Vignettes of life: Christmas Eve Love

Soft snowflakes started falling thickly over the surprisingly silent Tokyo, already enveloped in the winter darkness. Almost everybody was in their houses, in front of the roaring fires, spending time with their families, playing with their kids...Waiting for Santa.

It was a normal Christmas Eve, just like all the rest.

Even in a certain apartment in Shinjuku.

The apartment where, all the other days, chaos reigned supreme alongside violence, a woman’s screams, a man’s idiotic giggles...

Every Christmas Eve before, the two roomies had buried the proverbial battle axe and spent the evening in each other’s company. Pleasantly. Civilly.

But something was different this time around. Although the battle axe has been successfully buried, there was a whiff of embarrassment in the air. Because something happened the day before. Something that shook them both...

Kaori was putting the last ornaments on the tree, turning her back, not daring to even look at him. She had no idea what to say or how to act—not that he was of any help in that department—and so she went with the usual Christmas routine. A simple meal, spent in utter silence, tree decorating...The usual.

They haven’t spoken a word since returning home the previous evening. And the damned silence was starting to make her twitch.

On the other side of the room, Ryo was sprawled on the couch reading one of his ‘cultural’ magazines. Fine, he was only pretending to read one of his ‘cultural’ magazines while he was looking at his partner from the corner of his eye. He certainly couldn’t concentrate on the magazine with Kaori showing off her own ‘culture’.

The skinny jeans and short pink sweater made her look even sexier than usual, and his friend concurred quite firmly. His unruly friend, that only a few days before listened to his mental orders of being good and keeping a low profile, was now disobeying magnificently, wanting to experience Kaori’s ‘culture’ to the fullest.

Ryo shook his head like a wet dog.

He wanted to say something, explain...Jump her.

She could maybe give him a hand as well by starting up a conversation. They had to talk about what had happened. They had to clear the waters because he couldn’t stand it anymore!

What the hell had he been thinking yesterday?!

 

December 23, evening

Ryo has just saved Kaori from yet another kidnapper. But this time he’d come close to losing her, and, as usual, in such circumstances, Ryo wasn’t very lucid.

Kaori was resolutely staring at the tips of her shoes, worrying her lower lip between her teeth, waiting for the explosion.

He was watching her, breath gusting, fingers clenched into fists. He couldn’t say a word; he simply stood there looking at her.

She was alive. That was all that mattered at the moment. That Kaori was alive!

“What are you waiting for?” she asked softly. “Go ahead. Yell at me.”

He didn’t yell. He merely cupped her face between his large palms and kissed her.

The kiss started sweet and tender but soon transformed into passion with an aftertaste of desperation...

Kaori couldn’t believe it. Ryo was kissing her! Has he gone insane? Then, she decided she didn’t care that much about her partner’s mental health and let herself enjoy it...

As the kiss ended, each quickly took a step back as they watched each other in surprise and embarrassment.

Without another word, they returned home and sought refuge in their respective rooms...

 

Ryo sighed. Why the hell had he kissed her? Sure, whenever she was in danger, he thought of nothing but saving her as soon as possible, and his heart literally stopped every time a tricky situation threatened to degenerate. But his fear of losing her wasn’t a good reason to blow years of hard work. He’s spent seven years perfecting his indifferent expression, the insults and barbs he used to tease her...He’s spent seven years training his body not to respond to her nearness, to now show ‘signs of life’ whenever her sweet scent teased his nostrils, whenever he saw her delectable curves...

And now—thanks to a mere little kiss—his body was rebelling and didn’t want to lay there dormant as Kaori’s hips were doing their hypnotic little dance in front of the tree.

Ryo swallowed convulsively. He wasn’t sure he’d survive this.

Kaori cursed under her breath. She couldn’t reach the top of the tree to put on the blasted star, but she’d fry in hell before she asked him to help—he had to break the silence between them—so she lifted herself on her tippy-toes, hoping with all her might she wouldn’t fall and bring the tree down with her.

She might not like the silence, but anything was better than his laughter.

Seeing Kaori reach up with the star in her hand, Ryo’s eyes almost jumped out of their sockets. Her pink sweater slipped up to show a strip of delicate skin above her low-slung jeans, and, coupled with her poise, it was too much even for his legendary control.

