Candy Cane Cocktail Read online

  He took over undressing himself. We parted just long enough for him to undo the first two buttons on his shirt and yank it over his head. I kissed him again while working his belt free. He pinched my nipples between his fingertips and I moaned into his mouth.

  “Oh my gosh. That feels good. Don’t stop.”

  Before I could take off his pants, his hot tongue was on the tight little buds, suckling. His hands roamed all over my body, inflaming my skin wherever he touched. I threaded my fingers in his silky black hair and watched enraptured as he lavished attention on my tits. One long digit of his slipped into my slick channel and pumped in and out. He pushed me gently on the edge of the bed and fell to his knees with a wicked grin playing on his lips.

  “Spread your legs for me, sweetheart. I want to taste your nectar.”

  He grabbed hold of my knees and parted them wide so I was fully exposed to him. His eyes darkened with desire and my breathing hitched.

  “Gorgeous.”

  His right hand massaged a path up my thigh, his thumb rubbing in circular motions as it came torturously close to my pussy. He kissed me again. This time with a tenderness that had me yearning for more. His thumb grazed my clit and slid in mind-blowing circles, so wet from my juices.

  “You want to feel my tongue on your swollen clit?” he whispered in my ear. His thumb dipped into my cunt and he groaned. “Silky soft and oh so wet.”

  He pushed deep inside with two fingers and drew out again, circling my nub quickly. Bringing me closer to the edge of insanity. He still had his pants on and dammit if I didn’t want to come all over his handsome face already. Dirty talk always worked me into a frenzy. But with him, everything added another layer of excitement. His deep baritone … the rich leather scent of his cologne … the way he stared at me as though I was the most desirable woman on earth.

  He bent and brought his mouth to the apex of my thighs until I could feel the delicious heat of his breath. “You’re so close to coming. One flick of my tongue might be enough.”

  I couldn’t form words through the haze engulfing my mind. Yes, please. Instead, I cupped my hands around his head and pushed his face between my legs. He took my meaning and feasted on me, taking his fill in long, hard strokes of his tongue. My world exploded in a riot of colors. I bucked my hips closer—seeking the silky goodness of his tongue. Shivers of delight coursed down my spine and spread over my skin. My legs quivered around his face as he lapped up my juices while cupping my ass, holding me in place so I couldn’t squirm away.

  The intensity of my orgasm was too much. Going on and on. He didn’t relent. Wouldn’t let me escape the blissful torture of his hot mouth. I couldn’t take any more yet didn’t want the mind-altering sensations to subside.

  “Enough!” I finally gasped, squeezing my legs around his head. “You’re killing me.”

  He looked up with a satisfied grin. “If that’s what death sounds like, I’m all in.”

  I fell back on the bed with my hands folded under my head, grinning. “Good. Because I want all of you inside of me. You’ll find a condom in the top drawer of my bedside table.”

  He scrambled to his feet and strode to the table with his dick bulging in his pants. I sat up and help him discard his clothes while he tore through the package. Before he could cover his cock, I took him into my mouth, sucking up the bead of pre-cum. He sucked in a breath. I glanced up and smiled. It was his turn to die of sensation overload.

  He pumped his hips in a slow rhythm, guiding his shaft in and out of my mouth.

  “That’s right, baby. Work your tongue.”

  I clamped one hand around the base of his cock and sucked hard until his breathing came in harsh pants. His head fell back while his fingers played with my hair. He was so close to coming. Pushing harder. Breathing quicker. Tugging on my hair just a bit. Letting go of his cock, I jumped on the bed with a grin and crooked my finger at him.

  “Put that condom on!”

  A tortured groan escaped his lips. “That was cruel.”

  “Shut up and fuck me, Michael.” I flipped onto my stomach and presented him with my ass, looking at him over my shoulder. “I want to feel your peppermint stick all the way inside me. Hard and fast. That’s how I want it.”

  “You got it.”

  He rolled the condom on his cock and mounted the bed behind me. His eyes were focused on the round globes of my ass in the air, so I wiggled a bit for him. He grinned and slapped one cheek. The sting was exquisite—heightening my senses.

