Christmas in Eternity Springs (30 page)

She didn't know exactly why her nerves were strung tighter than a fiddle string. Yes, she hadn't been with a man in a long time, but she wasn't a rookie. She was a modern, experienced woman who knew what she was doing in the bedroom. One thing she'd say about Landon, he'd taught her to be adventurous. So what if that adventurousness had gone rusty?

Or had it? Heaven knows, a fling was adventuresome. At least, it felt that way to her.

She rifled through the basket of toiletries the hotel provided and found a new toothbrush. As she brushed her teeth, she concluded that her problem was the fling aspect of the fling. She was a rookie in the fling department. Every other time she'd gone to bed with a man she'd been in a committed relationship.

Correction. She'd
thought
she was in a committed relationship at the time.

This was the first time she'd ever planned to have sex for the sake of sex alone. Casual sex. A fling.

It doesn't feel like a fling.

It felt more serious than that. It felt important. It felt like commitment.

It feels like love.

“Whoa. Hold it. Wait one blessed minute.” Watching herself in the mirror, Claire saw the color drain from her face.

No. She wasn't in love with Jax. No. No. No. No. No. This was sex. Just sex. Casual sex. They'd agreed to that from the beginning. Fun and games and mistletoe flings.

Yeah, but … this guy seems different.

“No!” Claire took a deep breath.
Eyes wide open, woman. Can't go there. Can't get hurt like that again. Can't. Won't. Ever.

“You'd better remember that,” she told her reflection. “You'd better make darn sure you don't forget it. This weekend is a short-term adventure, not a lasting relationship. Treat it that way.”

Determined to heed her own warnings, Claire decided to act. She plucked another item from the basket and announced, “Let the flinging commence.”

*   *   *

After kissing Claire senseless, Jax went into his room and called to check on Nicholas. His son had arrived in Seattle safe and sound and seemed happy as a clam. After the call, he took a shower. A cold shower, since it appeared that this ongoing seduction would continue at least a little while longer.

They'd left Three Bears Valley at nine o'clock this morning, arriving at the Gunnison airport half an hour before the charter carrying Brian and Linda arrived from Seattle to pick up Nicholas. Jax had felt a little guilty about being so happy to see him off, and he'd confessed as much to Claire during the four-hour drive to Silver Eden.

“That's understandable, but silly, considering how excited he was about seeing his grandparents,” she'd replied.

“True. He was one happy little boy, especially after he learned that the Hardcastles invited his friend from camp to join them for the weekend. Brian and Linda may live to regret that. Trevor is a live wire.”

The trip had passed quickly. They'd argued about sitcoms from the nineties, discussed their favorite curries, and talked about novels they'd read so far this year. Claire had seemed comfortable with him right up until their arrival at Silver Eden. “Nerves,” he said to his reflection in the mirror as he towel-dried his hair.

She hadn't even seen his bedroom yet.

Jax had requested the room be staged for romance, and wow, had the folks at Silver Eden gotten it right. Candles, flowers, soft music, sapphire satin sheets on a bed the size of a lake, the duvet turned back and waiting. A champagne bucket and chocolate-covered strawberries sat on the bedside table. A fire flickered in the hearth and French doors opened onto a private patio complete with a steaming hot tub and a million-dollar view of the sunset over the Rockies waiting to be enjoyed.

Though Jax figured that by the time he got Claire into his bed, the only sunset he'd care to view was the one that glistened in her luscious auburn hair.

If pressed, he would admit to a little nervousness himself. It had been a long time for him. Years, in fact, since he'd made love with a woman who mattered to him as much as Claire.

If anyone had ever mattered as much to him as she did. Maybe Lara, although he didn't remember having feelings this strong for her in the beginning of their relationship.

Relationship.

The word stopped him as he dragged the towel across his body. Is that the point where he and Claire were now? If so, when had their mistletoe fling become more than a simple fling? Especially since they hadn't actually started flinging?

