Page 20 of Mountain Man Santa

“Don’t get me wrong. They won’t be happy. They aren’t happy. But is it really up to them?”

Jerry shakes his head, looking like he wants to say more.

“What are you thinking?”

He shrugs. “I don’t want to beat a dead horse over you and Elliott. But you ignored a lot of red flags with him. I guess because you liked his resume and portfolio?”

“You’ve got it all wrong?—”

“I’m not educated like him, and my background leaves much to be desired.”

I counter, “I don’t want to talk about my ex-boyfriend, but you’re making assumptions I need to correct. Elliott and I both grew up in Calaveras County, and we started dating when we were in high school, well before he worked for wine labels and any of that. So, I picked him before he picked his job, even though I think we can both agree that, yes, I could have had better taste. And I ignored the red flags because I’m a loyal person. It’s part of who I am.”

Emotion washes over Jerry’s face, and he says, “It’s easy being loyal to a guy in a suit. But what about if you were in Delilah’s shoes with somebody like Holden…you know, who’s doing time? Would you still be so loyal?”

Delilah, again? Ugh! “Do you have a thing for her or what?”

“Delilah? Hell, no. She’s my friend’s girl. I’d never do something like that to Holden. It doesn’t get any lower than banging a guy’s woman when he’s locked up.”

His voice shakes with anger at the end of his statement, filling me with an uncomfortable curiosity. I sense he has more to say, waiting patiently. Finally, he admits, “I got out two months shy of six years, thanks to good behavior. I came home with a ring in my pocket to propose to my girlfriend, Beata Nowak. We’d dated since high school, and she stuck with me through everything, which made me anxious to marry her. But I caught my best friend, Aleksy, banging her at my apartment on my couch. That’s when I gave up on love and trusting women. Until I met you, Shortie…”

Tears well in my eyes, trying to put myself in his shoes. “I can’t imagine how much that had to hurt you, Jerry.”

“It fucking sucked at the time. But if it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be here with you now, and that’s all that matters to me.” His large, thick hand slides up my inner thigh, his fingers teasing the hem of the hoodie that I wear. It’s one of his and huge on me, fitting more like a knee-length robe than a sweatshirt.“Now, back to that Delilah comment… I like it when you’re jealous,” he says, squeezing my thigh and running his thumb back and forth over my skin, lighting my flesh on fire.

“I’m not jealous,” I say before stopping myself. The tone of my voice alone gives me away.

“Yeah, you are, and I like it.” He presses my calf into his girth, teasing me with his firm cock. My breath catches in my throat. “Have I fed you enough? Cause there’s a different kinda dessert I want to dive into.” His dark mahogany eyes sear into me as his words inspire shivers all over my body. His hand travels further up my leg, squeezing and massaging my thick inner thigh.

I’m certain he can hear the pulse pounding in my chest as he shifts the way he’s sitting to position himself between my legs. He isn’t wearing a shirt, and the way the firelight dances over his firm, angular chest and ab muscles makes my pussy throb with anticipation.

As he muscles his broad shoulders between my legs, spreading them further, I say, “You know, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I know some guys don’t?—”

“Shh…” he says, holding his finger up to his lips. “There’s nothing I want more on the face of this Earth than your pussy in my mouth.”

His fingertips trace trails of fire up the insides of my thighs, and he says, “Besides, if you didn’t want me here, why aren’t you wearing panties?” He sticks his head up, arching his brow.

“Because I only have one pair, and after what we did earlier… Well, they need a good washing.”

“Good. Cause you commando is sexier than hell... Tell me what you want, Shortie,” he orders in rich, dark tones, lowering his head back down until the heat from his breath makes my mound clench.

“Jerry…”

“Tell me what you want and how you want it. I’m serious.”

I clear my throat, self-consciousness catching my tongue. Elliott was so repressed and disinterested when it came to sex. It was more like a chore for him. And as for dirty talk? Well, that never happened.

“Tell me what you want, baby girl. I need to hear it from your sexy mouth.”

The throbbing between my legs grows excruciating, the tension ratcheting sky-high. I lick my lips, whispering, “I want you, Jerry, between my legs, licking my pussy.”

“Good girl,” he growls. “But you have to agree to my ground rule.”

“And what’s that?” I ask breathlessly.

“You’re only allowed to come when I tell you. Any sooner, and I’ll have to punish you again, baby. Got it?”

Just hearing him say those words makes my pussy swell.

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