“Will you make love to me now?”
His eyes dilated as he stripped off his clothes, never once breaking our stare. His fingers caressed as if touching me for the first time, worshipping me, loving me. Every kiss lasted a hundred years, an imprint on our souls that would connect us always.
Nothing was rushed. When I touched him, his fingers curled around mine, holding, guiding, and together we breathed, sharing the same air as much as we shared the pleasure.
When he filled me, our gazes held, locked in promises and implication. He trembled, as did I. And though we’d been together many times before, this was the first time I’d ever felt anything like this.
Every stroke of his body left a tattoo on my soul. When his chest pressed to mine, his arms cradling me tight, I could feel our hearts beating as one. The soft kisses and whispered words of love added to the intensity. I felt every shiver, every shift, and every hitched breath of pleasure. I felt his love.
It didn’t matter who took the lead or assumed control. Neither of us had any authority over the feelings we shared. Love was the driving force that pulled us together and the reason why being apart ripped us to shreds.
I’d probably always get a thrill out of dominating a strong man, but from here on I’d only want one man. Because as much as I loved control, I loved Noah a million times more. I needed him, and he needed me. It was the safest feeling I’d ever known. Scary and exciting, but dependable. The moment we pushed the obstacles out of our way, the path was clear. He’d be there for me—always—if I let him in.
“I’ll never keep you out again, Noah.”
“Damn right, you won’t.” His lips nuzzled my throat. “I intend to know everything about you, Avery. No more boundaries, no more secrets.”
“It’s not all pretty.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Everything you are and everything you’ve ever been makes you the beautiful Avery you’ve become. You might be less sugar than spice, and you might not always be nice, but you’re real, and I’m only interested in the real you. That’s all you ever need to be for me. Understand?”
I just needed to be myself. “I understand.”
“Good girl.”
He seamlessly took the reins, but I didn’t panic. He knew what I needed and would eventually hand them back. A relationship was about give and take. It was about taking turns. It was about being there for each other, in any way necessary.
He’d get me at my best and sometimes my worst, but I believed he’d love all of me, without conditions and without cost. And I intended to love him the same—passionately, completely. So long as he continued to need me, I intended to be there—loving him.
Epilogue
Noah
Bobby Helms belted out Jingle Bell Rock as I held the front door for our neighbors. They stomped their feet on the mat and shook the flurries off their coats as they hung them on the overflowing coat tree in the foyer.
“That’s great!” Keith laughed, pointing to my sweater that had Santa dancing in a thong. “Where’s Avery?” He handed me a bottle of spiced rum.
“She’s around here somewhere.” I pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “Merry Christmas, Katie.”
“Merry Christmas, Noah. Is Laurel here?”
“She’s around somewhere.” I shut the door and took the rum to the bar where Avery had made a huge bowl of eggnog. “There you are.”
I placed the rum with the others and stole a quick squeeze of her ass. I loved when she wore those leggings that showed off every curve. These ones happened to have candy canes all over them to go with her hideous holiday sweater.
“Keith and Katie are here.”
“Oh!” Avery turned, her hair in a spunky ponytail on top of her head making her look far too cute. “I have her earrings. She left them at the last game night.”
I trapped her in my arms before she could go running off. “Pay the toll.”
She smiled up at me and pressed her lips to mine. I breathed her in, taking another squeeze of her ass while I had the chance. “Mmm… You taste like Christmas cookies.”
“Get a room, you two!” My sister grumbled as she caught us.
Avery slipped out of my arms. “Laurel, have you met my brother, Drew, yet? I should introduce you.”
I hung back as she took my sister's hand, pulling her into the dining room. It was nice having Drew around, though I wasn’t sure if I wanted him taking notice of my sister. Still, he was the only family member Avery reached out to and reestablished a relationship with, so I didn’t object.
“Knock, knock.”
Recognizing Lucy’s voice, I returned to the foyer. She was buried in wool accessories and holding some sort of casserole.
“I’ll take that.” I relieved her of the dish, and she pulled off her hat.
“It’s taco dip. Avery doesn’t have to heat it or anything. I have chips.” She reached into her bag, withdrawing a file, and said, “Quick, sign these before Avery sees. You know how she hates when we talk work, but you forgot to sign these before you left the office.”
“Where would I be without you?” I scratched my signature across the form.
“Lost somewhere asking for directions.”
“True story.” I lifted the dip and chips. “I’ll give this to Avery. Bar’s in the living room. Help yourself.”
Carols continued to play as the house warmed with laughter and familiar faces. Bright lights shined from the front lawn, as we spent weeks making sure our yard had the tackiest display of all suburbia. Inside, guests voted on ugly sweaters—the grand prize was a basket of cheer.
Once things were rolling and everyone had a nice buzz, I clanked a fork to my glass. “Can I have everyone’s attention for a second?”
It took several tries to get everyone somewhat quiet. So I let out a loud whistle.
“Where’s Avery?”
