9. Baby, it’s cold outside

NINE

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

DEREK

M erry fucking Christmas indeed.

I knew it. I just knew it. If Dove proved to be a lousy lay, I still would be obsessed with her. I’d have to work harder to teach her how to milk my cock the way I like, but as I spoon her, my spent dick shoved snuggly inside of her pussy because I’m not willing to leave the warmth of her body just yet, I grin into her hair.

I’ve had some good pussy over the years. But something about the way she gripped me as I fucked her from behind… it was like her body was made to be fucked by me. She responded to every thrust, my good girl, my precious Dove, and her ass was so soft, so luscious, I probably left imprints of my fingerprints in her flesh considering how much I squeezed her as I pounded into her.

And she took it all. Everything I had, including all of my come as I finished deep inside of her.

Did she expect me to pull out? Probably. She might even have thought that I pulled a condom out of my Santa suit after I stripped, but if so, she was wrong. I refuse to have anything between the two of us, and if she asked, I would’ve made that perfectly clear.

But she didn’t ask. Proving that Dove Yarrow has a need to obey her cop—even if she’s not ready to admit that I am her cop just yet—she got on her hands and knees almost immediately after I ordered her to.

I had to fuck her like that. In my dreams and my countless fantasies, I always imagined taking her missionary the first time. I wanted to see her face as I fucked her, the same way it turned me on to know she’d have to look into mine as I claimed her. But when I remembered how earlier tonight she assumed the same position, backing up to fuck the Christmas dildo, my possessive side—irrationally jealous of the sex toy I had made of my own damn dick—insisted that I got to do the same thing.

And it was everything I hoped it would be, if not even more amazing because the instant I lodged the head of my cock inside of her, I knew I was home.

To keep the connection, I gripped her around the waist once I finished, lifting her easily so that I could spread us out on her bed together. I’m at her back, though I’ve thrown one leg over both of hers, trapping her in front of me as I slowly, leisurely, contentedly thrust enough to remind her that I own this pussy—and I always will.

She lets me. I’d like to think I’m decent enough that, if she reached behind her and tried shoving me away, I’d reluctantly pull out. When there’s a difference between persuading my precious Dove to fuck me and forcing her… she didn’t do anything she didn’t want to do, and I’ll stand by that.

I’m also insane, by the way. Probably certifiable, though I’m not about to see a therapist or anything.

I just want this woman, and now I have her.

So, yeah. Merry fucking Christmas.

Dove is squirming.

My arm is slung over her, fingers on my right hand playing with her nipple in between hefting the weight of her tit in my palm. It’s been about ten minutes since we both finished, and though the heavy breathing, moans, groans, pants, and whines in the bedroom have faded to silence, I knew she was still awake. I finally let my cock slip out of her pussy, nestling it between her ass cheeks before she could scoot away from me.

I’m an ass guy. Always have been. I don’t mind a lover playing with mine, and if I thought I could push Dove into letting me play with hers tonight, I’d start stretching her out now. I can sense that I still have her on the right side of accepting she’s going to be mine. Surprise anal might be a step too far, even if I tried playing the ‘but it’s Christmas’ card.

Ah. There’s always next year.

So, instead, I’ve been fondling her tits, waiting to see if she’ll slap my hand away. When she doesn’t, I drop kisses to her sweat-slicked shoulder, squeezing her flesh, feeling my cock stir as I begin to recover.

She gasps a little as my hard-on starts to come back to life. I’m not trying to nudge her backdoor with the tip, but if she backs up a little…

Dove moves away from me as much as my hold on her will allow.

Damn it. I allow it, nipping the side of her throat with my teeth. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Nowhere,” she says, voice so husky, a shudder runs down my spine. Fuck, that’s sexy. “But I thought you’d be heading out now that you got your way.”

Oh, she did, did she? When I’m just about ready to take her again—when I finally found my way to her bed—she thinks I’m going to leave? “And why would I do that?”

“It’s Christmas, Santa . Don’t you have places to be?”

I nuzzle the back of her neck. My precious Dove… she’s so fucking cute. “I promise you, this is the only place I want to be.”

I want her to melt back against me, relaxing, giving me a sign that she’s ready for round two. I’m fucking her regardless, but I want her to enjoy our first Christmas together as much as I am.

But instead of doing that, Dove slips out of my hold, and I’m so stunned that she basically made a break for it, she’s up and out of the bed before I even prop myself up on my elbow, watching her go.

Oh, fuck. Completely naked from head to toe, with ‘I’ve just been plowed’ bedhead… I already knew Dove was gorgeous. Seeing her after I completely, thoroughly fucked her? I almost want to go to my knees and, in honor of the season, belt out ‘Gloria’.

Gloria, oh gloria, in Excelsis Deo…

Too bad she throws an arm over her tits before turning around, letting me marvel over her ass.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing— marveling— before I realize that she’s heading for the door.