Throwing the magazine over his shoulder, he stood and reached her in two strides.

Kaori felt faint when she felt his big body flush against her back. He circled her waist with one arm, holding her in place, while his other hand reached for the star.

“Let me do it,” he said hoarsely, his warm breath tickling her ear.

She felt something akin to an electric shock run up and down her spine, making her a little dizzy. She bit her lower lip to keep from moaning when his fingers brushed the inside of her wrist as he took the star from her.

Tightening his hold around her waist, he pulled her even closer while leaning a little over to put the star in place.

Kaori hiccupped as she felt something press against the lower of her back, and her cheeks burned like they were on fire.

Seeing her furious blush, Ryo grinned, pressing himself even tighter against her back. His control had gone down the drain; his body wasn’t obeying him...He might as well listen to his heart this time around and go for it.

She was always in danger either way. Even the criminals knew the great City Hunter loved his partner but was afraid of telling her. Everybody and their mother knew he loved Kaori; that’s why she was always getting kidnapped. She was his weakness. His greatest and only weakness.

He’s finally admitted to himself that he didn’t have a soft spot for all women. Just one. The others were just a diversion, a ruse to convince the one that he felt nothing for her. Whenever a beautiful woman was around, he could get as hard as was humanly possible, because Kaori always thought it was someone else the reason for his friend’s military salute.

If she only knew.

He’d spent the night thinking, contemplating their strange situation, and trying to calm his rampant libido, urging him to get the hell downstairs and into Kaori’s bed. Into Kaori.

And then he’d spent the day thinking and contemplating without having arrived at the answer as to why the hell he’d kissed her in the first place.

But what was done was done, and all he wanted to do right now was repeat the experience.

His friend was also very glad of his decision. Maybe a little too glad, judging by the deepening blush on Kaori’s face.

Grinning widely, Ryo lowered his head and nuzzled her neck.

Kaori’s knees started knocking together, but this certainly wasn’t the time to succumb to temptation. No, sit! Down, girl! Not yet.

Wiggling out of his arms, she dashed to the other side of the tree, eyeing him through the branches and decorations.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He flashed her a naughty smile, his eyes burning. “I’m taking over from where we left off yesterday.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

Great question.

Kaori quickly shook her head to get rid of the insidious thought. The kiss yesterday had been beautiful, and she wanted to always remember it, but she also wanted to know the reason for it.

Had it been some sort of instinctual reaction? A residue of the dangerous situation that made men like him want to procreate as they stared down death? Well, she’d been the one in danger, not him, so he could shove the instinctual reaction to where the sun didn’t shine!

Or maybe that hadn’t been the reason for the kiss. Was it possible he found her attractive? That thing she felt against her back before sure had felt big and hard, nothing like what usually happened.

She shook her head once more. Enough!

“Why did you kiss me yesterday?”

He rolled his eyes. He certainly didn’t want to talk. There’d be more than enough time to talk later...Or tomorrow, even. Now he just wanted to kiss her. End of story.

“Come here and I’ll tell you.”

He started stalking her around the tree, but Kaori wouldn’t be deterred. Keeping the distance, she started circling the tree as well.

“Why did you kiss me?”

Jesus! The woman wouldn’t stop circling the tree. It was a nice tree. Ryo certainly didn’t want to ruin it to get to her, but if that was what it took, the tree was history.

“Because I wanted to.”

Kaori stopped dead, eyes wide. Did he say he’d kissed her because he’d wanted to? What did he mean by that?

Face darkening, her eyes started spitting fire. “You mean you got the urge and I was the only one available?!”

He was beside her in a heartbeat. “Why do you always have to misunderstand?”

He cupped her face and touched his lips to hers softly, like a caress of butterfly wings. Then he lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes filled with want.

“I got the urge because you were the only one available, Kaori.”

She watched him in astonishment. Her mind still felt muddled, probably because of the soft kiss that had touched her soul, but something was starting to make sense. The tender way he sometimes looked at her whenever he thought no one was looking, the smiles, the quick, furtive caresses, the tousling of her hair...

Was it possible—

She once more felt the thing, this time pressed against her belly, and she smiled.

Definitely possible.

But she wanted to keep him on his toes a little while longer. It wasn’t every day that the ‘Stallion of Shinjuku’ expressed his feelings...In a way, at least.

