ChristmasisComing (9 page)

He slipped her bra down her arms and tossed
it on the bed beside the dress. Then he turned to her, his gaze doing a sweep
of her upper torso and ending at her breasts. They prickled as if he were
touching her, running his calloused fingers over her curves. Her nipples
stiffened, and she fought the shyness that jumped out of nowhere. This…thing
with Fletch and Liam…it was taking her places she hadn’t expected to travel,
making her reexamine everything she’d thought about herself.

Fletch’s expression softened and he drew
her into his arms. Before she summoned her wits to ask him what he was doing,
he was kissing her. She froze for an instant before his persuasive lips drove
away every thought of protest. He cradled her head gently, alternating
passionate kisses with quick sips that slowly drove her to the point of
madness. With a sigh of surrender, she wound her arms around his neck and hung
on to enjoy the ride. He slipped a hand between them to thumb one nipple, and a
tingle sprang to life in her pussy.

One touch and he made her wetter, yearning
for his possession.

She almost cried when he lifted his head
and stepped away.

“Let’s go to bed,” he said, capturing her
hand and tugging Gaby from her bedroom.

In his bedroom, he scooped her off her feet
and placed her beside Liam before following her down. He had an erection, yet
it didn’t appear to bother him, flaunting his dick with carefree ease.

“Can I take your panties off for you now?”

Gaby bit back a giggle. “You have a panty
fetish?”

“Only for yours.”

She relaxed as he moved down the bed,
lifting her hips at his silent urging. He slid the filmy garment down her legs
and tossed it aside.

“Can I taste you?”

“Yes.” This wasn’t testing her toys, a
small voice reminded her. She was about to take back her agreement when his
tongue slid the length of her slit. An explosion of hunger hit her and she
melted into the mattress, letting him do his worst. A startled hiss escaped
her. The man had skills. With leisurely laps, he moved up and down until fire
streaked through her. He fluttered his tongue over her clit, sending pleasure
sailing free. She let out a soft cry and he immediately intensified his
attention to her clit. He surrounded the engorged bud with his lips, lapping
and teasing until she finally exploded into a toe-curling climax.

When her quivers finally subsided, he rose
up the bed and kissed her. A gentle caress of lips. She tasted her tart juices
on his mouth and sighed. The perfect way to relieve stress.

“Can I fuck you, sweetheart?”

How could she say no? “Yes.” She longed for
a hard cock to fill her and drive away the emptiness left by the visit to her
family. If it weren’t for her father and her grandparents, she wouldn’t visit
the family home as often.

Fletch reached for a bedside drawer and
pulled out a box. He shook it and frowned. “Damn, we’ve used all the test
condoms. Do you have some in your bedroom?”

“Probably. Wait.” She grabbed his arm
before he could jump from the bed. “Remember, I’m on the Pill. You don’t need
to use a condom.”

Fletch froze, his eyes darkening with
emotion. “You sure?”

“Yes.” She trusted him implicitly. Liam
too. She smiled encouragement. “You can be my first. I’ve never had sex without
using a condom.”

“Me neither.”

“Well then.” She swallowed, aware that,
once again, she was annihilating her list of unofficial rules, yet this felt
right. Gaby reached for him in silent encouragement, elated when he returned to
her side.

“If you’re positive.”

“I am,” she whispered.

He kissed her before he rose over her. She
held her breath as he slowly pushed into her. Moist tissues parted when he slid
home and her breath eased out. Perfect. So perfect. She could feel his heat,
and as he withdrew and thrust into her again, a shimmer of delight slid across
her nerve endings. Their lips met and she melted into his embrace. The coil of
energy in her lower body grew with each unhurried thrust. When his lips
fastened on her neck and he sucked, a bungee of pleasure slammed her. Then he
braced his weight on his shoulders and increased his pace. Hard and fast thrusts
that rattled the bed and pushed her over into orgasm in seconds flat. With
satisfaction still pulsing through her, she reached up to apply her mouth to
his nipple. She licked, sucked and bit him lightly.

Fletch cursed, and she froze.

“Do it again,” Liam whispered from her
other side. “He likes a hint of pain too.”

Taking Liam at his word, she repeated the
action. Fletch groaned, thrust hard and stilled, coming so hard she felt the
pulse of his cock, the splash of his seed as he climaxed. Gradually, he relaxed
and he lowered his head to kiss her.

“Thank you. That was amazing.” He pulled
out of her and kissed her again.

“Don’t I get a kiss?” Liam asked.

