The Perfect Match: A New Adult Erotic Romance (Inseparable Book 2) (19 page)

Polly laughed. “I didn’t think I needed your permission! Besides, it was his idea to tell Father Williams that.”

“I was just tired of her telling everyone I was her
friend
,” Kurt complained, barely hiding his smile.

“Julie-mom! Look at the jewelry box that Santa brought!” Julie got down on the floor to help the kids open their gifts.

Charlotte scooted back to lean against the couch in front of Polly and Kurt to watch the kids open their presents. Jackson was just as happy digging through the growing pile of colorful, crinkly wrapping paper as he was playing with his new toys.

Polly reached over to touch Charlotte’s hair and say, “You don’t really have a problem with us dating, do you?”

She looked over her shoulder with a smile. “Of course not. I’ve been hoping it would work out, especially since Kurt got a fire in his gut again.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked with a playful growl.

“You know what I mean. You’ve been a basket case for months. That’s why I waved Polly off of you to begin with.” She leaned her head back against Polly’s hand. “I bet I’m gonna like having a sister after all these years.”

“Uh oh,” Kurt muttered. “That sounds like trouble.”

“You’ve been in trouble ever since you came back to Polly’s on Friday,” Charlotte said as she handed him his gift over her shoulder. “You just didn’t know it yet.” She passed Polly one of her gifts as well.

Polly looked at the tag and saw the present was from Julie. “What the heck, woman?” she called out, holding the gift up. “I thought we were only getting presents for the kids?”

“I saw another one for you under the tree and figured you wouldn’t mind,” Julie said with an innocent expression.

“Yeah, he’s gonna answer for that later,” she said as she glanced Kurt’s direction.

“Just open it,” Julie said with an exasperated tone.

Polly peeled off the paper and discovered a framed watercolor painting. Julie had started off painting murals for her interior designs, but since then she’d painted more artful pieces, especially portraits of people. She’d captured Polly with just a few curved lines, then accented it with green, gold, and a reddish brown. Her expression in the painting was wistful and happy at the same time.

“Julie, it’s beautiful,” she cried, wiping away tears of joy as she held it carefully. “When did you do this?”

“When I saw your expression watching Kurt play guitar on Saturday night, I knew I had to capture it. So I made a little time on Sunday. I’m glad you like it.”

Kurt had his chin on her shoulder to see it. “I want a copy of that. It’s just how I see you.”

Polly wiped her eyes with a laugh. “No, it’s mine! If you want to see it you’ll just have to come over.”

“Okay,” he whispered and kissed her cheek. “If you insist.”

“Open yours,” she said as she scooted forward to give him room.

Kurt pulled off the gold paper with a laugh. Inside was a six-pack of beer with St. Louis Premium Lager labeled across the side of the paper holder. “St. Louis?” he asked.

“It’s one of Dad’s imported beers. It’s brewed in Gaborone where he and Mom met.” She didn’t add that she’d probably been conceived there as well.

“Cool!” he said. “I’ll stick it in the fridge for later around the fire pit.”

He really seemed to like his gift, she thought as Charlotte handed her the wrapped package he’d picked up at the mall. It was very light and wrapped in a metallic green paper. Kurt was grinning at her with his eyes twinkling.

“I hope you like it,” he whispered.

She tore open the paper, and lifted the lid on the box. At first she thought it was a bird of some kind because all she saw were green feathers. After moving the white tissue paper she discovered a beautiful Mardi Gras mask covered with sparkling beads, gold wire, and feathers. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” she said.

Charlotte looked at her brother with her eyes wide open. “Seriously?” she asked with some heat.

Polly was confused by her reaction. “What?”

“There is a tradition in the family about Mardi Gras masks,” Charlotte said with a wry smile as Kurt moaned and hit his forehead.

“Shit,” he muttered. “I’m so sorry, Polly, I totally forgot.”

Jack noticed Polly holding the mask from where he was sitting with the kids. “Oh, yeah! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” He took a picture with his phone while Polly and Julie looked at each other in confusion.

“Stop messing around, ya’ll,” Kurt said with a deep red flush on his face. “I just saw it in the store and thought it was pretty. I wasn’t thinkin’ about Pawpaw and Meemee.”

