Ignite Me (A Burning Desire Novel) (27 page)

“I’m here baby.” I said reassuringly, “I want you to take
whatever you want, whatever you need.”

Without saying a word, Landon grasped my nape to bite my
bottom lip. I moaned as I found myself laying over him in a blink, he was still
buried deep inside me.

“I’m yours Clea, you choose the pace, and you give me what
you want.” He paused, his breath on my lips, “You give me what you’re willing
to. I’m all yours.”

Tearing up and unable to hold it, I kissed him and
whimpered, “I forgive you Landon, and I know you didn’t have a choice.” I
pushed down and clenched around him.

“I did.” He ranted, “I just didn’t make the right one.”

I shook my head, “That’s not true.” I moaned as he filled
me to an extreme, “I love you, I’m still yours, even when you weren’t with me;
you were in me.”

Bringing his hand up, I put it on my heart, “Right here.”
I finished quietly, feeling the pressure build again in my groin.

“So there wasn’t anyone else?” He rasped. The question
surprised me.

Shaking my head to assess my answer, I spoke one last time
against his mouth, “Only for you. Rule #1.”

Landon wrapped his arms around me and picked up a
relentless rhythm, “Touch me.” He ordered vividly and I did. Running my hands
all over him, gliding my palm from his shoulders to his arms. His arms… Jeez… I
missed how firm and strong his biceps were, especially when wrapped around me.

I kissed him, seeking and greedy. Moaning, I arched into
him, feeling him deeper inside me. Landon watched me as I moved up and down,
steadying myself with my hands against his chest. I was getting closer. I
wanted to close my eyes, but the way he looked at me with his scorching,
burning gray gaze, I was completely taken, hypnotized.

“Wait for me baby.” He demanded, pulling my hands to make
me lose equilibrium. My breasts were heavy, and sweaty against his chest. He
kissed me ravenously, sucking my tongue and groaning. When he pushed me back,
he steadied me with his hands on my waist.

“I want to watch you come for me, dripped in me, sucking
me with your tight and warm cunt.”

With those last words, I came undone, shattered into
pieces. My climax reached me forcefully, my whole body went
 
rigid, and I was unable to let go as
Landon kept me still, circling deeply and pushing until he spurted inside me,
calling the last of my orgasm to make me tremble with the feel of him.

He was back…

“God Clea, you’re so beautiful.” He breathed out as he
pulled me against his chest. We were both heaving; I rested my forehead against
his chin, he pressed soft, feather kisses to the top of my head.

I kept clenching even after he came, he was still hard
inside me, and even though I was too tired to go at it again, I wanted him to
remain unmoving.

I giggled and kissed him, resting my head in his crook.

“What’s so funny?” He murmured, seemingly amused.

“You’re still… umm…” I couldn’t say the words. I wasn’t
like him, I wanted to talk dirty to him, but it was hard for me. The way he
spoke to me though… he had a fairly unique way with words.

He chuckled, “Well, I’m insatiable. It’s been eighteen
days, I need some time.” He pushed inside me again.

I hesitated for a second, “So there was no one else?”

Landon’s gaze turned dark for a mere second before it
sparkled with something else, happiness, contentment.

“Are you sore?” He asked – with a borderline indecent
tone. He was clearly ignoring my question, which gave me my answer.

I was, I really was, and tired, and apprehending the next
two days with excitement and energy. I didn’t want to be sore and tired.

“I have a better idea.” I offered, missing the taste of
him in my mouth, “But let’s do it in the shower.”

He nodded with a sinful look, “Okay, but let’s move
gently, I want to be buried in you until we reach the bathtub.”

I smiled at him, pushing sweaty strands away from his
face. Landon rolled us over the bed and shoved to his feet. He stood still and
wrapped my legs around his waist, kissed me, and walked us inside the bathroom.

“Nice moves Mr. Davis.” I smiled at his broad beam and
proud wink.

