Matzoh and Mistletoe Read online

  The sincerity in his voice was almost her undoing. She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I guess we just have to see, right?”

  He nodded, and she could practically see him shake the serious talk off. Then he ran a finger across her cheek and grinned. “And I intend to see every single inch of you before the day is out.”

  Oy.

  * * *

  Jeremy pulled carefully back onto the road, heading toward the cabin. He hoped he hadn’t blown it by dumping his concerns onto Becca. He normally wouldn’t have shared that much of himself, but Becca wasn’t just anyone. And this wasn’t just any get-to-know-you weekend away. For the first time in a very long time, he needed to connect on a level that wasn’t based primarily on D/s. She needed an emotional connection first, and he needed to be the one to provide it.

  He glanced over at her. She’d worn a down jacket that she’d tossed in the back seat not long after they’d gotten on the road. Today, she wore a form-fitting red sweater—more elf clothes—that brought out the color in her cheeks. The low, scooped neckline dipped as she turned, baring the top curve of her breasts.

  His mouth watered. He couldn’t wait to get his lips and his tongue on her again, couldn’t wait for another taste of her skin. He clenched the steering wheel and willed himself back under control. They had four days to get to know each other better, to explore this attraction between them, and things would probably go better if he didn’t jump on her the minute they stepped through the cabin door.

  “I’ve never been here before,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.

  “Yeah? It’s one of my favorite places. I’ve been here summer and fall and one of the guys at work suggested I try winter. Like you, I’m not much of a skier. But I like hiking no matter what time of the year, and I needed a break. I thought this would be a good way to spend some downtime.”

  “My family has always done a lot of outdoor stuff like hiking, camping and fishing, but Sam didn’t like any of it, so we never went.” Her voice drifted off and she looked down at the boots on her feet. “It’s been a long time since I’ve worn these.”

  He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Well, if I decide to let you out of bed sometime in the next four days, kitten, we’ll go hiking.”

  She opened her mouth and closed it again.

  He laughed. “Something on your mind?”

  “Why do you call me that?” she blurted out.

  “It just seems to fit you?” He hadn’t really thought about it, had just called her that on a whim. She worried her lip, and he raised a brow. “Come on. Out with it.”

  “I looked a few things up online last night after you left.”

  Shit, that could be good or bad. “Like?” She fidgeted in her seat, and that could be good or bad, too. Turned on by what she’d seen and read? Or worried about the same?

  She didn’t answer him, exactly. “Do you have a submissive?”

  “I’m not sure what you read, but hell no. If I was seeing someone right now, I wouldn’t be here with you. I may be a kinky bastard, but I’m a monogamous kinky bastard.” He wiped the scowl from his face and forced calm into his voice. “I’ve dated women who were subs, and those relationships may have started out with the domination and submission aspect first, but that’s not all they were to me.”

  She sighed. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t really any of my business, was it?”

  Nice going, Kohler. “Babe, if we’re going to give this a try, yeah. It’s your business. What else is going on inside that brain of yours?”

  She blurted the words out quickly. “One of the things I read last night talked about Doms using pet names. I was wondering...oh, never mind.”

  He fought back a grin he figured she wouldn’t find funny. She was jealous, and he liked it. It meant she was feeling possessive about him, hopefully the same way he felt about her. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever called kitten. But if it bothers you, I’ll stop.”

  When she spoke her voice was low. “No, don’t. I like it.”

  “Good to know. Speaking of things you like, now’s a good time to talk about limits. We talked about those last night. Is there anything you absolutely don’t want to do?” Her eyes got big and round and lost, and he realized she probably didn’t have any idea what kinds of things he was talking about. “For example, yesterday I fucked your mouth. It was a soft limit for you then. How do you feel about it now? Still a soft limit? A hard limit?”

  A tiny noise escaped her throat. “Not a limit.”

  He grinned. “That works for me.”

  She sat quiet for a long minute and then she sighed. Not a small one, but a deep, lung-emptying one. He was about to ask if she was okay when she spoke. “I feel like an idiot saying this, but...like what else?”

  He fingered a lock of her hair. “Anything. Would it help if I gave you mine, first?”

  Her eyes widened. “You have limits?”

  His laugh came out like a snort. “Hell yeah, I have limits. And what that means is if there’s something on my hard-limit list you wanted to try, you’re out of luck. No other partners. No age play. No knives. No needles. No blood play. No scat.”

  She choked. “Excuse me? No scat?”

  He shrugged. “Some people engage in play that includes urine and feces. I don’t judge, but that’s not my thing.”

  “Or mine!”

  He grinned. “Also good to know. How about I tell you what I do like, and you can tell me what does and doesn’t appeal to you.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Oral sex.”

  She raised a brow, a flash of humor in her eyes. “Didn’t we already cover that? Because I’m pretty sure I did that to you yesterday.”

  “We didn’t discuss me going down on you.”

  Her pulse fluttered wildly in her neck. “Not a limit.”

  “Vaginal sex.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not a limit.”

  “Anal sex.”

  She froze like a deer in the headlights. “No, I don’t think...no.”

