Nicole hesitated, but desire flamed through her and made her bold. “Strip me.”
He fell easily into the game. “With pleasure.” After he removed an article of clothing he worshiped the exposed area with his mouth and hands before moving on to remove another piece.
“Kneel and don’t stop licking until I come.”
Fully dressed, he sank to his knees before her and lifted one leg, placing it over his shoulder. “You’re so fucking hot when you talk like that, Nicole.”
Nicole held on to a bedpost to steady herself and closed her eyes. “Stop talking and start licking. I want to feel you pumping a finger in and out of me.”
Stephan was a gifted lover, but he was particularly skilled in the oral sex department. He licked around her clit, teased her until she was digging a hand into his shoulder, and took her gently between his teeth.
She was wet and ready for his finger when he slid it inside her and started to do his magical circular motions that always drove her crazy. “Oh, God, yes.”
His tongue began to flick back and forth over her clit, slowly at first, then faster and faster. She called out with pleasure when she finally came, and he picked her up and tossed her down on the bed.
“What else do you want?” he asked in a hungry, husky tone as he stripped off his own clothing. “Tell me.”
“I want to be this happy for the rest of my life,” she said, loving each part of him he uncovered.
“I can do that.” He crawled onto the bed and positioned himself above her, then rolled until she was sprawled on top. “But I was hoping for something a little more specific.”
She smiled down at him. She wasn’t assertive by nature, but his love was her safety net. “Then slide yourself inside me and quit your chatting.”
He did, and together they went to a place they’d gone many times before, but this time was more playful than it had been in a while. When she lay in his arms afterward, she thought about something his mother had once told her about how to make a marriage work. “Honesty. Respect. Forgiveness. And a little red bikini.”
The longer she was married, the more wisdom Nicole found in those words. The bikini symbolized keeping the passion fresh and exciting. Naked in her husband’s arms, Nicole vowed to do just that. She leaned forward and kissed him, thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth and teasing his into hers. “Now, you tell me what you want.”
Stephan groaned and checked the clock on the bedside table. “We don’t have time.”
Nicole leaned off the bed, found his phone and sent a text. “We do now,” she said cheekily.
“I told him I’m getting an early Christmas present.”
Stephan grabbed the phone, looked at it, and tossed it onto the floor. “You sent it from my phone? Your brother will kill me, but I’ll worry about that later. Come here, wife.”
Nicole laughed, a little embarrassed. “Sorry. Do you want me to send another text explaining it?”
“No,” he growled against her neck. “I want you to make it up to me.”
“I can do that, but you’ll have to be a little more specific.”
Abby checked the time on her phone. “It’s seven thirty. Do you think it’s safe to head over there now?”
Dominic stood by the tall glass-paned wall and glared at the other house. “For them or for us?”
Abby tucked herself beneath her husband’s arm. “Have a sense of humor, it’s almost Christmas.” When Dominic didn’t respond, Abby chided, “They’re married, and your sister is pregnant. How do you think that happened?”
He made a face. “It’s my little sister.”
“Who is a grown woman with a husband she loves. Be happy for her.”
Dominic sighed. “You’re right.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Where’s Judy?”
“She’s pretending not to be peeking at the pile of gifts we left in the hall. It was a good idea to bring them. I know we’ll see my family and the Andrades for Christmas, but it helps Judy understand what this is about, too. It’s a lot of celebrating for one holiday.”
“We have a big family.”
Abby smiled and rested her head on Dominic’s shoulder. “We do. We certainly do.” Abby sent a text to Stephan. “Get dressed we’re coming over.” If it weren’t for Judy, Abby would have let the lovebirds have their time together, but they’d told Judy their plans for the evening, and she wasn’t about to try to explain to her why they couldn’t go over to see her aunt and uncle.
Judy came rushing in. “Is it time yet? Can we go?”
Abby laughed. “Patience, Judy. Yes, we can head over.”
