Christmas Kismet (6 page)

“Yes,” Kate said,
smiling blissfully as she raised her knees, allowing Henri to settle himself
between her thighs.  She could feel his erection pressing against her, and the
muscles inside of her shuddered with need for him.

“You’re
trembling,” he said against her neck as trailed kisses up the side of her
cheek.  His thumb grazed over the erect peak of her nipple.

“So are you,” she
whispered as she encircled Henri’s shoulders with her arms.  His skin was so
warm and wonderful against her own.

“Because I need
you so badly,” he said shyly into her hair.  “I need you more than I’ve ever
needed anyone.”

“I need you too,”
Kate said.  “Make love to me, Henri Archer.”

Still trembling
with his need, Henri claimed Kate’s lips in a possessive kiss as he took his
cock and positioned it at the entrance of her slick, wet heat.  He could feel
her wetness against the tip of his cock, which made him wild with need to delve
inside of her.  Henri held back for just a second, savoring the feeling of
overwhelming desire that overtook him as he stood poised at the entrance to
Kate’s body.

With this, Kate
would be his.  She would belong to him in some unwritten, primal way.  Henri
wanted their joining to be perfect.

He kissed Kate’s
lips tenderly and then pushed into her slick wet, sheath.  He groaned as he
drove into her, tearing though the barrier that shielded her virginity.

Kate cried out in
pain against his lips.

Realization dawned
on Henri, slicing through his passion.  He froze inside of her, his cock
throbbing with the need to move as her tight walls squeezed him erotically.

Kate had been a
virgin! 

“Shh, sweetheart,”
he said tenderly as he supported his weight on his elbows and looked tenderly
into Kate’s eyes.

The tears that he
saw there shattered his heart.

“I didn’t
know….why didn’t you tell me?” he stammered as he looked down at Kate.  It was
plain to see that he was hurting her.  Fighting every instinct of his body,
Henri forced himself to be still inside of her.  He gritted his teeth together
and fought the urge to drive into her again and again, spilling his seed deep
within her womb.

“I…I…thought you
might not want to if you knew,” Kate said, her voice barely a whisper.  Her
chin quivered and she bit the inside of her cheek as she fought against the
pain.  It felt as though Henri had impaled her.  It felt as though he was
splitting her in half.

She saw the
concern in his eyes.  He was sorry to have hurt her.  She should have told him.

“I’m so sorry,
sweetheart,” he whispered huskily.  “I’d have been gentler had I known.  Please
forgive me,” he said softly as he stroked his fingers down her cheek.  “It will
feel better in a minute, just give your body time to adjust to me,” he
promised.

“I should have
told you, I’m sorry,” Kate said shyly.

“Sorry!” Henri
chuckled.  “
You
have nothing to be sorry about, Kate,” he said with
aching honesty.  “I’m the one who should be sorry.  You gave me such a gift of
yourself, to know that I am the only man who has….Christ, Kate.  Don’t be
sorry!”

“I’m not sorry,”
she conceded.  The pain of his invasion was beginning to dissipate.  It was
quickly being replaced with a good, stretching feeling that made Kate ache for
Henri to move.  “I wanted you to have that part of me,” she said, her eyes
hooded as she searched Henri’s for understanding.

“Thank you,” he
whispered as he caressed her cheek.  “I’m never letting you go,” he vowed as he
kissed her lips tenderly.

Kate felt the need
to move against Henri.  Her pain was beginning to lessen and Henri’s kiss had
rekindled the passion within her.  She brought her knees up, causing Henri to
shudder against her.

“I don’t like that
I hurt you,” Henry said, remaining ever so still even though Kate’s slight
movement made him want to drive into her.  He should have been slower, gentler
with Kate.  The fact that he had hurt her tore at his heart.  But the
revelation that he had been the first and only man to have Kate this way
overwhelmed him with possessive desire.

Kate was his.  No
other man had been inside of her.  She had chosen to give this precious part of
her to him, only to him.  Henri gritted his teeth at the difficulty of
remaining completely still within her.  He wanted to make this magical for
her.  He wanted her to tremble with pleasure as he took her.  He wanted their
first time together to be perfect.