My post-nut good humor dies suddenly. “Dove. Get back here. I’m not done with you.”

She pauses, midway to the exit of her bedroom. “I need a shower,” she squeaks out.

And wash the scent of our sex off of her skin? “Not yet. Unless you want to take another shower after I pull you out of the water, bend you over the sink, and fuck you again.”

Dove turns so that I can see the shock on her face. “I thought it was just the one time.”

And I thought she was smarter than that. “To start,” I agree before tossing the blanket away from me. My cock is already hard again, and I smirk when her eyes go directly to my erection once I’m as uncovered as she is. “But I’m ready again when you are.”

She takes a step back. “This is insane. I… I fucked you. I’ve never done anything like that before. Fucking a guy when the only thing I know about him is his name.”

“You know I’m a cop,” I offer helpfully. Did I fuck the brains out of my beauty? Possibly. Luckily, I’m happy to fill her in. “And that I love you. That’s three things.”

Her lips part, like she’s about to say something only to realize that she’s been struck speechless. She blinks a couple of times, and in a strangled voice, finally chokes out, “Love me? You love me?”

Obviously. “I do. And you’ll love me, too, Dove. I promise.”

I take it back. She’s my smart girl. Instead of breaking my heart on Christmas by insisting she won’t—when she will , damn it, I’ll make sure of it—Dove just takes a few more hesitant steps away from me. She’s holding her hands up, shaking her head, but I’m more entranced by her naked body and the way her tits are jiggling with the motion like a goddamn bowlful of jelly to pay too much attention to anything else.

At least, I am until she breathes out, “This is fucking crazy . I don’t even know you,” and I sigh.

Oh, Dove. Is that really your sticking point there? Love at first sight exists. So does obsession. I’m proof of that. Just like how easily she gives herself to me—first with our kiss, then when she let me fuck her—as though some part of her recognizes that she was always meant to belong to me.

“You will,” is my simple reply. I know everything there is to know about Dove. After tonight, I’m an open book to her. As for now… I pat the mattress. “Come back to bed.”

She nibbles on her bottom lip. I catch a hint of longing in her deep brown eyes. I knew she was lonely. I picked up on that almost from the beginning. Like me, she doesn’t have many close friends, and for reasons I was too grateful to look too closely at, she hasn’t had any male companionship in the last six months. She satisfied herself with her toys, and no matter why she agreed to let me fuck her, she can’t pretend she didn’t enjoy it.

She can’t pretend that, as her gaze runs over my body, she doesn’t want to do it again…

I grin.

Dove blurts out, “I’m not on the pill. Not any kind of birth control. And you came inside of me, didn’t you?”

Of course I did. “I’m serious when I say that I’m yours and you’re mine, Dove. You don’t think that I’ll take the first chance to knock you up so that you can’t pretend that isn’t so?”

“You want me to get pregnant?”

My grin widens. “If you conceived tonight, I have the perfect names for our Christmas miracle: Nicholas or Noelle.”

Dove lifts her hand higher, fingers pressed to her lips as she stares at me. “You really are insane. I… holy shit. You’re nuts .”

Didn’t we already establish that? I thought we did. And I’d much rather find pleasure with my precious Dove than explain how much my obsession with her has completely overtaken my life, but if she needs to understand that this is now her life…

I sigh again. “I sneak in to watch you sleep. I bought you a model of my cock as a Christmas present to make sure you had no problem with it before I used the real thing on you. I’ve been dressing up as Santa Claus for almost a month now, following you around Springfield. And I did all that instead of just asking you out. You’ve got no argument from me, precious. Unless, of course, you try to refuse me. Then I’ll argue ‘til I’m blue in the face. Get that?”

All she says is: “I fucked a crazy guy. I let him stay in my apartment and I fucked him after he broke in. Shit. Maybe I ’m crazy, too.”

“No,” I say honestly. “But you’re mine, and I love you anyway.”

When Dove stays quiet, my stomach goes tight. This was supposed to be easy. She fell into bed with me without a fight. She let me fuck her. Why is she trying to back out now?

It’s Christmas .

I fist the sheet, trying to keep control of my temper. “Do you regret it?”

“What?”

“Sleeping with me. Giving yourself to me. Dove… do you regret it?”

I shouldn’t ask. If she says ‘no’—

“I didn’t say that.”

So she doesn’t regret it.

Thank fucking God.

“Good,” I say firmly, and if she’s going to change her mind, she better not. “Come back to bed. Now.”

I like when she obeys, but it would be awfully boring if my Dove jumped to do whatever she was told. Just like how that secret dark side of her was fascinating to me, the spark of defiance she shows has me grabbing my cock and giving it a placating stroke as she turns away from me and marches over to her dresser.

