Icing Up Love Read online

  “Thank you for bringing all of the wine,” I said. “That was really sweet of you. Lucky that you made it to the liquor store before they closed early.”

  “Actually, this is just from my cellar,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “I never know when I might end up going to a party where people need to drink champagne from a sugar bowl.”

  His hand was caressing my hip and the outside of my thigh, running back and forth along my dress. Leaning in to nuzzle my ear, he whispered, “I was thinking about you all day. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t let me crash your party.”

  Staring into those warm, sweet brown eyes, I felt myself melting as if I were being pulled under his spell. “You would have survived,” I said. “You seem like a self-sufficient guy.”

  “That’s not true,” he said, brushing his short beard across my cheek until I giggled. “I’ve been alone too long, and now that I have my heart set on a beautiful blonde, she’s all I want for Christmas.”

  I would never have guessed in a million years that I would be the girl making out in the corner of a party, but I just couldn’t help it. My arms slid around his shoulders as his lips caressed mine.

  I don’t know whether it was his masculine scent, or the way he held me so close, but the thought of pulling him into the bedroom actually crossed my mind. He was so huge that I felt delicate next to him. I’d never felt small before, only average. Medium height, medium-plus weight, medium everything. But now I felt little and precious and warm and safe and realized my heart was racing uncontrollably.

  Placing a hand on his chest, I pushed him away gently. “We should keep this PG-rated,” I whispered.

  “Absolutely. Sorry, sweetheart,” he said, kissing my forehead. “Do you need water? Tea?”

  I glanced at my phone. “Actually, a tiny glass of champagne would be great.”

  He kissed my nose then picked me up, setting me aside as if I were a doll. As he walked to the kitchen, I saw at least three girls staring at him. I wasn’t even sure how I felt about that.

  Jenny’s old friend Tim came out of the kitchen with a weird expression, as he walked over to Patricia and Mark. “Why is Nolan Briggs in the kitchen?” he asked in a hushed, serious tone.

  Mark grinned. “Sharolyn’s new boyfriend, apparently,” he chuckled, tipping his head in my direction.

  Tim nodded approvingly. “Nice one, Sharolyn.” As Nolan returned, Tim gave him a nod. “Hey, Briggs. I saw the game where you destroyed the Rangers practically single-handed. You’re crazy fast, man.”

  “Thanks,” Nolan said warmly, handing me a mug so he could shake Tim’s hand. “For the record, they were having a really off game. But they sure made me look good.”

  Now people were really staring at us as Nolan pulled me into his lap again. The men seemed impressed, and the women all seemed either jealous or curious. It was hard to tell.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  * Nolan *

  There was something about Sharolyn that was so infinitely sweet. I wasn’t surprised that her circle of friends were lovely as well. It was refreshing discussing books instead of the stock market, and crazy conspiracy theories about movies instead of boardroom negotiations.

  My brother had brought me into his world, which had made me a lot of money with my speaking engagements, but it wasn’t a world I was sure I really liked. People were so artificial, and everything was for show. I played their game for now, but it really wasn’t where I wanted to be permanently.

  Watching Mark drop to the floor to rub his pregnant wife’s feet while the other women in the room coached him over endless laughter was the sort of family life I envisioned someday.

  Cuddling Sharolyn in my arms, I already knew that she was the one. Beautiful, funny, smart and incredibly kind. I just wished she had worn a dress with a slightly higher neckline tonight. Her gentle, soft curves had driven me wild the second we met, but she’d been wearing a button-down shirt and jeans. In this saucy dress, her perfect breasts were absolutely taunting me.

  “Whenever you want to leave, we can either get a cab, or I’ll walk you home,” I said, brushing my rough beard against her neck.

  “Cabs are too expensive, and it’s Christmas Eve. It might take hours. We can walk.” She grinned up at me, then the smile faded. “Did you want to leave? Are you not having a good time?”

  I bounced her in my lap, letting my hand wander up and down her spine. “I’m having a great time, sweetheart. I’d like to stay as long as you want.”

