Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Zena
I couldn’t believe it.
I kissed him.
And he kissed me back.
Unbeknownst to him, I hung mistletoe above the couch earlier, so technically, we were supposed to kiss. But honestly, I wanted him so badly, I couldn’t hold back any longer.
Our mouths moved together in the darkness like forbidden whispers in a library, neither one of us stopping.
I wanted to taste him, consume him, strip naked and bare my soul to him, vulnerable to his every touch, his every kiss, his everything.
A man had never made me feel the way Roman did. That was something I just couldn’t ignore.
My lips tingled as he deepened the kiss, his hands cupping the sides of my face as he dragged his calloused thumb along my cheek. The roughness sent me over the edge, and I threw myself into his lap, climbing into his eager arms and wrapping my legs around his waist.
I felt him everywhere all over me from head to toe and I couldn’t hold back any longer. I thrust my tongue inside his mouth, teasing and twirling around his. A guttural noise escaped from his throat and vibrated through my chest, causing my heart to soar.
Roman met me kiss for kiss, touch for touch, as the passion exploded between us, fireworks held back for far too long.
When we finally broke apart, our chests heaved, his moving as quickly as mine, the only sounds between us, that of our breathing and the soft fall of snow outside.
“Holy shit,” Roman muttered as his fingers rubbed at his jaw.
Damn straight holy shit. I breathed. My lips felt puffy, swollen, bruised almost, and I fucking loved it.
I’d never been kissed like that before in my life.
And I wanted more.
I leaned forward again, but this time he put a handout, stopping me. “Zena wait.”
Hurt hit me sideways like a ton of bricks. Stupid, silly feelings I didn’t want to have, but couldn’t stop. Rejection was one thing I didn’t handle well, and I’d rather stop it before it came hurdling at me. I knew better, and I didn’t fucking listen to myself.
I climbed out of his lap and stood quickly. “I’m sorry. What am I thinking? You’re my customer. I should go.”
Roman grabbed my arm and pulled me back towards him. “Zena, that’s not that I meant.”
“Listen Roman save it. We don’t need to do this. I should’ve left a long time ago. And now I’ve let the Christmas magic or whatever get in my head.”
Roman stood up and grabbed my other hand.
He brought both of my hands to his lips and kissed them softly.
His hazel eyes bore into me, all of his emotions and thoughts pouring forth into me.
“It’s not just Christmas magic. It’s us.
We’re magic.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple visibly bobbing in his throat.
His fingers dug into my soft skin, as if he never wanted to let me go.
With a deep breath, he spoke, “I’ve hated Christmas since I was a little boy.
I only pretended to like it for my grandma after she adopted me because she loved it so much.
While life has kicked me down left and right, she’s been there for me when no one else had.
I turned cold to everyone but her. I live here alone, reclusive and secluded, writing my mystery novels and content with my life because anything is better than what I’ve lived through before.
Yet now you show up and my world flipped upside down.
You shined light where there was none and turned the black and white into color.
And somehow, in these few short hours of knowing you, I want you.
More than I’ve ever wanted anyone else.”
My heart thundered in my chest like a raging storm.
“I can’t promise I won’t be grumpy, but for you, princess, I’d give you the fucking world. All you have to do is ask.”
“Kiss me.” I said breathlessly.
So he did.
Still in pitch black darkness, our mouths found their way to each other once more.
I didn’t hesitate to slip my tongue back inside, dueling with his in the most sinful way.
I moaned as Roman nearly swallowed me whole.
His hands let go of my arms and landed on my waist, gripping tight and pulling me flush against his tight body.
My hands rested on his stomach, feeling his defined muscles beneath his shirt. I wanted to lick each one and worship his sexy body the way it deserved to be.
Roman broke our kiss and said between pants of breath, “I’m taking you to bed where you deserve to be fucked properly.”
“But first, wait here for a quick second. I need a flashlight.” Roman darted to the kitchen and back in a few seconds. He flicked the light on and illuminated the room. “I thought I might need one after hearing about the storm coming.”
Before I could respond, he tucked the flashlight under his chin and rested his hands on my waist before sliding them down to my ass. He gripped it tightly and lifted at the same time. I wrapped one arm around his neck after taking the flashlight with my free hand and my legs around his waist.
He carried me upstairs, the wind howling outside, and deposited me gently onto a soft mattress. I saw pieces of the room, scattered items from the flashlight, but my eyes didn’t leave his, afraid I might wake up from this fantasy.
“Sit up.” Roman demanded. “Look at me.”
I hoisted my elbows up under me and lifted my head, watching as he began to undress at the foot of the bed. I pointed the flashlight directly at him and shined the beam on his sexy form as he stripped each piece of clothing off inch by inch.
When he was down to only his boxer briefs, I flicked the flashlight off and tossed it to the side.
He climbed onto the bed and hovered above me, placing one hand on each side of my head.
Roman caged me in and drowned me with his presence.
I squirmed beneath him, the hollow ache between my legs growing stronger by the second.
The hunger in his eyes had me feeling like I was last meal and when his head dipped low, he brushed his mouth against my ear. “I’m going to tear you apart and put you back together again.” He rubbed his hardness against my inner thigh and I groaned loudly. “Are you ready for this?”
I nodded eagerly like a kid on Christmas morning. “More than you’ll ever know.”