“I hope that wasn’t the only reason you said yes,” Pierce said.
“Well, I won’t lie and say it hadnothingto do with it,” Celeste said, smiling. “Maybe I was hoping for another scarf.”
“That must have been a bit disappointing for you, then.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Flowers and chocolates arealsopretty good.” Warmth welled up within her – she hadn’t really known what to expect, and she’d woken up the next morning half-thinking the man she’d met had been nothing but a dream until she’d seen the scarf draped over her doorhandle. She hadn’t been able to stop glancing at it all day, as she’d counted down the hours until the time she’d agreed to meet Pierce again, and make sure he reallywaseverything she remembered.
The fact that he’d showed up to their second date with a bouquet of flowers and a small box of chocolates – nothing too fancy or over-the-top, just a considerate gift – had told her she hadn’t been wrong, but that hadn’t been the reason she’d fallen for him.
There had just been somethingabouthim, a connection she’d never felt with any other person. And now, she guessed, she knew what it was.
I was his mate all along. But I never knew it. And he never knew that if he’d told me, I would have known what he meant.
“I wish I’d known,” she said softly. “I wish you’d told me.” But then, biting her lip, Celeste shook her head. “No, that’s not quite fair. You were trying to do the right thing.”
“Maybe,” Pierce said. “But I wonder about it every day – I’ve asked myself over and over again if I should have done things differently.”
“Believe me, so have I,” Celeste admitted. Without being able to stop herself, she reached out for him, running her fingers over his hand. It was the first time she’d touched him properly since they’d reunited, and yet, it felt just the same as she remembered from all those years ago – the tingling of her skin, as if tiny sparks of electricity were running between them, even at this gentle touch, fogging her mind and making it all too difficult to think straight. Or think at all.
It was hard to tell which of them leaned in first – all Celeste knew was that suddenly,finally, her lips were touching his, his hands coming up to cup her face, tilting it back. The kiss was slow and gentle at first, but then it was as if a dam broke inside her, and the kiss became hungry and fierce.
They had both been waiting a long time for this, she supposed, barely able to think through the dizzying spin of her head as she parted her lips, her back arching as his tongue swept into her mouth.
Sparks shot over her skin as Pierce’s arms came up around her shoulders, pulling her against him. She was just as eager as he was, her hands clutching at his shoulders, wanting only to be as close to him as she could possibly get.
Just as she always had, Celeste responded to him instantly, feeling warmth pooling in her belly, heat sizzling through every nerve in her body. It was just like she remembered it, as if they’d never been apart at all – her need for him washed away everything except the feel of his lips on hers, his hands on her body, her hands on his. Nothing else mattered but this – and it was all too easy to simply let everything except sensation and desire fall away.
Her ancient sofa creaked as she lay back on it, pulling him down with her. Their lips parted momentarily, and Celeste found herself gazing up into his silver-gray eyes. She could see the hunger in them, and she knew he was seeing it reflected back at him in her own.
“Celeste, I…”
“Shh. Later,” she whispered, cutting him off. Right now, the last thing she felt like doing was talking. They’d waited so long to see each other again – she didn’t want to think about that now, about how long they’d been apart. She only wanted to remember the time they’d had together. She only wanted to live in this moment, feeling desire thrumming through her, and knowing that his feelings for her had never changed. Just as hers for him had never changed.
A groan slipped from her lips as Pierce traced his hand over her cheek, before it trailed down the side of her throat.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice husky with need. “I don’t want to –”
“Please, Pierce,” Celeste murmured as she arched up beneath his touch. “I appreciate that you’re being a gentleman, but believe me – that is thelastthing I want right now. And also…” She trailed off, as her eyes fell on the ridiculous grinning reindeer that currently adorned his chest. “Can you please just take that off?”
A smile flickered briefly across Pierce’s face, before he sat up slightly, pulling the Christmas sweater – with its stupid manically grinning reindeer andHo! Ho! Ho!s – up over his head, before tossing it aside.
“Thankyou,” Celeste said, as her fingers, guided totally by instinct – and, well,lustshe supposed – went to the buttons of his shirt front.
Of course, the trail of hair on his chest had grayed, just like the hair on his head had, but Celeste hardly minded that. She ran her fingers down through it, down over his stomach to the waistband of his jeans, where she paused, glancing up at him.
His eyes were filled with warmth as he looked down at her, clearly waiting for her to continue – but if truth be told, she kind of felt a little overdressed as she was. Somehow, however, he seemed to be able to read her thoughts on her face, and his hands went to where her blouse was tucked into her own jeans, gently pulling it up over her head.
“Pierce,” she gasped, as his fingers brushed over the bare skin of her stomach. She felt dizzy – the only thing she knew was how much she wanted him. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything before in her life. Right now, nothing mattered except that – not even their long separation. She felt as if she was young again, his hands seeming to know just where and how to touch her, as if they’d never spent any time apart at all.
She moaned aloud as sparks of pleasure flew through her, heat gathering within her. She could see just how much he wanted her, too – the front of his jeans bulged, clearly barely able to contain him.
Breathlessly, Celeste cupped him through his jeans, marveling at the way he threw his head back, a groan leaving his lips. She had never considered herself a very bold person, but now, she allowed herself to touch all she wanted, her fingers trembling, delighting in every response he gave her.
But she knew as well she couldn’t go on teasing him – or herself – for much longer. She was already wet with need for him, and she shivered every time her thighs brushed against each other, sending her head spinning.
“Please,” she gasped out. “Please, Pierce – I really want – I don’t think I can wait –”
She hadn’t exactly been all that coherent in asking for what she wanted, but she knew Pierce would understand her all the same. He always had – it had been part of what had connected them to each other back then. They’d just always seemed to be on the same wavelength, able to complete each other’s sentences even after knowing each other for only a few short hours.
