The Christmas Present Read online

  And she believed him.

  She shivered under his light touch as he skimmed his hands up along her sides, removing her undershirt. Then he continued where he’d left off in the hallway, unzipping her jeans and sliding them with her long underwear over her hips and down her legs. He had her sit on the edge of the tub as he lifted one foot at a time and removed her socks with her pants. She shook with a chill from the cold tile under her butt and the air against her bare skin.

  Before she realised his intent, Mark had swooped her into his arms and gently set her into the bath. The heat of the water stung her skin. She made a move to get out of the tub, but Mark laid a hand on the back of her neck.

  “Shhh,” he said. “Just relax.”

  At his touch, her body calmed enough that she no longer needed to jump out of the hot water. If he was a natural Dom, she must be a natural sub, because she was eager to do anything he asked of her.

  Mark pulled off his sweater. Bare-chested, he knelt next to the tub and squirted body wash on a wash mitt. “Lean forward,” he said.

  Amanda didn’t want to take her eyes off his body. When she didn’t move, he gave her a gentle push to comply. “Lean forward,” he said again.

  Okay, maybe she wasn’t a natural sub. Or maybe she just needed more training or whatever it was called. She was definitely willing to spend more time with Mark to get all the training she needed.

  She wrapped her arms around her bent legs and rested her forehead on her knees above the water. Long, gentle caresses stroked her back, calming Amanda’s mental state but creating a storm between her legs. She wanted the pampering done so she could get her hands on his body and they could get on with the pounding she craved.

  Without speaking, Mark guided Amanda to lie back against the side of the tub so he could wash the rest of her body. She locked onto his eyes, sending him a plea to have mercy, to put her out of her misery. He must have got her message because he chuckled softly, but didn’t alter his slow strokes around each breast and across her stomach.

  “I told you there’s no rush. I want to enjoy every minute with you,” he said, reaching the top of her pubic hair. She thrust up against his hand, but he moved to the right and continued his path down her leg under the water.

  She cursed under her breath.

  He chuckled again. “I heard that.”

  Finishing the right foot, he moved to the left one and began his deliberate, torturous path up to the juncture of her legs. She wanted to cry out to him to give her more, but she was fairly sure he’d stop everything if she made any demands.

  Finally his hand inside the wash mitt hovered close enough she could feel her curls tickle at his slight touch.

  “No, I want to feel your slick folds with my fingers,” he said, removing his hand from the mitt. She quivered with need.

  He slid his hand over the top of her curls and slipped his middle finger into her cleft. Her butt muscles clenched when he made contact with her clit as she tried to remain still. He circled slowly and firmly with the pad of his finger as he tweaked her nipple with his other hand, pushing her over the edge. She climaxed with a rippling shudder, gasping to catch her breath.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered when she finally opened her eyes and looked at him.

  And she felt beautiful and womanly when he looked at her that way.

  He helped her out of the tub and dried her with a big, fluffy towel. When he carried her to the bedroom, she rubbed her palms over his chest and shoulders, revelling in the feel of his skin under her fingers.

  He set her on her feet and pulled back the quilt on the bed. Then he laid her on the smooth, cool sheets. She felt so prized under his gentle care, but he was moving too slowly. He took his time getting his pants off and climbing into bed with her. She wanted him fast and now.

  Finally, he was naked and covering her with his large, hard body. She spread her legs farther apart to accommodate him, and his erection lay snug against her opening. She arched her hips to encourage penetration, but he moved his hips away from her.

  “Appreciate and savour the moment,” he said, smiling down at her.

  Even though she’d had an explosive orgasm in the tub, she needed another, and he was driving her crazy. Unhurried, he lowered his head and lazily explored her mouth with his lips. She sucked his tongue in her mouth, trying to arouse him to the same madness she felt. She derived some satisfaction from the sudden jerk of his penis against her outer folds.

  He broke the kiss and gazed down at her. “I want to watch you as you come with me inside you,” he said.

