Wicked Wonderland (19 page)

“I will.” He turned and walked toward the window.“And I can wait for you to come around, too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not going to take advantage of you while we’re here,” he promised as he looked out the window.

“That’s very ...” Noble? Suspicious? “Why?”

He looked over his shoulder and held her gaze. His blue eyes gleamed with desire. “Don’t get me wrong. I still want you. More than ever.”

He was confusing her. “Then ...”

“When you took me at the office party, you wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

She flushed as she remembered how aggressive, wild, and hungry she had been that night. “So?”

“Nothing to be ashamed about.That was the hottest night of my life.”

His confession flustered her. “I ... it’s ...”

“You were kind of aggressive behind the Christmas tree, too,” he said with a smile.

“I’m not a sexually aggressive person,” she declared. Or at least she was trying not to be, but Justin blew all her good intentions to smithereens.

“Yeah, you are. And I like you that way, but I’m not going to take whatever I can get. I’m going to wait until you want me to the point that nothing else matters.”

He was going to have to wait a long, long time, Rachel decided. She wouldn’t let that happen again.

“And that’s not going to happen while we’re here,” he said with a resigned shrug.

“Bull. Look at this place.” She gestured at the room. “It’s more seductive to me than Paris and Venice rolled together.”

“No, you won’t be seduced because you’re going to be on guard. You’ll spend too much time worrying that your self-control is going to snap.You won’t go wild here.”

“You think so?” She wasn’t so sure. She kept sneaking looks at the bed, imagining how Justin would look naked and waiting for her on the satin sheets.

“Look at you right now,” he said as he walked toward her. He motioned at how her back was at the wall, her arms crossed in front of her. “You’re on the defense. I prefer my lover to be a little more relaxed and adventurous.”

“Guess I don’t meet your requirements,” she said, and snapped her fingers. “Shucks. Darn.”

“Come on.” He reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to walk around town,” Justin replied as he tugged her gently. “Maybe even hit a few shops.”

She gave a sharp nod at the window.“There’s a snowstorm.”

“It’s not snowing as hard anymore,” he pointed out. “And it’s better than staying in here together.”

She wasn’t sure about that. She’d seen a glimpse of a store that sold only nutcrackers, and another that sold blown-glass ornaments.That could send her over the edge.

“I tell you what. If you try to seduce me, I’ll throw you in the largest snowbank to cool off,” he promised.

She glared at him, but she was considering her options. Walking around Sleigh Bell Summit was less dangerous than staying in the hotel room. Outside they would have several layers of clothes, lots of space, and people around them. That was better than being here, alone, near that big, inviting bed.

“Okay. I’m trusting you, even though every bone in my body says I shouldn’t.”

“It’s okay, Rachel,” he said softly as he draped his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the door. “You won’t do anything you’ll regret. I promise.”

She narrowed her eyes, trying to find any hidden message in his statement, but he whisked her out the door before she could protest.

 

He couldn’t believe he was Christmas shopping. In a winter wonderland. Two days before Christmas. Only Rachel could get him to do that.

Justin looked around the candy store as the other shoppers jostled around him. The stench of the peppermint was beginning to get to him. He lost Rachel somewhere between the holiday bark and the fudge.

All this time he thought she would have problems, but he was the jumpy one. He had fun looking at the trinkets in the stocking-stuffer store, and found himself humming along with the carolers. He relaxed in the café and drank hot buttered rum while quietly looking at the big Christmas tree.

He was enjoying this holiday, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up high. Rachel was stuck with him and trying to make the best out of a bad situation. He wasn’t going to read anything into it.

“Justin?” He jumped and saw Rachel at his side. “Are you doing okay?” she asked, her eyes darkening with concern.“The crowds aren’t getting to you?”

“No, I’m good.”

“How can you say that? The smell of peppermint is overwhelming. Let’s get you out of here.” She grabbed his gloved hand and pulled him out of the store.

