Holiday Face-off

by Kristen Echo

She elbowed his ribs lightly. “Damn, you’re smug. If you want to know who I am then ask; don’t make it sound like my life’s story will be headline news.”

  “Tell me about yourself. Consider me a fan.” His playfulness penetrated her defenses.

  She found herself wanting to open up, but had no idea what to say. “There’s not much to tell; I’m a redneck country girl with a wicked aim, so don’t mess with me.” Her joke made Theo’s grip stiffen. Telling a guy, she knew how to use a gun and could shoot him might not be the best way to win him over. Not that she wanted to impress Theo. “I’m kidding; a little. Most of my time is spent at university studying, and the rest at work to pay for it. I live a very common and boring life.”

  He relaxed. “It’s not boring to me. Tell me more.” Their bodies were so close that she could feel his chest expand as he breathed.

  “Um… I moved to Winnipeg this past summer and I haven’t made many friends yet. Okay, I have two. My roommate, Beth, and my co-worker, Miranda. Both girls are cuckoo for hockey which we have in common. They pretty much had to become my friends.” Admitting she wasn’t miss popular was embarrassing when she was sitting next to Theo. He oozed charm in his sleep she’d bet. Everyone loved him.

  “Moving to a new city is tough. I’ve only lived here a few years, and I have a shit-ton of acquaintances but only a handful of friends. So, I get it.”

  “No way!” She was shocked and wanted to turn over, but she didn’t.

  He chuckled at her high-pitched outburst. “My first year, I was home sick and spent all my time off traveling back to Montreal to visit my family and my girl. This season, I have no reason to go back there. It’s been pretty lonely.”

  The mention of his ex-girlfriend and Theo being lonely caused her to stir. “How did your ex handle the limelight?”

  He laughed again, and the sound caressed her body like a sip of hot chocolate. “Not well I’m afraid.”

  “I can’t picture you sitting at home alone. That image doesn’t gel with your public persona.” A vision of him alone and sprawled naked on his bed popped into her head. His hand on his cock as he… bad Carly. She swallowed and clenched her knees together.

  “We have an entire team dedicated to building our public image. Say this; wear that; it’s exhausting, but it’s all part of the gig.” He blew out a big breath.

  That didn’t sound fun. “I wouldn’t enjoy that very much. Must be tedious.” Here he was telling her how much life with him sucked and she couldn’t stop thinking about sucking something else.

  “Parts of it can be, but I’ve stayed on their good books, so they leave me alone for the most part. But new relationships are always a topic of conversation.” Theo tucked a loose curl behind her ear. His finger lingered against her neck. “I like the hint of red in your hair and the freckles here.”

  The compliment made her blush. “You shouldn’t have to debate who you are friends with. It’s none of their business.”

  “You’re wrong. Dating me isn’t simple or easy.”

  Dating Theo Montagne. The idea sent a tingle through her body, but he wasn’t the guy for her. The conversation seemed far too intense; too meaningful. “You’re Mr. Complicated now. Is that it?”

  “I’m a kid from Montreal who gets to play pro-hockey. The complicated part is the world that surrounds hockey. Think you can handle it?”

  Carly loved a challenge, but this was one she shouldn’t take. It was a game she couldn’t win, but it would be so much fun to play. She remained quiet, refusing to answer.

  A few minutes passed. “Goodnight, Carly. Sweet dreams.”

  “Goodnight, Theo.” They cuddled, and she watched the snow fall. His breathing evened out, and she fell asleep wrapped in his arms.

  CHAPTER NINE

  T he room was too warm and Carly couldn’t move. Her arms were pinned. His body pressed against hers, holding her hostage in a cocoon of heat. She smiled and turned her head. Theo’s face was right there, their noses practically touching.

  He was striking.

  Carly slowly freed one arm and swept the hair off his forehead. Careful not to wake him, and risk losing her chance to gaze at him while he slumbered next to her. The overnight hair growth on his chin suited him. He seemed at peace and the soft snore was more cute than annoying.

