Page 17 of Christmas in Kiwi Country

“Right there.” I moan as he grinds against my clit at the same time he reaches that spot inside me so few have ever been able to master.

“I know what you need, Red.” I’d laugh at the slip of my nickname if I wasn’t overwhelmed by the pleasure building inside me.

His body is tense, as he maintains that perfect rhythm that has me shattering under his masterful hand. I cry out as wave after wave of pleasure bursts through my veins. Cullen thrusts only a few more times before he buries himself deep inside me on a groan.

Sweat coats his body, his forehead resting against mine. He’s beautiful like this, and I can’t help but play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he says, his voice hoarse.

“It’s nothing compared to what you do to me.”

Cullen chuckles before easing off me and dropping onto his back next to me. Wrapping his arms around me, he smiles as he pulls me onto his chest, completely unconcerned about the mess we’ve made.

My fingers tangle in the smattering of chest hair he has that makes him more Pierce Brosnan than Tom Selleck. My lips place a lingering kiss above his heart as his fingers trail up and down my spine.

“I used to think sex in my twenties and even in my thirties…” He sighs. “I used to think that was the gold standard—that I’d never top it. But hell, none of that compares to you.”

“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” I ask with a little sass as I tilt my face up to look at him. I expect to see a smile, but his expression is serious as he looks back at me.

“You are the best I’ve ever had.” He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he says, “In all my life I’ve never felt this way, had this kind of connection with a woman.”

“You were married a long time,” I say as if I don’t feel the exact same way.

“I’ll never regret marrying Carmen because she gave me Isla, but”—tipping my chin up, he places a soft kiss on my lips—“it’s clear now how wrong we were for each other.”

“It doesn’t make you wary knowing that we had to wait so long to find each other? We’ve been on our own for more than twenty years, and now, well into middle age, we’re starting this new chapter.”

“I think it’s rather poetic.” He grins as he squeezes me tighter against him. “Besides, you would have thought I was an asshole when I lived in Chicago.”

“Were you?”

He contemplates for only a minute. “Yes and no. I lost sight of a lot of things over the years and my daughter suffered, but we employed a lot of people in that time too. We brought jobs and stability to our community and the other locations we opened. It wasn’t all bad. I was tough, but I’d like to think I was fair too.”

“Well, I’m happy you’re here,” I say sincerely. “I’m sorry it had to be a heart attack to force your hand though.”

“I’m happy too. I’m not saying I want to do it again.” The levity is a little forced and I drop a kiss to his chest. “But the heart attack saved my life. Too many men I knew older and younger than me dropped dead in their offices or retired only to pass before they were ever able to enjoy it.”

“It’s a hard reality.”

“It is and I learned my lesson. I got another chance at life, at redemption with my daughter, and a life with a woman I’ll work every day to deserve.”

“You don’t think you deserve me?” I ask, sitting up so I can look into his eyes.

He worries his bottom lip with his teeth as he looks past me. I cup his cheek in my hand and force his gaze back to me.

“We deserve each other. We deserve happiness and this incredible life that we’ve slowly been building since the moment you came to Clementine Creek. You’ve traded working hard for a paycheck to working hard for Isla. For Hank. And the Thayers and our community.” Leaning in, I place a lingering kiss on his lips. “You work hard for me. Never doubt you’re deserving of this—us.”

His eyes are glassy when they meet mine, and I brush his hair back off his forehead. I know with absolute certainty that Cullen has spent the majority of his life being the person he had to be, not the one he wanted to be.

“Besides,” I say as I scoot off the bed and sashay naked toward the bathroom. He rolls onto his side, his elbow propping him up, and looks me up and down, not bothering to hide his appreciation. “You better believe I’d kick your city ass to the curb if you weren’t pullin’ your weight around here.”

Chuckling, Cullen throws back the covers and stalks over to where I’m standing with my hand on my hip and my chest pushed out. The grin he gives me is magnificent as he pulls me against his growing erection as he squeezes my ass.

“I’d expect nothing less, Red.”

“See? You can teach an old dog new tricks,” I sass, his eyes widening as he spins me toward the shower with a pat on my rear end.

“We’ll see who you’re calling old in a minute, Ms. Slate.”

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