Mistletoe Magic (13 page)

“As long as it’s not with glogg,” Melissa muttered. “My head’s going to be too big for my tiara in the morning.”

Rafe swept her into the entryway and closed the door, then trapped her against it. Touching her face, he whispered, “I can’t believe you’re really here.”

Kissing her gently, he was thrilled when Melissa pressed her body into his and snaked her arms up around his neck. Rafe groaned and kissed her more deeply, exploring all the warm, secret crevices of her mouth with his tongue. His body instantly responded to the intimate search. He’d always thought he was a patient man, but he couldn’t wait to possess her. He wanted Melissa so much, he imagined the melted snow on their clothing was sizzling into clouds of steam around them.

Melissa broke the kiss. “You’re shaking with cold. We’d better get to that fireplace before you get sick.”

“I’m not shaking because I’m cold,” he muttered, but didn’t protest when she wiggled out of his arms and tugged him toward the stairs with a silvery laugh.

Once upstairs, Rafe put another log on the fire while Melissa spread her damp cape over a chair and pulled it close to the fireplace. The flames glinted off the fake stones of her tiara, made her golden hair gleam, and brought a becoming flush to her porcelain skin. How could he have tried to convince himself she wasn’t right for him? She was beautiful. She was caring. She was perfect.

Intent on watching her rather than concentrating on what he was doing, Rafe almost burned himself when she turned to him and innocently asked, “Aren’t you going to get out of those wet clothes?”

Exactly what he longed to do, Rafe thought, but he was determined to woo Melissa romantically, not frighten her by stripping right there. He was sure she meant for him to change into other clothes in his bedroom, and he had no intention of leaving her alone for a minute. They’d wasted too much time already.

“Why don’t you sprinkle some of your fairy dust on me?” he suggested with a grin. “That’ll keep me from catching cold.”

“At least take off that turtleneck,” she insisted, moving next to him and kneeling. Melissa grabbed the bottom of the sweater and pulled it up determinedly. Forcing him to lift his arms, she tugged it over his head. “There, doesn’t that feel better?”

“Uh, yeah,” Rafe said in a strangled voice.

“Did the wet snow soak all the way through?” She proceeded to check, running her fingers over his arms, stroking his chest and back through the red T-shirt he still wore. “Hmm. Your T-shirt is kind of damp. Maybe you should take it off too.”

She was going to drive him crazy. “No!” Rafe exclaimed, staying her hands. If she wasn’t careful that pretty little fairy was going to find herself minus a pair of wings! “I’m fine. Really.”

“Oh.” Melissa settled down facing him, her back to the tree, its twinkling lights outlining her fragile form. Her brows drew together in a frown. “I was just trying to help.”

“Thanks,” Rafe muttered gruffly, turning to the fireplace, trying to cool the fire inside him. Picking up a poker, he prodded the logs until the flames crackled and danced. “I didn’t mean to shout.”

Could he make love to her now, after they’d fought? Rafe wondered. Melissa was special and he hadn’t wanted to chase her away by moving too fast, as he’d done when he’d backed her into the closet. Trying to dispel her initial impression of him, he’d taken it slow. And since they both had crazy work schedules and he had two kids underfoot to boot, being romantic hadn’t been easy.

But the kids were in California. Neither he nor Melissa had to work in the morning. And the setting was definitely romantic. So what was stopping him? The answer was simple: guilt.

What was he thinking about? Melissa wondered as she watched the firelight flicker over Rafe’s changing expressions. Their argument? When he’d picked on her lifestyle, even criticizing her furniture, she’d been angry and insulted. But looking around at the oversized pieces in his living room, she thought she understood why he’d done so.

Rafe’s furniture was solid and comfortable, representative of his lifestyle. He was merely having trouble understanding hers—he’d never even had to look for a job, working as he had with his father—and she’d overreacted to his comments because she wasn’t necessarily living the way she wanted to but the way she’d been forced to by circumstances.

“Melissa, about Sunday night,” Rafe said as though he could read her thoughts. “Umm, I wasn’t in a top-notch mood.”

