11. Maya

11

MAYA

"Please, no more!" I drop off the couch onto the floor. "You have to stop! You're killing me!"

"No can do, duchess." Cade tickles me some more. "A bet is a bet."

"Gahhhhh!" I wiggle like a worm, all the while loving the torture.

Yesterday was a good day, but today has been a spectacular one! While the snow continued to fall, we baked more cookies and made enough to leave out tonight for Santa. We watched two Christmas movies and ate a delicious Italian Christmas Eve dinner. Then we decided to have a Christmas trivia contest. I lost. But I won. Being tickled by a devilishly handsome Cade is not a bad thing.

"And you thought I wouldn't know all the words to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas . Tsk, tsk!" He tickles me under my ribs.

"I was wrong!" I flip onto my back. "I'm going to get you back."

"I hope so."

Suddenly, he's hovering over me, and we both stop laughing. The air around us changes. Cade braces himself on his forearms and stares into my eyes. "I want you, duchess."

I swallow hard. I want him, too. I reach up, tracing my fingers across his cheeks and then down to his lips. "Kiss me."

His eyes flare. "I don't think I'm going to be able to stop."

"Good." I lick my lips. "Because I don't want you to."

He presses his lips to mine. Lightning bolts fly through my body when his tongue licks into my mouth. The kiss is deep. Consuming. And hot.

He comes up for breath. "Do you want me to take you upstairs?"

"No." I shake my head. "Right here is perfect. I've never made love in front of a fire."

"Then we stay." He glides his hand down my chest. "I want to see you."

"Only if I get to see you, too," I whisper.

"Duchess, I wouldn't have it any other way." He jumps to his feet and removes his clothes. I gasp when I see his size.

"That's a damn good compliment, duchess." He licks his lips and holds out his hand. "Your turn."

I'm trembling so hard I can barely breathe.

"Let me help you." He slips off my sweater, kissing the hollow of my neck, and pulls my T-shirt over my head. When the heat of his fingertips brush across my breasts, I release an obscene groan. "Give it to me, duchess. Give me everything."

He yanks my body against his chest, his hardness pressing into my core. My head falls back. "Cade…"

"So wet." He slides a finger inside me, causing my sex to clench.

My hands grip his hips. "More…I want more."

"I'm going to give you everything, duchess."

His finger goes deeper while his thumb makes lazy circles over my sensitive flesh. Just as my knees start to give out, he eases me to the bearskin rug. But his fingers don't stop moving. My hips arch against his hand— my body trembles. My toes curl…and I let go.

"That's it." His thumb doesn't stop moving. "Good girl."

All of a sudden, my body is convulsing in rhythmic waves.

"Yes." He whispers in my ear. "Yes. That's what I want."

He moves to hover over me and settles between my legs. The flickering flames dance over his brilliantly colored skin. I run my hands over the ink.

"These are beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

The thick head of his shaft settles at my entrance.

"Are you sure?" He locks eyes with me.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." I cup his jaw to pull his mouth to mine. He thrusts forward and fills me.

"Cade…" I moan against his lips.

He slides in and out… gently… slowly… rolling his hips with every stroke. I've had plenty of sex before, but nothing like this. Every part of me is alive.

"You feel unbelievable, baby. So perfect." He rocks faster. "So tight."

My body starts to tighten, pushing me to the edge, and I hold onto his arms to pivot my hips towards his. "Cade…"

"Open your eyes, duchess." He commands.

I do as I am told and am rewarded with a magnificent site. His gaze is smoldering. Possessive. The muscles in his arms are straining— the cords of his neck throbbing.

"I'm close." He growls.

"Me too." I dig my fingers into his flesh. My cunt quivers around him… pulsing… squeezing. "Oh, god, Cade…"

He throws his head back and roars. Together, we moan… we shudder… and as I throw my legs around his waist to pull him in deeper, I realize this isn't just sex.

This is the melding of two souls.

And I don't know how I'm ever going to get over him.