Chapter 79

Pacing the vestibule of his own house Jon stared at his phone for the fiftieth time in the span of five minutes. He couldn’t even explain the urgency to get to her, to touch her and to even just see her. He’d had a helluva day.

He’d earned a free pass from his ex-wife about the girlfriend meeting the kids thing. He’d seen the low boil and knew he was going to have a hard talk there, but she’d told him plainly that they would discuss it when the relatives went home.

The Relatives weren’t leaving until Monday night. He had an entire evening and half morning to concentrate on Tessa. He glanced at his watch again. “If she’d ever get the fuck home,” he said and resumed pacing.

Flipping his cell open he hit the speed dial for her yet again.

“Hello,” came her husky voice.

Finally!! “Hey,” he said smoothly. “Tell me you’re almost home,” he said gently, trying not to look as wound as he was.

The laugh was pure sleep with a touch of sex. “I could tell you we are another hour out…”

He glanced at his watch and nearly let loose the growl that was snarling to get out of his gut. “But you wouldn’t do that to a man who’s dealt with my kind of Christmas, right?”

“Well, since it is Christmas…” she drawled.

Choking on a laugh, “Spit it out woman!”

“I’ll be home in about ten minutes give or take a light or two.”

Slamming his palm on the lights he punched his security code and grabbed his overnighter heading straight for his car. Tossing the bag on the seat he peeled out.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ll be there before you.”

He heard her rustling in the car, “What?” Then silence. “You don’t have to rush-“

“If I don’t see you in the next ten minutes I’m going to climb out of my skin.”

“Oh,” she said and sucked in a breath. “Okay then. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Pushing the phone closed with his chin he jammed it back in his pocket and took the turn just a little too sharp, chirping his tires as he headed onto the main road. Downshifting he popped his knuckles as he hit another red light.

Playing the happy and care-free guy that day had been more headache than enjoyment. He’d loved hanging out with his family and seeing the relatives that only convened for holidays. It was really nice to catch up.

But the whispers and the pitying looks he could have done without. He couldn’t be sorry about the reprieve from the talk with Dorothea though. He knew when she had her mad on, and when she had her game face on…but the way she stared through him most of the day was enough to tell him that things would not be good.

Pulling into her driveway he cut the lights and sighed when a dark house was the only thing there to greet him. Slipping a hand behind his neck he clicked back the seat to wait.

Headlights slowed at her driveway and he sat up, his hand on the door handle just as the car kept moving. “Not too anxious or anything,” he muttered.

When the second car crawled to her mailbox he sat up and breathed and big sigh of relief when it stopped. A tall man climbed out and helped her out of the backseat. Itching to tug her away from him he slowly walked down the driveway.

“Thanks so much for driving the whole way, Adam. I was a useless lump in the backseat.”

“You needed the sleep-“ he cut himself off as Jon came into view.

Jon held out his hand for a shake, “Thanks for getting her home safely. I’m Jon.”

Adam’s grip was firm, if not a little too tight. “I’m Adam. Nice to finally meet you.”

Tessa rounded Adam and put her hand over the little battle of wills they had going on. Adam broke his hold and crossed his arms. She slid her fingers in between his until they were laced perfectly. Standing directly in front of him she smiled up at her would be protector.

“I’m glad you guys got to meet, now if you don’t mind we have some serious Christmas partying to do,” Tessa said with a smile.

“Don’t mind my husband, he sees himself as a big brother role,” Nic said and shut her door. “Nice to see you again, Jon.”

Not wanting to let Tessa go, he shook her hand awkwardly with his left, “Merry Christmas, Nichole.”

“Well he gets points for remembering my name,” Nic said warmly.

“Why don’t you help me get my suitcase out of the trunk, Jon,” she said and tugged him toward the back of the car. Adam popped the trunk and Tessa grabbed him by the hair and down to her level.

Pears, woman and Tessa surrounded him just before her lips took his in a deep, thorough kiss. His world tipped as her flavor seeped inside of him, easing the tension of the day and replacing it with a new tension that tasted of anticipation. It tasted of longing and it tasted of need.

“Hey guys, you wanna grab her bag then go inside and make out, huh? I’m tired and I want to make out with my husband too,” Nic called from the front of the car.

Pulling away with a softer kiss, dipping in for another, he finally pulled away. “Hi.”

