Christmas Kismet (5 page)

..oo     Chapter Seven     oo..

It was late
afternoon by the time Henri deemed Kate was well enough to get out of bed. 
Kate was recovering from a dangerous case of hypothermia and he made sure that
she took it easy.

“I burnt the prime
rib yesterday,” Henri said apologetically as he dug through the fridge.  “So, I
guess that Christmas dinner will have to be roast chicken.”

“Ugh.  Sorry about
the prime rib.  That was kinda my fault,” Kate said as her face flushed pink. 
She still couldn’t believe that she had wandered off in a snow storm.  “You
brought enough food to feed an army!” she laughed.

“I figured that if
I was going to spend Christmas alone, at least I would eat well,” Henri said
with a chuckle.  “I’m glad to have you to share all of this with,” Henri added
with a genuine smile.  In truth, there were so many things that he wanted to
share with Kate.

“I think I’ll make
a cake for dessert,” Kate said as she sprang up and rummaged through the bags
that she had left in the kitchen.

“I could get used
to having a professional baker around,” Henri said with his eyes twinkling.  He
watched as Kate set out her ingredients and began measuring them into a large
mixing bowl.  “Might not be so good for my mid-line,” he laughed as he ran a
hand over his belly.

Kate smiled as she
dumped the flour into the bowl.  She spun around and walked across the small
kitchen to stand in front of Henri.  “I’ll keep an eye on your mid-line,” she
said sweetly as she ran her fingers lightly over the terrain of Henri’s muscled
abdomen.  “Plus, it won’t be a Sasquatch cake,” she giggled as she reached up
and placed a light kiss on Henri’s lips.

Henri took in a
shaky breath.

Kate had made him
forget all about cooking Christmas dinner with only her lightest touch and one
chaste peck on his lips.  Henri smiled down as her.  He tapped her lightly on
the bottom with the wooden spoon that he still held in his hand.

“You’d better
leave me alone Miss Murray, or we’ll have nothing to eat for Christmas dinner,”
he said suggestively as he arched an eyebrow at Kate with mock reproach.

“And what if I
don’t want to leave you alone, Mr. Archer,” Kate bantered.  She bit her lower
lip and looked up at Henri, eyes twinkling mischievously.

Henri growled low
in his throat.  He threaded his fingers through Kate’s hair and drew her
towards his chest.  She smiled up at him seductively as he claimed her lips
with his own.  He kissed her needfully, his mouth arching over hers as his
tongue swept into her mouth.

Kate thought that
her knees might just give out.  She sagged against Henri’s chest as he kissed
her senseless.  Feeling his mouth against hers, tasting him on her lips made
the distinct thrum of desire grow within Kate.  Her breasts brushed against the
muscled plane of Henri’s chest, sending ripples of desire all the way down to
her toes.

Henri dropped the
wooden spoon on the floor.

He needed both
hands to kiss Kate.

Kate giggled
against his lips.  Henri drew away from her only slightly, resting his forehead
against hers.

“Merry Christmas,”
Kate whispered as she ran her fingers lightly down Henri’s chest.

“Merry Christmas,”
Henri rasped as he kissed Kate on the forehead and then bent down to retrieve
the wooden spoon.  “Back to work Miss Murray, or I’m afraid that we won’t have
Christmas dinner,” Henri chuckled as he swatted Kate on the bottom with his
wooden spoon and turned back to preparing the roast chicken.

Kate giggled and
turned her attention back to her cake.  Her heart pounded in her chest.  She
closed her eyes and hung on to the edges of the large glass bowl with both
hands.

How do you do
that to me, Henri Archer?

Almost an hour
later, when the cake was cooling on a wire rack and the roast chicken was
finally in the oven, Henri led Kate over to the couch in front of the
fireplace.  He lit the candles on the mantle and turned down the lights so that
they could admire their Christmas tree.  Surveying the cozy room, Henri
admitted that everything was perfect.  As an afterthought, he turned on the
Christmas music on his iPod.  He had to admit that the first song that came up
in the shuffle was perfect too.

Mariah Carey sang
“All I Want for Christmas is You.”

Henri chuckled as
he balanced his glass of wine and pulled the down blanket off the back of the
couch.  He settled down next to Kate, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. 
The cabin smelled sweet and spicy, the scents of Kate’s vanilla cake mingling
with that of the savory roasted chicken.  Henri watched as the firelight
flickered off of Kate’s skin, making her look as if she was glowing.

