All I Want for Christmas...: Christmas KissesBaring It AllA Hot December Night

by Lori Wilde

  She only smiled and nodded. Pulling her with him, he leaned her against the wall. Their bodies pressed hard against each other.

  Cupping her breast, he thumbed her hardened nipple. She gasped and he stepped back.

  “No.” She tugged his T-shirt to bring him back to her.

  He smiled as he kissed her. “Are you sure?”

  She met his lips to answer his question.

  Her hand slipped to the buttons on his jeans and she opened them so that she could touch him.

  There was a moment of panic when she wondered if he would fit, he was so large. His thumb grazed her nipple again, and that, too, was forgotten.

  “Bedroom,” she whispered.

  Then she shoved him away and ran.

  He chased her and caught her as they tumbled onto the bed, both of them laughing.

  “Wait, the drawer,” she said.

  “I’m not chasing you again.” His fingers trailed down her cheek.

  “That’s where they are.” She grinned.

  His face twisted in confusion and then he laughed. “It’s not time for that yet,” he said as he unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off.

  “But I want you now.”

  “You have me, Kristen.” He shed his jeans and boxer briefs. The man was perfection. And he wanted her. That was all that mattered.

  She reached for him, but he tugged her arms to make her sit up. Then he divested her of her shirt and bra. They were naked and for a moment they stared at each other. Normally, she would feel unsure of herself, and try to cover her breasts or slightly plump belly with her hands or a sheet.

  But the gleam of desire in Jason’s eyes made her feel more womanly and powerful than ever.

  Positioning himself on her right side, he feathered tiny kisses from her ear, down her neck to her breast. She squirmed under his machinations, begging him to join her.

  He wouldn’t listen. His hand shifted lower on her body, and teased her heat. An ache built within her so fast she thought she would cry if she didn’t find her release. There was nothing but his hands and lips on her body, and she ached from the desire he created. His finger slid inside her and that was all it took as the world splintered and her body shook with pleasure.

  “Jason,” she moaned.

  For a moment he left her and she whimpered.

  Then he was back, feathering kisses over her face.

  “Jason,” she begged again. “Now, please.”

  Kneeling on the bed, he lifted her hips. Before he could shift, she locked her legs behind him and slipped him inside her. Her back arched and she moaned with pleasure.

  “Slow down.” Jason was breathless. “I can’t hold on if you don’t—”

  “Don’t want you to slow down.” She panted and rocked herself back and forth against him, her body ready to orgasm again.

  “Kristen,” he groaned.

  But she was gone now. Head back, Kristen rode the tide that surged through her body shattering her into oblivion.

  The trembling began in her thighs and arms. She was consumed with him and then she moaned as her body erupted in pleasure for a third time.

  “Look at me,” he ordered.

  She did as he commanded. He met her, thrust for thrust. She didn’t think it possible but her body orgasmed again.

  “Kristen,” he whispered.

  But she was far away on a cloud of pleasure such as she had never experienced before.

  Tender kisses on her mouth and neck brought her back to him. The possessive gaze in his eyes as his body jerked with orgasm was something she would never forget.

  So, this is bliss.

  5

  JASON SMILED as Kristen nestled into his side. With her white hair and fresh face, she looked like an angel from one of her Christmas trees. She brought lightness to his soul. But she made love like a wild tigress. That was something he’d never expected from the prim and proper woman he’d been thinking about for several weeks.

  Their lovemaking was intense. And that look in her eyes at the end had done him in. He saw it there, the desire and passion, and she had instantly become an addiction. He’d teased her awake twice more and each time their lovemaking was more intense than the last.

  Yes, he was addicted to Kristen, and he didn’t see a cure in sight.

  Jason silently cursed when he noticed the sun was going down. It was his day off, but he had to make sure everything had been filed properly about the fire. He also had to talk to the detective who was helping the arson investigator.

  His gut told him the fire at the house, unlike the one at the mansion, had probably been sparked by something electrical in the attic, but it was important to make sure.

