Merry Christmas, Baby(22)
Author: Vicki Lewis Thompson

“I noticed.”

“Okay, if you say so.” Teddy laughed again, shaking her head, but there was a hollow note to her laughter and a hint of a shadow in her eyes. “Are we still on for snowmobiling this afternoon?”

While they took all of this for granted, it was a whole new world to Jared. He’d never been snowmobiling before. He was seriously excited about it. When had his life gotten into such a rut? Hell, maybe he’d been born in a rut and never made a move to get out…before now. Perhaps that had been part of his marital woes. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

But not as much as he was looking forward to some more alone time with Teddy because all too soon he’d be getting back on a plane for New York, if only to wrap up his affairs there. He was feeling more and more at home in Good Riddance.

7

THE MOMENT TEDDY CLOSED the door, Jared slipped his arms around her from behind.

“I’ve been waiting all day to do this,” he said, nuzzling her neck and pulling her against him.

“Mmm.” Teddy offered up a sigh of contentment. “Alone at last.”

“My sentiments exactly, but snowmobiling was fun.”

“It was, wasn’t it? Especially with you behind me.”

“You don’t know how many times I wanted to kiss you.” He teased his lips against the nape of her neck, sending a shiver coursing through her.

She turned, linking her arms around his neck, her internal thermostat hitting a high note. “Gus is taking Nick’s mother and sisters to Jenna’s spa this afternoon.”

“And Nick is taking his brother-in-laws and father ice fishing.”

Which translated to alone time in her apartment for them. She teased him. “You didn’t want to go ice fishing?”

“I had something else in mind that involved far fewer clothes…?.”

“Now that sounds like a good idea.”

They went into Teddy’s room and closed the door. Although Gus and Nick were supposed to be otherwise occupied, erring on the side of caution struck Teddy as a good thing.

“I like your town,” Jared said.

“Good. I like your ‘town’ too.”

“That’s only because you haven’t lived there all your life,” he said.

“You might feel differently about Good Riddance if you’d been here since kindergarten, as well.” He couldn’t seriously be considering staying here. First, he was simply too New York and second, well, it was simply too unfair if he showed up just as she was leaving… And she was leaving.

“It’s possible.”

“Probable,” she said. The thought crossed her mind that it was a good thing Jared hadn’t turned up in Good Riddance any earlier in her life or she might’ve been sorely tempted to not leave. But she had a ticket now, and she’d bet after another day or two Good Riddance’s rustic charm would wear thin and Jared would be ready to hot-foot it back to Manhattan.

He slid his hands beneath her sweater’s hem and caressed her back. His touch, sure and warm, banished all thoughts except how good it felt and how much she wanted more.

They lay down on the bed and took their time undressing one another, exploring, savoring the experience. Everything about this man turned her on—the lean but defined muscles, the smattering of hair on his chest, the texture of his skin against hers, his scent, the way he smiled, one corner of his mouth quirking higher than the other, and the way he moved.

His mouth captured hers and she sighed her satisfaction into their kiss. She cupped his buttocks in her hands—she loved his ass. He had the perfect man-ass—tight, taut and well-shaped.

He was here for such a short time and who knew where things would be when they were both in New York…?. She jumped out of bed. “Hold that thought.”

She stepped into the walk-in closet and pulled the door closed behind her. She’d played in a production of a farce a couple of years ago in Anchorage. Anchorage was the only “real” theater in the state and that was a stretch. Plus she’d had to fly there and stay with a cast mate for the entire run. She’d played a buxom French maid in the production and she’d had to provide her own costume—nothing like theater on a shoestring budget.

She’d been waiting on this opportunity for a long time. If Jared thought she was weird, he was leaving in two days anyway, so no worries. If he liked it, they’d have a good time. She pulled on black hose with a garter belt, a black lace thong and a frilly white apron, leaving the rest of the costume on a hanger. Slipping on a pair of black heels, she cracked the closet door. Only one thing left. “Close your eyes,” she said.

“They’re closed.”

“No peeking.”

“No peeking.”

She stepped out of the closet and hurried over to the dresser. She quickly twisted and pinned her hair up and brushed on some red lipstick. She pinned on the frilly little cap that completed the outfit.

