Temporary Home (25 page)

“Spending some quality time with Mrs Claus.”

“Sam,” she whispered as he reached out to the zipper on the front of her outfit.

“Roxi.”

“This isn’t a good idea.”

“You ignoring what’s between us isn’t a good one. This…this is a very good one.” He trailed his finger along the collar of the dress and goose bumps popped up beneath his touch. “Your skin is like silk,” he murmured.

She didn’t move, just stared at him. Sam put his face to hers and kissed her lips. Lightly. Then he backed off. She gave a whimper and lunged at him, arms wrapping around his neck. Roxi pressed their mouths together, her tongue surging into his mouth as she stroked deep. Her passion inflamed his and he met her thrust for thrust.

His hands dropped down and cupped her ass beneath the skirt. A thong. The knowledge sent spikes of heat through his cock and it pulsed. With a low growl, he took control and backed them so she was against the wall.

“One chance,” he rumbled, knowing he was close to losing his control. But if she said no, he’d find a way to stop. Somehow.

She fumbled with the button on his pants and he took that as her answer. He snapped her thong while she simultaneously freed him. His jeans were around his ankles then he spread her, lifted her and sank her down on his engorged shaft.

“Yes,” she hissed, her muscles clamping down around him.

He couldn’t speak. It seemed like forever since he’d been inside her velvet heat. Silken walls rippled around him and he knew she wouldn’t last long either. He hooked her legs around his hips and grimaced slightly from the feel of the boot heels against his skin. Then she tightened around him and he forgot everything but her.

He thrust into her, driving her into the wall with each stroke. She dragged her nails over his skin, settling one hand on the back of his head. Guiding him to her breast, she arched into him and he took the hint. Popping it free of the tight constraint, he laved, nipped, and suckled on the nipple, and all the while Roxi writhed against him. Undulating to his thrusts.

His mind was shutting down everything except the woman in his arms. That was all he knew. Her touch, her scent, her feel. He noticed her moving her other hand between them and when it disappeared beneath the red of her skirt, he knew.

“Uh…uh…uh…” she mewled as her fingers played with her clit in time with his strokes.

He could feel the brush of her nails while he moved inside her only to withdraw and do it again. Over and over, he thrust. She kept up, asking for more and he gave it to her.

Skin flushed and sweaty, as she moved in tandem with him, the passion which had been ignored came to a heated culmination. He couldn’t get enough. And he didn’t think he ever would. Instead of soothing his hunger, it seemed each second increased it.

Releasing her breast, he stared at her. Her eyes were smoky with passion and she watched him from beneath half-lowered lids. Her lips were shiny and swollen, parted slightly with each panting breath she expelled.

Her lids began to close all the way and he tweaked her nipple. “Watch me, Roxi. Eyes on me.”

She drew them back up to his and he bent to brush their lips together.

“Good girl. Come with me,” he murmured.

She did. Her back bowed and she shattered around him. Her walls tightened on his cock, milking him, and he followed her into bliss. He erupted deep within her and he didn’t stop pumping until his cock had finished shooting thick jets of his seed.

Roxi shuddered and he moved them to the bed. Laying her down, he covered her, not willing to separate yet. A light kiss and he lifted so he could look at her.

“For what it’s worth, Santa likes the suit.”

Her sated aura faded, leaving behind one of sadness. “Of course he does.” She shook her head. “We can’t keep doing this, Sam.”

He knew her walls were snapping up into place and he hated it. Didn’t know how to stop it, though. He kicked off his shoes and managed to get his pants and boxers off as well. Pulling out of her, he whipped his shirt off and tossed it to the side before going to work on her boots. Soon, she was just as naked as he was, her outfit hanging off the foot of the bed, and they were under the blankets with his arms around her.

“We’re not done.”

A sharp precursory knock came on the door before it cracked open. “Everyone decent in here?” Laila stuck her head in and shook her head.

Sam didn’t release Roxi, nor did he allow her to bury her head. Beneath the blankets, he placed his hand over her stomach and drew small circles on her still-sweaty skin.

“Covered, at least,” he said.

