The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “What is wrong with you?” Ellie asked, the fight taken out of her now that her voice carried more curiosity. She must have noted how many sets of stairs he’d climbed with her.

  “I bargained with the resort manager.” He set Ellie down in front of a door and plucked a key card from his pocket, swiping it in the mechanism beside the door. They heard the click of the lock and, with a smirk, he shoved the door open.

  Inside, the window reached from floor to ceiling, the majestic view it should have boasted obscured by the horrid storm raging around them. In the center of the room was a king sized bed laden with crisp white bedding and fluffy pillows, room enough for two people to sleep without even touching one another. The best part was the deep soaking tub situated in front of the grand window. There were already containers of rose petals and soaking salts placed beside an iced bottle of champagne.

  “What is this?”

  “Exactly what it looks like.” Since she didn’t dare take a step forward, Nolan picked her up again, cradling her in his arms this time, and set her atop the plush bed.

  He hesitated over her, his eyes taking in everything before him. She still smelled like sugar and vanilla, like a warm kitchen bustling with life and happiness. He still couldn’t believe he’d found her, a woman he could call his mate. Ellie hadn’t said whether or not she would accept him, but he shoved the thought aside.

  Nolan would be happy just to spend the rest of his life near her. He would never be far if she needed him. He lowered his head, letting his nose nuzzle the deep V of her shirt as he let out a deep sigh. She writhed beneath him.

  Her hands rose, wandering and exploring over forgotten territory. Not much had changed over the years save for a few new scars. As she slipped his shirt over his head, her eyes lighted over them. The press of her thumb was soft over the scar on his shoulder, the memory of a knife wound on the job.

  Nolan didn’t tell her the stories behind the scars. He was terrified that she would run for the door. But, Ellie didn’t ask. She only smiled as her hands moved to rest on his cheeks. He leaned into her touch, trapping her hand between his cheek and his shoulders, breathing in her scent. The cat inside of him purred with satisfaction.

  “Could you…” Nolan didn’t know if he could ask this. The question burned inside his chest, tearing him apart. “Could you ever love me?”

  ***

  Ellie wanted him like nothing she’d ever wanted before. Her core throbbed and ached for the man above her. She gripped his shirt and pulled him down on top of her, his eyes flashing with surprise. Her mouth met with the exposed skin of his neck, lips laying kisses as she flipped him over.

  She shoved his arms above his head, looking down at the man who could move vans with his bare hands, trapped beneath her. Her core throbbed at the thought. The sight of his strength had definitely stirred things inside of her that she’d tried to ignore. For the past week, she’d been trying to ignore the response her body had to him.

  But, the thought weaseled its way into her mind once more.

  Did she love this man?

  He looked up at her with patience, clearly more than happy to be trapped beneath her if the rising bulge in his pants was any indication. He slipped his hands out of her grasp and dropped them to her hips, gently rocking her back and forth over his growing cock. It stiffened and rubbed against parts of her that made her mind go blank. She groaned as electric shocks rocketed through her body.

  It was never like this with any other man, she thought. Perhaps that was why no other relationship had worked. She’d tried with other men after Casper’s birth. She’d wanted to find a way to finish her small family, but there had never been any spark with the men she’d dated. Nothing like this, nothing that made her groan with two layers of denim between them.

  Nolan smiled, a toothy grin that said he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

  She hadn’t answered his question. In truth, she had a feeling that she already knew, but didn’t want to commit yet. She didn’t want to give this man an answer if she didn’t know if it was true down to its very core. So, she kept her mouth closed and reveled in the sensations running through her as he rocked her hips.

  A growl trickled up Nolan’s throat and his grip on her tightened. It would have hurt if she hadn’t already been on the precipice of pleasure. She felt herself begin to tumble head long into what was about to happen, unable and unwilling to stop it.

  “Can we top it?”

  Nolan’s growl died. “Top what?”

  “The mind-blowing sex we’ve already had?”