“Someone better start explaining,” Polly said.

“Well, rumor has it that Great Uncle Charlie, Meemee’s brother, didn’t want her going around with his best friend, Garson. So one Christmas, Garson gave her a Mardi Gras mask and told her to wear it at the parade if she wanted to go steady behind her brother’s back,” Charlotte said. She ended up chuckling to herself as she finished, leaving Jack to explain the rest.

“Mardi Gras is only about six weeks after Christmas, and sure enough Mama shows up wearing Papa’s mask at the parade. Since then, giving a girl in our family a Mardi Gras mask at Christmas is one step below announcing their engagement,” Jack said as he typed on his phone.

“What are you doing, Uncle Jack?” Kurt growled.

“Sendin’ an email to just about everyone I know,” he said with an evil grin.

“Aw, come on!” Kurt wailed. “You can’t do that!”

Polly turned to see his expression. He was clearly embarrassed, but she could also see his smile peeking through. It was obvious he’d really forgotten the significance of the gift. “It’s okay,” she whispered to him as she looked in his eyes.

“Are you sure?” he whispered back, looking back and forth between her eyes and lips. “I didn’t mean to push it, I swear.”

Her answer was to kiss him deeply, pressing against him as she held on to the mask. The girls started giggling like crazy, making her smile against his lips.

“Kurt and Polly sitting in a tree!” Both girls got up singing. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

When they parted, Polly felt Kurt’s arousal pressing against her side as she laughed silently at all the attention.

“That’s weird,” Jack said. “My company email is down.”

* * *

T
hey left Jack and Julie’s house after dark, then drove through the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights on their way back to Polly’s apartment. While the songs of the season playing on the radio, Polly leaned against Kurt’s shoulder and considered the day.

Julie, Charlotte, and Polly had all worked together in the kitchen making the food, the easy camaraderie between them making the time fly by. Polly had made the green bean casserole, since Charlotte had already made the beans that were simmering in the slow cooker. After Julie got the spiral cut ham in the oven, the three of them sipped hot apple cider and discussed life. Charlotte was excited that the guy she’d met at the hospital was interested in coming to their New Year's Eve party.

Kurt and Jack had taken the kids into the back yard to play. Polly had stopped to watch them through the window occasionally, smiling to herself as the men discussed something serious while the kids ran wild. From their expressions and body language, she couldn’t decide if they were discussing Trey or Kurt’s job offer.

After dinner was eaten and the kitchen was clean, the kids were sent to bed and the adults retired to the patio to sit around the fire pit. The beer was a hit, sparking discussions about Polly’s family and heritage. She patiently answered their questions about her experiences growing up between Botswana and in the States.

When the beer was gone and the fire was down to coals, Polly and Kurt got ready to leave. Charlotte had come up then with her face full of emotion to hug Polly hard at the door. She’d whispered,
I am so happy for you both.
The comment and her acceptance seemed to sweep away Polly’s fear, leaving her whole-hearted at last.

Kurt brought her back when he asked, “Penny for your thoughts?”

“I really like your sister,” she said after a moment.

“She ain’t bad, as far as sisters go,” he said with an amused tone. “When we was younger she was a giant pain in my ass, but I’m happy to say she’s grown out of it.”

“I can’t remember a better Christmas,” she said.

“Me neither,” he said, pulling into her apartment complex at last. “Are you sleepy?”

“Not especially,” she said as she gathered her gifts and purse.

They didn’t speak again until they were lying in bed. No longer bothering with modesty, the two of them brushed their teeth together and left the bathroom holding hands. She loved looking at his firm shoulders and chest, the flat stomach below, and muscular legs. Of course his free swinging shaft was still her favorite part, she thought with a grin.

Pulling him into bed, she watched his face as his eyes explored her body in the dim light. He whispered, “You’re so beautiful, my cinnamon girl.”

“Cinnamon girl?” she asked, wrinkling her nose at his comment. Her mixed race had never come up in conversation, but he and his family were clearly fine with it based on the kaleidoscope of colors at their Thanksgiving meal. His comment made her wonder why he thought of her that way, though.

