Page 60 of Take Me Home for Christmas

On days when I miss you so much, it hurts.

He had a sinking feeling he would be in for a lot of those days come the New Year.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she took the box from his hands and carefully placed it on top of the file cabinet. Tentatively, she placed her palms on his chest. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip. He fought to contain his groan. Her hands slid up to behind his neck.

“Oh, Hayden,” she murmured before stretching up on her toes and pressing her lips to his.

She kissed him tenderly, as though he might shatter. He didn’t want her gentleness. Not when it felt too much like pity.

He bit down on her lip before soothing it with his tongue. His fingers gripped her waist tightly as he walked her backward toward the table he’d just finished sanding. She gasped when her legs hit the edge of it. He slipped his palm under her sweater. His fingers traced the warm flush beginning to spread over her skin.

Nothing about her kiss was tender now. A wild keening sound slipped from the back of her throat when his thumb grazed her hard nipple. She pressed her hips against his. He lifted her onto the table as he pulled his mouth from hers.

Her eyes were wild, and her lips swollen when she reached for the hem of his T-shirt. Their arms tangled as he struggled with her sweater while she tried to work his shirt over his head. After some maneuvering, both pieces of clothing landed on the table beside her.

Elle kicked off her shoes as she fingered the button of his jeans. She froze when Hayden leaned down to suck her nipple pebbled against the satin of her bra. Her legs suddenly gripped his waist tightly. When she rubbed her core against his crotch, he nearly exploded right then and there.

He worked her bra over her head before leaning her back and laying her out on the table like a feast. Her long legs still had him in a vise grip. She panted frustrated breaths. Hayden pressed a kiss between her breasts. Her pulse pounded beneath his lips. He tugged at her leggings, but it was no use.

“Elle,” he pleaded. “Pants.”

She loosened her legs while sitting up to reach for the zipper of his jeans. He let out a pained hiss as she worked him free. With a breathy sigh, she shoved his briefs down below his ass, then shimmied out of her leggings and panties.

Hayden groaned like a wounded beast when she wrapped her fingers around his length and began to stroke him. Her legs were back around his waist, guiding him closer. He watched like some voyeur as she angled his length inside her. Her delighted moan was his undoing. Swearing violently, he pressed her back down onto the table with his body before ruthlessly pushing into her.

“Yes!” she cried.

Strands of her long hair were coming undone, their tips stirring up bits of sawdust as her head thrashed from side to side.

“Please, Hayden.” She clawed at the tabletop.

The pleasure built, and her muscles contracted around him. When he reached beneath her ass and tilted it to increase the friction, she shrieked. Her hips bucked frantically right before a silent scream left her lips, and she went limp. Elle was always beautiful to him, but he was suddenly in awe of how much more gorgeous she was when she came.

“Belle,” he whispered reverently.

Her eyes fluttered open. She gifted him with a grin that looked spellbound. “I love it when you call me that,” she whispered back.

It was as if she’d unlocked a secret vault of feelings that Hayden didn’t know existed. Or how to process. He was struggling to wrap his head around them when she squeezed her core tightly. His other head demanded he stop thinking and start acting. Propping his elbows on the table, he leaned over her.

“My Belle,” he grunted next to her ear.

She sighed words of agreement as he thrust into her several more times.

“My Belle!” he shouted as he finally came in a satisfying rush.

They were both breathing hard when the room began to come back into focus. Bits of sawdust clung to Elle’s skin. She giggled when he tried to brush them off her.

“I’ll never be able to eat a meal at Gavin and Ginger’s house after this,” she joked.

He touched his nose to hers. “Knowing Ginger’s lack of kitchen skills, that’s probably a good thing.”

They both laughed before a heavy silence settled over the room. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip. He instantly recognized her tell. She was anxious about something. And he had a sneaking suspicion she was also having trouble making sense of the emotions swirling around them.

Elle brushed a piece of hair back from his forehead. “Hayden?—”

He distracted her with a kiss. “Let’s go inside and shower all that sawdust off you,” he murmured against her lips.

Her hands stilled against his back, and he said a little prayer she’d drop it for now. He sighed in relief when she dragged her fingers along his side.

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