12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2018 Read online

  “Yes, let’s. You owe me a day of sightseeing and shopping. And, don’t count on that discussion.”

  “You owe me an ice cream cone. And we will talk.”

  She shrugged. She could never tell him her innermost desires. Could she?

  Shop, they did. Sightsee, they did. Ice cream cones, they ate. They also laughed, chatted, and enjoyed each other’s company the entire day. They lunched in a basement café, dined in a nice restaurant, and when the day was over and they had returned to the lodge, they kissed. And how, they kissed; it was unlike anything Holly had experienced, not even with Ted. She was lost; completely and willingly lost, forever, just as she’d known she would be.

  It had happened when he walked her back to her room. Still laughing together over something silly one of them had said, she’d invited him in for a glass of wine. He’d agreed. They’d shared a glass of sweet red she’d bought at one of the shops, and he’d stood up, announcing it was time for him to go.

  “Are you sure? We could watch some old Christmas movies together. I’m sure there are some on television,” she said.

  “And you really think that’s all we’d do?” he teased.

  She blushed. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

  “I thought so,” he replied in a voice barely above a whisper.

  They walked to the door of her room. He stopped and leaned down, kissing her lightly on the lips. “Thanks for a wonderful, fun day.”

  “I enjoyed it too,” she replied softly.

  His dark chocolate eyes met her deep blue ones. He leaned down again, hesitating for just a moment, before devouring her lips with his. As the kiss grew in intensity, he pushed her against the door, pinning her to it, proving what they both knew to be true. He would own her before the week was over; he would make her fall in love with him. His masterful hands caressed her back as her arms went around his neck. She moaned as her knees grew weak, her body on fire. The heat began to build, and just as she thought he would sweep her off her feet and carry her to the bed, he broke the kiss, whispered goodnight in her ear and walked out the door, leaving her a shaking, hot, mess.

  She stood, rooted to the spot, unable to move. As she touched her bruised, swollen lips, she sighed in frustration. Finally, she walked to the bed, lay down on it and slept, a deep, dreamless sleep. When she awoke hours later, she stripped off her clothes and climbed back in bed, under the covers. And as she fell back to sleep, she whispered the words, “It’s done, Christopher Winters. You’ve made me fall for you already. I hope to hell you’re happy.”

  Chapter 3

  The next morning, she slept a little later. When she finally forced her feet to hit the floor, she looked at the clock and groaned. It was ten o’clock and Christopher hadn’t called. Had he gone to breakfast without her or was he sleeping in too? It was Christmas Eve.

  She picked up the phone and dialed the number to his room. There was no answer. She ran to the shower, thinking she’d already missed breakfast. As she walked back into the bedroom and pulled on a pair of flannel lounging pants and topped it with a sweatshirt, she debated about what she would do for food. Just as she was about to make a pot of coffee, there was a knock on the door. She walked over to open it, and when she did, she saw that Christopher was standing there with two cups of coffee and a bag in his hands.

  “Come on in. I tried to call your room to see what you wanted to do for breakfast, but you were already up and out.”

  “I figured you’d sleep in, after getting up early and shopping all day yesterday, so after I got up, I decided to run down the street for donuts and coffee.”

  “You read my mind. I love donuts.”

  “You’d never know it to look at you,” he said with that dratted crooked grin.

  “Oh, so you have been looking.”

  “Me and every other guy who comes within ten feet of you,” he teased.

  “Funny guy this morning,” she replied. “Actually, I work out at the gym a few times a week. It relieves the tension of work.”

  “Or the tension from being an ice princess,” he said pointedly. “I could think of several other ways to relieve it.”

  “The tension from not getting any, is that what you’re trying to say?”

  “Hey, you said it, not me. But I had other things in mind, as well. Stuff this in that pretty little sassy mouth of yours and behave,” he said as he shoved a donut in her mouth.

  “Mmm… this is heavenly,” she said as she took a bite. She took the lid off her coffee cup and took a sip.

  “One more thing we have in common, well, actually, two. We both love donuts and we both work out.”

  “This is scary,” she teased.

  He chuckled. “Only if you let it be.”

  “What’s on your agenda for the day? It’s Christmas Eve, you know,” she asked, ignoring his last remark.

  “I want to buy you a present. Since we’re both without family this Christmas, I thought we might have our own celebration. I heard they’re going to sing Christmas carols and serve wassail and cookies by the tree tonight. We can go to that and open our gifts to each other later.”

  “I was thinking about getting you something too. After breakfast, we can drive into town, split up to do our shopping, and meet up for lunch later.”

  “Sounds like a plan; just don’t buy me a tie,” he agreed as he helped himself to a second donut. He offered one to her, but she declined. She might love the things, but she knew when to stop. Too bad she didn’t know how to control her feelings for Christopher.

  Ten minutes later, they were on their way to shop again. They chose a time and place to meet for lunch, and she headed in the opposite direction to make her purchase. She knew exactly what she was going to buy for him. When she’d had his gift wrapped at the store, she headed out into the cold to meet him.

  Sitting in the little sandwich shop, she waved to him as he walked in. “They’re closing soon for the holiday, so we don’t have much time,” she told him as he sat down.

