Page 15 of Christmas in Kiwi Country

“Are fine with it—I made sure to ask. We’ll do something separate when we get home.”

Home.

It still makes me laugh that this guy from the big city would give up his expensive life to retire to Clementine Creek. It makes me love him more for that fact alone.

“When do we leave?”

“Whenever you want,” he says and I sigh. “Whenever you want because it’s not planned yet.”

“It’s not?” I ask surprised, hope filling my veins.

“Isla might have mentioned that this kind of trip, your dream trip, deserves your input.”

“She’s a smart girl.”

“She is but the more I thought about it, the more I knew it was the right thing. It’s been a long time since I got to plan a trip and even longer since I wanted to.” Cullen steps into me, his hand sliding around my waist to pull me slowly against him. “I’ve never wanted to plan a trip with someone before.”

“And you want to plan Christmas in New Zealand with me?”

“I do,” he says as his gaze drops to my lips before returning to my eyes. “To clarify, I will surprise you with vacations and weekend getaways.”

“Just not this,” I say with a chuckle and he nods.

“Just not this,” he confirms and then teases me with a kiss so delicious I can’t help but wrap my arms around his neck as I press my body against his. I’ll never get tired of him like this. He’s openly affectionate and sweet, and being in his arms like this has my heart fluttering in my chest. He’s been taking better care of himself since his heart attack, and I can’t complain about that either.

He’s handsome with his dark hair peppered with gray and the lines on his face that make him look distinguished instead of old. Groaning, he pulls back and rests his forehead against mine, our breath mingling in the space between us.

Cullen’s erection presses into me through our clothes, and I can’t help but rock my hips against him.

“Woman,” he says in a low growl, and if he were any other man I’d have kicked him in the family jewels by now.

But he’s not.

The deep timbre of his voice has that single word sending chills down my spine and igniting a spark of desire in my belly.

It’s always like this with Cullen, and I’m not sure if it’s that our relationship is still relatively new or that we’ve both been going through life to get to this exact moment. He’s confident in himself—body and mind—but his soul has been battered over the years. There’s a darkness that’s dissipated slowly since he’s been in Clementine Creek, but it’s not gone entirely.

This time, however, when his gaze meets mine, the darkness in those espresso-colored eyes with their flecks of gold is lust, and I shiver.

He notices the effect his declaration has on me because his fingertips dig in to where they rest at the small of my back. He’sintensein a way that gets me hot and bothered in no time flat. In all my life, I’ve never been submissive to a man, but there’s something about the way Cullen respects and worships me that makes me more than willing to give him control.

Tipping my head, I rub my nose against his, coaxing his lips back to mine. He’s resisting even as he pulls me impossibly tighter against him. He’s trying to not make this a thing, like he’s buying my affection with extravagant gifts.

“Cullen?”

“Yes?” The word is desperate.

“This is a lipstick moment and I need you inside me.”

“Dammit, Gwen.” His lips crash over mine before I can find a retort as he backs me toward my bedroom. “I didn’t want it to be—” he says between kisses as he deftly opens the buttons on my blouse. His competence is sexy, and I relish in the feel of his hands against my bare skin.

“I know. I believe you. I—”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Don’t move,” Cullen growls as the timer sounds from the kitchen. I lean my shoulder against the wall as I watch him don oven mitts and pull the biscuits out and set them on top of the stove. It shouldn’t be sexy but it is.

It totally is.

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