Tinsel and Temptation Read online

  Dear God, he was going to kiss her! And if he didn’t hurry up, she wasn’t sure she would not faint. “Yes.”

  Her eyes slid shut as his lips touched hers. It was not the tender, teenage kiss she’d dreamed of. This was a devastating, delicious kiss, full of pent-up hunger and passion that was pulling at its reins. It was dominating and demanding, and she found herself matching him, clutching his head and shoulders, no longer light-headed from yearning, but rather empowered to seduce, to indulge and take as much as she could handle.

  “Gin, Gin,” he murmured against her cheek, before making a sexy, rumbling sound deep in his chest, and kissing again. She moaned in delight, easing against him with aching need.

  He pulled her close and time lost meaning. His hands moved over her hips and buttocks, rolling their hips together, his arousal swelling and growing more insistent between them. His mouth nipped her chin, his tongue licked and tasted the nape of her neck, and the world felt like it tipped dangerously on its back.

  When his hand slid under her sweater to cup her breast, she shivered and moaned his name.

  As if waking from a dream, she realized he’d more or less frozen in place. His breath was still billowing against her cheek, and his hand twitched slightly where it cupped her breast, but he held still.

  “Honey, we’re going too fast.”

  Still breathless, she struggled to make sense of his words. “Hmm?”

  He nipped her bottom lip as if he couldn’t help himself. “God damn… I want to make love to you more than anything else in the world, but … we’re still almost strangers and I don’t want to assume anything or take advantage or—”

  “Dom, please.” She’d meant for it to sound like “Please stop talking” but instead, the breathy urgency in her voice had made it sound like “Please, oh please, fuck me.”

  “Woman, you’re killing me,” he growled, dropping a very demure kiss on her lips.

  She sank her fingers into his head of hair and clenched. “You asked if I was ready. Well, guess what? I really am. And I know we just met, and we’re both adults but if you’re having second thoughts–”

  “Querida, after all these years, I’ve never been able to get you out of my head, and I don’t want to mess this new thing we have now. I want you.” His hand caressed her breast, his erection remained a steady hard heat against her jeans. “But I don’t want to rush things with you—”

  She held his head to give it a light shake. “All’s fair if there are no regrets, right?”

  He grinned and murmured something in beautiful flowing Spanish.

  “Hmm?”

  “I can’t wait to undress you. “He placed a butterfly kiss on her cheek. “And taste every inch of you that I’ve dreamed of.” Another kiss. “And I’ll make you breakfast in the morning.”

  She chuckled in delight. “Are you going to talk a lot during sex?”

  He growled and in a fluid move, lifted her in his arms, stepped over the clothes and walked a short distance to lay her down on the bed.

  “Please tell me you have condoms,” he said.

  “Three!”

  “Anywhere near here?”

  “In my purse.” She hated to leave his arms, but she rolled away from him to hunt through her purse on the kitchen counter for the condoms.

  When she had them, she paused and fanned herself, nervous and thrilled with the knowledge that Dom was just a room away, hers for the night. Deep inside, she knew she’d be happy talking to him all night, but this? Maybe she was being reckless, but it felt like something more, like a gift.

  Impulsively, she stripped down to her bra and underwear, the delicate pink material contrasting against her dark skin. Mingled in with the faint scent of cherry blossom lotion that was still on her skin, was the scent of her wet arousal. With the three condoms in hand, she returned to the bedroom to find Dom lying under the flannel sheets.

  He raised himself up on an elbow, his face full of clear admiration. “You cheated! I wanted to undress you.”

  “I left you a little somethin’. Are you saying you don’t want to?” she teased.

  “Mmm, I’m thinking I wouldn’t mind watching you remove the rest of your clothes yourself.”

  She tossed the linked condom packets at him, and they landed on his chest, his attention never leaving her. In a very amateur move, she tipped her head back and tossed her thin braids to cascade over her head, then shimmied her hips and ran her hands over her breasts, moving her fingers up over her nipples, her shoulders and lowering the bra straps.

