by Mari Carr
“Ah, gotcha. The Cougar Club playlist.”
Ellie had teased them more than once about the way their gang had standard songs they played every time they got together.
Jamie laughed. “Maybe we should release an album.”
Trey rolled his eyes. “God. Let’s spare the rest of humanity from that.”
Jamie tapped his beer bottle against Trey’s and raised his eyebrows. “I’m going to go turn down the heat. It’s already too warm in here and I have a feeling once we start dancing, it’ll only get hotter.”
Trey nodded and watched his friend walk away. He noticed more than a few of their colleagues taking in his and Ellie’s matching outfits. Lucas was giving him a shit-eating grin from across the room and Trey knew his friend was going to start pressing for details. Trey wished there were deets to share.
Jamie dimmed the lights and walked over to fiddle with his iPod. Trey grinned as he watched his friend. Jamie was the ultimate party host. He knew how to entertain and Trey hadn’t spent too many nights with the man that hadn’t been some of the most fun evenings of his life. The guy knew how to have a good time.
“You hungry?” Trey asked.
Ellie shrugged. “I could eat. I skipped dinner because Grace warned me she was making a ton of food.”
Trey took her hand and led her to the kitchen. They were just about to enter the room when Grace stopped them.
“Wait,” Grace said. “Look up.”
Trey glanced above his head and spotted the mistletoe. “You’re sabotaging your guests. Luring them in here for food.”
Grace laughed. “Jamie’s idea. However, regardless of our underhanded tactics, tradition overrules in this case.” She gave them a wicked grin before turning to use the second doorway in the kitchen—also adorned with mistletoe—to take a tray of food to the living room.
Ellie looked at the mistletoe before smiling at him. “Guess we wouldn’t want to break a time-honored custom.”
Trey grasped her waist, deciding that was all the invitation he needed. “I don’t want that guilt on my head.” He bent down and kissed her. If Ellie was expecting a quick, friendly buss, she’d be disappointed. He’d been lusting after her lips since the night she’d given him the greatest blowjob of his life. He wasn’t about to waste this opportunity.
Ellie raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. She welcomed his long kiss, returning it with a vengeance. When they broke apart, they continued to hold each other for a long time as he looked into her eyes.
“I bought you a Christmas present.” He’d meant to give it to her at school today, but something had held him back.
“You did?” She frowned. “Damn. I suck. I didn’t get you anything except a lousy card.”
Trey chuckled. “I didn’t expect you to buy anything for me. And don’t worry. It’s just something little. Thought you might like it.”
She smiled. “Where is it?”
She looked like a kid waiting for Santa to arrive.
“Back at my house. I thought we’d swing by and pick it up before I took you home.”
She released him and nodded, her eyes sparkling. “Sounds like an excuse to lure me into your lair and have your wicked way with me.”
He reached up to cup her cheek. “Would you mind if that were true?”
Trey expected her to pull away, to offer her same reasons for rejecting his suit.
Instead, she tilted her head and looked at him. “No. I wouldn’t mind at all.”
His cock went rock hard in an instant. “Fuck. We’re in public, Ellie,” he muttered adjusting his pants as she laughed.
She glanced around, confirming they were alone in the kitchen, and then she discreetly ran her hand along his rigid length. “Maybe I do have a present for you after all.”
He closed his eyes, suddenly lightheaded. “So,” he joked, “it’s been a great party. You ready to leave?”
She laughed. “Jamie would kill you.”
“I don’t want to run the risk you’ll change your mind.”
She looked at him, her face suddenly serious. “I’m not going to change my mind. I want to be with you, Trey.”
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. “God, you have no idea how much I want the same thing.”
She squeezed his cock playfully once more. “I don’t know. I think I have a pretty good idea.”
She continued to giggle as she loaded up a plate of food and walked away, returning to the crowd of friends in the living room. Trey took several deep breaths and willed his cock to go back to sleep. It was going to be a long night.
Ellie followed Trey up the porch to his front door. She tried to think of one reason why she shouldn’t be here, but for once, her body and mind were in agreement. She wanted to be with Trey. Wanted to spend the night with him.
It was just sex, she told herself. Just desire driving her actions. Well, that and the holidays. She was feeling a bit lonely and sorry for herself. Tonight was a gift she would give herself and tomorrow she’d return to reality. Besides, maybe if she scratched this Trey-itch, it would relieve some of the constant arousal she felt in his presence.
They walked in and she smiled when Trey plugged in the lights on his tiny tree. She’d helped him decorate it a few days ago when she discovered he didn’t intend to put one up. She’d called him Scrooge and showed up armed with a tiny tree she’d purchased from a roadside tree farm. They’d gone to Walmart to buy the lights, ornaments and their matching tacky outfits. It had been a fun evening. Then again, most evenings with Trey were fun.
“Here,” he said, grabbing a brightly wrapped box from beneath the tree and handing it to her.
“You really shouldn’t have done this,” she repeated, feeling guilty about not having anything to offer him in return.
“Hush. It’s nothing. Open it.”