  A second later, he was ensconced inside my slick channel. His hands gripped my hips and he pounded his dick in my pussy so hard and fast I had to grip the comforter with all my strength. My stomach muscles clenched in an effort to stay in place. I wanted that raw friction of our bodies. To feel his hips pounding on my ass while the tingling sensations of my second orgasm came to life. I braced on one hand and slipped the other between my legs, massaging my clit while the head of his cock thrummed against my g-spot, awakening a volcano of heat in my core and fanning the embers into scorching flames that wracked my body.

  “Oh god, Michael!” I shouted. The volcano erupted inside me and waves of heat licked at me from every angle. He grunted and pounded harder until he suddenly stilled and moaned through his orgasm. My pussy was wrecked—so sensitive to every movement that I felt his cum shooting up his shaft—emptying into the condom.

  He toppled onto the bed and pulled me against his chest. His heart hammered out a wonderful staccato. I turned in his arms, planting a kiss on his mouth. His lips parted and our tongues met in an unhurried, exploratory mating. He still tasted of peppermint with a hint of my cum. We kissed deep and long. Neither of us in a hurry to move from our comfy spot wrapped up in each other’s embrace.

  “You’re still alive,” I said against his lips.

  He caressed my cheek with one finger. “That’s a good way to go. But I’m glad I survived our first time so we can do it again soon.”

  I lifted my left foot and wiggled the slipper still clinging there. “So, you like these?”

  “More than like,” he murmured. “But how can I give those as a white elephant gift without thinking about tonight?”

  “You can’t. I like the idea that you’ll be thinking of me at your Christmas party. You’re welcome to come over when it’s done. I’m quite certain I have another outfit or two you mind find intriguing.”

  He pulled me on top of him and massaged my ass. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you come with me to the party? Everyone else will have their significant other with them. The food is supposed to be excellent. Surf ‘n’ turf from some fancy steakhouse.”

  “Captain Stallion’s Chophouse,” I ventured.

  Michael chuckled. “You’re joking.”

  I nuzzled his neck, planting kisses on his stubbled skin. He smelled so good, like musk and leather. “Am not. That’s the only place that offers catering with surf ‘n’ turf on the menu. Unless they’re using a catering service outside of Rockville—which I doubt. The folks around here are loyal to the core. We support each other.”

  He wound a lock of my hair around his fingertip and tugged. “That’s a nice sentiment. Small town thing, I suppose. Are you happy here?”

  “Very.” Rockville was a wonderful place to raise a family. I’d been to the city a few times. Short visits were fine, but I wouldn’t want to live there—surrounded by folk who didn’t know you and didn’t care to either. “Have you always lived in Chicago?”

  “Yep.”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. “Ever considered living in a small town?”

  “Never. But I haven’t spent much time in one either. I’m enjoying my stay in Rockville so far. The mall isn’t bad. There’s a fantastic night club on Main Street. And then there is this really hot woman that lives above The Hot & Frothy. I like her a lot. Even though she promised to show me around Winterfest but smashed me instead.”

  Winterfest! I’d forgotten all about that. Jumping off the bed, I headed for my dra
wer and selected a matching set of red panties and bra. I turned to Michael. “The festival doesn’t close until midnight on weekends. Hurry up and get dressed. We have at least an hour or two to enjoy it tonight.”

  He propped himself on one elbow and watched while I slipped on my panties. “I was joking. We don’t have to get out of bed.”

  “Yes, we do.” I hooked my bra and found a pair of jeans in the second drawer. “Winterfest isn’t something you want to miss. I have to work all day tomorrow and Sunday. And I want to be there with you—to see your joy when you buy a peppermint stick from Mary Kate.”

  He threw his legs over the bed and sauntered toward me. Even in an unaroused state, his cock was impressive. He wrapped one arm around my waist and yanked me against his naked body. “Only if you promise to buy one too and suck on it in front of me.”

  “I’ll do better than that,” I purred, splaying my hands over his bare chest. “One lick for you … then one of the peppermint stick. Back and forth. I’m not sure which tastes better.”

