Page 43 of This Christmas

Chapter Eleven

Why had she believed she could be that bold and go downstairs and crawl into Joe’s bed? Her nerves were shot.

Charlotte had been tucked into bed almost two hours ago. There was no chance her daughter was still awake. Yet she was still stalling. She’d showered, dried her hair, applied the slightest makeup, changed nightgowns at least three times, and still hadn’t stepped out of her bedroom door.

Resting her head against the door, she remembered the feeling of Joe’s lips against hers. What was she waiting for?

She turned the knob before she could back down and rushed from her room. She went down the stairs and stood just outside his door. When her hand lifted to knock, the door flew open. Joe stood there, smiling at her.

“I thought you’d changed your mind.” He took her hand and gently tugged her inside.

“No, just… working up the nerve,” she admitted with a laugh.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Me too,” he said, against her lips. “You taste like heaven.” He sighed. “Are your nerves settled?”

“They were, until you kissed me.” She sighed. “Do it again.”

He chuckled and obliged, using his mouth over her exposed skin while his hands nudged aside the silk she’d put on.

Her fingernails scraped his arms, and she felt his muscles bunch and flex under her fingertips. When she pulled his shirt up and off him, she felt her knees go weak. Then he was sliding her top off and she stilled.

“I’m not… perfect,” she started, but he stopped her by gently brushing his lips over hers.

“You’re beautiful.” His eyes met hers.

She shook her head, suddenly realizing this was a bad idea. She had stretch marks from having Charlotte. There were little white lines across her breasts, darker ones that ran down the sides of her stomach and inner thighs. She should have warned him. Ted had hated the marks and claimed she was damaged goods.

“Hey.” He cupped her face. “I can tell you’re overthinking this. No one is perfect.” He stepped back and turned to the side slightly. She was shocked to see a few large scars crossing over his ribs.

“What happened?” She ran a fingertip gently over the raised skin.

“Knife attack from a junkie when I was on duty as a cop. I also have a few scars on my knee.” He bent and pointed to a spot. “I had surgery after I tore my meniscus.” He returned to pull her into his arms. “You’re beautiful. Scars, stretch marks, whatever. You had Charlotte. I’m not ignorant of what that does to a woman. I’ve seen my sister struggle to take off the baby weight and suffer body image issues.” He cupped her face again. “Ally, I will want to be with you, no matter what. You’re beautiful inside and out.” He kissed her again, melting the last of her concerns away.

When he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, she vibrated under him. And as he removed the last of her clothes, she knew that there was no stopping the flood of feelings she had for him.

Whatever happened now, she would always return to this moment in her mind as one of the happiest in her life.

When he slid a condom on, she smiled and felt her insides warm. He was kind, smart, caring, and most of all, sexy as hell. He thought of things she hadn’t. Cared to protect her in ways no one had before.

Plus, she couldn’t get enough of his body. She worshiped it with her mouth, her fingertips, her eyes. He seemed to appreciate hers too and spent a lot of time licking her heated skin, touching her, fingering her until she was practically begging him to take her.

Then, he shifted over her and she wrapped her legs around his hips, holding on as he took her, branded her, made her forget any other that came before him.

When her world narrowed to just him, she felt that, for the first time in her life, she knew what making love was. Not just sex, but actually pleasing one another. Being pleased. How had she gone all these years without knowing?

Would it always be like this with him?

She felt herself building up and held onto him as he whispered soft words between kisses.

“Joe,” she cried out, feeling her body tense and explode around his, just as he stilled and covered her mouth with a groan.

She’d never imagined anything like it before. Never knew that she could want so much.

He shifted slightly, still holding his arms around her as he lay beside her, burying his face in her hair.

“Tell me you can stay in this bed all night?” he mumbled.

She thought for a moment. “If Charlotte has a nightmare, she sometimes ends up in my bedroom. If I’m not there…”