Yule Be Mine (24 page)

There was so much pleasure in being near her that Levi could have spent the rest of the night just nibbling on various erogenous parts of her body and enjoying her response to each flick of his tongue or warm suckle.

On her inner thighs, he left hickeys that no one would see except him. But Beth would go through her day tomorrow knowing they were there, and remembering him.

Though it wasn't necessary, he held her legs open as he teased his tongue along her pelvic bones, dipped into her navel, and trailed downward.

Finally, when he knew she couldn't take much more, Levi glided his fingertips over her and found her damp and swollen. In a gentle back and forth motion, he insinuated two fingers into her, all the while watching her face and seeing how even that simple touch nearly put her over the edge. Between her expression and the feel of her slick, hot, and tight around his fingers, he nearly lost control.

“You're squeezing me, Beth. I like that.” He pressed a little deeper, slow but firm, until she gasped. New moisture bathed him, and he bent to nuzzle his lips around his fingers, tasting her and exciting himself more.

Trying to find relief, Beth moved her hips against him. Her inner muscles rhythmically clasped and released him in a building torrent of sensation.

Levi inhaled the spicy, pungent scent of her arousal, licked his tongue over her, around her, and gently drew her throbbing clitoris into his mouth.

Her reaction was instant and explosive.

With a throaty groan she came, her entire body rigid, pulsing, suspended with pleasure. Once again, her nails stung his shoulders as she struggled to ground herself and keep him as close as he could be.

The rush of it almost had Levi spiraling away, too. He eased the pressure as her body slowly sank back to the mattress and only little aftershocks rocked her. He took one last lick over super-sensitive flesh, felt her flinch, and retreated. Her ragged breathing filled the air. The mattress shivered with her pounding heartbeat.

Levi didn't want to leave her, didn't want to give up the heady taste of her, but he forced himself to move up beside her.

To his surprise, she immediately turned into his arms, tucking her head under his chin as she squeezed him tight.

“Hey?” he murmured, still a little unsteady himself from her release. “You okay?”

In answer, she took a gentle bite of his pectoral muscle.

“Ouch.” Okay, so a bite wasn't tears. Or regret. It was sort of…playful.

He felt her smile against his heated skin. “Thank you, Levi.”

Confused, he considered her actions and her sentiment before cautiously replying. “You're welcome.”

“Now it's your turn.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “I don't know if that's a good idea.”

But Beth wasn't listening. Lazily, given her recent climax, she sat up beside him. “Off with the boxers.”

Levi weighed his options, knew he wasn't strong enough to resist, and decided he'd better ensure protection first. “Give me just a second.” Sitting up, he stretched his arm to the chair beside the bed and snagged his jeans. From his back pocket he withdrew several connected condom packets.

“How many did you bring?”

“I don't know. When I realized you'd left, I just grabbed some.” He separated one packet and, after shucking off his shorts, opened it.

Beth said, “Let me.”

Just the thought of that had him shaking. “Not this time. If you start handling me, I'll be a goner.”

She trailed her fingertips along his naked thigh. “Really?”

In a rush, Levi rolled on the condom. “Sorry, babe, but I've wanted too much for too long to show much restraint. Maybe in a decade you'll be able to tease me some. But not yet. Definitely not tonight.” And with that, he put Beth on her back again. On the ragged edge, he growled, “Now open up and let me in.”

Wearing a big, sexy smile, Beth did just that.

As he sank into her, Levi closed his eyes. Being joined to Beth made him feel like an idiotic poet. It was profound. It exceeded anything he'd ever known or felt.

He pressed in harder, deeper. “I'm not going to last.” He pulled out, and then, watching her, thrust in again.

Her smile disappeared on a gasp. “Okay.” Wrapping her fingers around his biceps, she held onto him. “Anytime you're ready.” Her legs twined around him until she locked her ankles at the small of his back.

Levi straightened his arms so he could watch her breasts, and began thrusting in a steady rhythm. With each glide and retreat, Beth got wetter, hotter, and she clenched tighter. He locked his teeth.
Not yet
, he told himself, but he knew it was useless.

His fingers knotted in the bed sheets. “Look at me, Beth.”

She did, her eyes smoky and dazed. “Levi?” she whispered.

He drove into her, unable to reply.

“I'm going to come again, too.”

That did it, especially with the way her voice caught on the last word, the way she moaned and tensed and twisted beneath him.

He took her mouth, devouring her, their groans mingling together, so much a part of her that he knew sex with any other woman would never compare.

Spent, Levi relaxed his weight down onto her. He felt Beth's mouth touch his sweaty shoulder, felt her legs slide away from him.

Damn it. He couldn't take much more of this without her acknowledging their future together. Levi rolled to the side of her, staring at the ceiling, so aware of Beth that he felt her in his heart. Cool air wafted over his sweat-damp skin, but not for long. Beth curled into him and sighed.

Levi waited.

“It keeps getting better and better.”

He smiled, ready to point out how great it'd be in a few years. But Beth wasn't finished.

“I keep saying this, but…could we talk in the morning?” She gave him a halfhearted pat on his chest. “I'm fading fast. You've worn me out with the chase and the capture and the awesome way you just made me feel.”

Because she sounded sincere, and she ended that statement on a deep yawn, Levi relented. “Sure. Go to sleep, honey. I'll be here when you wake up.”

“I know.” She snuggled closer. “Because I'm not letting you go.”

Levi's heart nearly stopped, then went into a fury of pounding that might have bruised his ribs.
She wasn't letting him go?