  “Kitten, it’s okay. If that’s a limit for you, we don’t do it.” Admittedly, it was a disappointing limit because it was something he enjoyed, but he was a big boy and he’d get over it. Hell, she could always change her mind. And if she didn’t, there were so many other things he could do to her.

  She relaxed slightly, her breath easing out in a small gust. “Okay.”

  “Being tied up?”

  Heat surged into her eyes and her nipples hardened under her sweater. He clenched his hands against the steering wheel to keep from reaching out to touch her.

  “Not a limit.”

  Thank God for that. “How about—”

  “Hey, that sign said Jeremys Run Overlook. Can we stop?”

  “Sure. It’s one of my favorite views. My family came here a lot when I was a kid, and my parents have pictures of me at different ages in front of the sign.” He pulled off the road and onto the overlook. They were the only ones there and, in fact, had only seen a handful of other cars so far on the drive. For December, it wasn’t too bad. Colder than home, but that was expected in the mountains. He helped Becca with her jacket, then reached in the car and grabbed his camera and the tripod. By the time he got everything, she stood at the walled edge of the overlook.

  * * *

  Becca stared down into the canyon. “This is gorgeous. A little eerie. It’s so quiet, and the trees look almost skeletal.”

  “It’s definitely different than I’m used to seeing it, but it has a beauty all its own,” Jeremy said, fiddling with his camera. “Sit on the wall and face me, kitten.”

  She turned and sat, pushing her sunglasses up onto the top of her head. She grinned happily at him. “Hi.”

  He looked up from the camera and stared at her. Just stared, making her turn to look behind her. “What?”

  “You’re incredibly beautiful. And I still can’t believe you’re here with me.”

  God, he was sweet. “I can’t believe I’m here either,” sh
e said and it was the truth. She’d wanted him, but it wasn’t until she signed up for this year’s mitzvah that she allowed herself to wonder if it was even a possibility. The fact that she now knew they were going to wind up naked together was even more unbelievable. It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when, and understanding that made her ridiculously hot for him. Hotter than she’d been last night when he’d had his hands all over her.

  He fiddled with the camera some more, then jogged over and sat down next to her, slinging an arm around her shoulder. “Smile, kitten. I have it on a timer.”

  She gave a photo smile and leaned into him, relaxing once she saw the shutter flash.

  He didn’t get up, instead dragged her onto his lap so she was straddling him, her legs hanging over the edge of the wall on the other side. The position put her crotch flush up against his erection, and she groaned, grabbing his shoulders for balance.

  He laughed, but it died in his throat as she wiggled, trying to get closer to his heat. His fingers scraped against her scalp as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, tugging her head back. It didn’t hurt, not even when he kissed her neck, biting gently into her skin. Instead, fire raced through her veins and she squirmed against him.

  “Jesus, kitten, you feel good. If it wasn’t dead of winter, I’d fuck you right here, out in the open, with the water rushing by below us and wind whispering through the trees. You’d be in a skirt with nothing on under it, and I’d unzip my pants and pull you close so I could slide my cock inside you.” As he spoke, he rocked her back and forth over the hard ridge of his erection. “And since we’re out in the open, you’d have to be extra quiet so no one knew I was fucking you.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the images he planted in her head. Her face flushing as he held her down so he could thrust up into her in tiny increments. His hands biting into her hips as he kissed her, his tongue mimicking what his body was doing. Him whispering dirty words to her. Against her will, a small whimper escaped and he laughed, the sound low and wickedly hot.

  “The idea turns you on, doesn’t it?”

  She couldn’t lie to him, or to herself. “Yes.”

  “Me too.”

  His hand slid under her jacket, tunneling under her sweater. She shivered, but she wasn’t sure if it was from the coolness of his hand or the fact that he was angling it closer and closer to her breast.

  “Look at me, kitten.”

  She did, and he locked eyes with her. Then his large hand cupped her breast, and with two fingers, he pinched her nipple and rolled it. Hard. Her eyes fluttered shut at the bite of pain that wound its way down to her core, making the contact with his erection exquisite torture. “Oh, God.”

  With her feet hanging over the ledge, she had very little leverage. He had the control, and he used it. As he rocked against her, a car pulled into the far end of the overlook. Her heart sped up, but he kept the motion going, pinching her nipple harder, his erection and her jeans rubbing against her clit. “Come for me, kitten. Right now.”

  To her absolute shock she did, a scream trying to break free. She clenched her teeth against it, not wanting the sound to carry to the car that had started moving again, coasting past them. She didn’t look behind her, didn’t want to know if anyone was witnessing her flying apart.

  He tucked her head into his chest, holding her close as the car pulled back out of the overlook.

  When her breathing returned to somewhat normal and she stopped shaking so much, she eased back from him, her face flooding with heat. “I...um...wow.”

  He grinned crookedly, but even his cheeks were tinged pink. Not too surprising. He was still hard beneath her. “Couldn’t let this opportunity pass by, not after what we’d just been talking about. I hadn’t intended on letting you come nearly that soon.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Letting me?”