  She expected him to slide into her with the same slow speed he’d used everywhere else, but he surprised her with one hard, quick plunge. She cried out with comingled pain and pleasure. As she grew accustomed to his thick cock inside her, he began pounding into her exactly as she’d craved. He drove into her with such fierce thrusts the headboard banged into the wall.

  He watched her face as she wrapped her legs around his waist to deepen his penetration, and she rode the rising waves to her next orgasm. Her vaginal muscles clenched around him as she reached the apex of her climax. With her head thrown back, she cried out with ecstasy.

  His shout followed close behind, and she nearly climaxed again during his pulsating release. After his final throb, he dropped his head onto the pillow next to hers while he caught his breath.

  She stroked his silky black hair with her fingers. “You were right.”

  He grunted and nuzzled her neck.

  “Appreciate and savour the moment,” she said.

  He rolled to his side and pulled her into his arms. She fell asleep with her head nestled against his chest and his soft kisses pressed to her forehead.

  Chapter Four

  Damn. Making love to Amanda had been sweet, Mark thought as he showered and got dressed for the evening. Making love? Where the hell did that come from? It was much too soon to be thinking things like that, but Amanda sure had wanted him and that felt good after watching Sabrina run off with Tom all day.

  Tonight, they were going dancing, and Mark couldn’t help but feel a little superior to Tom. From their time together on Tenerife, Mark knew Tom wasn’t much of a dancer. This would be Mark’s chance to shine with the ladies. Tom had gotten his chance on the couch last night, and Mark was looking forward to some equal time with the women.

  He left the guest bedroom and stopped in his tracks in the living room at the sight of Amanda in a mini denim skirt and cowboy boots. Her long, lean legs seemed to go on for miles. He swallowed hard and skimmed up the rest of her outfit. She had a white cotton shirt unbuttoned low and tied up in a knot at her waist, so much smooth, perfect skin showing.

  He cleared his throat. “Jeez, won’t you be a little cold?” he asked, which was a stupid thing to say because she looked damned hot and he didn’t want her to change a thing.

  She laughed. “I’ll wear a coat. I always get really warm dancing.”

  Mark looked at Sabrina and nearly started drooling. She was wearing a snug black t-shirt scooped low over her luscious breasts with hip-hugging jeans, which accentuated her curves. Standing next to each other dressed in black and white and with their different body types, the women looked like the best of all of Mark’s fantasies.

  “It looks like everyone’s here,” Tom said. “Let’s get our jackets and go have a good time.”

  In the car, Mark sat in the back with Amanda. He couldn’t keep his hands off the warm smooth skin on her legs. He looked forward to having her plastered up against him dancing in public again. Their hot salsa dancing was one of his favourite memories of Tenerife.

  Tom dropped Mark and the women at the door so they could leave their coats in the car. While Tom went to park, Mark walked into the country and western bar with a hot woman on each arm, catching a few envious glances from some of the men. The music was loud and pulsating, and Mark couldn’t wait to get on the dance floor with Amanda and Sabrina.

  Amanda tugged his arm and point
ed to an empty booth. “Let’s snag that one,” she said.

  Mark walked with the women to the booth before going up to the bar to get them drinks. By the time he returned to the table, it was empty. Setting the glasses on the table, Mark looked around until he saw Tom on the dance floor with Amanda and Sabrina. And damn it, Tom looked like he knew what he was doing with his feet. The man must have learned a few moves on the dance floor as well as in the bedroom during the last seven months. Mark slumped into the booth and took several long swallows of his beer.

  Amanda caught his eye and motioned for him to join them, but he shook his head. He wished he could shake off his jealousy as easily. He was being childish. He wasn’t going to have any fun if he continued sulking alone. He tossed back the rest of the beer in the bottle and slid out of the booth to join his friends on the dance floor, determined to have a good time.

  The country line dances didn’t give Mark any opportunity to hold Amanda snug against his body, and by the end of the evening, he was wound up tight from watching Sabrina and Amanda shake their stuff on the dance floor. The women had had a good time, as evidenced by the smiles on their faces all night. And Tom looked pleased with himself, too.

