Meg Maguire - Wild Holiday Nights - Holiday Rush / Playing Games / All Night Long

“Um, sure. Listen, why don’t you take that shower, and I’m going to call this in.”

There was a breath of silence between them, and she looked up at him. “Why don’t you call it in and then join me in the shower?”

Gideon’s heart tripped over itself, his body hardening almost instantaneously. Before he could object, she cut in again.

“I seem to be making a habit of throwing myself at you,” she said with a slight smile. “But I really don’t want to be alone right now, Gideon. Please don’t leave again.”

Damn it. Of all the appeals she might have made, that one socked him in the gut.

“Please,” she whispered, lifting up and pressing a kiss to his mouth.

She continued kissing him until he gave in, unable to resist a deeper taste. Gideon knew he wouldn’t be walking away from Calla again that night.

* * *

CALLA’S FEARS WERE forgotten as soon as she felt Gideon relent, his body relaxing as he pulled her in closer, his mouth finding hers again. They took their time now, getting to know each other, understanding that there was no need to rush.

“I guess I could use a shower, too,” he said against her mouth, making her smile. “After I make this call.”

“Okay. Don’t be long.”

She waited for him to report the attack, watching the way his expression changed, and his voice, as he talked to the other detective. It made him look dangerous. And even sexier. Calla waited until he was done—she didn’t want to give him a chance to change his mind.

When he hung up, she took him by the hand, leading him back to her bedroom. She stopped by the bed, removed her coat, and started taking everything else off, as well. He watched with rapt attention.

Guilt assailed her as she took in the puffy redness still apparent around his eyes and on his cheeks. Down to her bra and panties, she stepped forward, framing his face with her hands.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Are you kidding? My eyes are the happiest they’ve ever been right now,” he said with a lopsided smile that warmed her heart.

His fingers slid around to the back of her bra, unclasping it and letting it fall loose. Calla shrugged it to the floor, inviting his gaze. She wasn’t self-conscious about her body, and she could tell from the heat in his eyes that he liked what he saw.

“You’re way overdressed for the shower,” she said, reaching to push his sweater up over his head, and then the T-shirt under it.

She wasn’t disappointed, but she’d known she wouldn’t be. Leaning in, she darted her tongue out to follow along the smooth edge of one sculptured muscle and smiled when he groaned.

“Calla...”

The way he said her name was a caution and a promise.

She reached for his belt buckle, but he backed away, quickly shucking his pants himself.

Calla caught her breath as she took him in. No, she wasn’t disappointed in any way whatsoever.

“You keep looking at me like that and we’re never making it into the shower.”

“That would be a shame. I can think of all kinds of fun we’ll have in there.”

Sliding her panties to the floor, she walked ahead and let him watch her, putting a little extra swing in her step as she went into the en suite and turned on the light. Her heart was racing as she stepped in under the steamy spray and waited for him to join her.

Was this finally really happening? Did she actually have Gideon Stone naked in a shower with her? He tugged her under the water with him, his mouth landing on hers in a hard, hot kiss.

Definitely real.

Calla closed her fingers over his erection jutting against her hip and stroked. He broke the kiss on a heavy groan, burying his face in her neck. She enjoyed how he pushed into her hand in a needy rhythm.

Then his hands were on her, too, dipping in between her thighs as he moved his lips down her shoulder to her breast, sucking a nipple into his mouth as his fingers did devilish things between her legs.

“Oh, Gideon,” She sighed, wanting more than his fingers.

Luckily, he wanted the same thing, and hiked her leg up by his hip, backing her against the tile wall under the spray.

“Protection?” he managed as he nibbled at her lips. His hips pressed seductively against hers, making her moan as he teased her clit with the broad head of his shaft.

“Oh, right,” she gasped, thankful he remembered. “Lemme...”

She disengaged herself from this delightful position and reached out to the vanity, where she opened a drawer and reached in to get a small foil packet.

Good to go.

Ripping it open, she sank to her knees in the shower and before she applied it, let herself enjoy one more luxury as she closed her lips over him instead. Her body went into overdrive at the sensation of his wet, velvety skin against her tongue, pressing into the back of her throat.

“Stop,” he commanded brusquely. She knew why and let him pull her up again as her hands deftly covered him.

This time he positioned her face-first against the tile, her hands braced as he widened her stance from behind.

“Okay?” he asked softly, against her ear.

“More than,” she managed, levering her hips back slightly in invitation.

He took that invitation as he nudged against her, experimenting, and then entering her body deeply until they were both gasping with the intensity of it. Calla had never felt so turned on—at the same time, she felt so safe and supported as his arms came around her.

His hands covered her breasts as he started to move, gently strumming his fingers over her tender skin. He whispered hot endearments in her ear in between kisses along the back of her neck.

Calla couldn’t form words, only sounds, as he picked up the pace, thrusting faster while covering her hands with his against the wall, their fingers entwining. Her body welcomed him, clutching and wanting more. She rolled her hips in rhythm with his thrusts until they were both crying out, their bodies pulsing together in a long, hard climax.

Calla lost track of time, of how long they stood there, joined, wringing every last second of pleasure from each other. All she knew, as he turned her to him and slid his hands into her wet hair as he kissed her, was that she wanted more.

4

GIDEON HAD TRAVELED a bit, usually in connection with his job, but he’d never fallen for a city like he did for New York. Or maybe it was the woman who lived here, but suddenly the bleakness of the past few months faded, making everything magical again.

He sat in the corner of the bakery studio reading as Calla worked on building and decorating the bell cake for the gathering of people outside. She’d built a clever trellis to arrange the bells on, her ingenuity captivating him. She was clever in and out of bed, he thought with a smile.

And just as thorough.

Everyone knew that the decorated windows were a huge draw in the city this time of year, but he found it hard to believe that anything could match watching Calla work.

Well, except for watching Calla stretch sensuously beneath him, her hair scattered over a pillow as he planted himself deep inside her body, but that wasn’t for public consumption.

Looking past her, he realized that nothing here was decorated. Nothing in her apartment had been, either. Not even a wreath on the door or lights in the window.

Calla was having a difficult time drawing attention to her business. The shop was surviving, but barely, she’d confided. She was even considering moving out of her apartment to save money for the bakery, living here in her office until things picked up.

Gideon admired her determination, but he hoped things wouldn’t go to that extreme. Her shop space was nice, but not livable. He thought of all the nights he’d stayed overnight at the station, sleeping on the couch in his small office or even at his desk, but that was different. Some cases took a long time to settle. Calla was thinking about giving up her living space just to save her business. There had to be another way.