He came close and took her hand in his. “You already paid me back.”
“Well, I felt bad. All I needed was a stake to do a little gambling. Now, I have a bit of cash, so I don’t feel so vulnerable.”
“A stake? My brother and sister knew about this?” He looked like he was going to strangle one of his siblings.
“Sure, I was careful not to send up any flags. I kept all the bets small until I got the money I needed for the shopping I wanted to do.”
“You shouldn’t have risked exposure.”
She pressed her snowy glove to his cheek. “Some things are worth the risk, and one good Christmas is one of those things.”
He kissed her, and this time, she was an active participant. She tasted the sweetness of the berry dessert that Windi had pulled out of one of the bags. She had never tasted cobbler before, but mixed with the taste of Ark, it was definitely something she could get used to.
He parted her lips with his and threaded his hand through her hair.
She sighed and smiled against his mouth. When his other hand pulled her toward him, she giggled at the feel of the two parkas keeping their bodies from touching. It was like smashing two marshmallows together.
Ark pulled back. “Have you ever made a snow angel?”
“A what?”
“You lie on your back in the snow and flap your arms and legs. It creates an angel effect. They are a lot of fun if you would like to try one.”
Shrugging, she pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head, and at his instruction, she flopped back and started flapping her arms. When he called a halt, she took his hands and he pulled her out of her snowy outline.
Tyla looked down at the blue-white imprint and she smiled. Her jeans were a little wet but that was to be expected. “Nice.”
Ark pulled his phone out and took pictures of her snow angel and the snowman. “For posterity.” He held his phone out and took an image of her wet butt. “For posterior.”
She smacked him on the arm and blushed.
Andros called out from the porch. “Come in before you freeze her.”
Ark grinned. “It wouldn’t do to freeze such wonderful assets.”
He put his arm around her waist, and the heat that the simple gesture generated kept the pink in her cheeks long after she had changed clothes and was sitting next to him with his arm around her shoulders, sipping hot cocoa.
She looked around and glanced at the fire. “How are you going to put the Yule log in that?”
Ark kept his arm around her. “There is a pit under the floorboards. We remove them, light the fire and slide the log in as it burns. We start it the day after tomorrow when the family is all here.”
“Chuck and Ivy, who else?”
“Needin and Reginald. Needin is bringing the turkey.”
The family shuddered in unison. Andros said, “We have a beef roast as a backup if things go awry.”
It had the ring of a lesson learned.
She turned and asked Ark, “What is your favourite holiday memory?”
“Oh, wow. That is a tough one. I think it would have to be when Windi was two and Mom let us take her to the hill and go sledding. She was like a starfish, all puffy suit with arms and legs sticking out. We piled onto the toboggan and went down the hill together, hit a bump and we went flying in different directions. The toboggan hit a pine tree.”
He laughed. “When we dragged ourselves home, Mom took one look at the collection of snowmen that was trying to get into the house, and she came out with a broom, dusting us off, one by one.”
Argus started chuckling as if he knew what was coming next.
“When we asked Windi if she liked it, she threw her arms up in the air and jumped at the Christmas tree. It went down and she came up covered in tinsel. She screamed, Boom! and we all collapsed with laughter.”
Windi had her hand over her eyes. “You know, that story never gets old.”
The rest of the family laughed, and Tyla found herself watching a family that could laugh at itself, could enjoy its own moments. She felt envy but also a profound joy that they were willing to share this with her.
Windi finished chuckling and looked at Tyla, “What is your favourite Christmas memory?”
Tyla felt Ark stiffen against her. “I don’t think that she has…”
Tyla turned and smiled at him. “I do, actually. My niece Tora was one year old and had come to the family home. I was watching her while the others took the festivities to the next level. Tora and I sat next to the tree while the lights were twinkling and the tinsel gleamed. She took a handful of my hair and tried to eat it and I sang carols to her until the house was silent. Once there were no other waking souls in the house, I took her to my room, bundled her up and opened a window so that we could see the lights of the city and the stars above. When her little cheeks grew cold, I closed the windows and put her in bed before I went to work once again. I could hear her sucking at her fist while I worked, and I stayed with her through the night while she snuffled.”
The room was silent. She cleared her throat. “That was my favourite Christmas memory.”
Ark swallowed. “It is a good one.”
Aggie nodded and held Andros’s hand. “It reminds me of when Reginald was born. I wrapped him up and we stood outside as Christmas Eve turned into the Christmas day.”
Tyla nodded. “Exactly like that.”
Argus asked, “I thought you came from a warm climate?”
Tyla decided to go with a bit of honesty. “I was kept prisoner by my family. I didn’t have outdoor clothing because I did not go outside.”
The Talifors stared at her in shock, but Ark’s arm around her shoulders was steady. He pulled her tightly against him and smiled brightly at his family. “Any questions?”
Agnes glared at all of her children and her husband in turn. “No. We respect your privacy, Tyla. You are a welcome guest in our home. Nothing changes that.”
Tyla nodded and yawned. “Thank you, but I think I need to head for bed. I have a long day tomorrow making gift bags and finding a place to put them until the tree arrives.”
