All I Want For Christmas Is You (3 page)

There was never a more gorgeous sight in Casey’s opinion. Ileana was beautiful and sexy wearing a sweat suit and socks covered in silver strands of tinsel. It was even in her hair, which was a bit messed up but still appealing as hell. Casey cleared his throat, and she turned and grinned. His heart picked up speed just a bit because it was the most genuine look of happiness to see him he had seen in a long time.

“What’s that smell that has my tummy rumbling?” He walked in the room and stood next to her. Without the heels or even the tall winter boots, she was still tall enough to look him in the eyes.

“I found a ham in your kitchen and enough stuff to make Christmas dinner,” Ileana explained. “I think your butler and his wife might have been planning to stay here at some point. There are even homemade rolls frozen in your walk-in freezer and cake batter. I have those thawing out for tomorrow.”

“Uh-huh.” Casey couldn’t think of another thing to say. He was busy staring into the depths of her eyes and seeing happiness there.

She outstretched her hands and twirled around. Tinsel flew everywhere. “So what do you think?”

Her arm, still full with tinsel, came very close to his face when she spun back around to face him. Casey laughed and ducked out of the way in time. “I think it looks great. I also think we have been attacked by tinsel aliens.”

Ileana gave him an embarrassed look. “I think I went a bit overboard with the silver stuff.”

“At least it’s not snow in a can. Then we’d both be high as a kite,” Casey teased, and they both started laughing.

When their laughter faded, he asked, “Seriously, are you having fun?”

She stared up at him, her eyes alight with laughter. “I actually am. I haven’t been able to kick back and cut loose for a long time. This feels really good.”

“Glad to hear it.” Casey cleared his throat uncomfortably. He didn’t want to bring up the subject, but he knew he had to. “About upstairs. . . In my room . . . Um, what you saw . . .”

Ileana cut him off gently. “You don’t have to explain, Casey. You’ll tell me if or when you want to.”

She essentially let him off the hook, and Casey was grateful for the reprieve. But somehow he felt as if he could tell her and she would understand. “Thank you. So, when’s dinner?”

“Right now, if you’re ready. How about we adjourn to the kitchen?”

Do you mind if we eat in here?” Casey asked. “The tree looks awesome, and I just want to be in a room that actually looks festive.”

Ileana touched the head of one of the toy soldiers. “It looks like a Christmas store threw up in here, doesn’t it?”

“Kinda, but I like it.” Casey grinned and imitated her by touching the toy soldiers at the door as they passed. “You know these are for outside right?”

“Yup, but I think they set off the room nicely.”

Together, they went into the huge kitchen, and she made them both big plates of dinner. She moved efficiently around the room, as if she had lived there all her life and knew every nook and cranny. He ventured in there to the pantry for an occasional bag of potato chips or a candy bar. He could tell she enjoyed the room by how her fingers trailed along the marble countertops and how she replaced a pot or pan back to its position lovingly. Underneath that cool, businesslike exterior she had shown him when she walked through the door, she was a warm, caring woman. But like her, he would wait until she was ready to tell those secrets.

Plates heaped with ham, potatoes, mixed vegetables, and rolls, they headed back to the living room to sit in front of the roaring fire. Casey flicked on the TV in the corner, and in minutes, they were laughing at cartoons while they ate. The companionable feeling between them was something that Casey hadn’t realized he had missed until now. He pretended that the outside world did not matter, and in a few hours, she had shown him that he was a lonely man.

“Wanna play a video game?” Casey asked impulsively.

“Don’t we have to wait a half an hour before we do that?” Ileana teased.

“Honey, that’s swimming. Come on, let’s play a video game,” he coaxed.

“Okay, fine. Where’s your system? Do you have a Play Station Three or something?” she asked looking around.

Casey threw her a wicked grin. “Oh, I have something much better. Come on.”