“What do you mean?”

He cocked his head, studying her. Was she joking, or was she really that innocent to not understand? Granted, in the seven years they’ve lived and worked together, he’s done anything and everything to convince her he saw her only as a friend or a little sister, but lately even a simpleton could see that he felt much, much more for her.

Or was it that she wanted to tell him she wasn’t interested?

Kaori kept her eyes on his, and after seeing every single emotion she’d been craving for so long, she also glimpsed a flash of insecurity, fear even.

Could he really be afraid that she didn’t love him? Was he really as clueless as she’d been? Was he blind? Stupid? Did he hit his head or something?

“Kaori—”

She decided she’d kept him waiting for long enough. A little longer and he might decide to leave it be. She’d have her declaration. A true confession of feelings! But that would come later; there was just one thing she wanted right now.

Ryo was awash in an irrational fear. Was it possible he’d misunderstood her signals? Was it possible that she was the one who saw him only as a friend, as some sort of older brother? Was it possible all the mallets and divine punishments throughout the years had truly been just for their clients’ protection and not clear signs of her jealousy?

Was it possible—

He didn’t get to finish the pessimistic thought since Kaori lifted herself on the balls of her feet, circled his neck with her arms, and pressed her mouth against his.

She stepped back quickly with a mischievous smile on her lips, and Ryo arched an eyebrow. “What was this?”

She lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “A kiss.”

“And why did you kiss me?”

“Because I wanted to.”

Ryo felt his lips spread into a wide grin. As confessions of feelings went, this one left much to be desired, but he couldn’t expect from her something that he himself had failed to give her. There’d be time for that yet.

Later.

“Oh, really?”

She nodded.

“Well then, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that wasn’t a kiss.”

He grabbed her wrist, pulled her to him, and once more cupped her face in his palms. Pressing gently with his thumbs against the corners of her mouth, he softly parted her lips and took her mouth.

Kaori closed her eyes as his tongue slipped past her lips and slid against her in a caress as old as time. Her knees threatened to give in.

Angling his head just right to deepen the kiss, Ryo let his hands roam down her neck and shoulders, along her back to her waist, where his fingers were free to explore underneath the hem of her sweater, caressing her smooth skin.

Sighing, Kaori responded to the kiss, following his tongue into his mouth, tightening her hold on his neck as she pressed her whole body against his.

Breaking the kiss in order to catch his breath, Ryo looked down at her and smiled. She still had her eyes closed; her lips were red and puffy from his kiss. God, she was beautiful.

Kaori slowly opened her eyes, and her heart did a funny little flip inside her chest at seeing his gaze. His dark eyes positively burned.

“This was a kiss,” he murmured before once more capturing her mouth.

X Y Z

Ten minutes later, Kaori was lying on the shag rug in front of the fireplace with Ryo on top of her, but unfortunately they were both still fully clothed.

She’s been in the arms of the ‘Stallion of Shinjuku’ for the past ten minutes, and all he did was kiss her. What the hell was going on? She wanted some action!

Okay, so maybe such racy thoughts weren’t really suitable for a virgin, but she was a twenty-seven-year-old virgin for crap’s sake! She didn’t want to wake up a virgin on Christmas Day. No way!

Ryo felt like he was about to explode. He desperately wanted to make love to her; he’d desired her for the past seven years, but he knew he had to take it easy. She was innocent, and he was—not to brag or anything—rather large. The last thing he wanted was to scare her or hurt her. He would never forgive himself if her first time was a painful experience; best to forget as soon as possible.

No, for Kaori’s first time, everything should be perfect. Rose petals, candlelight, a soft, comfortable bed, and a gentle lover capable of self-control.

In his current state, he’d never last long, so they had to postpone the consummation of their relationship. Which was proving to be rather difficult, indeed. Almost impossible.

Feeling his large palm molding around her breast pushed Kaori over the breaking point. She’s had it with kissing. She needed something more. She wanted something more!

“Ryo,” she moaned, arching her back to give him better access. “Please...make love to me.”

Ryo froze, his body engulfed in flames. He couldn’t believe his ears. His Kaori wanted to make love. Oh, thank God.

But they couldn’t do it. Not here. Not like this.