Windi perked up. “The tree arrives tomorrow.”
Argus grunted. “It doesn’t arrive. We go out and get it.”
There was a resignation to his tone that made her smile. She was guessing that they didn’t just pick it up at the grocery store.
She got to her feet and Ark was with her. “I will walk you to your room.”
She didn’t have an objection, but as he caressed her butt while she walked down the hall, she knew that he had his own ideas of what she needed before she tucked herself in.
At the door, he turned her to face him and kissed her again. He pressed her between his body and the wall, and she had to admit that she enjoyed the procedure without the parka. He rocked against her, and out of reflex, she lifted a leg to wrap her limb around his thigh, opening her to a touch or the rock of his hips.
A throat cleared, and Ark froze, groaning and pressing his head to Tyla’s shoulder.
She peeked past him and saw Andros standing in the hallway. Ark’s father was smiling with a rueful grin and shaking his head.
“Good night, Tyla.” Andros’s voice was amused.
Ark whispered, “Good night, Tyla.”
She pressed a quick kiss to his lips and slipped out of his arms and into Windi’s bedroom.
She heard a distinct thunk against the wall and imagined that it was Ark’s head. Calming down was not going to be easy, but with an exhausting day behind her, she would get the rest that her body demanded…eventually.
After a night of dreams that made her blush, she asked Aggie, “Where can I go to wrap the gifts? I am enjoying being around all the Talifors, but I get the feeling that they are a little nosy.”
Aggie nodded. “There is an office in the barn; it has space heaters. You should be able to get some privacy there. I will have Ark come out and bring you some lunch if you are not back by then.”
> She grinned and headed to the bedroom to retrieve all of her carefully stashed gifts and the supplies to hide them. It took a bit of managing, but she hauled them all out without exposing the objects inside.
She put the bags on the porch and then got geared up. Going out in winter involved a lot of layers, but she was getting the hang of it.
The rest of the family were engaging in tasks around the home that ranged from housework to light maintenance. They did not need her input, so she was better off working on her own plans for the holiday.
Even if she had to leave the day after Christmas, she was going to make it a day to remember for the family that had taken her in.
She reached for the bags and hands got in her way. “I will carry them and show you where the office is. Mom’s orders.”
Arkenon grinned at her.
To her surprise, he was only wearing a t-shirt, and she saw the iconography that he had had applied to his arms. “Wow. Lots of colour.”
He laughed. “I had to practice with the ink, so I needed areas I could reach. Being ambidextrous finally paid off.”
“I have never seen designs like that close up.” She wanted to trace the patterns with her fingers, but the puffy gloves didn’t allow for that sort of thing.
He jerked his head for her to follow him, and she did, trudging through the snow toward the barn.
The interior was a shock. It had been transformed into a warm and cosy home, which was cold and empty. “What the heck?”
“Mom and Dad had this renovated for the first Talifor to get married. Since they have a no-sex rule under their roof, this was considered to be a honeymoon suite for couples. I am pretty sure that Mom and Dad sneak in here at night.” Ark laughed and headed up a staircase.
Tyla followed him, and when they were on the upper floor, she whistled at the neat arrangement of desks and workstations.
“Mom wanted this as a craft room; Dad wanted an office. They both got what they wanted, and this was the result.”
He set the bags down and went to a wall panel, turning on the space heaters, and the gentle ticking of metal began to warm the area.
She shivered and reached into one bag, pulling out a measuring tape. “Do you have a good poker face?”
He shrugged. “It isn’t bad.”
“Well, I am about to start measuring presents for gift bags, so either commit to keeping your mouth shut or be gone.”
He laughed. “I have to work on the wood pile. I will be back by lunch if you haven’t finished what you are doing.”
He lifted her and sat her on the desk, stepping between her knees and kissing her until her head spun. When Ark lifted his head, there was a satisfied gleam in his eyes and she guessed it had something to do with her stupefied expression.
He stroked her cheek and sighed, “Why couldn’t I have found a better place to hide you?”
She laughed and put her hand over his. “There was no place better. Your family is wonderful and I am learning a lot.”
He took her lower lip between his teeth, and she shivered. “I certainly hope so.”
He gave her a soft kiss and left her while her body hummed and her pulse was beating out a tango.
She hopped off the desk, held it for balance and then stripped off her jacket and gloves. It was time to become one of Santa’s elves.
Chapter Nine
Three hours of measuring, cutting and blanket stitching later and she was almost finished. Tyla heard movement on the stairs and smiled as Arkenon appeared with a basket and a tight roll of fabric.
“Your lunch, Tyla. Mom prepared a picnic.” He grinned and rolled out the fabric, unzipping the sleeping bag and patting it out flat.
She took the current bag with her, sewing as he set out sandwiches and two thermoses.
“You are sewing a bag for each person?”
“For each present. I calculated for a few extra people, and based on what Argus said during the shopping trip, I think I made some good choices for the two I haven’t met yet.”
“You didn’t have to get anything.” He sighed and took her project from her, setting it aside.
