“Wonderful! You’re just in time to stuff the turkey,” Avery said jovially as she opened the door to allow Jesse to enter.

“And here I thought I was going to play with our little guy and watch you cook,” he said in a pretend annoyed grunt.

Avery laughed, his presence always managed to relax her.

“Wyatt is sleeping and will be for at least another three hours, so in the meantime, buster,” she tossed a flowery pink apron at him which he caught deftly in his hands, “get busy.”

“You’re not serious,” he said, staring at the girly piece of material in his hands. The expression on his face was comical, like he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be insulted.

Avery shrugged and flicked her finger up and down his stylishly clad body. “Well, it’s either that or walk around with splatters of fat all over your Versace shirt.”

Avery laughed as he quickly donned the apron. Jesse always looked good enough to eat. Of course, he claimed all the chicks expected him to look good, which was the reason he spent a large chunk of his salary enhancing his wardrobe.

“You better warn that cousin of yours, if he as much as smiles at my attire, I’m cutting off his balls,” he grumbled.

“Dave? Oh, damn, I forgot he’s back in town.” Avery took out some extra potatoes and vegetables. “I haven’t seen him since he came back from Australia two weeks ago.”

It has become tradition for Jesse to pop in for Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch. Dave always joined them if he was in town. His job as an investigative reporter took him away from home quite often.

Dave arrived an hour later with an armful of presents which he carefully placed under the stylishly decorated Christmas tree in the den before he joined them in the kitchen.

“I expected you to drop by earlier, cuz. Been busy?” Avery asked as she handed him a cup of eggnog. She was a sucker for old traditions, especially on Christmas.

“Yeah, and I’m off to South Africa in the New year. The political crisis there warrants some in-depth investigation, especially in line with the treaty they’ve signed with certain countries.”

“As long as you don’t stick your nose in where it would get you into trouble. Wyatt already loves his uncle Dave,” she cautioned. She couldn’t hide the concern about the dangers he faced at times.

Dave hugged her briefly. “Thanks for always worrying about me, cuz, but I’ll be fine.”

The atmosphere was relaxed and charming throughout lunch. Avery felt blessed that she had their company to make her feel wanted over the festive season. It was in times like these that she missed her parents. Her eyes blurred. Her father had not dared to oppose her mother and he too had cut her out of his life.

To Avery, parents were supposed to care for and protect their children. It hurt that she meant so little to them and that their status in the community was more important.

They didn’t even know whether her child had been a girl or boy, what his name was, or what he looked like.

After Jesse and Dave left in mid-afternoon, Avery was listless. She stared out of the window at the snowy fairytale her back yard had turned into.

She closed her eyes to allow the vision that had been lurking in the back of her mind to flash like a movie trailer. It was so vivid she could feel his arms around her, as hard and as steady a rock. She felt a rush of helplessness; a surging tide of warmth that left her limp in his proximity.

“Oh lord, get out of my mind,” she moaned, but it was in vain as her mind conjured up the next scene of how she had been lost in the gentleness of his touch, so tender, yet wrought with passion. Goosebumps broke out all over her body as she recalled how he had trailed his fingers over her arms with feather-like touches; then her shoulders, which had caused her breath to falter as he traced a line toward her breasts.

His deep voice drifted into her mind, “So beautiful and so responsive to my touch. Almost like they have been waiting just for me.” His eyes had lifted to scorch her with a look so scathingly hot, she couldn’t breathe. “Only my touch.”

The possessiveness of his words, and the way he made love to her had shaken her. She’d floated on a cloud of serenity; peace and acceptance. She had been scared by what it had made her feel. What it made her want:

Him.

To be in his arms.

It was where she wanted to be; where she belonged.

“I have to get out of here.”

Fifteen minutes later, she was in her happy place. The small little kitchen at Divine Catering where she created and decorated the intricate wedding cakes she was known for.

Wyatt had been bathed and fed and would sleep for at least four hours before he woke up for his night feed. Her neighbor, Anna, had become the grandmother his own denied him and she loved watching over him. She was delighted when Avery had asked if she could leave him with her for a couple of hours.

