Chapter 17

17

It took less than twenty minutes for Cath’s kitchen table to look like an utter disaster zone. While she had laid the pieces for her house out in methodical fashion, Kris was, as normal, a force of pure chaos and quickly had pieces all over the place. The circular butcher block top was strewn with candy and peppermints along with bits of icing from the piping bags. The real problem arose however when Cath began to try and build the walls of her gingerbread house. No matter how much she tried to line the edges properly with icing, it kept sinking in on itself, and like the typical perfectionist (and with a decent quantity of alcohol fueling her system) it immediately began to frustrate her.

“Here, hold this.” She instructed Kris, her voice immediately slipping into the clipped tone she used with her cadets. “Put pressure here so it seals.”

Kris obligingly held the two pieces together while she piped up the side and corner. She set the bag down and waited patiently for the icing to harden then motioned for Kris to move his hands. They watched as it seemed to hold and then wobbled and fell over on itself in a heap of icing and gingerbread. In unison their faces fell until Cath slapped a hand off the table angrily.

“Damn it!” She stared down the pile of cookies and icing with a menacing expression. “That was the third try, it’s starting to get soggy.”

Kris took a shot of vodka and winced, pushing the empty shot glass as far away from himself as he could. “And so are we, I might add. I don’t think my liver can take much more.”

Cath tried to line sections up again, running a thick line of icing down the gingerbread house and repeating the steps from before then watching in dismay as it collapsed in on itself again. “Un-fucking-believable.”

“Cath, chill.” Kris leaned over and tried to fix the mess, succeeding only in making it look worse. He picked up a piece of gingerbread to take a bite and received a murderous glance from Cath that caused him to set it down slowly and back away as if his life depended on it. “I’ve seen worse houses go for million in Malibu.”

He studied the mess and re-arranged some pieces then added a couple of his own, so it looked like the round pile had a roof. “See, it’s totally fine. It’s California, we’ll market it as a ginger yurt, I guarantee you someone will buy it as a beach house.”

“I manage an elite team of soldiers, in some of the most dangerous circumstances in the world and you make multimillion dollar blockbuster movies, what does it say that we can’t complete a $10 gingerbread house?” Cath threw her piping bag down in disgust and started at the mess balefully. They still had his house to build, and she was starting to think she had overestimated how much they could accomplish. Quite frankly Kris was no help; his attention span wasn’t the longest to begin with, he was as tipsy as she was. and he had already started munching the candies set aside for decorating.

“That vodka and fine motor activities don’t mix.” Kris picked up a piping bag idly and squeezed a dab of white icing on his finger then licked it off. He studied the piping bag for a moment and then slid his chair closer to Cath. She had returned to trying to put the dropping gingerbread back together and barely felt what Kris was doing until she looked down.

“What the…” He had taken the icing and drawn a looping spiral pattern on her upper arm. “What are you doing?”

“Finding something more entertaining to do.” He leaned close and ran his tongue over her skin until the icing was gone, and she shivered at his touch. He immediately began to work on another design on her shoulder then repeated the same gesture as before homing in on her neck and kissing along the path to her ear. “And a better canvas to work on.”

“Kris, focus,” she admonished gently with a giggle as he went back to his task with enthusiasm. “Ice the gingerbread, not the commando.”

“No, I like this better, you taste good.” He ran his free hand up her flank, setting a hand on the curve of her breast. She leaned into the heat of his hand, abandoning the gingerbread on the table completely in defeat. Rising, and stepping playfully out of his reach, she leaned against the table with her arms crossed in mock annoyance as she gave him an unwavering look of contrition.

Not undeterred in the least, Kris rose, pushing his chair aside and coming to stand in front of her. He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close then surprised her by swiftly lifting her up onto the edge of the table. Cath wound one her legs around his as he began to work her tank top up, exposing her skin inch by inch unit it was bunched up under her breasts. She leaned back on her arms and watched as he grabbed the piping bag again, taking it to the toned plain of her stomach and designing an intricate snowflake pattern. She let him work, giggling as his face took on a look of intense concentration and the icing tickled her skin.

Once he was done, he stood back and examined his work, giving a nod of satisfaction. Before she could move, he gave her a wicked look and bending over her began to trace his tongue through the patterning, teasing, and tasting as he went along. Cath let out a soft whine as he left trails of fire along her skin, working his way slowly over the design. Leaning back on the table, she managed to work her tank top off so she could toss it aside and he took the given opportunity to expand his work, snagging the piping bag again and drawing designs on her breasts. He swirled his tongue around her nipple, and she arched her back, dragging her nails through his hair as an intense sensation raced through her.