“Look at you two, how cute. Look, I’m off to go check on Dean. I see my outfit may be ruined after all,” she said with a glare. “I’ll bring the other one when I come back. I’ll be back in thirty minutes. Please, please,
please
be dressed by then. I don’t need to see my brother and his woman in bed.”

“You’re the one who came in,” he reminded her.

“We were working, Sam, when you came and interrupted us,” Laila growled back. “So I’m going. Get the rest of it out of your system and be dressed in thirty.” She shook her head again and vanished.

Roxi made to move the second Laila closed the door behind her and he held her tight. “Where are you going?”

“Shower. And then getting dressed.”

He took her hand and curved it around his stiffening length. “Roxi.”

“Shit, I have no fucking willpower when it comes to you,” she sighed, rolling over and lifting a leg to straddle him.

* * * *

He and Roxi had used up almost all of that thirty minutes Laila had given them right there in Roxi’s bed. Despite the smile on his face, Sam was worried. He smacked her on the ass and said, “Come on. Let’s shower.”

She went with him to her master bathroom and soon they stood under the pulsing spray. He picked up the loofah and soaped it up when she gave him a wicked grin and dropped to her knees before him.

“Roxi,” he groaned as she reached out and took his erection in her hands.

“Yes, Sam? Don’t bother Mrs Claus.”

She leaned in and licked around the crown of his cock before opening up her mouth and slipping him in. She stroked him with one hand and sucked and lapped at him as if his shaft was her favourite flavour of lollipop.

“Fuck,” he muttered, trying to refrain from thrusting into her. Hard and fast.

Her teeth lightly scraped the head as her nails did the same thing to his balls. Faster her hand moved and harder she sucked until he sank his hands into her wet hair and held her there to power into the waiting recess of her mouth. Over and over until he came with a low roar. She watched him, her brown eyes content and satisfied. Pulling free of her mouth, he then lifted her and reached out to repay her.

She shook her head and said, “We have to get out. Laila will be arriving soon.”

Damn it all, he wanted back inside her. Where those satiny velvet walls held him too tightly. Swallowing back his lust, he washed her, taking his time between her legs until she came around his fingers with a low moan of pleasure. Knowing that would have to hold him for a while, they finished up quickly and he had dressed and was out in the kitchen when Laila returned.

Once Roxi emerged she was a totally different person. It was as if what they’d done together hadn’t even happened. She treated him as she had when he’d first arrived. Polite, but nothing really personal.

Now, as he drove to Second Chances, he couldn’t help but be concerned. He wanted her and she seemed ready to relegate him to the past column, despite easily giving in to have sex with him. That wasn’t okay to his mind. Then there was the fact he
again
hadn’t used any protection. He’d come inside her numerous times but this time, the thought he may have got her pregnant didn’t fill him to the brim with a mind-numbing fear.

“You’re the reason,” he told himself as he drove along through the rain. “Because you can’t tell her what she means to you.”

His cell rang and he answered it. “Hello, Laila.”

“How’d you know it was me?” she asked.

“Hunch.” He’d been expecting it. “What’s up?”

“What the hell are you doing?” she thundered. “I warned you, I
warned
you about messing with her.”

“What did you tell her about Tracey?” he countered.

“Nothing. I didn’t say anything more than you broke up with her about two years ago. And wouldn’t be asking another woman to marry you because of what that bitch did to you.”

His heart sank and he swore. “What did you tell her that for?”

“It’s what you told me,” she defended her actions. “What’s the big deal? You’re the one who told me it wasn’t serious between you and Roxi.”

“I lied!” he shouted. “Damn it, Laila. You know she means something to me.”

“Telling me ain’t going to do a damn thing, Sam.” Her voice gentled. “You need to tell her that. Not me.” A moment of silence. “I warned you, Sam. I told you she would need more.”

He rolled his shoulders, hating the tenseness in them. “I know, Laila. I need you to make sure she still will play Mrs Claus. I have a feeling she may try to skip out now.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Deal with my past so I don’t lose my future.”

“Love you, Sam.”