Bending just enough to give me a delightful view of her ass, she grabs an oversized t-shirt from the drawer and yanks it on.

I send a silent apology to my impatient cock. At least she’s not still insisting on a shower—though, if she did, I’d be joining her there—but getting dressed again? I guess we’re going to have to wait a bit for round two.

Does she need a little coaxing? More proof that, starting with this Christmas, she’s mine?

I climb out of bed, padding across the room so that I’m right there. When she doesn’t dance out of my reach, I swallow my resurgent grin before she can see the triumph in the curve of my lips.

I take her hand. She doesn’t stop me. I tug her until she’s pressed up against me, my aching erection trapped between my naked body and her t-shirt.

“You should go,” Dove whispers, and I’m not sure if she’s trying to convince me to leave—or herself that she actually wants me to.

“You’re kicking me out? On Christmas?”

She swallows roughly. “Derek…”

I close my eyes for a moment. If she really wanted me to leave, she wouldn’t say my name like that. “It’s snowing out there. And you know what they say…” I angle my hips, thrusting a little, using the friction between our bodies to give my poor dick a bit of relief even as I teasingly sing, “‘Baby, it’s cold outside…’”

“The ‘really should stay’ part only really works if you’re trying to keep the girl with you. This is my place. You’re the one who’s supposed to go.”

She has a point. “You want me to leave you alone? Really?”

Dove hesitates.

Before she can say that she does, I use my ace in the hole. “I could. Maybe I make a phone call on my way out. My mentor knows the overnight guys real well. How about I tell them I was having some Christmas nookie and discovered my girl has Eclipse on her? Then we can both leave the cozy bedroom. Or, if you prefer, we can go back to what we were doing and have a Christmas to remember. What do you think?”

She raises her hands, slipping them between us, shoving me just hard enough in the chest that I know she’s serious. “Fuck you,” she snaps, and I only wish it was an invitation. “How long will you hold that over my head?”

Until I have her love and her loyalty, but she doesn’t need to know that right now. I’ve already pissed her off. That was my mistake, and I’m already regretting taking that route when I probably would’ve been able to talk her into going back to bed again if I’d just had a little more patience… but since the only way to fix this is to own it, I say, “Until I finally understand why you do it. Why you deal when your pretty neck could be on the line if the wrong man caught you on the wrong day.”

Dove snorts. Yup. I fucked up bad, didn’t I? “What? Don’t you know? I thought you knew everything about me.”

I do. Everything but that . “Humor your cop.”

She shakes her head at the ‘your cop’ line, but that doesn’t stop her from trying. “Okay. It’s for my mom?—”

I raise my eyebrows. “The Eclipse?”

“The money. She’s sick. Real sick. Her insurance… it’s awful. To get her meds, we have to pay out of pocket. I can’t afford it. I had no choice ?—”

And my precious Dove is an amazing actress. Look at those tears glistening in her soft brown eyes. She’s really tugging on my heartstrings. I almost want to let her keep going to see just how sick Susan Yarrow is supposed to be, but since I know the answer, it’s better if I cut her off now.

“Your mother is fine,” I cut in. “Cholesterol is a little elevated, and she needs to keep her salt in check, but other than that, she’s perfectly healthy for a fifty-eight-year-old woman.”

Dove’s lips part, momentarily stunned. When she recovers, she says in an accusing tone, “How do you know that?”

Easy. “I did my research. Once I decided to make you mine, I had to look into the family. See if there were any hereditary diseases I’d need to worry about it. You’re all the picture of health. Mom’s fine, Dove. So what’s the real reason?”

“My brother needs it for his tuition,” she says, daring me to tell her she’s lying even as she adds, “College is expensive.”

Oh, but she is. Not about higher education being a fucking rip-off, but her brother needing money for school.

“Which one? Brian dropped out in his second year. Colin never even applied to college. So try again, precious.”

She ignores that. “Christmas presents,” she blurts out. “I couldn’t afford Christmas?—”

I laugh at that one. For fuck’s sake, most people can’t afford Christmas. We go in debt in December, then work from January through June to pay off the credit card bills only to do the same shit again.

My laugh does something to her. Whether it infuriates my Dove or makes her realize that she might as well go with the truth, she snaps, “Fine. I just wanted the money for myself. To buy my own photography studio somewhere far away from this dingy city with its gangs and its crooked cops.”

The last of my laughter dies suddenly. Not because of the shot she took at me, either, but because of what she said before that.

She wants to leave Springfield? Not happening.

“No.”

She blinks. “No? What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“I just found you.” I finally got the chance to find heaven in her arms. “I’m not letting you escape me that easily, precious.”

“It was one night?—”

“It’ll be forever,” I swear.

Dove doesn’t believe me. With her pussy full of my come and my scent on her skin, she doesn’t believe me… but that’s okay.

She will.