  “Part of my rules, kitten. You get to come only when I say you do, and I plan to drive you to the brink of madness before I make that happen again. You’ll hate it but you’ll love it at the same time. Trust me.” He lifted her off his lap and set her feet back down on the ground.

  Her knees were a bit wobbly, but he steadied her as he stood, then smacked her across the ass. She yelped.

  He laughed, tweaking her nose. “Come on. Time to get back on the road so we get to the cabin before the sun goes down.”

  They got into the car and she took her jacket off again. She was hot and bothered, even though she’d had an orgasm. God, what an orgasm. And he hadn’t even been inside her. She forced her mind away from that and back to the camera. “Can I see the shot you took with the timer?”

  “Shots, plural. And sure. There should be about ten of them.” He got to the right screen and showed her which button to press, then handed her the camera.

  Slowly, she flipped through the pictures, her heart beating faster at each one. They were sexy as hell, the look in his eyes intense, the smile on her face truly happy. Two of them were blurry, when he’d pulled her onto his lap. And on the very last one, she gasped. “Oh!”

  Chapter Seven

  She turned the camera toward him and when Jeremy saw the photograph, he felt the jolt straight to his already aching cock. The timer had snapped the shot while he’d had her head pulled back and his teeth set against her throat. It looked primal and wild, the controlling nature of it vivid against Shenandoah’s stark winter backdrop. Her jeans were pulled tight against her ass, his one hand half on it and half already under her jacket.

  That picture was going on his nightstand.

  She turned it back to herself and stared at it, quiet. He let her look her fill as he pulled back out onto the road, headed toward their cabin in the woods. He imagined he knew some of what was going on in her head. The pose was thoroughly possessive on his part, unquestionably submissive on hers, and she hadn’t quite come to grips with that idea yet.

  When the miles rolled by and she was still quiet, he grew concerned. “Becca?”

  “Sorry.” She smiled easily at him. “Sometimes I drift off into my own little world.”

  The tension in his gut loosened. He didn’t ask her to explain, but decided to go the teasing route. “A daydreamer, huh? Who keeps the rest of your class from doing the same?”

  “Hah. I’ll have you know I have total control over my classroom. Well, mostly. I do have a few kids who drift off into their own heads, but since I’m the same way, it doesn’t bother me. I can redirect them as needed.”

  “I could’ve used a teacher like you when I was a kid. I got in trouble a lot for not paying attention.” He looked over at her, at her slender yet curvy body. “But if they’d looked like you, I’d have gotten into a whole different kind of trouble.”

  It was obvious to him she really didn’t know how beautiful she was. While he was probably biased to some degree, he’d heard other guys on his squad say the same. In cruder terms, yeah, and he’d given them hell for it, but they’d seen her appeal, too. And then he’d made her off-limits as a ride-along to anyone but him. He’d taken shit for that, but whatever.

  She laughed even as she waved the comment away. “You turned out pretty well, all things considered.”

  He snorted. “My mother’s relieved, I’ll tell you that. She spent a lot of time at the principal’s office for me. After ten years as a cop, I think she’s finally realized I’m firmly on this side of the law, and not the other.”

  She chuckled, then fell silent. The last ten minutes of their drive passed quickly and soon after stopping to pick up the key, he was pulling onto the lane that led to their small, semi-isolated cabin.

  The Skyland area of the park had several motel-like connected cabins, but he preferred the solitude of this private one. He’d stayed here before, and small as it was, it was perfect for his needs, even with a pleasantly unexpected guest. The full-sized bed would be tight, but that just meant he’d have her close all night long. After five years of impotent wanting, and then leaving her last night when she’d begged hi
m not to go, he was ready.

  He stopped the car and she got out, practically vibrating with energy. Christ, he couldn’t wait to channel that into screaming orgasms for both of them. First things first, though. They needed to unpack and get their stuff inside.

  “This is incredible,” she said, her eyes dancing. She grabbed her bag and climbed the stairs to the cabin, right behind him. He opened the door and stepped inside. She followed him in and stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, wow.”

  It was rustic but cozy, and someone had turned on the heat and opened the curtains. The wide window faced the deck and the canyon beyond, and it looked almost as though the cabin was situated at the very edge. Not quite, but the view was spectacular. He opened the door to the deck and tugged Becca outside with him. He’d wondered on the way here if they’d see any other cabins from theirs now that leaves were off the trees, but it was still mostly secluded, with only a vague outline of another cabin in the distance.

  “I know I said this before, but wow.” She leaned against the railing, her arms propped on the edge. “Incredible view.”

  He was sure the pose was innocent, because she didn’t have a game-playing bone in her body, but it was still an invitation he couldn’t pass up. He stepped behind her, grasped her hips and rubbed his erection against her ass and leaned over her, speaking softly in her ear. “Yes, it is. And I’m not talking about the canyon.”

  She straightened up quickly and accidentally caught him in the cheek with her head, exactly where that dirtbag had hit him yesterday. He saw stars and tried to bite back the curse, but he wasn’t successful. “Shit.”

  She whirled, dismay in her eyes. “Oh, God. I’m sorry!” She reached out to touch his cheek, but it was tender and even he didn’t want to touch it. He brought his hand up to block her.