  “Then why don’t we order our food to go and take it back to the hotel? We can sit by the fireplace in the lobby and eat,” he suggested.

  “Good idea,” she said.

  They placed their order. When it arrived, Christopher paid the cashier, grabbed the bags of hot food, and took her arm with his free hand.

  They hurried to his car, and once they were settled in the warm, cozy lobby in front of the fire with their food, she realized how relaxed she was in his company.

  “What are we going to do after lunch? We’ve got some hours to kill before the wassail and cookies,” she asked as she bit into her sandwich.

  He grinned devilishly. “We could watch some of those Christmas movies on television in my room, if you promise to keep your hands off me.”

  “If I promise to keep my hands off you?” she said, laughing. “Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that?”

  “Ah, but do you really want me to keep my hands off you? That’s the question, isn’t it?”

  “Eat your sandwich and shut up,” she said with a grin.

  He laughed, and when they’d finished their lunch, he cleaned up their mess and walked her to his room. Putting the key card in the lock, he stood aside and waited for her to enter. His room was a replica of hers, except for the color scheme. She walked to the chair by the window and sat down.

  As he leafed through the guide, he found a movie and turned on the television. He walked over to the bed and sat down. Patting the spot next to him with his hand, he asked, “You’re really not going to sit over there, are you?”

  “Promise to behave?” she asked.

  “If you want me to, I will. I promise,” he replied seriously.

  She curled up next to him. As they lay back against the pillows, he put his arm around her. Cozily, they snuggled while they watched the classic Christmas movie, chatting occasionally about the characters and the plot.

  Twice, he leaned in and kissed her gently, not the hot kiss like the one he’d given
her the night before. He kept his word and behaved himself.

  Holly was impressed. She was also just a little bit disappointed.

  “Hungry?” he asked when the movie was over.

  “Not really, since we had a late breakfast and a late lunch.”

  “I’m not, either, but I might be later. I wonder if anything is open.”

  “I’ll call down and see what time the dining room closes,” she offered.

  When she hung up the phone, she said, “You’re in luck. If we go down right now, we can still get the soup and salad bar. Will that be enough for you?”

  “It’s fine, let’s go.” He stood up, pulling her up with him and giving her a light kiss.

  After dinner, they went to the beautifully decorated lobby and joined the few other guests already assembled there. They enjoyed wassail and cookies and sang Christmas carols, while she sat on his lap. Some of the other guests smiled at them and Holly knew the revelers probably thought they were a real couple, possibly even married to each other. Somehow, she didn’t care. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world for her to be sitting on his lap in the lobby of a lodge, singing Christmas carols with strangers on Christmas Eve. A week ago, she would have laughed at the idea.

  When the party was over, they walked back up to his room, where they had left their gifts for each other. He opened the door, and when they were both inside, he kicked it shut with his foot, grabbing her and pulling her close.

  “I’ve been good about as long as I can stand it. Kiss me, Holly,” he commanded as his lips met hers.

  Obeying his order, she surrendered to his kiss, allowing his tongue to dance in her mouth. Her knees were like jelly, her body on fire again, for him, only for him.

  Just as abruptly as he’d ended last night’s kiss, Christopher ended this one. He kissed her neck and murmured close to her ear, “That will do for now. I just had to taste your sweet lips again.”

  Shakily, she looked up at him. Seeing his desire for her in his dark brown eyes, she shivered. She realized in that moment that before the night was over, on this Christmas Eve, she would be his. The Christmas Eve she thought she’d be spending alone would be spent in his bed, in their holiday hideaway, doing whatever he commanded her to do.

  He led her to the bed. “Close your eyes,” he ordered.

  She did as she was told.

  “Hold out your hands,” he said, giving his next order.

  She obeyed. As she held out her hands, he placed a small box in them.

  “You can look now,” he teased as he bent over and kissed her forehead.

  A small gift-wrapped box sat in her hands. She gingerly untied the red ribbon and took the beautiful wrapping paper off the box, then lifted the lid and looked inside. She gasped. Taking the simple gold choker out of the box, she saw a sparkling solitaire diamond dangling from the center. “I don’t know what to say. It’s stunning,” she exclaimed as she inspected the necklace. “This is much too extravagant.”

  “Here, I’ll fasten it for you.”

  She handed him the necklace and turned, so he could fasten it around her neck.

  “Maybe, someday, I can buy a ring to match it,” he said in a tone that told her he wasn’t kidding.

  “You’re… serious… aren’t you?” she asked.

  “As a heart attack, baby,” he replied. “I warned you that if I found the right woman, nothing would stop me from trying to win her over.”

  “But this is all so sudden,” she protested.

  “How many years have we known each other? Two, no, three. It’s not sudden at all.”

  Shocked at his words, she smiled nervously. “I have something for you.” She picked up the gaily wrapped box and watched as he tore the paper from it. It was an e-reader.

  He laughed. “You’re going to turn me into a modern-day reader, aren’t you?”

  “That was the plan,” she teased. “Do you like it? Tell me honestly.”

