I admired the twinkling of the ring on my left hand before taking one last glimpse in the mirror.

Wearing the red silk nightie I’d splurged on just last week, my hair hanging loose in blonde waves, I headed for the bathroom door.

Shane was sitting on the edge of the bed, sporting some goofy Christmas candy cane boxers, as he stowed away something in his bedside table as I exited.

His eyes rounded, his throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his underwear seemed to be pitching a candy cane of its own.

“Come here,” he husked. I went. His hands reached for my hips, skimming the garment I wore. “You’re beautiful, Em.”

“Thank you.” I cupped his cheek in my palm, the heat of his hands through the material warmed my blood; especially when his hands made a stop to squeeze and hold my ass.

“Tell me it’s finally time, Em,” he groaned, leaning his head into my stomach. “I need to make you mine again. It’s been too long.”

“Please, Shane,” I practically begged. “I missed this part of us so much.”

Flipping me as if I weighed nothing, I landed on my back atop the mattress, Shane’s body covering mine.

“I missed this too, sweetheart, but I have to warn you…” His hands roamed as he slowly lifted my nightie, revealing the barely-there matching thong.

“What’s that,” I panted.

“I’m not feeling gentle right now.”

I moaned. “Good.” I didn’t want gentle. I wanted Shane. Raw. Hot. Unfiltered.

“But first…”

Next thing I knew, I was flipped onto my stomach, Shane was sitting on the backs of my knees as he delivered a swift swat to my ass.

“Shane!” I squealed in shock more than in pain. Sure there was a bit of discomfort, but the moment his hand rubbed over where he’d hit, the warmth from the smack triggered something dark…erotic…and fuck was I drenched.

“Stay still, Em, I’m thinking I like my handprint on that delicious ass of yours.”

I groaned, my face planting into the sheets.

He delivered a slightly harder hit. A moan escaped my lips this time.

“I think someone likes this a little too much,” Shane said, his hand rubbing my butt as I arched it into his touch. He graced me with another swat, this one closer to my pussy lips before he forced his hands between my legs. “You’re so wet for me, sweetheart.”

“More,” I pleaded. I swear, all he had to do was deliver a few more and I would explode. This was altogether a new thing for me.

Grabbing onto my thong, he pulled it roughly, snapping the elastic and tore them away from my body. “Spread your legs for me, Em. Make some room.” Shane shuffled around to give me room to do so, my legs on the outside of his thighs as he kneeled between them.

He slapped me twice; one to each cheek in quick succession.

“I swear I’m going to come,” I announced on a mewl.

His laugh was sultry, and next thing I knew, his mouth was on me, his hands spreading the sensitized skin of my ass cheeks as he licked, sucked and massaged that…

“Oh God, Shane, yes!” There was no penetration, only rubbing, but that move, in such a forbidden place, had me catapulted into bliss.

Before I’d recovered, Shane backed away, lifted my hips and plunged himself deep, taking my breath away.

“Fuck, yeah,” he grunted between thrusts. “I really love my handprint on your ass, sweetheart. Feel that.” He pulled out and pistoned back in. “Feel me, Em.”

“I do!” I cried out, another surge overcoming me.

His hips kept their rhythm, strong and steady. “I want to feel you everywhere.”

“Yes!”

“Your mouth…your pussy…fuck, I never thought I’d say this, but I want your ass, Em.” As he said it, his thumb came to play with that tiny rosette, and I felt myself get even closer to the edge. “Fuck, she likes that.”

“Mm-hmmphf,” I managed.

The moment his thumb breached that tight ring, I exploded on a loud keening wail into the mattress.

“That’s right, Em…milk my cock.” He hissed. “So fucking good. So close.”

Spent, I could only let him use me like I wanted him to. It took him a few more thrusts and then he buried himself to the hilt, grinding into me as he spilled himself on a roared bite into my shoulder.

“Mine,” I growled, showering Emberlyn’s back with a slew of sloppy kisses as I made love to her skin from the back of her neck down to her tailbone.

Her body shook with her pleasure. “Yours,” she moaned.

“I want you again,” I confessed, helping her roll onto her back, then removing the rest of her nightie. “I want you in every way I could possibly ever have you.”

Her arms stretched up, then fell to grasp onto the slats of her headboard, while her legs lifted to wrap around my hips. “Show me,” she said, her eyes bored into mine.

Hovering over her, I bent down low and snagged her mouth with mine and proceeded to do as she’d asked.

“Thank you,” I whispered up to the ceiling, Emberlyn cuddled into my side as one of her hands played with mine.

She lifted her head to look at me, depositing a sweet kiss to my pec. “What are you thanking me for now?”

“For being you…making my daughter happy…giving me everything I need.” I eyed her glistening eyes. “Thank you for bringing me back to the land of the living…for showing me that happiness exists, even after a loss so horrific. Thank you for loving me.”

“I can’t wait to be your wife, Mr. Peters,” she whispered on a smile.

“Let’s not wait to get married,” I said, rolling her onto her back, leaning over her. “I have the urge to see you round with my child.”

Emberlyn giggled. “I’m pretty sure we don’t need to be married to have a baby, Shane.” She gave me a meaningful look, lifting her head to kiss my lips. “But you’re right…I don’t want to wait either.”

“Merry Christmas, my beautiful Em,” I whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Shane.”