It worried him. He didn't know how they'd make a relationship work. She'd put down roots in town. He couldn't ask her to leave her shop, but he couldn't work in Eternity Springs forever. Not in the profession in which he'd been trained, anyway. How could he provide for Nicholas, give him what he needed, working as a handyman? That Boeing job offer weighed heavily on Jax's mind. There was an option for them in Seattle. A good one.

And they wouldn't be able to live with free rent forever. Their life at Mama Bear was really just a fairy tale. Living like a family—well, except for the separate-bedroom thing—who were they kidding, other than themselves?

“Stop it,” he muttered to his reflection in the mirror. No sense worrying about that now. Besides, he might be totally off base. He didn't know how Claire felt. The R-word might not be anywhere on her radar.

He was here for a fling, so a fling he'd have. With romance, mistletoe, and lots of sex. That's a fling.

Because if he thought about it in any other terms, it got downright scary.

He wrapped his towel around his waist and dug his razor from his shaving kit. He shaved, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. Then he exited the bathroom and headed for the closet.

He stopped dead in his tracks. Lust hit him like a freight train.

Claire was in his bed.

Seeing him, she sat up. The blue satin sheet slid down her chest and pooled at her waist.

Claire was in his bed
naked.

His gaze swept over her. Her glorious hair hung loose and long and fell like a sunset over her creamy shoulders. Taut rose-colored nipples crowned her full breasts. One shapely leg stretched out from beneath the covers. She wore scarlet polish on the toes she'd curled around and tucked beside her hip. She offered him a wobbly smile.

Claire was in his bed
completely naked.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Jax's mouth went dry and his dick went hard as a submarine. Without conscious thought, he yanked off the towel wrapped around his waist. Fully aroused and drawn like a moth to a flame, he moved toward her.

He'd had all sorts of plans for their first time. All sorts of fantasies. After all, he'd been thinking about it since July. He'd intended to continue this seduction in the manner in which it began. Slow and steady and steamy. Dinner in their room, then dancing beneath the mistletoe to a playlist of songs from singers she'd told him she loved—Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé, some Righteous Brothers. He'd hold her close and nuzzle her ear. Breathe in the scent of her. Kiss her temple, her throat, her lips. Jax loved kissing, and the past weeks had shown him that Claire did, too. Slow, sizzling seduction.

When they reached the point where, up until now, they broke it off and went upstairs to their separate bedrooms, he'd planned to take her by the hand and invite her to his bedroom. Slow, scorching seduction.

He'd fantasized undressing her. Piece by piece. Down to her glorious lingerie. He couldn't know which color she'd wear, but he expected it to be a jewel tone. He lived with her. He'd seen the lacy, front-clasp bras and tiny thongs she preferred in the laundry room once or twice. Slow, scorching seduction.

When he had her naked, he would breathe her name in a whisper, like a prayer, and press her down against the mattress. He'd take his sweet time exploring her luscious body. He'd lose himself in the scent of her, the taste of her, the wonder of her. He'd stroke her all over. He'd knead and massage and discover how she liked to be touched. He'd use his mouth on her. Tasting the hollow at the base of her throat. Suckling her full breasts. Licking his way down her flat stomach to … heaven.

Slow, scalding seduction.

He'd make her come. He'd make her scream. He'd make her sob his name before he slipped inside her tight, moist heat. He'd ride her then, going deep, going slow, making it last. Making her come again before he finally … finally … let go.

Claire was naked in his bed waiting for him.

Who needs plans?

Thank God she pressed a condom into his hand before he touched her. He managed … just barely … to put it on before he entered her. Hard and fast.

Too fast.

It was over in about a minute.

He collapsed against her, breathing hard. “I can do better than that. I can
so
do better than that.”

He lifted his head and frowned down at her. “You ambushed me.”

Her eyes sparkled and her mouth lifted in a self-satisfied smile. “I made you lose control.”

“Well … yeah. It's been hanging by a thread since we moved into Mama Bear. To find you gorgeous and naked and waiting … damn, woman. Talk about a surprise. It's a wonder I didn't have a heart attack.”