“I noticed,” Melissa said with surprising good humor.

“It was the kids. I was worried about them, but I shouldn’t have taken my anxiety out on you,” he admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”

He really did look guilty, Melissa thought, noticing the way Rafe’s eyes slid away from her. And uncomfortable. But why? Because of his guilt or because he was still trying to control his physical attraction to her? That thought set her pulse racing. Silly man. Hadn’t he been aware she’d asked for more than his kisses when she’d removed his sweater?

But before she could tell him as much, Rafe handed her a pink foil package tied with silver ribbons. “This is for you.”

Melissa carefully unwrapped it. Her eyes wide, she held up the delicate earrings so their dark blue stones winked in the firelight. Such a special present—one that had required time and care to find—from a very special man. She could tell the gold filigree and sapphire earrings were real antiques. How had Rafe known they’d be the perfect gift? She hadn’t thought he’d noticed her penchant for old, romantic clothes and jewelry.

“I’ve never had anything so beautiful. Thank you.” Fastening them, she asked, “Do they go with my pointed ears?”

“I’ll have to look closer.” Rafe leaned forward, lacing his fingers through her golden curls. “Mmm. Perfectly.”

Toes tingling with expectancy, she brushed her mouth against his and thought of the antique photographs of his Greenwich Village neighborhood she’d bought him. “Your present’s sitting neglected on my bathtub.”

“But Santa brought me a better one.”

“It’s after midnight. Don’t you think you should unwrap it and see what you got?”

“I already know I got the best present Santa’s ever delivered.”

Melissa sighed in disappointment. Couldn’t the man take a hint? Leaning back, she stuck her small foot square in his chest. “You can start with this end.” Let him ignore that.

Various emotions flitted over Rafe’s face before realization set in. Then his lids drooped enticingly, making his bedroom eyes seem sexier than ever. Thank goodness he finally caught on! Melissa thought as he slowly drew a hand down her calf, leaving exquisite sensations in its wake. After torturing her ankle with his fingertips, he tugged off her ballet slipper.

“Rafe, no!” Melissa yelped as he tickled her foot.

“Isn’t this part of my present?” he asked innocently. “Oh, it’s wet. I’d better fix that. I wouldn’t want it to warp.” Rafe covered her foot with both hands and massaged it until Melissa’s laughter turned into ecstatic sighs as she leaned back on her elbows. “You never explained about the wings.”

“Explained what?” Melissa murmured, reluctant to talk. She didn’t want to distract herself from the wonderful waves of pleasure shooting through her. Head hung back, she watched the Christmas-tree lights blink on and off, imagining they pulsated to the same rhythm as the sensual ripplings.

“Do the wings come off first or are they attached? I want to unwrap my gift properly.”

“If I told you, that would be cheating.”

Rafe sighed with mock exasperation. “Then I guess I’ll just have to find out for myself.”

With a quick, hard tug on her ankle, he had Melissa flat on her back, snuggling against him. Her rhinestone tiara flew off behind her. He easily flipped her over, ignoring her giggling, halfhearted protests. Her mirth died quickly, however, once Rafe found her costume’s zipper and slowly, teasingly undid it. He pulled up the back of the turtleneck she’d donned for warmth, following the movement with the brush of his lips up her spine.

“Oh!”

“My gift has sensual uses, I see,” Rafe murmured.

“Really?” Melissa asked as he turned her over on her back, pulling her arms out of her costume while doing so. “Maybe you ought to try it out. Make sure it works properly.”

“Some people sure know how to wrap a good thing so it’s hard to get at!” Rafe muttered while trying to remove her turtleneck.

When he finally succeeded and ducked his head to taste her breasts, Melissa arched so that he could more fully enjoy his present, but immediately suspected it was she who was getting the most pleasure from the demonstration. Moaning when his teeth caught her sensitive nipple and it tightened into a hard bud, she let her eyes close and her mind open…

Bright dabs of color splashed against the back of her eyelids like the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree. A beautiful golden-haired princess—or was it a fairy?—twirled around, the jewels of her glowing white dress reflecting the sparkling colors. Her slippered feet moved to the strains of a romantic melody only she could hear.