The radio station was playing Christmas carols and with the soothing notes in the background, Avery soon relaxed and became immersed in her work.

“Hmm, that should do it, I think,” she murmured with satisfaction.

“Do you always invite trouble, Avery?”

“Jesus!” she exclaimed in fright at the deep voice that came from behind her. She pivoted, her hand over her heart that was thumping wildly inside her chest. “You scared the living daylights out of me.”

“I can’t believe you’re that negligent. The door was wide open. Anyone could’ve walked in here,” he scowled at her.

Avery swallowed; caught in the heat of Stone’s eyes which disintegrated the fear that had momentarily filled her mind.

“I’m sure I closed it when I came in,” she mumbled, but admitted silently to the possibility that she had been so caught up in her thoughts of this very man, it might have slipped her mind.

 He muttered something indiscernible in response. He continued to stare at her, the frown between his brows ominous and warned Avery that he was still annoyed with her.

“What are you doing here,” she asked. She did her best to keep her voice even when he took a couple of steps closer.

“Do you make a habit of running away from your lovers, Avery, or am I the lucky one?”

Avery paled.

He couldn’t know. There’s no way he could know it was me last year!

But the glimmer in his eyes said the opposite. Somehow, Stone Jenning knew she had been the masked woman at the ball the previous year.

“H-how did you know?” She stammered. Her fingers unconsciously squeezed the piping bag in her hand. “Shit,” she muttered when a thin line of icing squirted over her hand. She lifted her hand to lick the sugary treat from her fingers.

“Oh,” she gasped when Stone caught her hand in his and lifted her fingers to his lips. He licked the icing off with slow twirls of his tongue around her digits while his eyes blazed into hers.

Her stomach lurched.

He sucked a finger into his mouth, his tongue flicking at the tip in a copycat move of how he’d sucked her clitoris the previous night. It set that little nub throbbing. He pulled her finger out, flicking his tongue at the web between her fingers, licking, sucking until her knees began to wobble.

“Stop,” she whispered. She squeezed her thighs together in a desperate attempt to contain the pulses of fiery need inside her pussy.

“I want an answer, Avery,” he stopped long enough to say before he sucked her finger into his mouth again, watching her with hawk-like intensity.

“I . . . last night . . . I warned you that I couldn’t spent the night. I had to leave,” she responded, finally gathering her senses to remove her fingers from his grasp.

“That’s not what I asked. You ran away, Avery. Without even a by your leave, motherfucker.”

“You don’t have to use such language,” she mumbled, wringing her hands while her mind floundered to find a viable excuse for her behavior.

“Don’t I?” He looked at her searchingly. “I scare you, is that it, Avery?”

Her eyes flared before she lowered her gaze to his chest. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” He pinched her chin between his fingers and tilted her chin back. “You’re not going to hide those eyes from me.”

“Look, Stone, we’re both consenting adults. We had a night of passion and lust. It happens all the time. People do it every day and—”

“Yet, you chose me. Again, on the same night two years in a row.”

And there it was, the gauntlet has been laid. Avery fought to get more oxygen into her lungs.

“What are you talking about?” She whispered, trying her best to keep her stare linked to his unwavering one. She didn’t miss the seriousness displayed in those deep blue eyes of his.

“Don’t, Avery,” he verbalized the threat. If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s an idiot.”

“Technically, I didn’t choose you last night. You were—”

The narrowing in his brooding eyes and his jaw turning rigid, cautioned her he was reaching the end of his patience. She peered gingerly at him from between her lashes.

Stone forced his anger down as he stared at the only woman who had ever managed to break through the wall of indifference he had erected around his heart. He didn’t understand it. Why her? She was beautiful granted, sexy as hell, and with a sensuality that floored him but it was more than that.

He wanted to be the one to trigger the expressions of life in her eyes; anger, elation, wonder, pleasure, and most of all, love.

Fuck! Back up, Stone. How did you go from having an amazing fuck to love?

His frown turned his face into a mask of anger and deliberation. It was a stupid question. Especially in light of his reaction both times he had woken up to find her gone from his bed.