“It doesn’t hurt
so bad now,” Kate whispered as she dug her fingertips into Henri’s broad
shoulders.  Desire bloomed within her again, and the initial shock of Henri’s
invasion was now overcome once again with need.

“Tell me if it
hurts, Kate.  I promise I’ll stop.  I never want to hurt you,” Henri breathed
against her neck.  He nipped at her ear and then captured her mouth in a
passionate kiss as he began to move inside of her.  He rocked against her
gently at first, savoring the way that her tight sheath squeezed his cock.

Kate let out a
moan and then nipped at his collarbone.

Henri arched up
over her and slid his hand down between their joined bodies.  He found the nub
of her desire and stroked it as he deepened his thrusts.  His lips found Kate’s
breast and he suckled her as he continued to thrust gently into her and stroke
the bead of her desire.  Her breasts were full against his palms and she felt
so wonderful as he drove gently into her, holding back in an effort not to hurt
her.

Kate’s fingernails
dug into his shoulders.  She arched against his chest, so overcome by the new
sensations of passion that flooded her senses.  The combination of feeling
Henri’s mouth on her nipple, his fingers stroking her so intimately and his
cock moving gently in and out of her was blissful.

Henri felt Kate
tighten around his shaft and he could hold back no longer.  He claimed her
mouth possessively and was pleased when she welcomed his kiss, kissing him back
with a need that rivaled his own.  His fingers played her clitoris expertly as
he drove his cock into her now.  He was completely unable to hold back, Kate
had pushed his need to the brink.

He thrust in and
out of her, sinking himself deeper into her wetness with each powerful thrust. 
Kate moaned loudly and he sped up the cadence of their love making, wanting
only to please her, to give her release.  Henri wanted to pleasure Kate with
his body, to give her a gift of himself in return for her virginity.

When the first
wave of her climax overtook her, Henri pressed his mouth against Kate’s,
flicking his fingers over her clitoris to intensify her pleasure.  She cried out
against him, her body trembling with wave after wave of her release.

Kate felt as
though she was floating.  Pleasure overtook her and she clung to Henri,
yielding to him as he gave her release.  Never in her life had she felt such a
delicious feeling.

Content that Kate
had climaxed, Henri removed his hand from between their joined bodies and
grabbed her bottom.  Supporting her with his hands, he drove into her fully now,
sinking his cock to the hilt.  He drove into her faster and faster, each thrust
bringing him nearer to his own release. 

When Kate clasped
her legs around his waist, allowing him to thrust deeper inside of her, Henri
groaned and threw back his head.  Thrusting once more, sinking himself
completely inside of her, he came to orgasm.  His cock bucked and shook as he
spilled his seed, the tremors of his climax washing over him.  Collapsing into
Kate’s welcome embrace, Henri buried his face against her neck as they enjoyed
the final moments of their climaxes.

“Did I hurt you?”
Henri asked, afraid that when he had lost control he might have been too rough
with Kate.

“Only in a good
way,” she said with a catty smile.

“You would tell me
though?” he asked sincerely as he palmed her breast.

“Of course,” she
said with a shy smile.

Henri placed soft
kisses on Kate’s eyebrows, her eyelids and the line of her jaw.  Regaining
control of his breathing, he opened his eyes and looked down at her.

She was so
beautiful that it caused his heart to hurt.

He had to tell
her.

“Kate,” he
whispered as he kissed the tip of her nose.

“Hmmm?” she asked
as her eyes fluttered open. 

Henri carefully
withdrew himself from her body.  He rested his weight on his elbows and looked
down at her.  When Kate’s eyes finally fluttered open, they were clouded with
bliss.

“I have to tell
you something,” he whispered as dread overtook him, bursting the warm bubble of
happiness that joining with Kate had created.

“What?” Kate asked
as she reached up and traced the sensitive skin of his collarbone.

“I haven’t done
that it over two years,” he admitted shyly.  “What I just felt with you,” he
smiled lop-sidedly, “I never expected to have that sort of connection with a
woman again,” he whispered sincerely.

Kate smiled and
reached up to kiss him.

“I…I…” Henri
stammered.  “The last time that I made love to a woman, it was with my wife,”
he admitted, feeling the knife of pain twist in his heart.  “She died over two
years ago,” Henri said, his voice trembling as he made his painful confession.