  She gave me a kiss on the cheek, then jumped up. “It’s cookie time. I’ll be back.”

  Sharolyn went to the kitchen and came back with a bag full of gingerbread men sealed in cellophane wrappers with red and green ribbons.

  “Oh right,” Jenny said, jumping up. “Before Sharolyn gives us all cookies, everyone clear your mind. Did anyone forget to get somebody a gift? Speak now, or tomorrow’s going to be awkward.” She looked around the room, but nobody answered. Sharolyn grinned, and handed everyone a gingerbread man, bringing two back as she curled up in my lap again.

  “I can keep yours in my purse if you want,” she said.

  “Thanks. What if someone had forgotten a gift?” I asked.

  “Then a few of us go without cookies, and we make a little gift basket for them. It happens around every other year.”

  I couldn’t help that my right hand was sliding up her knee, under her dress a few inches. “You are so kind and sweet,” I murmured into her ear. “I’ve wanted a girl like you for a long time.” She looked up at me with a shy grin, but didn’t speak.

  “I know you can feel it. We are meant to be together,” I said gently, swirling my fingertips along her inner thigh as my other hand cupped her hip, holding her close.

  She nodded, leaning in to tickle her lips against mine in a kiss that was definitely intended to tease me. “Behave,” she whispered, flashing me her smiling attempt at a stern glare.

  “I love it when you tell me what to do,” I said, pulling her against me tighter. I could see her eyes grow wide as she realized what she was doing to me. My reaction was obviously pressing against her hip.

  “Seriously, behave,” she hissed, but her eyes were laughing.

  “Do you order all of your boyfriends around?” I chuckled. She instantly blushed furiously, tucking her head into my shoulder as if to hide. “Sweetheart, am I your first boyfriend?”

  She nodded against my chest. I was flooded with satisfaction, knowing that I could be the one to teach her. To show her how a man should love a woman properly.

  I was relieved when people began leaving, and there was space to move around again. Sharolyn and Jenny both seemed shocked when they found me in the kitchen quickly washing a round of glasses and mugs. “Thanks so much, Nolan, I’ll be there in a second,” Jenny said, then she pulled Sharolyn out into the hall.

  It was obviously a girl talk situation, and I almost felt guilty that I had excellent hearing, and could pick up a few words of Jenny’s sharp voice saying things like, “perfect for you”, and, “so cute together”.

  After thanking Jenny and bundling Sharolyn into her puffy coat, we were soon walking to her apartment. But at least once a block I pulled her against me for another deep, scorching kiss. By the time we got to her building, she was the one who grabbed me first, her lips moving against mine as if she were starving for me.

  Pressing her against the wall, my lips wandered down her neck, tasting her perfect skin. My hand moved from her back to her stomach, slipping up gently to cup her round breast. Her soft moan into my lips drove me insane, as my hand slipped under her dress, into her bra, to swirl my thumb around her nipple until she was quivering.

  Then she shook her head. “It’s too soon,” she whispered, and I backed off immediately.

  “I’ll wait as long as you need, baby,” I murmured while kissing her forehead. “But I want you. I need you. And I know you know it’s right.”

  Sharolyn looked up at
me with one of those fiery saucy glances. “You’re always so sure of yourself.”

  “About you, yes. May I come visit you tomorrow?”

  She looked shocked. “Aren’t you busy on Christmas Day?”

  “I have a family thing in the morning but I could come in the afternoon.”

  “I don’t have a turkey, and I don’t want to be a bother–”

  Grabbing her almost roughly, I pulled her against me, kissing her until she moaned again. Then I set her down, kissing the tip of her nose. “You’ll never be a bother, sweetheart. I’ll take care of the food, and we can make a pillow fort on your couch to watch those cheesy movies like you planned.”

  She grinned, nodding. Then she nearly ran into her building. I watched again until she was in the elevator, then started walking while searching on my phone to see what grocery stores might be open on Christmas Day.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  * Sharolyn *

  I would never have guessed that I would spend Christmas morning quickly cleaning my apartment because my boyfriend was coming over. I would never have guessed that I would have a boyfriend, especially someone so gorgeous and captivating. It was almost unnerving how much he seemed to adore me, and even though it was too much too fast, he was so self-assured that it made everything alright.