“Deedee! Wake up, wake up Deedee… Wake…” Quick and distinctively
small knocks came through the door to match the cheerful unison in my nieces’
voices.

“Go away…” I whined and pushed against Landon’s warm
chest. I’d barely gotten three hours of sleep and I wasn’t ready to wake up.
Also, they weren’t calling for me; they were after their new favorite person in
the world.

“It’s Christmas Eve Deedee; wake up.” Emilia’s voice
echoed inside the room and I ended up throwing my pillow across the bedroom in
frustration.

His light chuckle accompanied his hot breath against the
back of my neck, it vibrated through my being and I pushed further into him.

“They’re right you know,” He spoke in a raspy tone that
made me moan unconsciously, “It is Christmas Eve, and I was promised two
unforgettable days.”

His reminder was all it took for my eyes to fly open and I
was a woman on a mission. Pushing the covers away, I climbed out of bed.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Landon grabbed my waist
and pulled me over him in one swift, skilled, and powerful move. I was sprawled
over him, my back to his front. Slowly, he slid his hand down between my
breasts and covered my left one. Distracting me from the movement of his free
hand, he slid down to still its warmth over my sensitive skin.

I stifled a moan and welcomed the divinity of the feeling.

When he spoke again, I relished the sound of his maleness,
and the rawness in it, “I’d still call it the best Christmas of my life if we
spend it like this.”

I couldn’t conceal my grin.

“I’m just saying, lying in bed like this, feeling the warmth
of your pussy, and cuddling. Sounds like a Christmas miracle too, especially
after the past weeks.”

I sensed the hint of regret in his voice. I wish I could
do something about it.

“We can hear you. Cléclé let him go.”

The comment stripped me out of my thoughts and I giggled
in his embrace, feigning shock and offense.

“What about the army of minions waiting for you outside?”
I asked tartly.

“It’s more like an army of devilish angels, and I was just
suggesting. It could be fun to spend the rest of the day like this, or the
holiday, the year, and beyond.” He finished with a gentle bite to my ear that
sent a string of goose bumps through me, making my back bow with pleasure.

Affected by his word, I turned around. My breasts pressed
against the warmth and hardness of his torso. I rested my cheek on his chest,
and pushed in his arms.

I couldn’t be close enough to him; I never understood the
feeling, it was recurrent, as if I he was somehow unreachable, no matter how
close he was to me.

“Come on you two. The girls are whining and we’re back.”
Ryan’s voice paused for a moment before it announced, “With my baby brother.”

“We’ll be right down.” Landon exclaimed, provoking a
string of disappointment. I was sort of seduced by the idea of staying in, even
though every muscle in my body disagreed with me. It was a whole new level of
soreness; my upper arms, upper thighs, legs, and feet. It was delightfully
excruciating; I’d missed being with him in every way.

Putting up a pout, I moved from atop of him, and walked to
my purse to remove my phone. I was taken by the urge to find an old picture I
might have lost when I threw my phone out of a moving car after my fight with
Landon.

Seemingly unaware of my disappointment, Landon pushed to his
feet and strode to stand behind me, “What are you doing?”

“Looking for a photo in the cloud.” I answered wryly.

“What’s the rush?” He said, trying to grab my phone.

“What’s it to you? You should go to your angels.” I
continued scrolling through my updated synchronization.

Landon spun me around swiftly and blocked my movement with
his arms, “Are you jealous?” he sounded happy about it.

We were two crazy people; he was jealous of a fictional
character, and I was disappointed that he’d rather spend time with
 
my two nieces.

“No.’ I lied, “Besides, three is a crowd anyway.” I
paused, and then added, “And I missed the hell out of Andy.

Something dangerously appealing gleamed in his eyes as I
pronounced those last provoking words, and I felt the urge to kiss him for it.

Surprised by the gesture, his face sobered instantly.

“Thank you.” I said sweetly and turned my attention back
on my phone.

