Love Refined: An Unexpected Series Christmas Short (The Unexpected Series)

by S. E. Roberts

  “I plan on it.” He pops a cut carrot into his mouth, clearly not shaken by the conversation that is going on around me.

  “Good. Now leave us women to the kitchen. Why don’t you wrangle those little girls up, so they can wash their hands before we eat?” I have a feeling that Oliver did not get away with much with this woman when he was a child. I can tell she adores him, but she doesn’t take crap either. My kind of woman. I never imagined I would get along so well with his mother. Even though she hasn’t let me get a word in since I started helping her, I am enjoying her stories.

  “Can I steal her away for just a minute?” I turn toward him, wondering what he’s got up his sleeve. I was a little irritated when he let me walk away by myself after his sister was rude to me.

  “Fine, but bring her back quickly. I’m not done talking to her.”

  I slip the apron off, placing it on a chair before he grabs my hand, pulling me out of the kitchen.

  “What’s up?” I ask as I follow him into what appears to be his childhood room. “Was this yours?” I look around, taking in the old train border that lines the walls. I’m completely shocked that his mother kept this up over all these years.

  “Yep.” He pops the P. “Like it?” He takes in our surroundings, clearly proud of the memories.

  I chuckle. “Babe, your mom kept your wallpaper up?” I walk to the farthest wall that has a large window placed in the center of it, overlooking a white-covered backyard. The snow is starting to really come down.

  “Hey, don’t knock the trains. My granny did this for me.” He smiles and then grabs me into a hug. “She died when I was only nine and I made Mum promise me she wouldn’t change my room because it was my last memory of her. I didn’t ever want to forget her.”

  The thought of a devastated little Oliver causes my heart to crack a little for him.

  “That’s so sweet.” I stand on my toes to kiss the top of his nose. “But I have a feeling you didn’t drag me away from your mother to show me your trains.”

  “No, you’re right.” He runs his hand through his hair. He looks as exhausted as I feel. I think the three of us will sleep like babies tonight. “I wanted to apologize for Liza.” He gives me an apologetic look.

  “It’s really fine.” I wave him off. It’s not fine, but I refuse to ruin his short time with his family.

  He grabs my face, so I’m forced to look at him. “No. It’s not fine. I’m also sorry I didn’t come after you when you left the living room. I was pissed off by the way she treated you, so I was talking to her.”

  “You don’t need to talk to your sister. It’s really okay. I’m sorry for causing any friction between you and Liza.” I really don’t want to discuss this anymore. I don’t want him to know how much it upset me, but I also don’t ever want to come between him and any of his family.

  “No!” he snaps, which has my head flying up to look at him. He looks defeated. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just that you’re my future and I refuse to let anyone act like that toward you. You’re amazing and everyone should treat you as such.”

  “I love you.” I wrap my arms around his middle, ignoring the pulling in my heart. He wants to be with me for the rest of his life, but what if he regrets his decision later? His ex-wife was very successful and I work at a diner. A productive day for me is not spilling a plateful of syrupy pancakes on a customer.

  “I love you, too. More than anything, Monica Phearson. You’re an incredible woman and I don’t want you to ever forget that.”

  The rest of our evening with his family goes much smoother. We all enjoy a dinner of steaks, cheesy potatoes, salad, and delicious bread pudding. That’s a recipe I’m going to have to get from his mother. We decide to call it a somewhat early night, so we can get Kayla to sleep. I’m worried about how she’s going to adjust to the time difference.

  Both his parents walk us out to the limo where Edward is waiting for us.

  “Son, why don’t you all come back tomorrow? Mum has some shopping to do still, so Monica and Kayla can go with her if they want.” He ruffles Kayla’s hair. It didn’t take any time at all for my daughter to fall in love with Oliver’s family. She giggles and swats at his hand.

  “Sounds good.” He gives him a hug and then hugs his mother.

  “It was so nice to meet you.” Mrs. Donovan hugs me in a way only a mother can.

