A Soldier's Christmas (10 page)

Emma knew it was early when she peeled an
eye open to look around the room, but the call of nature woke her up while it
was still dark outside. The hot,
hard
body of Logan behind her had kept her warm because as she pulled her arms out
from the quilt, she felt the chill of the room.

She’d love nothing more than to stay where
she was, but her bladder couldn’t be ignored any longer. She cursed to herself
as she carefully tried to slip from Logan’s strong arms.

“Where are you going?” Logan asked, his
voice full of sleep as his arms tightened around her.

She was pulled back against his chest. “I
need to pee.”

He chuckled softly in her ear, which caused
goose bumps to break out on her arms and need to flood her body. Her nipples
hardened and an insistent throb started between her thighs. Emma wiggled and
pushed her bottom into Logan’s groin.

“Mmm, Emma.” He held her hips and rubbed
his erection against her. “You need to escape to the bathroom while you can.”
Regardless of his words, he slipped a hand into the front of her panties and
let his fingers tease her mound.

She’d forgotten all about the bathroom with
the feel of his heavy arousal and the wicked fingers that teased her. But they
both had too many clothes on for what she wanted to happen next. “I want us
naked.”

Her bra quickly snapped open before Logan
kissed down her spine as he moved further down the bed, beneath the quilt. His
fingers moved from her panties seconds before he bit her on the ass.

Logan pushed her panties down her legs, and,
with her help, they landed somewhere at the bottom of the bed. He spread her
thighs and settled between while she untangled herself from the bra. Her nipples
rubbed against the bed, heightening her arousal with the feel of him rubbing
her pussy lips.

He didn’t try to push any fingers inside
her; he just rubbed with a quick touch to her clit—over and over again.

“Logan, please,” she begged, and moaned
into the pillow when she felt his tongue as it tickled and teased at her
entrance.

One of Logan’s legs straddled one of hers,
which allowed her to feel his large erection against the inside of her leg as
he rotated his hips.

“If I enter you, this will be over too
soon.” He pushed his tongue inside and she saw stars.

Her vaginal muscles contracted to try and
keep him inside. He chuckled and did it again. Her hips had a life of their own
and rocked against his wicked mouth.

He growled, and rolled from her. “Give me a
minute.”

What?

Emma turned and watched him as she realized
that he was too worked up and wanted to really make this last. Logan lay on his
back with his hand wrapped around the base of his dick and sac, gripping
tightly. He actually looked like he was holding a spear in his hands, because
his cock was long and thick as it jutted upward from his groin.

She was horny and wanted nothing more than
to have him buried deep inside her. With that in mind, she quickly moved and
straddled him. His eyes popped wide as she lowered herself down his shaft, and
delighted with the feel of him filling every space available inside her. Logan
gulped and panted as though it was too much, but once she was seated on him
fully, his hands slid up her thighs to her hips.

Emma moaned as she slowly rocked on him.
Her gaze trapped in his.

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight,”
Logan growled, and focused on her breasts as they swayed with her seductive
loving.

“Mmm, you feel really good.” Her hands
caressed his chest and rubbed around his nipples, which caused his dick to jerk
inside her.

Emma lost herself in the sensations that he
created in her. The way his shaft caressed her vaginal walls. The way his hands
felt on her hips before he moved them up to cup her breasts, and, most of all,
the way he held her tightly in his arms when he sat up and surrounded her.

Their lovemaking was gentle while they held
eye contact. Emma never wanted to lose the feelings that the man she’d fallen
in love with arose within her. She’d first felt his love through his letters,
and then it became more profound the minute she found him on her doorstep.

Her hands slid through his hair and held
their foreheads together while she rocked on him. Her arousal was slick between
her thighs, and she loved the tenderness she felt toward him.

“Umm,” he gasped and panted. “I’m not sure
I’ll last much longer.”

“Me either.” Emma’s hand slipped to his
shoulders. She held on and started to ride him, her nipples scraped his chest
while her climax started to crash through her.

She groaned and threw her head back—the
pleasure intensified when Logan cupped a breast in his hand and sucked her
nipple into his mouth. She saw stars and flooded his groin with her release.
Her muscles clamped together and rippled along Logan’s cock. She felt him
enlarge before his warm release pulsed inside her, prolonging her own pleasure.

He held her down on him while tremors continued
to ripple through her and, by the time they’d both finished, Emma collapsed
against his chest.

Logan wrapped his arms around her and
managed to get them comfortable on the bed as he slipped from her body. He held
her against his chest

The disappointment she felt at having him
separate was huge, and brought tears to her eyes. Never before had anyone made
sweet love to her, or made her feel part of them. Not like Logan had. And she
was afraid to lose that.

Logan brushed the hair back from her face
and kissed each eye. “I love you, Emma.” He kissed her on the tip of her nose.
“Never forget that.” He kissed her lips. “I love you always.”

Emma offered him a watery smile, and
couldn’t find the words to tell him what he meant to her. She wrapped her arms
around his neck and buried her face in the curve of his neck. “I love you, so
much, Logan,” she finally whispered.

He sighed against her.

As he continued to hold her tightly, they
fell back to sleep.

Although Logan knew the conversation with
Emma’s mom had to happen, he was surprised to find her waiting in the lobby of
the B&B when he walked downstairs.

Martha looked nervous, and she was paler
than when he’d seen her the day before. Her rosy complexion was snow white and worry
marred her brow. It was as though she had a lot on her shoulders as she waited
for Emma.

He was tempted to pretend he hadn’t seen
her and sneak out, but that wasn’t him. If there was something to be said, it
was best having it out in the open, which is why he approached her.