  He sat up in the bed, the condoms sliding off his chest.

  Feeling suddenly shy, she unhooked her bra, quickly slid it off and tossed it at him. He caught it and brought it up to his nose, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled, still watching her.

  “Aw, sugar, come here-come-here-come-over-here. Right. The hell. Now!”

  “What about my panties?” she teased.

  When she saw that he was about to come for her, she rushed to the bed, jumping on it to pin him down, but instead he rolled her beneath him, the contact of skin on skin causing the playful mood to transform into something more. “Gotcha.”

  He kissed her deeply, touched her eagerly, but reverently, each caress drugging her breath and stripping her thoughts into nothing but taste and touch, sight, scent and sound.

  It was so erotic to feel that lovely, dark, rough tone of his voice against her skin, whispering words she didn’t understand, to get caught in the storm of passion that he seemed to control so easily.

  She arched against the flannel bed sheets, allowing him access to her to her panties when he tried to remove them, feeling the unique, hard heat of his erection as their legs tangled to push the panties down her legs and off her ankles.

  The world turned and she was rolled above him, her breast within easy access to his mouth. She moaned at the feel of his teeth and tongue teasing her aroused nipples while his hands spanned her hips, thighs and butt.

  The world tipped again and she was on her back, her mouth being devoured hungrily while his hand eased down her waist to the junction of her thighs.

  Oh, Jesus God!

  Possessively, his palm covered her there, his fingers gathering her arousal and stroking her sex with it, two fingers sliding in, inch by inch, repeating until she was moaning and hyperventilating.

  “Dom?”

  “Si? Tell me what you want, what you like…”

  She did, with her moans and barely murmured words, moving against him, again and again almost reaching a peak that promised delirium.

  Finally, at her wit’s end, she clutched his hand to keep him from driving her insane. “I need,” she gasped. “I just need,” she repeated, then kissed him. “Need you now.”

  It seemed like one minute she was trying to catch her breath, and the next he had the condom on and was leaning over her, gently pushing back some braids from her face to kiss her. Positioned between her thighs, he guided his cock into her, the tip alone feeling so much bigger than his fingers that she stiffened.

  “Easy, querida,” he slowed, eased back out and kissed her until she was loose and achy again.

  He kept up the slow seduction until she had a sheen of sweat on her skin and was wriggling beneath him.

  She ran her hands over the span of his back, brushing her ankles against his calves and shuddering at the sensation of another shallow thrust, craving more. He seemed determine to torture her, moving slowly, gently, rocking against the tight entry.

  “Dom,” she groaned, biting him gently on the neck.

  “Too tight.” His eyes slid tightly shut in concentration, sweat dotting his brow.

  She wrapped her legs over his buttocks and arched into the next thrust, enduring the intense tightness and sudden pain.

  His eyes sprung open, locked with hers as understanding dawned. Freezing completely, halfway inside her, he barely managed to ask in shock, “You’re a virgin?”

  “Yes.” She rocked into his thrust, taking h
im completely, deeply, and so fully it was uncomfortably tight and overwhelming. But the sharp pain began fading quickly, to be replaced by an age-old urge to have him return the thrust.

  “Ahhh…” Every inch of his body tensed and his teeth gritted loudly as he clenched them. “Don’t move, love. Dios mio.”

  After several sacred seconds, his arms repositioned around her, cradling her.

  “Dom, please don’t stop,” she whispered urgently.

  He groaned, but thrust ever so carefully.

  If the pace before had been slow torture, it now became intensely more, gathering its own exquisite momentum. Giving over to her instincts, she matched every one of his thrusts with her own, riding the sensation that was building inside her to a spot that was so different from her clit when she masturbated. Almost mindless, she shifted underneath him, angling his cock toward that magic spot until she was clutching his shoulders and tensing against the growing waves of sensation.