  I smile at her. “It was nice meeting you too, Mrs. Donovan.” I squeeze her back.

  She pulls away from our embrace. “Oh, please.” She waves a hand in the air. “Enough with the formalities. Call me Ellery.” She leans into my ear. “I have a feeling we’re going to get to know each other a lot in the near future.” She winks at me without another word and hugs Kayla before we leave.

  5

  “She must have been exhausted,” Oliver says as he pulls the door to his guest room closed.

  “I’m surprised she lasted this long. Although, she slept several hours on the plane.”

  He grabs my hand and pulls me into his large living room where the beautiful tree sits in the corner. He plops down on the big couch. I have to admit that for being a bachelor pad, the space is very charming.

  “Babe!” I giggle as he grabs my hips and pulls me to the cushion next to him. I’ve been able to feel the tension between us since we left his parents’ house, but I know that neither of us wanted to have a serious conversation in front of Kayla.

  He tickles me and kisses my neck, but then he leans back to look me in the eyes. “You want to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours, or are you going to make me guess?”

  I try looking away from him, suddenly ready for bed. I really am tired after our long trip and then visiting with his family tonight. I think I could sleep for the next week.

  “Don’t do that,” he grabs my face and I’m forced to look at him.

  “Do what?” I croak out, realizing now that I’m on the verge of tears.

  So much has happened today, it has been a bit overwhelming. Now that I have time to think about it, it all seems to be crashing around me.

  “Shut down on me. I know my sister upset you tonight,” he says matter-of-factly. “But I think there’s something else that’s bothering you.”

  Deciding there’s no point in lying to him, I bite the bullet.

  “Oliver, babe, you know I love you with all my heart …” I say and then realize I sound extremely cliché, like every other girl who breaks up with her boyfriend. I don’t want to break up with him though. What the hell am I doing?

  “But?” He looks at me quizzically, apprehension evident on his handsome face. He shakes his head, seeming to suddenly understand what I was going to say to him. He starts speaking again, not giving me a chance to answer him. “Love, I know what you’re going to say and don’t you dare say it. I know you’re going to try to push me away because you think that you don’t fit in with my family.” It’s not a question.

  “How did you …?”

  “Monica, we’ve been together for a year now. You think I don’t know you?” He puts his finger up to my lips, not allowing me to talk. “If you think money is that important to me, then you obviously don’t know me well and maybe I’m not good enough for you.”

  “Why would you think that you’re not good enough for me?” I look at him with shock on my face. That statement is definitely not true.

  “If I were shallow like that, no, I wouldn’t be good for you. You deserve someone who will love you and your daughter no matter what. No matter how much, or how little, money you have. My family’s money has never been important to me. I make my own and I plan on doing that for our family one day soon.” He looks at me, surely expecting me to argue with him, but I can’t find the words.

  “Our family?” I rasp out.

  “Yes, our family. You, me, Kayla.” He rubs my stomach and my heart nearly stops. “And maybe another little one.” He kisses my cheek, his lips lingering for several seconds. “I want to spend the rest of my
life with you. I know I had one failed marriage, but what I had before was nothing compared to what I’ve already found with you.”

  “Are you proposing?” I smile, knowing the answer to my question. There’s no way that Oliver Donovan would ask me to marry him like this.

  A handsome smirk graces his face. “No, not like this. But when the time is right, you better be ready to say yes.” He stands from the couch, pulling me to my feet.

  He runs his hands through my hair. “You and that little girl in there are the two best things that have ever happened to me. If you think I’d ever let you go, you’re out of your bloody mind.”

  Without another word, he pulls me into a scorching kiss. It speaks of our future together and he promises with this kiss that I am who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. I’m not sure how I ever questioned what we have. I have no doubt in my mind that this is where I belong. Oliver Donovan is my home, no matter where we’re at.

