“O-kay…” He was about to lean in to kiss her because she was saying everything he wanted to hear.
“But…”
Well, almost everything he wanted to hear.
“But…?” he prompted.
“You need to know that this is just…well…it’s temporary. Obviously I’m going to be moving and I think we need to go into this–if you want to–knowing we have an expiration date.”
That…wasn’t what he was hoping to hear either.
“Why? Why do we need an expiration date? People have long-distance relationships all the time and make them work. Why should we eliminate that possibility before we even try?”
Her expression turned sad. “Because I’d end up disappointing you,” she whispered. “As much as I say I regret the time I put into this job, I’m sure I’ll do the same thing with the next. Especially in the beginning. So if you can be okay with us literally just being together through the holidays…”
Gage didn’t even have to think about it. He’d rather have a little of time with her–time for them to explore all that could be–than the fake nonsense they were going to try to pull off.
“I’m in,” he growled as he reached for her and hauled her into his lap.
Chapter Five
She hadn’t lied when she told him about the epiphany about the two of them.
She just hadn’t expected Gage to respond so enthusiastically.
And she didn’t regret it for a minute.
His body was lean and warm and hard all over, and Hannah couldn’t wait to peel him out of his suit. Tonight he had looked like he’d stepped off the pages of GQ and now that she knew him better, she realized there was nothing lawyer-ish about him.
And there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with that.
Hiking her dress up slightly, she straddled his lap and kissed him as if her life depended on it. When they had been trapped in the elevator, she had wanted to get to this stage–this frantic and needy feeling where all either of them could do was rub up against each other, building them up into a frenzy.
It was just crazy how fast it was happening.
Never before had she felt this turned on or this wildly out of control with a man. Obviously she’d been turned on by other guys and enjoyed sex with them, but right now with Gage felt like all of that on steroids. Her skin felt too tight, her dress and bra and panties irritated her beyond belief. All she knew was that she wanted his hands, mouth, and body on her everywhere.
Soon.
Their kisses became needier, hungrier, more urgent. Beneath her, she felt his arousal, and it was simply all she could do to hang on to the last threads of her sanity.
“Bedroom,” she panted against his lips. “Please. Now.”
Gage stood with her wrapped around him. They were both breathless but refrained from kissing, simply staring intently into each other’s eyes as he made his way to her room. Of course he knew exactly where it was since his apartment was identical to hers, but Hannah said a quick and silent prayer of thanks that she remembered to clean it up before they left earlier.
Carefully, he lowered her to the bed before covering her body with his and Hannah sighed with how incredible he felt. Raising her head, she went to kiss him again, but he stopped her.
“Do you know what I thought earlier tonight when you first opened the door?”
She shook her head.
“I thought you looked like the sexiest Christmas present and all I wanted to do was unwrap you.” His voice was low and gruff and sent shivers of delight down her spine. Holding up his hand, she saw it was trembling slightly. “This is what you do to me. Just the thought of being able to touch you has me like this.”
Without breaking eye contact, Hannah reached over to the tie on the side of her dress and gave it a little pull to loosen it before handing it to Gage. “I’m all yours,” she whispered. “And that was just to give you a little head start.”
His smile was almost wolfish as he took the tie from her hands. She waited for him to tear her dress open, but…he didn’t. If anything, his movements were slow and reverent, like he was savoring the moment.
And she fell a little bit in love with him right then and there.
He didn’t kiss her. He didn’t say a word. But every touch and every caress were just as powerful. Her dress of choice tonight worked in their favor because it literally wrapped around her body and when Gage peeled it open, exposing the matching red bra and panties, the look on his face spoke volumes.
With her own trembling hand, she reached up and cupped his cheek. “I want you.”
One large hand covered hers as the other caressed the swell of her breast. “That’s good, because I want you too. So much, Hannah. I’ve imagined you like this every single night since the night in the elevator.”
As exciting as that was to hear, she didn’t want to talk anymore. She wanted him. She needed him. And as she guided him closer so she could finally kiss him again, she couldn’t wait to have him.
“I know there are going to be crumbs everywhere, but I’m too weak to care.”
Beside her, Gage chuckled as he reached for another cookie. “We’ll shake the blankets out once the movie’s over. I promise.”
Snuggling closer, she took a bite of the cookie he held to her lips. “I can sleep with a few crumbs as long as you’re here with me.” Resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, “This is my favorite part.”
“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” A Charlie Brown Christmas was playing on the TV and it was one of Hannah’s favorites.
Reaching up, she swiped a few tears from her eyes. “I’ve watched this special at least a hundred times and I always get choked up,” she admitted. “You must think I’m such a dork.”
Gage kissed the top of her head. “Not at all. I think it’s kind of cute. If you’d been watching me just a few minutes ago, you would have seen me getting emotional when Linus gave his speech up on the stage. As soon as he says, ‘Lights, please’ I pretty much get choked up too.”
It was crazy how much that pleased her. They had so much in common, and she felt comfortable telling him things that would usually embarrass her, which was why she blurted out, “I cry at the end of Scrooged too. You know, when they start to sing ‘Put a Little Love in Your Heart’? As they say in the movie, Niagara Falls.” Just thinking about it had her tearing up and she knew she needed to lighten the mood. “Who’s your favorite reindeer?”
He laughed out loud. “If I say anyone other than Rudolph, then I’m kind of a jerk, right?”
“Good call. Okay, skip the reindeer, what about versions of the movie A Christmas Carol? Do you have a favorite?”
“I’m team Kermit all the way on that one.”
Lifting her head, she looked at him in complete surprise. “Kermit? You love the Muppet version too?”
He nodded.
“I know there’s nothing even remotely sexy about that and yet…I’m almost more attracted to you than I was two hours ago when you were peeling my dress off of me.”