I slip off my coat, feeling my cheeks warm as he watches me, his gaze unapologetically bold, dark eyes sliding over me like he’s savoring every inch.
“You really are something else, you know that?” he murmurs, stepping closer, the edge of his mouth tugging into a grin as he takes in the mess of Christmas decorations I’d managed to slip into my bag for the festival.
“What can I say? I like Christmas,” I reply, a little too breathlessly, as he grabs a string of lights, arching an eyebrow.
“Mind if I join in on the holiday cheer?” he asks, his voice rough, laced with something that makes my pulse kick up a notch. He doesn’t wait for my answer, taking the lights and winding them around the small tree standing by the window. I can’t help but smile as he works, his expression almost soft in the glow of the string lights. I love seeing this side of him that no one else sees.
“You’re getting the hang of this,” I tease, handing him a few ornaments to hang.
He scoffs, but there’s a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Don’t get used to it, Mrs. Claus. This is a one-time deal.”
“Oh, I’ll believe that when I see it,” I say, brushing a hand over his shoulder, feeling the solid heat of him under my palm. He glances down, his gaze flicking to my hand, then back to my face, a slow smile curving his lips.
“You keep looking at me like that, and we’re going to end up on your Naughty List,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.
I feel my heart hammer in my chest, but I can’t bring myself to look away. “Maybe that’s exactly where I want to be.”
For a heartbeat, he just stares at me, the tension between us coiled so tight it’s a wonder we’re both still standing. Then, as if a switch has flipped, he pulls me to him, his mouth covering mine in a kiss that’s all heat and hunger. His hands slide down my back, pulling me against him, and I can feel every inch of him, solid and unyielding, as he deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping into my mouth, claiming, demanding.
I moan against him, my fingers digging into his shoulders as he presses me back, his hand sliding up to tangle in my hair, holding me exactly where he wants me. He kisses me like he’s been holding back, like he’s finally letting go, and I feel myself unraveling under his touch, my knees going weak as he drags his mouth down to my neck, his teeth grazing my skin.
“Cole,” I breathe, barely able to get the word out.
He pulls back, his gaze dark and heavy with desire. “Ivy,” he murmurs, his voice rough, almost a growl. “I’ve been doing my best to wait–to give you what you deserve all night long.”
There’s no hesitation, no second-guessing. I nod, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, and he lifts me, carrying me to the bed, his hands steady and sure. He lays me down, his gaze raking over me as he pulls his shirt over his head, revealing the solid, chiseled lines of his chest, the strength in his arms. I feel my breath catch, my fingers reaching for him, needing him closer, needing everything.
He leans down, his mouth capturing mine in another searing kiss, his hands roaming over me, sliding under my sweater, his touch setting my skin alight. He pulls the sweater over my head, his eyes darkening as he takes me in, his hands trailing over my bare skin, leaving a path of fire in their wake.
“God, Ivy,” he murmurs, his voice rough with desire. “You’re perfect.”
I don’t have time to respond before his mouth is on me again, kissing, tasting, exploring, his hands pulling me closer as we move together, the world outside fading until there’s nothing left but the feel of him, the heat of his skin against mine, the way his name falls from my lips like a prayer.
When I’m with this man, the rest of the world slips away. Cole watches me, his gaze locked onto mine with a heat that could melt the snow outside his cabin window. He breathes out in that low, rough voice that sends shivers racing down my spine, “You’re a fucking vision.”
I can feel my grin stretch wide, my heart pounding as our hands find each other. We stand across from each other, fingers laced, and in this moment, it’s like nothing and no one else exists. The world outside drifting by in a blur while I’m lost in the storm brewing between us. His eyes hold me captive, steady and intense, and all I can think about is him, the way he looks at me, like I’m his whole world.
My skin tingles, alive under his gaze, my body aching with a need I’ve never known. I want him to pull me close, to feel his fingers in my hair, his lips on mine. I want him to take me away, claim me under the moonlight. But he holds back, lets me savor every moment.
He pulls me against his chest then, his voice a possessive growl as he murmurs, “You’re all mine tonight, Mrs. Claus.”
His lips press against mine, claiming me in a way that feels like the beginning of forever.
Cole’s hands are in my hair, his lips trailing down my neck, igniting a fire everywhere he touches.
“I can’t wait to fill that pretty mouth—” he groans against my skin, his hands tracing the curve of my back as he whispers between kisses.
“Oh my God, Cole…” My breath comes fast, anticipation building as his fingers graze the globes of my breasts beneath my lacy red bra.
“Babe…” His voice is low, a dangerous promise that sends a thrill straight through me. A gasp escapes me as his breath skims over my skin, his warm mouth igniting sparks along every nerve ending. His fingers work at the button and zipper of my jeans before he pushes them down my thighs. My body trembles, anticipation coiling tight as he pushes my panties aside, his fingers slipping against my heat.
His voice is a gruff murmur as he presses his lips to my inner thigh. “Babe–you’re soaking wet for me.” A growl falls from his lips. “You don’t know what that does to me.”
The raw need in his gaze, the way his touch owns me, sends a flood of desire rushing through me.
“I love how your hands feel on my skin,” I admit, my voice breaking as his thumb circles slowly against my swollen clit. “Just your breath on me makes me want to beg you to…do things.”
He chuckles, low and rough, his lips pressing kisses up my thigh, stoking the fire hotter.