Then a dark prince appeared. Seizing the princess, he kissed her fiercely, holding her as though he’d never let her go. Suddenly he, too, heard the music and whirled her around in a sensual dance. He kissed her again and magic mists rose to shelter them…

Listening to the crackle and hiss of the fire, languidly opening her eyes, Melissa realized she was naked. While she’d been storytelling inside her head, Rafe had removed her costume. Now he was undressing. She watched with pleasure as he stripped without taking his eyes off her. His briefs were red, just like his T-shirt, which he was in the process of removing.

“I’m not sure which of us is more prettily wrapped,” she said. “You’re done up in a more appropriate color for Christmas.”

“Not for long.”

After pulling off his briefs he moved over her, cradling her under his naked body. She inhaled his spicy scent, which mingled with the fragrance of pine and burning hickory. Rafe’s flesh seemed to be licked golden by the fire’s flames. Wondering if it would be warm, Melissa ran her fingers over his shoulder. His skin was hot to the touch.

“Melissa, my very own sugarplum fairy,” Rafe whispered, his mouth turning into a smile.

He kissed her then, his lips moving slowly over hers, resolutely seducing every fiber of her being. He tasted of roasted chestnuts and glogg and everything that was Christmas. His body stroked hers lightly in the same languid rhythm as his mouth, making Melissa dizzy with desire. It definitely was going to be the best holiday ever, she thought dreamily, returning his passionate embrace.

When he pulled away to stare into her face, she huskily whispered, “Mistletoe magic.”

“Huh?”

Smiling into his puzzled brown eyes, Melissa touched the sprig of mistletoe still pinned in her hair. “A Christmas gift from a matchmaking elf. He said it would make me irresistible.”

“You don’t need mistletoe. You’re already irresistible.”

“Show me.”

To her immense satisfaction, he proceeded to do so, kissing her deeply and exploring her trembling body with fervent hands. They delicately skimmed over every curve and valley, leaving in their wake aching trails of flesh that seemed to pulse with the delicious sensations.

Melissa, too, became an eager explorer, reveling in Rafe’s moans, which were muffled by her own insistent mouth. She lightly stroked his hard, muscular body and, pulling her mouth from his, nuzzled the juncture of his neck and shoulder.

Arching into her with a moan, Rafe found the center of her woman’s passion. Desire coursed through her so intensely it almost frightened Melissa. But she knew there was no reason to be afraid now. Rafe’s was the magic that would spirit her away from her worries. How could she fear anything in his arms? Pressing her lower body against his hand, Melissa allowed herself to reenter the enchanted world only he could create for her.

She was spinning and twirling through the rising mists in the arms of her dark prince until she grew light-headed and her body throbbed with excitement.

“Yes, oh yes. Rafe, love me,” she whispered, her voice intense with her need, her body opening to him.

He accepted the provocative invitation, carefully slipping his fingers along the moist trail to her heart of desire, stroking her into a sensual haze. Far off in the distance, flashes of crystal beckoned, luring her closer. She slipped her hands down Rafe’s taut stomach, finding and guiding him, inviting him to enter the enchanted world with her.

“Definitely irresistible,” he murmured, plunging into her with a satisfied groan.

Twining her arms around his neck, her legs around his back, Melissa laughed with pleasure, the silvery tinkle pervading the air with good cheer. Filled with him, she felt complete as never before. He was her fairy tale, her Christmas, her fondest wish come true, she decided, watching his handsome face catch the flickering firelight.

When Rafe moved within her, Melissa’s thoughts scattered, turning into tinsel and snowflakes. The flashes of crystal drew inexplicably closer as he brought them to the brink of a chasm. They hovered there for an interminable time, then they were suddenly plunging in a heart-stopping free fall until they landed on a sparkling cloud of fairy dust.

“‘Give love on Christmas…’” Rafe sang as he turned another omelet over in the pan, deftly using the beaten egg mixture to cover a filling of cheese and tomatoes. “How about getting that coffee cake out of the refrigerator, my sweet sugarplum?”