Mostly.
“It’s not your fault, Kay.” He climbed two steps.
I took a step back toward the door. If he touched me, I’d cave. His eyes were too sad.
“I come up here to be alone most of the time. This time of year sucks for me.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask why, but his face did that closed-off thing again and I didn’t want to tip the scales back to growl. I admit to greed.
Selfishness.
Totally un-Christmas-like behavior, but I didn’t really care. I wanted the fun Linc back. I wasn’t quite sure what had triggered the wounded bear routine. Maybe he was like all guys and didn’t like the word marriage spoken aloud.
I hadn’t meant it.
Figure of speech and all that.
But what else could it be?
I took a step into his space as he cleared the last stair on the porch. “None of this has to be serious. I hope you know that.”
He nodded. “I do.”
“I know the virgin thing was a lot to take, but I’m not a total freak about it. I just didn’t find anyone worth getting through it for.”
He smoothed his hands down my arms. “And I was?”
“You put the candy in candy cane, Mr. Murdock.”
His jaw flexed, but the anger was gone. “I put the Lincoln in Kandy is the correct statement.”
I laughed. “Well, that too.” I lifted my arms to his shoulders and buried my fingers in his cool, damp hair. “I’m not expecting anything from you, Linc. I know what this is.”
“Well, that’s one of us, because I sure as hell don’t.” He lowered his mouth to mine and his cool lips slid over mine. I didn’t know what to say to that so I let him sweep me back inside.
He swung me up enough for me to wrap my legs around him. He accepted my weight like I was one of those cute little girls who got thrown around like human dolls.
I had to confess, I loved how strong he was. The thick ropey muscles of his arms and shoulders made my teeth itch. Enough that I went with instinct and bit his shoulder, pushing his shirt out of the way to get to his neck.
God, he never ceased to amaze me with his stamina and recovery time. His skin was still frozen under my mouth, but his cock was hard and hot between my legs. He pushed down my sweater to get to my shoulder, dragging the front down to get to my breast, but the neckline wasn’t that big.
He dragged it up and over my head, tossing it over his shoulder. Distantly, I hoped it didn’t land in a puddle from our boots. I loved that sweater and would definitely want it in…like twenty minutes.
He dragged his teeth over my breast and I hissed as he sucked my cold nipple into his hot mouth.
Okay, thirty minutes.
My head slammed into the door as I arched to give him more access. His mouth seemed even hotter thanks to my nearly numb skin. The tingles were even more intense as he drew me deeper and flicked his tongue along the tip.
My hands slid into his hair as I was helpless under the onslaught. He pinned every part of me against the wall and table. He dipped one cool hand down my pants and I yelped. He smiled into the kiss.
“So hot. No man would have frostbitten fingers with this around them.” And he slid all the way inside me.
I shivered. It was like a thick icicle sliding through my folds. At least for the first few seconds. I warmed and softened for him as he slowly pumped inside me. His thumb was just as cold as it circled my clit.
The direct difference of heat and coolness confused my brain enough to skip those anxious moments when he first invaded my body. I simply reacted and accepted what he so easily gave me.
The one thing he gave me.