“The first time I saw you getting out of Uncle Jack’s van I thought you looked like the cinnamon sugar I put on my toast when I was little,” he whispered as he bent over to take her nipple between his lips. “Yep, definitely sweet cinnamon.”

“I’m glad you like cinnamon,” she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “You have a scent that drives me crazy.”

“Oh, yeah?” he breathed over her wet nipple, making her hiss.

“Yeah, I can’t describe it. Just something wonderfully you.” He began to touch her lower, so she opened her legs for him. “It reminds me of something, but I can’t place what it is.”

His fingers spread her out gently, then slipped inside her wet opening. She could no longer speak, but made encouraging noises when she could. Wet fingers danced all over, forcing her eyes shut and raising her nub until it felt hot and exposed. Brushing his fingers across it as he continued to suckle brought her to a slow boil.

The pace was perfect as she went over the edge, holding on to his head with her arms and gripping his hair tightly in her fingers. Her breathing stopped until the spasms passed, then she gasped at last, “Kurt, oh, baby.”

He rested his cheek against her stomach and looked up while she brushed the hair out of his eyes. “I want a slow one tonight,” he whispered.

The last week had been one long, exciting struggle in bed. Something about the way he fought to hold her down drove her over the edge every time. Their sex had been full of play, laughter, and teasing, but tonight felt different for Polly, and obviously Kurt felt it too. She nodded slowly, watching him grin as he reached for the condoms he kept in her night stand drawer.

Letting him set the pace, he moved over and settled between her legs. His weight was comforting as he moved up to kiss her, his shaft resting between her thighs. They kissed for a long time, pulling back at times to gaze into each other’s eyes. Pushing away her impatience, she relaxed and enjoyed his complete attention.

When he raised himself on one elbow, she felt him lift his shaft to push slowly inside her. The sensation was amazing. Being penetrated by him when she could focus on the feeling made her shut her eyes and open her mouth in a silent cry.

There was a kind of exquisite intensity to being spread open and filled. Running her hands over his back made him shiver, but he didn’t change the slow pace until his tip reached her deepest point.

Moving his hand out of the way, he adjusted their positions until they could kiss again, his shaft filling her completely. While he kissed her, she continued to run her hands over his back, encouraging him with quiet sounds and hums of pleasure.

It was so different from their other times, but something about the intensity was making it work for her. She squeezed him tight using her inner muscles, drawing her nails along his back at the same time. The kiss stopped instantly as he arched his back and whimpered against her lips.

“Like that,” he said. “Again.” He withdrew slowly, but only a little way, then pushed back in against her muscles trying to squeeze him out. When she realized it might be enough for her, she angled her hips down and squeezed tighter as he thrust again.

Suddenly she couldn’t think to rub his back as the chills made her clutch his shoulders and hang on. They worked themselves slowly towards the edge, Kurt pressing her deep into the bed as he drove himself against her tightened muscles. She held her breath as her release approached, then whispered against his shoulder, “Now, now.”

Twice more he filled her, holding himself inside the last time as she cried out, her tight muscles beginning to spasm around him. The sound he made could have been laughter or pain, but his release made him shake until he collapsed against her in a wet heap. Panting as he nuzzled her neck, Kurt whispered, “Oh, aimé.”

The word echoed around her mind, but in the afterglow it made no sense to her. “What?”

“Mon aimé,” he repeated as he slipped out of her and put the condom in the trash next to the bed. In seconds he’d scooped her back against his chest and pressed his face into her hair with a heavy sigh.

“I don’t know what that means,” she whispered, but he was already slipping away into sleep.

“My beloved,” she heard as sleep claimed her as well.

P
olly had left for work early, so Kurt went over to hang out with Aunt Julie, Charlotte, and the kids. When he got there, Aunt Julie’s van was gone, but Uncle Jack’s truck was still in the driveway. The silence when he entered the house seemed ominous.

“Uncle Jack?” Kurt called out into the quiet house.

“Back here,” his Uncle replied from the dining room.

Kurt found him sitting at the dining room table with his laptop open chewing on an unlit cigar. His jaw clenched steadily as he studied the papers and folders spread out all over the table.