A Maine Christmas...or Two (12 page)

Three years
…

It’d be three or four days at the most before Chloe was out of his life, and maybe, just maybe, having her distract him during the most difficult time of the year for him might be exactly what he needed to get through it. Because even after all this time, his heart ached no less with his loss, nor had his anger abated.

He turned back and cupped her cheek in his hand before stealing a small kiss, and then another. “You’re right. I do need this, but I think I also need a little time to wrap my head around things. Do you mind?”

She shook her head no, and then slipped her arms around him and settled her head on his chest. “Take all the time you need.”

He was acutely aware of how hard his heart was pounding, and knew she could hear every thumping beat. It made him want to pull away and put some distance between them, and yet he found he didn’t have the strength nor the desire to let her go. He kissed the top of her head, and forced himself not to think about it. He needed to take the moment for what it was—a brief reprieve from his misery.

“One of us should give the pot a stir.” She kissed the hollow in his neck just above the collarbone, her soft lips warm against his skin, stoking his need for her back to life as her kisses started to wander.

“It’s fine…simmering…” Suddenly, she was the only thing he could think of and the last thing he wanted to do was wait. He flicked off the stove and scooped her into his arms, tossing her over his shoulder, unable to keep from smiling when she squealed in surprise. “I’m taking you to my bed. Do you have a problem with that?”

“I’m game if you are.” She gave his ass a hard smack as he carried her, his backside clearly far too accessible in her current position.

But two could play that game. With her plump ass cheeks right there on his shoulder, he followed through on the temptation and nipped at them, sending her squirming with a yelp. He tightened his hold with a laugh, when it occurred to him that it had been a very long time since he’d last laughed. “Quit your squirming, girl. Or I’ll be tempted to bite harder.”

Compared to his six foot three, she had to be nearly a foot shorter than him, and her weight insignificant, allowing him to take the steps with ease. His room was just across the hall from the one he’d put her in, though he wondered just how the next few days would play out and whether or not her bed would even get slept in.

Carefully, he tossed her onto his bed. She’d yet to put her sweater back on, and damn if the girl wasn’t a sight to behold. He knelt on the bed and couldn’t help but smile when she sat up and stroked his hard length through his jeans, a sultry smile on her lips. “Don’t suppose you want to get rid of some of these clothes?”

Cupping her face, he tangled his fingers in her hair and bent down to steal a kiss. “You’re a forward little thing, aren’t you?” And so different from Hannah.

“Is that a problem?” One eyebrow perked up as she pinned him with a stare and stopped stroking him.

He tossed aside his flannel shirt and then added his tee to the pile. “Not at all. If anything, I really like it—clearly. Though I’ll warn you now. I like to be in control. Is
that
going to be a problem?” He needed to be, when he had so little control over so many aspects of his life.

“I don’t know.” With a casual shrug, her small hands slid over his abs before tugging at his belt. As she undid the button on his jeans, his cock jumped in anticipation, desperate for her. “Maybe…maybe not. Not really used to giving up control. I usually have too many things to take care of—and I want to take care of you.”

“I’ve no doubt you will, love. But it might be good for you to let someone else be in charge then.” Biting back a moan as she slipped her fingers around his girth and stroked him, he nipped at her bottom lip and ran his hands over her breasts, taking a moment to tease her nipples before unhooking her bra. He pulled away just enough to catch a glimpse of her dark rose nipples, stark against her luminescent skin. “You’re stunning. You know that?”

She ran her tongue up his hard length and then licked the tip, making it jump under her touch. “You’re pretty stunning yourself.”

Slipping her mouth over the head of his cock, she ran her hands down his length as she devoured him, his fingers tangling in her hair. Her tongue teased him as her lips ran along his length and his hips slowly thrust towards her. Yet he wouldn’t last if she kept this up. When he pulled free of her, he loved that she let out a little moan in protest. “You already have me riding that edge, love, and that’s not how I want this to go down.”

He shucked his jeans before running a hand down her leg to yank off her boots, first one and then the other, all the while drinking her in like she was a glass of ice water and he’d just run a marathon in the desert. From there, it was only a moment more before he’d rid her of her jeans and panties, all in one go, so she finally lay there naked before him.