  “Ohhhh, Oh, oh!” The climax hit like a jolt of electricity, clenching deep in her gut and returning in pleasurable waves, tingling like shimmering ice crystals on her skin. She shivered and trembled, taking pleasure from his final hard thrust that made him grunt and shudder above her.

  The aftermath was like floating on a calm surface after having being dragged and tumbled underwater. She coasted on the sweet, serene silence, the weight of his body shifting against hers, skin and sweat mingling, the half-trust enough to remind her of her loss of virginity. Looking like a fallen warrior, Dom’s head came up, his eyes searching hers with worry. “Virginia.”

  “Hmm?”

  “How do you …feel?”

  She smiled lazily. “Divine.”

  “Divine? What does that mean. Gin, you’re wrecking me.”

  She kissed his chin. “Honest, it was better than I was expecting.”

  He tried to pull out, but she tensed her legs over his thighs, this time she watched him closely. “No regrets, right?”

  “None,” he said solemnly. “I wish I would’ve known though. I’d have done things a little differently, been more patient.”

  She felt herself blushing. “There are still two condoms left.”

  He grinned, watched her in fascination for a long moment as he ran his fingers over her cheek in a gently caress. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She shrugged. “Hey, I didn’t ask you if you were a virgin.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Good point. But you know what I’m asking. Why now, why me, after all these years?”

  “I, ah…” never felt about anyone, the way I did with you. “I felt comfortable with you.”

  He glanced away for a split second. “It’s Christmas time and you’re lonely, huh? Comfort and convenience?”

  “No.” She grabbed him by the chin. “No, please don’t think that! I’ve dated other men, and wished I could feel more with them, to take the relationship to an intimate level. I’ve had several comfortable and convenient opportunities, but I just could not go through with it, believe me. It’s just how I feel, and not something I can rationalize or compromise. I couldn’t lose my virginity to any man because it would’ve been convenient. I just … I never felt the way you made me feel, Dom. I mean…” To her surprise, she could feel emotion thicken her words. “And I’m not saying that to put any expectation on you—”

  “Oh, hush, Gin.”

  “Please let me finish. I just want to say thank you—”

  He made a sound of frustration and something else.

  “—and as crazy as it sounds, given the circumstances of how you ended up on my doorstep, I am glad you are here with me tonight. I feel so, I don’t know, lucky.”

  “Lucky?”

  “Maybe that’s not the right word. But to be totally honest, I don’t have the right words. I just have a bunch of emotions that feel like I’ve been given the best Christmas gift ever.”

  A tender, intense expression came over his face. “Okay.”

  The more the watched her, the more self-conscious she felt, so she winked, trying to lighten the mood. “You did a phenomenal job. Yay, Santa!”

  He groaned and shook his head. “If you try to tip me and send me on my way, there’s going to be big trouble.”

  She ran her hands over his wavy hair. “Dom, I just don’t want you to feel that you suddenly have an obligation to me now or anything like that.”

  “Hush, it’s my turn. “His gaze narrowed and the frustration was back on his face. “You may not know this about me, but I don’t do one night stands. So, my sexy lover, you should know that I, on the other hand, do feel an obligation, as you call it. In fact, I consider us to now be in a newly-minted relationship. We did things a bit ass-backwards, but I plan to fix that. There’s going to be dinner dates, movies, and I’m ever-hopeful for a quickie at your bakery.”

  The emotions in her chest seemed to be multiplying. “Just one quickie?”

  He sighed, pretended to think about it. “I’m open to negotiations. “Then he placed a soft kiss on her lips and became serious again. “You blocked me out of your life years ago, Gin. I understand why you did it. I do wish you would’ve told me you were a virgin, but I’m not letting you go again. Not without a fight. Do you object to any of that?”

  His gaze held hers and she could see that he meant every word.

  “No objection.”

  “Good.”

  He placed a kiss, sending her heart spiraling again. Oh, my heavens, my feelings for him are on him full force! The blooming sensation in her chest felt too full, aching like a secret that refused to be suppressed.