  He sat up, fingers slipping beneath her shirt to play up her spine. His voice dropped low and his breath washed over her cold skin as he spoke. “I don’t know but I think we owe it to ourselves to try.”

  Ellie agreed, but she couldn’t find her voice to tell him. Her voice was lost, gone with her mind while she reached to pull her shirt over her head. Revealing the black lace bra beneath, Nolan’s eyes widened at what she now put on display. He licked his lips, chasing away any insecurity she might have once held. It was clear Nolan liked this version of her body just as much, if not more, than the one she’d had four years ago.

  His hands ran up her soft stomach to cup the base of her breasts, fingers slipping over the soft satin of her brassiere. With a sly smile, he lowered his face and pressed it between her plump breasts. When he emerged, the smile was wider and wilder. His hands dropped away, his warmth disappearing for a moment before they returned at her back, flicking open the closure of her bra.

  The small piece of clothing fell away, guided by Nolan’s gentle fingers. Her nipples, already hard with the expectant pleasure, greeted him once freed. He took one in his hand, teasing and pinching before he pulled it into his mouth. His teeth ran along the sensitive skin and her head fell back.

  She wanted her pants gone, wanted her throbbing center closer to his. As badly as Ellie wanted to rush things, Nolan took his time. He lapped at her nipple, making her shudder above him, while his fingers reached up to tangle in her hair. He gave a small tug and her head fell back, pliant in his hands. He growled with satisfaction and the vibration rippled through her.

  Ellie couldn’t help grinding against him, couldn’t forget about the bulge waiting for her.

  “Impatient beast,” Nolan said into her skin. He, too, seemed barely moments away from losing control. His hands trembled upon her skin, knuckles curling with the effort it took to retain control.

  Nolan lifted her from the bed, one arm slung beneath her bottom, and turned them over so that he was once more above her. The weight of his body was warm and welcome, a sense of protection falling over her. Her hands ran up the length of his body, fingers bouncing over the hard planes of his muscles. Each one was lean and defined, harboring a strength most men could barely dream of.

  The thought warmed her. Nolan was unlike anyone she’d ever known. Powerful, yet gentle and patient. She watched his dark eyes dance with the light, a reflection of the snow blasting the window beside them, as his head lowered over her body. The scruff of his cheeks brushed her bare skin and made her writhe beneath him.

  His long fingers hooked into the waistband of her Leggings. Leggings, really. No woman had time to bother with cumbersome and uncomfortable jeans anymore. Nolan seemed pleased with them, as well, when they easily slid down her thighs to reveal the pale flesh beneath.

  Ready to have him inside her once more, Ellie reached for his shoulders to pull him over her again. But, Nolan danced away from her reach with a sly smile. His head dipped, and his lips touched the soft flesh above her folds. The slight touch sent an electric shock through her.

  “You smell like vanilla and sugar,” he growled into her skin. His fingers tightened possessively on her hips. “I can’t get enough of it.”

  Before Ellie could think of anything to say, his tongue split her folds. She cried out in surprise, earning her another flick of his tongue. She was not expecting him to do anything like this. She’d been expectin
g sex and nothing more. Nolan was taking his time with her, instead. He was exploring her body and showing her how much he loved every little inch he found.

  It seemed, he found his favorite inch as his tongue made lazy circles between the pleats of her sex. Ellie’s back arched as pleasure rocketed through her like jets of steam. Warmth built inside of her, heavy and pulsing. She reached down and gripped his thick hair, making Nolan press harder. His circling tongue quickened. His fingers slipped inside her.

  Ellie gasped, unable to contain herself. Feeling his fingers enter her sent another ripple of pleasure through her body. She knew she was close to orgasm, her legs spread wide while Nolan’s head bobbed between them. His other hand raked up her thigh, the pain mingling with her pleasure.

  She knew she was done for when his tongue began flicking the small bead of pleasure. His fingers moved, in and out, in and out. The pulsing inside of her thumped in time with her racing heart. She couldn’t hear over the thunder in her ears. Ellie was nothing more than the pool of pleasure she was floating in.

