A Christmas Proposal: A Hidden Threat Short Story (2 page)

Racing toward her vehicle, Cali was happy to see that no additional snow had accumulated since arriving for her shift fourteen hours ago. She wouldn’t have to spend time brushing, or even worse, digging, her car out before she was able to drive it. Quickly unlocking the car, she dove inside out of the wind. 

Pulling out of the parking lot, Cali wound her way through the deserted streets. Being Christmas Eve, not even the normal traffic was out this time of night. The night was filled with a peaceful silence, waiting for morning and Christmas to arrive. 

As she turned onto the street where they lived, Cali’s lips pulled up into a smile. She’d received a text from Matthew just after midnight saying
Merry Christmas, beautiful
. He’d taken to adding
beautiful
to the end of almost all his texts to her after they’d watch a movie where the hero never once used the heroine’s name. They lay in bed for hours that night discussing the whys of it. It was one of the things she loved about their relationship. Such basic things were enjoyable with him. They could debate, tease, argue, but when it was all said and done, they still loved each other and usually ended up making love until real life forced them back in to reality with either her work or his. 

Matthew wasn’t big on endearments, although he never hesitated to tell her how much he loved her. No, Matthew wasn’t all frills and lace, but she wouldn’t have him any other way. 

Since moving in with Matthew, her life had changed completely. Sure, there was the natural adjustment of sharing a space with someone else, but Cali also had a new job to add to the mix. Working in the ER of a major hospital was a lot different from the small villages and the makeshift bush hospitals she was used to. Chicago Memorial scheduled their doctors in twelve-hour shifts, which realistically became more like fourteen-hour ones. Long shifts Cali was used to, but the pace was definitely an adjustment. 

Matthew hadn’t batted an eye through it all. He was supportive even when she came home exhausted and cranky. She’d never in all her life met a more amazing man. 

Turning into the driveway of the townhouse they shared, Cali quietly made her way into the house. He’d left the hall light on for her just like he usually did. 

The house had little touches of Christmas everywhere, but she’d mostly kept her decorating frenzy to the living room. Matthew owned no Christmas decorations, so what was now adorning their home consisted of a mixture of new and some things she’d borrowed from her father’s house. He had enough Christmas decorations to cover his house more than once and that was saying something considering its size. 

She tiptoed into the kitchen, noticing that everything was clean and in its place. After getting herself a drink of water, she turned off the light and walked up the stairs. 

The bedroom was dark, but she could see his outline as he lay in their bed asleep. He was lying on his side, facing her, with his arm outstretched. If she had been in bed with him right now, his arm would be around her waist, tucking her into his side. It was his favorite way to sleep. 

Cali walked across the room trying not to make any noise. As much as she’d love to just slip under the covers with him, she needed a shower. 

She slowly stripped off her work clothes and stepped into the shower. The warm spray hit her full force, but she welcomed it. After a long shift, it eased the ache in her muscles. 

No matter how quiet she tried to be so as not to wake Matthew, he slept so lightly that she rarely held out much hope. Sure enough, less than two minutes after turning on the shower, she heard the bathroom door open. Seconds later, warm muscular arms circled her waist. “Welcome home,” he murmured against her shoulder. 

“Mmm,” she hummed, sinking back into his embrace. His chest pressed up against her back and she could feel every hard angle. Matthew might no longer be in the military, but he kept himself in shape by exercising every day. She completely appreciated his efforts, especially when she was the one who benefited.

One of his arms left her and reached for her shampoo. Matthew always started at the top. He was also methodical, massaging her scalp until she was completely and totally relaxed. 

Her hair clean, he took the soap in both his hands, building up a thick lather before reaching for her neck and shoulders. She could feel muscles she didn’t even know she had. He was a great masseur and thankfully he didn’t seem to mind. Of course, it usually led to sex. Somehow Cali thought that might have a little bit to do with his motivation. 

Gently, he pressed and rubbed his way down her torso making sure every inch of her was clean. His hands lingered on her breasts and her back arched, pressing her flesh farther into his hands. He could make her body sing like no one else. 

Before Matthew, sex had been mediocre at best. There were times she enjoyed it, but usually it was more a chore than anything else. She’d never felt that way with Matthew. The way his hands and lips moved against her skin made her feel alive, wanted, needed, and incredibly aroused.

Matthew took his time. No matter how much she tried to get him to hurry his pace, he would not be deterred as he tortured her with his hands and mouth. Her head fell back onto his shoulder as she gave herself up to the sensations. “Good night?” he asked.

“Much better now,” she whispered. 

He chuckled, the vibrations rippling over her damp skin as he buried his face in her neck. “I would hope so.” 

Matthew’s right hand left his spot on her breast and traveled down over her belly to the junction between her legs. But much to her disappointment, his hand barely skimmed over the good stuff before releasing her altogether. She whined in protest. 

Suddenly her back was no longer against him as Matthew spun her around. Her back hit the cold tile wall behind her, but she didn’t have all that much time to register it before he was there again, pressing against her. She could feel every inch of him as he leaned forward leaving no space between them. 

His mouth hungrily took possession of hers. He was acting like a starved man, desperate. It was rare for her to feel him so out of control and edgy. She’d only felt this from him one other time. It was not long after she’d moved in with him, but it had been tempered given her injuries. Now there was no fear of hurting her to dampen the flames, and she could feel it as the muscles in his arms tensed and flexed beneath her hands. 

He molded his body to hers, pressing her against the hard tile. She hardly noticed the discomfort as her body responded to his touch. 

