Not So Silent Night

Title Page

Not So Silent Night

Kelly Ryan

Breathless Press

Calgary, Alberta

www.breathlesspress.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or

persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Not So Silent Night

Copyright © 2013 Kelly Ryan

ISBN: 978-1-77101-205-8

Cover Artist: Victoria Miller

Editor: Leona Bushman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in reviews.

Breathless Press

www.breathlesspress.com

I would like to thank all my friends, especially the fellow creative types who let me bounce ideas off of them, and family for their love and support. I also want to thank my editor who makes me look so good!

Sniffling, sneezing, and itching eyes; just what Anna needed to brighten her already dismal holiday season. It appeared she was literally allergic to Christmas. Her first Christmas working in the flower shop she had inherited from her grandmother, and she turned out to be allergic to the greenery and the poinsettias this season required.

“I always knew there was a reason I hated this stupid holiday,” she muttered to herself as she got ready to close. “Only two more days, I can last two more days and then I can get rid of all this crap.” Thankfully, she would not be open on Christmas Day itself, so the end was in sight. In fact, she planned to spend her Christmas getting rid of all the plants that had been making her miserable for the past month.

She had almost finished cleaning up in back when she heard the bell on the door ring less than five minutes before closing. “Seriously? Can’t people let me get out of here on time just one damn night?” she muttered to herself as she stormed toward the front so she could wait on her customer and then get the hell out of the store.

Anna whipped around the corner in a huff, not caring if she scared the latecomer customer away. She stopped in her tracks and almost forgot what she was pissed about when she saw the customer in question. The most breathtaking back view of a man she had ever seen stood just inside the doorway and her brain stopped working for the moment. Wow, who knew broad shoulders and a great rear could stop a woman in her tracks? While she gawked like an idiot, the man turned around and proved to be even more distracting from the front. This man was like a wall of muscle, perfect body attached to a very masculine and handsome face with the deepest blue eyes Anna had ever seen.

“Sorry, I know you are about to close, but I need a gift of flowers,” he said when he saw Anna. He had a very thick eastern European accent she thought it might be Russian which of course only made him hotter. She noticed his eyes taking her in and she couldn’t help but stand a little straighter, showing her curves off to her advantage while she absentmindedly ran her fingers through her long, wavy auburn hair, which most men seemed to love.

It took Anna’s brain a few moments to catch up before she could speak. Her previous anger and frustration vanished, replaced by eagerness to help this particular customer. “No problem at all. Do you have an idea of what kind of gift you are looking for? Is this for your girlfriend or wife?” Anna held her breath as she waited for this mystery man to answer.

“No, it is for my mother. My family is visiting for the holidays and I almost forgot today’s her birthday. You are the only shop still open in all of Manchester, so I thought flowers are a perfect gift.” The mystery man smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat.

Anna shook her head slightly, trying to clear her mind. It was so unlike her to let a man distract her. Hell, she had barely even looked at men since Ryan, but it hurt to think about him, so she tried to concentrate on her job. “Well if she is just visiting, you probably don’t want to get her a plant, which would be hard for her to get back home. A floral arrangement seems best to me. Do you know what her favorite flower is? Her favorite color?” Anna tried to be professional as she skirted the gorgeous man in her midst and turned her store sign to say closed and locked the door. “Sorry, but I want to make sure you are the last customer of the night.”

“Of course, I am sorry to be keeping you late. Please feel free to add an extra charge. I am just glad you are open and I can give my mother something beautiful. I trust your judgment. Give me the biggest and best arrangement you have,” the mysterious man said, while following Anna with his eyes. She could physically feel his gaze on her as she moved around the store, searching for the perfect gift.

“Well it is winter; white is a traditional winter color without being Christmasy, which is what I would suggest for a December birthday. I have this fairly large piece already made. If your mother has a favorite flower I can emphasize it and I think she will be very happy.” Anna said, trying to be all business despite being incredibly attracted to and interested in the man in her midst. She felt drawn to him; something about him felt familiar even though she had never met him before. She had only felt something like this once before. She shook her head and stopped that line of thought in its tracks. She had work to do.

“How beautiful. Perhaps you can add some more white roses? You are very good at what you do; this is exactly what my mother will love.”

“Excellent. Let me put these in a larger vase, I’ll cut the roses, and you will be ready to go. It should not take me more than ten minutes if you can wait,” Anna said, heading toward the work area at the back of the store. Her mystery man followed behind her, his eyes literally burning into her from behind. She quickly began working with the flowers, doing her best to do a good job and make her customer happy, like the good businessperson she was so desperately trying to be to honor her grandmother’s memory.

Anna got lost in her work and her thoughts, so she literally jumped when she heard the deep male voice right behind her. “You are so talented at this. How long have you been working with flowers? It is okay for me to be back here watching you?”

“Of course it is, sir. I am trying to hurry for you but still make a beautiful presentation for your mother. As to your question, I have worked around flowers off and on my entire life. This was my grandmother’s shop. I grew up here. Once she got sick, I moved back here to take care of her and the shop. She’s gone now and I inherited the shop, for better or worse,” Anna answered without a second thought.

“Please call me Alexander or Alex, not sir. And you are?” Alexander seemed to be so much more interested in her than in the flowers she worked with.