“It’s okay, Kaori,” he whispered against her lips. “I’m happy just to be able to kiss you. I’m happy just to have you in my arms. It’s enough for now.”

“Not for me!”

He lifted his head, watching her. Her deep hazel eyes were filmed over by want, but they were also filled with determination.

“Kaori?”

She pulled his head back down. “Make love to me,” she repeated before kissing him.

All his good intentions went up the chimney as Ryo made his decision. She wanted to make love. Fine, he’d grant her wish. But first, he had to make sure she was really ready. Totally ready for him.

Kissing her, he went back to caressing her breast, this time capturing her nipple through her sweater, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger, as he slowly, torturously slid his other hand down her belly, cupping her between her thighs, pressing the heel of his palm against her through her jeans, making her moan.

Panting, Ryo circled his palm between her legs in a steady rhythm, using the seam of the jeans to exert pressure against her clit.

Oh, God, the man sure knew how to touch a woman! Kaori threw her head back, arching her body toward the hand still torturing her breast, as a wave of liquid heat spread through her. It felt like her very blood was on fire.

“Let go, baby,” Ryo murmured, flicking his tongue against her lips. “Let go.”

Coupled with his fingers around her nipple and his wicked hand between her thighs, Ryo’s husky order pushed Kaori over the edge.

Ryo quickly retook possession of her mouth, capturing her scream with his tongue.

On a strangled moan, Kaori went up in flames. She was lost, utterly and completely lost. With his hands still doing sinful things to her body, Kaori melted, trembling against him underneath him, clutching her thighs around his hand, while he captured her whimpers with his kiss.

The pleasure was devastating. It ebbed, building and decreasing over and over and over again, breaking into thousands of little pieces inside of her.

He took her voice, her screams, her very breath, his tongue hot and devouring, delving into her mouth with the rhythm of the pulsations inside her. He knew just how to touch her to prolong her pleasure, his hand unrelenting in its ministrations between her thighs. He didn’t stop for a moment, and when her first orgasm started to subside, he quickly transformed it into a second that brought her once more to the melting point.

Ryo kept on kissing her, while the spasms inside her kept her trembling like a coiled cord. Demanding, devouring kisses that turned into soft, long caresses of tongue, lips, and teeth as the spasms quieted.

She clutched at his shoulders, incapable of anything else. Incapable of movement. And even though she’s just experienced a glorious double orgasm, she wasn’t yet satisfied. Only finally awakened.

 

They lay quiet for a while, forehead against forehead, both their breaths ragged and irregular. Then, with a last tender brush of fingers, he removed his hand. He kissed her brow, tasting the salt of sweat on her skin, then slowly gained his feet, smiling down at her.

She was so beautiful. Hair mussed, gaze unfocused, her lips red and puffy, the sweater askew, she lay there, unmoving but for her heaving chest. His lips twisted into a pained smile; he adjusted himself, hoping with all his heart he could resist just a little longer.

“Come on, baby, let’s go,” he murmured before lifting her in his arms.

Her head fell back as she closed her eyes on a sigh.

He chuckled. “Don’t you dare fall asleep, Kaori. You were the one who wanted to make love tonight. Let me tell you, we haven’t even begun.”

And he carried her up the stairs into his bedroom, where he gently dropped her onto her feet at the foot of the bed, hoping she’d regained enough strength not to crumble to her knees.

Kaori watched him wide-eyed. There was such love inside her for this man—so much desire, a bottomless passion, but also a little bit of fear. Look what he did to her with just a touch through her clothes. She couldn’t imagine what she’d feel when they were naked, when he was inside her.

Oh, God!

She couldn’t wait to find out.

Ryo brushed his knuckles against her cheek. He’d seen the flash of fear in her eyes.

“Kaori, are you sure about this?”

She licked her suddenly dry lips, nodding enthusiastically. Oh, she was sure. Yes, she was also a little afraid, but she’s never been more sure of anything in her life. He wanted her. She wanted him. What was the problem? She knew he’d never hurt her. She trusted him implicitly. She cupped his face and brushed her lips against his.

“Make love to me,” she repeated softly.

He slowly lowered his head toward hers and kissed her. His tongue slipped easily between her soft lips, sensually brushing against hers. He promised himself he wouldn’t hurt her, that he’d be an ideal lover, at least tonight. He wouldn’t hurt her, even if holding back might kill him.

