She held on. She controlled it all.
“Oh, God.”
A guttural shout, and he gripped his hands around her face. Releasing his seed in her mouth, her head and his manhood moved as one. She held on, her arousal growing, and greedily sucked and swallowed, until he was spent.
Then she collapsed back onto the bed, the force of his climax flowing through her body. The breeze slid over her hot, swollen mouth. She slipped her dress up and over her head. Lifting her heels, she perched them on the edge of the mattress and waited quietly.
She cringed at the pop of Sam’s knee as he knelt slowly on the floor in front of her, and hoped the pain in his knee wasn’t bad.
He said nothing at first, but she felt his hands trembling as he began to massage her thighs.
She gasped and widened her eyes. To keep her arousal at bay, she tried to concentrate on the patterns the candle flames made on the ceiling in the dark room. But it seemed the harder she tried, the more aware she became of the way Sam was touching her.
“You’re so beautiful, Mariella. My honeyed goddess.”
His voice was hushed, almost in awe.
His face was close, his breath, hot waves.
And when his tongue swirled into her, it was reverent.
She arched her back from the mattress, and slowly down again to the center of his world, to his sweet tongue and gentle kisses.
Oh, how I love this man.
Mariella closed her eyes and succumbed to his ardor.
“No way we’re done yet, baby.”
His voice vibrated against her wet flesh, turning her on even more. She craned her head up to watch him, and when she did, he cupped her breasts.
Caressed her nipples.
One finger flicked them button-hard.
All while his tongue kept moving...darting...seeking.
He was watching her dissolve, driving her mad.
She laid her head back onto the bed. Now she was under his control, bucking her hips as he played with her, blotting away everything in her mind but him.
He moved and kissed the insides of her thighs, paying close attention to the area where they curved down to her ass, tickling her with his lips to distraction.
“Sam, don’t stop,” she begged, craning her head up once more. “Go back. Love me again there, p-please.”
The stark desire in his eyes brought another wave of emotion, threatening to take her places she wasn’t sure he wanted to go. She wanted him to love her with his deepest self. Would that ever be possible?
He lowered his head, and she sank back down and squeezed her eyes shut. But even then she wasn’t ready when he focused the tip of his tongue on her most sensitive part.
Mariella caught his head between her thighs and screeched out a moan, which soon became catlike and echoed through the room.
They were sounds she’d never made before.
A strange and primal ecstasy in their ears.
She grabbed at his hair, panting hard and at the brink. Sam gave her one final lick and wrested his head from the viselike grip of her legs.
Their bodies were slick with perspiration as he scrambled on top of her. His weight felt heavenly, possessing her. Immediately, Mariella clamped her legs around his waist, not wanting to be apart from him for a second.
Sam thrust once, his engorged thickness filling her up. He retreated almost completely and seconds later, impaled her again. And again.
“Mariella.”
A short, satisfied gasp from his lips made her call out his name in ragged breaths, teased out by his ever-increasing pace.
She bit the side of his neck in shock at the force of her orgasm as they came together, moved fluidly together. His stubble scratched her jaw, and she licked his skin, tasting salt.
Mariella waited until he was snoring lightly before whispering in his ears, “I love you, Sam,” hoping her words would somehow float through his dreams to nestle in his heart.
* * *
Hours later, after making love again and entwined in each other’s arms, Sam struggled to stay awake. He stroked Mariella’s long hair, tangled and messy around her shoulders. One lock was half-twisted around her left nipple, now softened.
He licked his lips. He knew how to make it hard again.
He also knew if he touched her again, he might never let her go home.
Sam cracked open one eye, spied the clock on the night table and sighed in frustration. It was ten o’clock. His woman had to leave very soon, and he knew she would be hurt if he fell asleep again.
His woman.
The words sounded nice tumbling around in his brain. He’d much rather Mariella stay with him, in his bed, all night, every night. But that was impossible.
Every night? He whispered the words to himself, not quite believing them. It was rare when he wanted a woman to stay with him more than a few hours, let alone all night.
I guess there’s a first time for everything.
Losing sleep wouldn’t be the only hazard to making love to Mariella every night. It would lift the barriers to getting emotionally close to her. He snuggled her tighter to him, knowing he was already halfway there now.
His chest heaved with anxiety. On second thought, maybe it was a blessing she had a kid.
Determined to keep both of their hearts safe from future hurt, he slid his arm away from her and swung his legs over the bed. He debated whether to ask her to join him in the shower.
“Sam, can I ask you something?”
He sucked in a breath. “Hmm?”
“How can you possibly leave me after what we just shared together?”
He turned around and stared into her eyes. “I’m leaving you? I think it’s the other way around, honey, but you and I both know that’s the way it has to be.”
“You know what I mean,” she said softly.
Yes, he knew and he didn’t want to think about it.
He stood to face her and put two fingers on her lips. “Shh. Let’s not ruin a wonderful evening by talking about this now.”
