All She Wants for Christmas (Kent Brothers 1)

"I wanted you to see my place."

She smiled. "I'd love to."

"It's nothing fancy. Nothing like your house in Nashville."

She reached for his hand. "Ethan. Don't compare Nashville and here. It's never about money. It's about home and what makes you happy."

She opened the car door and stepped out, staring at the house. "I wish it was daylight. Did you build the house?"

"Yeah."

"It's lovely. I'm sure Amanda loved it."

"This isn't the house where Amanda and I lived."

She turned to him, frowning. "It's not?"

"No. After she died I wanted a fresh start, didn't want those memories clouding mine and Zoey's life. Plus the house we had was tiny. So I built this place."

He tried to imagine what Riley would think of it. It wasn't oversized. It was a two story, gray and white, with a nice-sized back yard.

"I love all the trees. And the porch. I love porches."

He opened the front door and turned the lights on, let Riley walk in.

"Oh, Ethan, this is nice. The marble tile is beautiful."

"Being in construction has its advantages. I get a lot of stuff at cost, or not much markup. So I got to upgrade a lot."

She was already steps ahead of him. "This kitchen is magnificent! Double oven, granite counters. Ethan, I can't believe you built this. It's every woman's dream."

He smiled at that. "Glad you think so. My mom had some input into what she called a woman's dream kitchen."

Riley turned around and leaned against the counter, folded her arms. "She was right. The island, the pots and pans hanging over it, the sink in the island, the sub-zero freezer. Everything you could want in a kitchen is in here."

He couldn't help but feel pride at the work he'd done on the place. "It's big enough for more than me and Zoey, and the yard is huge." He clicked on the back porch light. "Zoey wants a dog. I've waited until she's old enough to be responsible."

"Oh, the yard is huge. I love the playset. And yes, it's perfect for a dog or two. I love animals, always wished I could have some."

He looked at her. "I remember."

"I used to love playing with Jack, your lab."

"Yeah, he died a few years ago."

Her smile vanished. "I'm sorry. That must have been so hard on everyone."

"He was an old dog, and he lived a great life. We buried him in my parents' backyard by the big oak tree."

"Jack would have liked that. He loved sleeping under that tree."

He took her hand and showed her the living room with its oversized couches and chairs and the giant television.

"Definitely a man's room," she teased.

"Hey, Zoey likes to watch Disney in here."

She snorted.

He led her upstairs. "Only two of the bedrooms are in use. Oh, and there's a full bath and another bedroom or possible office downstairs. Haven't decided yet."

"So five bedrooms, three bathrooms?"

"Yeah."

She stopped in the hallway. "You planning on a couple more kids, maybe?"

"I don't want Zoey to be an only child, so yeah, I'd like to have more kids someday."

Something flickered in her eyes. "That would be nice. Zoey would be a great big sister."

"This is Zoey's room." He opened the door and turned on the light.

Riley laughed. "Somehow I knew it would be pink. Very, very pink. I love her bed. Did you build that yourself?"

"I did."

She put her arm around him. "It's beautiful, Ethan. Every little girl dreams of a canopy bed, with a pink tulle canopy and fairy sparkles on the ceiling."

"Zoey loves her room, and thanks."

She stepped in and took a look at the Noah's Ark of wooden carved animals on Zoey's dresser. "These are amazing. Where did you get these?"

"I made them."

She swiveled, her mouth agape. "You carved these?"

"Yeah. I started when she was a baby, before she was born. I made the Ark first, then started on the animal pairs. I add to them every birthday."

"Oh, Ethan. They're gorgeous. The intricate workmanship in each piece and the level of detail." She ran her finger over the elephant's trunk. "I hope Zoey treasures them. What a wonderful gift from father to daughter."

He felt his cheeks burn hot, but admittedly enjoyed the praise. "Thank you."

She lingered at the Ark exhibit for a while, then stepped out of the room.

He led her down the hall to his room. "It's kind of sparse. Just a giant bed and a dresser."

She turned to him and smiled. "How utterly perfect."

"Tired?" he asked as he helped her remove her coat.

"I didn't think I was. I think little girls who snuggle against you have some kind of sleeping dust attached to them."

"Yeah, she does it to me, too. It's the cuddle factor."

"Lethal. I was out before I knew what hit me." She held out her hand and he followed her to the bed.

"We didn't get much sleep last night," he reminded her.

Her lips quirked. "Guess what? We aren't going to get much tonight, either."

He pulled her against him, knowing he'd never tire of the feel of her curves pressed to his. "Who needs sleep?"

He took his time undressing her, the frenzy of last night somewhat satisfied. Plus, there was something about taking a woman's clothes off, piece by piece, like unwrapping a gift without tearing the paper.

He lifted her sweater over her head, had her sit on the bed and slipped her boots off, then her socks, before gently pushing her to the bed so he could pull off her pants. When he spied the golden silk and lace panties that matched the bra, he arched a brow.

"Prepared yourself tonight?"

"I wasn't ready for you last night. I am tonight."

"These look expensive," he said, tracing his fingers around the tiny bows at her hips, then snaking his finger up her belly to the matching bow between her breasts. "I'll try not to rip them."

He felt the pounding of her heart beneath his fingers.

"Oh, I don't mind. I have plenty of lingerie."

"Do you?"

"Yeah."

It made him wonder why. He wanted to ask, but it wasn't his business.

"Not that any man's seen my underwear for a very long time," she said in answer to his unspoken question. "I just have a thing for lingerie."

His lips lifted. "No woman's seen mine for a long time either. But the only lingerie I have a thing for is yours."

She sat up and reached for the button of his jeans. "How disappointing. And I was so hoping?"

"Does Calvin count?"

She waited while he kicked his boots off, then drew his zipper down, her gaze meeting his as she shoved his jeans to the floor. "Calvin definitely counts."

When she helped him divest himself of his Calvins, he pulled his shirt off and climbed onto the bed, way more interested in what she was wearing. He smoothed his hands over the hills and valleys of her bra, paying attention to her breathing, the way her eyes went all glassy when her nipples peaked and hardened. He swept his fingers over the cups, seeing the buds of her nipples arching against the silk.

Leaning over her, he took a taste of her through her bra.

"Ethan," she said, her voice soft and buttery as she slid her fingers into his hair. He drew the cups down to taste her, teasing her with his tongue and his mouth until she arched her hips against him, letting him know she was ready for more.

Pleasuring her was so easy because she was so responsive with her body, and he loved touching her. He moved down her body and slid his hands over the silken softness of her panties, rewarded with a rush of unintelligible words from her lips. Ethan was pretty sure they were all good words as he slid his hand inside her panties and took her to the edge, watching her face as she came apart for him, shuddering out a cry that held his name.

She was undoing him with every minute he spent with her. When she took off her bra and panties and climbed on top

of him, taking control, he might have died a little.

And when she leaned over, her breasts sliding against his chest as she took his mouth and claimed him at the same time she took possession of him with her body, he knew for sure she was his, always had been and always would be. And neither time nor distance had ever changed that or ever would.

She held his hands and rocked against him, and he couldn't remember ever being with a woman who surprised him, challenged him, or made him question his priorities more.

And when they came together, both of them holding tight to each other in the darkness of night, he knew then that no matter what, he was never going to let her go.

Because for the first time in his life he wondered just what he'd be wiling to give up to have Riley in his life forever.

After, they held each other in the dark, both of them quiet for awhile.

"Ethan?" she finally whispered.

"Yeah."

"This time we've had together has been really amazing."

"Yeah, it has." His gut tightened. This might be an "It's been great, but" kind of speech.