Chapter Twenty-Four
Alissa
December 25, Monday Morning
I glanced out the window for what felt like the hundredth time as worry coursed through my veins. I had no idea what Cade had planned for the day – all he’d told me to do was wait in my apartment for him to show up – but I had a feeling that whatever it was would be falling apart sharpish.
I had seen a lot of storms in New York, and a load of snow, too, but nothing like this. It was a white sheet of insanity out there. I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone being out in that, never mind Cade while he concocted his plan. In all honesty, I didn’t even mind about the plan. I wasn’t concerned what he had in store for me. Much as the experience days sounded awesome, I would’ve been more than happy to just be with him.
As the phone rang against my ear again, I started to panic. He should have stayed here last night. I never should’ve let him leave. If he’d stayed with me, then he’d still be here now, and we could be in our awesome little bubble all day long. The perfect way to spend Christmas.
“Hello?” He sounded harassed, but I didn’t care because at least he’d answered. At least he was alright. “Alissa, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m at home, where are you? I understand if you can’t get here, what with the weather...”
“Don’t worry; I’m on the way. I’m not missing out on spending Christmas day with you. I’m just stuck in traffic. Well, I have been, but because it’s so backed up, the driver said he couldn’t go any further, so I’m walking.”
“Oh my God, it’s too cold for that! You don’t have to.”
“I’m starting to think that you’re trying to get rid of me,” he teased. “But it’s far too late for that; I’m just around the corner. I’ll be there in a moment.” I peered around the corner, but I couldn’t see him yet. “I’m very annoyed that the weather has messed up all of my plans! I can’t believe it, how typical is this?”
“Oh, my goodness, it’s hardly your fault!” I gasped, shocked that he would even think that way. “There’s nothing that can be done about the snow. You just come inside and warm yourself up.”
“I’m outside now.” I pressed the buzzer and listened to his feet entering the building. “I’ll see you in a second.”
As I waited for him to come up the stairs, I was so excited I could barely stand still. I hopped from foot to foot and bit down on my lip like a puppy waiting for its master to come home. No one had ever made me feel that way; even when things were good with Luke, it wasn’t like this. This had to be the real deal – that was the only explanation.
I leaped up and swung open the door at the knock, just to see a very dishevelled Cade standing in front of me with snow all over his jacket. It was so touching that he’d make such an effort for me; every time I felt overwhelmed by Cade, he did another thing to take it one step further.
“It looks rough out there,” I commented with a smile. “Come inside.”
As he wandered into my front room as if he owned the place, I could see a lot of tension resting on his shoulders, and I had a feeling I knew what it was about.
“Would you like a hot drink...” I started, but I couldn’t get to finish that question.
“I’m so sorry I don’t have a gift for you,” he sadly stated as he turned around to face me. “I feel bad. I should have just got you a gift. Now I’m not going to have anything to show for this day because I just can’t see anyway.”
I touched his shoulder gently to stop him. “Honestly, Cade, I’m just glad that you’re here. That means more to me than any gift ever could. Please, don’t worry about it.”
“Yeah, okay, I guess I’m just annoyed, that’s all. I suppose it isn’t the worst thing in the world.”
Without even bothering to ask again, I flicked the kettle on to make some hot tea. Cade looked cold, and this was the best solution. Well, aside from me jumping on him, but I didn’t think this was the best time to start that.
As I poured the drinks, I started to think about all the ways I could initiate sex with this incredible man. I never wanted to be so brave before, but with Cade, I wanted to come out of my shell. There was something about him that made me want to be more.
“Here you are.” I handed him his drink and took a quick sip of mine. “At least it’s warmer in here. I can’t stand the cold, so I always have the heating on full blast.”
“Yeah, it’s nice.”
I moved closer to him and raised myself up onto my tiptoes so I could press my lips up against his. It amazed me how much I still felt intense, powerful sparks every time his mouth connected with mine. I would’ve assumed the magic would have dulled a little by now, but it still felt just as strong. I guess that is true chemistry!
“Mmm, you taste nice,” he muttered against my mouth as his finger clamped tightly and possessively onto my hips. “Totally worth that walk.”
“I’m glad you made it. This is the best Christmas ever.”
I felt like I was soaring all over again. My head was thick with lust as I had Cade wrapped all around me. This moment made up for all the years of shitty Christmas’s I’d had over the years. I would suffer through them all over again just to be able to have this sensation.