He ran his hands slowly down her back and took hold of the hem of her sweater, gently lifting it off over her head while his warm fingers caressed every inch of skin he uncovered. He threw the garment over his shoulder and stared at the vision in front of him.

She was perfect. With those high, firm breasts made for his palms only, puckered nipples that called him to taste...Ryo refused to decline such an invitation.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him to first kiss the roundness of both her breasts and then nuzzle his lips toward her left nipple. He laved it with his tongue while his fingers played with its mate. He blew softly, watching the enchanting tip pucker even further. He closed his lips over it, biting gently, before pulling it entirely into his mouth, suckling fervently.

Kaori’s head fell back as a guttural moan escaped her lips. She tunneled her fingers into his dark hair, pulling his head even closer. Begging him without words to continue the gentle torture.

He lifted his head, grinning slightly, before focusing on her right nipple, enjoying her moans and the pull of her fingers on his hair.

Abandoning her breasts, he licked his way upward, toward her throat, over her neck, until he once more found her mouth in a kiss of furious arousal.

God, her lips were like silk as he explored the fullness of her lower lip before gently biting it.

She moaned and kissed him, her wicked little tongue dancing with his, and the world seemed to vanish.

He cupped her face, holding her still for his demanding mouth.

Her hands left his hair to chase after his T-shirt, almost tearing it in her need to get to his skin. She brushed her fingers over his sculpted torso and his flat, hard belly...Lower.

He was wound so tight it hurt. He’s been correct in fearing he might not make it. She was driving him insane. His little innocent was seducing him, and she was proving to be a master at it. Every single muscle in his body was rigid and tense. He was burning up.

He grabbed her wrist, bringing her hand to his mouth, and ran his lips softly over her knuckles. “Don’t touch me, baby. Not now.”

Her lips curled in a smile full of mystery and sensuality. She wanted to torture him, as he’s tortured her with his touch, with his mouth. She wanted to make him burn. She wanted him to be devoured by the flames of passion and need as much as she was.

He quickly tugged off her jeans, lifted her, and laid her onto the bed, and Kaori felt her whole body melt underneath his blazing gaze.

Her simple white panties followed the jeans, but he didn’t throw those behind him. First, he buried his nose in them, moaning appreciatively, and then stuffed them in his back pocket.

When she frowned, he winked. “A memento, sweetheart. They carry your scent.”

Then, his hungry gaze latched onto her naked body, and the breath he’d been holding rushed out of him on a growl. Her limbs slightly spread, her chest heaving, the curls between her legs glistening, she looked good enough to eat.

No other woman has ever made him feel the way he felt at the moment. There was something special about his Kaori—her honesty, her sensuality, her innocence, her intelligence...And then there was her killer body with those long, long legs.

Wherever his gaze touched her, Kaori felt flames dance under her skin.

Ryo could feel the tattered remnants of his control slowly give. If he wasn’t careful, he’d fall on her like a ravening beast without making sure she was ready for him. So, tightening the reins on his rapidly dissolving control, he slowly lowered himself over her, covering her body with his as his erection protested against the fly of his jeans. With a soft moan, he once more sucked her nipple into his mouth.

She mewled softly as she writhed under him. She once more tunneled her fingers through his hair, holding his head to her breast. His mouth was so warm against her skin, so insistent...Hungry. At every pull of his mouth on her nipple, pleasure flooded through her, over her, making her moan and arch against him.

He ran his hands along her sides to her hips to pull her even closer. As she locked her ankles together behind his back, trapping him in the v of her thighs, Ryo was in pain, hard and heavy, filled with desperate need of her.

When he lifted his head to look at her, his gaze made her burn even more, so Kaori kissed his neck, tasting the salty tang of his skin. She licked up his neck, nibbled on his jaw, and then kissed him to make him see stars.

Not only stars, he could see the entire galaxy when her little tongue entered his mouth as her fingers ran down his back, around his waist, only to rest at the fly of his jeans.

With a strangled moan, Ryo extricated himself from the grip of her limbs, rearing back from the bed.

“I told you not to touch me, Kaori. Not yet. Not now,” he panted, his gaze burning.

Kaori licked her lips as she slowly sat up. “Why not?”

