A Diamond For Christmas [Diamonds Are Forever Book 3]

by Peggy Hunter

  "Beautiful,” he whispered as he leaned forward and kissed one thigh and then the other. “I thought I was dreaming last time but now I know everything is real."

  Max rose quickly and discarded his clothes in a fury. He needed to have her again; he needed to own her body. The anticipation of driving his cock deep into her moist, tight depths made his body quake with a need he'd never known before.

  Julie's soft hands held his waist as she sank back to the sofa, drawing him over her. “Kiss me,” she said softly. “I want to feel your mouth on mine."

  Max braced his knees on either side of her and lowered his mouth to hers. Her fingers slowly moved up and then slowly slid lower. He winced when they curled around his hungry cock. At first she simply ran her fingers over the sensitive skin but then, as his kiss deepened, her touch tightened and slowly pumped. He leaned into her touch, enjoying every stroke. When her other hand suddenly cupped his balls and gently massaged, Max thought he might explode right then and there.

  He pulled her hands off him. “Easy, girl,” he said through clenched teeth. “I don't want to disappoint you."

  Julie smiled. “You won't."

  "I will if you keep that up."

  Max pushed her back onto the sofa and ran his hands over her naked body. When his mouth covered one nipple as his fingers found her core, she moaned. His fingers combed over her before he parted the lips of her vagina. He was delighted to find she was slick and more than ready for him. Julie raised one leg and hooked her knee over the back of the sofa while the other fell to the floor in an effort to give Max more access. As his fingers slid over her clit, she arched her back.

  Max watched Julie's lovely face as he slowly slid his hand over her core and then, suddenly, mercilessly, pushed two deep fingers inside her. Jolting in surprise, her face contorted in sheer pleasure as her hips lifted to accept everything he had to offer.

  Max leaned over her and placed a hard kiss on her lips. “You like that?"

  "Yes, yes!"

  "How about this?” His thumb pressed against her slick clit, massaging as his fingers pulled out and then pushed in over and over again.

  Julie opened her mouth but could not speak as her head thrashed back and forth. Max loved watching her like this. So out of control, so near climax. She never looked more beautiful. He could go on for ages, taking her to the brink and pushing her beyond.

  But his own needs were too great to play the game for any longer. He pulled his fingers out and quickly crawled on top of her. He braced his hands on the arm of the sofa and stared down at her. “Do you want me to fuck you?"

  Julie's legs wrapped around his waist as her fingernails dug into his shoulders. “Yes."

  "Say it,” he said through clenched teeth. “Say you want me to fuck you."

  Julie moaned. “You're not playing fair."

  Max chuckled softly. “Repeat after me. Fuck me."

  Julie shook her head wildly. Suddenly her fingers wrapped around his cock and pumped wildly.

  Max groaned. “Now who's not playing fair?” He pulled her hand away and rammed his cock into her depths.

  When her body tightened around his thick cock, Max was almost afraid to move for fear he'd come right then and there. But Julie was relentless, arching her hips and withdrawing. Max matched her rhythm, meeting her stroke for stroke, pounding his hips against her pelvis until they were both out of breath. When he came, his orgasm hit him like a ton of bricks. He felt as though his body was exploding into a million pieces and every bit of life force within him had drained into Julie's magnificent body. He collapsed over her, his body riddled with tiny convulsions as he struggled to catch his breath.

  It wasn't until he caught his breath that he realized he had his full body weight on top of her. When he braced his weight on his hands to ease off her, her arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back.

  "I'm too heavy,” he said.

  "I love the feel of you on top of me."

  Max smiled and kissed her deeply before resting his chin on her shoulder.

  "Okay,” she said, pushing at his chest, “maybe you are too heavy."

  Max chuckled and pushed off her, letting himself fall onto the floor beside the sofa.

  The thump made Julie cry out. “Are you okay?"

