Page 55 of Pining for Christmas

“Noelle,” Reid says slowly. His pupils are expanding, eating up the pale blue rings of his eyes. His chest rises and falls steadily beneath his slightly unbuttoned shirt. “What are you doing?”

My pulse thumps in my ears as I tip over, kneeling in front of my boss. My hand trembles as it rests against his chest, and my voice sounds like it comes from far away, muffled by my own heartbeat. “Oh come on, Reid. Even you know what mistletoe is for.”

He sniffs hard, then flings the sprig at the wall. “We don’t need that bullshit, Noelle.”

I’m tipped over before I can blink.

Pressed down into the mattress, Reid’s body covering mine from above. Blanketing me. And god, if any part of me thought he’d be stilted, restrained, tepid in his response to my advances… I was so, so wrong.

It’s like a switch has flipped. Goodbye, cranky ice man who hates everyone and everything; hello, hot,hungryboss.

Reid takes my wrists and pins them above my head, our hands sinking into the pile of pillows. He scowls at me from mere inches away, dark hair flopping over his forehead, and seals our bodies together from chest to legs. The sounds of shattering glass float from the TV, with the screams of Nakatomi Tower.

“Is this what you want?”

Reid sounds mad. Such a grump, even now.

I crane up and nip his chin.

And my bosssnarls, then ducks down and kisses me so hard my head spins. Kisses me into oblivion.

It’s bruising and harsh. He’s punishing me as well as giving in, his mouth moving against mine without mercy, without pause, like he’s trying to teach me a lesson. Well, the joke’s on him.

Because Ilovethis.

Love Reid’s weight pressing me down into the bed, squeezing the air from my lungs; love the hard length digging between my legs, prodding me through our clothes; love his hot, wicked mouth. I love all of it.

And Reid Merryweather kisses me like he’s been desperate for a taste for years. Like he’s craved this since the first day we met, the same way I have, and now he has three years of pent up thirst to slake. His ice blue eyes are open, glaring at me, watching my reactions as he roughly claims my mouth, but when I tug his lower lip between my teeth… my boss’s eyelids finally slide closed.

Reid slants his head and softens our kiss. Goes slower,deeper, like he’s done punishing me and now he wants to savor every second. Tension leaves his body, and he melts against me, getting heavier. Closer. Everywhere.

Yes.I want him to squish me flat.

Want to feel every inch of him.

Strong hands leave my wrists, scorching two hot trails down my sides. My fingers weave into his dark hair; they twist and tug. Every time he rocks to one side or the other, letting up the pressure for a split second, I gasp for air, but I don’t care. This is perfect.

Ilovebeing trapped by this man. Pinned and claimed so thoroughly. Part of me had worried that if I ever coaxed Reid Merryweather into kissing me, if I ever got past his sky-high walls, he’d be rote and tentative. Going through the motions to make me happy, or out of curiosity, maybe—but not really into it.

Thatfear is long gone; it flew out of my brain the second our lips met. Because Reid is not restrained, not at all—his control has finally snapped, and he’s lost in me.Drowningin me. Taking his pleasure.

“Reid!”

I gasp his name as he sucks hard on my neck. It’s going to leave a bruise, but do I care? I do not.

Iamhis. The whole world should know that anyway.

“Oh my god.” Giggles burst between my lips as Reid trails hot kisses down my body, mouthing me through the pajama shirt. He finds my hard nipple easily, sucking it through the fabric.

I bow off the bed with a gasp.

“Oh my god. Oh my god.” His dark hair is thick and springy, and surprisingly soft between my fingers. I scratch at his scalp as Reid kisses down to my belly button, breathing hot air on my navel through the shirt fabric. “I thought you’d, like, peck me on the cheek. This is insane.”

Insanelygood.A dream come true.

But Reid stiffens, his big hands gripping my hips. “Insane?”

My stomach plummets. “In a good way!”

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