by Mari Carr
“It’s certainly enough for me, Kate.” His voice was thick with emotion. “You’ve brought me laughter and love and—”
“Swollen fists and sleepless nights and burned dinners.” Kate finished his sentence for him with a laugh, kissing his rapidly bruising knuckles. “Thank you for defending my honor.”
“My pleasure, my love,” Rick replied. “Now wrap your legs around my waist. Let me inside you, sweetheart.”
Kate complied immediately, the stress and fears she’d suffered for days falling away from her like petals plucked from a daisy. “He loves me,” she whispered.
“Always.” Before Kate knew it, Rick’s pants were open, her skirt shoved up around her waist and Rick’s cock was there, deep inside her, showing her in no uncertain terms the truth of that statement. He hadn’t even bothered to remove her panties in his haste to claim her, the material merely shoved aside.
Each thrust drove his words deeper into Kate’s injured soul, filling in all the gouges left there by years of neglect and sadness.
“God Kate,” Rick gasped after a couple minutes. “I’m afraid this won’t take long, love.”
His words triggered her body’s response and on the next thrust, she felt her climax start to rumble.
“Rick,” she cried breathlessly, needing his words as well as his amazing body to complete her.
“Let it take you, Kate.” His lips caressed her earlobe as he spoke.
And it did. An orgasm more powerful than all the previous ones quaked through her body, producing a pleasure that was almost painful in its intensity. Rick’s cock began to pulse in unison with the clenching of her pussy muscles and suddenly it was the two of them falling together, clinging to each other as they crashed in the chaos of their shared climax.
It was several minutes before the strength in Kate’s legs gave out and they dropped lifelessly back to the floor. If not for Rick’s strong arms around her and the Corvette at her back, she would have collapsed on the floor in a boneless puddle.
Rick’s hot breath on her cheek eventually calmed and neither one spoke for the longest time, simply staring into each other’s eyes. His feelings seemed so transparent now, so clearly written on his face, that Kate wondered how she could have missed them.
She’d spent years yearning for the emotion Rick offered her so freely and she’d almost thrown it all away. Now, with Rick, she knew what true love was. She knew what it meant to commit fully to another person—heart, soul, body and mind.
“You are the only man I ever want to be with. At the end of the day it’s you I want to kiss goodnight. For the rest of my life.”
“Well, that’s a lucky coincidence,” Rick replied. “Because I am the only man you will ever be with and at the end of every day, my lips are the only ones you’ll be kissing—for the rest of your life.”
“Oh yeah? Prove it,” she dared.
And Rick did—again. Right there on the hood of his ’74 Corvette.
Chapter 18
“Tell me again why we’re waiting?” Wes asked for the hundredth time since entering the room.
“Jill’s not here,” Rick answered. “Although why that matters—”
“Merry Christmas!” Kate’s salutation was cheerful as she called out over Rick’s words. Jill stumbled, bleary-eyed, into the cozy living room.
“What time is it?” Jill asked grumpily, obviously annoyed at being dragged from her warm bed so early in the morning.
“Jill.” Kate slapped Rick’s hands away from the presents under the tree. “It’s nearly nine. I’ve held these two children off as long as I could.”
“She’s here now,” Wes pointed to her, then grabbed a large box bearing his name before Kate could snatch it away from here. “Can I open my presents?”
“Honestly, you would think you guys were ten years old,” Kate exclaimed.
“She wouldn’t let us open a single gift until you woke up.” Rick’s voice was rife with annoyance.
Jill rolled her eyes. “I know. She does the same thing every year. Apparently it is of the utmost importance that everyone be present before the festivities begin.”
“It’s the holidays,” Kate insisted. “A time for togetherness and family. The purpose is in the giving, not in the receiving. I, for one, enjoying seeing your face as you open the gifts I bought. Besides, what’s the fun of opening your presents alone?”
“Has she worked out the order yet?” Jill was grumpy and disregarded Kate’s heated speech.
