All She Wants for Christmas

All She Wants For Christmas by Crystal Jordan

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental. All She Wants For Christmas COPYRIGHT  2006 by Crystal Goldman All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Contact Information: [email protected] Cover Art by R.J.Morris The Wild Rose Press PO Box 706 Adams Basin, NY 14410-0706 Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com Publishing History First Scarlet Rose Edition, November 2006

Published in the United States of America

Dedication I’d like to dedicate this book to Jennifer Leeland, without whom I would never have tried to write this story or known where to submit it. You rock, honey!

God, she wished she could be anywhere but here. What was she doing here? The wedding planner’s lips moved, and Emma knew she should be paying attention, but she just couldn’t. Her head throbbed in a building migraine, the tension pulling her shoulders into a rigid line of stress. “Emma, will you pay attention?” Paul tensed beside her at her mother’s sharp tone. He hated her parents, how they treated her, how they spoke to her. She was their only child, and they expected a lot from her, but this wedding had become a nightmare. Her mother wanted their marriage to be an event worthy of the Richards name, and her father griped at Emma and Paul for every penny he spent on it. “I think we should have orchids, don’t you? They would go so well with this pattern.” The china plate under consideration sported a horrific green paisley design. The wedding planner murmured an agreement, her usual response when Emma’s mother suggested anything. “We’ll have to import them from South America.” Her father harrumphed, and Emma winced, seeing the cost of this wedding climb with every word that came out of her mother’s mouth. “Umm…” Emma stalled, trying to think of a way to tell her mother to stuff her damn orchids. Bile burned at the back of her throat, and she turned to Paul for some moral support. His face was a mask of carved stone, none of the humor and affection she was used to evident on his handsome features. The dark burnished gold of his hair glistened in the weak sunlight shining through the store’s windows, but his blue eyes were blank as they gazed at her. He detested this, and she 1

Crystal Jordan felt like she was strong-arming him to come to these weekly meetings. Dragging him along to pick out place settings had not been high on his to-do list that morning. The wedding had taken a serious toll on their relationship. It had been so long since they shared any of the easy affection that had made her love him in the first place. The stress of opening their own law firm, paying off the massive expense of two law degrees, and now dealing with their upcoming wedding had ground them both down. When was the last time they had had sex? God she missed that, the press of his skin against hers, the tight fit of his penis thrusting inside her, the desperate pant of their mingled breath as they raced toward orgasm. Her sex clenched and dampened at the mere thought of the chemistry that exploded between them from the moment they met three years ago. And now it was just…gone. Did he even care? They never talked anymore, and lately she was afraid to ask. Afraid of what his answer might be. Afraid she already knew the answer. Her mother broke into her thoughts. “What do you want, Emma?” What do you want, Emma? What do you want? The words spun around and around in her mind until she wanted to scream. Tears burned her lids as her stomach dipped in roiling nausea. Could she say what she really wanted? What would happen if she threw her life and all her careful plans away? Fear made her hands slick with cold sweat. “I don’t—I don’t want to get married.” There. She said it. She took a deep, shuddering breath. Relief and sheer unadulterated terror made her legs shake like jelly as she gathered her briefcase and stood. Without looking back, she bolted for the door. Where could she go? They’d come after her, demanding answers she couldn’t provide. Scurrying past the Christmas bobbles that decorated the posh 2