She smiled up at him, her fingers twisted into the belt loops of his dress pants as she crowded in on him. Her teeth grazed his chin, her teeth rasping along the stubble on his jaw, “Hello.”

Pressing his hand at her lower back he pulled her in closer so she could feel what she did to him. Just a kiss and he was ready to take her like crazy teenager. He leaned down and hovered just over her lips, “I missed you.”

Her lashes fluttered down, the streetlamps highlighting her cheekbones and the swirling red of her hair. But they also emphasized the shadows and his jaw tightened.

“This Christmas!” Nic called out again.

Jon pulled back and cleared his throat. “Which one’s yours?”

“The two red ones.”

“Two? It was an overnight, babe.”

“Christmas presents in one.”

“Oh, gotcha.” He hefted them both out and had to smile when she popped the handle out and clipped one bag to the other. “I do love a woman who’s a seasoned traveler.”

“Don’t you know? I’m just good at everything,” she said over her shoulder as she walked around to the front of the car.

Hot damn, he loved her to distraction. Slamming the trunk he dragged her bag behind him and back to Nic and Adam.

“Let me see, did he leave any lips left on your face?” Nic grabbed her face, scrunching her lips together.

Knowing that some of Tessa’s outrageous humor had to be part Nicole he just smiled. “I’ll finish them off inside,” he said with a grin.

Tessa laughed and batted at her hands. “Well I do like a thorough man.”

Adam stepped up behind her and slid his hand on Nichole’s hip. “Take care of our Tessa,” he said without a trace of humor.

With fingers laced again he tugged Tessa to his side, “Always.”

Tessa looked from him to Adam and back. “Okay, I think the testosterone hour is done for tonight.”

Breaking their hold, she stepped forward and hugged Nic then Adam. He couldn’t hear what was said, but he had a ten spot on warnings from the both of them. Waving as they drove off Jon dropped his hand on her shoulder, letting his thumb circle along the nape of her neck.

He could feel the apprehension building in her; the way her muscles tensed at his nearness, when just moments before she melted into him. Leaning forward he caught her hand and turned her back to him.

“Tessa,” he said quietly.

She pressed her fingers over his lips to quiet him, “We’ll talk, but first I need you. I need just you tonight, and nothing else.”

Nodding he followed her up the drive, stopping at his car for his own bag. When she unlocked the door, she didn’t even bother with a light. He maneuvered the bag inside the door and he heard her coat hit the floor, along with keys and her bag.

He heard the door close and the snick of a lock before she was on him. Her lips at his neck, open mouthed and hot as she arrowed up to his ear. Her hands went for his buckle and made short work of his zipper.

Reeling he touched her hair, wanting to go slow, to savor her but she drove him quickly to the brink of madness as she always did. She caught first one wrist and pressed it into the wall, then the other as she feasted on his neck again, then his mouth.

She was a silhouette in the dim light of outside moon and streetlights. Her eyes glittered in the dark as she pulled back and pushed his pants down, until she found his boxers. He hissed as she dipped her hand inside.

She looked up at him, still holding one wrist against the wall over his head. “Your body is so amazing,” she whispered into the night as she cupped him. “But it’s this,” she slowly tightened her grip on his shaft and stroked him. “So hard, and soft at the same time.”

He swelled in her hand, impossibly aroused by her low tone. “It feels so good inside of me,” she buried her nose into his neck and nipped at him gently. “So hard and hot, filling me up until I’m not sure I can take another inch of you.”

“Oh God,” he murmured and caught her lips in a rough kiss. Teeth clashed as lips bruised. Unable to keep himself from touching her, he drilled his fingers into her hair, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss.

Her hand slid from his boxers and moved to the buttons of his shirt, pushing it off his shoulder. She broke from the kiss and went to his shoulder. Her teeth were none too gentle as she scraped them over skin. “I know it’s dark and I can’t see, but I know the freckles are there.”

Her fingers slid down over his pecs to his side to the line of his belt. She dropped to her knees and he tipped his head back. “Oh God, Tessa you can’t do that now, it’s been too long.”

Her tongue traced over his hip, and tugged the pants down following the line of his hip to his cock in a slow glide. She helped him to step out of the pants and stood before him. Her fingers opened the shirt wider, her nails finding his nipples unerringly just before her mouth.