As if he understood what it was for, Landon pecked me on
the cheek, and stood with his chin on my shoulder.

I was scrolling through an endless number of photos; but
felt positive, since many of the ones I’d taken of Landon were back in my photo
stream again.

“No comments.” I bit out; feeling a little stalker-ish by
the number of snaps I had of him. It started as something I did to convince
myself that the man wasn’t a fragment of my imagination, and then, it just
became this way for me to capture a moment, a thought, or a gorgeous gaze.

His chuckle reassured, and I jumped up and down in
excitement when I found the one capture I was looking for.
 
It was the one I’d taken of him with the
girls the last time we were here. I was reminded of the way I felt about him
when my eyes fell on the three of them. Landon refused to move an inch or even
speak more than a few seconds, and risk disturbing their sleep. Emilia and
Aurelia each hogged a lap and drifted off to a deep sleep.

I set it up as background and rush him inside the
bathroom. He was silent and unmoving. I couldn’t read his mood, but I knew
something was eating at him.

“What?” I asked with a light hearted smile.

He just shook his head and walked inside the bathroom with
his gorgeous grin lighting up his face. Pushing through the walk-in closet, I
removed my Christmas box and settled it on the bed. I studied it for a long
time then walked outside the room.

“Damn baby girl. You look hot.”

I squealed in surprise at Alec’s voice, “Where did you
come from?”

He winked and offered a little shrug before disappearing
downstairs.

I heard someone sneaked out of the guest room just as I
was about to lock the door.

“Busted.” I yelled, startling a freaked out Jenna, “Just
the weekend, huh?”

“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Clea!” She breathed out, “You almost
gave me a heart attack.”

I shrugged, locked the door with a mocking snort, and
hopped into the shower.

My mind twirled endlessly, thinking about the past
twenty-four hours. I was mostly freaked out by Landon’s plans for when we get
back to New York. He said that we will talk more after Christmas, but
definitely before we get back to the city. He insisted that I will be moving
with him starting Saturday, day on which we will be flying back home. He played
the ‘I won’t believe that you forgive me’ card unless we pick up where we left
off. He said something about assigning me my own driver, and that it wasn’t
open for negotiation under the Audrey threat.

We talked for long hours between the bath and the bed, he
told me about his father’s reaction to our break up, the impact Simon and
Evelyn’s wedding had on his family and the Crawleys. He also told me about the
date he went on with Audrey to distract her. I couldn’t hide the stab of
jealousy; especially when he confessed that she kissed him. The rage that
transpired through me was evident, and he studied me with both awe and regret
in his eyes.

When I tried to talk about the whole video incident and
the paintings, he suggested we postpone the conversation for when we’re back. I
agreed reluctantly and told him a little about the two weeks I’d spend without
him.

“Clea. Sweetie, are you done?” Nana called after me.

“Yes Nana. I’ll be right down.”

The house was a real circus; at least that is what I
expected.
 
I hadn’t had a
full-house Christmas in a long time. This year was clearly different, I was
missing my mom but I had my brother, sister in law, and two nieces. Ryan, Jude,
Andy, and Jenna. Not to mention, Eve and Simon, Nana, Uncle Robert, and the man
I loved. I couldn’t be happier.

Landon wasn’t in the room, so I locked myself inside and
walked back to my closet. Dressed in a red cashmere sweater and black tights, I
dragged myself downstairs. The hot shower did nothing to relief my muscles, but
I was in a cheerful mood.

The house was as animated as I’d expected it to be, Jenna
and Corinne were settled behind the kitchen counter while Nana sipped her cup
of tea.

At the other end of the kitchen, Brandon was held up by a seemingly
important phone call. I watched him absent-mindedly and focused on his birthmark.
It was astonishing how much he looked like our dad. I paused mid-thought when a
familiar scent invaded my nose.

“Hi baby-boo. Missed me?”

