It Must Be Christmas

by Jennifer Crusie

  His temper had been redirected into passion. Raw, visceral, completely untamed. His mouth slanted furiously over hers, and Nate took her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking greedily before he pulled away, letting his teeth scrape over the delicate skin. Chloe’s arms flew around his neck as she kissed him back, her own passions mounting to a nearly uncontrollable level. They could’ve toppled down the stairs with one misstep, but her tongue plunged into Nate’s mouth; she couldn’t be bothered to worry about anything as trivial as a broken bone or two.

  With a grunt, Nate shoved Chloe’s pants down over her thighs. She toed off her shoes and shimmied out of them as best she could, unwilling to part their mouths while she kicked her jeans and underwear somewhere down the stairs. Nate broke their kiss and his breath heaved in his chest as he stripped his own shirt and tossed it down to join hers. He took her hips firmly in his grasp and spun her around. “Get on your hands and knees.” The words were nothing more than a husky growl and another rush of wetness coated her thighs.

  Chloe did as he told her. The carpeting that covered the stairs wasn’t exactly a cushion, but she didn’t care. Nate spread her legs wide and tilted her hips so that her ass jutted up in the air. “Nate?” She turned to look over her shoulder and watched as he laid himself out on the stairs. “You’re going to kill your back laying like that—Oh. God.”

  Nate’s mouth sealed over her pussy in a wave of delicious heat that caused Chloe to shudder. He gripped her hips in his large hands, holding her right where he wanted her as he circled her clit with the tip of his tongue. Nate’s hands ventured lower. Chloe gasped as he dragged the flat of his tongue over her lips. His fingers traced a path down the crease of her ass and lower still. He slid one finger through her slick arousal and guided his finger back up into the crease and the tight ring of nerves, circling the area while he sucked her clit into his mouth.

  The sensation stole Chloe’s breath. Virgin territory to be sure, no one but Nate had ever been bold enough to go there. She gripped the edge of the stair above her as she rocked on her knees, grinding her hips as she rode Nate’s mouth. He let out a hungry groan and eased his finger past the tight barrier as he increased the pressure of his tongue and swirled it over her clit.

  The orgasm took her without warning.

  Chloe sobbed her pleasure, her hips jerking in time with each delicious throb of her pussy. Nate continued with his ministrations, long passes of his tongue and slow, gentle thrusts of his finger that drove her crazy with desire. The waves of pleasure seemed never ending, cresting and ebbing only to crest again. Her voice grew hoarse in her throat until she couldn’t utter another sound if she’d wanted to. Chloe leaned her head on her arms and let out a slow breath. Her body was weak, shaky, and completely spent. And still, it wasn’t enough.

  NINE

  Nate’s breath puffed in his chest as though he’d run a marathon. His heart pounded, not from exertion but excitement, and his body hummed with the overwhelming physical need he had for Chloe.

  Her honeyed taste lingered on his tongue as she leaned against the stairs, her own breath racing. The orgasm had rippled through her into him and Nate still felt the aftershocks in the satin-smooth skin of her thighs that caressed his cheeks. He pushed himself up to sit and shucked his pants whip-quick. He dug in his pocket for his wallet and before he sent it rolling down the stairs, snatched a condom from inside. With shaking hands, he rolled it onto his erect cock and let out a moan as his hand stroked down to the base. He was so damned wound up, it wouldn’t take more than a few strokes to get him there. No woman had ever driven him as crazy as Chloe did. With every passing minute, he only wanted more.

  Chloe let out a squeal of surprise as he reached around and seized her by the waist, dragging her around until she was settled in his lap. He loved her lush curves and soft flesh. Loved that she wasn’t some waifish stick that might break if he so much as jostled her. He lifted her up and settled her on his cock, leaning back on the narrow staircase so he could enjoy the view. Fucking breathtaking. Her cheeks were flushed and her nipples stood erect and rosy from the pale swells of her generous breasts. She reached out and gripped the banisters on either side of her as she began to ride him. Slow, easy strokes that ended on a flick of her hips that teased the head of his cock perfectly.