  For a long moment, they stared at each other like happy fools, until she finally said, “Mind if I take a shower?”

  “God, I’m an idiot.” He eased off her, looking like he didn’t know what to do next. “Yes, of course.”

  She started to get up, then looked at him over her shoulder. “Want to join me?”

  For a moment, a tender, possessive look fleeted over his face. “I’d love to.”

  Dom spent several pleasurable minutes covering Gin with soapy suds, taking the opportunity to caress her, to drink in her reaction to each touch, and kissing her until she was wiggling against him.

  “Not now, querida. Let’s wait for a bit. Don’t want to make you too sore.”

  “Aw,” she grumbled. “If you’re not going to deliver the goods, don’t tease.”

  He chuckled and pulled her into his embrace, letting the cooling water wash over them. Did she have any idea how he felt? He wanted her to obsess about him, to care as much as she cared about her remaining family. No. That was duty. He wanted her to care for her with a passion only she could understand. The way she loved… “Cupcakes. Think cupcakes.”

  “Cupcakes?”

  “Sure, thanks. Nice of you to offer. I’d love some.”

  She laughed and splashed him with water. “Fine. Only because it’s Christmas, and I didn’t put milk and cookies out for Santa.”

  “As the official Santa, I’d be honored to have your cupcakes and kisses anytime, sugar.”

  She looked up at him as if she wanted to say something more, her eyes guarding her thoughts.

  “Gin, I’m only asking to make cupcakes because it will be something I can do with you other than ravish you like a sex-starved caveman.”

  She rested her forehead against his chest, then peered up at him. “Me Jane. You Tarzan?”

  “I’ve created a monster.” He laughed, turning off the water and grabbing a towel for both of them, trying to nudge his erection into compliance. “I’m trying to be a gentleman. And I want to make something fun—”

  “Sex is fun!

  “–like cupcakes!”

  “Sex and cupcakes?”

  He groaned and his nostrils flared with desire.

  “Okay, maybe you’re right,” she conceded. “Let’s go make some cupcakes.”

  He made such an effort to restrain himself that Virginia decided to humor him and put on her pajamas, th
en hurried to change the bed sheets. He tried on the pajamas she’d found for him, but the top was too tight, so he went bare-chested, which was absolutely wrecking her concentration.

  “I thought you said two cups of flour?” he said, as she placed the ingredients into a bowl.

  She reluctantly looked away from his manly, hair-sprinkled chest to check her measuring cup, realizing she’d overfilled it. “Oh, well, I did that was to see if you were paying attention.”

  “I have outstanding laser focus.”

  “As do I, but maybe I should be shirtless too and we could test your focus some more.”

  He paused, stared at her shirt as if he could see through it, then walked around to stand behind her, putting his arms around her to get to the mixing bowl. “Never mind, I have a better idea. We can work like this. Less distracting for you.”

  She wiggled her butt against his front, grinning at how his body immediately responded. “This flannel is a little bit hot.”

  She began unbuttoning the pajamas until it hung open.

  He pushed some of her braids aside so he could nibble her ear. “If you’re trying to break my focus, it won’t work.”

  He placed a kiss on her neck, then without a word began to measure milk to add to the bowl.

  “Stir it slowly to incorporate all the ingredients.” She arched backward ever so slightly. “You want them to mingle just right.”

  He barely held back a grunt. “Butter?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  He place some into the bowl.

  “Save some for the icing.”

  “Mmm. My favorite part.”

  He patiently followed step by step, until the tray of six cupcakes were ready for the oven.

  He cupped her butt when she bent over and placed them in the oven, then, as soon as the door was closed, spun her around, his lips hovering over hers. “You mentioned icing?”

  She felt like she was running a fever. “Mmm-hmm.”

  “Teach me, Gin.” His lips barely brushed hers. “Show me what goes into that wickedly tasty stuff.”

  She nipped his bottom lip. He kissed her hard, and making her knees weak. They broke gasping for air. “Dom?”