Gaby gasped, but Fletch didn’t hesitate. He
leaned over and kissed Liam, an unhurried meeting of lips, before pulling back
with a grin.

“It’s getting cold,” Liam said. “I’m
knackered.” He stood to pull back the covers and slid beneath. “Come to bed.”

Confusion struck Gaby over the head. They
were sleeping together now? All of them? She glanced away from Liam to catch
Fletch studying her reaction.

“Spend the night with us, Gaby.”

“It’s early.”

“So? Liam and I had a hard day.”

“I’ll just clean up.” Gaby scuttled from
the bed as if monsters chased her. Good analogy. She felt as if something large
and scary dogged her heels. The haunting started the first night when she’d
trespassed into lover territory. In the bathroom, she cleaned up and used a
cream to wipe away her makeup. Ten minutes later, she dithered in the passage
outside Fletch’s bedroom. She peeked around the corner and saw the two men
under the covers, lying so close she knew they must be touching. She started to
walk past then retreated and marched into Fletch’s room.

Liam opened one eye to peer blearily at
her. “Coming in?”

“Yeah.” She slipped under the covers and
cuddled against Liam’s warm body. It didn’t feel wrong or weird or anything
else except perfect. Gaby went to sleep with a smile on her face.

Chapter Nine

A few days later

Gaby stared into her morning cup of coffee.
She was dressed, ready to go to work, yet she continued to sit at the breakfast
table, prevaricating.

Liam put a hand on her arm and squeezed
lightly. “A penny for them.”

“Don’t forget to account for inflation and
the two and a half percent hike in GST,” Fletch said. “I bid a dollar.”

“The board meeting to give the go-ahead for
my designs is this morning. I’m…” She trailed off with a shrug, not wanting to
admit her nerves.

“You’re worried,” Liam said.

Her spine hit the back of the chair. “I’m
not.” But she was because she’d poured her heart and soul into this design,
taken a chance to approach Alice and James to get the go-ahead for testing.

“Don’t you think Liam and I get nervous
when we put in our building tenders and wait for the result? Of course we do.
It’s natural after you put so much into a project.”

“Your vibrator design is top-notch, Gaby.
Fancy Free is lucky to have you working for them,” Liam added his words of
support to Fletch’s. “You’re gonna kick ass today.” He stood. “It’s time for
you to go.”

Doubt demons whispered in Gaby’s ears. She
wasn’t as sure of the outcome, but Liam was right. She needed to go because she
was already late. She stood and reached for her briefcase and her car keys.

“Wait,” Liam said, grasping her shoulder
and tugging her to face him. “You need a good-luck kiss.” He glanced at Fletch.
“Two should do the trick.”

Before she could move, he lowered his head
and claimed her lips. It wasn’t the quick brush of lips she expected. Her mouth
parted and their lips and tongues did the mambo. When they finally parted, they
were both breathing heavily.

“My turn,” Fletch said.

His kiss was just as passionate—the kiss of
a lover. He pulled away and shunted her gently toward the door. “Good luck.”

“Break a leg,” Liam added.

In a daze, Gaby stumbled out to her car, warm
and tingly thoughts rioting through her mind and echoing in her body. No one
had ever wished her luck like that. Fletch and Liam believed in her.

When Gaby walked into the boardroom,
everyone was already present and they’d been there for a while. The empty cake
plate bore witness to the fact.

“You couldn’t have saved me a piece of
cake?” She wet her finger and tapped a crumb before lifting it to her mouth.
“Coffee cake. My favorite.”

“You shouldn’t have slept late.” Richard
popped the last bite into his mouth without apology.

“Leave the girl alone,” Alice said as Gaby
slipped onto a seat between her and Richard. “She’s innovative. An absolute
genius at design.”

Pleasure surged through Gaby and for a
change it wasn’t sexual. “Do you have a favorite?”

“The vibrator that fits with the music
player. It’s amazing the way the vibrations vary with the music. I tried it
alone and with James. Women will kill to own one of these.”

Her grandmother’s knitting needles paused
mid-row. “She has dollar signs in her eyes.”

“Which did you prefer?” Alice asked.

“The same one as you.” Her grandmother
leaned closer to whisper, “The orgasms were spectacular.”

Gaby laughed and tried not to picture her
grandparents in bed. “Good to hear.”

James rushed in to join them. “Sorry about
the wait. I had to take a phone call. All right. Preliminary findings. Gaby?”

