Christmas Cancellation

15. NOELLE

Chapter fifteen

I awoke cocooned in warmth, gradually realizing my body was curled around a solid form… Oh my God, a man! And not just any man, Mr. Captain. I froze, my eyes flying open as I tried to place where I was; a few too many glasses of wine muddled my mind. A smirk tugged at my lips. Who needed a heater when you had a human furnace in bed with you? I hadn’t slept that soundly in years, and it was all thanks to the man next to me. My nose was practically frozen—the fire was barely giving off any heat now—but my body was toasty warm under the blanket.

The room was dim, lit by the dying embers in the fireplace and the soft morning light filtering in through the blinds. Everything had an almost surreal quality to it—a stillness I wanted to hold onto before my world kicked back into motion.

I was caught in the haze between dreaming and waking, reluctant to fully surface. Then reality hit—hard. I was naked, wrapped around Kol like a koala clinging to a big, burly tree. Not wanting to wake him, but too curious to resist, I lifted the quilt to sneak a peek. Good Lord, the man was a masterpiece. My eyes studied the lines of his body. He was a Greek statue come to life, all sharp angles and smooth planes. I allowed myself a moment of shameless appreciation, my gaze tracing the tattoos on his chest and arms and lingering on the defined ridges of his abs. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, the tantalizing V-cut of his hips pointing the way to his impressive morning wood.

There, in all its glory, was his morning erection, standing at attention like a soldier ready for duty. I chuckled softly. No wonder I was sore in places I hadn’t even known could ache. Kol was… Well-endowed would be an understatement. He was fine as fuck, and I felt a twinge of insecurity. Here I was, probably looking like something the cat dragged in, with my hair a wild, tangled mess after he’d rocked my world. God only knew what my face looked like. He’d put me through the wringer—or perhaps more accurately, I’d launched myself into a bottle of wine, and my inhibitions had flown right out the window. In return, he’d edged me halfway to death, blindfolded, no less.

We’d drunk a lot last night, and I remembered Kol telling me about how he was some sort of wine expert—I couldn’t remember what word he’d used for it though. My mind sputtered through bits of last night’s haze. It had been intensely frustrating, but I’d had the best sex of my life. The man had pushed me outside of my comfort zone, and it had been well worth it. I would never be able to look at his lips again without a molten river of fire pooling between my thighs.

No man had never made love to me like that—as if he were savoring every part of me. It was something a woman could only dream of.

I knew he didn’t love me; we’d just met. But the way he’d taken his time…touched me possessively…it was like he owned me, and I’d never imagined I’d love surrendering so much.

How could a man like Kol be interested in someone like me, someone whose life was so discombobulated? How had no one scooped him up and married him yet? How was he still available? He was every woman’s ideal man—strong yet gentle, dominant yet considerate. I had so many questions.

My reveries slowly dissipated as the real world began to creep in. Oh shit, the memory of how I’d laid there sprawled out in front of him without a modicum of modesty flashed back. A tidal wave of embarrassment crashed over me, washing away the euphoria from the night before. I’d just had sex with a complete stranger—a man I’d known for less than twenty-four hours! Granted, he was the most attractive man I’d ever met, and we had spent hours stuck together because of the snowstorm, but that was no excuse. My mind reeled. Had I really been that desperate? I was the cringeworthy cliché of every romance novel ever written: Some gorgeous man shows up out of nowhere, saves you from your troubles—and then bang ! He’s taking advantage of your vulnerability while you’re too tipsy to resist. Seriously, what had I been thinking?

I mentally smacked myself, feeling like the world’s biggest sleazebag. I’d let him have his way with me! I mean, sure, he was a walking, talking fantasy, but that didn’t give me the right to jump him like some sort of sex-starved animal. My cheeks flushed as memories filtered through my mind like an old film reel. Each frame replayed a piece of what we’d done: the wine, the fire, the heated kisses, his commanding hands exploring my body, my own uninhibited responses, and the mind-blowing sex. Oh God, the best sex. My body ached in all the right places, a testament to just how thorough Kol had been. I was amazingly satisfied and utterly mortified all at once. What had I done?

My mind raced as I silently accused him of taking advantage of me. He’d plied me with wine, for heaven’s sake! Okay, so I’d willingly partaken. But still—he could’ve at least tried to resist my charms. The man was a walking temptation, and now, here I was running down Guilt Trip Lane. Mr. Wine Connoisseur had to have known how it would affect me! There was no other explanation for how I’d lost all sense of reason and handed him the reins to take control of me.

