.”

  “So am I.” Cole chuckled when her gaze traveled to his penis. His groin tightened when he saw the sweet, sexy smile that hovered on her lips and the glaze of desire in her eyes.

  “Hmm…I can see that.”

  “In that case…” He bent closer and nuzzled at her ear. The sweet aroma hit his nostrils and aroused him even further. He wanted to make love to her now.