Holly's Christmas Dom-Brieanna-final edit (2 page)

And frostbite.

"Why not?" She swapped footwear, gave a
grinning Noel her wellies, and ignored someone who whistled “Nellie the
Elephant,” as with a wave, she walked past them and opened the pub door.

The warmth—and the noise—hit her. Along one wall the
fire glowed and Christmas music blared out of the speakers. The bar was
crowded, and everyone seemed to be talking at the top of their voices. How on
earth was she going to find Mac in the crowd, let alone have a serious
conversation with him? A quick glance at her watch told her she had five
minutes to find him. Mac had warned her ages before that he would never
tolerate lateness.

As she stood on tiptoe wishing she were taller than
five-foot- seven, even in killer heels, she realized her feet had left the
ground.

"You trust me, Holly? Nod if you do." She
recognized the voice immediately. Of course she did. Her thong was soaked again,
and boy was it uncomfortable.

She nodded.

"Will you come with me?" he asked quietly. "We
can tell Noel if you want. He'll know where we're going."

He will? So how come I
don't?
Holly opened her mouth to speak and realized Mac wouldn't hear her. She'd only
heard him because his mouth was close to her ear. She nodded again, and his
breath feathered over her cheek.

"Good girl. Hold on." She was propelled back
outside a lot faster than she’d gone in.

When they were once more in the cold, he put her down
and she moved from one foot to the other. Dammit. Fur-lined wellies were so
much more sensible, elegant or not.

"Silly girl," Mac said in a voice that made
her shiver, but not with the cold. "You'll freeze. Mind you, I love the
way they make your legs go up to your armpits. I can see you in those and not
much else in my mind."

Damn him. Do lady juices
freeze? Because if they do, so will my clit and pussy.

Chapter
Two

Mac watched a host of emotions in her expression and
wished he knew what they all meant. His body was tight, his cock hard, and his
heart thumped. These next few hours were going to be the most important in his
twenty-eight years.

"Addy?" Holly asked him. He told her his
address quickly and watched her eyes widen as she took in the information and
passed it to Noel, who had now entered the pub and propped a tiny bit of the
wall up.

He grinned. "Yeah, I know, Holls. See you later.
Remember, Mum and Dad will expect us all for brunch." Noel winked. "Including
Mac, now she knows he's here. Enjoy yourself and remember do as I say not as I
do."

"What do you mean by that?"

Noel flicked her nose. "You know. Remember, don’t
be late at the parents’."

"As if I could dare," Holly said, and rolled
her eyes. "Smoked salmon and the third degree. Not a good mix."

"Never mind. There's a long while until brunch
time and, who knows, you may be too knackered to care."

"Noel Winters, that is enough."

"Yeah, okay, off you go, my children, and
remember safe—"

"No more, or I'll tell Mum who ate the
pies."

Noel laughed. He gave a mock salute to Mac and a
thumbs-up. Mac returned it. Noel's acceptance of his plans for a relationship
with Holly meant a lot.

"Come on before he gets even more
outrageous." Mac pushed the pub door shut behind him and looped his arm
across Holly's shoulder.
Well, that went
a lot easier than I imagined. Let's hope it augers well for the rest of the
night.
He hadn't been this nervous since he accepted what he was and how he
wanted Holly. "No one knows what we are or aren't up to."

"Ha," Holly said, and then giggled. "Come
on, Mac. This is my mum we're talking about." She'd returned to the topic
of her parents. "She who can winkle out your secrets with one look. Remember
you and Noel and your senior year bunk offs? I swear she knew even before you
two did you were going to skip school."

Mac laughed as he remembered those days. He hoped he
was a little less easy to read nowadays or there could be problems. His
intended actions were not likely to impress a doting, conventional mother.

He and Noel had been best buddies ever since, aged three
at playgroup, Noel hit him over the head with a plastic hammer and Mac had
retaliated by shoving Noel in the sandpit. They'd stayed friend through school
and beyond. Shared homework questions, a love of music and fish and chip
suppers, and cried on each other's shoulders when it was needed. But they never
shared lovers. Mac was hetero, and Noel, by his own admission, wanted cocks,
not cunts.

Even at a young age, Mac had known what he wanted from
Holly and was certain she was more than capable of giving it. If only he could
show her. Holly was stubborn and never to be coerced. That was why he wanted
them to talk. She had to be clear about what he demanded and expected. Under no
circumstances would Holly ever be able to say she didn't know exactly what she
was agreeing to.