  He doesn’t pull away from our kiss but grabs me by my ass and lifts me into his arms. My legs wrap around his rock-hard body and I can feel his rock-hard cock through the thin material of my yoga pants and the gray sweatpants he changed into when we got home.

  He starts toward his bedroom, running into an end table on our way. We pull away from each other long enough to both chuckle.

  “That wasn’t how I planned this out,” he mumbles into my mouth.

  “You planned this, Mr. Donovan? How romantic of you.” I bat my eyes at him. “Although, running into the table wasn’t very sexy.” I give him a serious look but then start to laugh.

  “You, Ms. Phearson, are a cheeky one. What am I going to do with you?” He nibbles at my neck and I nearly come undone just from the touch of his tongue. This man does things to me that I never experienced until him. I had become so used to being used by men for pleasure or pleasuring myself with my handheld boyfriend. Oliver has ruined me for any other man.

  As soon as we’re in his room, he deposits me onto the king-sized bed that sits in the center of the massive space. He lightly pushes on my shoulders, so I’m forced to lie on my back and then he slowly pulls my pants down my body. I’m now lying in only my panties and his T-shirt that is huge on me. Every time we stay together, he requests that I wear one of his shirts. Well, not to bed. If we don’t have Kayla with us, I’m required to sleep stark naked. Not that I can say I mind.

  “Have you been wearing these all night?” He stares down at my bottom half, taking in the sight of my black, lacy panties.

  “Yes,” it’s all I can say because I’m so ready for this man to be inside of me, but he’s taking his sweet time.

  “Your knickers are sexy as hell, but I’ll buy you another pair just like them.” In the next second, I hear the distinct sound of ripping and I gasp. Not because I care about the damn underwear, but because the gesture was sexy as hell and now has me even more wet than I was before. I didn’t think it was possible. He leans into my ear, nibbling at the lobe. “I’m going to fuck you so hard that you’ll forget you ever doubted us.” Holy. Shit.

  “Please, Oliver,” I beg, not exactly sure what I’m begging for because he has my mind in a complete haze.

  “Please what, love?” He looks down at me and I’m filled with the same desire that shines in his eyes.

  “Please fuck me,” I breathe out and then he slowly lifts my shirt over my head, revealing my bare breasts. I have no clue where his restraint is coming from because the ache between my legs is so great I’m not sure I’m going to last long. I start rubbing against his body, needing some kind of friction if he is going to insist on taking his time with me.

  “Whatever you want, beautiful.” He leans down and takes one of my hardened nipples into his mouth, the contact causing me to rise off the bed. Without pulling his mouth away from my body, he uses his hand to gently push me back to my lying position. I’m not sure how long I can let him have the control he so obviously craves right now.

  He lifts himself off of me just long enough to strip himself of his clothes. My God. I’ll never get tired of looking at his amazing body. His stone-hard abs, toned stomach with the perfect amount of hair that trails down to his massive erection. As soon as he’s naked, he starts rubbing his cock up and down, from root to tip.

  It’s driving me crazy.

  “I need you inside me now.” I think he’s purposely torturing me and I can’t handle it.

  “Just relax,” he mumbles into my ear as he eases himself on top of me. “I promise I’m going to make you come several times tonight before I ever let you go to sleep. You won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

  I’m panting underneath him as he drags his calloused hand down my stomach and then between my legs. He parts the lips of my pussy with his fingers and then I feel him insert two of the digits inside of me. I hold my breath at the sensation. He leans down and gives me a sweltering kiss. Our tongues dance to the rhythm of his fingers inside of me. He kisses along my neck and then bites down lightly, enough to make me scream.

  “Oliver!”

  “Shh.” He chuckles. “We have to be quiet if you want to finish this.” He silences my cries with his mouth while I’m reaching between us to grasp his cock that is currently gyrating against my leg.

  “Don’t stop.” His breaths are coming out rapidly as I massage his hard length, feeling the proof of his want. I guide his tip to my wetness, needing him now.

  I continue to stroke him while his length rubs against me, but it’s not enough.