Jude stepped from behind me and pressed a small kiss on
the tip of my nose. I groped him in a hug. I did miss him. We’d been
inseparable for the past two weeks; Ryan had gladly traded him for the new love
of his life, Jenna and her secret gossip column.

So every day, after coming back from a flight, Jude would
come up to my apartment and spend the night at my place. I hated to think that
I could be such a needy mess, that my best friend would spend every moment with
me, but the truth is, he needed it more than I did. It was our thing; and he
felt guilty for succumbing to Landon’s ways, and hated himself for it.

“How was San Francisco?” I smiled at his glowing grin.

He shrugged; his eyes sparkled, “Laid back, low key,
touristy.”

“Sounds like a great fit for you.”

He snorted, “You would think that, but not so much.”

“Clea.”

Andy lifted me in his arms and over his shoulder before I
even turned to see him. He was as strong as I remember, maybe a little more. He
never missed his daily workouts and it served him well with the women.

“I’d rather see your face.” I squirmed. “Although you do
have the cutest ass”.

Andy spun us around before my feet hit the floor, “Not
nearly as cute as yours; and in those tights. Damn.”

I laughed and took him in a hug, “I missed you so much; we
have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Tell me about it, you have a boyfriend, who’s apparently
hot as hell, new job, new school, new apartment, new drama…” He winked at me.

I shrugged, “Guess Ryan chose to catch you up before I get
the chance too.”

Andy pulled me to him again and pressed a kiss to my
temple, “You know him; not only is he impatient and gossipy – you’re also
his muse.”

“That she is.” Ryan said as he walked out of the living
room. He hugged and spoke into my ear, “I know Mr. Davis is on probation, but
damn that face of his when looking at you. “

I had no idea what he was precisely referring to, so I
just followed his gaze.

Landon wasn’t looking at me. He was too busy handling my
nieces, lovingly and patiently. The sight of the Christmas tree and its fresh
smell made me think of my mother. I missed her, and Keith. I was hoping to
spend it with her, but as long as she was happy, I was too. I also thought
about . My dad and how much he loved the holidays, especially in New York. He
didn’t get to enjoy in the few years preceding his passing, but it was all he
would talk about during our Christmas Eve gathering. Brandon chose the biggest
tree he could find, and we all did some good work with the decorations.

My mind drifted off to some of the stories my dad used to
tell me about Christmas in New York. He used to call it;
 
different, less vagrant, and cozy. Mr.
Dane wasn’t into metaphors, so when he called it magical, I had high
expectations.

Times were different when my father used to live in New
York. The city is full of tourists, the cold can sometimes be unbearable, and
it’s mostly gray during the day.

The true magic happens at night. Manhattan is bright and
luminous. Truly picturesque. There is an unusual sense of calm related to the
snow falling on the ground. My first Christmas in New York was unforgettable,
and I wished I could spend this one in the city.

Truth was, I’ve always wanted to ride one of the carriages
cuddling under the blanket and I was looking forward to doing it with Landon,
before the fight and everything. I wasn’t complaining. San Diego is good;
warmer, and just as bright.

I walked to Landon and the girls; they were sprawled on
the floor, playing a card game. Bending down on my knees, I wrapped my arms
around him and pressed a wet kiss to his neck. I couldn’t conceal my smile when
I felt his body go rigid.

“So what’s the plan for today?” He asked nonchalantly.

I sat next to him, all excited. He never had a traditional
Christmas, and his first one was going to be with me. I was going all in.

“Once you finish drinking your hot chocolate.” I signaled
to his untouched mug.

Landon didn’t like sweets in the morning. “Not unless it’s
you.” He usually said to me.

I took his mug and sipped some delicious homemade
chocolate and whipped cream. “Mmh. Delicious.”

He watched me with a sinful gaze, “I’ve tasted better.” He
said with a wink.

And just like that, he was back to me. It was as if my
brain received a signal that said “Relationship fully restored.”