  What a different start to the day compared to the previous one. The lonely ache in her chest was gone. The painful void remained, but it had lessened, become bearable. She didn’t know what to make of that.

  Theo’s mouth opened slightly, and she noticed more tiny scars, besides the obvious one on his lip. They hid in his hairline and brow, and another across his chin. He wore battle wounds from his sport.

  Carly wanted to pinch herself, to confirm this was real. Normal girls like her didn’t sleep with guys who looked like Theo. The famous statue of David had nothing on this man. A priceless work of art, imperfections and all.

  He wasn’t perfect, and neither was she. Except, he wasn’t an ordinary guy; he was a hockey hero to millions of adoring fans. Never mind the famous millionaire part, she couldn’t believe the league’s top player was the same man who'd held her all night long.

  There was no time for regrets. She might never get the chance to be carefree again. Be the girl to let loose, have fun and not worry about expectations and commitments. Having the best grades, taking everything seriously and over planning had gotten her nowhere.

  She removed the blanket and let it fall to the floor. The first thing she wanted him to see would be her; the first thing he felt to be her lips. She moved to her side to face him and pressed her lips to his. She woke him with a kiss.

  A kiss that started off slow, but then he kissed back. She didn’t even care they hadn’t brushed their teeth; he tasted great. She expected to give him a peck, something sweet, but it turned into a kiss steamier than a pot of boiling water. It quickly built until she was on the verge of climax.

  She felt something hard poke against her stomach. She reached to stroke him, but he stopped her hand and pressed it over his heart. The steady thud let her know he was equally turned on.

  “Good morning,” he said, stretching his legs.

  “Let’s make it an even better morning.” She winked, finding her bold side.

  “It’s not that I wouldn’t love to have your hands on me. I want that more than you know, Carly. But I want more too.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I don’t want a shadow of doubt to cross your mind when you think of me, or of us together.”

  She wiggled closer until no space came between them. “I feel good about us. I want to live in the present, whatever happens tomorrow, we can figure it out then.” She kissed his lips, ran her tongue over the seam until he opened to her. She sucked on his tongue, making him growl. Low and deep like a primal call to mate. This was a call she was more than willing to answer.

  “I want you, Theo.” Her attempt to free her hands failed.

  “I can see the hesitation in your eyes,” he said, and she blinked any doubt away. She raised her brow in challenge. He laughed. “Trust me, it’s there. If it weren’t, we’d find a bed immediately.”

  A bed - yes please.

  Theo gave her a quick peck on the lips before rolling over her and getting off the couch. They each took turns in the main floor bathroom. Neither of them had ventured anywhere upstairs, and she was okay keeping it that way. She brushed her teeth with her finger and after using the toilet, she came out to find Theo standing by the window watching the snow.

  Carly joined him, wrapping her arms around his midsection. “No signs of stopping.” The statement floated through the air like a promise. They had more time.

  They stood there for a while, holding one another and watching the winter wonderland outside unfold.

  “Did you check the power?” She asked, walking over to the coffee table and picking up her phone. He shook his head. “No power yet.” And no service, she confirmed with her phone.

  “Guess we’ll be here a while
longer.” His lips kicked up on one side. The devil himself crafted Theo’s mouth for sin, it was that wicked.

  “What should we do?” She bit her lip, trying to suggest they find that bedroom.

  He didn’t take the bait. “Come sit with me.” He took her hand and pulled her to sit on his lap. “Merry Christmas.” He gripped the back of her head and kissed her softly. There was no tongue, but it wasn’t necessary.

  Carly pressed her forehead against Theo’s and looked into his eyes. “Merry Christmas. Tell me your best and worst Christmas stories.” She wanted to learn more about him. Every detail. “Go back as far as you need to.” She snuggled onto his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He scratched his chin. “Hmm. You go first while I pick one.”

  Carly didn’t have to ponder for long, she knew her favorite.