  “So impatient.” He lifts off of me just far enough to line himself up to my entrance.

  “You said you were going to fuck me.”

  Before the words are out of my mouth, he’s pushing inside of me as if his life depends on it.

  “Oh, God!” I try to keep my cries silent, but there’s no use trying at this point.

  He sits up, still inside of me, planting himself even deeper. He grabs both my hands and places them above my head.

  “Keep those there,” he whispers into my ear before he takes one of my pointed nipples into his mouth. I desperately want to run my hands through his hair but instead grab onto the headboard, needing something to hold on to.

  He gently bites down on my left nipple, nearly causing me to come undone, before he takes the twin nipple into his mouth. I honestly have no clue how I haven’t fallen apart yet.

  Without pulling out of me, he rolls to his back, so I’m now on top of him. I sit up so I can take him deeper. I reach behind me and stroke his balls as he runs his hands up and down my body, his calloused hands feeling amazing against my smooth skin.

  Against his will, I dismount myself and slide down his body.

  “What are you doing?” He groans and it has me giggling.

  I stoke his shaft up and down and words aren’t needed. I lick along the side and then slowly wrap my lips around his tip, careful not to gag myself but taking as much of him as I can.

  “Come here,” he rasps out.

  Not wanting to stop pleasuring him, I keep sucking on him while turning my body. I then push my mound into his face. He flicks at my clit and then his tongue slides into me and suddenly I’m hit with an intoxicating orgasm. Nothing exists besides me and this man. Every doubt and care I had before dissolves as Oliver makes me feel nothing but desire.

  Once I come down from my high, he gently pushes me off of him and is immediately on top of me.

  “Baby, there’s no way I can handle anymore tonight.” I’m still out of breath but enjoy having him on top of me, his hard dick poking me in the thigh.

  “One more and then I’ll let you go to sleep.” He winks at me and I know I can’t tell him no. Suddenly, I don’t want to.

  I look up at him, surely telling him with my expression that I’m ready for more. Without having to ask, he plunges into me and once again he takes my breath away.

  “Ahh!” He silences my cries with a kiss, but I’m hardly able to kiss him back because the desire is taking over my body and I’m unable
to think.

  His hand works its way between our bodies and then he’s stroking my clit. That’s all it takes to send me plummeting over the edge, with him following close behind, his warm seed filling me. I’m careful not to yell again, so I instead gasp into his mouth as the world spins around me. The only sound in the room is our bodies coming together.

  He stays inside of me for several moments, breathing hard. But then he pulls himself out and goes to his back and stares at me.

  “I love you.” He gives me a sweet smile as he pushes my hair behind my ear.

  I lean into him and rub the short scruff on his face. “I love you, too.”

  He places a kiss on my forehead. “I’m going to make you my wife one day soon. You know that, right?”

  “Yes,” I smile shyly, “I know and I can’t wait.”

  Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep.

  6

  “Go wake your mum.”

  “Oliver, how many times do I have to tell you that she’s my mom not my mum?” I hear my five-year-old drama queen sigh in exasperation. I can’t see her, but I’m guessing she also has her hands on both her hips. What can I say? The girl has her mother’s attitude.

  He chuckles. “Okay, go wake your mom.” They have me giggling under the covers. So much for not letting them know that I’m awake.

  “That’s better, but we need to work on it.” I imagine Oliver shaking his head at her with a huge smirk on his face. He adores my baby girl and would do anything to make her happy. He makes us both happy.

  I’m lost in thought, but then I hear, “Momma, it’s Christmas! Wake up!” The girl has a set of lungs on her and I’m pretty sure I may be deaf in my right ear now.

  “It is?” I don’t have the heart to scold her for being so loud. “Are you sure?” I roll on to my back and smile up at her. I’m tired after being woken up two times by a very needy man. Okay, so I enjoyed it just as much as he did. But despite being tired, I’m excited to see Kayla’s face light up when she sees what Santa, aka me and Oliver, got her.