Ready to get out of my own head and on with the day, I pulled away from Kol’s sleeping form, a chill creeping over my skin. I grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around myself, leaving him exposed to the cool morning air. It served him right for being so damn irresistible.

Despite my inner turmoil, though, I couldn’t deny the satisfaction that still hummed through my veins. I’d been thoroughly and completely ravished, and a part of me—a very big part—wanted to do it all over again.

But first, I needed to regain some semblance of dignity. I extended my leg and gave him a gentle nudge with my toe. “Hey,” I said, trying to sound stern, “wake up.”

Kol stirred, and his eyes opened slowly, revealing those rich chocolate depths laced with glimmers of gold that were impossible to look away from. He blinked sleepily at me, a slow, lazy smile spreading across his face. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, his voice husky with sleep.

I scowled at him, trying to ignore how utterly fuckable he looked with his hair all mussed and a smirk on his face that sent a zing straight between my legs.

“Don’t you good morning me,” I retorted. “You look way too cute and innocent for someone who just ravaged a perfect stranger.”

He chuckled as he scrutinized me. “After last night, you know there’s nothing innocent about me.” His gaze drifted down to his very hard dick. “And I’m ready to fuck you again, if you’re up for it.” He reached out, trying to pull me down to him.

I dodged his grasp, my heart pounding. “Oh no, you don’t,” I said, backing away. “You took advantage of me, Mr. Captain. You got me drunk and had your wicked way with me.”

He arched a brow and then frowned. “Is that how you remember it? Because I distinctly recall you being the aggressor.”

I gasped, feigning outrage and wrapping the blanket tighter around myself. “Me? An aggressor? Please, you plied me with wine and used your worldly charm to seduce me. I was vulnerable, and you took advantage.”

He sat up, scooting back to lean against the edge of the sofa. “You practically threw yourself at me, Noelle. And I was more than happy to catch you.”

“I was merely being friendly,” I lied. “You’re the one who turned it into an…an…aerial maneuver.”

Kol burst out laughing. “An aerial maneuver? That’s a new one. Okay, Top Gun, should I call you Maverick?”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “You’re impossible. I can’t believe I let you talk me into—”

“Into what?” he growled as he moved closer to me, reaching for my face. “Noelle, you were the one straddling my lap, your hot pussy dripping for me. I was just the lucky bastard who got to fuck you senseless. But if I’m a regret—”

Preventing him from completing that thought, I pressed my finger against his lips. “Maybe sometimes a girl wants to be taken advantage of,” I whispered, dropping my chin and blinking up at him through my lashes .

Kol’s hand slipped to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair. He pulled me toward him, forcing me to look him straight in those golden-brown eyes. “I would never take advantage of a woman,” he said without blinking. “But I’d fuck the attitude right out of her.”

My breath hitched, and a throb of desire shot between my legs. I should be outraged, should pull away and assert my independence, but all I could think about was how much I wanted him to follow through on his threat. God, this man was going to be the death of me. I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off, pulling me into a fierce kiss. I melted into him, all thoughts of protest forgotten as his tongue slid against mine, igniting a fire.

When he finally pulled away, I was breathless and dizzy with need. He smirked, his grip on my hair tightening just enough to make my heart race faster. “Now, are you going to keep arguing, or are you going to let me fuck you again?”

I bit my lip, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Well, when you put it that way…”

Letting the blanket fall around my waist, I took advantage of Kol’s momentary distraction and launched myself at him, tackling him back onto the blankets. He grunted in surprise, his arms automatically wrapping around me as he tried to regain control. But I was quicker, straddling his waist as I pinned his hands above his head.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Captain?” I teased, leaning down to nip at his bottom lip. “Can’t handle a little turbulence?”

“I can handle anything you throw at me, Stinkerbelle,” he grunted. He grabbed my forearms. In a swift motion, he flipped us over, pinning me beneath him. I squealed, trying to buck him off, but the man was a solid wall of muscle.

We tussled and tangled, sliding and bumping against each other as we each tried to gain the upper hand. He was stronger than me, but I was faster, and I used my smaller size to my advantage. As we wrestled, our laughter filled the room. His hands were everywhere—tickling, teasing, pinning me down. I retaliated by squirming and wriggling—trying every trick I knew to end up on top. But Kol was a formidable opponent—his movements swift and precise as befitted a man with military training. I’d never stood a chance against him.