All She Wants For Christmas department store, it occurred to her that the anniversary of her first date with Paul was coming up. Christmas day. What she wouldn’t give to have the same close relationship with him that they’d once shared. That was all she really wanted this Christmas. Biting her lip to hold in a sob, she blinked back tears and pushed herself to keep going. She skittered towards the elevator bank but drew up before she pushed the call button. No. They’d find her here. Should she take the stairs? She was on the sixteenth floor, so she’d have quite a hike in heels. “Emma?” The high-pitched annoyance in her mother’s voice made it cut through the babbling noise of holiday shoppers. She had to escape. She couldn’t deal with them, or the wedding, or the expectations anymore. A frantic glance around revealed the restrooms. Dashing for the door, she shoved her way in and hustled into an empty stall. She locked the door and sat on the toilet seat, leaning back to pull her feet up so no one could see her shoes. Hugging her briefcase to her chest, she clamped her eyes shut. It was foolish, childish and completely irrational, but she was far beyond caring. Her mother’s voice came closer and closer, her upset obvious. Her father’s low voice tried to sooth her, as usual. Emma froze, not moving, not breathing. Please don’t come in here. Please. Unbearable moments passed, but the bathroom door never opened. Her breath whooshed out and, lightheaded from holding it so long, she braced her hands against the stall walls to keep from teetering. Slowly, she uncurled from her undignified perch. Flipping the lock on the door, she stepped out into the restroom lobby. She jumped and pressed a hand to her pounding heart when Christmas music suddenly piped through the store’s speaker system. A little laugh bubbled up, and she felt foolish for being so jumpy. 3

Crystal Jordan She looked like hell. One glance at the mirrors over the sink was enough to tell her that. Her cheeks were blotchy, and her eyes looked as red as if she’d been crying. Sighing, she set her briefcase on the counter and bent to splash cold water on her overheated face. She reached for a paper towel and dabbed her cheeks and chin, uncaring that she was wiping off most of her makeup. She’d already thrown her whole life away today, did it really matter what her mascara looked like? Tossing the used paper in the trash bin, she exited the restroom. She stepped over to the elevators and pushed the down button, tilting her head back to watch the digital numbers tell her the car was coming up. Detached numbness cocooned her, and she welcomed it. She didn’t want to feel anything. Didn’t want to think about what to do with her life now, whether she’d hurt Paul by walking away from him, or if he even cared enough to notice. If she let herself think about it, the loss would crush her. A low ping sounded as the elevator doors parted to let her in. The Christmas carol followed her inside, mocking her with its cheer. She turned to face the doors as they began to slide closed. The interior of the elevator was all mirrors, even the doors. Keeping them clean would be a nightmare for the janitorial staff. There were no handrails to keep people from leaning against the glass. The doors closed with a thunk, and she got a fulllength look at herself. Sleek platinum blonde hair brushed back into a short bob, neat pinstriped navy suit made her hazel eyes appear more green than brown, two inch pumps made her look more statuesque than her five foot five inch frame did on its own. Neat, put together, controlled. That was the image that reflected back at her. A woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it. Until she looked herself in the eyes. There she saw the turmoil, the sadness she couldn’t hide. She reached over and jabbed at the button that would take her to the store lobby. 4

All She Wants For Christmas The car jolted but didn’t start the long slide down. Instead, the doors opened again to allow another passenger to board. Likely a last minute holiday shopper, so she pasted a smile on her face and waited for the person to step on. Her smile died and her heart clenched as shock slid like ice water down her spine when she saw who was waiting to join her. Paul. He looked dangerous, angry. His eyes narrowed into slits of sparking blue rage. Her stomach dipped into a slow roll of panic and fear. What would he say to her? What would he do? He said nothing. He stalked onto the elevator, backing her against the side wall closest to the panel of lighted buttons, his hands bracketing her shoulders, trapping her. “Emma.” He voiced her name in a low, deep growl. He was so close she could smell his spicy cologne mixed with a masculine scent that was his alone. She knew he was furious, it rolled off of him in waves, but she knew he would never do anything to hurt her, no matter how angry he was. Her body reacted to his nearness, the hot possession in his gaze. Squeezing her thighs together, she tried to quell the ache that dampened her pussy. Heart pounding, her breath sped, pulling his scent deep into her lungs. Her nipples beaded under her sensible suit, rubbing against the lace of her bra. And he hadn’t even touched her. “So, you don’t want me, is that it?” Oh, God. She squeezed her eyes shut to hide the naked desire she knew would be reflected there. He would see it and he would know. It was what made him an amazing courtroom attorney, his ability to read people. “Look at me,” he demanded. Swallowing, she peeked up at him through her lashes. How could she explain this? How could she make him understand? “Paul, I—” The lights in the elevator sputtered madly for a moment, and then they died. The car shuddered to a stop, 5