“Why not?” She sat up and folded her arms, and he heard the impatience in her voice. “I’m tired of pretending that you going back to England isn’t the elephant in the room. Don’t you want to stay in America and be with me?”
Sam sat back onto the bed, his emotions mixed. For the first time in his life, he was falling in love with a woman and he didn’t know what to do.
“It’s not that simple.”
Mariella reached for his hands, but her touch only worsened his anxiety.
“It is,” she insisted. “Just. Stay.”
He slipped away, leaned over and gave her a soft kiss.
“You don’t understand the pressure I’m under right now. I can’t just make a split-second decision. There are a lot of factors in play, including the fact that I’m just not sure I’m ready to give up on my professional soccer career yet.”
“You wouldn’t be giving up. You’d be doing something different.”
Sam huffed out a breath. “But that’s the problem. To quit what I’ve worked so long to achieve...for good? To coach high school soccer permanently?”
“You act like it’s been torture,” she accused.
“It hasn’t, and you know it,” Sam said, reeling his surly tone back in. “I’m really enjoying it. The kids are playing better than ever. Best of all, we’re winning.”
She nuzzled her nose against his chin. “It’s a testament to your coaching ability.”
He felt a rush at her compliment, knowing she meant every word. Still, he didn’t want her to get her hopes up.
“Maybe, but I’m not sure I’ve achieved all I have to accomplish in the pros.”
Sam knew it was difficult for most people to fathom. There were many who dreamed of being in professional sports, not realizing the d
rive, effort and sheer determination it took to get there and stay there. His doctor had told him he could go back to playing pro next year, if he so desired.
He took her hand in his. “Can’t we just enjoy what we have now, without worrying about tomorrow?”
Mariella sighed. “You’re not giving me much of a choice, are you?”
“No, but I’ll give you a lot more loving, if you’ll let me.” He brushed her hair away from her shoulders and trailed a finger down her chin.
“Stay a little longer, Mariella. Please? I promise I’ll be the best Christmas present ever.”
When Mariella smiled and took him back in her arms, Sam thought it was a fair compromise.
But even he couldn’t have predicted that when she straddled his hips, took him inside her and rocked their bodies until both of their heads were banging against the headboard, that the cries of desperation would be his.
Chapter 9
The doors to the gym were thrown open wide, and teens eager for the Bay Point High Winter Dance were already trickling inside. The music was lively, a mix of Christmas music and pop tunes to get everyone in the mood for a good time.
Mariella tapped her toe in time with the music. She was in charge of one of the punch tables, and was busy arranging plastic cups in neat rows of ten. Every so often, she glanced up, hoping to see Sam.
Chaperones were expected to dress formally, and she was happy to oblige. She twisted a little so the skirt of her off-white, sleeveless, tea-length dress wrapped around her legs. In the spirit of the season, she’d pinned a large rhinestone snowflake brooch on one side.
Her ballet flats were cream-colored satin and they were so cute she found herself looking down at her feet more often than she probably should have.
More kids started to arrive so she carefully filled the cups with lemonade, trying not to spill any on the white linen tablecloths. They were on loan from Maisie Barnell, and she wanted to keep them as clean as possible.
Just as she finished, Sam walked in the door in a black tuxedo and polished black wingtip shoes.
All eyes, including hers, were on him.
He made a beeline for her table, pulling at his white starched collar. “Damn this tux. Did you ever think you’d be reliving the horrors of a high school dance?”
“Oh, it’s not so bad.” Mariella lowered her voice. “At least we’re together.”
He nodded, and his eyes roamed over her dress. The knowledge he knew every inch of her body made her quiver with desire. She still got chills thinking about the time they spent together in his apartment.
Mariella didn’t know when there would be another night like that, but she was grateful just to be in Sam’s presence.
Tomorrow he was returning to England to celebrate the holidays with his mother. When she asked him to chaperone the dance at the last minute, he accepted.
Strands of red and green streamers crisscrossed the gym ceiling, mimicking a glittery sky. Beautiful red and pink poinsettias, provided by Vanessa Langston, the mayor’s wife, were clustered about the room and at the corners of each refreshment table.
The balsam fir trees trimmed in red and white lights with gold ribbons, donated by the city, were the prettiest decorations of all.
Mariella was proud of the efforts of her fellow PTA moms and other volunteers. She’d even been able to stomach spending time with Leslie, listening to her rattle off all the gifts she was expecting from her husband. Mariella suspected she bought them all for herself and just wrote his name on the tag, but didn’t dare say that.
It was the holidays after all. Everyone had a right to indulge in a little make-believe.
She finished pouring the punch and stowed the empty containers under the table. “Let the madness begin.”
“I think we both need a good luck kiss.”
He touched her hand and she promptly snatched it away.
“Sam, have you lost your mind? We can’t. Not here.”
Mariella was grateful for the music blaring out over the deejay’s speakers, which covered their conversation.
“Then I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for you with a cookie.”