He led the way downstairs slowly. The cold was seeping into his bones, and because of his accident, he moved with less mobility. Casey opened the door to his workroom and flipped the lights on. Her gasp of amazement as she looked around made him proud. She was one of the only people who ever saw his pride and joy, his virtual reality room where he created some of his best work.

“Oh my God, what is this place?’ Ileana asked in awe.

“This is my work place, aptly named ‘I-spy,’
” Casey said with pride.

“What do you do for a living?” She walked around looking at everything intently. She reached out to touch a piece of equipment but pulled her hand back like one touch would break it. “Because this doesn’t seem like the simulations you were talking about.”

“I create video games for one of the top gamer companies.”

“Oh wow, how cool is that! Will you show me how these work? Wait, what kind of games? Can I be Mario?”

Casey chuckled. “Honey, this is not that kind of system. This is a virtual reality board that puts you right inside the game.”

Her mouth formed a cute little
o
as Casey proceeded to explain how they would play. He helped her get into her virtual equipment, and then he did the same before turning on the game projector. Around them, the room changed to a jungle setting. From there, they began fighting mutant prehistoric animals trying to escape a jungle and eat humanity. Every time something jumped out at her, Ileana screamed and began firing her virtual weapon. Behind his mask, Casey grinned, seeing how much fun she was having.

“Get it, Casey, get it, get it! It’s coming!” She squealed as a giant mutant bird flew overhead.

Casey fired his laser weapon. “Damn, I missed it! You get it, Ileana. Go, girl, go!”

Virtual Ileana chased the mutant bird, laser weapon sending red bullets through the jungle. She missed every time, but her laughter was contagious. The bird turned around and flew back at her.

“Uh-oh. Run, baby, run!” Casey yelled.

Virtual Ileana turned on her heels and ran, but when she looked behind her, the predator swooped and screamed at her as she fell.

Casey ripped his helmet off and stopped the game. He rushed to Ileana’s side and pulled the helmet from her head gently.

“Are you okay?” Concern laced his voice. “I’m sorry. We should have played something less hectic.”

When he got her helmet off, Ileana was flushed. Her eyes glittered like dark amber jewels, and the biggest grin he had ever seen was on her face.

“That was the coolest thing I have ever done!” She sat up and pushed strands of hair from her face. “Did you see that? I shot at big bird thingies and hit a few. Oh, that last one is mine when we play again.”

Casey listened to her stream of words with amused interest. He’d never met a woman like her. At home with being a cool sophisticate, with being nurturing and puttering around in his kitchen, and now with playing video games with the enjoyment of a teenager. She was so many things rolled into one beautiful package. Casey couldn’t help going on just instinct. He leaned forward and kissed her.

Ileana made a sound of surprise, and then her lips softened under his. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and she returned his kiss eagerly. Heat infused his body, and her mouth opened under his, daring him to enter and to taste her. She tasted of the sweet wine she had after dinner. Her tongue darted out. Casey groaned in his throat as her tongue played in his mouth. She took over the kiss, nibbled gently at his lips before pulling him again and fusing their mouths together.

Casey sat and pulled her onto his lap, never letting his lips leave hers. His hands held on to her waist before traveling up to cup her breasts through the soft material of her sweatshirt. Ileana moaned and moved sensually in response in his lap. Casey’s cock hardened in aching response.
This isn’t real, just a fantasy
. That thought made him break off the kiss. They were breathing hard when the kiss ended, and when Ileana leaned in for another kiss, he gently pulled away.

“I’m sorry that this happened, Ileana.”

“I’m not,” she replied, looking directly at him.

“You don’t owe me anything,” he reminded her softly. “I invited you here for a nice Christmas weekend, and that was it.”

“I know I don’t owe you anything, Casey. I threw the money back at you, remember?” She got up, and Casey noticed how she automatically avoided pressing on his injured side. “But I have to tell you that was one amazing kiss, and there’s something there. I’m a woman who knows what she wants.”

