A Billionaire for Christmas

“And that,” Frank concluded, “is how my son-in-law added an extra toy to his collection.”

“And got us both home by Christmas Eve,” Damien added, pulling Nikki closer.

“I love that story,” Nikki said. “I think that’s the third time he’s told it, but it still gives me chills. Thank goodness for that boy and his grandmother.”

She turned in his arms and cupped his jaw. “Nice and smooth. Although there was something ruggedly appealing about the scruff.”

“And itchy,” he said. “But if you like it, we can always negotiate.”

“I’ll take you anyway you want me to have you,” she said, then shook her head with a sigh. “I was so worried. And Damien, what if you hadn’t landed safely? The landing gear? My God.”

She trembled in his arms, and once again he felt the weight of guilt. “I know, baby. Believe me, I know. I thought it would be quick. That we’d be back yesterday. And then there was no service, and—”

He stopped talking when her finger brushed his lip.

“So when you told me that there were people out there—people whose Christmas you wanted to fix—that was us. Me and the girls?”

“Of course.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Maybe I should have. But I didn’t want to disappoint you if I failed.”

“Have you ever failed?”

He laughed. “You know I have. But I love your confidence in me. And I’ll promise you this—I’ll never leave again without telling you exactly where I’m going and how I’ll be getting there.”

“Right now, I’m just glad you're back. It’s Christmas Eve, our daughters are safe in their beds, you’re beside me, and my father is sharing Christmas with us. No matter what else, I think that this has turned out to be a perfect Christmas.”

And to that Damien heartily agreed.EpilogueI wake to the feel of Damien’s mouth on my breast as his hand slides lower and lower, his fingers finding the heat between my legs, stroking and teasing my clit even as he sucks on my nipple. I moan, the glorious sensations pulling me from the peace of sleep into a wild maelstrom of passion.

“Damien,” I murmur, spreading my legs and arching my back. I’m not sure how long he’s been teasing and touching, but I know that my body’s been awake a lot longer than my mind. I’m already wet, already desperate. He’s taken me right up to the edge, and I don’t even remember the journey.

“Yes,” I whisper as his fingers thrust inside me, the angle making the heel of his hand rub my clit in a way that makes me writhe and squirm even more.

His teeth graze my nipple as he lifts his head. He meets my eyes, and though he says nothing, I tremble from the heat I see reflected there.

Slowly, he kisses his way down my body, his tongue lightly teasing my skin, tickling my navel. And then, oh God, his mouth finds my clit.

His hands tighten at my waist, keeping me still, unable to squirm away from any of the sweet torment he is rendering.

My body warms and sparkles ripple across my body. He is relentless, and the pressure inside me grows and grows as all of those sparks seem to come together before exploding outward again, making me see stars as Damien’s ministrations rip me into a million tiny bursts of light and joy.

I’m still gasping, trying to come back to earth, when he slides up my body, his weight on me so damn comforting. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Stark,” he says with a self-satisfied grin.

I sigh happily. “If that was my present, I like it very much.”

He chuckles, but I see a shadow cross his face.

I don’t get the chance to ask though, because of the rising voices outside our door. “Santa came!” Lara cries as the doorknob rattles. I yank the blanket over me, but the door doesn’t open.

Damien winks at me. Apparently he realized that the excitement of Christmas would outweigh our privacy rule and had the forethought to lock the door.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Lara’s voice is both excited and exasperated. “Come on! Come on!”

“Be right there,” I call, then steal one more kiss before getting out of bed.

In no time at all, I’m dressed in pajamas covered with tiny penguins in Santa hats and Damien is wearing a plain gray t-shirt and flannel bottoms with Christmas trees. We head out of the room and into the open area where we find Frank and the girls at the tree. Lara immediately races toward us, Anne at her heels, and thrusts out the present for Damien.

“Me first?”

“Yes, Daddy! Open, open!” Both girls jump up and down, not calming until Damien is on the couch and tugging at the wrapping paper. Soon he has the paper off and the box open. He pushes aside the tissue that covers the album, then sucks in a breath.