“Henri,” Kate said
tenderly and she reached up and pulled him down towards her.  She cradled his
face in the crook of his neck and stroked his back.  “It’s alright,” she
whispered into the darkness.

Kate felt Henri’s
tears hot against the skin of her neck.

She held him
close, whispering honeyed words and stroking his back.

Kate’s heart ached
for Henri.  She longed to piece Henri’s broken heart back together and in so
doing, Kate knew that the pieces her own broken heart would knit back together.

“I’m sorry I
didn’t tell you sooner,” Henri whispered into the solace of Kate’s neck.  He in
took a shaky breath and relished Kate’s sweet, intoxicating scent.

“You didn’t need
to,” Kate whispered.  “I could tell that something was broken in you too,” she
said.  “I just couldn’t figure out what it was.”

“Remember when you
said that I might be able to fix you?” Henri asked.

“I remember,” Kate
whispered as she trailed her fingers over the skin of Henri’s back.

“I think that I
need some fixing too,” he admitted as he kissed the hollow behind Kate’s ear
and thanked the Lord for Christmas miracles.

..oo     Chapter Nine     oo..

Kate awoke wrapped
up in the down comforter.  It smelled of Henri’s cologne.

A delicious smile
spread over her face.

She couldn’t
remember a time when she had been this happy.

Making love to
Henri had been wonderful.  It had been a dreamy, rainbows and sunshine kind of
wonderful in the dead of winter.  It had been Christmas morning wonderful, save
for that it had happened Christmas night.

Kate curled her
toes and brought her hands to her face to cover her idiot’s smile.

She had relished
every moment of sleeping in Henri’s strong arms last night.

Being with Henri
felt so right.  Henri had made a believer out of her.  Kate now not only
believed in love at first sight, she had experienced it for herself.

She was falling
hard for Henri Archer.

Her eyes darted
over to the empty space next to her in the bed.

Henri must be in
the kitchen.

Kate sprang from
the bed and dashed into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind herself. 
She ran a comb through her auburn hair and brushed her teeth.  She pulled on
fresh panties and a lacy camisole and took a final look at herself in the
mirror.  Her hair had a just tousled look and her skin glowed with happiness. 
She wanted to look her best for Henri, and just the very thought of seeing him this
morning made her heart rush.

When Kate opened
the bathroom door, she walked right into Henri’s chest.

“Good morning,
sleepy head,” he laughed as he caught Kate in his arms and drew her in for a lengthy
kiss.

“Good morning,”
Kate said against his lips.  His mouth tasted of spicy cinnamon tea.  Kate
threaded together behind Henri’s neck and brought him in for another kiss.  She
brushed her tongue against his, tasting his spicy sweetness.

“It
is
a
good morning,” Henri growled as he deepened their kiss.  He pulled away from
Kate slightly and smiled at her lop-sidedly.  “How does a bath sound?” he asked
as he slapped Kate playfully on the bottom and arched an eyebrow suggestively.

Kate’s heart
thudded in her chest.

“Will you be
joining me?” Kate asked hopefully.  She bit her lower lip, shocked by the
boldness of her request.  When she looked up into Henri’s hazel eyes, the
desire that she saw there made butterflies go wild in her stomach.

“Is that what you
want, Miss Murray?” he asked huskily.

“Mmmhmm,” Kate
whispered as she stood on her tip toes and nuzzled Henri’s nape.

“I’ll go get it
ready,” Henri said.  He leaned down and kissed Kate’s lips lightly, sending
shivers of anticipation zipping down her spine.

Kate heard the
rushing of the water as it filled the oversized claw foot bathtub.  She sat
down on the edge of the bed, heart hammering in her chest.

Was it possible
to fall in love with a man this quickly?

Henri made her
believe that it was.  Kate closed her eyes and listened to the steady thudding
of her heart.  She wished that they could stay together in the secluded cabin
forever, forsaking the outside world.  Kate couldn’t remember the last time
that she had been so undeniably happy.

And it was all
because of Henri.

The water turned
off. 

“Bath’s ready,”
Henri called from within the bathroom.

Kate padded
barefoot towards the door.  She pushed the door open and felt a broad smile
spread across her face.  Henri had turned off the lights in the bathroom and lit
a few candles.  Their flames danced in the darkness, giving the room a
romantic, inviting glow.