“I was nervous,” she admitted a bit bashfully. “It's been a long time for me, and I wanted to get our first time over with.”

“Well, you got it half right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I had
my
first, but unless I'm misreading the signs, you're still waiting.”

“Waiting?”

“I have plans for you, Claire Branham.” Jax rose up on his knees. His gaze burned a path up and down her gorgeous nakedness. “Slow, steamy, sizzling, screaming plans.”

Jax leaned over and licked the tip of her breast. And then proceeded to show her his plans. In detail.

Slowly.

 

Chapter Nineteen

Something positive? Men are positively idiots!

—CLAIRE

Claire lost track of how many times they made love. In bed and on the sofa, on the floor, in the shower, in the hot tub. They didn't leave their room until after lunch the following day, and by then she was sore enough to really need the massage he'd booked at the spa.

She'd enjoyed startling a laugh out of him when they arrived for their appointments and she innocently told the clerk that their reservation was under the name S. Sven.

“Stamina Sven,” he murmured into her ear while they waited for their masseuses to lead them to their room. “I'm glad to know that I've redeemed myself.”

“Any more ‘redeeming' and I wouldn't have had the energy to walk to the spa.”

Following the spa appointment, pampered and relaxed, they returned to their room for a decadent nap. She awoke three hours later to find Jax propped up on his elbow, his head resting in his hand as he watched her.

“What? Was I snoring?”

“No. I was just enjoying the scenery.”

Her gaze stole to the wall of windows and she smiled. “It snowed while we were sleeping!”

“Yes. The forecast called for four inches. Looks closer to six to me.”

“It's beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you are, Claire. Flat-out, drop-dead beautiful. Inside and out.”

The look in his eyes, the admiration in his tone, made her melt, and her response almost made them late for their dinner reservation.

The following morning, she awoke before he did, and leaving him a note, she went down to the pool for a swim. It was her favorite form of exercise and one of the things she missed most about living in Eternity Springs. Swimming freestyle. Maybe if she ever decided to spend the money that was accumulating and build a house in Eternity Springs, she could build a pool like this one. The indoor/outdoor aspect was pretty darn nice.

Maybe Jax could be her contractor. Nicholas would love to have a pool to swim in year round. Nicholas would love to live in Eternity Springs year round.

But what about Jax? He'd promised Nicholas that they'd stay until summer. He believed he had to move in order to financially provide for his son. What if …

Stop it, she scolded herself as she made a racing turn. That was dangerous thinking. Despite the sweet things he'd said and done, despite the fabulous sex, Jax Lancaster had given her no indication that he wanted anything beyond his mistletoe fling.

Of course, she hadn't given him any such indication either, had she?

What if …

She could so easily imagine a life with Jax, being a mother to Nicholas and maybe another baby or two. It wouldn't even have to be in Eternity Springs. She loved Eternity Springs and the life, the friendships she was building there, but she could leave it. There was no reason why she couldn't open a Christmas store somewhere else, if that's what she decided she wanted to do. Maybe she'd be happy being a stay-at-home mom.

Jax was building a life and friendships in Eternity Springs. Maybe if she told him about the health of her bank account, he'd decide to make a life in Eternity Springs, too.

Right, Branham. Nothing like having a man want you for your money, is there?

She was gun-shy. She wanted to be wanted for herself. But she also believed that Jax wasn't anything like Landon.

She heard a splash and lifted her head to see who had joined her. Jax.

They raced for two laps, and she thought she just might beat him until he pulled away with a quarter lap to go. Waiting when she reached the end of the pool, he grabbed her around the waist.

“To the victor go the spoils,” he said, and then he kissed her.

When his hand began to wander underwater, she laughed and pushed away from him. “The swimming pool is public, Mr. Lancaster.”

“Yeah, that's a shame. Maybe I'll win the lottery and buy Three Bears from Bob Hamilton and build one of these. Nicholas would love it. And on those nights when he's at a sleepover … how do you feel about skinny-dipping, Ms. Branham?”