Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
“Their loss.”
“Hmm. I’ve always struggled with the holidays, no matter how hard my aunts tried to make it nice for me. You could argue that they went overboard, but you could also suggest that I’ve gotten in the habit of holding on to the blues.”
“How so?”
“I’ve manufactured reasons to check out or minimize my participation in the holidays for years. Solo ski trips, writing retreats in the tropics. And this year, I bought a run-down house in Vermont to research and write in peace.” He hung another ornament, turning to me with a self-deprecating smirk. “I thought that was what I wanted. Solitude, quiet. I thought I needed it, but now…”
Me. Say you need me. Say you want me.
I stared daggers at the fine pine needles, taking extra care to shimmy a beribboned ornament into place as I chided myself to pull it together. It wasn’t easy. My skin tingled at his nearness. It had to be a matter of anticipated contact ’cause I wasn’t the type to get butterflies over a lover’s touch. And I certainly wasn’t the type to hope he’d say corny shit about me changing his perspective. Or about wanting me as much as I wanted him. And not just in a sexual way.
He had to feel it too. Something was happening between us. Something new and unexpected. I didn’t talk about the past, but I’d rolled over like an eager Labrador hoping for belly rubs and spilled my life story. And every stupid detail I’d shared gave me perspective and made me feel…stronger, more aware of myself. I could let go of what I’d lost and be grateful for what I had. I hoped I gave him something like that.
So maybe that was why I held my breath.
I bumped his hip impatiently when precious seconds passed. “And now?”
Cam closed his eyes briefly and met my gaze. Everything I’d hoped for was there—and more.
He brushed his thumb over my cheek and pushed my hair behind my ear. “Now…I’m decorating a tree. There’s snow on the ground, holiday songs are playing everywhere, I have a wreath and garland on my door, and…I like it. All of it.”
I grabbed his wrist and kissed it. “Guess you’re not the Scrooge you claimed to be.”
He rubbed his nose over mine. “You’re not either.”
I had a comeback…somewhere. I was the biggest fucking Scrooge in town. I was a hardened asshole with a bad attitude and everyone knew it. None of that was true, though. Not really. I didn’t want to be hard and unhappy. I didn’t want to be an asshole. Not all the time, anyway.
This was better.
I pulled him to me, sliding my fingers through his hair. “Maybe not. Maybe I like this too.”
Cam released a shaky breath. “What are you doing to me?”
I smiled. “Nothing. I promise. Want to finish decorating the tree?”
“Later.” He unbuttoned my shirt as he sealed his lips to mine.
We took our time peeling off layers of clothing. There was no reason to hurry. We had all night. It seemed important that our lips stay connected, but we separated long enough to push our jeans and briefs out of the way. And I gotta say, that first slide of skin against skin was pure nirvana. We pressed ourselves as close as possible, rubbing and humping till the friction brought us to our knees on the rug in front of the fireplace.
I was about to suggest going upstairs when Cam tugged the thick blanket draped over the leather chair beside the fireplace onto the floor and fished a condom and packet of lube from his pocket. I wanted to make a crack about him being a damn Boy Scout, but I was too strung out to speak. I lay flat, stroking myself as I motioned for him to hand over the lube.
He tossed the condom onto my stomach, poured lube on his fingers and reached around to finger himself.
I stared at him, slack-jawed. “What are you—”
“Shh. Put the condom on, Joe.”
I obeyed. My fingers shook and my breathing sounded heavy to my own ears when he straddled my body and tapped my sheathed cock against his hole. Then…I was inside him.
He was hot and tight and so fucking perfect. He swayed his hips, smiling like a Cheshire cat as he jacked himself. I had a grapefruit the size of Vermont in my throat. I was so overwhelmed and in awe that giving in to the moment was my only option. We moved together…arching, swaying, and thrusting. Harder, faster with tongues entwined, roaming hands, and urgent sighs.
I rolled on top of him, licking a path from his collarbone to his chin, sucking his tongue as my hips flew.
My orgasm came out of nowhere. One second, I was there, and the next I was flying somewhere above, looking down at twinkling lights and into the eyes of a man I was pretty damn sure was the other half of me.