  He didn’t want to leave Kristen, but duty called. He had a feeling deep in his soul that she would find some way to put up her shields again. The nice, polite Kristen would return, and he would lose her somehow.

  He’d seen the way she’d looked at him. She wanted him, but she’d also been hesitant at first—almost as if she had wanted to run away.

  But he didn’t know why.

  If he were honest with himself, he would admit the idea of her running away terrified him.

  Man, you’ve got it bad.

  Most of his life he’d put up the same kind of walls Kristen did. That was no longer the case. He cared about this woman. For weeks he’d tried to ignore his feelings. More than once he’d told himself it was nothing more than sexual attraction. They hadn’t said more than five words to each other before the other day, but he’d wanted her from the first day he met her.

  She was a beautiful woman and so good. He’d seen her work with those women on the committee. Wooing them with her kind words and positive attitude. She brought nothing but goodness.

  Still, was this all happening too fast?

  He glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

  Time to go.

  Gently, he shifted his arm out from underneath her and moved off the bed. They had showered after their last bout and changed the sheets, which had been ruined by soot.

  It didn’t seem right to go without at least leaving a message.

  I’ll see you at the committee meeting tonight. Plan on dinner. —J

  Bibi gave a slight whine as he went to check on her. He let her outside and made sure her food and water dishes were filled. She settled back in with her pups, who were hungry. Bibi nudged them in the right direction.

  “Good girl,” he whispered as he patted her head.

  He heard Jessie pull into the driveway.

  He unplugged the Christmas tree and the coffee pot. He really did need to talk to her about the danger of leaving things unchecked. Then he smiled.

  His protective instincts had kicked in again.

  Yes, he was most definitely in trouble.

  * * *

  HE WAS GONE.

  Kristen snuggled into his pillow and held it tight to her. That had been one amazing night. One she would never forget.

  And one she could never repeat.

  As much as it made her heart ache, she had to stop this craziness. She couldn’t get involved with a man who spent his life in danger. Last night she’d been seduced into forgetting.

  No, that wasn’t true at all. He hadn’t seduced her. In fact, she’d been the one who initiated every bit of it.

  Like I could keep myself from the best piece of man candy I have ever seen.

  As far as she was concerned, this was all Jason’s fault. If he weren’t so good-looking she would be able to keep her defenses up. She’d grown great at that. Showing a happy face, but keeping the real her tucked deep inside. He’d brought out the wild child within.

  She found his note. Dinner. Somehow she would make it through the committee meeting. Then she would make it clear to him that they could not continue.

  Best to make the break now before their hearts were entangled.

  Keep telling yourself that.

  Hours later at the gala meeting, she found herself distracted. Jason was
n’t there.

  “Kristen?” the mayor’s wife asked. “Do you have the guest list complete? Maribel wants to make sure the security at the door has the names.”

  The security at the door knew everyone on the list. This was a small town. “Yes, they are updated on the list daily,” Kristen said politely.

  He’d said he would be at the meeting but he wasn’t there.

  Was there another emergency? Was he at a fire? Could his life be in danger?

  A pounding began behind her right eye and nausea churned her stomach into a sea of worry. She could not take another minute of this.

  “It’s getting late,” she said to the group. “Miss Agnes has to be back at the home by six if she’s going to make it in time for Bingo. And Lila, you said the mayor would be angry if you were late to his council meeting.”

  The mayor’s wife might be a bit of a busybody and often used her husband’s title to get what she wanted—but she never bit the hand that fed her.

  “Quite right,” Lila said as she closed her notebook. “It’s obvious Kristen has everything under control.”

  Kristen stifled a snort. That was the first kind word the woman had said about or to her. Until that moment everything she had done, every idea, was wrong. The rest of the women had been wonderful to her, even though she was an outsider. Lila had treated her like a servant, and she was the one who had brought Kristen in.