Hissing he held her against his chest as she tasted one, then the other pushing the shirt down his arms. Needing to feel her, needing the skin to skin he lifted her sweater up over her head, filling his palms with her through the lace.

He lowered his mouth, sucking her nipple through the lightweight lace until her head tilted back. Flicking his thumb over a nipple he slowly licked his way up her neck with just the tip of his tongue.

He backed her toward the couch and groaned when she flipped him around and pushed him into the cushions. She shimmied out of her jeans and bra and climbed on his lap. The silky soft skin of her ass on his thighs burned like fire.

Tipping forward she guided him to her entrance, but stopped just as the tip of him parted her lips. His head dropped back against the cushions as he gripped her hips. She loomed over him, her mouth latched onto his as she slowly lowered herself onto him.

Sitting up he leaned forward and hissed as she rolled her hips and took him deeper. She felt like a silk, slick fist. Her tongue mimicked her hips, long, slow and deep. His head spun as she glided over him increasing her pace until each seated thrust jarred him into action.

His fingers dug into her ass as she rode him. Sweat glistened off her jaw and he caught the salty drop as his teeth scraped over her neck. “Faster,” he groaned.

“Jon,” she whimpered his name and increased her pace, the slick sucking sounds of their bodies wound him tighter. He tipped her forward until her pelvic bone dug into him. When he heard the difference in her breathing, the slight hiccupping hitch, he pulled her tighter.

His fingers spanned her waist and he drew them down until his thumbs found her mound. Opening her farther he felt the slick coating of her around him. Her need for him. Her body aching for him. He pulled her tight to him, driving into her with short, pulsing thrusts until he felt her vice around him.

She buried her face into his neck and cried out his name, in great gasping sobs as she came. He shouted his release, banding his arms around her back, holding her close as she shivered. Her arms looped around his neck as her breathing eased and her body gentled against him.

He smoothed his hand down her back and up to her neck where he could bury his fingers in the fiery silk of her hair. He heard her sniff and sighed when her arms tightened around his neck.

“Hey, what’s this?”

She kept her nose pressed into his neck. She sniffed and laughed a little. “Afterglow?”

He knew she wanted to laugh it off. He could feel it in the sudden tightening of muscles. “Hey,” he craned his neck back so he could see her face. But it was too dark, the only thing he could tell, was that her eyelashes were dotted with tears. She stared at his chest, running the tip of her finger along his clavicle, but wouldn’t look at him. “Tessa, please honey, just tell me what’s wrong. I can’t fix it if I don’t know.”

“I can’t talk about this naked. It’s just not gonna happen.”

Reaching for the lamp he could make out in the dark he pulled the chain. The light was soft and muted by a dark shade. “Well then let’s get dressed.” He lifted her, pushing her back to the front of his thighs. “Don’t give me that look. And don’t hide your face either.”

She sat up straight and shook her hair back. Her green eyes were bright with temper as her shoulders pushed back they only distracted. He knew she was getting her mad on, but as her body flushed in anger her nipples tightened. All he wanted to do was dip down and take that hard little tip into his mouth and suck until her fingers slid into his hair and held him there.

Curling his fingers into his palm so he wouldn’t touch her he stood, lifting her to her feet. Her soft breast brushed along his arm and he bit back a groan. He knew its weight, knew its taste and knew just how to pleasure her there, but he stepped back from her. He could be easily distracted. Knowing he could drag her upstairs and make love to her until the sun rose only heightened his resolve.

More than half hard, he swallowed against her scent all over him. This was the easy part, his body wanted her…hell, that was the only constant in his life it seemed. He skirted the couch and headed for his bag. He found his cargos inside and tugged them on, tucking his over excitable dick into his pants.

He was pushing her to talk when it was obvious she wasn’t quite ready. But whatever it was that had her so upset when he saw her and talked to her needed to be discussed.

He could ignore it. He knew she wanted to, but watching her slip behind indifference was something he wasn’t willing to do. He’d watched one woman do that over a lifetime, he wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.

She’d pulled on her sweater; the length of it fell around her thighs as she folded herself into the corner of the couch. Tucking her knees inside she tugged the pretty green material down to her toes and folded her hands at her ankles. If she got any further away from him she’d be in the next room.