Crystal Jordan swaying. Paul was thrown against her, his body pinning her to the cold glass as he braced himself. Desperate to maintain her bearings in the suffocating darkness, she clung to the lapels of his suit jacket. Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it. Low amber emergency lights flickered to life, and her breath escaped in a giant rush of relief, her panic receding as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Glancing to the side, she saw their reflections in one of the mirrors, her body pressed to the muscled contours of his. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, all long limbs, wide shoulders, and dark blond hair. Just like that her body began to throb with unrelenting want. Her muscles screamed to arch against him. The panel at her hip beeped and a tinny voice filtered into the small space. “Hello? Is everyone all right in there?” Paul’s gaze caught hers, and she froze, prey before a predator. Swallowing, she licked suddenly dry lips, and his eyes followed the motion, making the moment ripe, sexual. Without looking away from her, he stabbed a button with his finger. “We’re fine.” “I’m afraid you’re gonna hafta hang tight for a bit. Most of our maintenance crew is out for the holidays. I’m real sorry about this folks.” “How long do you think it’ll be?” There was a long pause as the man hesitated. “I think maybe an hour. Maybe two. Depends on how quick we can get people in here to fix it.” Paul’s hand returned to the glass beside her, mindless of the smudges he left behind. “So…we have some time in here.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Paul…” “No. You didn’t want to talk to me when you walked out. You didn’t feel the deep need to communicate over the last few months, so let’s not talk. I have a better idea.” Anger, pain and lust mixed in his blue gaze as he leaned in, hips grinding hers into the glass. His hard cock rubbed 6

All She Wants For Christmas against the juncture of her thighs. Excitement fizzed in her blood, making her moan. Her heart twisted, knowing he wanted to prove he could make her want him. As if there was ever any doubt about the way her body responded whenever he was near. Wanting him hadn’t saved their relationship, or stopped the meltdown from ripping their lives to pieces and making them both miserable. His lips brushed her ear. “I’m going to fuck you until you scream. I won’t stop even if you beg.” Beg. His words should have been a turn-off, but they only increased her anticipation. Liquid fire poured through her, settling between her legs as her pussy flooded with juices. “Please.” He stepped away to lean against the opposite wall, then slid to sit on the floor, leaving her empty and aching as she stumbled back against the glass to maintain her balance. When he looked up at her, his face was once against a mask of unaffected indifference. “Strip.” Surprise froze her in place. “What?” “You heard me, Emma. I want you naked. Now.” “We’re in an elevator.” He couldn’t be serious, could he? And why would she even consider it? His long elegant fingers worked his tie loose until it lay over his palm. “You can strip yourself, or I can do it, and then tie you up. What do you think?” Her body betrayed her as hot excitement shot through her. Tied up? They’d never done that before. She didn’t know if she could. “I…I…” “You have ten seconds to decide.” His eyebrow rose, but there wasn’t a hint of teasing to his voice. He was dead serious. She panted for breath as she hurried to undress, her hands fumbling over the buttons of her jacket and blouse. One hand took care of the front clasp of her yellow lace bra, and her breasts bounced as they sprang free. She tossed the garments aside and worked on the zipper of her skirt. Kicking off her shoes, she shoved her skirt and 7

