She smiled and kissed him, feeling so much relief that he was still here and he loved her, no matter what. She stroked his face and very quickly the kiss turned into something more. He slipped his hand between her legs and she moaned against his lips at his perfect touch, that feeling tightening and escalating out of control before she could catch her breath. She shouted out all manner of weird noises, gripping onto his shoulders as he took her over the edge.
She sat up and shifted so she was straddling him and took him deep inside of her. He let out a groan of pleasure and kissed her hard. He moved his hands down to her hips, holding her tight against him as they moved against each other. Already that feeling was building again inside of her until her whole body felt tight and coiled ready to explode.
He pulled back so he could kiss her throat, her chest, her breasts and she felt so completely adored by this man. She lifted his chin so she could kiss him again, knowing she’d never ever get enough of kissing him.
She pulled back slightly, leaning her forehead against his, her breath heavy against his lips.
He stroked her face. ‘You are tremendous, Alexandra Campbell, and I love you so much.’
And it was those words that sent her soaring over the edge, her orgasm thundering through her like a freight train, shouting out his name as he moaned hers.
After, as he held her close, her body trembling in hisarms, he stared into her eyes and whispered that he loved her again and she kissed him, knowing that she wanted forever with this man, if only she was brave enough to tell him that.
Alex all but floated home a while later, holding hands with Quinn as they walked along the snowy streets. He was in love with her. She had never felt so utterly happy as she did right now. It was everything she’d ever wanted. But when she thought ahead to marriage, more children, a happy ever after, that was when she started feeling scared about losing it all. The hurt she felt when she all but lost Liam overnight, the angst of living with his addiction for eighteen months, the anger, the shouting, the nastiness, the pain of the betrayal she’d felt when he’d chosen to spend time with the bottle instead of her and his daughter. She had lost her perfectly happy little marriage slowly and agonisingly every day and she couldn’t bear going through that again.
This way was so much safer. Live for now, not think about the future.
Although she knew that was selfish and while it might be easier for her to live like this with no commitment, it probably wasn’t easier for Quinn who was patiently waiting and hoping for her to give him more.
And she wanted to give him that. She didn’t want to keep stringing him along and hurting him without giving him something.
She looked up at him, and he smiled down at her as tiny snowflakes swirled around them. God, her heart felt so full of him.
‘I love you,’ she blurted out before she could stop herself.
He stopped and turned to face her. ‘What?’
There was no going back now even if she wanted to, which she didn’t. She wanted to give him this.
‘I know it’s weird to hear me say that when I insist we’re in a no-strings-attached, silly friends-with-benefits arrangement, but I do love you. So much. I’ve always loved you.’
A big smile stretched across his face and he cupped her face and kissed her. He pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers.
‘Well, you have no idea how happy this makes me.’
She looked down, frowning slightly, hoping he wasn’t going to get carried away.
He put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to look at him.
‘This changes nothing, I promise,’ he said, gently. ‘We’re still friends with benefits. It’s just that one of those benefits is that we love each other. I promise, I’m not going to be giving you an engagement ring come Christmas Day. I’ll wait as long as you need to be sure you can trust me.’
‘I do trust you, I’m just…’
‘Scared. I get it, I really do.’
‘You do?’
‘What you went through with Liam was horrible andheartbreaking. I know it will take a while to get over that. And I have time.’
‘Thank you.’
They walked on for a short while until they came to her house and propped up outside her gate was a small white box. Alex gasped when she realised what it was.
‘St Nick has left a bauble.’
She picked up the box carefully and peered inside. There was St Nick’s trademark white porcelain bauble, this one painted with a stunning bouquet of peonies.
‘Oh, it’s beautiful. I love it.’