“Martha,” he held his hand out in greeting.
She stared at him but, after a moment’s hesitation, she clutched his
outstretched hand.

“Logan, I’ve been waiting for you.”

His eyes flashed to hers and he saw the
truth behind them. She was sorry. He needed to hear the words, but her whole
attitude spoke of regret. Her shoulders hunched and the small sigh she gave was
one of resignation.

“Let’s get some coffee.” Logan ushered
Martha through to the dining room. He glanced around the almost empty room and
knew that they were safe since he’d seen Adele leave in her car before he
headed downstairs. He’d been watching Emma as she’d crossed the street to
Elizabeth’s Emporium to hand in her notice.

She made him smile and happy. He couldn’t
remember ever being as happy as he felt with Emma. She filled the void that had
been inside of him for years. Neither of them could wait to move forward with
their lives, at each other’s side.

Logan led Martha over to a table by the
window, which gave a bit more privacy than the others. He indicated to Greg
with hand movements that they wanted two coffees.

He glanced at Martha and watched as she
nervously bit her lip.

Although he was annoyed because she’d
withheld their letters, he had to remember that she was still Emma’s mom. He
truly believed that she hadn’t meant to hurt Emma, but, unfortunately, she had.
She’d hurt him as well, but she probably didn’t care about him.

“Look,” he started, because he figured
they’d be there all day waiting for her to say something, “I know you don’t
think much of my relationship with your daughter, but I love her and have no intention
of walking away. What you did when we both needed each other the most was
wrong. I’ve only read one of the letters that Emma wrote to me that you hid,
and it broke my heart with how desperate she was for word that I was alive.
Emma cried herself to sleep last night after reading the letter I wrote to her
when I lost my best friend. We needed each other and, because of your actions,
we weren’t there for the other.”

Martha gave an anxious little cough and
finally held his gaze. “I didn’t know, and until now, I never realized just how
much you both relied on the other. I also realized that Emma loves you. My
daughter was right when she said that I didn’t understand the relationship you
both had via letters.” She shook her head. “I guess part of me still doesn’t,
but I can’t deny the connection I see between you both.” She offered a small
smile. “I’d have to be blind to not see it. You see, Emma is a dreamer, and she
always dreamt bigger than her brother and sister, so she’s had to deal with
disappointment after disappointment.” Tears filled her eyes as she continued, “What
I did, I did because I love her and didn’t want to see her get hurt. In the end,
I hurt her the most.” Martha pulled a Kleenex out of her purse and dabbed at
her eyes.

Logan stayed silent while Greg placed the
drinks in front of them and made a quick exit, obviously uncomfortable with the
emotion surrounding their small table.

“Martha, I need you to know that I really love
Emma. I fell in love with her through our correspondence. I felt a connection
with her that I’d never felt before and I told her things that I’d never shared
with anyone.” He sighed. “Losing that connection was devastating. I felt like
the only person that I trusted to keep me going had deserted me. I know that
probably doesn’t make sense to you, but I don’t know how to explain the depth
of love that I have for her.”

She swallowed with difficulty and found her
voice, “I realize that now, and I wish I’d realized before I interfered. All I
can say is that I’m sorry and, although I will understand if you’d rather not, I’d
like to start over.” She smiled through her tears. “After all, I have a feeling
you will be part of the family one day.”

It was his turn to struggle with words.
Nothing would ever change the events of the past, but he was prepared to
forgive if it meant that he was welcomed into Emma’s family.

“Then lets put everything that happened
before into the past so that we can move forward,” he agreed, and reached out for
her hand, which he gently squeezed before he reached for his cup of coffee.

“Mom? Logan? What’s going on?”

Logan hadn’t realized that Emma had
returned, but he was delighted to see her. He jumped up and quickly kissed her
cold lips. “Your mom visited me,” he grinned, “and welcomed me to your family.”

He laughed at the expression that crossed
Emma’s face. It was as though she wanted to say, ‘Oh, my God. What?
’.
He didn’t blame Emma for her reaction and found it
amusing.

“Emma,” Martha stood, “I came to talk to
Logan and to apologize to him. I was so wrong with what I did, and I’m so very
sorry. But I love you and don’t want to lose you over this. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Mom.” Emma stepped forward and wrapped
her mom up in her arms. “Let’s just forget about it.”

They broke apart, both their eyes red from
tears, and Emma wrapped her arm around Logan’s waist. She smiled up at him and
then met her mom’s watchful gaze. “I’m going to be leaving with Logan after
Christmas. He has nine months left from his twenty years service and I want to
be with him. Neither of us wants to be apart again.”

Martha swallowed back her emotion, and
nodded. “I thought you’d be leaving with him.” She gave them a tearful smile.
“I knew as soon as I saw you both together that you wouldn’t want to be
separated.”

“Not anymore, Mom,” Emma said, but there
was no anger in her words, just resolution.

“You’ll both come to the house for
Christmas, right?”

Logan met Emma’s questioning gaze and
nodded his head.

“We’ll be there,” Emma accepted.

“I’ll go now and leave you both in peace.”
Martha shoved her arms into her jacket and held her hat and gloves before she
turned to him, “Logan, what is your favorite pie?”

He smiled, he didn’t have to think, “Apple
and cinnamon.”

“Okay, I’ll see you both Christmas Day.”
Martha left them standing in the dining room as they watched her leave.

Emma let out a sigh of relief when she was
gone. Logan gave her a quizzical look because he certainly hadn’t missed that
she’d avoided saying that she forgave her mom.

“You’re not happy?” he observed.

“I am happy.” She glanced around and took
his hand. “Let’s head back upstairs.”

He searched her eyes before he said, “Okay.”