“Do I get to open all of my presents now?”
“What do you think, Dom?” Abby asked.
“My mother comes tomorrow morning, and she’ll bring presents. Your sister will have something when we go there. The Andrades will have more. I say yes.”
“Don’t forget Santa,” Judy added.
“And Santa,” Dominic agreed.
Like a puppy excited to go outside, Judy ran circles around them as they gathered up their coats and packages. “This is going to be awesome.”
With each of them carrying several packages, Dominic, Abby, and Judy crossed the lawn between the home Dominic had built years before and the new home Stephan had built to replace it. When Nicole opened the door her face was beautifully flushed, and she was smiling.
“Sorry about the delay,” Nicole said, trying to sound contrite, but her smile didn’t waver.
Dominic gave Stephan a narrow-eyed look that his brother-in-law merely shrugged off. “Time just got away from us,” Stephan said.
Dominic handed Stephan some packages with more force than the action called for. “Mind holding these for me?”
“Not at all,” Stephan answered without looking the least bit upset.
They walked together into a room displaying an elegantly decorated Christmas tree and a crackling fire in the fireplace. Judy handed her boxes to Nicole and sprinted over to the tree. “There’s one for me and there’s one for you, Dad.” She went back to hold her mother’s hand. “Don’t worry, Mom, I have one for you.”
Abby gave her daughter a quick hug. “I have everything I need, but thank you.”
Nicole deposited the boxes Judy had given her beside the tree and blushed. “Abby, the gift for Dominic is really for both of you.”
Abby waved a hand and took a seat. “With all of you here, I have everything I need. When your little one arrives you’ll see that the best gifts are the ones you watch your child open.”
Dominic sat beside Abby. “I agree.”
Judy climbed onto Dominic’s lap. “Me, too.”
Everyone laughed at that.
Nicole retrieved an envelope from beneath the tree and handed it to her brother. “This is from Stephan and me. It’s something that was yours, and we want you to have it again.”
Dominic opened the envelope and read the paper inside twice before handing it to Abby. It was the deed to the house he’d built on the island. A huge smile spread across his face. “Abby, I told you it was too beautiful to knock down. I’m glad someone else agreed with me.”
Stephan looked as if he were trying not to laugh. “That’s what it was, the beauty of it.”
Nicole chuckled and gave Stephan a nudge. “This is a family island and you’re family. Your house belongs here.”
Dominic cleared his throat and pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket. “I have something for you, Nicole. I hope it makes you as happy as you’ve just made me.”
Judy said softly, “Those gifts don’t look that exciting.”
Abby corrected her gently, “It’s never the gift that’s important, Judy; it’s the love behind it that matters. Remember that.”
Nicole started to cry as she read the letter, then she stood and rushed over to give Dominic a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.”
“Me, too. I love you, Nicole. And things are going to be better from now on. I promise.
”
Judy was momentarily squished between them when Nicole threw her arms around Dominic. Judy peered out at her mother from between her father and her aunt and said, “I guess grownups like mail.”
Abby laughed. “I guess they do.”
Nicole walked back and handed the letter to Stephan who nodded as he read it, then hugged her. He blinked several times, and his eyes shone with emotion as he said, “Thank you, Dominic.”
Dominic took Abby’s hand in his. “Thank you, Stephan, for being so good to my sister. We’re lucky to have you in our family.”
Abby gave her husband’s hand a squeeze.
Judy turned to Dominic. “Now can I open one of mine? Please?”
Dominic eased her onto her feet. “Go pick one out, Princess.”
Judy placed the gifts in a row and read over each tag of the most important presents beneath the tree. “Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Jeisa. Auntie Zhang and Uncle Rachid. Auntie Alethea and Uncle Marc. Uncle Stephan and Auntie Nicole. Which one do I open first?”
“How about the one from Nicole and Stephan?” Abby suggested.
