A Million Kisses or More (33 page)

The time was passing way too fast. It was just Thanksgiving last week and it was going to be New Years in a few days and then she was going to be leaving. But she had made the choice so she had no one else to blame but herself.

As she leaned against Harrison’s chest, she smiled as she watched Jolie open the rest of her gifts. She wouldn’t trade these past few months for anything and no matter what the future held, she would always have this time with Harrison and Jolie. Filled with love and gratitude, she decided that she’d save the tears for when she was saying goodbye.

*****

Warm lips dragged her from the pits of a blissfully deep sleep. After surviving another family dinner, this time at his parents’ house, Ana had been more than happy to climb into bed and crash. But now it was morning and Harrison was kissing her shoulders, her neck, and all was right with her world. With a smile, her eyes still closed, Ana murmured, “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Harrison rasped, sliding his hand along the curve of her hip, pressing his erection against her naked bum. “I have a surprised for you.”

Her smile widened as she arched her back and pressed her bottom more fully against his penis. “Would it bother you too much if I told you that
that
isn’t too much of a surprise?”

He chuckled as he kissed her neck again, the shell of her ear. His hand smoothed over her stomach and slid upwards to cup her breast as he rasped, “
That’s
not the surprise.”

“Oh,” she frowned. As he toyed with her nipple, she let out a soft moan as she admitted, “I was kind of hoping it was.”

“You know how much I hate to disappoint you.” Moving his hand back down her body, he grabbed her leg and pulled it upwards, over his thigh, opening her to his penetration. With another kiss against her neck, he slid into the warmth of her sex and filled her completely. Was there ever a better way to wake up in the morning other than morning sex with the man one loved? Ana didn’t think so.

Rolling so she was on her stomach, he grabbed both of her hips and pulled her bottom up until he was kneeling behind her, her chest and cheek still pressed against the bed. Stretching, she grabbed the slats of his headboard and arched her back so she could take him even deeper. His hissed groan was music to her ears and for an eternity he moved in her, slowly, languorously, until everything disappeared. She felt alive, as if every cell in her body shimmered with love and ecstasy.

Pressing her cheek against the cool pillow case, she sucked in a breath as he reached between her legs and started stroking her clitoris in rhythm to his movements. His other hand smoothed down her spine, sending shivers throughout her entire body until she was vibrating in sexual pleasure. Everything within her condensed to where she and Harrison were joined and she wasn’t going to be able to contain it much longer. Every pulse, every beat, grew and grew until it was too much. Her toes curled as the dam broke and sensation swept over her, through her, and she came with a hoarse cry.

A heartbeat later, Harrison pulled out and came over her back, marking her once again. Resting against her, his penis still hard, he breathed, “Happy birthday.”

“Hmm,” she murmured, basking in the feel of post-orgasmic bliss. “Thank you.”

She felt him move behind her but she was so blissfully spent that she couldn’t open her eyes. But then he grabbed her arm and he was pulling her off the bed. Prying one eye open, she was about to beg him to let her stay but his mischievous smile stopped her short. Almost against her will, she fell off the bed, remaining upright only because Harrison held her. Ignoring her body’s protests, she simply drank in the sight of a happy, naked Harrison. Like a lovesick fool, she followed him as he headed towards the closed bathroom door. Since she was sticky with sweat and cum, a shower was probably a good idea.

“I’ve drawn a bath for you,” he murmured with a grin as he opened the door and pulled her into the bathroom. There was still steam rising from the tub and as she got closer she saw the rose petals scattered on top of the water.

Her heart filled with love and she turned to him. “Join me.”

“There’s no room,” he returned, taking her hand and helping her into the tub. The water was still warm, the perfect temperature after their morning exertions.

After she sat down, she scooted forward and looked up at him, “If we squeeze in really tight, we’ll both fit.”

He looked skeptical but he climbed in behind her, his legs on either side of her as she leaned against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he whispered, “Happy birthday, my love.”

The water splashed over the edge of the tub, which was way too small for two adults, but Ana was utterly content, especially when his lips moved over the sensitive skin of her nape. “This is the best birthday ever.”