  He closed his eyes and groaned. His cock hardened against my belly and I laughed, wriggling out of his hold.

  “You’re a tease,” he admonished.

  I pulled on my jeans, followed quickly by a fluffy cashmere sweater. “Get dressed! I never tease. I’m a girl of my word. But if we don’t go to Winterfest and buy that peppermint stick, you’ll make a liar out of me.”

  Ten minutes later, we were both snuggled in our winter coats and strolling through the festive booths hand in hand. I hadn’t had this much fun with a guy in ages. By the end of the hour, Michael would want to visit every weekend. Or at least I could hope. Was it too much to ask Santa for two Christmas wishes?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  We rounded the corner of the third row of booths and a blustery wind pelted me on the face. Burr… My body shuddered. Michael wrapped his arm around me. “Where is the hot cocoa you promised?”

  I pointed down the fourth aisle. “Up ahead. Do you mind if we sneak past all of these vendors and make our way back once we’ve warmed up?”

  “What vendors?” He tugged me along at a quick pace, laughing all the way. The cocoa booth was more of a hut than anything else. We stepped inside and out of the wind. I breathed in deep, sighing with pleasure. There were hints of cinnamon, mocha, and peppermint on the air. And it was blessedly warm. The owner had stocked the shelves with canisters of cocoa along with various sweets—from cookies to fruit cake and an assortment of pralines. There were even chocolate covered strawberries or bananas.

  Michael perused the shelves and paused in front of a mid-sized square container with a Christmas tree and gifts piled beneath it. “White chocolate is my mother’s favorite. I think I’ll take one of these home with me.” He took one off the stack and grabbed a package of fruit cake too. “Are you hungry? Is there anything you want?”

  I shook my head. “Just a cup of spiked cocoa.”

  He walked to the register and placed his findings on the counter. “We’ll take two hot cocoas with a dash of peppermint Schnapps and these.”

  The cashier called out our order to the guy behind her and nodded a greeting to me. “Hey, Susie. Cold night. Thanks for stopping by. How’re things at the mall this season?”

  “Good, Jeanine. You didn’t make it to Pendersons for their annual blowout sale today?”

  “Unfortunately, no.”

  “There’s always the day after Christmas!”

  Michael shot me a look that said everything I needed to know about his thoughts on shopping in the after-holiday madness. He didn’t have to share in my love for shopping. My bestie Stephanie had my back on that one.

  Jeanine wrapped the tin of cocoa in pretty red glossy paper and tied it off with a white ribbon. She accepted Michael’s American Express Platinum card with a lift of her brow. I caught her eye and grinned. Yeah, that was the card with the high annual fees but all the cool travel perks. He must travel a lot for his business. Was that the reason why he was still single? Maybe he enjoyed a healthy sex life.

  He accepted the bag and handed one cup of steaming cocoa to me with a smile. “This will warm you up. Enjoy!”

  My belly tightened a little. He was handsome, fabulous in bed, and thoughtful. This was the reason why I didn’t do casual sex. The physical act gave me a false sense of closeness to a man. Then I started having all these crazy thoughts about being together for more than one weekend. Especially when he gazed at me over the rim of his cup with raw desire sparkling in his eyes. Our attraction was a tangible force. Even now my pussy throbbed with anticipation of the sex to come.

  I could do this. Act all casual and live in the moment. Stephanie did it all the time and told me I just had to give myself permission to satisfy my inner sex goddess without guilt. My best friend was right. My life was full of joy. I loved my job. Family and friends were plenty. I could afford a one-bedroom apartment downtown where a fun night was within walking distance. A boyfriend was bonus material.

  We sipped our hot drink and strolled in companionable silence. By the time we stumbled upon Mary Kate’s booth, the cocoa was warming my belly. I held out a hand for Michael’s empty cup and tossed them in a nearby trash bin.

  “Wow!” he said, taking in the variety of peppermint sticks Mary Kate offered. “This is the best booth in the whole Christmas market. I’ve never seen so many interesting peppermint treats.”