  Mark waited near the front door with Amanda and Sabrina as Tom went to bring the car around for them. They slid into their jackets before buckling their seat belts.

  Amanda lifted her dark hair off the back of her neck where a couple sweaty strands stuck. “Oh, I so need a shower when I get home,” she said.

  Mark grinned. “Shall I offer to help, again?”

  She turned to him and smiled. “That would be nice.”

  “You’re going to have to wait a little longer than usual to get home,” Tom said. “We got several inches of new snow while we were in the bar. It doesn’t look like the snow ploughs have gotten to the secondary roads yet. We’re going to have a slow drive home with these road conditions.”

  Amanda leant forward and placed a hand on Tom’s shoulder. “No rush, Tom. Just take it slow and be careful,” she said. Then she sat back against her seat and slid her hand in Mark’s.

  He wanted to sit closer to Amanda. Hell, he wanted her on his lap, but he didn’t want to risk either of them not wearing a seatbelt with these bad road conditions. His legs were much too long to move to the centre seat like Sabrina had done on the way home from the airport, even Amanda’s legs were too long to sit comfortably in that middle seat without the ability to stretch her feet out under the seat in front of her. So Mark stayed on his side of the car and Amanda stayed on hers, and they held hands and stroked their fingers over each other’s palms and anticipated their arrival at the house.

  It took them twice as long to get back, but finally they were winding their way down the long driveway. Tom had picked up speed a little on his home turf, and Mark could feel the wheels slipping around a curve in the drive.

  “Oh, shit,” Tom said as the car started sliding to the right, and he pulled on the steering wheel in the opposite direction.

  Mark looked in the direction of the slide. Sabrina and Amanda both sat on the side of the car that was heading into the ditch. Time slowed as the car slid over the bank of snow on the edge of the drive and landed on its right side at a forty-five degree angle with a sickening crunch.

  “Sabrina? Amanda? Are you alright?” he asked. “Tom, you okay?”

  “Yes,” Tom said.

  “I’m fine,” Sabrina said. “Just bumped my head on the window, but I’m fine.”

  “Amanda?” Mark asked again.

  “Yeah, I’m okay. Just scared the breath out of me for a moment,” she said.

  “Let’s get in the house,” Tom said. “I’ll call a tow truck in the morning.” He shoved open the driver’s door and helped Sabrina crawl over the seat towards him and out the door.

  Mark pushed his door open and reached to give Amanda a hand.

  “Ow!” she gasped when she tried to move towards him.

  “What’s wrong? What hurts?” Mark’s heart leapt into his throat. He scanned her from head to toe, looking for any signs of bleeding.

  “I can’t get my foot out. It’s stuck under the seat,” she said.

  Mark leant down and ran his hand gently over Amanda’s boot, feeling where her foot was lodged under the seat in front of her.

  “Can you slip your foot out of your boot?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No. These are tough boots to get off even when I don’t have my foot wedged under a car seat. I can’t just slide out of it.”

  Mark reached down again and wiggled her foot to determine how securely her foot was trapped. He didn’t get any movement. He looked up over his shoulder to see Tom put his warm coat over Sabrina, who was shivering in her sweaty t-shirt and leather jacket.

  “I’m going to need help,” Mark said to Tom. “Sabrina, why don’t you start walking up to the house and get inside where it’s warm.”

  She looked towards the direction of the house, which wasn’t visible yet through the trees. There was no moon and the cloudy skies blocked any starlight from reflecting off the snow.

  “I can’t see much in the dark. I don’t want to go alone. I’d probably stray from the driveway and get lost in the trees.” She laughed a little. “I’ll wait here until we can all go together.” She clenched her jaw as her teeth started to knock together from the cold.

  “Okay, Tom. Let’s get Amanda out so we can all get warm in the house,” Mark said. “Can you move the front seat forward while I work to free her foot?”