Kate
was
glowing.  She looked so happy as he gathered her in his arms.

“All I want for
Christmas is you,” Henri said huskily, singing in time with Mariah.  He smiled
and nibbled Kate’s ear, eliciting a giggle from her that warmed his heart.

Kate sat snuggled
up against Henri on the couch, basking in the glow of a fine glass of red wine
coupled with the warmth of the fire.  The tiny white lights on their Christmas
tree twinkled between the strands of the popcorn garland.  Heavy snowflakes
fell outside the frosted panes of the windows that flanked the tree.

“I think this is
quite possibly the best Christmas that I’ve ever had,” Kate whispered, as she
looked up at Henri.

He smiled and
pulled her closer. 

“Me too,” he said
sincerely as he kissed her temple.  “I’ve got something for you,” he said with
an eager grin as he sat his glass of wine down on the table and edged out from under
Kate.

“Not fair!” Kate
said.  “I don’t have anything for you,” she said as her heart sank.  She’d
never expected to meet anyone this weekend.  Hell, she’d planned to be alone,
lounging in her sweat pants, not cuddled up against the man of her dreams!

“Calm down,” Henri
said huskily.  “It’s not much.  I don’t need anything from you, Kate.  Just
being here with you is gift enough.”

Henry walked into
the kitchen.  Kate heard the sound of him rummaging through the cupboards.  She
couldn’t help but smile, wondering what in the world he had found for her.

“Close you eyes,”
Henri prompted as he walked back towards the couch.

Heeding his
instructions, Kate covered her eyes with her hands.  She was still smiling
beneath her hands.  Henri had a way of doing that to her.  And, Kate secretly
loved surprises.

Kneeling before
her, Henri placed the book in Kate’s lap.  He studied her for a moment before
saying anything further.  She was so vibrant and full of life.  The smile that
was partially obscured by her hands warmed his heart.

“Alright, you can
open them,” he said.

Kate removed her
hands from over her eyes and looked down at her lap.  In her lap was a copy of
Julia Child’s
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
festooned with a
handmade paper bow. 

Kate’s heart went
wild in her chest.

A note stuck out
of the top of the cookbook and she slid it from the pages.

“It’s my favorite
cookbook,” Henri smiled shyly.  He had thought of the gift at the very last
minute, having wanted to give Kate something for Christmas.

“Thank you,” Kate
said with a smile.

“It wouldn’t be
Christmas without a gift,” Henry smiled shyly.  “Open the card,” he urged with
boyish enthusiasm.

Kate opened the
card, which was really just a folded piece of notebook paper.  The note was
handwritten.  Henri’s writing was bold and intelligent, just as Kate had
expected it would be.

Kismet:  Fate,
fortune; Destiny

This gift holds
the promise of me taking you on a “real” date when we get back to Seattle.  Know that I would love to continue what we have started when we get home.

I thought that
Christmas miracles only happened in the movies, but you’ve given me the hope to
believe that they really do happen. 

Thank you for
being my Christmas miracle.

It has been a
treat spending Christmas with such an intelligent, beautiful, high-spirited and
stubborn woman.  Don’t change a thing.

Merry
Christmas, Kate.

                                                XOXO,

                                                Henri

“Thank you,
Henri,” Kate said with a warm smile.  She was touched by the tender sentiments
of Henri’s card, but it was the cookbook that let her know that it truly was
kismet, just as Henri had written.

“I
do
have
something for you,” Kate said eagerly.  She kissed Henri lightly on the cheek
and sprung up from the couch.  “Close your eyes!” she ordered as she ran into
the bedroom.

Henri obliged
her.  He couldn’t get the idiot’s grin to leave his face.  Kate made him so
happy.  Henri couldn’t remember the last time that he had been so happy and
carefree.  He went through the motions of daily life, doing his best to find
the strength to get through each day.  Henri raked his hand through his hair.

He needed to
tell Kate about Nicole and his daughters.

He needed to
know if she would still want him, broken parts and all.

Kate rummaged
though her bags until she found what she was looking for. 

Her heart hammered
in her chest as she held it in her hands.

“Unbelievable,”
she whispered to herself.  “Keep your eyes closed,” Kate called over her
shoulder as she stood, clasping the gift in her hands.  She walked into the
living room and knelt on the couch beside Henri. 