She reached out her hand to help him up, and Casey grasped her firm grip. “What do you want, Ileana?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t, but God, you made me wet with one kiss. And I want to see where that goes.” Ileana rubbed her fingers across her lips, like she could still feel his mouth on hers. The move made Casey ache all over again. She spoke again, which took his attention from her lips. “I know you’ve been hurt, Casey, in more ways than one, so I’ll be gentle. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

“Maybe a little pain is what I like,” Casey teased huskily.

Ileana patted his cheek gently. “Baby, don’t ask for it until you are ready for it.” She walked away. “I’m off to bed. Good night.”

“Good night,” he called out. He watched her ass while she sashayed away. “Oh, I am in so much trouble.”

Somehow, as he turned off the light to his simulation room with a grin on his face, Casey wasn’t too worried about the trouble called ‘Ileana’ that walked up the stairs.

* * * *

Ileana stepped out of the tub and dried off with a thick plush towel. As the material passed over her breasts, she thought of how Casey kissed her, of how his hand had made her hot through the sweatshirt she wore. Just thinking about it made her shiver all over again. She smiled, recalling his shocked expression when she had basically told him she wanted him. He needed closeness. It was as basic as that. He needed companionship, affection, and maybe just a good plain-old fuck. There was a connection there, and she felt it from the first time their lips met. Even her ex-boyfriend hadn’t given her that kind of charge when they were in bed. Casey sent her from zero to sixty on the horny meter with just a kiss.
One very hot stimulating kiss.

The bed was huge. She climbed onto the massive piece of furniture that seemed to dwarf her even though she was a good five-eight. The sheets were warm, and the coverlet felt wonderful against her skin. But she felt alone in the big bed. In her opinion, it was meant for two people. Feeling inspired, she jumped off the bed and threw on a pair of short pajamas she found in a drawer. Barefoot, she stepped out to the chilly hardwood floor hallway and headed toward Casey’s room. She opened the door quietly and walked toward the bed that was even bigger than the one in her room. She lifted the edge of the covers, slid underneath the covers, and sought his warmth immediately. She felt him tense as she slipped her arm around his waist. It happened to be the same side that had been injured.

“What are you doing here?” he asked huskily.

“Getting warm.” She pressed her face against his back. “Don’t worry. I won’t take advantage of your person.”

He shook with silent laughter, and she could hear the amusement in his voice when he spoke. “Oh, I am sure you could.”

Ileana tried to slip her hand under the cotton T-shirt. He stopped her quickly with one simple word. “Don’t.”

“I won’t hurt you, Casey,” she said softly and kissed his neck. He shivered in response.

“It’s not pretty, Ileana. I don’t want you to be disgusted by me or by my body,” Casey admitted.

“Life isn’t pretty, and if someone made you feel like less because you were hurt, then it’s their hang-up, not yours or mine.” Ileana felt anger rising in her chest. Not at Casey and being obviously hesitant at being touched, but at the person who had given this hang-up.

He moved his hand off hers. It was a silent approval for her to do what she had started. He was tense again when she slipped her hand under his shirt and touched his skin. Tears pricked her eyes as she felt the skin that was supposed to be smooth all puckered and torn. His flesh was warm as her hands gently caressed his injury, and he slowly relaxed.

“Oh, Casey,” she whispered.

“Don’t pity me . . .
 
Please, its worse.” His voice was gruff with unshed tears.

“I don’t pity you, Casey. I just know you had to be in so much pain,” Ileana replied gently. “How did it happen?”

“I like that when you look at me, you don’t know who I am.”

Ileana was confused. “Okay. I’m supposed to know who you are?”

“Casey Logan, three-time gold-medal winner in the winter Olympic games.”

“Um, no, but okay, go on.”

Still facing away from her, he said, “I was part of the X Games two years ago, well, the Extreme Games, since you don’t have clue what I am talking about.” He was trying to keep his voice light, she knew, but he was failing miserably. “Anyway, I was going down the final slope, which was a hard run in Switzerland. My board went one way, and I went another. I went down the side of the mountain filled with sharp rocks, and it messed me up.”