Was she joking, or was she actually trying to drive him insane?

She cocked her head, her tongue making another pass along her lips. “Ryo?”

He smiled. “Because I’m not yet done with you, that’s why.”

He pushed her back onto the bed and dropped to his knees at the foot. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her toward him.

Kaori went rigid when he brought her calves to rest on his shoulders, widening her legs. She wasn’t that sure about this anymore...Or about him. Was he actually trying to do what she thought he was trying to do?

“Ryo—”

“I’m big, baby,” he murmured, his warm breath tickling the tender skin of her inner thigh. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Kaori felt faint. “Ryo—”

The word ended on a squeak as he lowered his head and ran his teeth lightly up her inner thigh.

“You trust me, Kaori. I know you trust me.”

His breath was hot against her center.

“You’re a part of me. And I’ve never wanted anything in my life as much as I want you now.”

His tongue brushed her wet folds; he laved at her, caressing her intimately.

Kaori arched off the bed, letting go of the breath she’d had no idea of keeping. There were no more walls; the ceiling and floor were gone. Nothing else existed but infinite space and Ryo.

He tried to keep his eyes on her, to keep watching her delectable body as it arched in passion, but then her taste detonated in his senses. Closing his eyes in pleasure, he opened her with two fingers and tasted deeper.

He laved and nuzzled, nibbled, wanting to make her feel the same frenetic need that was burning inside him.

His tongue brought her closer and closer to oblivion, until Kaori shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, only for him to put her back together and experience it all again.

And again.

He was relentless, implacable in his assault on her senses, on her body, as he kept on torturing her, tormenting her, until Kaori could barely breathe.

She tasted like honey and exotic spices, and she was beautiful and untamed, primal in her reactions to what he was doing to her. The way she moaned, how she writhed, grinding her pelvis against his mouth, against his stabbing tongue. She was pure life, filled with fire as he kept pushing her higher and higher.

Kaori nearly came off the bed. Flames licked against her skin, inside her body, with each caress of Ryo’s tongue. She spread her legs wider, opening herself to him and his magical mouth. She felt no shame, no embarrassment; she had no insecurities, no inhibitions left.

Ryo understood the silent demand, her invitation, and slipped one finger inside her.

She moaned.

He brushed his hand over her belly, up her ribcage, to cup her breast. He found her nipple, rolling it, pinching it while painting a circle of fire around her clit with his tongue, rubbing his finger inside her.

Kaori felt like she was dying.

Ryo inserted another finger inside her while pulling her clit gently into his mouth. He slowly pumped his fingers into her, scissoring them while sucking onto her clit and...

Her body bowing into an almost painful arch, her head thrown back, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, Kaori went up in flames, her scream echoing in the room.

Only then did Ryo stand, shuck his jeans and boxers in one pull, and kick out of them almost angrily. He knelt on the bed between her wantonly spread legs and lifted her into his arms, onto his lap.

“Put your legs around my waist,” he ground out between teeth clenched in agony.

And then he slowly lowered her, feeling flames lick along his shaft as he pressed against her wetness.

She was so wet, so warm, so fucking ready that his blood seemed to boil in his veins as he felt himself harden even more. Yet he still kept her lifted above him, worried.

“Kaori,” he panted. “Are you really sure?”

Tears flooded her eyes. She could see he was about to explode, and he was still thinking of her first. How sweet. She brushed that rebellious lock of hair off his forehead and smiled. Looking straight into his eyes, she slowly nodded.

With a rough moan, Ryo slowly lowered her down his jutting length, feeling both pleasure and pain as her inner muscles clenched around him.

If there was any pain, Kaori barely felt it compared to the almost inhuman pleasure of feeling him nestled deep inside her. She doubted she’d make it out of this night alive. And then he slowly lifted her, sliding back out only to lower her again and again, the friction making her crazy.

She clutched at his shoulders, her nails leaving red scratches on his back. She could feel him grow thicker inside her, harder as the furious storm engulfing them both threatened to consume them.

She was so light in his arms, small compared to his own body, yet whenever he pulled her down onto him, plunging deep inside her, her body welcomed his with ease. First, he captured her mouth, tasting her sweetness, then he brushed his lips down her throat and neck, nibbling and nuzzling along the way, only to find the valley between her breasts.

