‘I promise.’ I run my hands across the hard expanse of his chest.
‘Thank God.’ He drives into me slow and hard. ‘Christmas has come early.’
‘As long as you don’t.’ I smirk.
‘I’m going to wipe that smirk from your face, baby.’ His fingers dig between our hips until he hijacks that sensitive bundle of nerves and strokes. His sweat-sheened skin glides across mine, his thumb caressing while he thrusts into me, relentlessly driving me to the most decadent oblivion.
Hot white flames burst behind my eyelids, pure carnal pleasure shakes my limbs and sears my soul.
‘Open your eyes, baby.’ Cillian urges. ‘I want to watch you. I want you to watch what you do to me.’
Turbulent titanium eyes bore into mine. I lose it, as he finds it. My orgasm detonates a second before his and wave after wave of ecstasy crusade through us as we cling and buck and deepen our bond.
It’s official. I think I’m in love.
‘I need to get up.’ Cillian gathers my hair behind my ears as we lie, limbs entwined. ‘I have to pick Phoebe up from her friend’s house. Thank God you booked Hollybrooke, or I’d have to drag her away from Sarah Snowden’s sleepover kicking and screaming.’
I reluctantly roll away, giving Cillian back the arm I was lying on. ‘I’m looking forward to it. It’s supposed to be as magical for adults as it is for kids.’
‘What could be more magical than spending the day with my two favourite girls?’ Cillian stretches into a standing position. ‘Shall I open the blinds?’
I watch as he struts across my bedroom like a Greek god. Broad shoulders taper to narrow waist. His ass is the perfect bubble of solid muscle.
‘Do.’ I shimmy up the bed. ‘Then you can stick the kettle on and bring me a cup of tea before you go.’
Cillian’s lips curl upwards. ‘I love a woman who knows what she wants.’ His expression freezes on his face as he realises what he’s just said.
‘The blinds.’ I remind him, pointing at the big bedroom window. The last thing I need is for him to freak out now, he’s been doing so well.
‘Holy fuck,’ he exclaims as blind light bounces into the bedroom. ‘It snowed.’
‘What? No way! We couldn't have planned it better if we tried. It’s the perfect day for Hollybrooke.’
‘Any day with you sounds pretty perfect to me.’ He saunters out of the room and I exhale a sigh of relief.
Four hours later, Cillian and Phoebe collect me outside my apartment block.
Phoebe’s little face is paler than usual but I’m hoping that’s because she had so much fun at last night’s sleepover, and not because she’s traumatised by Teagan’s rapid departure.
Cillian said Teagan had kept her word for once, and called the next day, so hopefully this time she’ll keep in touch.
‘How was your night, pumpkin?’ I slide into the back next to her, and she squeals with excitement. Cillian arches an eyebrow in the rear-view mirror but says nothing.
This evening is about Phoebe, not what he wants. Besides, I don’t trust my hands not to linger on him longer than ‘friends’ should and the last thing we need is for Phoebe to get confused.
‘It was great. We watchedGabby’s Dollhouseuntil like nine o’clock and then Mrs Snowden let us watchThe Grinch.’ Her blonde hair whips round, ‘And we had ice cream and popcorn.’
‘Oh my goodness. That sounds like the best sleepover ever.’ I strap myself in as Cillian negotiates the traffic.
‘It was. You should come to ours for a sleepover sometime, shouldn't she Dad?’ Phoebe places her tiny hand in mine, while Cillian battles to keep his expression straight.
‘One day. If she’s good.’
I swallow down my snigger and snuggle into Phoebe, listening as she chats about everything and nothing for the rest of the journey. It might only have been a few weeks but already, I can’t imagine my life without either of them.
Hollybrooke is every kid’s wildest Christmas fantasy on steroids. The Georgian manor house has been transformed into an opulent winter wonderland. The grand façade is adorned with thousands of twinkling white lights that cast a magical glow over the snow-blanketed gardens. Tall, majestic, evergreen trees line the winding entrance, furnished with glistening frost. Even the air we breathe in feels fresh and fabulous.
Real reindeer languidly munch on hay in the stables to the left of the main building, while children pet them in awe.