Justin hid his smile.As much as he loved Rachel’s wicked and wild side, he didn’t mind how protective she got with him. It was kind of sweet. It made him feel as if he was important to her.

When they stepped out of the cozy store and into the freezing cold, Justin noticed Rachel didn’t have any packages. “Didn’t find anything you want?”

“No, I’m just browsing,” she said as she huddled closer to him in hopes of warding off the cold.

Browsing for hours in Christmas stores and not once was she overcome with lust. Too bad. But her behavior was blowing her theory clear out of the water, he thought smugly. Either she had superhuman control, or the holidays had nothing to do with her libido. It was all him.

“Huh,” she said as she gave him a sidelong glance. “I know that smile.”

He looked down at her face and noticed she didn’t seem too threatened by it. She was responding to it. “Do you?” he murmured.

She didn’t look away. He didn’t move. There was something about the moment. The scent wafting from the candy store intensified.The color of Rachel’s eyes brightened.

He’d have her. Not tonight, but soon. He was going to get closer, get to know her, and unwrap her like a present.

He understood the thrill of anticipation. The sounds got louder; the air became crisper. He wasn’t an outsider, but part of the excitement.

A snowflake fell on Rachel’s cheek. He slowly reached out and brushed it off her skin. She tilted her head up. She was just a kiss away.

He wanted this kiss more than anything. Justin swallowed roughly. Just one brush of lip against lip would tide him over.

He lowered his head and paused. He’d made a promise that he wouldn’t seduce her. He had to prove that he was strong enough to resist.

Justin turned his head, but he didn’t pull away.The need was just too much. As if he couldn’t control it, he turned back.

Rachel hadn’t moved. She was waiting, her eyes sparkling with expectancy. Her lips parted. She was hoping for a kiss.

A squeal of childish delight splintered through the air. Justin took a sharp step back as a few children ran past them and toward the roasted chestnut vendor.

He didn’t look away from Rachel. He couldn’t.

That was a close call. His chest rose and fell as if he had been running hard. One strong impulse and he nearly blew it. Not the best way to build her trust in him.

Justin took another step back. “The stores are going to close soon,” he said gruffly. “Do you need anything before we go back to the hotel?”

She cleared her throat and looked away. “Yes, one more thing.” She pointed at the store and he squinted through the drifting snowflakes.

Vixen’s Lingerie. Panic gripped his insides as the words rolled in his brain.
Vixen’s. Lingerie.
The gold silhouette of a reindeer in the sign didn’t make him feel any better.

“Seriously?” he asked gruffly.

“We need something warm to sleep in.”

We.
His gut gave a good, vicious twist. He had a vision of the two of them underneath the quilts in the sleigh bed, and they weren’t wearing anything at all. “Uh, I’m good.”

“You have no luggage,” she reminded him.

“I need to get a toothbrush and . . . stuff.” He jerked his thumb over toward the drugstore.

“Fine,” Rachel said with a touch of exasperation. “I’ll get you something, too. I’ll meet you at the hotel.”

“You don’t have to.” But she obviously didn’t hear his words as she hurried toward the store.

This could be bad, he thought as he watched her leave. She might buy herself something sexy and wild, just to mess with his mind. He wouldn’t put it past Rachel.

No, she didn’t want anything to happen between them. She’d probably buy a shapeless granny nightgown. Something that would hide every inch of her and make him all the more curious.

Either way, he was in trouble.

Justin made his way to the drugstore, not sure if he should buy a pack of condoms. If he didn’t buy them, he might regret it. If he did buy them, he might regret it.

He grimaced as his gut gave another ferocious twist.Yep, everywhere he turned, he was headed for trouble.

J
ustin leaned against the window frame, his arms crossed, one ankle resting over the other, and stared out into the town center in the direction of the Christmas tree. It was close to midnight and only a few brave souls were walking around outside. The snow had stopped, but there had been no sign of a snowplow. Sleigh Bell Summit was blanketed in white, the ice glistening underneath the colorful Christmas lights.