Nicole knelt beside her niece. “Open it. I hope you like it.”
Abby said, “She’ll like it. No matter what it is. Right, Judy? We’re always grateful for anything anyone gives us.”
Judy rolled her eyes and quietly said to Nicole, “She was a teacher, and she can’t turn it off.” Louder she said, “Yes, Mom.” She ripped open the package and clapped. “It’s an airplane. Does it fly?”
Nicole sat back and nodded. “It sure does.”
Judy hugged Nicole. “You rock. Thanks. And it flies. That’s cool.” She picked up a small box. “This one is for you and Uncle Stephan. It’s from me.”
Nicole carried it over to Stephan. She opened it and held up the handmade frame Abby had helped Judy decorate. “It’s beautiful.”
Judy smiled. “You can put a picture of me holding your baby when it comes. That way you have two people you love in one picture.”
Nicole wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. “What a perfect gift, Judy. Just perfect.”
Judy reached for another gift. “Mom said we have to take turns opening them, so Dad is next.” She walked a large rectangular box over to her father. “Dad, this is for you and Mom. Uncle Jake helped me pick it out.”
She handed it to Dominic who held it out to Abby, but Abby said, “No, you can open it.”
Dominic removed the paper and the cover of the box, then one of his eyebrows rose as he studied the contents.
Judy pulled one of the garments out of the box and held it up. “They’re pajamas for Christmas. Look, Dad. You get to be Santa. Mom gets to be Mrs. Claus, and I’m an elf. Isn’t that awesome? Can we wear them tonight?”
Dominic looked over at Abby who smiled back at him. “Remember, it’s the love behind the gift that matters.”
“When do we see Jake and Lil?” Dominic asked with a growing grin.
“Thursday.”
“That should be enough time for me to find the perfect presents for his children.”
“Dominic . . .” Abby started to say, then gave in to the fun of the idea. “I’ll help you.”
Judy picked up another present and opened it. “Auntie Zhang sent me a real princess dress. She says I can look like her now.” Judy spun with it. “I love it.”
She looked over at her parents. “Can I open another?”
“Go ahead,” Abby said, and Dominic put an arm around his wife.
She tore the wrapping off the next gift. She looked at the pictures on the box and turned it around a few times. “What is it?”
Abby went onto the floor beside her daughter. “It looks like Alethea and Marc sent you a spy kit.”
“That’s what we need, for her to see more of what’s going on in the house,” Dominic joked.
Judy clapped her hands together happily. “I’m going to be a spy when I grow up, just like Auntie Alethea. She’s so cool.”
“Not a princess like Auntie Zhang?” Nicole asked with humor.
Judy gave Nicole a look as if to say there was no comparison. “A princess wears a tiara and has to sit pretty. A spy gets to sneak around and look at everything.”
Abby looked over at Dominic. “Are we letting her spend too much time with Alethea and Marc?”
Judy was already onto the next present. “Uncle Jeremy sends the best gifts. Remember last year he gave me a robot that knew my name.” She ripped the present open and frowned. “It’s a button.” She looked at the words written on it and sounded them out. “Pr-ess h-ere. Press here.” Then she did.
All the cell phones in the room buzzed and started playing one of her favorite winter Disney songs. She pressed it again and they all switched to another Disney song. “That is so cool.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Dominic said as he looked at his phone and couldn’t figure out how to get the music to stop.
Judy brought a note over to Abby. “What does it say, Mom?”
“It says press the button again then take a picture of your father’s expression with someone’s phone and send it to Uncle Jeremy.”
Judy laughed and used her mother’s phone to take several photos, then she swiped back and forth between the best of them. “Which one do you like best, Dad?”
“You pick one, Princess.” Dominic looked at Abby and shook his head. “People used to fear me.”
Judy climbed back up onto his lap. “Why would anyone be afraid of you?” She hugged him. “You’re just a big, old, grumpy teddy bear.”
