Chapter 6 Ares
“Stop here. I want to take a selfie of us,” Ares steered them to a snowflake light display.
“You’ve taken so many,” Josie pouted, but her eyes were bright with merriment.
Ares leaned down and kissed her cheek, took out his phone, and snapped another picture.
“I need to capture it all! It couldn’t be a better setting for our first date.”
Josie closed her fingers over his, smiled at the camera, and then he put his phone away, leading them back towards the vendors, holding her hand.
Ares couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. Holding her hand made him feel all warm and jolly, like he had just sipped hot cocoa.
“Even without the snow, it’s still Christmas standing here,” Josie said. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, the multicoloured lights reflecting on her glasses.
“It’s a Christmas explosion.” He offered his arm. Josie slipped her arm through his and his head buzzed with pleasure.
Growing up on an island in the Mediterranean, his Christmas was palm trees, poinsettias, and over the top decorations made of ribbons and foliage.
Now striding with Josie beside him through the transformed Jack Poole Plaza, catching the smell of stout beer and gingerbread, brought to mind that winter he and Xander spent in Germany before Harper came into their life.
That trip was memorable because it’s where he and Xander started to plan for a new future. He never doubted that his brother would make his vision a reality.
Their time in Germany was also memorable because of the woman who broke his heart, but he’d rather not think about Trixie.
Josie stopped, turning to one of the little vendor huts that sold jewellery.
“Do you like those?” Ares pointed to a pair of red earrings that looked like two halves of flower.
“Yes, but I can get them.” She shook her head, but her smile made her dimples appear in her cheeks.
“No, it’s my pleasure. Being here with you is all my Christmas wishes come true.”
Josie flushed and ducked her head, the bags she was holding with her free hand rippling in the breeze. “Ares, you’re not serious.”
“Yes, I am. You know this date has been years in the making. Or maybe I should say hoping? Me hoping that you’d say yes.”
“It took me a while,” Josie grinned, pushing a stray curl behind her ear.
“Yep, but I forgive you,” Ares returned her grin, feeling like a lovesick puppy.
If anyone on the team of mercenaries—his sweeper team—he managed saw him right now, they’d hide their snickers, and he knew, as soon as he left the room they’d tease him but he didn’t care what anyone said.
“I’ll take these,” Ares pointed to the pair of earrings Josie had admired. The man at the booth smiled and took them off the display for him and wrapped them in a box.
“Thank you, Ares.”
“You’re welcome. See? It’s not hard to let me spoil you.”
“You’re a little pushy,” Josie said.
Ares laughed. Accepting the package from the vendor, he slipped it into one of Josie’s bags.
“I’ve been told that once or twice and I make no apology for it. What else do you want?” He wrapped his arm around her.
“You can’t keep giving me things!”
Her cheeks were flushed by the cold, her eyes sparkled, and the warmth of pleasure he felt in buying her more than she could carry from the Christmas Market vendors was all he needed.
“I certainly can.” Ares placed his hand on the small of her back.
Josie shook her head, and he looped his arm through hers, walking through the crowd, admiring the merchandise for sale. “Even if it makes me uncomfortable?”
“I want to give you more. It’s my pleasure to spoil you, Josie.”
“I don’t need to be spoiled.” Josie paused at a stall, shook her head, and went by.
Ares tugged her back. “Tell me what caught your eye?”
“Nothing.”
“Josie,” Ares stepped into her space, brushed his hand through her bouncy curls. “Tell me or I’ll have to give you so many orgasms, you’ll scream.”
Her face heated, and she glanced at the ground.
Ares raised an eyebrow, cocking his head. Ever since their evening started, and they wandered through the brightly lit Christmas Market, he had wanted to have the conversation of where things were going between them.
Of where he wanted things to go between them.
Not that he was in a rush, but he didn’t believe in wasting his time or Josie’s. If she wasn’t open to a sexual relationship, he’d lick his wounds and part as friends.
“That scarf is perfect for my friend Maisy,” Josie bit her lip.
“Just one or two?”
“Ares! Seriously, buying me gifts that I want for my friends is too much.”
“You have no idea how many orgasms are too many, do you? How it feel to have your body trembling from so much pleasure its pain?” He whispered the words against her ear and then nibbled the delicate shell, feeling her shiver.
She shook her head, a blush climbing up her neck. “Ares, that’s…no I haven’t.”
“Buying you gifts, taking care of you, letting me do things for you gives me pleasure, Josie.”