Kris mouthed his way down her body again, tracing his lips across her stomach. He took his time, pressing his lips to her each of her hipbones, and mouthing the skin as he nuzzled his way along. Finally, he reached the waistband of her leggings. Snagging them with his fingers begun to work them down her legs. She stretched her legs out, pointing her toes so he could slide the fabric off easily and toss it on the floor next to the table, leaving her clad only in a pair if wispy silk panties. He skirted over the silk, dipping between her legs to nuzzle the damp fabric as she let out a soft moan. Cath arched her hips against his face, watched as he smiled against her skin and continued to take his leisure, pressing kisses to the inside of her thighs, nipping the skin as she tightened her legs around him and tried to draw him closer. Finally, he grazed his lips over the scrap of fabric covering her, the heat of his mouth making her shiver in anticipation and pushed it aside. He gazed up at her, seeing the look of lust on her face and very slowly, brought his mouth to her, teasing into her.

Cath laid back against the table, wincing as she felt the sharp crunch of broken candy on the skin of her back, and rubbed herself against his face as he began to stroke her with his tongue. Her whole body was flush, her breath coming in hitches as he began to gently suck on her clit, alternating between focusing his attention on the sensitive nub and deep strokes of his tongue. She closed her eyes, rolling her hips as he spread his hands out wide on her thighs to hold her in place and stop her from pushing too far off the table. He changed tempos, taking one of her hands and pressing it to her clit so she could touch herself while he slid lower, fucking her with his tongue as she felt her impending orgasm start to build, stronger and stronger. She could feel it winding low in her stomach as pleasure, raw and intense, flooded through her.

Opening her eyes briefly, she caught a view of his head between her legs, and the sight of him, lost in loving her, made her heart skip a beat. An instant later her orgasm slammed into her, white hot and electrifying, and she felt her whole body go taunt. Current after current of pleasure coiled through her and her vision went static as she ground herself against him, feeling her legs begin to shake as she let out a soft moan and finally went limp.

Immediately Kris moved up her body, kissing along the skin as he helped her sit up. He wound her arms around his neck and kissed her deeply, letting her taste herself on his lips and tongue. As he pulled her close, she could feel his cock, hard against her and she ground herself off him, feeling his body respond as pleasure shot through him. He broke away from her lips, kissing up from the skin on her neck until he reached her ear and then grasped the lobe between his teeth for a moment, nipping the skin and drawing a sharp breath from her.

He leaned in close to her ear, tickling the skin and whispered two words, his voice thick with emotion and lust. “Green light.”

Cath pulled back, searching his face, and even through what was left of the alcoholic haze in her system, she could tell he was speaking the truth. Suddenly, and with the clarity that often only came with drinking copious amounts of booze, she realized that was what he had been trying to tell her in the grocery store, that the doctor had given him the “green light” for them to do more than just fooling around. Inwardly she groaned; leave it to him to play a game to try and tell her that they could finally have sex and leave to her to get so wrapped up in getting a task done that she missed the subtlety completely. She let her hands drop from his neck, reaching down to stroke his cock through the fabric of the workout pants he was wearing as he rested his face on her shoulder. With nimble hands, she reached up, grabbed the waistband and began to work them down until his cock sprang free, then pushed them lower until he got the message and stepped out of them, kicking the pants aside easily.

“Are you sure?” She teased, trying to sound innocent, even as she began to stroke up and down his cock. “I mean we could wait a few more weeks until we’re really sure you’re healed…”

“Woman, you are going to be the death of me.” He ground out, thrusting into her hand with a gasp.

With an uncharacteristic grin Cath slipped off the table and began to inch her way towards the door. “And I mean, we do have a movie to finish watching…”

She darted towards the doorway, ducking under his arm easily, as he playfully tried to catch her, turned and blew him a kiss, then disappeared back towards the living room as he took off after her laughing.

Given that she was smaller, and much more lithe than him, it would have been an easy feat to outpace him and head for the living room again or the bedroom as both were nearby. Since she clearly wanted him to catch her, she slowed and stalled, taking the brief instant before he reached her to slip her panties off and toss them aside. She barely had time to lean against the wall, crossing her ankles nonchalantly and playing with the coral charm around her neck before he appeared in view.

She stole his phrasing from earlier in the day, giving him an easy smile as she watched his eyes drift over her naked body, now clad in nothing but the necklace he had given her. “Fancy meeting you here.”

With a low growl, he crept closer, wrapping his arms around her as she let out a shriek of laughter, and sealed his lips to hers in a savage kiss. She wound her arms around his neck, running both of her hands into his hair and fisting it as she swirled her tongue around his. He pushed back against her, bumping them into the wall hard enough to rattle the framed photos nearby and she bit back a moan, curling a leg over his hip and urging him closer. She could feel him hard against her and rolled her hips, grinding against his cock as he let out a sharp pant. He dipped his head, capturing her nipple in his mouth and sucking gently as she closed her eyes and bit back a gasp. Beside her head, the frames rattled again, and she had a sudden vision of them getting conked on the head by falling photos and having to explain to a doctor in the ER that she had given Kris Avery a concussion by foreplay.