“Alphabetical,” Wes grumbled. “Which means I’m last. I personally voted for birthday order. I’m a January baby.”
Jill perked up at Wes’s answer, suddenly wide awake. “Hey, alphabetically I’m first. Hot damn! Somebody give me a present.”
Wes tossed her a small box before anyone else had time to look under the tree for a gift with Jill’s name. Obviously, he’d had the present hidden in his lap.
Jill looked surprised by his quick action, but hid it quickly. “Thanks Wes,” she said with uncharacteristic shyness.
“It’s nothing,” Wes said. “Just something I had lying around. Didn’t have a chance to go shopping with this damned broken leg.”
Jill tore into the wrapping and Kate grinned to see her sister’s childlike enthusiasm. Wes and Jill seemed to have called a truce for the holidays and the four friends spent Christmas Eve enjoying Jill’s seven-course feast before relaxing and playing Pictionary in front of a roaring fire. Rick was still smarting a bit this morning from Wes and Jill’s trouncing.
Leaning back into Rick’s solid chest, Kate smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and placed a sweet kiss on top of her head.
“Wes!” Jill pulled an antique broach from the box. “It’s beautiful.”
Rick’s arms tensed briefly when Jill held up the delicate pin to show them.
“That belonged to your mother,” Rick said. Kate remembered Rick telling him that Wes’s mother passed away when the boys were seniors in high school. Apparently Wes adored her and had taken her death extremely hard.
“I don’t have a sister.” Wes was obviously attempting to dismiss the importance of the jewelry. “What am I going to do with the thing?”
“Wes, I can’t take this.” Jill tried to hand the broach back.
“Of course you can,” Wes replied angrily. “I want you to have it.”
Jill looked shocked by Wes’s generous gift.
“I’ll take good care of it,” Jill finally replied. “But if you ever want it back—”
The smile Wes gave Jill caused Kate’s heart to do a small flip. “I won’t.”
Rick bent forward to whisper, “Progress,” and Kate had to stifle her giggle. Just when she thought she couldn’t be any happier, life threw her another marvelous surprise. Now that Kate had found her heart’s desire, she wished the same for Jill. Watching Wes look at her sister with love in his eyes, she knew that wish would be granted.
Kate cleared her throat over the lump forming there. “My turn.”
“Open mine first.” Jill grabbed a flat package from beneath the tree.
Kate thanked her sister, unwrapping the present slowly, careful not to rip the paper.
Jill groaned. “Oh for heaven’s sake, Kate. Rip the damn thing open already.”
Kate laughed at Jill’s familiar complaint. “Just because you don’t savor your gifts doesn’t mean I have to rip through mine. Christmas only comes once a year.”
Rick chuckled before reaching around her and ripping the paper off himself.
“Hey,” Kate protested—until she saw the framed picture.
“Jill!” she exclaimed breathlessly.
“What the hell?” Rick looked over her shoulder.
“It’s a lithograph of your first book cover.” Jill was obviously pleased with Kate’s delighted response.
“It’s beautiful.” Kate ran her fingers over the frame. “That is still my favorite book.”
Rick couldn’t help himself as he grabbed the gift from Kate’
s hands. “Your book?”
“Lemme see.” Wes was obviously curious about all the fuss.
“Yes,” Kate answered. “I meant to tell you Rick, but honestly, it slipped my mind. I mean, I haven’t had a whole lot of time to devote to my writing since you returned.”
Rick struggled to process what he was seeing.
“What is it?” Wes asked again, annoyed at being kept in the dark.
Jill stood up to take the frame away from Rick. “Kate is a part-time writer. She’s actually quite successful at it.”
“It was my secret writing fund that kept me afloat when Zack cleaned out our joint account. He didn’t know about my books.”
Jill turned the frame around to show Wes as Kate spoke. As he looked at the picture, Wes’s eyes went wide before flying back to Kate.
“Kay Knight?”