Crystal Jordan panties down until she stood in nothing but bare skin. Finally, she looked at him and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Now you.” “Me? That wasn’t part of the bargain.” Anger still burned in his gaze, but it was losing ground to desire as he stared at her naked form. “Face the back wall and get on your knees.” Her legs shook, but she obeyed. She could see him watching her over her shoulder in the mirror, and she decided to make this less about his revenge and more about her own hot, sweet longing for him. Swirling a finger around her belly button, she slipped it down to rub alongside her clit. She moaned, flicking a nail over her swollen flesh. Her hips jerked at the sharp sensation. Her other hand cupped her breast, and she circled the tip then tweaked the beading nipple. Biting her lip, she stared into his eyes. “Please, Paul.” Shifting to spread her knees apart, she leaned forward, knowing he could see her dripping pussy in the mirror behind her. Hot color washed into his high cheekbones. He stood abruptly and she swayed, trying to see him in the mirror. She reached out to brace her hands against the freezing cold glass and shuddered at the contrast to her overheating flesh. The mirror showed the well-defined muscles of his chest as his jacket and dress shirt hit the floor of the elevator. His breath bellowed out, and his hands slid to fumble with his fly. She wanted those hands on her, she loved it when he touched her. Why had she gone so long without this? The zipper hissed with a harsh rasp, and his long hard cock came into view as his slacks dropped. Her gaze traveled up the expanse of his chest to meet his eyes. She shuddered. His blue gaze glittered with dark lust. He knelt behind her and his hands glided down her back to settle on her hips. His grip tightened as he drew her toward him. Without waiting, he thrust to the hilt with one lunging push. 8

All She Wants For Christmas She gasped as his cock stretched her pussy, the width of him almost painful. Her back bowed under the harsh lash of pleasure-pain. His hips pounded against hers, her clit blooming under the repeated contact. Her wetness slid down the insides of her legs, coating his cock so that she could hear the slap of his skin against hers. Yes. Her gaze locked with his in the mirror, and neither looked away. He watched her and she watched him as they fucked with fierce animalistic greed. They panted, their breathing loud in the small confines of the elevator. Sweat beaded on her forehead and upper lip, trickling down her throat to slip between her breasts. Her palms dampened on the walls as she pushed back, deepened his penetration. The drag of his cock in her vagina sent hot pleasure rippling through her in gathering waves. He slid halfway in and stopped. Her moan was a desperate sound. Her sex fisted, waiting, waiting. “What do you see?” Her damp hands slipped on the glass. “I see you.” He withdrew to tease her lips with the head of his cock, stimulating her without satisfying her craving for him. “What do you see, Emma?” “Us. I see us.” He thrust deep, grinding hard within her before driving in that same slow, teasing rhythm. “That’s good. What do you think when you see us, our life together?” Squeezing her eyes closed for a moment, she whimpered. “Please.” “What do you see?” What did she see? She watched how his long, lean form fit with hers as they moved together, his stomach spanking against her ass with each thrust. How his dark blond hair blended with her lighter platinum shade. Her eyelids drooped as he hands slid up her torso. He leaned over her, his fingers grazing her nipples, pinching the beaded tips. It was sexiest thing she’d ever seen. A low moan slipped from her throat. “We fit.” 9

Crystal Jordan “Do we?” He dipped his head to bite the back of her shoulder. Hard. She cried out, wetness soaking her pussy. “Yes.” “If we fit so well then why would you leave without talking to me?” Reality intruded, slapping her in the face. She finally saw it. The anger and indifference stripped from his eyes, and nothing but the pain she’d caused him was left behind. She had walked out on him, on their relationship without ever speaking to him about it. Paul wasn’t the kind of man who forgave easily. What an utter, stupid mess she’d made of things. “Paul—” She gasped as his thrusts came harder, faster, almost brutal in their speed. And she loved it. Rotating her hips, she increased the friction. Pinpricks of hot awareness raced over her flesh, and she moaned with each hard pounding push of his cock within her. She let go, let herself go in this one moment of intense sensation and just reveled in how good it was. She reached between her thighs to cup his testicles. They were slick with their combined moisture as she rolled them between her fingers. Clenching her pussy tight around his thrusting cock, she tried to drive him over the edge. He growled a warning. “Emma, don’t—” Groaning, he slammed into her soft flesh, deeper and harder and faster until she screamed out. She could smell the musky scent of sex. Sweat slicked her flushed skin, her heart pounded, and her inner muscles began to tighten. Her hips froze and her pussy convulsed in a rocketing orgasm. Still, he drove forward, forcing her higher until she hit her peak. His gaze sharpened, and his body shuddered, jetting his seed into her. Tears seeped from her eyes, knowing after today he might never touch her again, never bring her to the shuddering heights that only he could make her feel. After a moment, he pulled away, drawing her with 10

