Christmas Sugar (Insta-Spark)

Everything about her was a mystery, a treasure I wanted more with each passing moment. Her silky skin, fragrant neck, sensitive lobes—I explored them all. I loved the way she reacted to my gentle bites to the juncture of her neck, my mouth on her nipples, my fingers stroking her where I wanted her the most. The pleasure of her exploration of me was intense. Her mouth, her seeking tongue, and nimble fingers caused long shivers to run down my spine and low curses to fall from my lips.

Hovering over her, I tenderly brushed the curls from her damp skin and met her lustful gaze. With my eyes, I asked her again, her barely there nod answering everything I needed to hear. Slipping my hands under her hips, I buried myself inside her, gasping her name as I stilled.

She wrapped her legs around me, drawing me in. “Dylan,” she moaned, arching her back.

“Please.”

I started to move, building our rhythm. Long, slow thrusts. Our mouths kissed, our hands stroked and caressed, and our bodies fused together as if they were meant to be joined. Two halves of a whole finding each other. Over and again, I thrust—I couldn’t get deep enough. I couldn’t taste enough of her—get my fill of her sweetness. I wanted her mouth melded to my lips, her tongue stroking mine, her body surrendering totally to me.

I wanted to claim her.

Alex’s arms kept me close, her breath warm puffs of air across my skin and in my mouth. Her throaty sighs and soft mews spurred me on. I moved inside her powerfully, using my body to possess the one part of her I could have. How right we felt moving together wrecked me. When she pressed her head into the pillow, her neck straining as she succumbed, my name was a low, pleading gasp that fell from her sweet lips. I buried my head in her hair, breathing her in as my orgasm raced through me. Bright sparks of light exploded behind my eyes as I moaned her name, spilling into her, sated for the moment.

Keeping her close, I rolled, wrapping her up in my arms. The room was silent except for our breathing and the muted snuffling sounds I could hear from the monitor. Finally, I lifted up on one elbow, smiling down at Alex as I brushed the damp curls away from her face.

“Why?” I whispered, not wanting to disturb the stillness. “What made you change your mind?”

Lifting her hand, she idly traced my jaw. “I wanted . . .” She hesitated.

“Wanted what?” I asked. Whatever she wanted, I would give it to her.

“I wanted to be Alex again. Even if it was only for a night. Not Noelle’s mother, Seth’s guardian, or the woman behind the desk. You”—she paused, swallowing before she spoke again—“you make me feel things, Dylan. Desired, wanted . . . needed. Things I haven’t felt for so very long. Years.” Her eyes shut, and when she opened them again, they were damp. “Long before Noelle was born. I wanted to feel like a woman again.”

“You are that. First and foremost. A beautiful, desirable woman.”

She smiled dejectedly. “No, I’m a mom, a guardian, a coworker, and a daughter-in-law. You’re the first person to see something else in a very long time. And as selfish as it is, I wanted to feel it again.”

I shook my head. She had no concept of the word selfish.

“Were things . . . not good in your marriage?”

“Eric was a wonderful man. But we were better friends than husband and wife.”

“Noelle?”

“She was a bit of a surprise to us. But a welcome one.” She hastened to add. “We were trying to stay on track.” She sighed heavily. “And then the accident happened.”

“And you couldn’t leave.”

“George needed me too much. He’d already lost Eric. I couldn’t leave him too.”

“You put everyone first.”

“I don’t know how to do anything else.”

I gathered her close. “I don’t want you to lose yourself. You’re . . . too special, Alex.”

Her reply was so quiet I almost didn’t hear her.

“I think I already did.”

Alex drifted and I held her, liking how she felt nestled to my chest. She was obviously a light sleeper since every time Noelle shuffled or muttered in her sleep Alex sat up, ready to leave. Each time, I drew her back, until it was well past midnight.

“I should go.”

“Stay,” I urged, not wanting to lose her quite yet. “You sleep for a while, and I’ll listen. If she wakes up, I’ll get you.”

She blinked up at me, suddenly shy. “If I stay, maybe I don’t want to sleep.”