She checked herself in the mirror—well, as much as she could see. If Jared wasn’t turned on, she was going to look pretty stupid. And if he was…then they’d both reap the benefits.

“You can look now, monsieur,” she said with the same accent she’d used in the play. “I am Celeste.” The name she’d used before. “I am here to serve you.”

“Wow.” He propped up on one elbow to get a better look. “Double wow.”

This had definitely been a good idea, judging from his reaction and the look in his eyes. She approached the bed. “What would you like, monsieur? I will do whatever you say.”

He told her in a low, husky voice exactly what he’d like. Smiling, her heart racing in anticipation and excitement, she climbed up onto the bed and straddled him. His erection pressed against the crotch of her wet panties. “Like this?”

“Oh, yeah.” He reached up and traced the edge of her nipple with his fingertip. Oh, yeah was right. He pulled her to him and licked the nipple he’d just outlined. She shuddered and grasped his shoulders. His mouth was warm and wet and just the right combination of gentle and rough as he sucked, licked and nipped her br**sts.

“Oh, I like that,” she said, careful to keep her voice in character. “That feels so good.” Actually it felt better than good. She wasn’t even sure what it meant but she threw out whatever came to her in French. “C’est vrai. Oui, oui, oui.”

Meanwhile, she rubbed her satin-covered mound against the hard line of his penis, her excitement notching higher and higher. She liked having him nak*d beneath her while she had on the hose and heels and thong and the sheer apron.

He stroked his hands over her hips. Reaching behind her, he grabbed her thong in one hand and pulled gently, tugging it tight between her wet folds. She moaned. “Oui.”

Teddy’s excitement notched up to fever pitch when he told her what he wanted her to do next. Her hand not quite steady, she delved beneath the edge of her panties into her slick channel. Her fingers coated with her essence, she smeared it on his nipple. She repeated it on his other nipple. On instinct, she slowly, deliberately licked each of her fingers before she leaned forward to complete the rest of his request. She dragged her tongue over his eraser-head-hard tips, licking herself off him.

“Oh, baby. That’s so, so hot.”

She thought so, too.

He rolled on a condom and pulling her thong aside, he guided her up with his hands. Willingly she came down on him, taking all of him inside her at once. She paused for a second, settling on him, rocking against him, and then she rode him so hard and with such enthusiasm that her hair came down and she didn’t care. All she cared about was how good it felt, how much they were both enjoying it.

His face tightened and she knew he was close to the edge. He reached between them and found her cl*t with his finger. Her orgasm exploded inside her and she felt him come right after her. As the last tremors shook her, she collapsed on top of him, incapable of anything more. She felt as if her entire body had become boneless. His breath gusted against her hair. “Thank you,” he said.

“Mais, non,” she murmured. “Merci.”

TWO DAYS LATER, JARED stood in his tux behind Nick’s best man as Nick and Gus exchanged vows at the Good Riddance community center. Having the ceremony at the community center was a little unorthodox, but it was the only building large enough to hold the crowd that had shown up for the wedding. And altogether Good Riddance was an unorthodox kind of place, so it fit. Gus’s restaurant had been a gathering place for the town for several years and Gus was obviously held in high esteem.

Jared’s mind wandered as the officiating minister droned on about the sanctity of marriage, his attention snagged by Teddy standing on the bride’s side of the lineup. Good God but she was beautiful and sexy in that red velvet dress, her upswept hair leaving her sensitive neck bare. He had no idea how he’d gotten so lucky. Teddy was an incredible woman and not just in the sack, although that was off the charts, too. She was fun, but over the course of the last few days he’d discovered she had a serious side, as well.

Teddy glanced at him, obviously feeling him looking at her. She didn’t exactly smile, but her eyes lit up. There was something about her, about them. They were good together in a way he’d never been with anyone else. Yesterday they’d made cookies in her kitchen. He’d never made cookies before in his life—it just wasn’t his thing. And quite frankly, if anyone had ever asked him to he would have said thanks but no thanks. But he’d had a great time making gingerbread cookies and decorating them. If he hadn’t met her, he would’ve never known how much fun it could be. What else would he miss out on without Teddy in his life?