  “I love it, especially the fact that it came from you. You’ll have to point me in the right direction for some of those racy books you like to read.”

  “You’re saying all the right things here, Christopher. You’re a smooth talker.”

  “I’m not saying anything I don’t mean. I can’t explain it…”

  “Then show me,” she said as she leaned closer.

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked.

  “As sure as I know tonight is Christmas Eve and tomorrow is Christmas Day,” she replied in a soft, sultry voice that wasn’t her own.

  “Merry Christmas, baby,” he said as he leaned in for the kiss.

  He looked into her deep blue eyes just before his lips touched hers. His lips were scorching hot, searing hers, as he branded her as his own. Her body shook, her knees turned to jelly, each and every nerve ending acutely aware, tuned, waiting, wanting. The burning lips moved to her neckline as he whispered, “I’ve waited for you for so long.”

  She searched his eyes. “Say that again,” she begged, not sure she’d heard correctly.

  “For three long years, I’ve dreamed of making you mine,” he murmured as his lips traveled further down. He raised her sweater over her head before quickly removing her bra. As he gazed at her bare torso, he let out a growl-like sound. He bent his head and his lips scorched her breasts.

  The fire he had started inside her was building, raging out of control, as she tugged at a strand of his perfect dark hair.

  His lips began an assault on her flat, toned stomach and she nearly jumped off the bed, the reaction so moved her. As her pants came off in one swift movement, he looked into her eyes again, asking a silent question.

  She nodded. It was inevitable. She was his.

  His lips continued their exploration, again searing her entire body with their heat.

  She reached up and pulled his sweater over his head, mussing his perfect hair in the process. She giggled and he gave her the sexy, crooked smile, the one she’d always secretly loved. He said he’d wanted her for three years. Truth be known, she’d wanted him that long too. She’d wanted to own his beautiful, arrogant ass as much as he’d wanted to melt her icy exterior. They were a match made in heaven, or hell, whichever the case might be.

  As they lay naked on the bed in his hotel room, his lips finally found the one spot they both knew would be her undoing. The burning, scorching hot touch of his tongue sent the flames higher, until Holly cried out with need. He didn’t let up. She was his, and she would know by the end of this night, it was for all time. There would be no one-night stand, no holiday hook-up, and there would be no turning back.

  “Christopher…” she moaned as he brought her to the edge and just as she was about to fall, denied her.

  “Not yet, baby,” he said with his special grin as he looked at her face, flushed with desire. “My ice princess is hot, but she’s going to be a raging inferno before this night is over.”

  What? A raging inferno, did he say? Wasn’t she already a raging inferno?

  “I see the arrogant side of you is back,” she whispered.

  “You love my arrogant ass, and you know it,” he retorted as he began another assault on her lips. “But you will learn restraint. You won’t come until I say you can.”

  She began to move underneath him, urging him. Did he really just say what she thought she heard? Wasn’t this what the Doms in the books she read said to their submissives? Could it be?

  He chuckled. “Somehow, I knew you weren’t really an ice princess.”

  Should she be embarrassed? Would she be sorry in the morning? Would she be able to work with him after this week? In that moment, she really didn’t care. All that mattered was the volcano inside her body, building its momentum, waiting to erupt, waiting for her Dom to allow it to do so.

  As her hands roamed down his back, she reached his ass and playfully slapped it, punishing him for making her wait.

  He looked at her in surprise. “Getting feisty now?”

  “The a
rrogant ass needed to wake up,” she replied with a sexy grin.

  “I see the game you’re playing now. Oh, baby, you just wait.” He devoured her lips again and as he moved down her body, the sweet, agonizing torture began again. This time, fingers were added to tongue, and Holly was nearly out of her mind. When he moved back up to claim her lips again, her hands found their way to the part of his body she really wanted – and it wasn’t his ass.

  He slapped her hand away and turned her over.

  She started to protest and then felt a smack land on her bottom. He was spanking her? How was this even possible? She must be having one of her dreams. He really wasn’t here; it was all a dream. She was in her own bed, alone, dreaming all of this. Well, damn!

  Two more harsh slaps to her rear convinced her that it was real.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “What do you think I’m doing? You tried to top from the bottom and it ain’t happening, my love. Now, are you ready to get back to the fun or do I have to reprimand you some more?”

  “Top from the bottom? Was that what I was doing? I didn’t mean to.”

  “So you do know what it means? I thought so. I mean, I was hoping. I mean, we really should have had that chat.”

  She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  He moaned. “You are my dream come true, Holly Evans. Now, have I made you wait long enough, baby? Say you’re mine and only mine and you can have it.”

  Her deep blue eyes met his dark chocolate ones, now nearly black with desire. She replied in a soft, sexy voice, “I’m yours.”

  “Only mine?” he urged.

  “Only yours,” she said, grinding her hips.

  “For all time?” he asked.

  Sighing as she resigned herself to the fact it was true, she agreed, “For all time.”

  “Ah, that’s it, princess, the words I’ve longed to hear.” And he was inside her, moving, thrusting, claiming, owning. She was his. “Now, you have my permission to come whenever you’re ready.”