His lips wrap around my finger, and his eyes fall closed. The vibration when he hums travels along my nerve endings and centers in the very core of my soul. The atmosphere in the room becomes charged, and the heat from the stove only adds to the roaring fire between is.
“Fuck,” I whisper as I pull my finger from his lips.
“What was the question again?” Xander asks, looking as dazed as I feel. “Oh, yeah. Seasoning.” He shakes his head. “You taste divine.”
“Not me,” I say, giggling like a schoolgirl. “The potatoes.”
He licks his lips. “Maybe I should take another taste.”
“No way.” I step away from his reach. “We’ll never make it to dinner if we try that again.”
“Dinner is overrated.”
I put my hand on my hip. “Excuse me?”
“Okay.” He throws up his palms. “It smells absolutely mouthwatering. Can I help with anything else?”
I point to the fridge. “You can get the cranberry sauce out and slice it.”
The timer dings, and I grab my oven mitts. The ham is piping hot and sizzling beneath the foil. I set it on the stovetop and reach back in for the cornbread. With all my components ready, we work together to set the table with food, plates, and silverware. After it’s done, we settle into chairs beside each other.
“I hope being stuck here isn’t keeping you from Christmas with your family,” Xander says, placing a slice of ham on my plate. “I know you haven’t been able to call anyone.”
“I have a couple girlfriends who’re probably going to give me hell,” I reply, sighing. “And Evan’s likely worried, but as for family, my mom is in Fiji, and I lost my dad to cancer last summer.”
“I’m sorry about your dad.” He brushes my hair back so he can meet my eyes. “As for Evan …” He pauses, his face screwing up. “Tastes like a cheating asshole name to me.”
A giggle bursts from my lips. “It does.”
“Tell your friends someone else needed you more.” Xander laces our fingers together and brings my hand to his lips so he can press a soft kiss to the back of it. “You can’t possibly know what it means to have you here with me.”
“I do know.” I smile, my heart aching. “More than you can imagine.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Mmm.” I moan, the combination of his hands and cock exciting and relaxing me at the same time. “That feels so good.”
His chuckle is low and sexy. “I might’ve picked up some things in the past few years,” he says, his fingers working their way across my oil-slicked skin. “Your body tells me exactly what it needs.”
We’re naked, and I’m splayed on my stomach while he tortures me from above. He’s perched on my upper thighs, his cock angled downward to fit in the space along my slit, and as he rocks with the movement of his hands across my back, I’m being teased into a frenzy.
It’s a long, slow, pleasurous torture meant to drive me mad.
“Can I ask you something?” I say, unsure if I should pursue this line of questioning. “It’s okay if you’d rather not answer.”
“Ivy,” he murmurs, his fingers moving up the back of my skull. “You can ask me anything.”
“When you said thirteen was always your number,” I start, biting back a moan. “What did you mean?”
“Ahh,” he says, his knuckles working their way down my spine. “I wondered if you’d caught that.” He sighs, lifting and patting my butt. “Roll over.”
I’m momentarily stunned, but with another nudge, I gather my wits and roll to my back. Then I sigh, because why didn’t we start in this position?
The view is spectacular.
Xander settles on my upper thighs and positions his cock between my legs. He pours more oil into his palm and rubs his hands together. My eyes roll into my head as he rocks forward, putting pressure against my clit, and places his hands on my abs to begin the torture all over again.
“Movies,” he says after a long minute. “I’ve made thirteen movies.” My eyes jump to his, and he shakes his head. “Please don’t freak out.” His fingers work into my sides, and I can feel the apprehension in his touch. “It’s a small number, really. Other production companies pump out ten times that in a year.”
“Was it strange?” His hands roam up to my breasts, and I hum. “Finding out your girlfriend was a porn star and realizing she wanted you to join her.”
“I knew when I met her.” His thumbs work in firm circles. “As for joining her, it didn’t seem like a big deal.” His eyes trail up from my breasts, and he smirks. “I’m not a shy guy, so I viewed it like having sex in front of the camera, and that’s what it was … for a little while.” He looks back to my chest, his long lashes hiding his eyes. “Only a cocky shit like me would think he could tame a woman who has sex for a living.”
“But …” I trail off with a moan. “Surely sex with you was better than with anyone else.”
“You’d think.” He chuckles again, but it doesn’t hold the sexy huskiness from earlier. “If I’m being honest, I don’t think it mattered to her. Big dicks are a dime a dozen in her line of work. The family business has always been her top priority. I can see that now.”
“I’m sorry someone you loved treated you that way.” I trail my fingers across his rock-hard abs. “I know how it feels.”
“She wasn’t the one …” He trails off, rocking his hips. “I know that now.” He rocks again, starting a slow, steady motion. “Just like your ex.” He groans as I thrust against him. “What an idiot.”
My moan turns into a giggle. “Such an idiot.”
He cages me in, his clear blues shining as he gazes down at me. “I’m going to miss this. You. How much longer do I have?”
“Day after tomorrow,” I whisper, choking up at the thought of leaving him. “But we can stay in touch.”
“Definitely.” He swoops down, kissing me delirious before lifting his head and rocking his hips again. “We should probably finish this and do something memorable this afternoon.”
“This is memorable.” I lick my lips, burning the image of him naked and hovering above me into my brain.
“It is.” He tilts his head, smirking. “But I’d like to be remembered for more.”
How could he not be?
Tears burn the backs of my eyes, and I cup his cheeks. “This is the last on a long list, Xander.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
I toss the comforter into the dryer and start the washing machine again. Keeping up with the blanket washing has been a daily chore, but it’s been worth it. Waking by the low-burning fire, with the tree twinkling nearby and Xander sleeping soundly beside me is a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.
As I close the lid and turn, I catch him just as he exits the bedroom after a shower. Yum. Even fully dressed, he’s a vision. I grab the basket of clean clothes and meet him in the living room.