Dominic hugged his daughter to his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, and Abby’s heart melted. Dominic had survived a hellish childhood and, unlike his father, he had not passed his rage on to his child. Watching him finally see that was the best Christmas present Abby had ever received.
Chapter Six
A week later Nicole was holding Stephan’s hand and mingling in the Andrade home in New York. She’d lost count of how many times she’d been hugged and congratulated on her pregnancy since Stephan and she had arrived. Instead of being overwhelmed as she had feared she’d feel, she basked in the warmth of their love.
Over the past week, she’d read and reread her father’s letter. His final words had given her what she had needed to set herself free from her fears. He had been an extremely troubled man, but he’d loved her. And Dominic had shown his love for her by facing the past. How could she be afraid, when her life was full of so many people who cared about her?
Stephan leaned down and said, “Tell me when you get tired and we’ll go.”
She hugged his arm to her. “I know I said I didn’t want to come this year, but I’m so glad we did. I wanted a Corisi Christmas, and I got one, but this is also my family. Thank you for understanding that this year I needed to heal one family before I could appreciate the other.”
He kissed her on the temple. “My Christmas will always be wherever you are, Nicole.” He looked down at her stomach. “You and our child. Without you, I wouldn’t be here, either. I was lost once, and you guided me back to my family. If you ever feel afraid again, don’t hide it. Reach for me because I’ll always be right here, beside you.”
Before Nicole had a chance to answer Stephan, his father, Victor, swung her away from him and off her feet into a hug. “Merry Christmas, Nicole.”
Stephan’s mother said, “Victor, put her down.” She shook her head. “Stephan, ever since you told us Nicole’s pregnant, your father has been as loopy as your Uncle Alessandro. He’s picking out toys already.”
Victor was all unapologetic smiles. “I’m going to be a grandfather. Finally. I can’t tell you how happy I am.”
Nicole met her brother’s approving gaze from across the room, then looked back at Stephan who was beaming with pride, and his parents who were gushing with love for her and the child they would spoil rotten. Nicole linked hands with Stephan and smiled. Christmas was a time for new beginnings and for letting go of things no longer relevant. No matter
what the future held for her, Nicole knew she was where she belonged. She had found her voice, and no one had walked away.
It was a Christmas she’d never forget and one she’d always be grateful for.
THE END
Want more of Dominic Corisi?
Download book one of the Barrington Billionaires: Always Mine.
Or
In the mood for a spicy holiday romance? Recipe for Love will warm your heart with the story of how Maddy met Richard.
Or
Looking for a way to get onto Santa’s naughty list? My hottest Christmas romance is about Brock and Kate in the Temptation Series:
12 Days of Temptation and Be My Temptation.
Read on for an Excerpt from Always Mine, Book 1 of the Barrington Billionaires
Other Books by Ruth
The Legacy Collection:
*Also available in audiobook format
Where my billionaires began.
Book 1: Maid for the Billionaire (available at all major eBook stores for FREE!)
Book 2: For Love or Legacy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Saving the Sheikh
Book 5: Rise of the Billionaire
Book 6: Breaching the Billionaire: Alethea’s Redemption
Book 7: A Corisi Christmas Novella
The Andrades
*Also available in audiobook format
A spin off series of the Legacy Collection with cameos from characters you love from that series.
Book 1: Come Away With Me (available at all major eBook stores for FREE!)
Book 2: Home to Me
Book 3: Maximum Risk
Book 4: Somewhere Along the Way
Book 5: Loving Gigi
Recipe For Love, An Andrade Christmas Novella
The Barringtons
A new, seven book series about the Andrade’s Boston cousins.
The first series in the Barrington Billionaire WORLD.
Book 1: Always Mine
Book 2: Stolen Kisses (Available for Pre-order)
Book 3: Trade It All (Coming 2016)
Book 4: Let It Burn (Coming 2016)
Book 5: More Than Love (Coming 2016)