Chapter 6 #2
She sighs. “Yeah. I sort of can’t help myself.”
“I totally get it,” I tell her, understanding how you just can’t help falling in love with a dog. Or a person. I clear my throat. “So. I have an idea, and feel free to shoot it down if you’re not into it.”
“Okayyyy,” she says, drawing the last syllable out warily before taking a tentative sip of the tea.
“I really wanted to get a Christmas tree for my place. I know we have them all over the adoption center and the office, but I kind of wanted one for in here. It’d look so great by those two windows in the corner, wouldn’t it?
Nothing too big, but do you think you’d be willing to go with me?
I know the weather is shit, but it’s just stopped raining, and I think if we get there before the sun sets…
Okay. You’re not saying anything, so bad idea? ”
She takes another sip of her tea. “I think… I think that’s not a terrible idea.”
“Really? Really, baby? Because if you don’t want to it’s perfectly okay. I will skip it if it’s too triggering for you.”
She reaches her hand out to stroke my cheek, and my heart just fucking flutters in my chest.
“You are such a golden retriever butch,” she tells me, grinning. “But I love that about you.”
Jesus fucking Christ. I’m blushing again. I pick up my mug and sip my tea, trying to convince us both that it’s just the steam from the mug heating my cheeks.
“Okay, great. Should we go right after we finish our tea? There’s a cute tree farm just down the road, so we won’t have to drive too far.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I sort of can’t believe she agreed to help me pick out a tree, but here we are, pulling up to Navarro’s Christmas Trees.
The lot is right in front of their farm, and there’s a huge selection of trees, plus a small petting zoo under a tent with goats and piglets and a sheep, and a small bizarre full of ornaments and holiday gifts in the big barn.
I go around to Evie’s side and open the door for her. She shakes her head, but she knows me. I take her hand and help her out, and we walk toward the entrance.
“You doing okay?” I ask her.
“I haven’t been to one of these places in… well, years.”
“Let me know if it gets too rough for you, and we’ll go.”
“I will, promise. But honestly, it all looks so sweet and cozy, and I’m sort of excited to find the perfect tree.”
“Okay, that’s great. Because I sort of have a plan. See, in my mind, if you spend Christmas with me, and I can spoil the hell out of you and make it the best time ever, maybe I can ease you back into appreciating Christmas again. Because we’ll make it ours, you know?”
When I look down at her, she’s biting her lip, her brows drawn together.
“Shit. I’m an idiot.”
“No. No, it’s not that at all. It’s just that you’re so god damn sweet to me, Dru. Truly. And I think… if anyone could make me be okay with the holidays, it’s probably you.”
Well, now my protector heart is swelling almost out of my chest. I do my best not to visibly puff up.
I grab her hand and we start making our way through the rows of trees.
“I’m thinking something maybe four feet tall?”
“You don’t have to get a small tree on my account; you should get exactly what you want. You have such high ceilings—you should get one that’s at least six feet.”
“Oh, is that so?”
She nods, her pretty gray eyes brilliant with emotion, but she looks really happy.
We’re in the middle of a long aisle of trees, the balsam scent all around us, and there’s Christmas music coming from the barn.
It smells like Christmas, feels like Christmas, and I’m so glad she’s with me and doing okay, and suddenly I have to kiss her.
I pull her into me, wrap her up in my arms, and press my lips to hers.
She sinks into me, going soft all over, and after a few moments I step back because it feels like too much. Too much emotion. Too much chemistry.
“There are people’s kids walking around,” I whisper to her. “Come on; let’s find the perfect tree.”
We wander for a while, comparing trees, and pretty quickly she’s totally into it, rejecting a tree that has a bare spot, then another because the top is crooked. It’s just starting to rain a little when she lets out a gasp.
“Oh! This is it! This is the one.”
She’s pointing to a tree that has to be at least seven feet tall.
“You’re sure?” I ask, laughing.
“Dru, just look at it. The branches are full, and,” she pauses to tug at the needles, then brings her hand to her nose and inhales, “it’s so fresh. Do you like it?”
“If you like it, I like it. Let’s get it.”