  Tom slid into the front passenger seat and stuck his right hand down to find the controls. It seemed to take a lifetime for the seat to move a few inches so Mark could get his hand all the way around Amanda’s foot and gently dislodge it.

  She sucked in her breath when he pulled it free.

  “I’m sorry. I tried so hard not to hurt you,” Mark said.

  “I’m okay,” she said. “Wasn’t your fault. I think my ankle got twisted when it got jammed under there. Thanks for getting my foot loose.”

  Mark slid out the car backward, bringing Amanda out with him in his arms. Tom got out of the car and closed the doors. He put his arms around Sabrina, who’d been hopping around to keep warm.

  “Damn, I’m sorry, Sabrina,” Tom said. “I just remembered I have a flashlight in my toolkit in the trunk. You could have used it to go on to the house ahead of us.”

  Sabrina laughed. “I didn’t think to ask, but I guess I should’ve known you’d be prepared for emergencies after learning you carry a shovel in your trunk.”

  Mark hefted Amanda more securely in his arms. “Let’s go. It’s getting real cold out here.”

  “I might be able to walk, Mark,” Amanda said.

  “Not until we can check out your ankle in the light after you’ve warmed up. I don’t want you to put any weight on it until then,” he said.

  Mark walked carrying Amanda behind Tom and Sabrina.

  “Thanks for the lift, Mark,” Amanda said. “It would be a long trek if I had to hop all the way home.”

  He leant his head down and kissed her cold lips. “Not a problem. I’m glad I’m able to help.” At least he had one thing of value to offer the others, even if it was just the strength of his muscles. They didn’t seem to want much else from him.

  In the house, Mark carried Amanda to the couch and gently set her down. “How’s your ankle feel?” he asked.

  “I think it’s okay,” she said. “I think it just hurt when it twisted. I don’t think there’s anything really wrong with it.”

  “Well, let’s see.” He wrapped his hands around her boot and helped her slide her foot out, which wasn’t easy because the boots were a tight fit. He tried to be careful, but he caught her biting her lower lip as her body tensed. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m okay,” she said, even though she didn’t look like it.

  Once the boot was off, he examined her foot and ankle with a gentle but firm touch. “There doesn’t appear to be any swelling.
Does it hurt anywhere when I touch it?”

  “Really, Mark. Let me walk on it. I’m sure it’s fine.” She bent over and pulled off her other boot.

  He stood and took her hand to help her off the couch. She twirled her foot, checking for range of motion. Then she tested her weight on it, and finally she took a step.

  “You alright?” he asked, his arms out ready to catch her.

  “Good as new,” she said before she shivered. “Just a little chilled.”

  “You and Sabrina should go shower,” Tom said. “Mark and I can change clothes after we get a fire started.”

  Mark watched Sabrina and Amanda sharing a look and a smile before they walked together to the master bedroom suite.

  As soon as Amanda was out of Mark’s sight, she let herself limp a little on her sore ankle.

  “I thought you told Mark that it didn’t hurt,” Sabrina said.

  “I said it was fine. I never said it didn’t hurt. I didn’t think he’d let me off the couch if I said I needed some aspirin. And I really want a shower,” she said.

  “But you’re sure you’re alright?”

  “Yes, but I’ll be better when I get under that hot water…with you,” she said, feeling her pulse race.

  Sabrina laughed while taking off her clothes. “Last one in is a rotten egg,” she said, dashing into the shower stall.

  Amanda threw down her blouse and bra and wiggled out of her skirt and panties. Then she followed Sabrina into the two-person shower a little slower because of her injured ankle.

  Amanda felt intoxicated watching the soapy water run over Sabrina’s large, beautiful breasts, all soft and round. She tentatively reached out her hands to cup them and graze her thumbs over the hardening nipples. They were so much more prominent than her own. She waited until the soap rinsed away, then she bent her head and licked a nipple, swirling her tongue around and around, enjoying the feel of Sabrina’s tit. She laved Sabrina’s areola then sucked the breast into her mouth deeply. At Sabrina’s moan, Amanda felt a rush of warmth between her legs and her clit started to swell.