"Very likely," he said of her parent.
God I hope not.
"A canny lady, your
mum. Right. My car is over there, by the Christmas tree. I couldn't get it any
closer without parking on top of someone else."

He rolled his eyes and Holly sniggered. "Yeah,
that wouldn't go down well. They'd shake their heads and say, och, that Mac
Hall is still a wee rogue, do you remember when…and drag every misdemeanor ever
out and air it. Then put all of them in the local rag for other people to tut
over."

He clutched his heart dramatically. "No, not
that. They'd even remember the salt in the sugar bowl at Mary Morris' tenth
birthday. I couldn't sit down for a week after that, and to be on the receiving
end of that is not my preference. Okay, enough. I behaved and parked in the
wilderness, I'm a good boy now." He winked. "Very good."

"Hmm, yes well…"

"Stop worrying. I told you, we'll discuss everything
and I'll answer all your questions. Once we're home. I've got the four-by-four
so we can get up the track without any problems," Mac said. Her worry was
etched on her face, and he wished he could reassure her everything would be
good. Sadly, he didn't know if that was true or not. "Smile or they'll think
I've beaten you. Already."

"Oh you." She smiled and punched his
shoulder, but the worry was erased and her grin lit up her face. "Already?"

"Much better." He ignored her query. "Now
can you walk in those apologies for shoes, or shall I carry you? Bear in mind,
if we do move forward, I have some very interesting scenarios regarding them."

Mac wondered what she would say. Adept at reading people's
moods, Holly's were the ones that proved the exception to that rule, and he
loved it. Just the thought of her feisty self sent his cock rock hard, his pre
cum out to coat his dick, and his balls full.

"Oh, well, can you carry me anyway, please?"
She looked at him, her eyes sparkling with humor. "These are so not
suitable, and my boots are in Noel's car, I think. Either that or the bugger
has hidden them along with himself."

Mac knew fine well that Noel would be nowhere to be
seen. That was Noel supporting him in his efforts. They had no secrets from
each other.

"And just think how my street cred will go up
when I tell people I've been in the arms of the great Mac Hall."

"You wouldn't," he said with certainty.
"You like your privacy."

"Nope, I wouldn't, but you can carry me anyway."

He laughed and swung her into his arms, enjoying the
essence that was all Holly. She smelled of fresh, sweet woman and a hint of
cinnamon and spices. That, he thought with an inward grin, summed her up
perfectly.

As he moved toward his car, Mac's hand strayed once
more to her ass. He couldn't think of anything better than filling her there,
except filling her pussy. Or having his cock in her mouth or his lips on her
clit or...

Stop right there. You
have to drive home. It's so fucking cold, a boner could snap in two if touched.
Cool it and get home. Then ramp up the heat.

He opened the car door and put Holly down on the seat.
The inside was like a fridge, and she shivered. "Shit, it's cold."

Mac grabbed a fleecy blanket from the boot and wrapped
it around her. She snuggled down so only the tip of her nose and the top of her
head showed over it. "Thanks." Her voice was muffled.

Mac kissed the top of her head. "My pleasure.
Right, hold on, love. It'll soon warm up when I start the engine." His
breath came out in misty puffs.
Love?
Where the fuck did that come from? I am not going there, not yet. Shit and
balls. Talk about Freudian slips.

Either Holly hadn't heard or was too cold to bother to
reply. She nodded as he slammed the door and made his way around the car. The
temperature had dropped by several degrees since they'd left the church, and ice
shards sparkled on the top of the freezing snow. Mac swung up into the driver's
seat and started the car's engine. Before long, the heater began to pump warm
air around them.

"It's fucking treacherous out there," he
said as he pulled onto the village street and drove steadily away from the
buildings and out of the glare of the streetlights. Only the headlamps gave any
illumination. Even the moon was hidden behind ominous-looking clouds. "All
we need is snow on this ice, and we're buggered."

Holly touched his shoulder, not hard enough to startle
him and make him swerve, but enough to make his skin tingle and his heart beat
faster. "Consider yourself sodomized then. Look." She pointed out the
window where fat flakes had begun to gather and fall.

