Christmas in July

by Ophelia Sexton

  Sam nodded. "That was a close call, right enough. And your dad has some fine horses on his place."

  "Yeah," Ethan agreed. "We can't thank you enough." He winked at Hannah, and she felt her face grow hot. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."

  Chapter 7

  Possum

  About three miles out of town. Hannah spotted what she was looking for: a large brown sign labeled "Public Access Area," with fish and boat symbols, and an arrow pointing at a sloping driveway leading off the raised highway embankment.

  She carefully turned the big station wagon onto the narrow driveway, and bumped down a narrow gravel lane that led into a dense grove of trees on the riverbank.

  "This is your favorite place in Bearpaw Ridge?" Sam asked, sounding a little incredulous as he looked around.

  "Well, it used to be my favorite place when I was in high school," Hannah informed him. "I haven't been here in a while."

  Her heart was pounding with anticipation, and she couldn't believe how much just having her knuckles kissed had turned her on.

  Sam just looked puzzled, so she added, "I used to take my dates here when I wanted to spend some time with them without everyone in town knowing where I was and what I was doing."

  "Oh. I see." Sam's eyes widened in comprehension.

  Just as she remembered, there was a small dirt parking lot in the middle of the grove, with picnic tables and a boat ramp leading down into the river.

  And just as she'd hoped, the parking lot and picnic area were completely deserted. Summer days were long in Bearpaw Ridge, and there was still at least an hour or two of daylight left, but all of the fishermen and kayakers had apparently decided to head home for the day.

  Or maybe the smoky skies had discouraged them from venturing out at all.

  Hannah parked and climbed out of the station wagon. She had barely closed her car door when Sam pushed her up against the side of the car.

  He pinned her with his hips, hands tangled in her hair as he bent and captured her mouth in a hard kiss that was passionate, a little rough, and totally hot.

  Hannah heard herself make a sound of pure need deep in her throat. She grabbed at his densely-muscled shoulders and pressed herself against him, feeling the hard bulge of his erection behind the thick fabric of his jeans.

  Her hands dropped to roam freely over his sides and back, exploring him through the barrier of cloth stretched smooth and taut over ridges of hard muscle.

  Sam's hands were moving as well, slipping under her hair to stroke her nape before moving down to trace the long line of her spine. He cradled her ass in his big hands, pulling her ever tighter against him. And he never stopped kissing her, their tongues waging a sensual war that made victors of them both.

  Sam drew back a little, his breath coming fast. "I want you, Hannah," he said, his voice rough as his bear rose up inside him, gilding his eyes. "I want you to be mine."

  That mine sent a thrill through her.

  Yes! Her bear enthusiastically agreed.

  He leaned in for another kiss. Hannah was more than okay with that…until she remembered something very important she needed to tell him.

  She stiffened in his embrace and turned her head away to speak.

  Unlike Jake, Sam respected her body language. He stopped immediately and pulled back, though she could feel the tension of desire singing through his body like a live wire.

  "I'm not on any birth control right now." If only I'd known that my meal delivery run with Annabeth would turn into a date with the hottest bear shifter I've ever met!

  He froze. "Bloody hell. I wasn't expecting that we'd—I mean, I didn't bring anything—"

  She silenced him with a quick kiss. Her blood was running hot in her veins, and the place between her legs felt swollen and aching with desire for him. "That just means we'll have to be a little creative."

  She reached between them and stroked the hard bulge pushing against the front of his jeans.

  "Creative," he said, sounding short of breath. "Oi, I like the sound of that."

  She grinned at him. Then he drove all thought out of her mind by cupping her breasts through her Cinnamon + Sugar t-shirt.

  He caressed her sensitive nipples with his thumbs, so that they stiffened and became visible even through her bra and top.

  Her smoldering desire flared even hotter at his teasing touch.

  Desperate to get him naked as quickly as possible, she yanked his Queensland Fire and Rescue t-shirt up out of his jeans.

  He took a half-step back and raised his arms, smiling down at her.

  I really should take my time and enjoy this, Hannah thought, but she wanted him much too badly to go slowly.

  It was all she could do not to tear off his clothes.

  She got his t-shirt off and tossed it on a nearby picnic table. She couldn't help running her hands over his bared torso, relishing the feeling of his bare, heated skin against her palms, and the soft, springy, light brown hair sprinkled over his broad chest and muscled abs.

  "You are so hot," she said fervently.

  He grinned, but she saw a flush rising from his collarbones and creeping up his tanned golden skin of his throat. "You're not half-bad yourself, possum."

  Hannah drew back slightly and scowled up at him in mock indignation, though her hands remained plastered firmly to his heated skin.