  “I was ten, and my dad handed me a present wrapped with red and green stripes. He was excited about it, almost giddy, which if you knew my dad, would not fit. Anyway, I tore through that wrapping paper and inside the wooden box was the last thing I expected. I mean, it wasn’t at all what I wanted. I asked for a pink Barbie Dream House set. What I ended up with was this piece of metal and a box of bullets. He bought me a gun.”

  Theo rubbed her leg, probably thinking this was the worst Christmas story, it wasn’t.

  “At first sight, I hated it, but I smiled even though I wanted to cry. My dad thought he hit it out of the park. Once he'd explained the reason, I had to agree, he nailed it. Dad said he would teach me to shoot, and then we could hunt together someday. He gave me a gun, but what he really gave me was his time. I rarely saw him during the week, because he worked so much, but he promised to take me to the range and teach me how to shoot. He took me every weekend that year, and we’ve hunted lots since.”

  She couldn’t tell what Theo thought, but he was smiling, which she took as a good sign. Carly wished her dad was sitting there with them. He would love Theo. Not because he played hockey, although that gave him extra brownie points, but because he was genuine.

  “That was both sweet and a tiny bit scary. It’s clear you loved him and wanted to please him. For a young kid that was pretty cool of you to give up the Barbie whatever you called it in exchange for a gun. I wouldn’t have taken that as well as you did.”

  His lips caressed the sensitive skin under her ear. “Is it wrong of me to think it’s sexy that you can shoot?” His hand roamed under her shirt, trailing his fingertips against her stomach.

  Carly never considered herself sexy. Cute as in girl next door, yes, but bad ass, no. “I’m glad you approve. Your turn.”

  Theo drew a circular pattern against her skin. “No, tell me your least favorite and then I’ll go.” He licked along the shell of her ear.

  “I… can’t think about anything but you, when you’re doing that.”

  He nibbled on her lobe. “Good, but I’ll stop, for now,” he said, and she wanted to protest, tell him to keep going but she was learning fast that Theo had a stubborn side.

  “Last year, was a low one for me. I’d received some devastating news and even the holidays couldn’t bring me out of my funk. Your turn.” She should have made up a story. Told him about the year she fell off the rocking horse her grandfather had made her. Spending the entire day in the emergency room was horrible, however, that didn’t come close to last years.

  “I’m sorry. Care to elaborate, I feel like there’s more to the story.”

  Carly shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t want to talk about it, Christmas is supposed to be magical, so let’s focus on the happier ones. No more dodging, you’re up.” She rubbed her hands together, getting ready for a juicy tale.

  He tilted her chin towards him and their eyes locked.

  “Whenever you’re ready, I’ve been told I’m a decent listener.”

  He kissed her tenderly. “I’m glad this one isn’t your worst. Because… My favorite Christmas to date is this one. It’s the first one I’m spending with you.”

  Implying first of many she hoped. No sweeter words had ever been said. The vault of her heart opened a crack. The flutter in her stomach complicated things.

  They kissed, and she had to admit this Christmas was quickly becoming a contender for the top spot.

  CHAPTER TEN

  T he morning gave way to the afternoon as the storm continued. They had done little more than make-out like two horny kids who'd discovered the pleasures of French-kissing. She would have been happy to kiss the day away. But Theo suggested they go dig out the car and survey the area with the brightness of day on their side.

  She wagered the real reason he wanted to go outside, was because he was having a hard time refusing her constant advances. Any other girl might have been put out by his refusal to take the next step but Carly found it endearing. It didn’t, however, reduce her desire to see him naked and do nasty things with him. Every kiss, every touch made her crazy for more. She didn’t understand how he had so much willpower.

  They dressed to go outside and Carly once again loved the way his hair curled out from under his hat. He looked so young and virile, like a man ready to conquer the world. For now, he’d have to settle for battling the elements.

  The blizzard was bound to stop at some point; a fact that made Carly uneasy. Only yesterday, she’d been desperate for clear skies, and now the prospect wasn’t as appealing. Theo was one hundred percent behind her shift in perception.

