Christmas Holiday Husband by Kris Pearson

tucked her head back under his chin with a sigh. “You know what’s on offer,” he’d murmured. “Your choice.”
    Goose-bumps had sprung up on Ellie’s arms as her body responded to his explicit invitation. Deep inside she’d felt swollen and hot and excited—truly aroused for the first time in her life.
    They’d continued to dance without speaking. She’d been thrilled but puzzled. Was it up to her to make the next move? Hardly daring to breathe, she’d pressed herself a little closer to him and he’d tightened his arms around her in reply.
    “And Mags and Darren wanted ‘one more club’, and we left them to it,” she remembered. “I can’t believe I was such an innocent child.”
    “This way,” Tony had said, closing the gate to a dark suburban house. He led her along the tree lined side path to a sleep-out at the back of the property. Night insects chirped and squeaked and rustled. The air was perfumed by a white-flowered vine that billowed through the trees above them. Light from the low moon fell across his strong shoulders as he tugged at her hand to guide her.
    Ellie had been expecting the sitting room of Darren’s aunt’s home—not the dangerous privacy of a separate building. She watched as Tony inserted his key into the lock, and her nervous brain converted that innocent action into a searing picture of how he might slide into her body. She clenched her fists until her fingernails bit into her palms. Tony pushed the door open, switched on a dim lamp, reached for both her hands and drew her inside.
    “I won’t bite,” he said, coaxing her arms up around his neck. Then he lowered his mouth until it was only a fraction away from hers.
    “Last chance to say no,” he murmured. His breath puffed warmly on her trembling lips.
    Ellie had craved him from the instant she’d seen him. What had started as a bit of flirty holiday fun had swamped her. She’d been seduced by his glorious physique...was helpless to resist his potent charm.
    She’d followed him willingly to this private place. Refusing him was no longer an option when her blood fizzed through her veins like champagne, and her whole body had come alight with shuddering anticipation.
    She hadn’t dared to say yes, but nothing could have stopped her from rising up on her toes and closing the tiny gap between them.
    His mouth was seductive, addictive. He played with her; nipping her bottom lip with his teeth, taking it between his lips and sliding away in erotic damp tingling caresses.
    She felt a sinful surge of...what? It made her want to rub over him like a starving cat craving food. She’d murmured his name, squirming against him, trying to climb right inside his skin.
    His fingertips traced over her bare shoulders, around the spaghetti-thin straps of her dress, down to the start of the zipper over her spine.
    “You taste like jelly beans,” he whispered as he pulled back a little before licking the tender corners of her mouth, flicking his tongue just inside as she stood there astonished. “Jelly beans and temptation.”
    He held her face and pressed a small soft kiss to each of the exquisitely aroused places his tongue had explored.
    “And you taste even better than chocolate,” she’d murmured against his wandering warm lips.
    He sighed. Then his arms slid around her, and his hips settled hard against hers.
    xxx
    Ellie dragged her thoughts back to the present moment. Nothing could prevent their reunion. Not the horrible events earlier. Not the unromantic hospital atmosphere permeated with antiseptic and dread.
    Certainly not her own commonsense and resistance, which had somehow disappeared in the fierce drama of the evening.
    Grab him while you can , her brain insisted. You never know what life has in store for you. Live for the moment. No regrets.
    Moments later a white faced Gwen and Peter arrived, just as the paediatric surgeon came striding down the corridor with a reassuring