  But Kristen had worked with people in Manhattan who were three times as bad as Lila. It took some maneuvering but Kristen almost always got her way.

  “That’s what I’ve been saying all along,” Miss Agnes huffed. “She’s a bright girl and knows more about this than the rest of us combined.”

  Kristen reached over and squeezed the older woman’s hand.

  “Meeting adjourned,” Lila said quickly.

  Miss Agnes was Kristen’s new best friend.

  “Do you need a ride back to the assisted living center?” Kristen asked the elderly woman.

  “Oh, no, sweet girl. I have a date with Grady O’Keefe. He’s picking me up. We’re going to eat some cheeseburgers at the Sonic before we head for Bingo.”

  “Well, you have a lovely time.” Mr. O’Keefe was at least ninety and had no business behind a wheel. People on the sidewalks ran into buildings when they saw his old Lincoln coming down the street.

  Outside, she waited with Miss Agnes until Mr. O’Keefe arrived.

  After running over the curb and screeching to a stop, the old man jumped out of the car like he was twenty and opened the door for Miss Agnes. They were so cute together.

  After her last relationship, Kristen had given up on finding her happily ever after. Her former fiancé said he believed in monogamy when he put the engagement ring on her finger, but he hadn’t. Six months after that relationship ended, she decided she would marry her career. She’d quit her job as a corporate party planner and gone freelance.

  She’d moved from Manhattan to her mother’s home in Pine Crest because she wanted a change. The house was an old Victorian and her mother had never sold it because it reminded her of a Norman Rockwell painting. Pine Crest was quaint if nothing else.

  There hadn’t been much work at first in the small town. Most of her events had been baby and bridal showers, birthdays and bar mitzvahs, but she loved planning personal events. Word spread, and it hadn’t been long before she found herself planning one of the biggest events in the town’s history.

  Her career was really taking off and she didn’t have time for a relationship.

  Jason would understand. He was as devoted to his job as she was hers.

  Where is he?

  Her cell rang as she turned on the ignition.

  “So, are you going to tell me about your hot night?” her friend Callie asked. “Mandy Rawlins says she saw the fireman leaving your house this afternoon. Said it was the second time he’d been there in twenty-four hours. And why am I hearing this from Mandy and not you?”

  “Hey, Callie, sorry. It’s been a hectic day. And there’s not a lot to tell.” She pulled onto the street and put her phone on speaker.

  “Oh, that does not sound good. You have that weird tone in your voice. The ‘after David’ tone. Was he mean to you? Was the sex bad? He’s so dreamy, it would be sad if that’s his fatal flaw,” her friend said.

  “Uh, no to both of those.”

  “Ooooh, then the sex was mind blowing and now you’re— Okay, I’m stumped. What is wrong? He’s hot. He’s great in bed. And from what I know he’s one of the nicest guys in town.”

  Kristen sighed. “He’s all of those things. He’s perfect. And he’s a fireman.”

  “Again, you’ve lost me.”

  She was exhausted, and she didn’t feel like talking about Jason. Callie would call her crazy, and she would be correct. But she had to protect herself.

  “Oh, no, lo-sing sig-nal.” She made her voice sound like the phone had cut off and hit End.

  It immediately rang again, but she didn’t answer.

  A bottle of wine, a bath and one pint of chocolate mocha ice cream—maybe not in that order—and she would be a new woman.

  As she turned into the driveway, she saw a figure hovering in the cold. She grabbed her phone to call 911, but the figure waved and the lights hit his face.

  Jason.

  Great, just great.

  At least he was alive.

  6

  JASON HELD OUT the pizza as a peace offering. They’d had a rush of calls that afternoon and it was nearly seven by the time he showered and changed. He’d been grateful to miss the meeting, but not about losing time with Kristen.

  “I thought we would keep things simple tonight.” He grinned, but she didn’t return the smile.

  “Uh, okay,” she said.

  He should have known. Something dire was rolling around in that beautiful mind of hers.