He tensed when he heard the bathroom door click open. Steam billowed into the room along with a hint of citrus. It was the scent he associated with Rachel.

Justin stared out the window as if his life depended on it. He didn’t want to look at Rachel while she was damp and rosy from a hot shower. He focused on the giant twinkling light on the tree. He was going to keep looking at it until Rachel was safely tucked into bed.

“Justin?” Her voice was soft and uncertain.

“Yeah?” he asked, not moving. She didn’t respond. That meant he had to turn around. Damn.

He could do this. He could look at Rachel and not touch. He did just fine when they shared a very quiet and unexpectedly romantic candlelit dinner. He did better than fine.

Which was going to make this night even more difficult. Justin had felt the awareness that shimmered between them across the dinner table. He had sensed every glance and every move that Rachel made. He had seen the interest in her eyes and how she kept touching her mouth, her hair, and, most of all, him.The tension had almost been unbearable.

Justin braced himself before slowly, reluctantly turning around. He had been fully prepared for an onslaught of senses. But this one left him speechless.

Standing on the other side of the room, Rachel looked effortlessly sexy. Her hair fell into thick waves over her shoulders. She looked young and innocent, her face bare. She wore a red flannel pajama shirt.

And nothing else.

Justin swallowed hard. “Uh, you’re ...” He gestured to her legs. Her long, bare legs that he knew were warm and soft to his touch. Not to mention flexible.

Justin closed his eyes briefly. He hoped she hadn’t saved any hot water for him. His shower needed to be icy cold if he was going to get through this night.

“They didn’t have that much to choose from for adults,” Rachel informed him. “So I bought the last pajama set. I get the top, you get the bottom.”

She gets the top. . . .
Justin imagined lying underneath Rachel as she straddled his hips. She was riding him hard and fast as she peeled the shirt off her body.

Justin shook his head, clearing the image from his mind, and ignoring how his cock twitched. He had to stay focused on his goal.There wasn’t going to be any sex tonight.

“Here, let me get them for you,” she offered.

He kept his gaze rigidly above her shoulders as she walked to the desk, but he still noticed how the hem of her shirt barely covered her ass. Heat washed over his skin and he found it a struggle to breathe.

Did she know what she was doing to him? Was this some sort of test? It had to be. But no matter what she threw at him—even if it was herself, naked and willing—he wasn’t going to fail.

“Catch.”

His reflexes were slow, especially since her toss caused the pajama shirt to hitch up just a little. His arms went up just as the red flannel threatened to hit him in the face. Justin gripped tightly on to the pajama bottoms. He looked down at them, refusing to watch Rachel as she walked to the bed.

It was only then he saw the printed fabric.“What is on these?” he asked, looking up at her.The big bed was between them, but that didn’t make the gnawing lust inside him go away.

“They’re supposed to be reindeer,” she said,“but they look more like puppies with antlers.”

“Sexy.” He regretted the word the moment it sprang from his mouth. “You’re going to be okay with it? You went a little wild with my sweater.”

“It’s going to be dark,” she assured him.

Like that was going to be the answer to all their problems, Justin thought as he strode to the bathroom. They were alone together. All night. In one bed. But it was going to be okay because it was dark.

 

Rachel waited until Justin closed the bathroom door behind him before she gave a ragged sigh. She could do this. She wasn’t going to go sex-mad in this winter wonderland. It wasn’t the detox she had hoped for, but she was handling it.

All afternoon she managed to keep her hands off Justin. There were moments when she contemplated the best strategy of getting him under the mistletoe, or sliding just so on the ice so she could fall in his arms. Fortunately she didn’t do any of those things. If she had, she might not have pulled herself together in time. She would have gotten swept away with the wild sensations churning inside her, and she would have taken Justin on one crazy ride.

As the day had gone on, she realized her surroundings weren’t encouraging her erotic thoughts. It was being near Justin and having his attention lavished on her.Whether they had been laughing over a novelty item or bickering over who would pay for the hot toddies, she couldn’t get enough of him.