All the hours at the hospital fell away with the feel of being this wanted, this needed, by him. Cali threw her arms around his neck and met each stroke of his tongue with her own. It was a battle of the most delicious kind. 

Hands roamed as they continued to kiss and explore. She met his passion with every bit of her own. No one had ever made her feel as Matthew did, and she knew no one else ever would. 

His hands traveled down her sides, skimming the sides of her breasts as they descended. Matthew’s touch was gentle, yet demanding at the same time. It sent shivers down her spine. 

Matthew’s palms caressed her backside gently before his fingers dug into her flesh and lifted her. She eagerly followed his lead, wrapping her legs around his waist. 

As soon as her legs were locked in place, Matthew wasted no time positioning himself. He checked quickly to see that she was ready for him, before pressing forward and sinking into her. 

She would never get used to the feeling of them joined together. She’d had lovers before Matthew, but with them it had been all about the physical. Sex with Matthew was never just about physical gratification. With every movement, every sigh, every moan, she could feel his love for her. 

Once he was inside her, his frenzy lessened. Matthew took his time making love to her, welcoming her home. His lips worshipped her neck and chest as he moved, sending delicious flutters to her stomach. 

Cupping his face between her hands, she pulled his mouth back to hers. Their lips met once again, this time in a slow sensual kiss that echoed the movement of their bodies. 

The water falling on their skin was forgotten as she lost the ability to think clearly, completely and totally lost in Matthew and what he was doing to her. 

As they both came closer to their climaxes, Matthew picked up the pace, driving her harder into the wall. Her mouth released his and her head fell back. She was close, so very close. 

With as many times as they’d made love in the last two months, Matthew knew her body almost as well as she did. He knew when she was teetering on the edge and just what she needed to fall over it. 

Shifting the position of his hand slightly, Matthew slid his thumb between their bodies. With only the slightest pressure, her back arched away from the wall as she screamed through her orgasm. 

Matthew continued moving, taking the opportunity to kiss and lick along her exposed neck while she climaxed. The extra stimulation just intensified her pleasure. His lips and tongue were magical. She’d found that out many, many times in their months together. 

Once Cali felt as if she could breath somewhat normally again, she leaned forward and took Matthew’s face in her hands, kissing him. Her tongue traced patterns along his lips before diving into his mouth. 

Soon he was falling over the edge after her. 

Cali held on tight as he came down from his high. “I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you, too,” she smiled up at him. 

“Merry Christmas, beautiful.”

She laughed, their bodies still joined so she could feel every inch of him. “Merry Christmas to you, handsome.”

Chapter 2

It was late morning by the time Matthew woke up. By the time they’d gotten out of the shower last night, dried off, and went to bed, it was almost four in the morning. 

    He knew she’d be late coming home. The one thing he could always count on was that her shift never ended when it was supposed to. It was one of the reasons he’d sent her that text just after midnight. He knew she’d still be working, and he wanted her to know he was thinking of her.

Cali was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to see it. He remembered that first month after he’d met her. The avoiding. The denial. Matthew could still recall the sleepless nights filled with dreams of her. 

Of course most of those fantasies had now been fulfilled. Cali was a lot more adventurous than he’d originally thought given her high-society upbringing. He’d even been able to live out his dream of sex in his office. It was hard to forget that one, not that he’d ever want to. 

The fantasy itself had been intense, but the reality was mind-blowing. He’d made arrangements ahead of time. The last thing he wanted was for them to be interrupted. They’d arrived early on a Saturday morning. Stanton Enterprises occupied one of the high-rises in downtown Chicago, and not many people ventured out to that area of town so early on a weekend. 

All was quiet as they made their way up the elevator to his office. If not for the cameras in the elevators, they would have had some preoffice fun on the ride up. As it was, he had to be content with the activities that would take place behind closed doors. 

She was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a cream blouse. He’d had a lot of fun taking them off her, too. 

Matthew smiled as he remembered. Their office adventure had gone so well that he hoped to repeat it. Regularly. 

Glancing down at the woman lying by his side, Matthew forced himself to focus. It was already getting late. He’d have to hurry if he wanted things to go the way he’d planned. 

Throwing on a pair of boxers, he quietly exited their bedroom and descended the stairs.

Once in the kitchen, Matthew removed all the items he’d prepped last night for breakfast this morning. Given what he had planned for the day, he wanted to start it off right by serving her breakfast in bed. He’d heard horror stories at the office about men who had proposed with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever. While he didn’t want an outrageous display, he did want Cali to know how special she was to him. He wanted today to be memorable. 

Thirty minutes later, he walked back upstairs with a full tray of food. 

She was still sleeping soundly when he entered their bedroom. Resting the tray on the nightstand next to her, he took a moment to admire her. She looked so peaceful. Her hair was splayed out on her pillow as she lay on her stomach, her face turned toward him. 

It amazed him how easily he’d adjusted to her being in his life. The thought of living with a woman had never crossed his mind until she came along. Now, he couldn’t imagine his life without her. 

Matthew sat down on the side of the bed, feeling the mattress give way beneath him. His hand lightly brushed her reddish-brown locks away from her face as he leaned in, nuzzling her neck. “Good morning,” he whispered as she started to stir. 

The only response he received was an annoyed moan. He couldn’t help but chuckle. Cali was not a morning person. 

Determined, he tried again with a little more effort this time. His lips trailed up her jaw to her mouth while his hand tangled in her hair, angling her face toward him. The moment her head turned, he went in for the kill, kissing her with enough feeling that his own body was forgetting the plan. The plan that included bringing breakfast to the amazing woman in his bed.