Christmas Holiday Husband (14 page)

“Yes!” they chorused.

Ellie nodded and he grinned. ”I missed your pretty hair,’ he said, stroking his daughters’ blonde heads and glancing up at Ellie. “And your lovely eyes.”

Caro and Ants gazed at him adoringly, never knowing his compliments were for their teacher.

“And your fun and games.”

Ellie tried to stifle her giggles. “No fun and games in Melbourne?” she asked.

He rolled his eyes.

She’d been two minutes back in his presence and already liquid heat and anticipation flowed through her. She leaned on the doorframe, knees full of jelly, as the twins raced into the house.

Tony cast a swift look around the entrance lobby and ensured they couldn’t be seen. “Ellie,” he breathed, tilting her head up for a kiss so gentle that she pressed into him, desperate to deepen the contact. Three days apart had played havoc with her libido. He’d awakened her and then deserted her. Her dreams had been hot and vivid. Her
daydreams
had been hot and vivid...

As she’d taught the twins the sounds of the alphabet, she’d heard Tony’s voice—his soft exclamations of ‘aahhh’ and ‘mmmmm’ as she had rubbed and stroked and teased him on Wednesday morning. The sharp ‘sssssss’ as he clenched his teeth, stifling his shout of ecstasy, eyes fixed on her face as she’d brought him to climax. He’d been on her mind every moment he’d been away.

Ginny’s shoes tapped across the terracotta tiles in the kitchen and they wrenched themselves apart.

He crossed to the doorway. “Home safely, Ginny. What’s for lunch?”

“Didn’t you eat on the plane?”

“Early breakfast. It seems a while ago. I’ll go and get changed.” He hefted his bag and swung up the stairs to his room, giving Ellie a conspiratorial wink on the way by.

She’d dressed with care to welcome him home. Grudgingly chosen one of Julia’s beautiful unworn Italian tops to wear with her white trousers. The soft bands of nutmeg and ginger contrasted with her gleaming, newly washed dark hair. An extra coat of mascara gave her eyes more drama than usual. She knew she looked pretty—for all the good it would do.

xxx

Tony enjoyed that image of her as he unpacked and changed. She’d been a girl when he’d first met her. Now she was all woman—warm welcoming woman—but only for the next few weeks. She’d made it plain she’d be leaving him to return to her new house in town and her old life as a teacher. He blew out a frustrated breath as he tossed his laundry aside and located the gifts he’d bought.

Instead of revising his lecture notes on the Melbourne flight, he’d spent most of the time thinking of her and planning how to prolong their contact.

He’d fallen hard all those years ago. Hadn’t wanted to become so attached before travelling on with Darren. He’d been careful to give Ellie the opportunity to turn away, even though it had nearly killed him. But she’d been just as deeply attracted. And she’d been his first and only virgin. He’d never forgotten that.

Rediscovering her in the kitchen at Wharemoana had brought submerged memories shooting to the sunlit surface. She’d been so sweetly eager in Sydney, so uninhibited and willing to learn. And at twenty-four, Tony was experienced. He’d taught her about herself...himself... And then she’d surprised him by going way beyond that, inventing new games and pleasures. They’d been sensational together, their chemistry explosive.

Now she’d yanked him alive again. Set his blood racing. And made it clear he’d have no part in her future.

He turned that thought around bitterly.

Mutual pleasure, no strings—that had been their bargain. Easy enough to agree to at the time. She’d been so playful on the river bank he’d wanted her on any terms she set. But terms could be renegotiated—and they would be. If he worked on her with enough skill he’d persuade her. In any negotiation there was room for movement.

xxx

Ginny served lunch on the terrace table under the big green shade umbrella. Once they’d finished, Tony retrieved his hidden gifts from the sitting room.

“All got clean hands? You don’t want butter over these pretty things,” he said as he teased his daughters with colourful bags containing kitten and puppy T-shirts.

“And for Ginny,” he said, handing over a soft package wrapped in golden paper and bound with slim silver ribbons.

“You didn’t have to do this, Robbie,” she said, smiling her gratitude nevertheless.

“I found a wonderful little French boutique,” he said, sliding a much smaller, golden packet across to Ellie.

She stared back at him in disbelief. “I’m only the teacher,” she said.

Ginny shook out the folds of an elegant lace-trimmed nightgown and held it up by its shoulders, fingering the fabric. “That’s lovely, Robbie—you’ve been very extravagant. Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

“And what do you think of yours?” he asked Ellie. She still sat frozen, stunned to be included. What would Ginny think now?

“At least it’s small,” she muttered, slipping the silver trim undone and folding the paper and tissue wrapping aside to reveal something cherry red with emerald ribbon woven through tiny hand-worked slots. Expelling her breath with annoyance, she slipped her fingers under the narrow straps and lifted up an exquisite silk camisole for the others to admire. The front plunged deeply. There were panels of cherry lace to cradle her breasts. The slender emerald ribbon wove its way above and below this area for extra emphasis. Tiny green bows marched from breastbone to hem.

“I thought you could wear it at Christmas,” Tony said. “The colours are just right. I didn’t know what sort of panties you’d prefer, so I bought both.”

Swallowing, Ellie turned back a further fold in the tissue paper and uncovered matching silk bikini panties with emerald bows trimming the transparent cherry lace front panel. And the tiniest thong in the world. No more than a lacy band and a narrow silk strap. She blanched at the implications of such a gift, folded the panties swiftly away and laid the camisole on top.

“You’ve no business giving me these,” she said, horrified he’d produce something so intimate in front of his family.

“An apple for the teacher,” he suggested, eyes dancing.

Ellie glared at him. “A bit more than an apple.”

She caught Ginny’s amused expression, and a furious flush raced up her neck to overtake her previous icy calm.