Coherent thought seemed all but impossible with his heart pounding its deafening beat. It had been too long.
Far
too long, but there was no way in hell he was going to rush through this and not savor every moment. Settling himself between her legs, he stole her breath with a long kiss, his tongue dancing over hers as her warm, supple body shifted below him, as if searching him out.

He laughed against her lips. “Patience, love. We’ll get to that too.”

Pushing away his urgency, he forced himself to take things slow, to take in every detail of her—the quick pulse at her throat, her lush curves, her silky skin. He trailed a lazy line of kisses down her neck to her breasts, pausing to pull the pert buds into his mouth, loving the needy whimpers that escaped her lips.

By the gods, that sound drove him crazy and he didn’t think he’d ever tire of hearing it.

Her knees fell to the side as he kissed the curves of her belly and the sweet hollow above her hip bone, while he settled himself between her legs. He pressed his face against her soft inner thighs and parted her slick folds with his tongue. She let out another one of those delicious whimpers when he found her swollen clit and licked it with firm, broad strokes, before slipping a finger into her to tease and coax her closer to orgasm. Burying her hands in his hair, she tilted her hips towards him, her breathing now coming in ragged gasps.

“Do you like that, love?” When he spoke, he did so with his mouth still brushing her skin, knowing the vibration of his voice and his hot breath would add yet another layer of sensations.

“Yes…but you’re killing me…you’re such a tease.” He liked that she was willing to talk, to answer him. Her hips shifted again, as if trying to get him to quicken his pace, though he refused to be rushed.

“I like taking my time, especially since you taste so good and you’re so very wet. Wet for me.” Lazily, he traced circles around her clit with his tongue, loving how she squirmed below him. He added a second finger and thrust upwards, curling his fingers against her G-spot as he caught her clit between his teeth and teased it.

“Please…” The pleading in her voice reminded him why he loved playing these sorts of games.

“
Please
? Please…
what
? Please stop? Please make me wait until after dinner? Please tie me up and spank me?” He couldn’t help but laugh, and damn if it didn’t feel good. He’d have plenty of time to feel guilty and miserable later.

“Please…I want to come.” She let out a frustrated groan, her hips still squirming under him, her breaths no more than shallow gasps. “I want you to make me come.”

Humor laced his voice. “I suppose you’ve been patient enough.”

Sucking her clit into his mouth, he flicked it with his tongue as his fingers flexed and his thrusts quickened until her body tensed and quivered, and she cried out with her release.

If he thought he’d wanted her before, it was nothing compared to the need that was now coursing through him. He nipped at her hip and then kissed the curve of her belly before trailing his way up to her lips. Catching her mouth in a kiss that held all his passion, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled her to him, his cock nudging her upper thigh. It took all the willpower he had to not just plunge into her, unsheathed, especially when her hips kept searching him out.

Condoms
…fuck. Did he even have any? And if he did, when had they expired? This was
not
a scenario he’d planned for. Of all the small details to derail an evening.

When a small laugh escaped him, she pulled away to look at him. “What’s so funny?”

“I don’t suppose you have protection? I…well, I’ve been living a bit of a solitary life.” He stole another kiss, though his hips shifted in protest, as if daring him to throw caution to the wind.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I can go have a look, though they might be rather old. I’ve never done this sort of thing, you know…without protection. But…it’s safe on my end, though I get it if you’d rather not…” She shook her head with a smile. “I’m rambling. And it wasn’t really something I thought to pack either.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He sure as hell hoped she was. After finally taking such a leap, he was desperate to see it through to completion.

She tightened her legs around his hips and kissed him as she ran her hands down his back. “I want you, Aidan. And I trust you. So yeah…I’m sure.”

He didn’t have to be told twice.

C
hloe could think
of little else but having Aidan take her, fill her, especially not when she could feel his hard length teasing her. “Please…I want you. Desperately.”

How was it that a man she’d only just met could reduce her to begging? She was never like this.
Never
. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been with someone, always too busy with work or family.

But now? She’d do just about anything Aidan wanted, even if she didn’t quite know why. Maybe it was because Finn was so dear to her, that she felt like she already knew Aidan. Or maybe it was because he was tall, gorgeous, and brilliant. Or maybe it was because he looked so haunted that it broke her heart. But it felt like there was more to it than any of those reasons combined. Maybe it was because from the moment she first set eyes on him, he’d stolen her breath and made her heart race.