“I’m in here!”
I shook my head. “Will someone get her out here?”
Everyone shouted for her and she came into the den, holding a bottle of whipped cream and wearing a frazzled expression.
“What?”
“Come here.”
She rolled her eyes and handed the whipped cream to Laurel. “I was making up the pudding shots.”
“The pudding shots can wait. Get your ass over here. Where’s your drink?”
“I lost it.”
I snagged her hip once she made it through the sea of guests and pulled her to my side. Holding up my glass, I said, “I want to thank all of you for joining us tonight in our new home. And I want to thank my beautiful Avery for putting together yet another great gathering of friends.” I kissed her cheek, and she blushed adorably.
Everyone lifted their glasses and toasted Avery. I swallowed the last sip of my cocktail and placed it on the end table.
“Keith, can you kill the music for a second?”
The room silenced and filled with curious, expectant looks. I turned back to Avery and took her hands.
“Avery, it was a little over a year ago that you walked into my life and threw my world off its axis. I haven’t been the same since. I’ve been better, happier, and every day that I wake up next to you, I wake up with a smile. You’re the woman of my dreams, and I want to wake up beside you for the rest of my life.”
I reached into my pocket and removed the small velvet box. Dropping to a knee, I looked up at her and laughed. She was wearing an expression I’d never seen her make before, a cross between shock and disbelief and terror and joy.
“I love you, Avery. Will you marry me?”
There were several awws from the crowd, but Avery covered her mouth and didn’t say a word. Her eyes glazed with tears and she shook her head—it was enough for me to fear this might not go the way I planned and suddenly I felt as if I were jumping out of a plane.
Seconds expanded, and my heart raced. I cracked open the box, showing her the ring and held my breath. Her shoulder shook as tears dampened her lashes, her face hidden behind
her fingers. I started to tremble as well, and then I was falling to my back, tackled to the ground as she kissed me.
My fist closed over the ring box, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight. The music kicked on—one of her favorites—Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You, and everyone cheered.
At the pop of a champagne cork, we pulled our lips apart and I smiled. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes, that’s a yes.”
“I love you.”
She brushed her mouth to mine. “I love you more.”
I bit at her lips. “Impossible.”
She sighed. “I want you.”
“Wanna sneak upstairs?”
She smirked and nodded. “I want to model my ring for you—while wearing nothing else.”
That sounded incredible. “Mmm. And then what?”
“I’ll let you know when I decide.”
I no longer scrimmaged for control when she wanted it because as it turned out, there was room for both of us to take turns switching it up. No matter who was calling the shots, being with Avery was always incredible.
I stood and helped her to her feet. Several of the guys clapped a hand on my back, congratulating me. When I looked to the far corner of the room, I spotted Micah standing alone. He raised his glass, and I tipped my chin. That was as far as our interactions went. He was here for the simple fact that Avery asked and there was nothing I wouldn’t give her. But I still hated the guy.
Taking Avery’s hand, I pulled her toward the banister, and we slipped upstairs. We could only sneak away for a few minutes. I followed her into our bedroom and softly shut the door.
“Pants off, Mr. Wolfe. We have a house full of guests and only about ten minutes before they realize we’re missing and I want to make every second count.”
I loosened my belt. “Who said you’re in charge?”
She arched a brow and pulled off her hideous Christmas sweater. “Me.”
“Good enough.” I dropped my pants and flicked off the lights. Within thirty seconds she had me begging, but tonight she’d be the one on her knees.
We were married the following spring, not wanting to waste time on a long engagement. Over our honeymoon, I took her skydiving and got the whole thing on tape. She screamed the entire time but also loved the rush. Although she claimed she’d never do it again, I knew she would. Avery was one of the bravest women I’d ever met. And she loved a challenge.
In the end, I had the woman of my fantasies. She was perfect in every way. Adventurous, gorgeous, silly, dangerously competitive, and my best friend. Pleasing Avery was as easy as breathing.
And she got me out of the deal, which she claimed made her the winner. I didn’t understand her thinking, but I didn’t need to. So long as she was happy with the outcome, I had everything I needed, because that meant I had her.
Avery got everything she set her mind to and sometimes it was fascinating to watch her succeed, even when approaching the seemingly impossible. But she was also incredibly easy to please because it didn’t take much to make her happy. She had the job she wanted, a home that came with a fifteen-year mortgage in a decent school district, and an average, mid-sized sedan. Avery loved pretending she was average even if she’d never qualify.
I loved letting her believe the fantasy, too. But I knew the truth. And if one of us was the winner in this situation, it was me.
My wife was no average woman. She was extraordinary. Perfection personified, in every way. Easily the classiest woman in any room, but also the filthiest in the sexiest way possible—no matter the situation, there was always something dirty on her mind. And as far as fulfilling roles went, I especially like when she wore mismatched clothes and farm animal slippers.
