Page 58 of A Christmas Mystery

I didn’t know everything then, but the conclusion I came to was the right one. Now it all feels fuller, deeper, realer, heavier.

With strong enough roots to withstand any storm.

He makes a mumbling sound as he blinks a few times until his blue eyes focus on my face. “Good morning. I love you.”

My heart melts. “Good morning. Merry Christmas.”

“Oh yeah.” His smile widens. “It’s a very good Christmas.” He pauses as he peers at me. “Isn’t it?”

I giggle and hug him. “Yes. It’s a very good Christmas this year. I love you too.”

He hugs me back. Then he starts to kiss me. I’m happy for a few kisses, but then I have to call for a break so I can run to the bathroom to pee, wash up, and brush my teeth. He’s chuckling when I come running back to bed, but he won’t let me tackle him.

Not until he makes a visit to the bathroom too.

“Now,” I say, grinning as he climbs back into bed beside me. “We’re ready at last.”

He stretches out and gazes up at me from his pillow. “Are we?” he asks very gently.

“We are.”

I confirm the words by climbing on top of him and leaning down into a kiss.

This time nothing interrupts or comes between us. We kiss for a long time, as thorough and patient and leisurely as Theo has always kissed me. I know he’s getting into it. He’s hard in his boxers almost immediately, and he makes a lot of throaty moans into my mouth. But he doesn’t rush us. He takes his time, caresses me all over until the kiss and the touches and the deep feeling between us all combine to build my arousal up to an overwhelming extent.

Eventually I can’t keep quiet. I’m making greedy sounds as my mouth works against his and our tongues slide together. My hips are making the same rocking motion as his, and soon it feels like I’m going to come from nothing more than this.

“Theo,” I mumble, barely able to pull my lips away from his.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“Can we please have sex now?”

“That sounds good to me.”

“Really?” I lift my head to check his face.

He’s smiling up at me endearingly. “Of course, yes. Are you really surprised?”

“It just seems to have taken a long time.”

“Well, maybe we needed a long time.” He holds my face in both hands. “But we’re here now. Together. And I want to make love to you more than anything.”

The old-fashioned term should have felt cheesy, but it doesn’t. It feels nakedly authentic.

Because what we’re acting on now is love.

I kiss him again and at the same time reach down to his groin so I can slip a hand under his waistband and stroke his erection.

He grunts at my touch, his hips bucking slightly. Then by mutual accord we quickly strip off our clothes so that I can straddle his hips and sink down onto his erection.

I’ve been on birth control for years to regulate my period, so we don’t need to worry about that. My body stretches to accommodate his size, and we’re both panting as we adjust to the penetration.

He’s smiling up at me, sweating and breathless and adoring me with his eyes.

I’m smiling too as my hair falls forward past my shoulders and I brace myself on his shoulders. Then I start to ride him. He holds my hips as I bounce over him eagerly, letting go of any stray inhibitions so I can take exactly what my body needs.

It doesn’t take long until I’m coming with cries of pleasure that I muffle with my hand so I’m not too loud in the quiet house.

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