Page 27 of 40 and Flashing (the Scotsman)
She nodded. “Please.”
She watched as he left the room, devouring the sight of his bare chest and back and long, bare legs beneath his boxers. God, he was sexy. And last night had been…mind-blowing. That was the only word that could come close to describing it. Totally mind-blowing.
And now that sexy man was in her kitchen making coffee.
She couldn’t scramble out of the bed fast enough.
Five minutes later she hobbled into the kitchen, mouth fresh, legs aching. “Am I walking bowlegged? I feel like I’m walking bowlegged. Heroines never walk like this. They take all the sex they can get and keep on going. I, on the other hand, definitely feel like I was riding a horse all night.”
“You were ridin’ somethin’.” Gavin wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Laughter bubbled up. “Bad pun! So bad.” She shuffled toward him.
“But it made ya laugh.” He came to her side. “Heroines don’ have mornin’ breath either,” he pointed out, “but here we are, stuck in reality.” Scooping her into his arms, he deposited her onto the counter before she could blink. When her thighs split open around his hips, she hissed.
Gavin gave her a look of sympathy. “Poor babe.” He gripped her thighs with his big hands and began to massage the aching muscles. “How’s that?”
She grimaced. “Guess I’m a bit out of practice.”And old,she told herself.Don’t forget old.
He ducked his head to meet her eyes. “I’m no’ complainin’.”
Considering how often he’d woken her—and she’d woken him—during the rather active night, she guessed not. As he kneaded her aching muscles, tenderness welled up. She reached for him then, unable to wait a second more. The scruff on his cheeks was longer, softer than it had been against her inner thighs last night. Cupping his cheeks, she raised his head and met his lips with her own.
A groan escaped him, making her smile. His reactions were so masculine, so rough where his manners were so smooth. A wealth of contradictions in one body that came together to create one compelling package she couldn’t get enough of.
Gavin took a deep breath, pulled back, and smiled down at her. “That’s what I wanted for Christmas mornin’.”
She’d forgotten it was Christmas morning. “Sorry.”
“Stop apologizin’.” He raised his eyebrows. “Last night was more physically demandin’ of you than it was of me.” He leaned in, kissed her again, and set his forehead against hers. “And I enjoyed every second of it.”
“Me too.”
While she continued to sit on the counter, Gavin rummaged through her cupboards, found a couple of coffee cups, and poured them coffee. After doctoring one according to her instructions, he handed her a light, sweet cup of coffee while drinking his black. The idea made her shudder.
“So…” She hid her uncertainty behind her coffee mug, focusing on the liquid instead of Gavin’s face. “I have a Christmas gift for you under the tree.”
“Is that right?”
“It is.” She dared to look up. Excitement filled his eyes. He looked like a kid who had been let loose in a candy store. “Would you like to open it?”
“Sure would.” He hesitated. “I have a gift for you as well, but it’s in my car.”
She laughed. “I completely forgot about the car last night. I guess we can retrieve it later.”
He took her coffee cup and assisted her down from the countertop. As they walked into the living room, Scarlett caught her breath at the sight that waited outside the windows. White blanketed the world—a layer of snow, pristine and beautiful. She went immediately to the window. “Look at that. A white Christmas!”
Gavin moved behind her. His chest met her back as his arms came around her waist, his chin settling on her shoulder. “Beautiful, aye?”
“It is.” She frowned. “I hope it doesn’t keep people from coming to the wedding.”
“JD told me he had the road salted yesterday, so the mountain is safe. Judgin’ from the asphalt out there, I think the roads in town will be fine.”
He was right, the road outside her house was mostly clear. The main worry would be the mountain, and if that was taken care of… “Good. I wouldn’t want anything to put a damper on their day.”
Gavin tucked his face against her neck. His stubble brushed along the sensitive skin there. When she tipped her head to the side to give him access, he placed a light kiss just below her ear, right on her throbbing pulse. His chuckle blew warm air against her skin. “Can’t leave a love bite on the bridesmaid. That would be embarrassin’.”
She grinned over her shoulder. “I definitely wouldn’t want to explain that.”
