her fast and furious and land a soft pinch over her folds until Laney loses it, and so do I.
I come for weeks, for years, pouring out all of my desire for the only woman I love, right into her beautiful body.
Her heart knocks against my chest like it’s begging to be let in, and I give a little smile right over her lips.
“I love you,” she pants into my ear.
“I love you, too, Laney.”
Laney holds me down by the back of my neck and lounges her tongue in my mouth like it’s setting up shop, ready to take up residence for years.
A dull clapping noise comes from the north end of the desk, and Laney and I both look over at the same time.
An orange light blinks on and off and, “Holy fuck.” I slap at it until the damn intercom shuts off. It flies off the desk, and I pull at the wires until it loosens from the plug.
Crap.
Laney touches her hand over her mouth. “You think they heard?”
“Every damn thing.” I hold back the laugh already brewing in my chest. “At least they were polite enough to applaud our efforts.”
“Not bad for our first live performance.” Laney bites down over my lower lip.
“First and last.” I dot each of her lids with a kiss. “I like the idea of it being a private show.”
“Personal invite only.” She runs her hands over my bare ass and gives a squeeze.
I gaze down at her, admiring the glow that’s rising to her cheeks. “Did you pack your bags?”
She nods with her lips pressed tight. “We can put them in your trunk before the show, that way we can go straight to your place after your mom’s.”
My stomach grinds for a moment. “That’s a great plan.” Not so much the part about going to my mother’s. I’m not too sold on the idea she’ll mind her P’s and Q’s. My mother isn’t one to go down quietly. If she’s got a beef with someone she pretty much likes to hold onto it, and God knows she has a beef with Laney over just about everything.
Last Christmas Eve comes to mind, and I’m quick to push it away. Going back to that night is like stepping in front of an oncoming train, time and time again, and expecting different results. It doesn’t do any good. But I know Laney and I should go there at least one more time just to make sure we’ve sealed that door shut tight. Damn Meg—and my mother—for everything that went down.
I rub my eyes for a moment as I lie next to Laney on the unforgivably cold, hard desk.
“ Aww ,” she coos, kissing the side of my face with a tenderness I don’t remember ever seeing from her before. “Do you need a little nap?” She wraps her arm over my waist, and I cinch her in close.
“You know what I need?” I bury a kiss in her neck. She’s adjusted her bra back into position, and her skin glows from under the red lace. Her Santa hat is still firmly in place, and she looks adorable as hell. “I need a couch in here so we can do this all the fucking time.”
She bubbles out a laugh.
“You’re lewd and crude, you know that? And I wholeheartedly agree about the couch. In fact, we should shop for it together—test it out, right there on the showroom.”
“Sounds like a repeat performance might be necessary.”
“We can practice later tonight.”
“Every night,” I counter.
“Every single night.” Her lips fall over mine. Laney and I love each other with our mouths fused together until the sun goes down.
This is shaping up to be the best damn Christmas ever.
Later that night, Laney shines on stage. Her performance is stunning, as is Laney, herself. Once it’s through, I jump to my feet and clap the loudest and longest. The stage may be filled with the entire ensemble, but I can’t take my eyes off the girl who stole my heart. Her hair is ratted out, her dress is torn and disheveled, and she’s covered with soot from head to toe, but, God almighty, Laney Sawyer outshines every person in this room.
Afterwards, I wait outside the theater with a bouquet of two-dozen bright red roses. My
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