  There were chocolate covered sticks: white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate. With or without crushed nuts. One of my favorites was the thin peppermint sticks dipped in chocolate then plunged into marshmallows, followed with a chocolate bath and finally rolled into crushed peppermint. Heavenly. She had peppermint stick penny candy in cute little corked bottles. Peppermint stick cake bars. You name it, Mary Kate had thought of it. I dragged Michael to the corner of the booth where the big fat peppermint stick swirls were in a tall jar.

  He reached inside and plucked out two sticks. “One for you and one for me.”

  I leaned close and whispered in his ear, “Later tonight, I’m going to take turns sucking this cane and yours.”

  His arm looped around my waist and he drew me in for a heated kiss, one that warmed me from the inside. I grinned at him. And he grinned back. He looked so cute with the tip of his nose as red as Rudolph’s.

  “Can we get a couple of the chocolate-dipped marshmallow sticks too?” I asked. “They’re my second favorite.”

  “Anything for my girl.”

  My chest tightened a little at his innocent comment. I felt so relaxed in his company like we’d been a couple for months. But I had to remind myself we weren’t a couple or else I would be a weeping mess once he left on Monday. We were sharing a serendipitous moment in time. That’s all.

  “Let’s get out of here and check out the ice sculptures before we turn into snowmen,” I prodded.

  When I tried to offer to pay for our treats, Michael brushed away my money and pecked me on the cheek. He settled all of his bags in one hand and grabbed mine with his other. I led him to the park where the artists were hard at work on their masterpieces. Some were nearly finished, well ahead of the noon deadline on Sunday. Others were only halfway there. All of them were spectacular in their own right. I didn’t envy the judges. How did they choose from among the variety on display?

  This year twenty artists were angling for the big prize. We strolled from one to the next. A mermaid, a castle, a dragon, a swan, a rose, Chewbacca, … I paused and gawked at the seventh sculpture.

  “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” I whispered to Michael.

  His lips twitched. “The details are amazing. This is one of my favorite poses for Aphrodite.”

  “But she’s almost naked. I can see her nipples through the gauzy dress.”

  “And the mound of her bush,” he said in a husky voice.

  Tingles erupted in my bush from the look in his eyes. This was a first. I’d never gotten horny while perusing the ice sculptures before.

  “Th
e hotel is right around the corner,” Michael said. He brushed our joined hands surreptitiously over his groin. His cock was as hard as a block of ice. “I can’t stop thinking about you sucking on your peppermint stick. Or your naked body. You put Aphrodite to shame.”

  “Let’s go! You can see the rest tomorrow.”

  We half walked; half ran to the hotel until I slipped on a patch of ice. I was saved from a nasty tumble by Michael’s quick reflexes. We laughed and switched to a brisk walk. My body was high on anticipation. Sex with a new partner was always exhilarating.

  The warmth of the hotel lobby was like a balm on my exposed cheeks. I groaned and my whole body shuddered, shaking off the cold. In the lobby, a fireplace glowed with a roaring fire that beckoned us closer. We both stood there blissfully soaking in the heat and grinning at each other.

  “Susie Alvin, is that you?”

  I glanced over at the feminine shrill and found Grace Rosewood walking briskly toward us.

  “Your last name is Alvin?” Michael asked with a smirk. “That explains your obsession with cute little red dresses. Not that I’m complaining. Are you hiding pointy ears under some kind of magic spell?”

  I rolled my eyes. Most people didn’t know Alvin was Old English for “elf friend.” My uniform at work was for Santa’s Helper and I didn’t have pointy ears. Though—truth be told—I did have a soft spot for Christmas stories that featured Santa’s elves.

  Grace held out her arms and I rushed into her embrace for a hug.

  “Hi, Grace!” I mumbled into her shoulder. “Happy Holidays. Fancy seeing you here!”

  The older woman stepped back and held me by the shoulders, giving me the once over. “This is my hotel, darling. I’m in for the holidays. You look as fabulous as ever. Love that wool coat,” she said with a saucy wink.

  Of course, she loved it—the coat was her Christmas gift to me last year out of her designer collection. Grace was like a part of our family and came to our annual party without fail. And she was very generous. Still, I tried not to take advantage of our relationship.