Page 21 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

He ripped it open and rolled it on, then crawled up over her, bent his head to her neck, and pushed himself inside of her inch by inch, his breath hot on her skin. They had to hurry, but he was still finding ways to take it slow, at least for now. It was unbearably sexy. Tana rocked her hips toward him, urging him in, urging him deeper, and when their hips met, she hissed her approval.

“Hard,” she managed. “Now.”

Chase gripped the headboard, eased himself out of her, and entered again in a hard stroke.Yes.It was everything. He picked up the rhythm with her bucking against him.

Tana couldn’t keep her hands to herself, didn’t want to. She raked her fingernails over his chest, tested his hips with her hands, pulled him tight. Tighter. Pleasure sparked between her legs, running in a current up her spine and out to her fingertips, down to her toes. She curled her toes against the blanket and used the bed as leverage. More. Deeper. He sucked in a breath, and Tana realized she was clenching around him, knowing the white-hot force of release was almost on her. There was no stopping it—all she could do was inhale deeply and let the pleasure wash over her.

Chase cursed, the words coming out as a low, guttural noise that was all man, all pleasure. He pinned her to the bed as he came. Hard. Relentless. Her hips still tried to meet his, but there was nowhere to go. She pulsed around him.

He let his head fall to her shoulder, and Tana lay there panting against him. Slow, deep breaths. Chase stirred inside of her and raised his head to look her in the eye. “Amazing,” he breathed. He brushed his lips across her forehead and rolled to her side. He paused just long enough to send her a heated look that clearly said getting out of bed was the last thing he wanted to do.

Hazy with desire now, the space inside her bedroom was imbued with heat and courage. Tana hadn’t brought much when they moved in, hadn’t put her laundry away last week, but even the basket of clean clothes struck her as meaningful.

“Bathroom?” Chase asked, a gleam in his eye.

“Next door on the left.” As soon as she heard the bathroom door close, Tana fell against her pillow and covered her face with a clean T-shirt. That was the most incredible sex of her life. Chase was in her bathroom, freshening up, and probably putting his clothes back on. Covering up that beautiful body of his.

She needed to do the same thing—Lindsey could wake up any second. But just for a moment, Tana let herself bask in total satisfaction. It feltsogood.

13

CHASE

Chase walked into Jonas’s office on the main floor of the lodge with bleary eyes and an emotional hangover. Or was it a physical hangover? Whatever it was, it made his whole body pulse with the need to be back with Tana.

Jonas sat behind his desk in the office. He’d renovated the place a few years back to be a modern oasis in the middle of the Elkin Alpine-themed ski resort. He’d carried the theme straight through to Christmas—meaning that there were zero Christmas decorations in the office. No lights. No nutcrackers. Not even a miniature tree at the corner of his desk.

Jonas had his own issues with the holiday, but now wasn’t the time to bring them up. After the riot of colors in the rest of the resort, Chase’s eyes didn’t mind the break. It just seemed a little… empty, compared to the lobby with its towering tree, tabletop decorations on every available flat surface, and garland draped everywhere else.

Jonas had been working on something, pen hovering over a stack of papers in the middle of his desk while he peered at his computer. He blinked, squinted up at Chase, and flicked off his screen. “You’re up early.” Jonas frowned. “Plenty of time to shave if you cared to do so.”

Chase ignored the comment. The guests wanted to talk to him no matter what state his facial hair was in, and more importantly, Tana hadn’t seemed to mind it last night. Chase hadfarmore important things to worry about right now. Namely, the conversation he was about to have with Jonas.

“I’m growing it out for the holidays. You know, the whole sexy Santa vibe.” He smirked when his brother scowled at him before sitting down in an oversized chair in front of the desk, and ignoring the ache in his knee from overdoing it the day before. Chase tossed a folder in front of Jonas. “I can’t help you with the hiring process anymore. Here are the best ten outside applicants for the ski director position.”

Jonas glowered at the manila folder like Chase had just dropped a sack of spoiled food onto his desk. He made no move to touch it. “What’s your excuse for not finishing the job this time?”

From the set of his brother’s shoulders, Chase could tell Jonas was stressed. They wereallstressed. It was the holiday season, and their grandmother was ill. Guilt flared in Chase’s chest. Maybe he should have put the job first, but he hadn’t, and now there was no way to undo what had been done. Not that he wanted to.

“I can’t help with the hiring because I’m involved with someone who applied. I’m here to ask for your discretion.”

Jonas leaned back in his chair and slid both hands into his hair. “God, Chase. I shouldn’t have to warn you about putting your libido ahead of the family, but here we are.”

“There’s no need for you towarnme about anything,” Chase shot back. “I’ll probably leave soon after the holidays anyway, and you won’t have to see or think about me.”

His brother looked incredulous. “Really? That’s just like you. Show up and leave when someone asks you to pitch in.”

“At least I came, unlike Gabe.” Chase took a deep breath and steadied himself by gazing deeply into the stark white walls of Jonas’s minimalist office. He wasn’t going to throw their other brother under the bus when he wasn’t here to explain himself. “Do you want me to go through the candidates with you or not?”

“What’s the point?” Jonas made a dismissive gesture at the folder. “You probably chose these resumes at random. I’m going to have to start at the beginning.” Jonas was in rare form. This felt like old jealousies between the brothers. Jonas had always envied him, and maybe it was a bit justified. While their grandparents said they didn’t play favorites when it came to the brothers, maybe that was only partly true. Their grandfather had competed professionally as an Alpine skier. In fact, that was how they’d met. Their grandmother was vacationing with her parents when gramps ran into her. He’d told her at the time that he was so overwhelmed by her beauty, he’d lost control of his skis. Chase had always suspected that was the reason why they were always a bit lenient with him, but at the same time, it was Jonas who would be taking over the resort.

Chase wasn’t about to try to play therapist with his brother. “Fine by me.” The sooner he could get out of here, the better. “Good luck with that.”

“I saw you, you know.” Jonas’s voice stopped him halfway to the door. “Coaching that instructor’s little girl.” Jonas scowled at him, eyes narrowed. “And what makes me the most furious is that you’re a great teacher.”

“Seriously?That’swhat has you so pissed off at me?”

Jonas sat up straight and pulled the folder across the desk to him. “You’re right, Chase. You should go. A candidate will be here to interview shortly, and someone needs to do this work so thatourgrandmotherisn’t more stressed than she needs to be.”

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