“I wanted the whole family holiday. That means shopping. I enjoyed it. It has come to me that fun has been in very short supply in my life.”
“I finally clued in on that. I am sorry it took me so long.” He handed her a sandwich on a paper plate.
She chuckled and lay down on her stomach, bracing herself on her elbows and nibbling at the sandwich.
“What are you doing?”
“Hand stitching is hard on the shoulders.” She scrunched up her shoulders and pushed down on them.
“I imagine it would be like working on a design for hours.” He moved behind her and began to massage her shoulders. She dropped her sandwich and groaned.
He seemed to know just where she needed more friction and when to ease up. She flattened herself to the sleeping bag and let him have his way with her shoulder blades.
When he patted her on the back, she grunted and sat up with her legs crossed. “Thank you.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome. I won’t even ask how many times you stuck yourself today.”
“Thanks for that. I don’t think I can count that high.” She resumed her slow attack on her sandwich.
He chuckled. “Well, it looks like you have had a productive morning.”
There were a dozen black satin bags with gold cord already complete and tucked into the carrier bags for the return to the main house.
She ate the next sandwich and looked at the contents in surprise. “Spaghetti and meatball sandwich?”
He laughed. “You haven’t lived until you have eaten one of those.”
She nibbled at it and raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Provolone?”
“Of course.” He grinned and bit into his own.
She opened one of the thermoses and inhaled the blessed scent of coffee.
“You drink more coffee than any woman I have ever met.”
She laughed. “I have to stay up past my biological bedtime most days. The coffee helps.”
He handed her a cup, and she poured the coffee into it. He patted the spot next to him, and she scooted over, leaning against him and relaxing.
Tyla sighed. “When did you get the call?” she looked up at him.
He tensed and met her gaze. “This morning, before breakfast. Your family has petitioned the avian council for your return.”
“Of course they have.” She sighed and tried to blink back the tears. “I don’t want to go back.”
“There is another way, but I don’t want to force you into anything.”
She laughed. “No force involved. Despite our awkward start, I have wanted to bicker with you for the rest of my life.”
“Seriously? I travel a lot and you would be among strangers most of the time.” His hand on her shoulder slowly stroked down her arm and back again.
“Better than trapped in a room and under guard. As bad as it was before, it would be a thousand times worse if I went home now.”
“I never imagined that my mate would be turning to me because she was afraid of going back to prison.” His eyes were gleaming, and he lifted her, positioning her until she straddled him.
“I have a wild side, but you have to look close.” She pulled her shirt off over her head and pulled the chemise under it off and away.
He put his hands on her ribcage. “I am looking. I will let you know what I find.”
Arkenon leaned in and kissed her, acknowledging her first move and slowly turning her nervousness into arousal.
His hands moved over her skin, working at her bra clasp for a moment before cold air kissed her where the band had been. He slipped it off her shoulders, and her nipples drew tight.
She could feel the rush of heat to her skin, and her blush ran riot over every inch of her. Tyla focused on the kiss and the slide of his tongue into her mouth. A low tugging in her opening mimicked the rhythm he set up, and soon, her hips were rocki
ng against his, grinding the seam of her jeans into the pressure point that was so desperate for it.
A rush of energy made her flinch, and she tried to stop, but Ark’s grip tightened and he held her to him, moving her hips against his in the same beat that had been working so well. Her hands formed fists on his chest, and she tried to fight the dangerously intense climb of tension. Suddenly, the tension snapped, and her eyes went wide as a rush of pain and pleasure ripped through her body, twisting her in his arms.
She panted and shivered against him, her surprise still evident. “What the hell was that?”
He wisely didn’t ask if she had ever done that before, instead he carefully lowered her back to the sleeping bag and slowly and carefully divested her of boots, socks, jeans and the wisp of cotton and lace that was now damp from her own juices.
Watching him strip was an eye-opening experience. His tattoos began at his collarbone and ran to his forearm and then covered the rest of him to the ankle.
She wasn’t sure where to look, but the unadorned erection that had a pearly drop on it seemed the most precise place to focus considering the circumstances.
He knelt between her thighs and eased her knees apart. With two fingers, he parted the lips of her sex, and then, he leaned in, rubbing against her slowly. With a look of concentration, he slid inside a bit and shivered as her body gripped him.
Having something inside her took all of her focus but that little entry was causing her senses to riot.
He leaned over her, slowly lowering his body until her breasts were touching his chest and his arms kept him from crushing her by supporting his weight. “All right?”
She nodded and bit her lip, but he kissed her, tugging at her lip with both of his until he had full access and she was squirming against him, allowing his cock to slip into her in little intervals.
When he reached her interior barrier, he stopped kissing her lips and went down to her neck. Being a goose, her neck was her most sensitive area, and she gasped, shuddered and widened her thighs. When he nipped sharply with his lips, he thrust in hard, and she felt the burn of pain.
She hissed and fought him for a moment. When she calmed, her chest was heaving and he had her arms pinned above her head. The moment she stopped writhing, he nibbled at her neck again until she tilted her hips to take him in.
Christmas Goose Page 5