“My pen name,” Kate answered matter-of-factly. “Why? Oh no.” She finally noticed Rick’s deer-in-the-headlights look. “You’ve read one of them, haven’t you?”
“One of them?” Wes yelled. “Try all of them. Numerous times!”
“Really?” Kate seemed exceedingly pleased.
“You’re Kay Knight.” Rick repeated stupidly, when he finally managed to find his voice.
“Is this going to be a problem?”
“Oh, hell no.” Rick pulled her up. “I’m next. Jill, you and Wes will have to wait while Kate gives me her gift.”
“What?” Kate futilely attempted to dig her heels in. “Your present is right here, Rick, under the tree.”
Rick ignored her words and when she continued to fight his pull, he turned around and scooped her up into his arms.
“Where are we going?” Kate asked as Rick made his way to the stairs.
He could hear Wes yelling behind them, “I get to open two presents when you get back since you’re making me wait!”
Jill’s laughter combined with his friend’s, but Rick ignored it all until he managed to get Kate to his bedroom.
“What on earth are you up to?”
“You’re Kay Knight!” he repeated.
“I know that, Rick.” Kate’s gaze became concerned. “Are you angry with me for not telling you? I wasn’t keeping it a secret. Honestly. There’s just been so much going on this past week. The books seemed insignificant compared to all the rest.”
“Get undressed.” Rick’s voice was deep and husky as he issued his command.
“Now?” Rick watched Kate’s breathing accelerate at his words.
“Now.”
Kate’s fingers flew, shedding her clothing so rapidly Rick knew she was as hot as he was.
Rick turned her gently toward the bed as soon as she finished. “Go lie down. Facedown.”
Kate complied immediately.
Rick studied her as she struggled not to squirm under his hot glare.
“Those stories, Kate…” He stood at the foot of the bed. He didn’t dare touch her yet or he would never be able to speak. “They’re fairly graphic and hot. Damn, hot doesn’t even touch it. They scorch the page.”
He watched Kate shrug and the question hovering at the edge of his mind since discovering her secret flew from his lips. “How?”
Kate didn’t move or respond for a few moments, so Rick moved forward, leaning down to touch the soft skin of her ass. Caressing it gently, he repeated his question softly before punctuating it with a hard slap.
Kate squealed at the unexpected touch. “I read a lot of erotic novels. I was alone, Rick. All the time.” She stopped talking as Rick gently rubbed the light pink mark he’d just left. When she failed to continue explaining, Rick slapped the other cheek.
“And?”
“Reading stopped being enough. I had all these stories, fantasies swirling around inside me and no way to relieve them, so I started putting them down on paper.”
“Fantasies.” Rick recalled page after page of her writing. All of them filled with the darkly erotic things he dreamed of doing with Kate.
Moving his hand through the crease between her legs, Rick found Kate’s clit and pushed on the delicate button—hard.
Kate cried out, but Rick’s control was gone, shattered in a million pieces and scattered to the wind. The kid gloves were off and now he was determined to truly claim his love.
Her arousal was so thick a drop hit his hand as he continued to toy with her clit. Her hips were gyrating wildly. She was seconds away from begging for release. Before she could speak the words, Rick moved his fingers away.
“No!” Kate yelled. “Don’t stop!”
Rick ignored her demand. His course was set and there would be no turning back. Gathering up her copious fluid on his fingers, Rick dragged his fingers back, sliding over her pussy until he reached her anus.
“Rick,” Kate choked, her body going tense.
Spreading the moisture around the tight, puckered entrance, Rick lubricated the area well before slowly sliding his finger in.
Kate hissed at the initial breach, but by the time his finger was fully seated, he could feel her pushing back against him. His little firecracker, he thought with a grin, was certainly ready to explode.
“Have you ever been taken in the ass?”
“No,” she whispered.
“I’m going to fuck you here.” He wiggled his finger inside her tight portal.
“Yes,” she replied so quickly, Rick chuckled.
“So hot.” He pulled his finger out, returning again with two. “And tight.”