  “Just like that, darlin’. Don’t stop.”

  Her eyes became hooded as her head lolled back on her shoulders. Nate reached up and pinched her nipples, eliciting a gasp from Chloe that ended on a low, drawn-out moan. “Do that again, Nate.”

  Who was he to deny her? Nate rolled the stiff peaks and her pace increased. She used the banister for leverage, lifting her body up and off of him before plunging back down, taking him as deeply as she could. Ninety percent of Nate’s pleasure came from watching her. He was fascinated with the dreamy expression on her face, the soft parting of her mouth, her hooded eyes and pink tongue that darted out to lick her lips. The soft sway of her breasts as she moved on top of him and the way they quivered when her breath left her chest in a shuddering rush. Every moan, every cry was music to his ears.

  He’d never get enough of her. Would do anything to keep her. Hell, he might even … love her. Nate hadn’t loved anything or anyone, aside from his brothers, in a long goddamned time. In a matter of days—little more than a week—she’d managed to work her way into that black pit in the center of his chest that he thought had died. Chloe had brought him back to life with her passion, fire, and compassion. He reached up and cupped her cheek, guided her gaze to his and held it.

  “I want you looking at me when you come this time.”

  The play of her shapely body flexing and contracting as she moved fascinated Nate. Chloe took him deep and tilted her hips, sliding her hands farther up the banister as she ground her hips against his. What started out slow and measured increased into a wild frenzy. Nate’s fist wound in the length of her auburn hair and he rose up to meet her, putting his mouth to hers. “Harder, Chloe. Fuck me harder.”

  She met the wild thrust of his hips and her mouth parted on a silent moan. He couldn’t stand her silence and so Nate tilted his head to the swell of one breast and sucked her nipple into his mouth. “Nate. Oh, god, Nate. I’m coming!”

  He pulled away and took in every detail of her beautiful face. Her inner walls squeezed him tight, pulsing around his cock until it pushed him over the edge. They came together, a harmony of sounds and sensations. He gripped her hips and thrust deep as wave after wave crested over him. Every ounce of worry and stress siphoned out of him, leaving nothing but calm, peaceful bliss. He wrapped his arms around Chloe and hugged her tight as he placed kisses on her shoulder, neck, and collarbone.

  “You drive me crazy, Chloe,” he said on an exhale. “I can’t get enough.”

  He felt her smile against his skin. Her tongue flicked out at the sensitive skin at his neck and Nate shivered. “It’s me who can’t get enough. Every time you touch me, I lose my mind and can’t think a rational thought to save my life. How’s your back?”

  Nate chuckled. “You haven’t broken me yet. I wouldn’t say no to a long, hot shower though.”

  Chloe sat up and studied him, a smile flirting with her lips. “What about the sweet little calves still waiting for their shots?”

  Ah, shit. He still had five calves to vaccinate and his legs were about as reliable as cooked noodles. “I’ll make you a deal. You start dinner, I’ll finish up with the calves.”

  “And afterward?” Chloe asked archly.

  “Afterward, I’m going to wash you from head to toe. Slowly.”

  Her smile was enough to stop Nate’s heart. “That hardly seems fair.”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” he teased. “You’ll be washing me when I’m finished. And I expect you to be thorough.”

  “Anything for my hardworking cowboy.”

  Nate’s chest tightened to the point that he didn’t trust himself to take a breath without choking on the intake. It wasn’t just the sensual purr of he
r voice, but the possessiveness when she said “my” that caused his heart to pound. He wanted her to want him with the same inexplicable fervor. He wanted the thought of her leaving to make her break out into a cold sweat like it did him. But most of all, he wanted her to be satisfied with him if he chose nothing more than to live the life of a simple rancher.

  “Good.”