Kate’s eyes locked
with Henri’s.

He was already in
the claw foot tub, soaking in water that lapped at his muscled chest.  His hair
was wet and his arms rested casually on the edges of the cast iron tub.  A lazy
smile covered his handsome face.

Kate knew that
never in her life had she encountered a more beautiful man than Henri Archer. 
Beautiful and funny and sweet.

Henri was perfect.

He was her
Christmas miracle.

“I’ll close my
eyes so you can get in,” he offered, his voice deep and sultry.

“You don’t need
to,” Kate whispered.  She felt no embarrassment.  Henri had already seen
everything that she had to offer.  In fact, Kate’s blood heated when she
thought of Henri’s hazel eyes roaming over her naked flesh.  She remembered how
delicious it had felt last night when he had touched her.  Muscles deep inside
of Kate clenched as she remembered how wonderful it had felt to have Henri
inside
of her.

Kate pulled her
camisole up and over her head.  She felt Henri’s eyes on her skin and smiled
slightly.  He could not hide his desire for her.  It was all right there in his
burning hazel eyes.  When Kate shimmied out of her black lace panties, she
heard Henri growl appreciatively.

Kate’s eyes never
left Henri’s as she lowered herself into the deliciously warm water.  Henri
smiled slightly as he watched Kate recline against the opposite end of the
tub.  The warm water lapped at her full breasts, causing Henri to become fully
aroused.  The candle light danced over Kate’s alabaster skin, giving her a
radiant glow in the darkness.

Kate brought her
foot up and rested it on Henri’s chest. 

Henri’s eyes were
drawn to the graceful contour of her slender leg.  He ran his fingers up her
thigh and Kate closed her eyes, basking in the delicious feeling of his touch
beneath the warm water.  Henri slid his fingers slowly back down Kate’s thigh
and caressed her calf, stopping only when his hand encircled her foot.  He
brought the arch of Kate’s foot to his mouth and kissed her there, causing Kate
to giggle and curl her toes.

“I’m ticklish,”
she giggled as she covered her face with her hands.

Henri laughed as
he ran his thumb up the arch of Kate’s foot.  Oh how he loved watching her
laugh!

Kate jerked her
foot away, sending a splash of water cascading over the side of the tub.

“I’ll warn you not
to provoke me, Mr. Archer,” she said teasingly as she sat up in the tub.

Henri’s heart
thundered in his chest as he watched Kate.  He could see the tops of her
perfect breasts bobbing atop the water.  Kate’s teasing smile warmed his heart.

“Or you’ll what?”
he asked, provoking Kate intentionally.

Kate laughed
softly and leaned towards Henri, sloshing more water out of the tub.

Henri grabbed her
and pulled her towards his chest.

“What if I like
provoking you, Miss Murray?” he teased as he spun Kate in his arms and settled
her back against his chest.

“Maybe I like it
too,” Kate whispered as she relaxed, delighting in the feel of Henri’s warm muscled
chest behind her back.  She rested her head on his shoulder and surrendered
completely to the delight of feeling Henri’s arms surrounding her.  Henri
kissed her lightly on the neck and nipped at her collarbone.

Kate could feel
desire building within her, pooling at her very core.  Henri continued to place
soft kisses up and down the heated skin of her neck.  The feeling of his mouth
against her flushed skin was highly erotic and sent goose bumps radiating out over
Kate’s skin.  She felt the solid length of Henri’s erection pressed against her
backside and desire spread through her body, impossible to deny.

Kate wanted to
feel Henri inside of her again.

Spinning in his
arms, she lay on top of him in the tub.  Her breasts were pressed intimately
against Henri’s chest beneath the water.  Kate brought her hand up to Henri’s
face, lightly caressing the angle of his jaw.  The stubble that she found there
tickled her fingers and sent shivers of anticipation zipping down her spine.

Kate lowered her
lips to Henri’s.  Her heart threatened to burst when she felt him smile against
her lips.  She kissed him languidly, her lips moving softly over his.  Henri’s
skin  was warm from the bath.  Kate felt warm all over.  Henri wrapped his arms
around her waist and held her close as he kissed her back with aching
sweetness.  She could feel the evidence of his desire pressed against her
belly.