  Then, it exploded. The pulsing core blew in every direction, sending shocks through her limbs that made her writhe beneath him. She gripped the bedding, arching her hips into Nolan. He smiled at her from above the V of her legs, his hands rising over her body. The shocks died down, a pulse arching her back every now and then.

  Nolan climbed over her body, still half clothed, to lay a trail of gentle kisses between her breasts, up her throat, and another soft kiss on her lips. Ellie’s hand grasped the back of his head, capturing him so she could claim his mouth.

  She pulled his lower lip into her mouth with her teeth, nibbling and sucking the taste of them. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him tight to her body. She wanted him, all of him.

  Nolan managed to balance himself above her, pulling back to look her in the eye. “I want to be inside of you, Ellie. I want it like nothing I’ve ever wanted before.”

  She rose to nip the skin of his neck, breathing the word, “Yes,” into him.

  He shuddered above her. She smiled, pleased that she could make him tremble the way he’d done. She had power over this impossibly strong man and that was arousing all on it’s own.

  “Take your pants off,” she whispered into his skin, a command he could not ignore.

  Nolan’s eyes burned as he stood back, and his fingers moved to the button of his jeans. Ellie’s eyes wandered down his chest, admiring the V shaped muscles that drew her eyes lower. his fingers as they deftly unbuttoned his jeans and began pushing them down. Ellie sat back, watching the show with anticipation. Her core throbbed with each inch the jeans lowered.

  Nolan was larger than she remembered. The sight of his cock, already standing at the ready, made her mouth dry. She imagined what it would take to get all of that inside of her. She’d done it once before and, this time, she was already wet from one orgasm.

  Nolan reached out to grab her calves, tugging her to the edge of the bed. His fingers trailed down her thighs, his hips now aligned with hers. With one, strong thrust, he was hilt deep inside of her. She groaned, the sensation so much more than she remembered. He filled every available inch of space inside her as if he’d been made for her.

  Holding her legs, he began rocking his hips. A smile curved over his hungry lips as he watched her breasts bounce. She reached to hold them, but he slapped her hands away.

  “I want to see,” he growled. “I want all of you.”

  His words sent a spike of pleasure through her. She groaned and gripped the sheets beneath her. The smell of their sex rose in the room, their scents mingling. Nolan’s pace quickened, his need driving him. Each thrust landed harder and harder, hitting the sensitive bead between her folds and making her cry out.

  His nails raked along her calves as he growled. He slammed home, deep inside her, again and again. Ellie didn’t know how much more of this she could take. Each thump brought her higher, closer to the precipice. Orgasm waited, balanced precariously. It tipped with each thrust and threatened to take her over.

  “This is yours,” Nolan whispered, his voice gravelly. “Yours forever. Whenever you decide you want me.”

  With another thrust, he sank deep inside of her and shoved her over the precipice. The second orgasm exploded through her just as his own came to bear. Ellie screamed, the sound shaking through them. She floated in the sensation, letting it overwhelm her as it shook through her body. Nolan shuddered, dropping to his hands on the mattress.

  The quake still rocked through her, pulsing through her limbs. Nolan smiled, feeling his own, and leaned in to lay a soft kiss on her lips. It was gentle, and his lips moved in time with the pulse of the aftershocks.

  Her arms rose to encircle him. He’d promised her so much in the past few hours, a lifetime if she should want it. But, did she? Was she ready to accept this strange man into her life? Nolan was certainly no stranger, but he was more than she’d expected. She couldn’t help but wonder what else lingered beneath the surface.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When they woke, entangled in one another, the snowing had stopped. The sky, outside their window, was a clear blue. But, the snow had piled so high that it pressed against the lower portion of the window.

  Nolan pulled himself from the bed, careful not to wake his mate.

  Mate.