“Anna. Nice to meet you, Alexander. So you just got the quick sketch of my life, so perhaps I can ask where you are from. I love your accent.”

“Russia. I grew up right outside of Moscow.”

“Russia? Wow! What brings you to small town Vermont? Other than the snow, I can’t imagine we are anything like Moscow,” Anna said in true wonderment.

“My family came to visit and we wanted to go somewhere quiet. I live in Washington, D.C. now. Here seemed like a good spot for a vacation. And I must say I am glad we picked this town on a whim.” Alexander moved even closer to her, close enough they were almost touching and he could gently stroke her hair, sending a visible shiver down her back. “I am not making you uncomfortable, am I?”

Anna swallowed. “No, uncomfortable is not exactly the word for what you are making me feel.” She turned around so she stared up into Alexander’s deep blue eyes. They were close enough for her to kiss his full lips and she found herself wanting to very much.

“You are a very beautiful woman, Anna.” Alexander stepped even closer so their bodies touched. Anna immediately felt heat rush all through her body from only a little contact. She felt her own blue eyes widen in anticipation.

“Thank you,” Anna murmured, feeling a blush spread across her face, so evident on her pale skin. “So are you... I mean, you are very attractive too.”

Alexander smiled and leaned down so his lips almost touched hers. “I am going to kiss you now, Anna, unless you tell me not to.”

“Umm, okay.” Anna’s breath grew heavier as Alexander brought his lips to meet hers. He started slowly teasing her, giving her a chance to stop him, before he deepened the kiss. At first Anna just stood there, letting him take charge, before her brain caught up and she decided to wrap her arms around him. She pulled their bodies closer together, deepening the kiss, knowing they were quickly about to move beyond kissing.

“If you want to stop this, now is the time,” Alexander said in a tense yet tender voice as he lifted her onto her workbench. “After this, I don’t know if I will be able to stop. I want you like I have never wanted a woman. I am drawn to you in a way I cannot explain.”

Even though it was completely out of character for Anna, her response came out as more of a plea rather than an answer. “Please, whatever you do, don’t stop.”

That seemed to be all the encouragement Alexander needed. He brought his lips back down to Anna’s, forcing her mouth open with his tongue, clearly attempting to claim it as his own. He pushed his body in between her legs; Anna quickly wrapped her legs around him, scooting closer, wanting to feel more of his body next to hers. Meanwhile, Alexander reached down, pulling her sweater off in one swift motion, and let out a sigh of desire when he saw her full breasts, hard nipples and all, peeking through her lacy bra. He immediately lowered his mouth to her aching nipples, sucking and nipping them in turn, right through her bra, causing her to let out noises of pure pleasure. She reached back and unhooked her bra, freeing herself so Alexander could devour her more.

Anna rubbed herself against the huge and growing bulge in Alexander’s pants, making herself wetter by the second. She pulled frantically at his clothing, needing to get him out of it as soon as possible. He raised his head from her breasts to help her. His jacket and shirt were gone in no time. Anna could not stop herself from touching his broad and well-muscled chest, running her fingers through his chest hair.

Alexander chortled a little. “You’re tickling me.”

“This may sound weird, but you are much hairier than most men I have been with.”

“Then you have been with boys and not men.” Alexander slowly unzipped his pants as he spoke, unleashing himself and letting Anna see just how much of a man he really was, and though she knew there was something more than man about him, she couldn’t waste time thinking about anything right now. She immediately began to undo her own jeans and wriggle out of them. Alexander quickly kicked his remaining clothes off and helped pull her jeans off. He then reached down and ripped her panties right off her.

“There is something about you; I don’t think that I have ever wanted a woman so badly.” He brought his mouth down between her legs and licked her with a ferocity she had never experienced before. She was so built up from the sensual tension between them, he had her screaming in ecstasy in a matter of moments and yet he did not let up. When he finally came up for air he murmured, “You taste fantastic.”

Anna slipped off her worktable, to her knees. “Well let me see if you do too.” Again not stopping to think about what she was doing, she seemed to be full of lust and instinct as she took him into her mouth, purring with pleasure as she sucked him deeper and deeper down her throat. Alexander groaned with desire as well, wrapping his fingers tightly in her long hair, urging her to take him farther yet. She began to pick up her speed. Just when she thought he was about to come undone for her, he pulled her back to her feet.

“No, I want to come inside of you.” He roughly turned her around and pushed her over her worktable. Anna was more than ready as she spread her legs apart and arched her ass up, inviting Alexander to take her. She had never wanted a man the way she wanted this hot and aggressive stranger; she loved how animalistic he was with her, bringing out the animal in her as well.

Alexander grabbed her by the hips and plunged into her. She saw stars for a second and he gave her a minute to adjust before he started pumping into her in earnest. Anna began moaning as she pushed back into him, urging him deeper into her. He was so large, a little pain mixed with her pleasure, but it all suited her just fine. In fact, it made her hotter and wetter by the minute. As he punished her from behind, she reached down and fingered her own clit.

She came quickly, screaming in pure delight, but Alexander did not seem to be ready to slow down. Instead, he pulled out, swung her around, and lifted her back onto her worktable. “I want to watch you as I please you,” he said as he entered her once more. He was more forceful, thrusting faster and faster, as if unable to control his urges, his need to come, any longer.