We pick up the tree, me carrying the heavier bottom end, her carrying the top, and pay for it, get a fresh cut on the trunk, then an attendant helps me tie it to the top of my Jeep, and we head home.
Getting it up the stairs is a bit tricky, but we manage it. I lay down a tarp and shake the loose needles off, and together we get it into a tree stand, then we wash the sap from our hands.
“We’ll have to let it dry until tomorrow, probably, then we can decorate.”
She stares at the tree, and I see her take in a long, deep breath. “It smells like Christmas.”
“Yeah, it does.”
She launches herself into my arms so suddenly, I nearly stumble.
“Dru, thank you. I needed this. I don’t even know how you knew, but I needed to completely reboot Christmas. I can’t say I’m there a hundred percent yet, but this really helped.”
“Aw, I’m so glad, baby. I’d do anything for you,” I tell her before I can stop myself.
She tilts her head back to look at me, and there’s something in her eyes. I saw a hint of it earlier at the tree farm, but now that brilliance has turned into a gleam. I’m still not exactly sure what it means.
“You all good, Evie?”
“So good. You make me feel good.”
“You make me feel amazing. Every single moment with you.”
She stands up on her toes to kiss me, and at first it’s warm and sweet, making my heart beat harder. Pretty quickly the warmth burns hotter, and she’s sighing into my mouth.
She pulls back and says, “Will you take me to bed, please?”
My body is already thrumming with desire. “I will never say no to that offer.”
I grab her around the waist and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder.
“Hey!” she yelps.
“This isn’t what you wanted?” I ask, knowing full well she’s loving it as I move to the bed.
“You mean to be handled like you’re some sort of caveman? Cavewoman? Well… yes, I fucking love it.”
“Then no more sass out of you, missy,” I respond, setting her on the bed and pulling her boots off, leaving her knee-high socks on because she looks cute as fuck in them, and I don’t want my girl to be cold.
Her jeans come off next, then I whip her sweater over her head.
Underneath she’s wearing nothing but a thin tank top and her underwear.
I smooth my hands over her gorgeous tits. “Your nipples seem to like it, too.”
“They do,” she says as she starts to pull her tank top up, but I push her hands aside and hold them firmly for several seconds, looking into her eyes so she understands, then I do it myself.
“Mmm, I love it when you skip the bra.”
I gather the warm flesh in my palms, then smooth my fingertips over the hardened tips before leaning down to kiss her mouth, then her throat, then the soft, sweet flesh between her full breasts. God, I love a curvy woman. And this woman is perfect to me from head to toe.
Her hands go into my short hair, hanging on tight as I flick my tongue at one nipple, then slowly suck it into my mouth.
She sighs. “Oh, yes…”
I straighten to kick my boots off, then my jeans before I press her gently onto her back and pull her to the edge of the bed.
I get down on my knees, slip her underwear off, and part her pretty thighs, draping her legs over my shoulders.
She’s so wet, her pussy glistening. So damn succulent.
I sweep my fingers over the wetness, and she moans.
I do it again, then again, before pressing a finger inside her.
Her cunt clenches, and I slip my finger out, then go back in with a second one this time, and begin to fuck her, watching as my fingers penetrate her wet, pink flesh, thrusting in and out slowly.
She’s writhing already, making that adorable mewling sound she makes when she’s really turned on, and I keep at it for a while, my own pussy wet and aching.
Soon it’s too much for me, and I get up to tear off my sports bra and my boxer briefs, then I climb on top of her and grind my mound against hers.
“Ah, yes, Dru…”
Her hips rise to meet mine, and soon I’m close to coming, but I want to make it last.
I pull back and, taking her by the hips, I help her turn onto her hands and knees. I smooth my palm over her delectable ass, then smack the pale flesh.
She moans and moves her hips; I don’t think she’s even aware that she’s doing it. In the last week, we’ve both come to realize how much she loves a little sensation play, but we still have so much more to explore.
“Baby? Stay right there.”
“What? Where are you going?”
“Shh. No questions. I want you to hold as still as you can.”
She lets out a small whimper, but doesn’t argue.
I go to my bedside table and pull out my leather handcuffs from the bottom drawer and lean over the bed.
“Evie, baby, it’s time for some bondage.”