  * * *

  Chloe watched out the kitchen window as Nate finished up with the calves. She could easily imagine a life with him here. Simple, and wonderful, and just the two of them. From where her purse hung on a hook in the mudroom, her cell phone rang. Chloe turned off the sink and dried her hands before rushing to the phone before the call went to voice mail. She didn’t recognize the number but that wasn’t uncommon since she used the phone for business calls. Her finger swiped across the screen and she answered, “This is Chloe Benson.”

  “Hi, Chloe. This is Travis Christensen. I got your number from your assistant. Is this a good time to call?”

  Chloe’s heart ricocheted up into her throat. She rushed to the kitchen and peered out the window to find Nate still dealing with the calves. “Um, yeah. It’s fine. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon, Mr. Christensen.”

  “First things first,” he said. “Call me Travis.”

  Talking to Nate’s brother while he worked outside sent a wave of guilt washing over Chloe. She should have asked Nate before she’d sent Hailey after his brother. It somehow felt underhanded and sneaky now.

  “Okay, Travis. So, I’m assuming that my assistant gave you the full-court press, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling.”

  Travis chuckled. “She did. I gotta tell ya, she’s quite the seller.”

  He sounded a lot like Nate but more at ease. Rather than talk shop, Chloe found herself wanting to use this opportunity to grill the younger Christensen about his brother. What was he like as a kid? Did he have many girlfriends? Was he always so serious, or had his time in the military made him that way? Damn it. This was such a wasted opportunity.

  “This is our eleventh hour, Travis. We’ve got to go big or go home.”

  Nate looked up from pushing the last calf into the corral and smiled when his gaze met Chloe’s. He waved before he started to box up the syringes and vaccines. Chloe waved back. Crap. She needed to wrap this convo up.

  “Can’t say I don’t admire that go-to attitude. Why come to me, though?”

  Chloe sensed that Hailey had given him the P.C. response to that question and that Travis wanted it straight. Something he had in common with his brother. “Honestly? Because I’ve reached the end of my rope and I know you’ve got more than enough money to help my foundation without even feeling a pinch.”

  “I doubt there’s a soul in the state of Texas who doesn’t know that,” he remarked. “Okay, so why me and not my brothers?”

  Hailey wasn’t sure how much she should divulge. Too much and Travis might be suspicious of her. Too little and it would look like she hadn’t done her homework. “Your youngest brother is a county sheriff. I’d feel like I was stealing from him. Your brother Carter has two kids and I know he recently lost his wife. I didn’t want to pile anything more onto his plate.”

  “And my other brother…?” Travis asked.

  “Is planning to give his share of the inheritance away,” Chloe responded. “To your father’s widow if I’m not mistaken. I’m not interested in his share.”

  Travis snorted. “That’s the rumor. How much do you need, Chloe, and when do you need it by?”

  Chloe’s heart soared. “Does this mean you’re willing to back us?”

  “This means I’m willing to consider it. You probably know better than anyone that it’s not so easy to cut a check and call it a day. And regardless of the size of my inheritance, there are still loose ends that have to be tied up before I have access to any of those funds. Give me a dollar amount and a timeline and I’ll see what I can do.”

  Travis obviously had a good head on his shoulders. The cut-and-dry personality must have been common to all of the Christensens. Chloe appreciated straightforwardness. “I need three million dollars,” she said on a breath. “And if I can’t secure those funds by Christmas Eve, my foundation will be closing its doors.”

  She was answered with silence and Chloe cringed. She wasn’t asking for pocket change, and it wasn’t like she’d given Travis a stellar time frame in which to scrape it together. She’d have been silent, too, in his position.

  “I take it you don’t need one lump sum. Just a commitment of funding?”

  “Of course.” According to their board, the foundation would be able to honor all of their present commitments and stay afloat for the next year if Chloe secured at least three million dollars in funding. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Travis. We need this money. Without it, we’re done.”

  “I’m not saying yes or no,” Travis replied. “But if you can give me a few days, I’ll have an answer to you as soon as I can.”

  Chloe let out a sigh of relief. It was a stay of execution at least. “That’s more than fair. Thank you.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, who else have you contacted? I might be able to throw a few names your way.”