“Love you, too, Laila.” He hung up and had the rest of the drive in silence. He flashed his ID and got on base. Parking at his destination, he climbed out and raced through the cold rain to the door.

He shook the rain off his ball cap and stepped into the dry building. At the room he looked for, he pushed in and found a few of the Marines who would be at the children’s home there.

“Hey, Hoch,” Brent said.

“Guys.” He gave a sharp nod of greeting.

“What brings you out here?”

“I need some help.”

They all gathered around and he outlined what he needed them to do. Once they agreed he thanked them and headed back to the door.

“Sam, wait.”

He turned and saw Tracey there. “What?”

He realised in that moment, he didn’t hate her for what she’d done to him. No, if anything, he pitied her. She seemed so lost. When he’d talked to the guys, she’d not been there so she must have come in another door as he’d been getting ready to leave.

“What are you doing here? Do you have time to catch up?”

Was she kidding?
“For what? You made your point perfectly clear. You wanted to sleep around. Or was it you just wanted to be in an ‘open’ relationship? Not sure. And I don’t care.”

She pouted. “But we were so good. We talked so much about everything.”

And yet he knew less about her than the woman with whom he tried keeping at a distance. “And it meant nothing.” He paused before he turned from her. “I expect you to be professional at this thing, Corporal.”

“The woman from earlier?”

“None of your business.” There was a silent order of
leave it alone
in his words and he expected her to follow them.

“For what it’s worth, Sam, I’m sorry. And you’re one hell of a catch. She’d be lucky to have you.”

He ran his gaze dispassionately over her again before leaving. Tracey was wrong. He’d be lucky if Roxi would give him a chance. When he’d left the house this afternoon, Roxi’s face had been closed off as she’d stood talking to Laila.

Back in his truck, he placed another call. Once that one was over, he pulled out and drove off base. He stopped at a parking garage and climbed out. He had one more present to get.

* * * *

There was only one light on when he got back, other than the Christmas ones. Roxi was nowhere to be found and there was no note. He went to Laila’s for dinner and sat playing chess with Dean after it was over.

“Ready, son?” Dean asked, moving a pawn.

“For what, sir?”

“The thing at Second Chances. You have your dress uniform ready too, right?”

“Dress uniform?”

“Yes. Your blood stripes. After the kids get their things, there is a party for the adults. It’s a thank you from the staff. But, we dress up for it.”

“No one said anything about it to me, but yes, I’m ready.” He didn’t usually like parties but hey, an opportunity to dance with Roxi. Grab her under the mistletoe. Any of it worked for him.

“And how are you and Roxi going?”

He slid his knight. “We’re not going anywhere. She’s going to be my Mrs Claus. I haven’t seen her since this afternoon.”

“I bet she is, son. I just bet she is.”

“Pardon?” He looked up at Dean.

“You said she’s going to be
your
Mrs Claus instead of just Mrs Claus. I was just agreeing with you.”

Sam felt his heart pick up speed. He didn’t try to correct Dean’s understanding for he had no intention of letting her go. He grunted and repositioned another piece, capturing a pawn.

“Laila said Tracey is here.”

“She is.”

“And you’ve seen her.”

“I have.”

“Care to share anything else?”

“Nothing else to share, sir. She knows she needs to be nothing but professional at the kids’ thing.”

Dean harrumphed and moved his rook. “Very well.”

Sam took a peek at Dean. He knew the old man just wanted to protect him. And he loved him for it, but he was fine. Didn’t need it. Not anymore. Tracey didn’t have any hold or power over him.

They finished the game while talking about other things. Dean reminisced and Sam enjoyed listening to him. As he ran through the rain to Roxi’s house, he hoped to find her inside. It was almost ten at night.

Any colder than this and they would have snow for Christmas. He unlocked the door and pushed into the warmth. There were no more lights on than when he’d left to head over to Laila’s. He peered out into the garage and saw her vehicle beside his truck and smiled. Only to frown seconds later.

Her door was shut. He went to his room and got ready for bed before padding back out into the living room where he sat on the couch with a book. After reading for an hour, he got the distinct impression she wasn’t coming back out of her room. He went to knock on her door but stopped just shy of actually doing so.