  It was a great relief that he didn’t seem to mind that I was a bit quiet, and sometimes couldn’t speak more than a nod and a smile. Nolan understood me. He listened to me. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

  I had no idea whether to dress up or be comfortable, so I settled for nice black yoga pants with holiday socks, and a long, fitted red shirt. I actually felt sort of sexy, and wondered whether being alone would give us the chance to… Yikes. I was too nervous to even finish that thought yet.

  When I opened the door, I had to step out of the way. Nolan was carrying a platter of scones, shortbread cookies, and finger sandwiches. “Merry Christmas, baby,” he grinned, striding in to set it all on my dining room table. Then he handed me a gift bag. “Here is a bunch of fancy tea for you. I thought we could have a light lunch, then order pizza or something for dinner.”

  The second he kicked off his shoes and hung his coat I was in those thick arms, kissing him deeply. I could feel by the way he held me that he was relieved we were finally alone, somewhere private. But that made me flutter even more. I didn’t know what he was expecting.

  After I made tea, we had our fun finger food, then curled up on the couch. “I think I like this relaxed Christmas a lot better, actually,” Nolan chuckled. He handed me the remote. “I’m ready for the cheese.”

  I realized with delight that I’d never laughed so much around a guy in my life. “Do you want Christmas theme, winter theme, or Royal Christmas theme?” I asked.

  “I want whatever makes my precious sweetheart happy.” I loved it when his rugged face softened into a grin.

  “Well, I watch this figure skating movie once a year,” I said. “If you hate it in fifteen minutes, we can change it.”

  Five minutes later, I had forgotten the movie was on at all. Nolan pulled me into his lap, deepening our kisses, his tongue exploring my mouth gently. Without even realizing I was doing it, I turned, straddling him so that my knees were on either side of his hips. I just wanted to face him head on to kiss him without straining my neck, but then realized it opened me in a way that felt very suggestive.

  I’d never felt such a raw physical pull to a man before, and as my fingers trailed down his neck to stroke the back of his shoulders, I felt his hands slipping under my t-shirt, caressing my back.

  “You’re so soft, sweetheart,” he murmured, his lips trailing down the side of my throat. His right hand moved to the front, skimming up my stomach to gently cup my breast. I was glad I hadn’t bothered with a bra, as his rough hands delicately grasped my skin. I heard a soft moan, not realizing I had made it, but I could certainly feel what that noise did to him, as his arousal pressed up against me.

  He reached out to turn off the movie, then picked me up as I wrapped my arms and legs around him. He pushed my bedroom door open with his foot, then laid me across my purple bedspread.

  He pulled off my socks, laughing at the penguins in Santa hats. Then he pulled down my yoga pants slowly. “These legs,” he nearly growled. “Sharolyn, you are unbelievably sexy.”

  As always, I could feel myself blushing, but wanted to try to be more open with him. “You make me feel sexy,” I whispered.

  He sat me up to pull my shirt off, then before I could even lie back down, his lips were wrapped around my nipple as both of his hands groped my breasts, making me tingle with anticipation.

  I pulled at his shirt and he helped me remove it. Staring at that massive chest, powerful shoulders, chiseled abs, I felt my fluttering stomach shift into something else. Something lower, hotter.

  Nolan laid over me, kissing me deeply as I caressed his shoulders. He was so warm, and I loved how gentle he was with me.

  “I need to taste you,” he said, flashing me a wink before slipping down between my legs. His lips pressed along my inner thigh, drawing a line on one side, then the other, before he took hold of my panties and slipped them off. “So beautiful,” he murmured. His gentle fingers teased my most intimate skin, grazing along every curve and fold while I quivered.

  I couldn’t believe I felt so open with him that I could allow his face between my legs. He looked up at me with such a glorious smile that I felt myself almost relaxing. Then he leaned in, exploring every inch of my sex with his tongue.