She’d been a lot of things in her life, a bombshell, a student, a daughter, a sister, an average girl. But she’d always be so much more to me, because I got all those parts as one messy, sexy, unparalleled woman.
That was the real Avery.
And she was mine. Forever.
* * *
THE END
* * *
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ALMOST PRIEST
McCullough Mountain #1
* * *
Chapter One
* * *
She was making a mistake, Samantha thought for the hundredth time that evening. She distracted herself with her phone as they headed over the interstate toward the darkening west. Braydon tapped out a beat on the steering wheel as the chiming sounds of Coldplay filled the car. Unlike Sam, he appeared to be suffering from zero misgivings about this trip.
The signal finally picked up on her wireless network and she quickly logged into her mobile email. Grades had to be posted by now.
“You get through?” Braydon asked at her sigh of relief.
“Yeah, let’s just hope it loads.”
“The closer we get to Center County the harder it’ll be to get a signal. I don’t know why you’re worried anyway. You know you got an A.”
Sam tapped her foot on the carpeted interior of his Passat with fidgety impatience. The chances of her getting less than an A were unlikely, but she wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew for sure.
“I probably wouldn’t be so concerned if it was a normal semester for me, but student teaching and senior seminar ate up all eighteen of my credits this semester. That one grade carries more weight than a typical three credit course.”
He shook his head in resignation. “Samantha, you showed up every day, your cooperating teacher loved you, the principal of the school requested you to forward your résumé directly to her when you graduate, and you’ve carried a four point oh GPA since you were a freshman. You shouldn’t be stressing over this.”
She pursed her lips as the swirled rotary image cycled on her phone. There seemed to be a cyber traffic jam at thirty percent loaded. “Come on.” Her phone suddenly let out three obnoxious beeps and informed her that the wireless connection failed. “Damn it!”
“When we get to the house you can use my parents' computer.”
“I don’t want to impose. Can we stop at a McDonalds or some other fast food place with wifi before we get there?”
Sam didn’t share Bray’s amusement when he chuckled. “Samantha, we don’t have fast food joints out here. Just let it go. Once grades are out there’s nothing you can do about them anyway. Put your phone away and embrace the fact that you have three weeks of vacation before you have to even think about college again.”
He was right. She sighed and slipped her cell back into her bag, but for some reason she still couldn’t relax. Rather than stress about her grades or the fact that she was only six credits away from graduating, she stressed about their journey.
It was the start of summer, yet to Sam it was the end of an era. Her flip-flops and shorts were only irrelevant accessories. Her mind was solely focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. As the air from the sleek black vent on the dash tickled her exposed knees, Sam imagined what the end of the summer would feel like. Such relief. By mid-August she’d be, if everything went according to plan, settling into her new classroom and zipping through textbooks and novels for her lesson plans.
She shouldn’t have agreed to go home with Braydon. She wasn’t sure why he even asked in the first place. The minute they pulled onto the highway, however, the belated acknowledgement that they were in a relationship set in. For some reason it never occurred to
her to see their acquaintance that way. Sure they had a mild, mutual attraction and shared a few meals and kisses together, but as far as being a couple, well, Sam wasn’t quite there yet. She only hoped his family didn’t read too much into the significance of her visit.
The truth was she never would’ve agreed to join Braydon if her parents weren’t in Florida for the month. The idea of returning home to her mom and dad’s empty house seemed a depressing way to spend her summer break. It was the image of her watching played-out movies on basic cable, never once taking off her slippers, and destroying one pint of Ben and Jerry’s a night, that struck her as pathetic and had her quickly agreeing to spend her break with the McCulloughs. Now she was thinking she would’ve been better off returning home and waiting it out on her own.
Braydon laid his hand on her thigh and gave an affectionate squeeze. His hands were large and masculine, but pampered and surprisingly smooth. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see. You’ll love the mountains.”
Samantha offered a halfhearted nod and settled further into her seat. She’d never been this far away from the suburbs of Pennsylvania other than her time in the city and was unsure what to expect. She’d probably get a crash course in nature and the great outdoors over the next three weeks, but she wasn’t worried. She prided herself on her ability to adapt to almost any setting.
This would be an adventure of sorts, a chance to learn, and experience new things. She just hoped the McCulloughs didn’t mind her being there. Houseguests were tedious no matter how loved, after a certain length of time.
Braydon had a large family. Hopefully she could fall into the shadows and not cause too many waves in their normal routine. “Who’s going to be there? At the house I mean.”
“Well, you got my mom and dad, Sheilagh, who’s graduating in a few days, Kelly, who’ll probably live with my parents until he’s forty. If Colin isn’t there already he’ll be there eventually. Kate and the kids will be around, but she lives close so she’ll travel back and forth. You’ll get to meet Morai and Nonna. Luke lives in the guest house so he’ll be in and out for meals and other stuff and I think Finn just broke up with Erin so I think he’s back in the house too.” Samantha stared at him dumbly for a second. “What?”
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