Kate’s body seemed to simultaneously fight against his fingers while silently begging for more.
Her arousal was so strong now Rick could see a damp spot gathering on the quilt beneath her. “You’re so wet you’re dripping.”
“I’m sorry.” Her eyes closed tightly as she concentrated on his slow thrusting.
But they flew open as his rough palm struck her ass again, hard.
“Never apologize for that,” he said harshly. “I always want you wet and ready. Ready to take me at a moment’s notice.” He watched his strong words wash over her and marveled at her natural submissiveness. How had he missed this? For days, he’d tiptoed around his own needs and desires. So desperate to protect and shield her. To find out that she wanted it all as much as he did was a heady revelation, to say the least.
Pulling out again, he reached for a tube of lubrication. Coating his fingers, he pressed in with two. Then three. She’d begged for this in her fantasies and now he was going to give it to her. He had to make it compelling and exciting enough that she would come to love the sensations surrounding this dark act as much as he did. And above all, he couldn’t hurt her. Taking the time and care to stretch the tight muscles, Rick worked in more lubrication so when he replaced his fingers with his cock, the entry would be slick and easy.
As Rick prepared her body to take him, he watched Kate acclimatize herself to his touches. She never pulled away or protested but remained with him every step of the way. When he sensed she was on the verge of climaxing, Rick replaced his fingers with the head of this thick cock.
“Yes,” she hissed.
Rick only just got his hands around her hips in time to stop her from impaling herself on his hard flesh. Smacking her once again, he kept his grip firm, refusing to allow her the smallest movement. “Bad girl.”
“Please!” She was mindless with need, exactly where Rick wanted her.
His tenuous grip on control slipping, Rick forged in an inch.
“Kate,” he started, but she cried out again.
“God, Rick, stop tormenting me. Fuck me!”
Her words snapped the trigger and Rick withdrew, only to come back in one hard thrust that left him fully seated within her tight passage.
Two more hard shoves and he felt Kate’s orgasm rumble through his own body. As if struck by lightning, she shuddered and convulsed as he continued his own trip to paradise in her body. Less than a dozen strokes later and he released his seed deep within her ass, filling her with everything his body h
ad to give.
They tumbled together, lying side by side on the bed, Rick’s cock still buried inside her warmth.
When he had enough breath to speak, he whispered the only words his brain could form. “I love you.”
Epilogue
“So,” Wes said, glancing at his watch. Two hours had passed since Rick and Kate’s hasty exit. “This is apparently going to be a long one.”
Wes savored the sound of Jill’s light laugh. “And a loud one. My God, how many times has she screamed up there?”
“I lost count around twenty.” Wes didn’t mention that he couldn’t actually remember his numbers any more since all the blood in his body was firmly encapsulated in his cock. Kate’s orgasmic cries coupled with Jill’s stimulating presence was wreaking havoc on his body.
He watched as she ran her fingers over the broach he gave her once again. He couldn’t explain why he’d been so compelled to give her the one heirloom of his mother’s he had, but something told him it was the right thing to do.
“Are you feeling all right?” she asked, when he began to fidget in his chair. No doubt she thought him uncomfortable due to his injuries. Fact was with Jill in the room, all his pain disappeared.
“Yeah,” he answered with a lightness he didn’t feel. “Just bored. How about you and me go rustle up some breakfast? I’m starving.”
“Sounds good.” As she crossed the room, she offered a hand to help him up and Wes gritted his teeth at the gesture. He was tired of her treating him like nothing more than an invalid. He was a grown man with seriously grown-up desires. Deciding the time had come to prove that fact, Wes reached out for her outstretched hand. Rather than allowing her to pull him up however, he used their clasped palms against her. Pulling hard, Wes yanked Jill down and across his lap quick as a flash.
“Wes!” she said, startled by his impulsive move.
“I want to give you your other gift,” he said gruffly and before she had time to respond, he placed his lips on hers and showed her the true meaning of Christmas.