“And making me orgasm would give you pleasure?” She tilted her head to the side, as if she couldn’t believe him.
But she had no idea how much pleasure he wanted to wring out of her body. Of how much he wanted to hear what she sounded like as she climaxed.
Ares cupped her face in his hands. “Yes. So would kissing you,” he leaned down, and Josie stood on her tiptoes.
“More glühwein?” A guy with a nozzle coming out of a backpack interrupted them.
Josie took a quick step back, almost stumbling.
Ares grabbed her arm to steady her.
“Thanks,” Josie mumbled.
“No thanks, we’re fine,” Ares waved off the guy with the backpack.
Josie let out the most adorable little sound and covered her mouth.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“You sound so annoyed.”
“I am annoyed. He interrupted our kiss.”
“I’m sure we can do it again.”
“What a great idea,” Ares cupped her nape, leaned down and kissed her, gently teasing her lips, nudging her mouth open. He kissed her slowly, exploring her mouth, her taste better than any spiced wine he’d ever drank.
Josie melted against him. A little breathy moan escaped her lips. He broke the kiss, beaming at her.
“It’s a deal. Let me buy you these scarves, then let’s get some food and go on the carousel.”
Josie shook her head at him. “You’re so bossy.”
“Yes, I am, but you get presents, so it’s a win-win.”
Josie grabbed his hand, her giggle like tinkling bells. Ares knew he’d do whatever it took to make her laugh like that as often as possible.
He bought the scarves, then led Josie through over to the food hall.
“It’s so Christmassy,” Josie trailed her hand along a light-covered tree.
“Here in this Christmas Market? That’s surprising,” Ares teased.
“Ares!” she squeezed his arm, her smile lit up her face. “I like how everyone is happy, and it feels so peaceful and there are decorations and pretty things everywhere.”
Ares draped an arm around his shoulders. “I feel the same way. It’s why I love Christmas.”
“Do you have any Christmas traditions?”
Ares threaded his fingers through hers, working out how to answer her. Growing up he and Xander didn’t have much joy at Christmas or any other time. It was a constant battle in trying to escape the tyranny of their father.
But their mother tried to light the spark whenever she could and in their adult lives, both of them found joy by giving.
“Not really. Since Logan’s joined our family, he insists on opening stockings on Christmas morning. His rule is that everything in the stocking needs to be useful, no gag gifts.”
Keeping it to the present was way easier than explaining his past. “I also get to choose one thing for Xander to do each year.”
“That’s fun. We always have a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve.” She leaned on his arm and Ares felt like he was on the set of a Christmas movie.
“Is that why you became a chef? Because of those fancy dinners?”
“They might have influenced me, but growing up, my mom was still working and I learned to cook for myself and it made me feel good to cook for others.”
“Do you have a service kink?” Ares watched her face closely.
And how she ducked her head and those long eyelashes of hers sent blood rushing to his cock. This woman was as sweet as a candy cane and he wanted to lick her all over.
“So many choices,” Josie surveyed the stalls, not answering his question.
Ares chuckled, his palm resting on the small of her back. He’d be patient and get an answer to his question.
“What looks good?”
“The stuffed pancake!”
“With ice cream or whip cream?” Ares nuzzled her soft cheek.
“I’m a whip cream kind of girl.”
“Really?” Ares waggled his eyebrows.
“Yes and it’s completely innocent,” Josie stepped forward and before he could order for her, she did it herself. “Do you want one?”
“Yes. I’ll have the same. Do you want a cheese covered pickle?” He gestured at the stall across from them.
Josie scrunched her face. “No pickles.” The vendor handed her two cups of the stuffed pancake, and Ares already had his card out to tap and pressed it to the reader before Josie opened her purse.
“Hey! I was going to buy.”
Ares led them to an open table in the dining tent, whistling to the carols that were being played nearby.
He pulled out a chair and noticed Josie moved a little slow to sit down. “I need to tell you something.”
“What?” Her tone had a note of panic. He loaded his spoon up with whip cream and lifted it to her mouth.
“Open.”
When she did without a protest, it sent a thrill down his spine. “Good girl.” he reached out and took her hand in his. “Here’s the thing. I’m rich. Really rich. You need to accept that I am going to buy you things and pay for everything.”
Josie tilted her head, her glasses reflecting the coloured lights above them. “I know you are rich. I struggle with letting people do things for me…because of my disability.”
Ares squeezed her fingers. He’d suspected that might be part of her reluctance, but he needed to hear her say it.