Chapter 37 Nancy
THIRTY-SEVEN
NANCY
Karl looks like he’s holding it together by a thread. The tendons in his neck are tight, his jaw clenched, and his forehead pulled together in determination. Determined to make this last longer, I have no doubt. Once again, I can’t think of a single complaint. I’m determined to prolong this too.
“Look at me,” I demand, and his eyes snap up from where they were locked on his cock disappearing inside me.
His pupils are so dilated that the blue of his eyes looks like a bright ring, and I can’t look away, wondering if mine look similar.
Karl leans forward, his lips ghosting over mine, teasing a kiss. “How”—his lips move to my jaw—“does this feel”—he nips my earlobe—“so fucking good?” His breath chills the wet skin of my neck before he chases the sensation away with a stroke of his tongue.
I love this man’s tongue, I think, a poorly timed nervous giggle escaping.
He stops abruptly. “What?”
Shaking my head, I twine my fingers into his hair, pulling until his eyelids flutter closed and he releases a tiny moan.
It’s my turn to lean in to kiss him now.
Slowly moving my lips over his, I trace the seam of them with my tongue until he opens for me.
He responds by pressing me harder against the wall as his hands angle my hips so when he resumes his rhythm, he hits somewhere inside of me that catches me off guard, and the only reaction I have is to sink my teeth into his bottom lip.
He sucks in a quick breath, tipping his head back as he fucks me harder. I’m barely able to register that my mouth tastes metallic as my own head falls back, eyes shutting as the orgasm slams into me.
Karl’s hips speed up more and then still as he follows me over, hands clenching impossibly hard around my hips as he empties inside me.
I stare at his chest as he catches his breath, laying my hand on it to feel how hard his heart is beating, mirroring the touch with my other hand on my own chest. Undeniable proof that this is all real.
“Oh my god,” I shriek when he finally tips his head down. I try to scramble out of his grip, but he holds me in place. “Your lip.” Well, now I know why my mouth tasted metallic. I made him bleed.
He grins back as his tongue sneaks out and swipes across his bottom lip. “Worth it.”
“You’ve picked this up quickly,” my mother-in-law says, nodding at where my hands are braiding a Danish for Christmas morning.
“Well, braiding is my specialty.” I shrug off the compliment.
“Not just the braiding,” she amends. “Even in the last week, you’ve gone from being a little timid to confident.”
“Well,” I start, looking up as she smiles down at me like a proud parent. I think so anyway. I’m not really used to this kind of response. “I guess I’ve had a good teacher.”
“Don’t invalidate your desire to learn. It plays a far bigger role than my patience.”
“I think I’m really enjoying getting to do something new.”
She chuckles. “When you decide to try something new, you certainly don’t hold back.”
I look over my shoulder at the clock. Karl should be back soon from the groomer with Jack.
I took him in this morning so he will be all ready for Christmas.
It’s the first time in my life I’ll be spending the holiday away from my family, and there’s an odd sense of sadness.
There’s excitement mixed in as well. The Hores are basically a family straight out of a holiday movie.
The house is decorated to the nines. The tree has a menagerie of ornaments.
Some were picked up on vacation, while others were clearly handmade by the boys.
Everything in this house was chosen or made by the people living in it.
I love it all more than I ever expected.
“Your son has been a rather influential figure in my life.”
“He gets that from his father. The man goes from zero to sixty in all things, and I just smile and go along with him.”
“Is it ever hard?” I ask and then immediately regret it. She’s going to think I’m regretting my decision. That I won’t be along for the long run.
She wipes her hands on her apron and hums thoughtfully.
“There are definitely days that are harder than others. Days when I want to dig my heels in and say, ‘Now wait a damn minute,’ and on those days I ask him to back off a bit, maybe sit on whatever he’s thinking about rather than jumping straight in.
I didn’t always in the beginning. Communication is key,” she states.
“If you have that, everything else will be a bit easier.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt out as I finish the final Danish.
“For what?”
“For showing up here unannounced, especially right before the holidays. You’ve all been so wonderful, but I am sorry for springing all of this on you.”
Elizabeth pulls me in for a hug without warning. Clearly this is who Karl gets his hugging skills from.
“Honestly, it’s the most Karl thing ever. He can be impulsive, but he’s usually impulsive about the right things, and I haven’t doubted for a moment that you are right for him. You said yes and went through with it after all.”
The truth spills out of me. “I don’t think I said yes for the right reason initially.”
She pulls back so she can look at my face. “How do you mean?”
“I think I thought it was a silly way to break free of my fam—my mother. I also don’t know if I believed we’d really go through with it.”
I expect her expression to harden, but it remains open, inquisitive. I wait for her to say something, but she clearly wants me to go on.
“When we got to Niagara Falls, the excitement of being rebellious gave way to the excitement of being his wife. In an hour and a half, my motivation completely changed.”
“So you may not have said yes for the right reason, but you said ‘I do’ for the right one,” she says quietly, and I nod. “And you love him?”
I’m so glad I came to the realization that I do so I don’t have to lie. “So much it terrifies me.” The truth bursts out of me like a secret I’ve been holding for years.
“That’s the right amount then.” She chuckles. “For what it’s worth, Nancy, I wasn’t worried. You were both glowing when you walked through that door, even if you looked like you wanted to flee for the first ten minutes.”
“I genuinely expected you two to lose it.”
“If it had been Matt, we may have. But not Karl. And you may not see it, but oh my, the way that boy looks at you.” She shakes her head. “He leaves no room for doubt.”
I’ve just covered the danishes in plastic wrap when I hear the front door open, followed by nails on hardwood. Jack races into the kitchen, barely managing to avoid taking me out as he slides across the tile.
“My goodness, don’t you look handsome?”
“Thanks, I had them give me a quick shampoo as well.” Karl preens, sauntering into the room behind Jack.
I glance up at him, dropping to my knees in front of our very fluffy border collie. “Did you have a good time at the groomer?” I ask, hiding my face in his neck. “How was he?”
“Apparently chatty, but otherwise the goodest boy,” Karl says, squatting next to me and giving me a quick kiss before walking to the fridge.
“What’s that?” I ask, gesturing at the covered tray he’s holding.
“Dinner.” He grins, closing the fridge and turning back to me. “Christmas Eve sushi.”
We talked more about our traditions a couple of nights ago while the credits for Home Alone rolled.
The Hores do certain things every year. New pajamas on Christmas Eve, certain movies rewatched yearly, and the same food eaten on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Cozy is how I’d describe his traditions. Cold is how I describe my own.
“But first,” he says, approaching slowly with hand outstretched. When I take it, he pulls me to him. “Home to get ready.” His hand snakes down my back. “Maybe have a nap,” he murmurs against my hair as his fingers curl around the curve of my ass.
“Dude,” Matt huffs from the door.
Karl’s eyes stay on me, and I fight not to laugh.
“They have their own place, but they…” I bury my face in Karl’s chest, losing the battle to not giggle as Matt’s voice trails off, the sound of his heavy footsteps on the stairs drowning out his grumbles.
I slip my hands into his back pockets and tip my head back to get a good look at him.
“Home?” he asks.
I nod, giving his ass a squeeze through his pockets. “Home.”