  He’d claimed her, barely knowing what he was doing. He knew so little about the magic that surrounded his kind, especially about mate bonds. He wasn’t sure if mates were brought to them by destiny, or if a shape-shifter fell in love and the bond followed hot on their heels. Either way, he knew Ellie was his and no other man in this world would touch her again.

  But, that meant he had to start taking care of her. Throwing on yesterday’s clothes, he found his way to the breakfast buffet. A few straggling kitchen staff kept themselves busy with the sumptuous array of delicacies, replacing utensils or refilling containers.

  The smell of waffles and syrup filled the air, making his stomach grumble happily. The waffle iron pulled him in, but he didn’t have the faintest idea how to use it. The ladle floated in the batter, beckoning for his hand to take it.

  After watching him fumble with the contraption for several minutes, a laughing kitchen hand came to help him, all the while eyeing him from beneath her flirtatious lashes. He gave her a tight-lipped smile and said quick thanks, but took a step away from her. Nolan didn’t have eyes for anyone else. Even the thought of slipping away with the kitchen hand like he might once have done made his stomach churn with disgust.

  The girl seemed to get the hint because she helped him make one waffle before disappearing, never to be seen again. Nolan smiled at himself. He was strangely happy with his situation, even if Ellie hadn’t returned his romantic affection yet. It didn’t matter. She was his family, no matter what she wanted to be to him.

  As he carried a large plate of waffles, syrup, and whipped cream up to their room, he found that he did want her to love him, too. His body demanded her, ached for her in ways he never knew possible. If Ellie pushed him away after this, he would stay, but his body would ache. If she were to find a new lover, the beast inside of him would rage.

  He paused outside the door, waffles in hand, and wondered what he would do if it came to that. This could be a one-night stand, or in their case, a second-night stand. He gripped the plate, nearly cracking it.

  The rush of emotions that slammed into him was almost too much to bear. Nolan’s knees threatened to quake beneath him, but sheer will kept them in place. Ellie was his mate, and he knew he would do anything for her, but his own heart ached for more. It ached to wake beside her every day, much like he had this morning.

  Was that too much to ask?

  “Hello?” a voice called from inside the room.

  How had she heard him? Nolan shook his head, trying his best to shrug off the emotions churning in his stomach. Inside, Ellie was lounging on the bed, half covered by the sheet. It was a scene straight out of a renaissance painting, rem
iniscent of a Greek goddesses. His mouth watered and a smile spread over his face. He knew every curve hidden beneath the thin, white sheet, and he had tasted the depth of her womanhood like it was the nectar of the gods.

  “What are you smiling about?” Ellie asked, her brows furrowed.

  She still said nothing about loving him in return and the barb that thought pushed through his heart was hard to ignore. Nolan set the plate of waffles on a side table before gesturing toward the soaking tub. Outside the window, the sun peeked over the snowy horizon and danced across it like glitter.

  “You want me to take a bath?” Ellie balked. She reached for her phone, checking the time.

  “From the sound of it, they’re still plowing the parking lot. We won’t be able to get out for at least another hour.”

  “You can hear that from here?”

  Nolan laughed and shook his head as he bent to turn on the taps. “No. I checked before coming back up to our room.”

  “Oh,” Ellie said, her voice dropping. “Well, how would I know?”

  Nolan rocked on his heels. He hadn’t thought about how little Ellie would know about his kind. It was clearly a shock when he first showed her, and he’d never told another human before. The level of the water in the tub rose higher and higher, steam rising in tendrils through the air.

  “How about you get in and I’ll tell you more about myself.”

  She regarded the water with hesitation, pulling the sheet over herself. When her eyes cut to the waffles set to the side, he watched her suck in her lower lip with craving. If only she looked at him with that expression, he thought. When her eyes fell upon him, still burning, he felt himself grow hard beneath her gaze.

  She saw it too, the smile curving across her lips. The sheet fell away from her breasts and he had to grip the side of the tub to keep from crawling toward her. This moment wasn’t about his lust, he reminded himself. This was about making sure Ellie was taken care of.