  I gasped, grabbing his shoulders, completely out of control. He actually plunged his tongue inside me, so strangely intimate. His low groan felt like it rattled right through me, then he gripped my hips, tilting me up so he could thrust deeper.

  Nolan finally extracted his tongue, replacing it with a finger, skimming slowly around my entrance before gently gliding inside. His tongue circled my twitching nub of nerves, teasing me.

  I felt like my entire pussy was open, swollen, drenched. The rhythm of his finger moving inside me made me moan, but then he began flicking my clit with his tongue at a slower pace.

  “Oh… I…” I squealed, unable to form actual words as I felt the heat building through my core.

  Meeting his eyes, he shot me an absolutely devilish grin. Everything tightened deep within me, then suddenly snapped. I shrieked, panting as I clutched Nolan’s hair, gripping him as I rode the waves of raw sensation pouring through me.

  Lying under him, twitching and oversensitive, I pulled Nolan’s face to mine, kissing him while I tried to catch my breath.

  Then suddenly his shoulders tensed. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I don’t have any condoms,” he said, looking at me sheepishly.

  “Oh. Um, I’m on the pill,” I said quietly. “For the past two years, to straighten out my cramps.”

  “I had a physical and every test six months ago, and I haven’t touched a woman for a couple of years now.”

  I just nodded, still not quite believing that this was happening.

  Nolan looked down at me with the most seductive, hopeful expression I’d ever seen. “Baby, do you want me?”

  I nodded. “Yes,” I breathed. “I do. It’s just…”

  “You’re nervous?”

  I nodded as he kissed my forehead.

  “I know, sweetheart,” he said, slipping off his pants. “I’ll be gentle.”

  I nodded again, reaching to wrap my arms around his neck. He shifted, and I felt his hot, hard shaft against my hip bone. A shudder ran through me as desire began to overtake me.

  But he pulled away. “Baby, if you’re not ready, it’s okay. I felt that shiver.”

  Shaking my head, I smiled up at him. “I’m nervous, but I need to feel you.” Spreading my legs, he shifted, taking hold of his length and rubbing the tip against my wet lips. Another deep shudder ran through me, but this time he was watching my eyes, and saw it wasn’t from nerves. Nolan smiled, then peppere
d my lips and cheeks with kisses as he gently eased inside me just a bit.

  I gasped, then his searing kiss pinned me to the bed. I felt so delicate under him, and every time he looked into my eyes I felt completely precious. As he started to move inside me, slowly stretching me open, a rush of feelings hit me at once. This was so stunningly private, this moment of my body accepting his.

  There was a lot of pressure, and a bit of a strange pinch, then he paused, letting my body open for his. Our breath combined as he kissed me open-mouthed, both of us nearly panting, our pulses racing. Then he began moving gently, so careful with me. It was too much pleasure to process. It was almost torture. I had no point of reference, no grounding as I floated in this perfect moment.

  “Yes...” I heard the word so faintly on my breath. “Please...”

  I heard his near-growl, his hand clenched under me, tilting my body to his. His other hand under my shoulders, clasping me against him as he slowly rocked into me completely.

  I was swimming in emotion, drowning in pleasure, and my little chirping cries filled the room. “Nolan, oh... Yes...”

  His body was grinding against mine, hitting every spot where I needed him most. His eyes met mine again, and he looked overheated, overwhelmed. “Sharolyn, baby,” he breathed, “You’re so tight, so soft for me.”

  “Yes, for you,” I murmured, unable to think. Lost in a tornado of raw emotion and physical sensations I couldn’t understand.

  Everything began drawing inward, tightening. I felt the heat begin to compress, then knew it was going to flash outward at any moment. “Nolan,” I gasped, then I was falling – my energy shooting outward as I clenched every part of him, shaking and squealing.

  “Yes, baby... Oh fuck, I can feel you...” His low, choked groan filled the tiny space between our lips as he tensed, then I felt liquid heat flowing inside me, filling me completely.