She admired him
fully, her heart thundering in her chest.  Henri’s eyes were clenched closed
and the most delicious, happy smile emblazoned his face.

Kate placed her
gift in Henri’s hands.  She watched as his fingers grasped it.

“Merry Christmas,”
she whispered.  “You can open your eyes.”

Henri opened his
eyes and met Kate’s inviting gaze.  She was smiling radiantly and she looked so
beautiful.

He knew what he
held in his hands before he even dared to look down.

His eyes drifted
downwards.

In his hands, he
held Kate’s very own copy of
Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
  Her
copy was well used and splattered with remnants of ingredients, just as his
was. 

It was as if Henri
had just discovered the other half of himself in Kate Murray.

She was his
perfect match in ever single, beautiful way.

Henri dropped the
book to his lap and drew Kate in for a lengthy kiss.

It truly was
Christmas kismet.

..oo     Chapter Eight     oo..

Henri knew that he
should sleep on the couch, but he certainly didn’t want to.

He would give Kate
a kiss goodnight, that simple pleasure was all that he would allow himself
tonight.

When he saw her,
unbound auburn hair spilling over her shoulders, wearing only a white chemise
tucked snugly into
his
bed, being a gentleman became very difficult.  He
was so damned attracted to this beautiful, feisty girl that he somehow knew
that kissing her goodnight would not be enough.

He wanted more. 
He wanted everything.

His arms ached to
hold Kate again.  Having felt the softness of her skin, naked against his own,
he longed to touch her again.  He’d seen the beauty of her body, flawless
alabaster skin stark in contrast to her lovely auburn hair.  And those green
eyes!  They captivated him, pulling him into their depths and making him long
for more than he had a right to long for.

Watching Kate now,
he knew that he had to have her.  Henri felt an urgent need to claim her, to
make her his own.  He wanted to make her see how much he wanted her, hoping
that the same hopeful feelings kindled in her own heart.

“Kate,” he
whispered as he padded over and sat on the edge of the bed.

Her vibrant green
eyes watched him.  Henri could see desire in their depths, but he could also
see that she was fighting against something.

He reached out and
took her hand.

She smiled shyly.

“Kiss me, Henri,”
Kate said softly in invitation.

It was as if she
had read his most secret thoughts.

Henri leaned in
and kissed her gently, his lips a question at the entrance of her mouth. 
Kate’s hand found its home behind Henri’s neck and she pulled him closer, her
mouth yielding to his so that he could deepen their kiss. 

Having been so
absorbed in kissing Kate, Henri was surprised to discover that he was now lying
on top of her on the bed.  His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue brushing
hungrily over hers as he savored the sweet taste of her mouth.

He felt Kate’s
fingernails on his shoulders and his back.  She moaned softly into his mouth,
causing his cock to pulse with desire.

Oh, how he wanted
her.

He traced his
tongue along Kate’s full bottom lip.  Henri’s breathing was ragged.  He worked
hard to regain his shattered control.

This shouldn’t
be right.  Moving too fast. 

But it is
right.  So right.
  Thoughts swirled through his head as he looked down into
Kate’s mesmerizing green eyes.  Kissing her, holding her like this felt so
right.  Why should he fight something so perfectly right?

Henri smiled
slightly and kissed the corner of Kate’s mouth.  His heart soared as her eyes
fluttered closed and a broad, happy smile spread over her face.

Kate was happy. 
She wanted this too.

Kate’s fingers
toyed with the small hairs at the base of Henri’s hairline.  She loved
everything about him, from his arousing masculine scent to the delicious feel
of his muscular chest pinning her against the soft bed.  Henri placed gentle
kisses down her throat, sending waves of pleasure zipping down her spine.  The
soft scratch of his stubble against her sensitive skin was insanely arousing.

She could feel his
erection pressing against her belly, even through the fluffy down comforter. 
Kate wanted Henri badly, in an insane, reckless and inexplicable way. She was
also afraid to push their fledgling relationship too quickly.  The truth was,
she wanted more than just a one night stand with Henri.  She wanted to keep
Henri forever, even though they had only just met.

Sometimes
something is so right, you just know
, Kate thought to herself.

This was too good
of a thing to ruin.

Henri’s gentle
assault of light kisses was making in difficult for Kate to think.  Her body
thrummed with energy.  It was if his lightest touch had set her nerve endings
on fire.