  Max placed his hands under his head as he gazed up at her. “Tell me the truth,” he said. “You're really an alien sent to earth to sexually devour men, aren't you?"

  Damn, he loved her sweet, lyrical laugh.

  "That's right,” she said as she got up and stepped over him. She grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. “And now that I've sucked you dry, I must continue my quest to find more men."

  "You won't find any here,” Max replied. And, until he'd had his fill of her, he'd make damn sure she didn't find any at all.

  "All right then,” Julie replied as she rolled up the cuffs on his shirt. “I'll settle for something to drink instead."

  Max got off the floor and pulled his pants on before he walked to the minibar. He flicked on the light over the bar and opened the small fridge. “What would you like? Beer, wine?"

  "Just water, thanks."

  Max grinned when Julie looked around his condo in awe. Yeah, money seemed to have that effect on the women he met. Still, he had to admit Julie was different from the other women he brought home. Even though she blinked and gazed around at the lavish furnishings, her eyes seemed to show disappointment rather than interest.

  "Something wrong?” he asked as he handed her a bottled water.

  Julie wandered to the fireplace and cocked her head to one side. “No,” she said, “not really. It's just that...” her voice trailed off.

  "What?” he pressed as he slowly approached her. He wanted to know though he wasn't sure why. He'd brought her to his condo for one reason and one reason only. What she thought shouldn't matter to him.

  Julie swung around, her brilliant blue eyes gazing at him with concern. “It's almost Christmas,” she said. “Yet there isn't a single decoration. No tree, no lights or garland.” Then she looked back at the marble mantel framing the elaborate gas fireplace. “Not even a single Christmas card on display."

  Max snorted and shoved his hands in his pockets. That was why she looked so concerned? He poured some scotch into a glass and took a small sip. His eyes trained on the liquid as he responded, “I don't do Christmas."

  Julie laughed. “Oh come on,” she said incredulously, “who doesn't celebrate Christmas?"

  "A lot of people don't,” Max countered.

  Julie splayed her arms out wide. “Okay,” she said. “If you want to get nitpicky, many cultures don't. But our culture does. So you'll have to come up with a better excuse than that."

  Max walked to the sofa and sat down. “I don't need an excuse.” He wasn't about to describe how miserable the holidays were when he was a kid.

  Julie sighed. “I'm sorry,” she said, her cheeks flaming. “It's none of my business."

  Max instantly felt sorry that he'd acted so cold. He patted the cushion beside him. “Tell me why you love Christmas so much."

  When Julie sat beside him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. Her body felt so warm and soft. Her hand rested on his lap as she laid her head against his chest. “We have several traditions for Christmas. My uncle Joe always shows up on Christmas Eve with a horse and sleigh to take us for a moonlit ride. We sing Christmas carols as the sleigh bells ring in our ears. Mom and Aunt Carol always stay behind to prepare for our return. We have hot chocolate and homemade cookies. She and my aunt bake for weeks to prepare for the holidays."

  "Sounds like fun,” Max commented.

  "It is,” Julie replied, a wistful smile on her full red lips. “Christmas morning is complete chaos. My three sisters come early with their families and all the kids are anxious to open their gifts. But Mom insists everyone sits down to have breakfast first. The rest of the day is spent enjoying each other's company and helping Mom prepare Christmas di
nner."

  "A regular Hallmark Christmas,” Max said. “Bet there's even a kids’ table set up for dinner."

  Julie moved her head from his chest and gazed at him. “Why so sarcastic?"

  Max hadn't realized he had been. “Sorry,” he said. He hadn't meant to be. Still, it was hard for him to imagine having a Christmas like the one she described.

  Julie leaned her head against his chest again. “What are you doing for Christmas?"

  He sighed. “I'll be right here, enjoying the peace and quiet."

  "That seems kinda sad."

  Max snorted lightly. “So think of me when you're enjoying your family Christmas."

  He frowned when Julie let out a long sigh. “What?"

  "I have to admit, I've thought seriously about not going to my parents’ this year."

