Chapter Four #3
Her eyes flew open, locking with mine as her second orgasm hit her. This time she didn't cry out—she went silent, her mouth open in a soundless scream as her body convulsed around me. The sight of her coming undone, the rhythmic squeezing of her body around my length, pushed me over the edge.
I came with a hoarse shout, hips jerking as I emptied myself inside her. The world narrowed to the points where our bodies connected, every nerve ending alive with pleasure.
Gradually, awareness returned. I was collapsed on top of her, probably crushing her with my weight. I started to move, but her arms tightened around me.
"Not yet," she murmured, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. "Just stay for a minute."
I shifted enough to take some weight on my forearms, but remained inside her, our bodies still joined. Her hair was tangled around her face, her skin flushed and gleaming with sweat.
We stayed like that until our breathing slowed and the sweat began to cool on our skin. Finally, I withdrew from her body and stretched out beside her on the bed.
I wasn't used to this—the aftermath, the vulnerability of lying naked beside someone I barely knew yet had just been as intimate with as two people could be.
Pepper, as always, broke the tension first. She propped herself up on one elbow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she looked down at me.
"So," she said conversationally, "is that a candy cane in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
I blinked at her for a moment, then couldn't help it—I laughed. A real laugh, not the rusty chuckle she'd managed to coax out of me before, but a full-bodied sound that felt foreign to my ears.
She looked delighted. "He laughs! It's a miracle!"
I pulled her down for a kiss, still smiling against her lips. "You're ridiculous."
"Mmm, but you like it." She snuggled against my side, her head finding that perfect spot on my shoulder again.
I couldn't deny it. I did like it—liked her bright energy, her humor, the way she challenged me at every turn.
We lay in comfortable silence for a while, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my chest. I twisted a strand of her soft hair around my finger, surprised by how something so simple could feel so intimate.
"I have an idea," I said suddenly, remembering the work I'd done outside.
"That sounds dangerous," she teased.
"Get dressed." I sat up, reaching for my discarded clothes. "I want to show you something."
She followed me curiously as I led her downstairs and through the kitchen to the mudroom. I pulled out two heavy parkas from the closet, handing her the smaller one.
"Where are we going?" she asked, zipping up.
"You'll see." I opened the back door to the deck I'd cleared earlier. Her eyes widened when she saw it—the hot tub, nestled in the corner of the deck, steam rising from its surface into the cold air. Snow was falling lightly, adding to the effect.
"You have a hot tub? How did I not know this?" She turned to me with an expression of pure delight.
"It was covered. I uncovered it while you were in the shower this morning." I hit the switch to illuminate the underwater lights, casting a blue glow through the bubbling water. "Thought you might enjoy it."
"Under falling snow? Are you kidding? This is straight out of one of those Hallmark movies where the big-city girl falls for the rugged mountain man during a magical winter storm!" She was already stripping off the parka and sweats she’s donned just moments before.
"What are you doing?" I asked, though I knew exactly what she was doing.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Skinny dipping, of course. Chicken?"
I should have felt ridiculous—standing on my deck in the snow, watching a woman I'd met three days ago strip naked for a hot tub session. Instead, I felt something lighten in my chest, like shedding body armor after a long mission.
"Not in the least." I removed my own clothes, trying not to react to the appreciative look she gave my body. "But it's freezing out here. Get in before you turn into an icicle."
She didn't need to be told twice, climbing the short steps and slipping into the steaming water with a sound of pleasure that sent heat rushing through me again. I followed, the contrast of cold air and hot water creating a shock to my system.
The tub wasn't large—big enough for four people at most—which meant our legs tangled immediately as we settled in. Pepper leaned her head back against the edge, closing her eyes as the jets pulsed against her back.
"This," she declared, "is heaven."
I watched her, taking in the way water beaded on her skin, how snowflakes landed in her hair before melting away. Her nipples peeked above the water line, hardened from the chill air.
She caught me staring and smiled, a slow curve of her lips. "See something you like, Colonel?"
In answer, I reached for her, pulling her onto my lap so she straddled me, water sloshing around us. Her arms went around my neck, her breasts pressed against my chest as she leaned in for a kiss.