“You
did
have some fun, Robbie,” Ginny said before she could explode.

“Indeed I did. It was about time.” He sat relaxed, smiling at his daughters as they held their T-shirts up to show each other. “So will everything fit?”

Ellie left the table as soon as possible, snatching up her gift and taking it out of sight. No man had ever bought her anything so personal, or so exquisite. But why hadn’t he waited until they were alone to let her unwrap it in privacy? It was almost as though he was laying claim to her in front of his daughters and mother-in-law. That thought was enough to send shivers of terror racing right through her as she flopped down on her bed.

How could she keep Cal a secret from him if he decided to seriously pursue her? It would no doubt be a huge emotional adjustment for Tony to find he had a son. But he would cope.

What absolutely ate at her was Cal’s reaction.

How would he feel if he found he’d had a father living only hours away for most of his life? A handsome father he was the absolute image of? A father who’d have provided anything he’d ever wanted or needed?

Ellie’s meagre funds and stringent budgeting hadn’t stretched to longed-for toys and games, or many new clothes. Right now Cal didn’t even have his own bedroom—although that at least would soon change, provided she managed to keep his paternity a secret from Tony. The fact that she’d genuinely not known of Tony’s proximity would cut no ice with her son.

Would she have forgiven her own mother if she’d sprung something like this on her? A million times, no!

There was a discreet tap at her door.

“Ellie? Can I come in?”

She glanced across to check that Cal’s photo was out of sight, rose from the bed and opened the door a crack.

“Do they fit?” he asked.

Dear heaven, he expected she’d dashed away to try his finery on. “Probably.”

“May I see?”

“I haven’t got them on.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Ellie—why not? I’ve been sitting down there imagining you stripping off and having a little try-on.”

“Why did you have to do it in front of everybody?” she demanded, face burning. “Why couldn’t you wait? Have you any idea what Ginny thinks now?”

“I had a fairly good idea what Ginny thought before I went away. She had a little word...”

“About your intentions being honourable?”

“I assured her yours
weren’t
...”

God, this is worse than ever
, Ellie agonized. “Yes...well...” she floundered. “This can’t be permanent, Tony. I told you that.”

He pushed the door further open and stepped inside. “So let’s at least make it nice while it lasts,” he said, drawing her close against him and holding her there despite her seething fury. He settled his groin into the notch of her thighs, soothing her with his hands, igniting her with his hips.

“It’s only going to make it worse when I leave,” she muttered miserably.

“So we’re not quite dead in the water yet?”

“Tony—Tuesday night wouldn’t have happened if we were dead in the water! I’m not that much of a tramp.”

“You’re not any kind of tramp. But we do have unfinished business, Ellie. You still turn me on without even touching me. And when we’re as close as this...”

She knew exactly what he meant.

“So show me how you look in your panties, my scarlet woman.”

“It’s not Christmas yet,” she pouted, shrugging out of the striped knit top, despite having no intention of doing so. She turned away to unclip her bra. Tony’s hands cupped her breasts an instant later. His breath wafted over her shoulders...his lips travelled down her neck...his hands turned her so he could trail a line of soft hot kisses down to one distended pink nipple and then across to the other. Sighing, he smoothed his face over her breasts. “No—not Christmas yet,” he agreed. “But I want to see my decorations on you.”

“Lock the door,” she murmured, already drunk and disoriented by his attentions.

“Put your pretties on, then,” he countered, releasing her and moving away to ensure their privacy.

She slipped her hands into the camisole and Tony returned. “Allow me, Mademoiselle,” he said, kissing each breast again while her arms were still held aloft.

Ellie stayed still, and he began to use his teeth on her, scraping and nipping, biting with such slowly building momentum that she felt no pain...only the smooth sweep of his tongue, gentling her after each practiced liberty he took.

She loved this. He drove her mad by biting gently, and then not so gently. Ellie moaned and gasped, and clawed at his hair—eyes tightly closed to concentrate the sensation. She clung to him, trembling, whimpering his name.

He drew back, smoothing the camisole down over her body, snuggling her breasts into the cobwebby lace. Her nipples now thrust the fabric into sharp peaks.

“See how hard you are, Ellie. See how beautiful,” he murmured, nuzzling at the lace. “Even lovelier than Sydney. Now I want the panties on.”

Dreamlike, she obeyed, stripping her lower body in one smooth movement, stepping into the bikini panties and allowing him to slide them up her legs and settle them around her hips. He knelt before her, trailing kisses over her belly and down to the cherry lace panel that outlined her triangle of dark curls.

“No—they hide too much,” he whispered, walking his fingers up her thighs and tugging the panties down again.

“But this little item—” he hooked one finger through the thong—“should display you to perfection.”

Ellie watched in the long antique mirror as he drew the scrap into place. Was that really her? The woman with the full aching breasts barely contained in their transparent cage? The girl with the longest legs in the world topped by a tiny band of lace? The plaything with a man’s face pressed to her groin as he breathed in the scent of her aroused body?

He slid the little panties down again. “Off,” he said, lifting each of her feet in turn and tossing the thong aside. He smoothed his hands from her knees to her groin, coaxing her legs apart a little. “Now just watch and enjoy.”

Ellie tensed as his tongue flicked out and traced a slippery path upward. She jerked as he made contact. Tried to ease away.

Tony pulled her back, and raised his eyes to hers. “I said watch. Look at us in the mirror. I’m going to make you come.”

She swallowed.

Again he leaned toward her. She gazed at her reflection as he forced her legs further apart to reveal her glistening folds. His lips settled, sucking and releasing, sucking and releasing.

“No—that’s too much,” she gasped, finding no grip in his super-short hair.

“Too hard? Am I hurting?” he asked in a muffled voice.

She tried to push him away again. “No, not hurting. Too good. Unbelievable. Umm...”