With her legs still wrapped around him, she tightened her hold and shifted her hips towards him, hoping he’d show her some mercy. Unable to take much more and hoping it’d spur him on, she bit his neck hard enough to have him cursing under his breath.

His cock slowly parted her slit before he thrust his hips forward and buried himself to the hilt as her body stretched around his generous length and girth. She forced herself to take a breath, for that single thrust nearly had her coming once more. Her clit was already swollen and keeping time with her heartbeat, so each thrust left her teetering, and desperate for more.

He watched her with those sharp hazel eyes, as if not wanting to miss a moment. And yet it made her want to bury her face in his shoulder, her arm, anywhere she might be allowed to escape the scrutiny of his gaze as each thrust pushed her self-control further and further out of her reach.

“You’re not to come until I tell you, love. Are we clear?” His stern voice—the authority in it—was nearly her undoing as she teetered on the edge, fighting to hold on. “Answer me, Chloe.”

“I’ll try.” And she would. But how could she promise not to come when she was already so incredibly close?

“Try?” He pulled out of her, leaving her reeling from his absence, though she’d barely had time to protest when he’d flipped her onto her hands and knees, and entered her from behind. He fisted her hair and pulled her head back, but that tiny spark of pain did nothing but push her closer. “Must I really ask again?”

“I won’t come until you tell me to…I promise.” Though she damn well knew that it was a promise she’d have little control over breaking.

He gripped her hips, his fingers digging in just enough to send a flicker of delicious pain through her body as he thrust into her with such force, it felt like he was not only claiming her body, but her soul. He’d then slowly pull out, ever so slowly, before thrusting back in to claim her once more, indelibly marking her as his.

He draped himself across her back and pinned her to him with an arm across her shoulder, his lips at her ear and his breath warm on her skin. “Can you feel that, love? The way it’s building inside you?”

She nodded with a whimper of need, but knew he wanted to hear an answer. How she managed to find the words, she hadn’t a clue. “Yes. And I’m so close, Aidan.” So fucking close, her head was spinning with the effort to not come.

“I know you are, sweetheart…you’re so wet, so tight…and so swollen with need.” His words only spurred her on, and she swore she’d never before been left teetering on such a precarious slope. When his pace picked up, each thrust ending on a punctuation, she could take little more.

“Aidan…”

“Will you come for me? Come now, love.” He slammed into her as his teeth clamped on her neck, her pain and pleasure mixing to push her over the edge.

She cried out as her body shattered into a million shards of white light, and he joined her with his own release, his hard length pulsing deep inside her and their union complete.

Chloe wasn’t sure what to expect from Aidan, though for now, she was happy enough to just stay curled up in his arms, his warm body tangled with hers. She had to admit that sex with Aidan had been unlike anything she’d ever experienced—not that she’d been with many men, given her crazy work schedule and her non-existent social life. And it had not only been good, but mind-blowing. She wouldn’t have pegged herself for the type to like it when a guy took control, and yet…she’d surprised herself.

Unable to resist, she nestled her face in the crook of his neck and kissed him. “You okay?” He’d said very little after their adventure together, and though she knew nothing of his past, she was sure he was going through a rollercoaster of emotions.

“You must be starving.” He quickly kissed the top of her head, and shifted her out of his arms before rolling out of bed to grab a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. “The chili should still be hot.” Without another word, he made his escape down the stairs.

And that was exactly how it felt—like he was escaping.

She told herself to be understanding. Even if
she
was experiencing a post-orgasmic bliss, it didn’t mean he shared her feelings. Though it hurt, she knew he had issues he was struggling with. After all, it’d been three years since he’d last been with anyone. And as good-looking as he was, she was sure he hadn’t been celibate all this time because he couldn’t find anyone to sleep with him.

Telling herself to pull up her big girl panties and just deal with it, she tossed on his flannel shirt and then padded across the hall to where she’d stashed her bag. It didn’t take her long to find her own sweats and a pair of rag wool socks. Though the generator had kicked on and the heat seemed to be working, there was still a bite to the air.

She found him in the kitchen with his back turned to her as he leaned against the counter with his arms outstretched and his head hung low. Though he hadn’t said anything to push her away, he felt so incredibly distant, and given how close she’d just felt to him, it was impossible to ignore the growing ache in her chest.