  At his core, a nice guy. Like Nate. Whatever the Christensen brothers felt about their relationship with their father, they were better men because of it. “I’ve contacted everyone in the state who I thought could spare the money,” Chloe replied. “Probably even some who couldn’t.”

  “Even my father?” Travis asked.

  “Yep. He shot me down before I even gave him a taste of my charming personality.”

  Travis snorted. “I’ll be in touch soon, Chloe.”

  “Thank you, Travis. Really. Talk to you soon.”

  Nate walked through the door just as Chloe disconnected the call. “Talk to who soon?” he asked as he crossed into the kitchen and leaned in for a quick kiss.

  “Um, Hailey,” Chloe replied. She set her phone down on the counter and went back to tearing lettuce for the salad. “The wheels keep turning even when I’m not in the office.”

  “Everything okay?”

  Nate went to the sink to wash his hands and Chloe took a step to the side lest she get any of the guilt that felt like it coated her body with an icky slime all over him.

  “Yeah, just lining up a few things that I need to take care of next week when I head back into the office.”

  Nate dried his hands and came up behind her. His arms wound around her waist and he hugged her close before planting a slow kiss to her neck. “I was thinking about maybe getting a Christmas tree. This place isn’t exactly overflowing with holiday cheer. Wanna head out to the lot downtown and buy one this evening?”

  She needed to talk to him about Travis. She wasn’t doing anything underhanded or sneaky and she didn’t want Nate to think that she was. It was business, plain and simple. “Sure. I want to talk to you about something first, though. It’s about the foundation.”

  He kissed her neck again. The wet heat of his mouth soaked right through her until Chloe wondered how her legs could still be holding her upright. Nate’s effect on her was instant and visceral. It didn’t matter how much time they spent together, it never subsided.

  “Sure. I’m going to go change and then I’ll start up the barbeque.” He kissed her again and murmured against her skin, “We can talk over dinner. You wouldn’t believe how hungry I am.”

  Chloe’s insides clenched at the seductive tenor of his words. With each passing day she fell further under Nate’s spell. The past week had been a dream full of passion, peace, and a domestic bliss that caused her chest to ache with want. As Nate pulled away and headed for the stairs, Chloe wondered if she’d get everything she wanted or if she’d be forced to give up her dreams—the foundation—in order to keep the man she might just love.

  TEN

  Something niggled at the back of Nate’s mind as he threw on a fresh pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt. He didn’t want anything to ca
st a shadow on the past several days spent with Chloe but his stupid brain wouldn’t quiet down. The same past doubts that had sparked their earlier argument gnawed at him. Was Chloe truly here for him, or something else? He wished he could tell his damned brain to shut the fuck up once and for all.

  Nate didn’t want Chloe there for any other reason but him. He’d only known her for a short while but it was enough to know that he didn’t want whatever this was between them to end. In fact, the thought of her walking out on him after their fight had damned near thrown him into a panic attack. He couldn’t continue to dwell on shit that wasn’t going to do anything but fuck with his head. Instead, he let his stomach do the talking, and headed downstairs to fire up the grill.

  “Just in time,” Chloe remarked from the kitchen. “The steaks are seasoned and ready to go.”

  What would it be like to come home to her every single day? To know that Chloe was his. He took the plate from her outstretched hand. Her brow knitted as she studied him.

  “You okay?”

  He flashed a reassuring smile. “Yeah. Starving. I could eat an entire side of beef.”

  Chloe grinned. “Sorry, but a T-bone is going to have to do. I made salad and pasta, though. I think we might have half of a baguette somewhere around here, too.”

  We. Was it too soon for them to be a we? Not at all.

  * * *

  “I’ll keep the money, the shares in the company, all of it. If you want me to.” Sometime while staring into the flames of the gas grill, Nate had come to a decision. He wanted Chloe. Not just for a night or a week or a couple of months. He wanted her for as long as he could have her. And if was important to her that he take that goddamned money of his father’s, he’d do it. For her.

  Chloe looked up from her plate, her jaw slack. “What are you talking about?”