After several moments of stunned silence, he lifted his head to look at her. “Beth?”

Her deep, even breaths gave the only reply. Well, hell. How could she make a statement like that and then just nod off? Did she mean what she said? Was she delirious? Too tired to think straight?

Confusing him with someone else?

No, not that.

Levi slid his arm out from under her and left the bed. Beth didn't stir so much as an eyelash. Feeling disgruntled, he went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he returned, she didn't awaken but she did immediately settle back against him.

He understood her reserve, he really did. To go from being engaged to one man to marrying another in a matter of days wasn't an easy change to accept. But it was right. They were right together. This was their big opportunity at happily ever after, and Levi wasn't about to let her miss it.

Staring at the shadowy ceiling, Levi realized that he hadn't bothered to turn off the light. He looked at the lamp, but it was too far away from him to reach without getting up again.

He'd never get to sleep, damn it.

Confusion kept his thoughts churning for hours, but eventually the warmth and comfort of Beth's body wrapped close to his lulled him. He listened to her breathe while stroking his fingers over her supple waist and hip.

Finally, he drifted into a deep sleep.

He didn't stir once the rest of the night.

 

Grace hung up her sweater and then turned to the big bed she shared with her husband. She almost sighed. Noah was by far the most gorgeous man on the earth, and so wonderful that she often wanted to pinch herself to make sure it was all real.

Not that she ever doubted his love. Every day, in a dozen different ways, he made his feelings for her well known.

Grace enjoyed the sight of him a few moments more, then whispered, “Noah?”

Sprawled on the bed naked, Noah peeked open one eye. When he saw her in her undies, the other eye opened, too, and his gaze slid over her with heated appreciation. “Hmmm?”

Grace knew that look oh-so well—and she loved it. But wanting them to stay on track, she quickly pulled a nightshirt over her head before going to sit on the mattress beside him. “I'm curious about something.”

His big warm hand settled heavily on her upper thigh, and he made a sound that showed she had his full attention.

As always.

To keep Noah's hand from roaming, Grace put hers over it. “What could Levi have done to Beth that she thought was so kinky?”

Startled, Noah gave up his perusal of her body and jerked his gaze up to her face. “What? Who says they did anything kinky?”

“Beth was embarrassed over what they'd done. She said she behaved like a sexual freak.”

For a single moment, Noah looked horrified, then he gave a chagrined half laugh. “Hell, honey, I don't want to think about anything like that, much less talk about it. Beth's practically a sister. A baby sister.” He shook his head. “Her sexual activities are definitely on my list of taboo subjects.”

Grace wouldn't give up so easily. “Don't be ridiculous. She's only Ben's stepsister, and though neither of you show it nor acknowledge it, Ben's a half brother. That means Beth's not a blood relation to either of you, but she's even less of a real relative to you than she is to Ben.”

Noah blinked at that long jumbled argument. “A brother is a brother and a sister is a sister. Doesn't matter how it comes about, it's still the same.”

Grace frowned at him. “I could see if Ben was a little squeamish talking about Beth and Levi, but you—”

Noah shushed her with a groan. “Knowing Ben, he'd probably want details—so he'd have more reasons to demolish the guy. In case you didn't notice, Ben doesn't seem to like Levi much.”

Grace waved that away. “Ben was just blustering, playing up that ‘big brother' role. But we both know he wouldn't actually hurt Levi without good reason, and no reason exists, so it's not a problem.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” Grace bent to put a quick but interested peck on Noah's chest. “So, what do you think the two of them did?”

“I have no idea.”

Grace bit her bottom lip. “Do you think they've done anything we haven't done?”

He made a sound that was half laugh, and half groan. “How the hell should I know?”

Grace huffed. Sitting straighter and frowning at Noah, she said, “Okay, let me rephrase this then. Is there anything we haven't done?”

Noah started to laugh, caught her frown, and changed his expression to one of serious consideration.

“You know what?” He hooked his arms around Grace, tumbled her down over him, and said, “Instead of talking about this, why don't I just run a few possibilities past you?”

It wasn't quite what she'd had in mind, but Grace gave into that suggestion with enthusiasm. “Now that you mention it, I like that idea even better.” She put her arms around him. “Let's.”

 

As Ben stepped out of the bathroom in the suite of rooms he shared with Sierra, she said, “We need to go shopping tomorrow. Can you free up some time?”

Still damp and busy drying, Ben glanced toward his wife where she sat cross-legged on the bed, a gift catalog opened over her lap. To his enjoyment, she wore only a ribbed undershirt and his favorite pair of pink and black barely-there panties.

Ben had bought her the underwear, and a dozen other pairs in a variety of styles, fabrics, and colors. When Sierra opened her Christmas presents this year, she'd have a dozen more.

He loved seeing her in sexy panties. They were such a contrast to her take-charge, tackle-any-job attitude and her sleek feminine muscles gained from hard work as a landscaper.

As he looked her over, his blood heated. “I can take the afternoon off. But what are we shopping for? I thought we'd finished our holiday gift buying.” And he could definitely think of better ways to spend a free afternoon than shopping.

Without looking up, Sierra flipped the page. “We need something for Levi. The problem is that I don't know him that well. I guess I'll get something generic. You know, something all men enjoy.”

“Like?” If Levi wasn't chasing Beth, Ben would suggest all types of things. But a man didn't make sexual jokes about a sister.

Sierra shook her head. “I don't know yet. I'm hoping to find some inspiration in this gift book.”