“I think it’s time
to get out,” Henri whispered as he traced the back of his index finger over the
curve of Kate’s shoulder.

“I was just
getting started,” Kate whispered as she took Henri’s chin in between her
fingers and captured his mouth again.

Henri growled low
in his throat.  Kate was about to unman him.  She was so innocent and yet so
damned erotic that he had to fight every masculine instinct that told him to
drive inside of her wetness right now.

“I want you so badly,”
Henri rasped as he looked at the Goddess that he held in his arms.  The candle
light flickered against Kate’s pale skin and unabashed desire sparkled readily
in her green eyes.

“I’m yours,” Kate
whispered as she nipped at Henri’s ear and then kissed the hollow at the base
of his neck.

“I’ve kind of got
my heart set on you being mine,” Henri admitted as he trailed his fingers
lazily down Kate’s back and cupped her bottom beneath the water.  “But you’ll
be too sore, sweetheart if we…”

“I don’t care,”
Kate argued as she pressed herself suggestively against Henri’s erection.

Henri closed his
eyes and took in a shallow breath.

Lord how Kate
affected him!

Henri gritted his
teeth and took his hand away from Kate’s bottom.  He nudged Kate’s chin up so
that she would stop the sweet torment of her kisses against his skin.  Henri
forced her eyes to meet his.  When he saw how clouded their green depths were
with passion, his cock bucked against her belly in response.

“Believe me,
Kate.  I want to,” he chuckled.  “I
really
want to,” he said through
gritted teeth.  “But I hurt you once, and I’ll not do it willingly again.  You
need time to recover,” he whispered tenderly as he drew Kate in for a soft
kiss.

Kate couldn’t hide
her disappointment.  She lowered her face to rest in the crook of Henri’s neck,
settling for feeling the length of his body pressed against hers.

“There are other
things,” Henri whispered as he trailed his fingers over the skin of Kate’s
shoulder.  “Perhaps after breakfast?” he added suggestively as he kissed Kate’s
hair and closed his eyes.

Henri leaned his
head back to rest against the rim of the cast iron tub.

Kate Murray would
be his undoing.

..ooOOoo..

“I’ll have your
breakfast up in a flash,” Henri added as he tucked Kate beneath the down
comforter.

Kate’s heart sank.

She had thought
that Henri had meant something else by ordering her back to bed.  Already, her
body was responding to very idea of being in bed with him again.

Perhaps after
breakfast,
Kate thought wickedly.

Henri leaned down
and kissed her forehead before disappearing to the kitchen.

Kate leaned her
head back against the headboard.

How on Earth
had Henri stolen her heart so quickly? 

Kate warned
herself to slow down even as the cadence of her heart beat spoke the unlikely
truth.

She was falling
head over heels for Henri Archer.

And if she didn’t
guard her heart, it might be a long and perilous fall.

..ooOoo..

Kate felt silly
waiting in bed for Henri to bring her breakfast.

After all, she
didn’t want him to think that she was completely helpless!  She cast back the
down comforter and padded barefoot towards the kitchen.  As she walked down the
short hallway, she heard Henri’s voice.

He was talking to
someone.

Kate stopped in her
tracks.  Who on Earth could Henri be talking to?  There was no phone at the
cabin and her cell phone had never worked through this stretch of Snoqualmie Pass.

Henri’s voice was
hushed.  He was talking very quietly.

It was as if he
did not want her to hear.

Kate’s heart
thudded in her ears.

She closed her
eyes and listened, hating herself for eavesdropping on Henri.

“I’ll be home
soon, sweetheart,” Henri said.

Kate’s heart
sank. 

Her blood iced in
her veins.

No! No! No! 
Her
mind screamed that this could not be true!

“I’d be with you
if I could…you know that I would sweetheart,” he said, his tone hushed.  “I
hope that you had a happy Christmas,” he whispered with longing in his voice.

Kate brought her
hand up to her mouth.

This could not be
happening!  Henri had seemed so genuine, so real when he had said that he cared
for her!

“I love you too,
sweetie,” Henri said.  “See you soon, love.  Bye.”

Kate struggled to
breathe as her throat constricted.

How could she
have been so stupid?