“How did you know?” Avery turned away to squeeze the balance of the icing out, wrapped it in plastic and placed it in the fridge. Even if she didn’t use it again, it was Jesse’s indulgence. He always stole the leftover icing from her fridge.

“I didn’t at first, although there was a sense of familiarity to you when I kissed you and fucked you outside.” His voice vibrated with the remembered wild passion they had shared in the cold night.

Avery could feel the blush heating up her cheeks but couldn’t break his stare.

“But, it finally fell into place when I looked into your face. That salacious desperation edged in every line of your expression, the fevered pleading for release in your eyes, your gloriously silky hair spread over my pillow; I had only seen it once before. At the fundraising masquerade on Christmas Eve last year, and the hot little elf with the black silk mask who seduced me and fucked my brains out until sunrise on Christmas day.” He smirked at the expression on her face. “Oh yes, Avery, I remember every touch, every enticing smile, and every suck and lick from your hot mouth.”

“I . . . you . . .” she stammered, looking around wildly as he crowded her against the wall.

His hard body pushed against her softness, as unyielding as the wall behind her back. He wrapped his hand around her throat and forced her head back.

“But, this time, I know who you are and where to find you. And, this time, Avery Blaine, I’m not allowing you to walk away from me. I have so much more I need to explore with your sexy body, your wild and sensuous nature, and your sharp mind.”

His head lowered, catching her puffed breaths in his mouth. His voice deepened as he said against her lips, “And I want it all. I’m going to twist and turn you into a limp noodle, only to tie you into a knot and fuck you until you’re boneless, helpless and without the energy to breathe, let alone move. And then . . . do you know what then, Avery?”

“N-no,” she whimpered, desperate to feel his tempting lips take possession of hers.

“Then I’m going to start again. When I’m done with you, you’ll have no more to give and yet, you’ll beg me for more. And, do you know what else, Avery?”

“I—”

“I’ll give you what you ask for. Over and over and then start again. And do you know why, Avery?”

This time she only shook her head. His lips moved closer, rubbing from one end to the other against hers.

“Because I want you to become depended on me, my touch and the feel of my cock inside you pussy. Yes, Avery, every part of you will crave all of me. There will be no desire to go looking for another of those ‘people do it every day’ fucks again. Do you understand what I’m saying, Avery?” He asked in a dulcet toned voice.

Good lord, I can hardly breathe, how am I supposed to make sense of what he’s saying?

“You . . . Stone—”

Avery’s mind was in overdrive, the desire to feel his tongue take possession of hers overpowered her every thought. It was like he had taken over her ability to think and all that was left was the need for his touch, his desire, and what he made her feel.

“Let me—”

Avery had enough. She gripped the hair at the back of his neck and forced his lips hard against hers. She fused his mouth to hers in a seductive kiss. His warm lips stirred her lust as he took command of her mouth, ravaging her softness with a wildness that shook them with the intense influx of emotions they both experienced as a result.

His hands skimmed the downward slopes of her breast to nudge and prod the tautness of her nipples through her cotton shirt. She moaned into his mouth and yielded to the desires she could no longer deny. Stone pressed his hardening cock against her softness, grinding it up and down between her legs.

Her moans turned to passionate mewls. He pinched her nipples, orbited his hips as he grinded harder against her. He leaned back, watching her eyes roll back in their casings as he banged her hard against the wall and pinch-rolled her nipples between his fingers. It was all it took for her to tumble over the edge.

Stone stared in wonderment at her contorted face. He exulted in the pain from her nails that dug into his back as she struggled to ride the wave of her climax.

He took a step back, holding her upright. Her eyes met his. He read the shock in her expression at the unexpected climax.

“Yes, Avery. That is what I can do to your body and do you know why?”

She shook her head unable to speak, waiting for her respiration to return to normal. 

“Because you belong to me.”

Her eyes widened as he stepped back. Her knees wobbled and her legs crumbled. She sank down against the wall until she sat flat on the floor, her legs sprawled apart in front of her.

His eyes bore into hers from the doorway.

“And don’t you ever forget that, Avery.”