She untied the ribbon, then ripped into the wrapping paper. She took the lid off the box and pulled back the tissue paper. Inside were two framed pictures. One was of her and Trey on the sidelines, surrounded by the team during a time-out. She glanced at Trey, wondering where he’d gotten it.
He responded to her unasked question. “I asked Jamie to snap a couple shots during that game. He took it from the stands. I thought it was a good picture of you.”
She smiled, tears springing to her eyes. The photograph reflected the joy in her face as she was in the midst of doing something she loved with Trey by her side. “It’s perfect.”
Looking back into the box, she uncovered the other picture and laughed. It was a shot of the Cougar Club at happy hour. She recalled Grace asking the waitress to snap the shot a week ago when they’d all gone out to celebrate the basketball team’s big win against Harper’s Ridge. She and Trey stood in the middle, with their arms around each other’s shoulders. They were flanked by Cheryl, Lucas, Grace, and Jamie—all six of them grinning widely. It had been a great night.
She looked at the gift, knowing it was one of the nicest she’d ever received. “I love them.”
Trey shrugged, obviously pleased by how much she liked his present. “I thought you might like some pictures for your house. Start your collection over since you lost your childhood photos in that fire.”
She struggled to swallow over the lump in her throat. He was helping her create new memories to replace the ones she’d lost. It was a beautiful gesture. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Trey walked over and took the box from her. Placing it back under the tree, he returned and wrapped her in his big, strong embrace. She returned the hug, her arms tight around his waist. Trey placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. They stood there for several seconds, soaking up the warmth and comfort of merely being together.
“Ellie. There’s something I should say before we go upstairs.” He paused and then amended his words. “If we go upstairs.”
She stepped back to look at him. “If?”
“I know you. And I know what you’re thinking, but you need to understand my
perspective. You aren’t a one-night stand. You’ll never be that to me. If we go to my bedroom now, you need to be aware of my expectations. I don’t want to be just your friend anymore.”
She expected his words to trigger a panic button inside her, but they didn’t. She’d suspected his feelings, which was why she’d avoided giving into the pull of sleeping with Trey after the Blackjack game. “I know what you want.”
She’d always known. Trey had never hidden his feelings. Instead he’d repressed them, held them back in order to respect her wishes. She’d walked into his house, promising herself one night. Just sex. She should have known Trey wouldn’t let her get away with that lie.
His face was serious and Ellie thought she detected the slightest trace of fear.
“If you don’t want that, I should take you home now.”
Was he afraid she’d continue to reject him?
“I don’t want to go home.” She was proud of the strength in her words, the assuredness in her tone. There was nowhere on earth she’d rather be tonight than here with him. She’d been a fool to consider for an instant that one night with him would be enough. Surely she could maintain a friends-with-benefits relationship with Trey. They’d simply indulge in occasional sex—nothing serious or too heavy.
Hell, it wouldn’t be much different than what they were doing now except for the added benefit of sex. They spent lots of time together, watching movies, picking up quick dinners and she knew there wasn’t another woman he was interested in at the moment. She could handle casual, no-strings-attached dating. After all, the trouble with Joel had surfaced after they’d moved in together, taken things to a higher level. She’d be fine as long as she kept things easy with Trey.
He gave her a crooked grin and a suspicious glance. “Maybe we should test this.”
She smiled. “How?”
“What are you doing Christmas day?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her toe playfully. “Hmm. Let’s see. I’m spending the day at my parents’ house. My brother and his family are up from North Carolina and we’re all going to open presents in the morning and then travel to my aunt’s big farmhouse for Christmas dinner. What are you doing for the holidays?” She knew he was close to his family as well, though she definitely hoped he’d say nothing. She’d love for her parents to meet him.
“Same thing as you,” he admitted, somewhat reluctantly. “The family routine.”
“Nuts.”
He agreed. “What about the day after Christmas?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have any plans.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up and take you ice-skating. Then we can come back here for hot chocolate.”
His words were spoken lightly, but she could see a glimmer of distrust in his gaze. There was a part of him that thought she’d say no. She felt guilty for holding him at arm’s length for so long.
She took a step closer to him, moving until they were a hairsbreadth apart. “That sounds like fun. But tell me—” She reached down and ran her hand along his erection. Trey sucked in a gasp of air at her unexpected touch. “Do you mean we’ll literally have hot chocolate? Or is that code for something else?” She pressed harder against his rigid cock.
He chuckled. “Oh, it’s code. Definitely code.”
“Good,” she said, standing on tiptoe to place a soft kiss on his jaw. “Can I be the whipped cream on top?”
She was still rubbing his cock and it twitched at her request. “Get upstairs,” he commanded. “Now.”
Ellie grinned. Apparently Trey had hit his breaking point. A tremor of arousal snaked through her body. So had she. “Race you.” She turned and took off up the stairs, Trey hot on her heels.
She was nearly to the bed when Trey picked her up, twisting in mid-stride and taking her down on the mattress with him. “Tie,” he proclaimed.
“You cheated.”
He laughed, tickling her. “I don’t remember setting any rules.”
She struggled, laughing beneath him, wondering if she’d ever been able to be herself with anyone before Trey. Everything with him felt natural and true. After a few minutes of playful wrestling, Trey called a truce.