With his help, Kaori found the perfect rhythm—urgent, frantic. Her hands clutched at his hair as she guided his mouth to hers. There was an imploration in her kiss that Ryo couldn’t resist.

He lowered her onto the bed, tucking her legs higher around his waist, his hips pistoning.

She screamed, feeling her channel clutch around him with greed, and then she simply shattered.

She clawed at his shoulders as his hips kept on their punishing rhythm, as he kept on filling her, savage and untamed.

Another orgasm gathered inside her, but when she exploded again, he was there with her.

Ryo threw his head back, his lips peeled back in a snarl as he roared, incapable of containing the brutal pleasure inside him. It took him a heartbeat to make sure he was still alive before he rolled onto his back with her in his arms, still buried deep inside her.

With a shaky sigh, Kaori tucked her head into the crook of his neck.

“I love you, Ryo,” she whispered.

He kissed her hair before slipping out of her and getting out of bed to tuck her between the sheets. With a contented sigh, he slipped in beside her, pulled her close, and slid lower to rest his head between her breasts.

“I love you too, Kaori,” he murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Better late than never,” she replied, brushing his hair off his forehead.

He caressed her hip. “I’m also sorry for making fun of you all this time.” His warm breath tickled against her nipple, and his tongue quickly followed, latching onto the puckered tip. “You don’t look at all like a man.”

Half asleep, she wiggled slightly so her breast was closer to his mouth as she played with the hair at his nape. “Oh, really?”

He languidly licked the curve of her breast. “Nope...You’re beautiful. Now go to sleep.”

They’d talk in the morning.

She was quiet for a while, but his mouth sucking on her nipple started to provoke residual spasms inside her. “Only if you promise to be a good boy.”

He nuzzled her breasts, sighing contentedly. “I promise.”

With a last kiss on the crown of his head, Kaori fell asleep, held safely in his strong arms, with his warm breath caressing her skin.

X Y Z

A curious sunray peeked into the room, brushing against the bow of the lips of the woman sleeping in the big bed, tickling against her eyelids.

With a ragged moan, Kaori opened one eye, stretching like a cat. Every single muscle in her body hurt. Even those muscles she hadn’t known she possessed.

And her room seemed different this morning. More spacious, her bed was bigger, her closet wasn’t where it was supposed to be, and even the window was on the wrong side of the room. What the hell?

Eyes flying wide, Kaori was immediately fully awake and alert. As she sat up in bed, her eyes almost rolled out of their sockets as she saw she was naked.

Clutching the sheet to her breast, she looked around. Oh, God, she was in Ryo’s room. She was in Ryo’s room, in Ryo’s bed, as naked as the day she was born.

Her heart beating in a furious rhythm, her lower lip trembled. She trembled. What has that bastard done to her?!

But slowly the fog lifted, and Kaori was flooded with images...

Ryo above her in front of the fireplace...his fingers pinching her nipple, his hand between her thighs...his eyes burning as he took off her clothes...his mouth on her breasts, his tongue lashing at her nipple...him tasting her skin...his head between her thighs as she arched her back off the bed, moaning his name...Ryo standing up, shucking his jeans and underwear...his body hard and tense as he penetrated her, lowering her onto his turgid shaft...their bodies entangled on the bed, skin hot and glistening with sweat as they reached the peak together...his dark head between her breasts and her running her fingers through his hair before falling asleep...

Kaori dropped her flushed face into her hands. She’d made love to Ryo. And it had been glorious. A life-changing experience. Magni-fucking-cent!

But where was he?

She once more looked around the room, but her lover wasn’t there.

Her heart skipped a beat. Was it possible it had been only a reckless night? A night of passion and nothing more?

Only he’d told her he loved her. Granted, men told all kinds of crap to get into a woman’s pants, including Ryo. Especially Ryo, who was known for saying things he didn’t mean.

Clutching the sheet in her hands, Kaori fought the threatening tears. Maybe he’d simply granted her a Christmas wish. Maybe for him, the night they’d spent together didn’t mean anything.

In that case, what should she do? How should she behave?

Taking a deep breath, Kaori slowly slid out of bed and began searching for her clothes. She wouldn’t do anything. If it had been just a one-night stand, if for him it had meant nothing, then she’d behave exactly the same.