She pushed against him lightly until she could move and then grabbed his hand, dragging him down the hall with her as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pressed kisses to the back of her neck. With a soft laugh, she pulled him into the first room she came across, finding that she dragged them into the training area, and turned in his arms to kiss him. He pulled her close, sliding both hands down to cup her ass as he backed them further into the space. Seeing the L shaped sectional out of the corner of her eye, she steered them towards it. Once they got closer, she put both her hands on his chest, splaying her fingers across his tattoo, and gave him a gentle push, tumbling him down in the V between the two sections. He settled in, resting his arm along the couch as she glided her body over him, kissing down his chest and abdomen, nipping the skin as she lowered herself down.

Glancing at him through the curtain of her hair she ghosted her lips over his cock, running the tip of her tongue along his shaft. She watched as he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the couch with a low groan. She swirled her tongue around the head of his cock, dipping the tip of her tongue into the slit and teasing him as he arched his hips. Taking him into her mouth, she hollowed her cheeks, moving languidly up and down, savoring the taste and feel of him as she took him to the back of her throat. Cath looked up, finding he was watching her with a lust filled gaze and met his eyes as she wrapped her tongue around him and moved over him agonizingly slowly. The hand he had outstretched along the back of the couch was digging into the fabric, while the other threaded itself through her hair. She could feel her own need rising, the ache between her legs reaching a maddening level of distraction as she stroked and teased him. She could feel his body tensing as she encouraged him to fuck her mouth, the veins on his neck cording as he murmured her name again and again like a prayer.

She felt him tracing his fingers over the shell of her ear, feathering his touch along her jaw, and released him from her mouth, continuing to stroke him with her hand as she rose. He reached out, settling his hands on her hips and pulled her into his lap, helping her straddle him. Once she was tucked against him, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and buried his face in the crook of her neck, worrying the skin lightly with his teeth.

Cath rested her hands on the back of the couch beside his head, then using the angle to her advantage she slowly sank down on his cock. For a moment, she stayed still, enjoying the feeling of their hips flush together as she held back a groan in her throat. After six long weeks, he felt so good, it was almost too intense for her senses to bear. When she finally began to move, she ground her hips against his, sliding up and down his shaft with a whine of pleasure. He slid one hand down to her ass, cupping her skin and urging her on wordlessly. She leaned in and caught his lower lip in her teeth and kissed him passionately, the same electric sensation as before beginning to sizzle through her. Snapping her hips to his she quickened her pace, sinking down on his cock and rising again in a steady pulse pounding rhythm that left her feeling euphoric and dizzy. The muscles in her thighs began to shake and she rested her hands on his chest to ground herself. Kris reached up, stroking the side of her face briefly, eyes heavily lidded in pleasure and then rested his hands on top of her own to steady her, easing her fingers over his heart and holding them there.

The tenderness in the gesture and the love in his eyes was humbling. She could feel his heartbeat thumping under her palm, a steady flowing rhythm that she mimicked, rolling her hips against his, meeting him thrust for thrust. When her orgasm came, it took her by surprise with its sudden intensity, dropping her like she was freefalling into a headrush. She ground her hips against his, seeing sparks in her line of vision and cried out, clenching around him. With a strangled noise, he moved his hands to grip her waist, bucking under her and holding on to her hips so tightly she would find faint bruises in the shape of his fingertips while in the shower the next morning. He quickly followed her over into his own orgasm, letting out a groan as he buried his face in the crook of her shoulder. They rocked together, each wanting to give the other everything they could, for as long as they could until finally, they were still.

Cath went limp, bending low and resting her forehead on his chest as she tried to catch her breath. He stroked her back in circles, and she could feel his chest rising and falling. He tried to hide an uncomfortable wince and in her now almost sober mind, she realized she was precariously close to laying on his newly healed injuries. The doctor had said he could have sex, not swing from the ceiling on the first go. She gently slid off his lap, cuddling against his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” She could feel her eyes growing heavy as she fought off falling asleep.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he reassured her as he settled an arm around her shoulders. He yawned and snagged a nearby blanket pulling it around both of them. “Should we try to get to the bedroom?”

“Fuck it.” Cath also yawned, feeling the last of her energy drifting away. She settled against him and got comfortable. “I’ve slept in worse places.”

“Gee, thanks.” He rolled his eyes comedically and shifted his position, pulling his legs up and stretching out. He pulled her against him and laid down, taking her along for the ride and adjusted the blanket covering them both. “Way to make a poor guy feel wanted.”

“If this,” Cath gestured to the kitchen, hallway and couch with as much emphasis as she could muster given that none of her muscles wanted to move, “didn’t show you exactly how much I want you, then nothing ever will. You’re on your own from here on out. Good fucking luck.”

“I just love it when you’re brutally honest.” He pressed a kiss to her temple and closed his eyes, drifting off. “And I love you.”

Sensing he was already asleep, she smiled and laid her head on his chest, whispering so quietly it was almost silent, knowing he wouldn’t hear her. “Right back at you.”

Knowing it was Christmas Day and that she could give him his gift in a matter of hours, hoping it would be enough to show him how she felt, she closed her eyes and slipped into a contented sleep. Tucked beside her, Kris cracked one eye open for an instant and smiled, then cuddled her closer and fell soundly asleep.