  "Why?"

  "Well, there's this guy."

  Max froze. Already he had to fight off men? “What guy?"

  "Rob,” she supplied. “We've had an on-again, off-again relationship for years. I always hoped he'd propose one day but when he didn't two Christmases ago, I decided to dump him completely and move to Toronto."

  "So what's the problem?"

  "He's decided he wants to marry me now. He's pressuring me to make the announcement at Christmas dinner."

  "So just say no."

  Julie got up from the sofa and walked toward the massive bay window. “It's not that simple. My parents love him and they've never liked that I moved to Toronto. They want me to move back to Pencil and marry him. I want to spend Christmas with my family this year but the moment I walk in the door, the pressure to give in will be on."

  "So what if you brought your new boyfriend to celebrate the holidays with your family?"

  Had he just said that? Had he lost his mind?

  Julie laughed. Clearly she thought he had. “Are you serious?"

  No, say no! “Sure,” he said though hardly able to believe it himself. “You did say you wanted a Diamond for Christmas."

  Julie gazed at him with uncertainty. “I don't know about this."

  "I have just one stipulation,” he said. “You have to attend my father's wedding with me on Boxing Day."

  Chapter 7

  "I'm just saying a little warning would have been nice,” Sandra Thornton said as she broke eggs into a large bowl.

  "It was a last-minute decision,” Julie told her mother truthfully. It had taken her days to decide whether to accept Max's proposal to attend her family Christmas in exchange for going to his father's wedding with him. “I didn't think you'd mind my bringing someone home for the holidays."

  "Did you see the look on the boy's face when you sent him to the basement?” Jack Thornton said as he sat at the kitchen table.

  "Well, he could have slept in the attic with Cousin Harold."

  Julie sighed. She'd come to the kitchen dressed in a housecoat in the hopes of finding a cup of coffee and then hightailing it back to the room she shared with two of her cousins. It seemed that was not going to happen. “No one wants to share a bed with Cousin Harold. Isn't that why he gets an entire bedroom to himself every Christmas while the rest of us have to bunk three or four to a bed?"

  "He's an old man, Julie,” her mother said. “Let's see how well you can keep your bodily functions in check when you're old."

  "Unless you've actually survived a night with Cousin Harold, you have no right to say word one,” her father said.

  "Shut up, Jack,” Sandra said. “If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. Besides, that has nothing to do with what Julie dragged home last night."

  Julie slapped the kitchen table in anger. “Mom! Max is a nice guy. He sure as hell didn't deserve to be sent to the basement last night."

  "You overstepped, Sandy,” her father added.

  Her mother's face pinched as she glared at her husband. “Did you expect me to greet this man with open arms? I read the papers. I know what Maxwell Diamond is capable of. Is it so wrong to want something better for my daughter?"

  Jack shook his head. “Your idea of better is having Julie move back to Pencil so she can be under your thumb."

  "That's a lie. I only want what's best for Julie."

  "I'm sick of hearing your version of what's best for everyone in this family."

  "How dare you talk to me like that!"

  "It's time someone put you in your place."

  Julie sat at the table sipping her cup of coffee as she listened to the exchange between her parents. If ever there was a mismatched pair, Sandra and Jack Thornton were it. They could never agree on anything. For all the similar arguments she'd witnessed over the years, she knew of no two people who loved each other more than her parents did.

  "And how nice you decided to back Julie up on this, Jack,” her mother said sourly. “What about the fact Rob is going to join us for dinner and expects to ask Julie to marry him?"

  "Bet Max will have something to say about that,” Jack countered.

  Her mother's eyes almost popped out of her head. “Who the hell cares what Max has to say..."

  Bing bong.

  Both her mother and father dropped their argument.

  "That'll be your sisters and their families,” Sandra said, forcing a bright smile on her face. “It's Christmas Day."

