Holiday Sparks

His hold tightened. “Obviously not.”

“It’s just…” Her shoulders slumped. “It’s too stupid to say out loud. I don’t have any right to even ask.”

He left the condom in her hand and cupped her face. “Ask.”

“Why do you have one in your wallet?”

“One—oh.” His serious face split into a grin. “I think I like jealous Darcy. You know, as long as you don’t go all made-for-TV-movie psycho or anything.”

“You’re safe from the Lifetime movie original.”

He laughed. “I took to having a few in my wallet when we were… Well, that morning after.”

“Oh. Now I feel really dumb.”

He tipped her head up and kissed her. “I like that you’re territorial. It’s hot.”

She scrunched up her nose.

He laughed and kissed her deeper this time, then leaned back as she lifted his shirt over his head. She loved the wide expanse of his chest. He was hairless save for a trail of dark chocolate hair that fanned out below his navel. She swirled her tongue around the pectoral muscle, glorying in the way it tightened and rippled when she found his nipple.

His body was magnificent. She’d never been with anyone as strong and muscled as Ben. Most of the men she’d dated had been connected to the store. Either someone who worked there or was a vendor. But none of them were in Ben’s league.

She splayed her fingers over his chest, flicking her thumbs under his nipples as she swirled her tongue over the striations of muscle that led to his collarbone. His throat worked and she chased his Adam’s apple, nipping lightly.

“Your body is incredible.”

His dark eyes deepened as his irises bled into his pupils.

She dipped her hands down over the ridges of his abdominal muscles to tease through the baby fine hair at his belly and into the coarse hair below his belt. She smiled when she got to his buckle. It was a wide copper fastener that mimicked the texture of a snakeskin.

Artist in every way, that was her Ben.

She unhooked it and dug into the gap in his jeans. There was a wet spot on his boxers and she groaned when she felt the pre-cum leaking from his cock. She peeled the material back.

It felt like a million years since he’d touched her. Filled her. And she ached to feel him fill her again.

His hands made quick work of her slim belt and she lifted to help him roll the corduroy pants past her hips. Her shoes thunked to the floor and her pants and underwear followed suit.

The material of his wide chair stuck to her as he pulled her forward. She opened willingly. He sheathed himself with the condom and tucked two fingers inside her. Her name was a soft curse as he tunneled deeper.

The curve of his fingers widened her, readied her and slid easily free. Whether it was endorphins or just being in the general vicinity of Ben, it didn’t seem to matter. She wanted him and her body was more than willing to cooperate.

Another thing she wasn’t used to. How was it that all it took was a look from him? She thought she was almost asexual before Ben. She never missed having a man in her life before. There was the store and there was her career. But now everything seemed to make less sense without Ben’s laughter.

She hooked her knees around his hips and drew him in. “Just you, Ben.”

He nodded and replaced his fingers with the blunt head of his shaft. His eyes seemed to grow ever deeper as he slid forward. Her lids wanted to close with each inch that he sank into her. But she forced herself to meet his gaze.

Fear clawed up her belly. Tears shimmered around the edges of her vision. He gripped her hips as he slowly rocked inside her. He looked down at them and so did she. Finally able to see how they fi

t. He disappeared inside her again and again. Her walls clutched and clasped at him. Every ridge and vein felt like he was marking her inside and out—making his place inside her body as well as her heart.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips until no air could come between them. She felt a twinge of pain from her fresh tattoo, but she didn’t let up on the pace or open acceptance of him inside her.

Her fingers tunneled through his hair to the top and his mouth latched on to hers as he swallowed her screams and the inevitable sobs that finally broke free. Locked around him, she tried to control the shudders. He only held on tighter and thrusted deeper inside her.

She heard the deep, guttural groan through her chest and into her mouth as he came. And in that one moment she wished for no barriers, even the condom to protect her. His name was a throaty moan as she finally let go.