Gaby stood, not needing to refer to the
notes she’d brought with her. She’d glanced through the reports from the
professional testers Fancy Free hired on arrival at work. So far, everyone was
overwhelmingly in favor of the vibrator, although the musical butt plug was
also popular too. “Most of our testers have positive feedback about the
vibrator and everyone liked the musical attachment. There have also been
positive comments about the butt plugs as well. Does anyone have any questions
or comments about any of the products?”

“I think we have a winner,” Alice said. “I
liked the vibrator because I could vary the sensations by using different
attachments. I like having something available to fit my mood, be it fast and
furious or slow and leisurely.”

Katarina nodded emphatically. “I thought
they’d feel awkward, but I liked the materials you used to make them. I found
the attachments easy to change.”

“They weren’t too fiddly for my old hands,”
Ben added.

“This is what we should do,” Alice said.
“Market the vibrator with a basic attachment and offer the other attachments as
extras. Maybe run a special for a limited time—two attachments for the price of
one. The musical butt plug also impressed me. Maybe we could save that for a
promotion for Valentine’s day, repeating the vibrator and including the butt
plug for those who are more adventurous.”

“Brilliant,” Gran said, turning her
knitting around to start another row.

“You’ve got yourself a clever wife there,
James.”

“I know.” James’s voice sounded smug and
proud, and Gaby suffered a twinge of envy until she recalled the kisses she’d
received from both Liam and Fletch this morning. They’d told her she had no
worries and would kick butt. They’d sent her off to work feeling positive about
her abilities. In the past, the only people to encourage her in that manner
were her father and grandparents. With Marc, there’d always been an unspoken
rivalry.

James glanced at each of those present at the
meeting. “Does everyone agree with Alice? And do we need to tweak the product
to improve it?”

“Can we do a deal with a music company to
give the product extra value?” Richard asked.

“Excellent idea, Richard,” Alice said.
“I’ll get right on research for that.”

Gaby almost laughed out loud at the
chagrined expressions from the rest of the elderly board members. They were a
competitive lot and liked to come up with useable ideas.

Katarina brightened visibly. “Group the
songs in packages. One for romantic. One for rough and ready. One for fast and
furious. That sort of thing.”

Alice scribbled another note.

“Fast and furious?” Ben asked in an
incredulous tone. “What’s that song about a slow hand?”

Sam ran a hand over his head, appearing
perplexed. “Yeah, I thought you women liked to get revved up. Leastways that’s
what my wife told me.”

“Haven’t you ever done it up against a
door?” Richard asked.

James and Alice exchanged a grin.

“Details,” Gaby said promptly.

“I’ll tell you personal details about my
love life when you tell me about yours,” Richard said, the glint of challenge
in his eyes. He had her there.

“I’ve done it on a beach,” Gran said. “Sand
gets in your hoo-ha. So much sand I was still finding the stuff in the shower a
week later.”

Gaby spluttered, imagining the scenario all
too well.

“You had sex in a public place?” Sam asked
the question.

Gran paused mid-row. “I don’t like bedroom
antics to get stale.”

“You should try it on a spaceship,” Richard
muttered under his breath.

A spaceship? Gaby frowned, but none of the
others had heard him.

Sam turned to Gaby in open curiosity. “What
do you young people do?”

“Yeah,” Katarina said. “Is there some place
we should try to keep up with the fashion?”

Gaby did a credible fish impression while
trying to think of a reply. None of the elderly board members interrupted.
Instead they waited for her to speak. “What’s wrong with a bed?” she asked
finally. A nice soft bed worked for her, especially if there were two men
alongside her. The longer they stared the greater the heat suffusing her
cheeks.

“She’s blushing,” James said.

Which, of course, made her blush worse.
Another first.

“Do you have a secret?” Gran asked, her
tone verging on sly.

“No, of course not.”

“The swimming hole is a good spot,” Alice
said, thankfully taking the heat off her. “The bed and breakfast,” she added
with a wink at James.

“Outside, under the stars is good if it’s a
warm summer night. My arthritis starts playing up if it’s too cold,” Ben said.

“Anyone joined the Mile High Club?”
Distraction. Her grandmother was still staring at her, looking as if she wanted
to ask questions and provide more discussion for everyone.

“Yes,” Richard said.

“As much as this conversation is
fascinating, does Gaby need to change anything on the design?” James asked,
breaking in before the oldies could add more input.

“No,” Gran said instantly.

“It’s perfect,” Alice said.

“The instructions were clear,” Ben said.
“But we should tart them up a bit and add some sexy tips to romance your
partner.”

“Perfect,” Alice agreed. “Good idea, Ben.
James and I can work on that.”