She was a grown woman. She could accept the truth. They’d both pretend nothing out of the ordinary happened. It wasn’t that difficult, after all. She was used to hiding her feelings where Ryo was concerned.

Where the hell were her clothes?!

She clearly remembered he’d undressed her in his room. So her clothes should be here somewhere. But where?

She looked around—nothing. Behind the sofa—nothing. Under the bed—nothing. There was barely a speck of dust.

Letting it go, she opened his closet and chose a shirt. It wasn’t a very good start, this, wearing one of his shirts, if she wanted to pretend not to care that nothing had happened, but she had no choice. It was either his shirt or her birthday suit.

So she went with the shirt, even though the garment didn’t cover that much after all.

Rolling her eyes at her shitty fate, she slowly descended the stairs, looking furtively around.

At least he wasn’t in the living room. Thank God for small miracles. She couldn’t wait to lock herself in her room and put on something decent.

She was skirting the tree when an inquiry, uttered in a low, raspy voice, stopped her in her tracks. “Where are you going?”

She could barely breathe as she heard his steps closing in.

Ryo was devouring her with his eyes. His shirt barely covered her ass, and his body was immediately on fire. He wanted nothing more than to lower her onto the floor, or better yet, take her against the wall.

“Where did you put my clothes?”

The soft question stopped him a mere step behind her. He didn’t like the tone of her voice. Why was she talking to him so detachedly?

“I didn’t think you’d need them.”

Kaori spun around, her eyes flashing with ire. But before she could speak, her voice died in her throat as she saw him. Bare-chested, wearing only unfastened jeans riding low on his hips, his hair was mussed and his eyes were burning. With need...and fear.

“What—what do you mean?”

“That you won’t need your clothes.” And then he was cupping her face in his hands, kissing her with demand.

A heartbeat later, Kaori’s arms were around his neck, her fingers tunneled in his hair, and she moaned as she responded to his kiss. Oh, she’s been so wrong. There’d be no pretending nothing had happened. Everything had changed on this Christmas Eve.

Ryo let his hands run down to her ass to lift her, and he groaned as she immediately lifted her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind his back. She was already wet.

He knelt, with her still twined around him, and laid her down onto the floor, almost beside their Christmas tree. Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked her hoarsely. His body was protesting against the confines of his jeans.

Kaori slowly opened her eyes, veiled by need. “Mmmm.”

“Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head, licking her lips and arching against him.

Ryo swallowed convulsively. She was driving him crazy. Again. He’d never tire of her. “Are you hungry?”

She once more shook her head. She didn’t want to eat. She wanted him. Many things have changed between them, but she had no intention of talking about it now. She was in his arms, and she wanted to stay there for a long, long time.

Okay, at least until lunch. They had to eat sometimes.

But instead of kissing her, Ryo lifted himself off her and rummaged for something underneath the tree. “In that case, it’s time for presents.” And he gave her a small gift-wrapped parcel.

Kaori sat up, looking at him with slightly panicky eyes. “Didn’t we say we wouldn’t do presents this year?”

She hadn’t bought him anything. How could she have been so stupid as to not buy him at least one present? Well, she’d been sure he wouldn’t bother, so...

Ryo shrugged. “I know, but I saw this in a shop window and couldn’t resist. Open it.”

She slowly removed the little red bow and carefully unwrapped the packet. It was a small, black box engraved with the logo of a local jeweler.

“Ryo...”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Open it.”

Nestled inside the little box was a pair of golden earrings shaped like little mallets.

Her eyes filming with tears, she looked at him. “They’re beautiful, Ryo.”

He smiled tenderly. “I’m glad you like them.”

She squealed lightly and threw herself at him, making him lose his balance, so they ended up sprawled on the floor with her on top of him.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his neck. “But I didn’t buy you anything. I’m sorry—”

“Shhh.” With a finger tucked under her chin, he made her lift her head and look at him. “Don’t worry about it, baby.”

“But—”

Ryo silenced her with a finger over her lips, his eyes brimming with love. “You’re all I need. You’re the best Christmas present ever.”

Kaori smiled through her tears. A beautiful, sunny smile that stole his breath.

“Merry Christmas, Ryo.”

“Merry Christmas, my love,” he murmured before reclaiming her lips.

The End