Festive Fling with the Single Dad

pulled back the patchwork quilt that covered her bed and sat down, waiting for her to come to him.

She opened the wooden box that stood on top of the chest of drawers, rummaging amongst the collection of single earrings and pieces of paper that she shouldn’t lose. Right at the bottom, she found the packet of condoms.

‘I have these. I hope they’re not out of date...’ Her laugh sounded shrill and nervous.

‘Let’s see.’ He held out his hand, and she dropped the packet into it. Aksel examined it carefully and then shot her a grin. ‘They’re okay for another six months.’

‘Good. Maybe we’ll save one for later.’ The joke didn’t sound as funny as she’d hoped. In fact, it sounded stupid and needy, but his slow smile never wavered.

Aksel caught her hand, pressing it to his lips. She sank down onto his knee and he embraced her, kissing her again, and suddenly there was only him. Undressing her slowly. Allowing him to patiently explore all the things that pleased her was going to be a long journey, full of many delights.

‘Stop...’ She’d let out a sigh of approval when he got to the fourth button of her shirt, and he paused, laying his finger across her lips. ‘Be still. Be quiet, for as long as you can.’

‘How will you know the difference?’ In Flora’s rather limited experience, most men wanted as much affirmation as they could get.

He gave a small shrug. ‘If I don’t know the difference when I hear it, then I really shouldn’t be here.’

Flora put her arms possessively around his neck. This guy was not going anywhere. And if he wanted her to fight the rising passion until there was no choice but to give in to it, then that was what she would do.

She kept silent, even though her limbs were shaking as he undressed her. The touch of his skin against hers almost made her cry out, but she swallowed the sound. Flora had never had a man attend to her pleasure so assiduously before, and while the physical effect of that was evident in the growing hunger she felt, the emotional effect was far more potent.

He moved back onto the bed, sitting up against the pillows, and lifting her astride him. Face to face, both able to see and touch wherever they pleased. She reached round to the nape of his neck, undoing the band that was tied around his hair, and letting it fall forward.

‘Is that what you want?’ He smiled suddenly.

‘Yes.’ She kissed him again. ‘I want that too.’

Aksel laughed softly. ‘What else?’

It was an impossible question. ‘It’s too long a list. I don’t think I know where to start...’

‘How about here, then?’

She felt his arm coil around her back, pulling her against his chest. His other hand covered her breast, and she felt the brush of his hair against her shoulder as he kissed her neck. Flora closed her eyes, trying to contain her excitement.

She couldn’t help it. Her own ragged cry took her by surprise. Wordless, unmodulated, it was as if Mother Nature had climbed in through a window and stripped away everything but instinct and pleasure. She felt Aksel harden, as if this was what he’d been waiting for. If she’d known that it would feel so good, she’d have been waiting for it too.

‘I want you so much, Flora...’

But he was going to wait until she was ready. Flora reached for the condoms, her hands shaking. When she touched him, to roll one on, she saw his eyes darken suddenly, an involuntary reaction that told her that he too was fighting to keep the last vestiges of control.

When she lifted her body up and took him inside, Aksel groaned, his head snapping back. And his large gentle hands spread across her back.

This time things were going to be different. No faking it, and... No thought either. She was thinking too much. Flora felt herself tremble in his arms, returning his kisses as the tension built. A soft, rolling tide that must surely grow.

He sensed it too. The fragile, tingling feeling rose and then dissipated, leaving her shaken but still unsatisfied. All the same, it was something. More than she’d experienced for a long time.

Aksel didn’t question her, but as he held her against his chest she could hear his heartbeat. He wanted to know.

‘It was nice... Something.’

‘Not everything, though?’ His chest heaved, with the same disappointment that Flora felt. Nagging frustration turned once more to hunger.

‘Can we try again?’ He was still inside her. Flora knew that he must feel that hunger too.

‘Maybe we should stop. I don’t want to hurt you.’

‘You won’t. I want to try again, and this time I...don’t want you to be so gentle.’