  "Did you just call me a possum?" she asked indignantly. "As in, the critter that looks like a giant white rat and plays dead?"

  Sam grimaced and shook his head. "Our Aussie possums are cute, I swear to you. All big eyes and adorable furry faces. Here, let me show you—" He reached for the phone tucked in his jeans pocket, but Hannah grabbed his hand and put it firmly on her breast.

  He laughed, then went very still as she reached for the waist of his jeans.

  "I feel like you've been spying on my dreams of the past few couple nights," he said, sounding a little breathless.

  She grinned at him, moved her hands to his hips, and slowly sank down to her knees. "Shoes first," she said primly.

  Luckily for her, he'd changed out of his firefighter's boots and into sneakers before they'd left on their mission to reunite Edgar with his family.

  Sam groaned but let her unlace them and pull them off before she reached up to deal with his jeans.

  She unbuttoned them, then pulled them and his briefs down to his ankles. His thick cock sprang free, erect and ready for action.

  Hannah leaned forward to place a playful kiss on the broad, hard shaft. It felt smooth and burning-hot against her lips.

  Sam groaned again and pulled her up with his effortless strength.

  "My turn now," he informed her.

  He all but tore off her brown-and-pink Cinnamon + Sugar t-shirt and the plain cotton bra underneath. His urgency sent a thrill through her. She loved that he obviously wanted her as badly as she wanted him right now.

  He kissed and nibbled his way down her throat to her bared breasts with frantic hunger, as she clutched at his shoulders and arched, offering herself to him.

  He bit her nipples just hard enough to send a jolt of pure pleasure straight to her pussy, then sucked the sensitized tips hard between his lips, making her moan with each teasing flick of his tongue.

  It was driving her crazy with sheer, mind-blowing arousal, and she felt as if she was going to either explode or lose her mind.

  She went up on her tiptoes and tilted her hips, desperate to get some relief from the throbbing, intense ache between her legs. Sam held her at bay with an unbreakable grip as he continued to torment her breasts.

  "Sam...please," she begged, finally, which seemed to be the signal he'd been waiting for.

  His hands under her ass, he stepped neatly out of the crumpled pile of jeans and briefs on the ground, lifted her effortlessly, and carried her over to the nearest picnic table.

  He bent to kiss her again, his mouth was hard and urgent, and when she wrapped her legs around his hips, she felt his hard cock pushing against her
aching pussy through her jeans.

  "Oh God, I want you so badly!" she panted.

  He lowered her to the tabletop. She felt him unzip her jeans and eagerly helped him push them down. One arm circled her waist, supporting her, while his free hand slid down the front of her panties.

  Hannah moaned as she felt his fingers slip between the hot, wet folds of her pussy.

  "Please, Sam," she begged, utterly shameless now.

  "You feel so good," he whispered, slowly circling her clit with his fingertip.

  She moaned with desperate need and reached for the hard length of his erection, cupping in her fingers. "I’m so close…please…"

  "Oh, yeah, I'm going to make you come," he said hoarsely. "I want to hear you."

  "Yes! Please..." She tilted her hips, pushing herself against his hand, as she fisted his hot, hard shaft.

  She drew her hand up his length in a slow caress, thumbing the broad, smooth head.

  The breath shuddered out of him as he continued to tease her swollen, sensitive clit with just the right amount of pressure, each brush of his fingers sending electric jolts through her.

  She was so close...she just needed a little more....

  "Sam...please...," she begged in a fierce whisper, speeding up her own caresses, enjoying his own gasps and groans of pleasure as she worked his cock.

  He pushed a finger inside her, then another, then a third, stretching her in an indescribably pleasurable way. She spread her legs eagerly for him and moaned, feeling the edge of the picnic table pressing against her ass.

  "I love it that you want me as badly as I want you right now," he murmured.

  Sam pulled his fingers partway out of her and thrust them back in, making her moan as they rubbed tantalizingly against her aroused nerves. He began to move, using his thumb to rub her clit every time he worked his fingers in and out of her slick, hungry entrance.

  Hannah imagined it was his hard cock driving into her and felt her climax gathering like a storm.

  Sam kissed her, drinking in the soft sounds she was making.

  "You are so beautiful and sexy," he whispered between kisses. "I love touching you, Hannah, love making you feel good."

  He picked up the pace of his thrusts, and she writhed around his fingers, arching against the delicious friction he was generating. She was so close now...just a little more...

  Sam bent, and she felt his sharp teeth close on her throat, a growl vibrating against her skin.

  It was enough to send her over the edge.

  Her fingers loosened around his shaft as she momentarily forgot about everything except the pleasure exploding through her like a lightning strike on water. Ripples of intense pleasure coursed through her body, making her writhe helplessly against his hand.