  That pretty much said it all. There was to be no ill will, no hard feelings and no sad faces on Christmas Day. Jack raced after Sandra to the door, leaving Julie alone in the kitchen.

  Seizing the moment, Julie jumped up from the table and filled a mug with coffee before she headed to the door at the back of the kitchen. She carefully closed the door behind her as she felt her way down the steep steps. With no light to guide her, she only hoped she'd find Max in one piece.

  "Max?” she called as she finally felt her way down the last step in the basement. When she heard something scuttle across the floor, she bit back an oath. “Max!"

  "Over here."

  Julie followed his voice deeper into the dark basement. She stopped when she heard more scuttling.

  "Don't let the rats stop you,” Max said. “After spending the night down here, we're on good terms."

  "Mom and Dad's house has rats?” Julie asked, trying to keep her voice from squealing.

  "Either that or really big mice,” Max replied. “You sound closer, keep walking toward my voice."

  When she finally felt his arms circle her waist, Julie sighed in relief and stepped back. “I brought coffee,” she said as she pressed the hot mug of coffee into his hand. “I'm so sorry, Max. I had no idea my parents would make you sleep down here."

  "It's not so bad,” he replied. “There's a finished room at the bottom of the stairs."

  Julie stiffened in anger. “Then why..."

  "Because I was just about to go upstairs when I overheard you and your parents arguing. Where we're standing right now is immediately below the kitchen."

  "So you know what my parents think of you,” Julie said, her heart racing.

  "Don't give a sweet shit what they think. But I'm looking forward to seeing the look on ol’ Rob's face when he comes to propose to you."

  "I'm having second thoughts. I don't want to hurt Rob."

  "Too little, too late,” Max said as he took her hand. “Let me show you the room I slept in."

  Sounds from the family upstairs filtered through the ceiling above them. One of her sisters played the piano while everyone sang Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

  Max growled, “I hate that song.” His grip on Julie's hand tightened and he led her into the bedroom.

  Julie looked around the sunlit room in awe. The basement had always had a dirt floor and was a scary place when she was a kid. She had no idea her parents had started to fix it up. The tiny room had one south-facing window that let tons of light in. The carpeted floor was soft and the walls were painted a light peach. The furniture was all hand-me-downs from the past: Julie's old dresser; the double bed her parents used before they bought a queen-sized; nightstands on ei
ther side of the bed that Julie remembered being in use in the living room when she was a kid. But complete with a hand-hooked rug on the floor, it was comfortable and welcoming.

  "I was waiting all night for you to find your way down here,” Max said as he backed her against the bed.

  "I was in the middle of two cousins in a double bed,” she said. “It's amazing that I managed to climb out without waking them this morning."

  When Max's hands went to untie her housecoat, her hands covered his. “It's Christmas morning,” she said urgently. “Everyone expects us upstairs."

  "They can wait,” Max growled. “I can't."

  Julie let her hands fall to her sides and Max quickly removed her housecoat and nightgown. He pushed her back until her knees caught the edge of the bed and she fell down on it, her legs splayed open.

  Max took full advantage, falling to his knees between her legs and spreading them wider apart. His eyes darkened to molten lava when he looked at her core. He bent down, burying his face between her legs.

  Julie gripped his head and dug her fingers into his hair as his tongue lapped her clit. She moaned and gave herself to him completely. Each stroke of his tongue drove her closer to oblivion. Her family was a far-off thought as she lifted her legs onto the edge of the bed to allow Max closer contact with her pussy.

  Deep in her mind, Julie knew what they were doing was wrong on so many levels. Her mother had sent him to the basement last night to keep him a good distance away from her. Tonight, at supper, Rob intended to propose to her. And, to top things off, she could hear Jingle Bells being sung by her family above them.

  Julie knew she should care. Any decent daughter would care, wouldn't they? But she didn't. Every bit of her being was focused on Max's mouth and what he was doing to her pussy. Every fiber of her being wanted to feel his cock ram into her and drive her into the sweet realm of climax.