Unsure of what to do to make this better for him, and not wanting to make things worse, she decided to give him a bit of space, and climbed onto a stool. Without a word, he grabbed two bowls from an overhead cabinet and ladled the chili into them, before grabbing some shredded cheese and sour cream. He set a bowl in front of her, along with a spoon and then sat in the other available stool without a word.

“Thanks.” She stirred the chili and took a spoonful, but her appetite had soured, and she could barely stand to look at it. She forced a few bites in, knowing she was indeed hungry, and yet she couldn’t manage anything more, upset as she was.

“What’s wrong?” He barely looked at her between spoonfuls.

She told herself not to say anything. To just let it go. And yet her mouth seemed to have a mind all its own. “What’s wrong is that you look miserable. We just had sex and instead of looking happy, you look absolutely wretched. And I get that you have issues you’re dealing with, but…” She shook her head with a weary sigh and dropped her spoon in her chili.

“It has nothing to do with you. Okay? Just leave it.” He shook his head and shoveled in a bite, his eyes pinned on his meal.

“Yeah…I’ll leave it.” She shook her head, feeling like a fool as tears stung her eyes. But she would not cry. She refused to show weakness.

It’s not like she didn’t have her own problems to deal with. This was supposed to be her attempt at a perfect Christmas. Instead, she was stuck on an island with no hope of getting off it before the holidays.

Yet another chance for her to disappoint her father. Yet another chance to not be good enough.

It seemed to be the theme of her life. She told herself she shouldn’t care. Told herself none of it mattered. And yet, Aidan only helped to reinforce that thought.

The lights flickered, just as a sob escaped her. Mortified that she was getting so emotional over something that didn’t matter, she could think of nothing but escaping to her room when Aidan grabbed her arm and slowly pulled her close.

“Chloe…truly, it’s not you. And I’m sorry that I’ve involved you in any way. I shouldn’t have.” He ran a hand down her back and then held her close. “I should have known better.”

“And by involved, you mean you shouldn’t have slept with me.” She pulled herself free of his grasp and hopped off the stool. “It’s not like I want anything from you, but shit…some common courtesy or manners wouldn’t go amiss. Even if you didn’t enjoy yourself, you can at least try pretending so that I don’t feel like a miserable piece of crap.”

“Chloe, stop…” He made a grab for her, but she sidestepped him and bolted for the stairs as her tears finally spilled over. Locking herself in her room, she threw herself on the bed and wondered how the hell it had all gone so terribly wrong.

How foolish was she that she was letting this get to her? She knew what she was getting into when she decided to sleep with Aidan, though she supposed she’d expected a few blissful days of hanging out while the blizzard raged. Getting the cold shoulder moments after sleeping with him hadn’t exactly factored into her snowed-in fantasy.

It didn’t help that she was emotionally on edge to begin with, since she really had been hoping for a perfect Christmas with her family. It would be one more opportunity for her father to give her that look of his…the one that said she’d tried but didn’t quite live up to his expectations. That she hadn’t managed things as well as her mother had, and she wasn’t as successful as her two brothers, and she’d only thought of herself when it came to going to college.

Just one big disappointment. Never quite managing to measure up.

And she knew better than to pay it any heed. She
knew
she was better than what her father—or Aidan—saw in her. She had a good life, and was a good sister and daughter, even if her father refused to see it. So then, why was she always trying to convince him of that? Why the hell was she wasting her time and energy when he’d only ever see what he wanted to?

Feeling chilled, she crawled under the blankets and snuggled in, while vowing to stay positive and not let things get to her. She couldn’t live her life trying to please others—her father and Aidan included. All she could do is try to live her life by her own moral code, and hope she measured up to her own expectations.

As for Aidan, she hadn’t been expecting much, but…what the hell? Well, lesson learned. He got to scratch his three-year itch before turning back into the grumpy bastard who’d answered the door when she first turned up. It’d been fun while it lasted, but she’d be damned if she’d be going down that road anytime soon, if that was going to be his reaction.

Once was more than enough and quite frankly, she didn’t need that sort of complication in her life. If he didn’t want her or want anything to do with her, then she’d get out of his hair and out of his way.

The Siren Song Inn might not be open for business, but she was sure there were other places to stay, like a bed and breakfast. So that was exactly what she’d do. If Aidan wanted to be left alone, then she’d grant him his wish.