  Hannah drew a shuddering breath and buried her face against his shoulder, muffling the sounds she was making as she pulsed around Sam's impaling fingers. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of exquisite sensations.

  He was kissing her, his tongue taking possession of her mouth as he continued to caress her, drawing out her climax in wave after wave of pleasure.

  Sam gentled his touch, withdrawing his fingers as Hannah began to come down from her peak. He continued to stroke her clit lightly, summoning every last splash of sensation.

  When her orgasm had subsided at last, she slumped against him, feeling dizzy and drunk on pleasure. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close against his bare, warm body, and his strong heartbeat hammered against her cheek.

  Eventually, though, she became aware that she'd just left him hanging.

  Hannah turned her face into his chest and kissed it.

  "Your turn," she murmured before sliding off the picnic table.

  Her knees felt like jelly as she guided him to switch places.

  Panting with unquenched desire, Sam obeyed without protest, seating himself on the table and leaning back on his hands.

  Hannah stepped between his knees and gave him a long, lingering kiss before she began to work her way down his body, tasting every inch of his throat, chest, and those lovely defined abs.

  "Your mouth is so beautiful," Sam told her, his hands sliding into her unbound hair to cradle her head. "I've been dreaming about doing this with you…what it would be like to have your sweet lips wrapped around my cock."

  "I really wish we could go all the way today. But I'll try to make you feel as good as you just made me feel," Hannah said, as she bent and teased his erect cock by blowing on it.

  Sam groaned and she felt his hands tighten in her hair.

  But he didn't try to force her head down, though she could tell how much the effort at restraint was costing him. It excited her and rekindled her arousal.

  She opened her mouth and licked him, a long, wet stroke that lingered and swirled around his tip.

  He thrust his hips upwards in what looked like an involuntary reaction, trying to fuck her mouth, so she closed her fist around the base of his thick shaft and took back control.

  Sam groaned loudly as she closed her lips around the broad tip of his cock. She played with it, letting the head slide against the ridged roof of her mouth, then used her tongue to tease his sensitive slit, tasting the salt and musk.

  He shuddered and gasped when she began to gently stroke the heavy sac between his legs.

  "Do that again. Please," he gasped.

  She giggled, pleased at his reaction, and obeyed, taking as much of him in her mouth as she could.

  She moaned softly around his cock, caressing him with the sound, and swallowed him to the hilt before dragging her lips and tongue up his rigid shaft.

  Sam shuddered beneath her and swore incoherently. Pleased with his reaction, she repeated the caress again and again, drinking in his reactions as she sensed him getting close to his own finish.

  Then he growled and convulsed, filling her mouth with the taste of salt as he shook beneath her.

  Hannah swallowed everything he gave her, guiding him tenderly through his climax to his completion, until he sprawled back on the table, sweaty and sticky and with the sweetest, happiest smile on his face.

  She wiped her mouth and crawled up on the table with him. He gathered her in with one arm and drew her to drape herself over his chest. They cuddled together for a while, listening to the same wind that was whipping the wildfires into a frenzy a few miles away rustle the leaves of the trees above them here.

  "How about we go for a swim?" he suggested eventually, when his heartbeat had slowed to its normal, steady rhythm again.

  She looked at him doubtfully. "We're out of sight of the highway and the bridge here, but once we get in the water…well, I'm not thrilled about flashing every pickup that roars by."

  "Then let's wear our other shapes," Sam suggested. "It's not bear-hunting season or anything, is it?"

  Hannah shook her head. "No one's allowed to shoot game this close to town, anyway." The thought of letting her bear out to play in the cool, refreshing waters of the river was a tempting one. "Okay."

  Her bear rose eagerly to the surface, sending a sharp prickling sensation over her skin like a wave of goosebumps.

  They scrambled off the table and quickly shifted to their other shapes.

  When they were done, Kayla paused to admire Sam's bear.

  He was a huge grizzly with honey-colored fur that matched his human hair color, and golden shifter eyes. She was not a petite bear herself, but standing next to him, he made her feel small.

  He looked her over in turn, then leaned in to touch noses with an approving huff before turning to gallop swiftly in the direction of the boat ramp.

  Feeling happier than she could remember, Hannah raced after him, determined not to let him win the race to the water's edge.

  Chapter 8

  Too Hot to Handle

  The next week was the happiest that Hannah could remember.

  She and Annabeth worked long shifts at the bakery seven days a week, preparing meals for the volunteers of the B
earpaw Ridge Fire Department and the visiting Queensland Fire and Rescue firefighters that Dane and the others had informally adopted as their own.

  And she and Sam spent every free moment together, both of them sacrificing precious sleep in favor of more rewarding and pleasurable activities.