Grabbing the body wash, he squeezed some onto his hands and then proceeded to thoroughly clean her breasts. With his lips against her ear, his breath hot against her damp neck, he asked, “Did you happen to notice that Jolie spent the night at her grandparents’ house last night?”

“I did,” she said with a smile.

“And that I’m off work today?”

“I noticed that, too.”

“Well, I just want you to know that I’m completely at your disposal today,” he continued. “We can do anything you want.”

Twisting around, she awkwardly maneuvered her body until she was straddling his lap, her knees pressed against the porcelain sides of the tub. Pushing her fingers through his damp hair, moving her eyes over his face, she said, “I think I’d like to spend the whole day in bed. Naked. With you.”

Leaning his head back, grabbing her hips, he gave her a sultry smile full of wicked promise. “That can definitely be arranged.”

Chapter 15

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Ana held Jolie as the little girl soaked the front of her shirt with tears. She felt utterly helpless and just as miserable and she couldn’t prevent a couple of tears from falling as well. When she arrived, she hadn’t expected how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to one little girl. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how impossible it was going to be to say goodbye to Harrison at the end of the night.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” Jolie wailed, wiping her face against Ana’s shirt while Ana tried to comfort her. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“I know, Jelly Bean,” Ana whispered, knowing if she spoke any louder, her words would come out as sobs. Where was Harrison? What was taking him so long? If he didn’t hurry up, she’d be a sobbing mess before she even got a chance to get ready for the New Year’s Eve ball at the hotel. As if her thoughts had called to him, he appeared at the top of the stairs and he took her breath away. Dressed in a suit, he looked utterly devastating, putting to shame any fantasy she ever had of him in his uniform. His hair was still damp but he looked… he looked amazing. He looked like home and it broke her heart that she had to leave him. His dark, pin striped suit made him look so damn yummy and when he paused to straighten the cuff of his shirt, she lost the ability to speak, to think. He was hers and that knowledge gave her the strength to face the year ahead.

When he looked up, he had a smile on his face that quickly faded when he saw Jolie’s tears. Rushing down the stairs, he put his strong hand on Jolie’s shoulder and the little girl turned into her daddy’s embrace. With a rough voice, he whispered, “Why don’t you get ready while I take care of Jolie? My mom will be here soon and it might be easier if….”

Ana nodded in understanding, unable to tear her eyes away from his face. Up close, she could smell him, Harrison mixed with aftershave, and despite Jolie’s tears and her own heart breaking, she could have stayed there all night and simply breathed him in. In fact, she wouldn’t mind if they skipped the party altogether and just spent her last night at home.

“Ana,” he whispered. “If we stay home, I won’t be able to let you go in the morning. We have to go.”

“Okay,” she managed. Putting her hand on Jolie’s back and feeling the shudders wracking the little girl’s body, she knelt down and wrapped her arms around Jolie. As tears clogged her throat, she croaked, “I love you, Jelly Bean.”

“I love you, too, Ana,” Jolie choked out, squeezing for all she was worth. Before she lost it completely, Harrison bent down and picked Jolie up, unconcerned about the tears that were staining his jacket. He whispered soothing sounds as he rubbed Jolie’s back, his face ravaged by the agony of seeing his little girl in pain.

With one last look at Harrison, Ana headed up the stairs before she could change her mind and decide that staying wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Of course, it had never been a bad idea and that was the problem.

Grabbing the garment bag that had her new dress, she took a quick shower, her hot tears mixing with the hot water. Forcing her thoughts to focus on the night ahead instead of the morning after, she took a steadying breath. It was only for a year, less if he came out to visit like he promised he would. She could do this… she
would
do this. She’d put on her dress, put on a smile, and she’d pretend that her vibrant world wasn’t going to fade into shades of gray in the morning.

After she got out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around her torso and then wiped her hand across the fogged over mirror. Staring at her reflection, she didn’t look like the type of person who could carve out a little girl’s heart and yet she was. She shouldn’t have spent so much time with Jolie but she hadn’t been able to resist the little girl’s charm, or the little girl’s father. With a sigh, she started to put on her makeup, wanting to at least look pretty for her last night with Harrison.

