Page 70 of Here Comes Santa Paws

“Roman. Need it.”

I cupped his balls and tugged gently as I pushed the third finger in. He dragged his open palm up his stomach and paused to pinch his nipple. I squeezed my eyes closed to calm myself down.

I was meticulous in making sure he was stretched for me. Even when he begged me to move on, I didn’t. I couldn’t. The beads of sweat forming on his forehead, sliding down his temples, had me mesmerized. Everything about him had me captivated.

“Please.Need you.”

My eyes fell closed as I tried to stop those words from getting absorbed by a deeper part of me. The part that used my unguarded moments between sleep and being awake to think about what it would be like to stay with Elias. I had to remind myself his words only meant now. In this moment.

I stroked him and removed my fingers as he thrust the open condom packet into my face. I slid it down my shaft.

Elias grinned and pulled me on top of him. “Ready?”

“So ready.” My voice was hoarse. My stare never left his as I gripped my shaft and teased my sensitive cockhead against his hole. I eased the tip inside, making sure Elias was good before I pushed farther in.

His jaw went slack as he tilted his head back, chin pointing at the ceiling. “More.” The word came out on a moan.

I sucked a possessive kiss where his neck met his shoulder as I slid home. Any stubborn panels into the wall around my heart crumbled at our connection. There was a rightness with Elias that I couldn’t ignore. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there any longer.

Elias wrapped his legs around my waist, and I hooked my arms under his shoulders and cupped the back of his head in my hands. I didn’t want any space between us. All my senseswere focused on Elias—his musky scent, the smoothness of his skin, his lusty moans and needy whimpers in my ear. Each one worked its way into my heart. Elias gripped me like he never wanted to let me go as I thrust inside him, over and over.

I hummed in pleasure as he clenched around my cock. That sensation pushed me over the edge, and he held me tightly as I pulsed inside him. My toes curled as the orgasm worked through me, leaving me floating in bliss. His hold on me never relaxed.

Once I got my wits about me, I shuffled down his body and sucked him until he shot into my mouth while moaning my name. I collapsed onto him in a sweaty heap. We lay there for several minutes until the condom became an annoyance.

“You got a trash can in here?”

“No, but there’s one in the bathroom. You can brave the dogs, or I’ve got tissues.” Elias reached over to the nightstand and passed me a box.

I looked at the bedroom door and saw several paws underneath. “Tissues work for me.” I disposed of the condom into a bundle of them and set them on the nightstand until we decided to leave the room and I could throw it away.

Elias rolled toward me and tucked his arm close to his body as I wrapped mine around his shoulder.

“Want to stay for a bit? I’ve probably got half an hour until the dogs threaten mutiny for dinner.” He pressed a quick kiss against my chest.

My mind swam from the intimacy. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had sex like this. Had I ever? Despite a part of me wanting to grab my clothes and run, I didn’t. I could live in the fantasy for thirty minutes.

“Someone needs to protect you from the mutiny.”

He chuckled, and his warm breath teased across my skin. We fell silent for a moment.

“You know, if the job doesn’t work out, we could keep hanging out. I don’t hate this,” Elias hedged.

He kept his tone casual, but I could read between the lines.

“You need to do what’s right for you, but I couldn’t let you go to Arizona without you knowing that I’m enjoying whatever’s happening between us.”

“I am too.” What else could I say? I couldn’t promise him anything I wasn’t prepared to honor.

I kissed the top of his head like I wasn’t going to leave his place, hop on a plane to Arizona tomorrow, and interview for a new job on Monday morning. New job, new adventure, right? That had been my motto to date.

So why doesn’t it feel like it fits anymore?Somehow Elias’s enthusiastic earnestness worked its way under my skin and into my heart. Goddammit. I went and got myself attached to my annoyingly perky neighbor.

Chapter 29

Elias

I hadtwo steaming cups of coffee in my hand as I exited Jolly Java. Fortunately, a kind older woman in a fuzzy red sweater opened the door for me so I didn’t risk spilling the scalding cups.

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