He was my witty and provoking Landon.

“So did I.” I admitted with an equally engaging gaze.

“Did you now?”

I nodded, “Yes. I believe I did.”

“What are you two talking about?” Ryan walked in on us
with Jude. He was followed by Jenna and Andy, each holding a tray of delicious
treats.

Landon pushed to his feet to help Jenna, but she brushed
him off with a glare. “I can handle myself Mr. Caveman.”

He chuckled, “I’m sure you can.”

“I wouldn’t mind some help.” Andy interjected, struggling
with two heavy trays.

Landon moved to him and relieved him.

Once the table was set up, Andy extended his hand to
Landon, “I’ve heard so much and yet so little about you.” He said.

Landon offered him his drop-dead-smile and shook his hand,
“Interesting point of view Mr. Finch. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Landon. Please call me
Andy.”

“So what’s the plan for the Davises?” Jenna prompted, “Are
we offering them the full experience?”

Walking to stand behind me, Landon wrapped his arms around
my waist and addressed Jenna, “I was wondering the same thing. What is the full
experience?”

I was about to announce the next two days event, but Jenna
cut me off, “Well, this is the twelfth Christmas I’m spending with Clea, Jude’s
like fifteenth or so.” She pulled her tongue at Jude when winked at her with a
smug expression.

“Anyhow, first up, several hours of Christmas Television
with sandwiches for all tastes. Dipped chips and veggies, cheese and all the
fruits you can afford to eat. By four in the afternoon, it’s Jude and Clea
time.”

She paused with a small sight, “Which used to be Jude and
Danny’s. Then we all hear Nana’s stories about old Christmas Downtown Abbey
style. We play some games with the girls and tuck them in after we open our
first gift. After which, all the grownups start preparing the next day meal
around a rare bottle of wine and delicious cocktails made by your one and
only.”

She beamed and bowed when she finished her introduction.

“I like this one; she blends in perfectly in your
threesome dynamic.” Andy commented addressing Ryan, Jude, and me.”

“Actually, there’s a slight change in today’s plans.” Jude
said, surprising me and everyone else.

“What do you mean?” I inquired.

“Well.” He started walking towards me, “For starters, this
year, I’m gifting our tradition to Landon.” I turned to the man standing behind
me. He just nodded. He asked for it. I was speechless.

“Oh you bastard, French scammer.” Jenna admonished, “What
about last Christmas? I asked you for it. I needed it. I was heartbroken after
Lionel.”

“Get over yourself Jenna; you dated the guy for two
hours.” Ryan commented and we all laughed.

“Anyway.” Jude continued, “Also, Simon asked if we could
volunteer an hour or two at the Children Hospital.”

We all nodded and agreed on the plan. I kept wondering how
and when Landon managed to convince Jude to give away our time but chose not to
get into the negotiator mind of clever Mr. Davis. I was sure he drove a hard
bargain and it was all that mattered.

“What are we waiting for? This all sounds exciting.” Alec
pulled Jenna down to sit on his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

I eyeballed her seemingly comfortable state with such a
public display of affection.

We all sat down and enjoyed the rest of our day as
planned. The ambience was uniquely cozy and familial. Everyone seemed to enjoy
their time, even Landon, whom I knew hated to be inactive during the day. At
some point, we took turns disappearing to wrap the rest of our gifts. Brandon
and I had a long conversation with Mom and it turned into a big video chat with
the newlyweds in their hotel suite.

While I was getting ready to head out with Landon, I heard
Uncle Robert greeting his son downstairs. I was silently brooding; I had no
idea what to offer him for. What could I offer to someone who had it all, and
for less than ten dollars? My mind kept twirling with ideas, each one seemed
worse than the one before it.

Urged by Landon, I picked up my coat and slid on my
clutch. I had to find something worth it and I was determined to do so, even if
I had to change the rules for him.