There was a knock at the door and before she could say anything, it opened and Harrison stepped in looking just as incredible as he had ten minutes before. Leaning against the door, he watched her with a sad smile on his lips. “Mom just took Jolie.”

“Is she okay?” she asked, putting her mascara on.

“She will be,” he answered instead. Licking his lower lip, his dark eyes drinking her in as if it was the last time he’d ever see her, he said, “I got us a room at the hotel so I could hold you in my arms one last time.”

Meeting his eyes in the mirror, she murmured, “I’m coming back.”

“I know.” Taking a deep breath, he asked, “What did your mom say about your dad when you talked to her earlier?”

Ana pressed her lips together as she carefully put the mascara down. Turning, she leaned against the counter as she said, “He’s having a difficult time but he’s trying because he knows that if he fucks up this time, he’ll lose my mom for good.”

“And you,” he added softly, saying the words that she couldn’t.

Ana shook her head, bewildered by her conflicting emotions. Already wrecked by the misery eating away at her soul, she hadn’t wanted to think about her dad. “He never really had me. I mean, until last month, I had no idea he was my dad so I suppose I don’t know how I should feel.”

“What’s your initial emotion?” he asked.

“Anger,” she said, surprising herself. Blinking, she turned back to the mirror in the pretense of putting on her lipstick but in reality it was so she didn’t have to see the disapproval in Harrison’s eyes. Of course, it was a mirror and she could see his reflection. Instead of disapproval, though, there was compassion. Taking courage from his silent strength, she tried to put into words the... disappointment and hurt that gnawed at her guts. God, this was the last night she had with Harrison, she sure as fuck didn’t want to talk about her dad. “He chose drugs over me. I always hoped there was a better reason, a
noble
reason, why my father wasn’t a part of my life but it was drugs. It just makes me sad… sadder. God, Harrison, I don’t want to leave you.”

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her from behind and hugged her tight. Holding her gaze in the reflection, he said, “We’ve already agreed that this is something you have to do.”

“But is it really?” she asked, wishing he’d ask her to stay, knowing he wouldn’t be so cruel or selfish. At his wry look, she huffed out an unexpected laugh, “Why do you have to be the reasonable one?”

“Trust me,” he returned. “It’s taking everything in me to ignore the instinct to carry you back to the bedroom and tie you to my bed.”

She swallowed thickly because that was what she wanted, too. His lips quirked up in a half-smile and his dimples winked at her as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Straightening, backing away from her, he said, “I should go so you can get ready. I’ll wait downstairs.”

She nodded, wishing he would stay. Since he got them a room, she wondered if she should drive her own car to the hotel since she wanted to leave as early as possible. Not because she wanted to go but because each hour she stayed made it that much more impossible to leave. Either way, her car was all packed and in the morning, she’d head out to California while Harrison went back to his life before she came along. It didn’t matter if she left from his house or the hotel.

She eyed the elegant white dress that she had bought for the occasion, wishing it was her wedding dress and not her farewell dress.

*****

The lights were dim, the music was slow, and Ana had never been happier or more miserable in her entire life. Once the tables had been pushed to the edges of the room, Harrison had pulled her to her feet and led her out to the dance floor and they had been dancing ever since. Being held in Harrison’s arms as he slowly spun her around the room was heaven. The fairy lights gave the ballroom a magical, intimate feeling and she could have danced all night, if only tomorrow didn’t bring the end of her time with him. Pressing his lips against her ear, he whispered, “You take my breath away, Ana.”

Blinking back the tears, she looked up at him, at the melted chocolate eyes that saw into her soul, at the elegant lines of his jaw, his nose, at the dimples that drove her mad with desire and love…. Harrison in a suit was to die for and if she weren’t experiencing the most romantic moment ever, she’d drag him up to the room he reserved and have her wicked way with him right then and there. If she could, she would keep this image of him forever in her heart, pulling it out whenever she got too lonely, which would probably be all of the time.