Kate arched up
against Henri, suddenly needing to be closer to him.  The down comforter was
too much of a barrier between them.  Kate wanted it gone so that she could feel
Henri’s body against her own.  She cradled his hard erection between her thighs
and when she pressed against his desire, Henri growled low in his throat.

He wanted her
badly.

Henri placed a
kiss in the hollow behind Kate’s ear.

“Kate,” he whispered
huskily as he looked down at her.  The firelight cast a warm glow over her
skin.  He trailed his fingers lovingly down her cheek as he admired her in the
subtle light.

“Hmm,” she
murmured as she leaned into his touch.  The hint of a smile turned up the
corner of her mouth.

“No, sweetheart. 
Open your eyes.  I want you to look at me,” he whispered, his voice deep with
desire.

Kate’s eyes
opened.  Their pupils were dilated, darkened with need so much that only a hint
of green showed.  Henri touched Kate’s mouth softly, running his index finger
over her full lips, which were still ruddy from his hungry kisses.

“I want you,
Kate,” he said with touching honesty.

Kate smiled softly
and caught his finger between her teeth, nipping at him playfully.  She released
his finger, never taking her eyes away from his.

“I want you too,”
she said boldly, feeling color flush her cheeks.  She wanted Henri badly and
hoped that her bold words wouldn’t frighten him away.  Her worst fear was that
he would think that she was too easy, giving herself to a man that she had only
just met.  She couldn’t find the words to express to him that this meant so
much more!  Her heart ached to tell him that she wanted more, more than just a
quick roll under the blankets.

She wanted to keep
him. 

But she couldn’t
find the words to tell him that.  The bodily attraction flowing between them
was palpable in its realness, but Kate wanted more.  She wanted Henri for more
than just his body.  She wanted all of him, even the broken pieces.

“I am so insanely
attracted to you, Kate,” Henri said with a chuckle.  He was struggling to find
the right words to express his confounded emotions to the beautiful girl that
lay beneath him.  “But I don’t want to ruin this,” he said softly as he traced
his fingers over her exposed collarbone.  “Whatever this is, I think that it’s
very special, and I don’t want to jeopardize what it might turn into,” he said
as he looked into her eyes, imploring her to understand.

Kate’s heart
swelled as she looked up at Henri.  He was breathtakingly handsome.  The
firelight glinted off his day’s growth of stubble and she noticed that he was
clenching his teeth slightly.  It was as if this man could read her heart
openly.  He looked into her soul and read her very thoughts as if they were an
open book, just for him to read.

He was worried
about rushing things too.

Henri shifted his
weight so that it was supported by his elbows.  He was ever conscious of Kate’s
comfort.

“I guess what I’m
trying to say, sweetheart, is that I’m looking for more than just a one night
stand,” he said with a shy smile.  His eyes were hopeful as they studied Kate.

“I was hoping that
you’d say that,” she said with a smile.  “I want more than just that too,” she
admitted as butterflies went wild in her stomach.

Henri let out an inaudible
sigh of relief.

“I never
expected…” he started, trailing off to collect his thoughts as he reached up
and raked a hand through his hair.  “It just feels so damned right!” he said in
disbelief. 

“Sometimes, when
something is so right, you just know,” Kate said as she looked up at Henri.  He
smiled at her lop-sidedly, melting her heart.  “And when a miracle like this
happens, when something that feels so perfect like this happens, you should
hang onto it with everything that you’ve got.”

Henri leaned down
and kissed Kate’s nose.  He lowered himself off his elbows and wrapped her up
in his arms.

“I’m not letting
you go, Kate,” he said as he nuzzled her neck and then kissed her gently.  “You
are my miracle.  My Christmas miracle.  And I’m not letting you go,” he
whispered with conviction as he claimed her lips in a heated kiss.

Kate’s mouth
opened under his and he took advantage, his tongue delving into her mouth and
stroking against hers.  Kate moaned against his mouth as he tasted her, her
fingertips gripping his strong biceps as he claimed her fully. 

Henri needed to be
closer to her.  He needed to feel her skin, warm and supple against his own. 
He tugged at the comforter that was between them, ripping it out from under
himself as he settled his body on top of Kate’s.

She wore only a
thin white lace chemise and a barely there pair of panties.  Feeling the length
of her body, warm and willing against his own was shear Heaven.  Henry’s hand
reached down to cup Kate’s bottom as he kissed her.  He wanted to kiss every
inch of her body.  He wanted to worship her with his mouth.