  Two steps out the front door and Carly wanted to turn back. It was cold and miserable.

  Mother Nature continued her quest to cover the earth in white, but had slowed her pursuit somewhat. The wind howled and whipped flakes in her face. Visibility was still poor, but not as bad as the previous evening.

  Snow drifts had formed against the side of the house, reaching the top of the windows. She guesstimated the snowfall amount as well over a foot. The only brightness Carly found was Theo’s smiling face.

  “What is there to smile about? There’s so much snow,” she grumbled as the freshly fallen powder reached her mid-calf.

  “I’m here with you, and I’ve been dreaming of a white Christmas.” He spun her around in a twirl while singing. “Just like—”

  “Don’t quit your day job, Casanova,” Carly interrupted his serenade before it got started. Theo might be a professional hockey player, but he couldn’t hold a note to save his life. She giggled at finally finding something he wasn’t perfect at.

  “Glad you find me entertaining.” He pulled her close and kissed the top of her snow-covered head.

  Hand in hand, they made their way towards the mountain of snow that hid the car. Not a speck of red could be detected. Carly shivered, thinking about what might have happened to them if they hadn’t gotten off the road when they did. Their decision to turn around had been a good one. There’s no way they would have made it to the city in one piece.

  Carly used her arm to wipe the sticky snow from off the car door. Theo reached inside and took out a brush. The small blue stick looked incapable of dealing with the massive amount of snow, but Theo made it work. Carly used her hands to help dig, and in no time, they had dug out his car.

  The red paint glared at her, reminding her their time would soon be ending. But it wasn’t over yet. The fresh snow and gusting winds made their effort seem in vain. The sports car wouldn’t stand a chance plowing through the drifts to get back on the main roads.

  “We should go find shovels,” Theo suggested as he looked at the snow-covered driveway.

  They had their work cut out for them, but shoveling before the winds tapered off would be an exercise in futility. “Any progress we make now will be swept away by that wind. We’ll check back a little later.”

  “Good point.” Theo bent down and Carly admired his fine behind.

  The goodbye might be harder than she envisioned, she wasn’t ready yet. She looked down and stomped her boots to remove the snow buildup. The snow stuck to her mittens. It would be the right consistency f
or building a snowman. She was about to make that suggestion when a blur of white whizzed by her head. Snowballs were another option.

  “Game on, hockey star.”

  Carly dashed around the car for cover. It didn’t take long to create a small arsenal of balls and when she lifted her head, another ball buzzed her. Theo had good aim, but hers was better, and he’d given away his location.

  Without looking, she stood up and pelted six balls in his direction. Five connected and she couldn’t help but laugh at his wide blue eyes and stunned expression. One shot landed on his chin, dusting his beard in white fluff. She might look like a girly-girl but she grew up in the country, raised by parents who wanted a son. He didn’t stand a chance.

  Theo dropped the one snowball he was about to throw and raised his hands in defeat. “You win. I surrender.”

  She could hardly believe a man as competitive as a pro hockey player would accept losing so quickly. Carly stepped out from behind the car. Theo rushed her and they both went tumbling to the ground. She would have been mad if she wasn’t so busy laughing. He covered her body with his, pinning her arms by her sides with his knees, and he sprinkled snow on her face.

  “Stop, cheater,” she yelled, blinking snow from her eyes.

  His laugh grew louder as she wiggled to get free. She shook her head from side to side, but it was no use, he would only stop when he was ready. She eventually stopped struggling. “All right, you win.” She wasn’t only talking about their game. Theo was winning her heart.

  “That’s right,” he said through his laughter. He lowered his upper body until their faces were inches apart. “You look like an angel right now. Sparkling and so damn pretty my eyes hurt.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond before kissing her and stealing her words with his mouth.

  Theo made it clear he wasn’t interested in a fling, but could she offer more? Was she ready? Kissing him, made her feel like anything was possible. He rolled off and flapped his arms in the snow.

  “What are you doing, crazy man?”