He stood beside the bed and reached out to help her up as well. When he bent forward to kiss her, it was clear the games were over and the night was about to get serious. His deep, warm kiss sent tingles of desire along her spine.
She pulled his sweatshirt over his head, anxious to see his bare chest, hungry to touch him. She ran her fingers along his hard pecs, following the trail with her lips and tongue. Trey stood still as she worshipped his dark, beautiful skin.
“My turn,” he whispered after a few moments. Her sweatshirt joined his on the floor. Trey pushed her bra straps off her shoulders, his lips devouring that little area around her neck and the top of her arms. Her toes curled in her shoes as he found one of her main erogenous zones. Her need for more grew and she tugged at the waistband of the silly lounge pants. He helped her, pushing the material over his hips, kicking the pants off along with his shoes. They repeated the motions with her pants and then Trey removed her bra.
They stood naked amid the pile of discarded clothing and for several quiet moments, they merely stared. Looked their fill.
“I love your body,” she said at last, breaking the silence.
He smiled. “Ditto.”
Reaching behind him, he grabbed a condom from the nightstand drawer. She watched him don it quickly.
The moment of truth had arrived.
“How long has it been?” he asked.
Her face must have betrayed her sudden nervousness. “A year and a half.”
Trey nodded. Then he kissed her. As their lips played, Trey sat on the mattress, dragging Ellie over him until she straddled his hips.
“For this first time, maybe it should be your show,” he whispered. “Your pace.”
She smiled as he lay back. She followed his motion, rising slightly to take the head of his cock inside her pussy. She closed her eyes briefly at his size. He would more than fill her and suddenly she appreciated his thoughtfulness. She’d have to work up to taking him fully inside.
Moving slightly, she sank a bit lower, wincing at the tight fit.
“Easy,” he murmured.
She opened her eyes to look at him. “Would you get a terribly big head if I said you were way bigger than any of my past lovers?”
He gave her a cocky grin.
“Yeah,” she said. “That’s what I thought.” She pressed down once more. Glancing below her waist, she noticed she hadn’t taken more than half of him in.
Trey cupped her cheek and pulled her lower. She felt his hot breath against her face when he spoke. “You feel like heaven, Ellie.” He punctuated his words with a firm touch to her clit. The action sent more arousal to her pussy, allowing his cock to slip in farther.
They both groaned. He repeated the touch several times as they kissed. Ellie felt love-drugged, her head swimming with desire. She was panting, squirming, desperate for more.
“Made it,” Trey whispered after several minutes.
She frowned briefly before she understood his comment. He was buried to the hilt, completely sheathed by her body. She’d never felt so full—and she realized the feeling wasn’t merely physical. Trey had filled her lonely soul as well as her empty body. He’d given her friendship and now he was offering her more. She prayed she’d be able to accept his gift, while keeping to the limits she’d set to retain her sanity.
She kissed him once more before rising to straddle his hips slowly. The motion sent his erection in the tiniest bit more and both of them felt the deeper penetration. Trey’s hands engulfed her waist and she realized how tiny he made her feel. For a tomboy who’d always been average—not too tall, not too small—there was a part of her that felt girlie, almost fragile in his grasp. Trey’s gentle touch made her feel cherished.
“Ready?” she asked, wanting to make this night special for him.
He nodded once as she lifted away from his cock, not stopping until only the head remained encased in her body.
“God,” he cried harshly, when she returned with a hard, powerful press. “Jesus, Ellie.”
He let her know by his words and the tight grip on her waist that he loved what she was doing. She kept her motions slow on the retreat, hard and fast on the return. Soon, they were both gasping. Ellie arched her back, releasing a harsh cry when Trey’s cock brushed some magic, previously undiscovered place inside her.
He smiled knowingly. “Do that again.”
She repeated the motion, the head of his cock putting the right amount of pressure on a pleasure point. She gasped and moved away quickly, the feeling too good.
Trey growled. “No.” He pulled her body to his, flipping them both on the mattress until she lay buried beneath his hot, firm mass. She was surrounded by muscle and heat. “Don’t stop.” He pressed into her body, finding the spot once more.
She wiggled beneath him, trying to get away. “Too good. God, Trey. It feels too good. I can’t take it.”
He ignored her words, thrusting inside her over and over. Each time, he took care to find her G-spot.
Too soon, she was crying out as her orgasm crashed over her like the wave of a tsunami, washing her away in a whirling sea of lights and sound. She’d only begun to pull herself out of the rubble when Trey pushed her back into the deep end.
“One more time,” he said.
She wanted to protest, to tell him one more of those would kill her, but she couldn’t speak. She could only feel.
When she came again, Trey was with her. He held her tightly as his cock twitched and pulsed against her clenching muscles.
Trey pulled away carefully, rising from the bed and walking to the bathroom. She vaguely recalled listening to him dispose of the condom and wash up. Everything around her had a hazy, surreal quality. Her body was completely relaxed, yet hypersensitive to touch.
When Trey returned, he gently lifted her, pulling back the covers to put her beneath. He turned off the light and crawled in next to her.