He took one from the tray on the next table over before she could stop him.
“You’re impossible,” she scolded.
He took another bite and leaned over the table. “And you love me because of it.”
She crossed her arms and glanced up into twinkling eyes, not sure how to respond. She hadn’t told him how she felt, not directly. Had he heard her whispered devotions in his ear that night in his apartment? If so, how did that make him feel?
Shouts of laughter interrupted her thoughts and she saw that the gym was almost full. She waved at Josh, who had just arrived. He’d finally gotten the courage to ask Emily to accompany him to the dance.
Mariella shooed Sam away and he took his place near the doors.
Josh sauntered over to the table, with Emily holding on to one arm. The young woman wore her hair in a cute pixie style. Her brown eyes were shy, and Mariella was thankful her midnight-blue gown was equally modest.
She complimented the girl on her dress and then held her arms out to her son for a hug. Surprisingly, Josh didn’t shun her. Maybe he didn’t want to embarrass himself or her in front of his date. Whatever the cause, she wasn’t complaining.
* * *
Principal Taylor grabbed the deejay’s microphone. “Teachers. Chaperones. Places, everyone!”
“Josh, we better go,” Emily said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the dance floor.
“See you later, Mom.”
Mariella blinked back her tears. It was bittersweet to watch her son growing up and away from her. The painful loss of her son to adulthood was tempered by her love affair with Sam. She tried not to think about it ending, too.
As the night wore on, in between filling countless punch cups, she watched Sam interacting with the students. Though the gym was crowded, it wasn’t hard to keep an eye on him. He was so easygoing and handsome, many of them hovered around him, and she saw smiles all around.
Mariella wondered if Sam wanted any kids of his own. It occurred to her she’d never even thought to ask him, which intrigued and frightened her. There was a lot she didn’t know about him, and time was running out to discover.
Children meant commitment, and though she loved Josh dearly, she wasn’t sure she wanted another child. Next year he would be out of the house, and she would start the next phase of her life. What that would entail, she didn’t know, but she hoped and prayed that Sam would be a part of it.
The dance went off without a hitch, but when it was over, it was over. The overhead lights were flipped on, and the chaperones and teachers hustled the kids out of the gym as quickly as they could, so that the cleanup crew could get started.
Leslie left soon after Principal Taylor, but nobody had expected her to stay. She always delegated the most mundane tasks to Mariella and other PTA moms.
Mariella lost sight of Sam as she helped the team get the gym back in tip-top shape, and assumed he’d gone home.
Empty punch cups and cookie trays were dumped into the garbage. The tables and chairs were stowed away. A couple of people were wielding large brooms, with others following behind with dustpans. The maintenance crew would take care of the streamers over the holiday break.
The lights, ornaments and bows were removed and packed up. The next day a crew of PTA dads would take the decorations, along with the Christmas trees, to a few local churches and a nursing home.
The whole process took over an hour. As chair of the cleanup crew, Mariella noted that everything was done to her satisfaction and dismissed the group with her thanks.
She folded the linen tablecloths, which she would launder and iron before returning them to Maisie.
She shut off the overhead lights and closed one of t
he doors. The other one she left open as a reminder to the janitors to remove the garbage and take down the streamers.
She picked up the linens but they were too heavy to carry all at once, so she placed them near the door. It only took her a few minutes to walk to the teachers’ lounge to get the large paper shopping bag she’d left there, so that it wouldn’t get thrown away by mistake.
When she returned to the gym, Sam stepped out of the shadows.
Startled, she let the bag tumble to the floor.
“What are you doing here, Sam?” Her hand went to her chest. “You scared me half to death. I thought you were gone.”
He was still in his tux, but the tie was loosened from around his neck and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone.
A slant of light coming from the deserted hallway formed a perpendicular triangle on the gym floor. He stepped into it as if it was a stage, and she could see his face more clearly. Dark shadows in the planes and something wicked in his hooded eyes.
“I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye one more time.”
His voice sounded haggard with need, and tears sprang to her eyes.
“Oh, Sam,” she whispered. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
He lifted his chin. “Come over here.”
Mariella stepped over the bag and jumped into his waiting arms.
Holding her by the waist, he lifted her up and buried his face in her bosom. Wrapping her legs around him, she bit her lip as Sam pressed his mouth into her skin, dipped his tongue into her cleavage.
She felt the hard nudge of his erection against her belly as he walked them over to the gym wall. The cold concrete on her back was a sharp contrast to the heat and desire that quickly enveloped her.
His lips ravished her skin, kissing the tops of her breasts over and over. His hands molded her curves, bringing her as close as two clothed bodies could be. Her loins pulsed with need as his mouth trailed up her neck, and finally closed on her lips.
Mariella went limp and her legs slipped from his waist. As their tongues swirled together, she nearly slid down the wall until he pressed his body tightly against hers, pinning her in place.
“Sam, I—”
Winning Her Holiday Love Page 13
