Her Christmas Baby Bump

“Would you be surprised if I told you that every time I saw you at the hospital, fantasies of kissing you and being with you usually followed? So even though we don’t really know each other, somehow I feel like we do. Like those fantasies were real.” It was true, and she was surprised she didn’t feel embarrassed to tell him. To help him understand why she felt good about being here with him tonight. “So right now I don’t want a drink. What I want is for those fantasies to truly become real.”

His gaze slid to her mouth, to the beading on her dress above her breasts, before slowly meeting hers again. “You can be sure you’ve starred in my fantasies as well, Hope Sanders. I always assumed a woman like you would already be taken by some lucky guy, and I’m more than glad to learn that’s not the case.” His lips tilted in a slow smile. “But I know it must be because you dump all the men eager to be with you as soon as you’ve had your way with them.”

That hadn’t been her failing, but she was glad he didn’t know what was. “Not quite accurate, but I’m finding it rather fun to pretend to be that woman tonight.”

He grasped her shoulders and turned her around. Cool air swept her hot skin as he tugged on the tab of her zipper, his soft, moist mouth pressing against the side of her neck.

His lips crept along her skin as he lowered the zipper inch by inch, his hands trailing after in a slow, shivery path so heart-poundingly delicious she feared she might pass out from the intense pleasure of it. Over her shoulder blade, her spine, sliding the dress off as he went, ending with his hands grasping her hips and his tongue caressing the indentations above each buttock.

“Your skin feels so soft,” he whispered. “Tastes so good.”

Trembling, she could have stood there for ever savoring the feel of his hands and mouth, the rumble of his low voice against her flesh. Except she didn’t want to be the only one standing there half-naked, and she turned. Trembling even more when she realized he’d crouched down to kiss her back, and that his mouth was now just above her panties. Slowly, excruciatingly, kissing all across the lacy top before lazily licking her skin beneath.

Part of her wanted him to just keep going with all the licking and kissing that was short-circuiting all thoughts except how incredibly good it felt. But the part of her brain that somehow still worked had her grasping his arms to tug him upright before she just lay down on the floor and begged him to make love to her.

“Not fair for me to be standing here freezing while you’re still dressed.” Though freezing was about the last word to describe how she really felt. “I’d undo your shirt, except I don’t know what to do with those little pearl buttons.”

“I’m perfectly happy with things staying unfair, but if you insist.”

He stood to tower over her—something she wasn’t used to at five feet eight inches. “How tall are you, anyway?” she asked absently, staring with fascination as his fingers flicked open his buttons one by one, slowly revealing dark brown hair in the center of his chest that tapered down to a taut stomach.

“Six foot three or so.”

His shirt slipped off him completely, showing smooth, broad shoulders and a torso that was thickly muscled and masculine and so sexy, her mouth watered. She’d thought the man swoon-worthy in a suit and tie, scrubs, or tux. None of that had prepared her for the sheer, male beauty that was Aaron Cartwright.

Speechless, she stared at him as he kicked off his shoes and tossed his belt on the floor. The brown eyes that met hers glittered with the same crazy desire she felt, but he had that appealing little smile on his lips, too, as he wrapped one arm around her and kissed her. Without the intensity of the deep kiss they’d shared the minute they’d stepped inside his door. This one was sweet, and slow, tasting like a promise, and she couldn’t help but melt right into him. The kiss stayed mind-blowingly tender as his fingers moved to trace the lace of her bra, then slipped inside to caress her nipple. It felt so good, so wonderful, she moved back a smidge to give him better access.

“I guess...this is that talent you were talking about,” she managed to whisper as they kissed. “You weren’t lying about being good at it.”

“Did I say I wanted to show you just one talent?” She felt him smile against her mouth. “I have more.”

She smiled, too, since, holy wow, that was beyond true. His kisses and caresses were pretty much the best things she’d enjoyed in forever. “Does that big ego count as a talent?”

“No.” His fingers moved to trace where his tongue had gone inside the lace of her panties, and her amusement faded with a gasp as they moved south to stroke her moist folds. “My big ego is a failing of mine, so if you can help me with doing better, I’d appreciate it.”

She bit back a moan. “Having an orgasm right this second probably wouldn’t help you with that.”

“No. But it would make me very happy.” His hot breath mingled with hers as their tongues continued a gentle dance. The feel of the hard muscle of his chest with its soft hair beneath her hands, his low voice, and the excruciatingly wonderful touch of his fingers expertly moving on her most sensitive part sent her over the edge she hadn’t wanted to go over, and she shuddered and moaned.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen.” Gasping, she slumped against him feeling slightly embarrassed. But mostly she felt incredibly, amazingly, quiveringly good. From just his touch and nothing else.

He held her tightly against him, and his hand slipped from her wetness to cup her rear inside her panties. His lips touched her cheek, her ear, her forehead. “I did.” His voice sounded breathless, too, and rough, and also very satisfied, damn it.

“I guess I failed in my assignment to help keep that ego of yours in check.”

“I’m probably a hopeless case, anyway.” He chuckled as his lips pressed the corner of her mouth. “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable, hmm?”

She didn’t care where they went, so long as it was for more of the bliss he’d just given her. The floor would be fine with her, but he led her to a room with a big, wide bed. He yanked back the covers before he picked her up and deposited her into the middle of it. He stared at her, and the fire in his eyes scorched every inch of her body they perused, making her tremble all over again. Had any man ever looked at her like that before?

“You are a beautiful woman, Hope.” He yanked off his trousers and socks and she had a heart-stopping moment to admire his gorgeous nakedness and the clear evidence that he was every bit as aroused as she was. “Even more beautiful than my fantasies.”

“My fantasies about you had you being pretty godlike, Dr. Cartwright. And let me say you’ve met those expectations quite well. Except, oops, there I go forgetting about that ego assignment again.”

Another chuckle rumbled from his chest into hers as he lay next to her on the bed and pulled her close, kissing her and touching her until she’d have been hard pressed to come up with her own name. Dimly, she realized her underwear was now off and every inch of her body was quivering from the touch of his mouth and talented fingers. She tried to return the favor as much as she possibly could in the state of sexual intoxication he’d driven her to, but found every sense focused on the intense pleasure he was giving her.