  “I also have wine?” He held up the sack in his hand.

  They were met by a bark.

  “Bibi.” She dropped her bags on the table and rushed to the dog. “I’m sorry I had to leave you. Your babies are so beautiful.”

  Jason shook his head. The puppies looked like squirmy black cotton balls, except for one, who was pure white.

  “Where is your corkscrew?”

  She glanced up as if she had forgotten he was there.

  “Drawer next to the fridge.” She ducked her head and patted the dog on the head.

  She opened the door to let Bibi out.

  “Look, Jason.”

  “Found it.” He lifted the corkscrew. “We were lucky.”

  “Lucky?”

  “Yeah. It’s Alfredo night at Pizza Garden. They don’t make this pizza every day.” He opened the box and handed her a piece.

  She took it, but put it on a napkin on the counter.

  “Listen. You’re a great guy, but this isn’t going to work,” she said in a rush. “I’m sorry.”

  Jason smiled. He’d called it. She was skittish. What happened last night scared her. She wasn’t alone. This was the first time he’d ever thought about making a commitment to a woman, and they’d only just met.

  “Are you at least going to tell me why? Was the sex that bad?” He joked because he knew she’d enjoyed it every bit as much as he had.

  She faced the backdoor but he could see her reflection. She was close to tears.

  “Hey.” He dropped his pizza onto a paper towel. “Tell me what’s wrong.” He moved behind her and turned her around.

  She stared down at his toes. “Please, don’t make this more difficult. I like you. We had fun the last two days. Well, except for the fire. But I’m just beginning to make a go of my career and that has to be the focus.”

  “Kristen, you’re an amazing woman.” He lifted her chin with his fingers. “But you are a terrible liar. Tell me what’s bothering you. We can handle it.”

  She batted those beautiful eyes at him. “This morning happened.”

  She stepped out of his arms. “I thou
ght you were going to die and it ripped me to pieces. How is that for honesty?”

  “It’s good. You care about me and I care about you.”

  “No,” she said. “I mean, yes. I care. But don’t you understand? I can’t be with you. I’d be worried every second of the day that something could happen to you. Today when you didn’t show up at the meeting, I thought the very worst. I can’t live like that.”

  Her hands twisted in front of her. “I know we’ve only known each other a short time and we went on our first date twenty-four hours ago. But I care too much already.

  “I’ve been through this sort of thing with my mother when my dad went off to war, twice. Every day she worried. When someone knocked on the door, she didn’t want to answer. Then, one day her worst fears came true. My dad didn’t come home. And she hasn’t been the same since. I don’t want to be that woman. I would drive us both crazy with my insecurities about your job.”

  That last bit hit him in the gut.

  He knew about her father, but emotional backlash hadn’t crossed his mind. This was something much deeper than a fear of commitment.

  As cheerful as she was, it didn’t occur to him that she’d faced real adversity, or how losing her father, the hero, could leave scars.

  He’d been an idiot. That worldly look in her eyes when he first met her should have been a big clue. And who could blame her? He did have dangerous job and it did take a certain kind of woman to put up with it. That was one of the reasons so many of his fellow firefighters were single.

  Still, he wasn’t about to hang his helmet up yet.

  “There is a big difference in being a fireman and going off to war, Kristen. Most jobs have dangers. The guy who works in the office building at a desk every day could have a heart attack at thirty. We’re highly trained professionals. You don’t have to worry.”

  She shook her head. “Jason, you ran into a burning house with no protective gear on to save that family, and you didn’t think twice about it.”

  “I can honestly say that I have never, ever done that before. It was a special circumstance. What was I supposed to do? Any firefighter would have done the same. There was no way I would leave a mother and child to die. Listen to what you’re saying.”

  She squeezed her fingers to her temples. “What you did was heroic, but I disagree about most doing the same. You’re special. It’s what makes you who you are—an amazing human being. There are better words, but I can’t think straight right now.