This one was unhurried, a languid exploration that still stoked the fire between us. My hands found her ass, squeezing and kneading as she ground herself against my rapidly hardening cock.
"Again?" she murmured against my lips, sounding pleased.
"Can't help it," I growled, trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone. "You do this to me."
She reached between us to wrap her hand around my length, stroking slowly. "I think I'm on the naughty list this year."
"Definitely." I slid my own hand between her legs, finding her already slick despite the water surrounding us. "What should we do about that?"
She gasped as I circled her clit with my thumb. "I think I need some discipline."
The words sent a fresh surge of lust through me. I gripped her hips, positioning her over my cock.
"Let me unwrap my present properly," I murmured against her ear.
I groaned as she guided me to her entrance, then slowly sank down, taking me inch by inch until I was fully seated inside her. The sensation was indescribable—her body gripping me like a silken vise.
"Fuck," I breathed, fighting for control.
She began to move, rising and falling on my cock, her hands braced on my shoulders. Water splashed around us with each movement, steam rising into the cold air. Snowflakes continued to fall, landing on her shoulders, her hair, melting instantly from the heat of her skin.
I leaned forward to take one of her nipples into my mouth, sucking hard enough to make her cry out. Her rhythm faltered as pleasure overtook her, so I gripped her hips, guiding her movements, helping her ride me.
"This is—oh God—" she panted, her head falling back to expose the long line of her throat. "So good, you feel so good inside me."
I was beyond words, capable only of grunts and groans as she rode me, her body clenching around my cock with each downstroke. The contrast of cold air on my face and hot water around my body heightened every sensation.
When I felt her beginning to tighten around me, I slipped a hand between us again, finding her clit. She was so sensitive from her previous orgasms that she nearly levitated off my lap at the first touch.
"Too much?" I asked, ready to pull back.
"No, don't stop," she gasped. "I'm so close."
I circled her clit with my middle finger, feeling it swell further under my touch. Her movements became erratic, desperate, as she chased her release. I could feel my own building, the familiar tightening at the base of my spine.
"Come with me," she urged, her eyes finding mine, holding my gaze as we raced toward the edge together.
Her orgasm triggered mine, her inner walls clamping down on my cock as I thrust up into her one final time. I came with a hoarse shout, emptying myself inside her as she shuddered in my arms, her face lost in pleasure.
We clung to each other as the aftershocks subsided, her forehead pressed against mine, our breathing slowly returning to normal. Neither of us seemed inclined to move, to break the connection between us.
Finally, the chill in the air became too much to ignore. I helped her off my lap, both of us wincing slightly at the separation.
"We should go inside," I said, noticing the goosebumps on her arms. "Before you catch cold."
"Mmm, in a minute." She settled beside me, nestling under my arm, her head on my shoulder. "It's too beautiful out here."
She was right. The forest around us was a winter wonderland, the only sounds the bubbling of the hot tub jets and the occasional distant crack of a snow-heavy branch.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?"
"For sharing this with me. For..." she gestured vaguely, "everything."
I tightened my arm around her, pulling her closer. "I should be thanking you."
She tilted her head to look up at me. "For what?"
I considered my answer carefully. "For bringing a little light back into my life," I said finally, the admission feeling like jumping without a parachute.
Her smile was softer than I'd seen before, something tender in it that made my chest ache. She pressed a gentle kiss to my shoulder, then settled back against me.
We stayed that way until the snow picked up again, forcing us inside.
After a quick shower to rinse off the chlorine—together, naturally, which led to more exploration but no further completion—we moved to the living room.
Pepper rummaged through my kitchen, insisting on making a late lunch while I built up the fire.
The day passed in a comfortable haze—talking, eating, touching. As darkness fell outside, we found ourselves back in my bed, Pepper curled against my side, her head on my chest.
"I should have been sleeping on the couch last night," I said, running my fingers through her hair.
"Mmm, terrible idea," she murmured, nestling closer. "This is much better."
I couldn't argue with that. With her warm weight pressed against me, the scent of her hair filling my lungs, I felt more content than I had in years.
As we drifted toward sleep, my gaze caught on the mistletoe, still lying on the floor where it had fallen. Maybe this Christmas spirit thing wasn't complete bullshit after all.