All She Wants For Christmas him. He sat with his back against the wall, arranging her on his lap so that she straddled his hips. The springy hairs on his legs rubbed the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Lifting her, he lowered her onto his hardening cock. The deep visceral pleasure of his skin against hers made her body shake in another small orgasm. It was more than she could take. Never again. Never would she have this. Him. Never. Gasping sobs ripped from her throat as what she’d thrown away finally hit her. She let herself feel instead of just react for the first time since her parents had taken over their wedding plans. She had no one to blame but herself. She did this. It was all her fault. “Dammit. Damn you. Don’t cry,” he demanded, his voice harsh. He squeezed his eyes shut, dropped his forehead to hers and sighed, the tense anger draining from his rigid shoulders. “Please don’t cry, baby. I can’t stand it.” Clamping a hand over her mouth, her breath hitched painfully, and she worked to control her sobs. She pulled back until she met his gaze, needing him to see how serious she was. “I let my parents spoil this for us, and I h-hurt you. I ruined everything. Whatever was wrong with us was my fault, Paul.” Lingering pain shone in his beautiful blue eyes. “No. I didn’t help by hassling you about your parents. What happened today was my fault too. Things just got so bad so fast, and you didn’t want me to touch you. I tried to pretend it didn’t matter.” “You aren’t the one who ran away and didn’t even try to work things out. My parents just bulldozed over everything I wanted, and I didn’t know what to do. I won’t let them take over again, though. I’ve learned that lesson.” Because she couldn’t resist, she slipped her hands up his broad chest to flick her nails over his flat brown nipples. His breath caught. He swallowed, the heated pleasure in his eyes showing her just how much he liked what she was doing 11

Crystal Jordan to him. “I think you made a good start today. The last few months I swear it’s like you weren’t even there anymore. Like your parents had switched my Emma with some perfect little china doll.” “I’m here now.” “I know.” “The question is, are you here with me?” He arched his hips, driving his cock deeper into her pussy. “What do you think?” She bent to kiss him, and he continued to move with slow, strong strokes. His tongue licked into her mouth and slid against hers. Tilting her head, she changed the angle, deepened the kiss. He was so good at this. She smiled against his lips, loving the play of lips and teeth and tongues as their mouths moved together. Excitement simmered in her blood, made her want him more. His hands stroked her hot flesh, palming her breasts, moving down her soft belly until he flicked his finger over her clit. Her hips jerked, desperation crashing into her as she followed the sweet contact. “Say it.” The command in his voice was undeniable. “I love you, Paul. I love you. Love you. Love you.” The words ripped from her throat. With each thrust she said it again, her breath hitching as his cock picked up speed to pound inside of her. Her head fell back, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes then streaked down her cheeks. Her breath sobbed as regret and passion mingled, rushing through her. Her soaking pussy fisted around his cock. He groaned, his hips arching forward. His hands gripped her hips tight enough to leave bruises. The slight pain only added to her pleasure, the sharp bite of it making her sex contract in fierce orgasm. His forehead dropped to rest between her breasts while they panted for breath. She threaded her fingers through his hair, the short strands soft against her palms. “I’m sorry, Paul,” she whispered. “How sorry?” He wrapped his arms around her waist 12