His cock bucked
against Kate’s belly, palpable evidence of how badly he wanted her.

Kate ended their
kiss and looked up at Henri, her eyes misty with passion.

“Make love to me,
Henri,” she whispered.  “I want you, all of you.”

“Are you sure,
sweetheart?” he asked as he smiled down at her.  He had never wanted anything
more in his entire life.  But he didn’t want to push Kate too quickly.  Just
the thought of delving into her hot wetness caused his cock to pulse with
desire. 

“Yes,” she
breathed.  “Make love to me.”

Their pulses
pounded as they looked into each other’s eyes, contemplating the journey on
which they were about to embark.

Henri had not made
love to woman since his wife had died.

He had not wanted
to.

Until this very
moment.

Kate guided
Henri’s lips to hers.  She kissed him with all of the pent up longing that was
in her heart.  Somehow she knew that he was the one.  She had found the man
that completed her.  And now she wanted to give him all of herself and take
everything that he had to give in return.

Henri’s hand slipped
under the hem of Kate’s chemise.  His touch sent shivers of pleasure down
Kate’s spine and when his hand palmed her breast, she thought that she might
die from shear pleasure.  Henri’s thumb brushed lightly over her erect nipple
and Kate moaned loudly.  His breath was hot against her neck and she arched
against him, telling him with the silent needs of her body what she wanted.

Suddenly, Henri
withdrew his hand from her breast and knelt between her legs.  Kate’s eyes flew
open.  She wanted his body back against hers.  He smiled down at her devilishly
as he began to inch the chemise up her belly.

Raw desire gleamed
in his hazel eyes as he removed the chemise, exposing Kate’s breasts to his
view.  He was back atop her at once, his hands worshiping the full globes as he
placed kisses upon them.

 When his lips
settled atop Kate’s nipple, she in took a swift breath, so startled she was by the
flood of pleasure that overtook her.  Henri nipped at her playfully with his
teeth and then began to suckle, palming the fullness of Kate’s breast as he
pleasured her with his mouth.

Kate moaned loudly
as she raked her fingers through Henri’s disheveled hair.  Pleasure was
building between her thighs and she wanted, no she
needed
more of Henri.

As if reading her
very thoughts, Henri’s hand trailed over Kate’s flat belly.  He inched lower
and lower as he teased Kate’s nipple with his hot mouth.  He slipped a finger
in the waistband of Kate’s white lace panties and when he did so, he thought
that his heart might beat right out of his chest.

All he wanted to
do was give her pleasure.  Loving her alluring body was about to unman him.  It
had been so long since he had been with a woman.  Kate’s response to him was
powerful, and it took every ounce of Henri’s willpower to restrain himself from
ripping off her panties and plowing into her.  He needed to feel her tight, wet
heat around his cock, but he would force himself to wait.

Kate’s pleasure
would come first.

Henri’s fingers
danced over Kate’s auburn curls.  She writhed beneath him.  Henri suckled
Kate’s breast parted her.  He growled deeply as he felt her wetness on his fingers
for the first time.  He tore his lips away from Kate’s breast and claimed her
mouth in a passionate kiss as his fingers glided over her soft folds and found
the bead of her desire.

Kate cried out in
pleasure as Henri’s fingers played her, expertly arousing her into a state of
desire that she had never before imagined.  His mouth was hot on hers, his
tongue delving into her mouth.  He slid one finger inside of her and then
another.  Kate arched against him, so undone by the feeling of him inside of
her that she thoughts she might combust.

His fingers began
to move, gently driving in and out of her tight sheath, mimicking the love play
that was to come.  Kate spread her knees and began to move against Henri’s
fingers, wanting and needing more of his gentle touch.

Henri could take
no more.  The thin lace of Kate’s panties against his hand tormented him.  She
was so tight and so wet.  He knew that he could slide her panties aside and be
inside of her in an instant.  His cock bucked in response to this thought.

Slowly, Henri
withdrew his hand.  He hooked his thumbs into Kate’s panties and slid them down
her long legs.  Shucking out of his pants, he rejoined her on the bed, kneeling
between her bent knees.  Kate was sprawled out before him, completely naked and
unashamed.  There was a look of such desire, such love in her eyes that Henri
had to remind himself to breathe.

“Are you
absolutely sure, sweetheart?” he asked, as he lowered himself gently on top of
Kate.  Her naked skin pressed against the length of his body was Heaven.