“And it’s about to get a whole lot better...”
In preparation for what I expected was about to happen, I shoved my mug onto the side, and just in time, too! He swept me up in one of his deep and passionate kisses the second I let go. With my free hands, I moved my fingers up into his hair, where I ran them through for a few moments. I brushed his smooth dark locks, knocking flakes of wet snow to the ground.
I didn’t care what Cade had planned – there was no way it could feel as good as this. Even if he took me on a trip around the world, I would still prefer this. Everything about him was just too tantalizing for words.
He walked me backward until my back hit the cool wall in the front room, causing me to emit a little squeal. His hands slapped the wall by the sides of my head, and his shadow washed over me. I felt helpless like he had all control of me once more.
“Mmmm, you’re so tempting,” he growled as he nibbled on my lip for a moment. “Like a Christmas treat, just waiting to be...unravelled.”
My heart leaped up into my throat, where it pounded heavily. I wanted to be unravelled so damn badly. I felt like Cade had freed me somewhat, but there were still parts of me locked away, and I desperately wanted to free them. I just didn’t know where the key was.
“Unravel me then,” I whispered back to him. “Do what you will.”
Cade gave me a wicked smile and an intense look that told me so many dirty things all at once. I felt a tingling in my underwear, a heat that was screaming out to be touched. Now that I knew how good it felt to have him all over me, my desire intensified tenfold.
My eyes slid closed as Cade hitched up my dress slowly peel my underwear away from my body. It was lucky the room was so hot because it meant I didn’t mind having clothing removed from me. Then he hooked one of his hands under my knee and pressed it up against the wall behind me. My legs automatically fell apart, giving him a full view of me, but I didn’t mind him staring down at my wet heat. Actually, I kind of liked it. I didn’t feel shy at all.
“Every part of you is amazing,” he hissed as he slowly and tantalizingly fell to his knees. “I want to taste you.”
“Taste?” Panic stiffened my spine. “What do you mean, taste?”
Of course, I knew what he meant, I wasn’t an idiot, but it wasn’t something that I’d ever experienced before, and I didn’t know how it’d feel. Apparently, Luke hated it, and he told me that I wouldn’t like it, either, but as I knew now, Luke was a liar.
“I mean this....”
Cade slowly slid his hands up my thighs as he moved in closer. I could feel his breath tickling my entrance, and it took everything that I had not to shiver violently. I wanted this, I wanted to try everything new with Cade, but I couldn’t deny how afraid I was. The anticipation was almost too much to bear.
My heart thundered as Cade pressed his lips against my slit, making me audibly gasp. It was only a chaste kiss, but it felt incredible. His lips pressed up against the most sensitive part of my body was wonderful. My fingers automatically tried to claw onto the wall behind me so I could have something to keep myself centred, but there wasn’t anything for me to hold. I scraped against the silky smoothness for a moment too long.
Then I slammed my butt against the wall as I felt his tongue plunge right into me. I wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t know that it was going to feel that way, it was...strange, but a pleasant sensation.
“Just stay there,” he whispered. It must have been obvious that this was my first time, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it. “Hold onto my head if you have to.”
I gripped onto his hair as I relaxed into the feeling and my enjoyment grew with each passing second. I could see now why women liked this; it truly was quite pleasant...
“Oh my God.”
Just as I got used to it, Cade turned the heat up a million percent by dragging his tongue all the way up to my clit. If I thought it was wonderful to have that part of my body touched with fingers, then having a mouth there was on another level.
As he buried himself into my flesh, I could feel my breaths struggling to get out of my mouth. There was a scream brewing, growing with the pressure already starting to make an appearance within me. I held his head in place in a demanding fashion. I liked exactly what he was doing to me right now, and I wasn’t about to let him stop.
Cade picked up the pace. He ran his tongue all over my clit like it was something that needed devouring, and I felt myself losing control. It started as tension in my thighs and slowly worked its way up my back until it consumed my brain entirely.
While the pleasure burst free from me, I realized something so powerful that I needed to clamp my lips together to stop the information from spilling out. I wasn’t just happy; I didn’t just have strong feelings for Cade, I was head over heels in love with him.
I didn’t think I’d ever let myself fall in love again, I was supposed to be protecting my heart, but I hadn’t, and it felt amazing. Cade felt worthy of my love.
I just hoped that I was right.