“Any other questions or concerns?” James
asked.

Gaby held her breath, excitement fizzing
inside her like a glass of top champagne.

“Does anyone want to suggest a final
color?” Alice asked.

“Christmas colors,” Katarina said firmly.
“Red, green and maybe some stylish gold writing. We could package them in gold
boxes with red and green ribbons.”

“We don’t want them to look too gimmicky,”
Gaby protested. The last thing she wanted was for her product to fail because
people hated the colors.

“Don’t worry,” Alice said. “I have just the
right color palette in mind. Come with me after the meeting and I’ll show you.”

“Good,” James said. “I think we’re done
here.”

Gaby followed Alice from the boardroom as
the oldies burst into chatter. Gran’s loud voice followed her down the passage,
demanding to hear details about the Mile High Club because she wanted to join
too.

Alice giggled. “You’re lucky to have such a
progressive grandmother.”

“She has her moments,” Gaby said. “My mother
isn’t quite as supportive of my career choice.”

Alice took her arm and towed Gaby into her
office. “Don’t worry about their opinions. You have friends here. My parents
don’t tell their friends about my occupation and James’ mother and sister are
plain horrid about Fancy Free.”

Gaby sighed. “I know the feeling. My mother
and sister give me a hard time.”

“Don’t listen to them. Your designs make a
lot of people—both men and women—happy. And we couldn’t do without you. You’re
an integral part of our team.”

In her office, Alice unlocked a cupboard
and pulled out a storyboard along with color swatches. “James and I were so
pleased and excited by the product we spent the weekend brainstorming marketing
ideas and colors.”

Pleasure suffused Gaby. They’d liked her designs
and hadn’t waited for the board to confirm the project. She ran her gaze over
the storyboard.

Christmas is Coming
, the title screamed.

The board contained her instructions on how
to use the different attachments plus tips on making Christmas a romantic
holiday. Gaby’s throat tightened and her eyes misted over. It was perfect.
Absolutely perfect.

“You’ve put a lot of work into this. Our
advertising team couldn’t do better.”

Alice beamed. “We’re proud of the design,
and we’re proud of you.” She pulled a box out of the cupboard and handed it
Gaby. “This is something small to let you know how much we appreciate the work
you put into this design. We realize you put a lot of unpaid hours into this,
which is why we intend to give you a large Christmas bonus. This design is a
winner, Gaby. I don’t know how you’re going to top your vibrator.”

Five minutes later, Gaby left Alice’s
office in a daze, the gift-wrapped box clutched in her right hand.

Down in the lab she shared with Marc, she
settled at her desk and opened one end of the parcel Alice had given her.
Champagne. The good French stuff. She knew just the two men to help her
celebrate. Smiling, she set the package aside and checked her emails before
plunging into work on a new ultrathin condom design. Alice and James wanted
something strong and even thinner than their current best seller. She stood to
grab a lab coat off the hook by her desk. She shrugged into it, buttoning
several buttons to keep the coat from flapping open.

She walked over to her testing station and
made a halfhearted attempt to start. Unable to settle, she returned to her desk
and picked up her cell phone to ring Fletch.

“Gaby? Something wrong?” Fletch asked.

Gaby heard Liam’s voice in the background.
“No, nothing wrong. They liked my design for the vibrator. It’s going into
production for the Christmas market.”

He let out a celebratory shout. “Awesome,
sweetheart. Not that I’m surprised.”

Liam said something else and Fletch told
him her news.

“Gaby?”

Liam had taken possession of the phone.
“We’re taking you out to dinner tonight. We’ll go somewhere special.”

Gaby grinned. “Sounds great.”

“And we’ll have a private celebration,”
Fletch said loudly in the background.

“Count on it,” Liam added.

They said their goodbyes and Gaby hung up
with the promise of a fun, sexy evening shimmering in front of her.

Marc sauntered into the lab. “Gaby, I have
a prototype for a new condom. Do you have time to test it with me?” He waggled
his brows up and down in a suggestive manner. “Can I get into your pants?”

Gaby didn’t take time to consider her
answer. “You’ll have to ask one of the test team to help you.” Surprise—no,
shock—filled her as she uttered the words. A week ago she’d thought she’d loved
Marc, and now she wasn’t blind to his faults. The man was obsessed with his
work. He lived and breathed his designs.

While she loved her job, she wanted a
personal life too.

“Damn, is it your time of the month?”

Gaby’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you
just said that.”

“You’ve never said no before, not unless
you had your period and didn’t feel like sex. What am I meant to think?”