All She Wants For Christmas and gathered her to him until they were eye to eye, her hips pressed tight to his. Her lips twisted as tears swam in her eyes again. She blinked them away, determined to face this head on. “I hurt you. I know it, and I’m so sorry. I can’t go back and change it, and I can’t think of anything that would make it up to you, but I want you to know that I would if I could.” “I can think of something. Marry me.” “W-what?” Shock roared through her, making her eyes widen. A lopsided grin tugged at his lips. “What do you say to a Christmas wedding?” It took her a long moment to register what he’d said. “B-but, that’s only three days away!” He nodded. “It’s our real anniversary. Let’s go to Las Vegas.” “Vegas?” Skeptical, she lifted an eyebrow. He swallowed, glancing away, an uncharacteristic vulnerability showing on his handsome face. “Unless you still don’t want to get married.” “No!” She cupped his strong jaw between her palms, coaxing him around to face her. “No. I love you, and I really, really want to marry you. I just don’t want to have a big circus wedding.” He nose rubbed alongside hers before he pressed light, biting kisses to her mouth. She moaned a low protest when he pulled back. “Then let’s do it. Let’s just go. Getting married is for us, not your family, not my family, not anyone else. If your parents want to throw us a big reception when we come back, that’s fine.” “Okay.” The weight that had been pressing down on her since she’d walked out on their meeting evaporated. She squeezed her eyes closed over welling tears. This. This was what she wanted. Paul, her, together and happy. He was right, this marriage was for them, so they could promise to spend their lives together, working on their 13

Crystal Jordan relationship. She wanted that commitment. She needed it. She needed him. “I love you Emma.” Her eyes opened, and a slow smile curved her lips. When was the last time she’d smiled because she was…happy? “I love you, too. And that thing with the tie? We can try that in Vegas, right?” “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” A wicked grin made the dimple in his left cheek pop out. She titled her head, considering. “Unless we decide to bring it home with us.” His face settled into serious lines as he crooked a finger under chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Right. There’s one thing that always goes home with us.” “What’s that?” His lips caught hers in a hard, possessive kiss. “You’re mine. You’re mine and I’m yours. Don’t ever forget it again.” “I won’t. I promise. If things ever start to get out of control, I’ll talk to you about it so we don’t end up back here again. I love you.” “Perfect.” His big hands stroked up and down her back, relaxing her. Laying her cheek to his wide shoulder, she sighed. The elevator shuddered, and she jerked upright. His eyes widened as realization struck them both. “Oh crap.” The car creaked to a slow start, sliding down the shaft. “Paul, I’m naked.” “I know!” He scooped up her bra to stuff it into her hand. They scrambled up and into their clothing, racing to dress before the car reached the lobby floor. The elevator dinged as each level sped past. “Damn, damn, damn.” Emma hopped around, trying to get her last shoe on. She froze, horrified, when she noticed the wild smudging they’d left behind on the mirrors. “Anyone who walks into this elevator is going to know what we did.” “Mm-hm. It smells like you when you’re hot and wet 14

All She Wants For Christmas for me.” “Paul.” He laughed and pulled her into his arms, his mouth swooping in to kiss her. She melted at the slow, sensual play of his lips on hers. Tingles shivered over her skin as relentless need exploded through her. Moisture flooded her pussy, and it was all she could do not to wrap her legs around his waist and beg him to fuck her again. And again. God, she wanted him. The doors slid open, and the first thing everyone witnessed, including her parents, was her fiancé kissing her senseless. Her stomach executed a slow flip at the disapproval radiating from her father’s stern face. Paul’s hand slipped into hers, giving her a reassuring squeeze. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Okay. She could do this. Paul was with her. She stepped forward into the holiday themed lobby, her heels clicking on the shiny marble surface. “Mom, dad.” She nodded to both of them but kept her focus on her father. “Emma, your mother and I will not allow you to squander the money—” “So take it out of my trust fund. You have more money than God, and you’re the biggest Scrooge I’ve ever met.” She slashed a hand through the air when her father tried to speak. She controlled her own life, not her parents. End of story. “Here’s how it’s going to be. Paul and I are eloping.” She turned to glance up at him, and he smiled down at her, his expression so filled with the love they shared that her heart turned over. He raised their joined hands and kissed her fingers. Sweet emotion closed her throat, and she had to clear it twice before she looked back at her parents. “I don’t want a big wedding. We’ll see you in a week. Merry Christmas.” Paul drew her away toward the tall glass doors that lead outside into the snowy afternoon. As they stepped 15

Crystal Jordan into their future, Emma grinned. She’d gotten all she wanted for Christmas. Paul.

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