He caught my wrists, pinning them above my head with one hand. His other hand trailed down my side, and he dug his fingers into my ribs, finding every ticklish spot. I thrashed and giggled, trying to free myself, but he held firm, his body pressing me into the pallet of blankets beneath us.

“Say uncle,” he commanded in a low rumble.

“Never,” I said between laughs, trying to knee him in the side. He dodged my attempt, sliding his hips between my legs and pressing his cock against my core. I sucked in a breath, heat flooding through me at the contact.

He leaned down, brushing his lips against mine in a teasing kiss. “Liar,” he whispered.

His laughter faded, replaced by a hungry gaze. Then, with a pounce, he captured my lips in a savage kiss. My body arched up to meet his, my struggle forgotten as desire took over.

His hard shaft slid up and down along my core, giving me the delicious friction I craved. I moaned into his mouth, my hips moving in sync with his. The head of his cock rubbed against my clit with each slow thrust, and my aching need to be filled grew.

The fire’s heat was long gone, but our bodies were blazing. Our breaths came out in visible clouds, hot and ragged in the chilly air. Kol released my wrists and trailed his fingers down my body, stopping at my breast to cup it. As his thumb circled my nipple, I moaned, the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my clit .

He broke the kiss, his lips moving down my neck, his teeth nipping at my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. Then his mouth enveloped my nipple, sucking and biting until I was writhing beneath him.

“You drive me crazy, Noelle,” he murmured against my taut peak. “You’re like a fucking drug, and I can’t get enough of you.”

I smiled, a sense of power surging through me. “Then take me, Kol,” I purred. “Take me like you own me.”

He groaned, pushing up on one hand while the other slid down to grab my hip. His cock was poised at my entrance. He paused, raising a brow, a silent question in his eyes. I nodded, giving him the answer he sought.

He thrust into me, filling me completely, and I gasped loudly. His hips moved at a leisurely pace, driving his cock deeper with each motion. I clutched his shoulders, digging my nails into his skin. My moans were now resonating through the room. Kol closed the distance between us and swallowed them by capturing my mouth in a kiss so intense that it made my pulse jump.

His hands were everywhere, touching, teasing, possessing. He knew exactly how to drive me wild, how to push me to the edge and keep me there, pleading for release. I arched up to meet his thrusts, our bodies slapping together.

“Kol,” I groaned, my fingers tangling in his hair. “Please…I need…”

He looked down at me, a sexy smile playing on his lips. “What do you need, Noelle? Tell me what you want.”

I bit my lip, a flush spreading across my cheeks. “I need more friction. I want to come so bad. I need you to make me come,” I begged. “I want you to fuck me hard.”

His smile widened, a flash of triumph lighting up his face. “With pleasure,” he murmured. Then his hips were moving faster, pounding into me. He slid a hand between us, his fingers finding my clit and circling it with a precision that had me seeing stars.

I cried out, my body tensing as the pleasure built. Once more he kissed me hard, his tongue mimicking the movements of his cock. I was lost in the bliss of it, lost in him, my body spiraling out of control.

Releasing my lips, he whispered in my ear, “Come for me, Noelle. Let me hear you scream my name.”

And I did.

As the orgasm tore through me, my walls clenching around him tightly, I roared his name. He groaned, his hips moving faster, his own release chasing mine. He thrust one last time and shuddered as he came, filling me with his hot cum.

We lay there for a moment, our bodies entwined, panting in ragged gasps. Kol rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes as a content smile played on his lips. He lowered himself, coming to rest with his full weight pressing against me as he kissed the side of my neck. His heart pounded in his chest, matching the rhythm of my own.

“You’re like a teapot on the stove, Noelle,” he rumbled softly. “All steamy and bubbly, and when you get a little overheated, you go off, sending out that high-pitched wail and whistling out of control.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” I asked, a little worried.

He pulled back. “I like it when you reach that point. I like watching you fall apart wrapped around me.”

My heart fluttered in my chest.

In less than twenty-four hours, my life had utterly changed. I’d gone from being a jobless, jilted ex-girlfriend to a woman having the best sex of her life with a cocky airline pilot. This had been one hell of a ride.