"Shit. Ah well, only a mile to go." Mac
turned off the road and along a track. All he could think was thank goodness he'd
brought the tractor along and cleared the snow earlier. Even with that and four-wheel-drive,
he could feel the car slide.

Once they got home, it could snow as hard as it liked
if it meant Holly had to stay with him. They wouldn't need to think up spurious
excuses. Already his earlier tracks were filling in, and the tire marks were less
visible. Mac swore under his breath as he navigated a corner and the car was
reluctant to go where he wanted it to. He held the steering wheel firmly. The
last thing he desired was for them to have to spend the night in the car even
if he did know an ingenious way to conserve body heat.

"Maybe you'd better just take me home, Mac,"
Holly said. She sounded worried, and his heart sank. "We don't want to get
stuck. I'll need to feed Oscar."

"You still have the cat? Blimey, he must be
getting on a bit."

"Seventeen, and still a good mouser. But he is a
bit faddy with his food."

"He always was. Salmon not tuna and only the
expensive tins, eh? But come on, Holls, don't tell me you came out without
leaving him plenty to eat or drink because I won't believe you. Apart from
that, isn't Noel stopping at your place?" At least it was concern for the
cat that motivated her, not a lack of interest.

"Well, yes, to all of that, but knowing Noel, he'll
not actually get back to bed, and if he did, would he remember to feed Oscar?
That's debatable."

"Ah, come on, Holly. That's not fair. Noel would
feed him if..." He trailed off. Noel had great intentions, but would he remember?
"Yeah, okay. Maybe text him. If you'll need to." Although, as he
squinted to see out of the fast-falling snow, he didn't think there was much
maybe about it.

Neither, it seemed, did Holly. "Maybe? Is that a
bit like build a bridge and get over it? You're here for the duration? Well,
listen up, Macdonald Hall, just because I'm in all likelihood stranded doesn't
mean I'm a damsel in distress. This is tell, not show time. Capiche?"

Chapter
Three

Holly waited to hear his answer. It wasn't that she
felt scared or even remotely as if he would try to force her to do anything she
didn't want to. That was not Mac's method and it never had been. However, he
did have a way of making you do something you hadn't remotely considered until
he suggested it and made it sound oh so sensible. Nevertheless, having decided
to listen to him and make a reasoned choice, Holly didn't want anything to
spoil that. As it was, her libido threatened to overrule all her good
intentions.

"Holly, hopefully it will be tell, then show."
His hands slid over the steering wheel as he negotiated another bend. She
admired the way his fingers held on to the wheel, always in control, firm but
not tight. Like how she imagined he would touch her. The car began to slew
sideways, and he corrected the skid.

"Whoops. Hold on. This is hellish slippery. I
need to get over the bridge, and it's tricky at the best of times. I expected
it to be replaced by now. Someone's not going to be happy when I find out why
it's still like this." He flashed a grin.

"Mac Hall, you're enjoying this," Holly
accused him. "Bloody men. Kids at heart."

The car lurched, and Holly grabbed onto the door
handle. The seatbelt clicked tight, and she gasped. If this was how it felt to
be roped and bound, then she'd pass, thank you very much. The car began to slip
sideways before Mac was able to halt its slide. He was cursing under his
breath, and Holly had to admire his vocabulary. So many words and so many
languages. As he regained control, he exhaled audibly.

"Not enjoying it exactly, but yeah, it's good to
be in charge."

Hmm, that's what I'm
worried about.
Not
that she wanted that role, but still…

"I'll pull into the garage, and we can go inside
through the utility room," Mac told her as they approached the buildings. "Neither
of us will get wet feet then."

Holly was glad about that. She could hardly feel her
toes, even though the car had a very efficient heater, and the fleece was still
wrapped around her. Mac was as good as his word, and within minutes, they had
pulled into a large garage. There was one other car in it, and Holly whistled.

"Now that is definitely the rock-star status
symbol," she said as she stared at the deep red Aston Martin DB9. "Love
the color." She untangled herself from the blanket and folded it neatly.
"Thank you, I needed that."

“You won't once we're inside. I'll make you warm
enough, don’t you worry." The words “if you agree” hovered unspoken
between them.

Holly got out of the car and followed him toward the
door in the side wall of the garage.

"It reminds me of your lips," Mac said
casually as he opened it to usher her inside the house. "The car, I mean. And
the color your ass will look after a spanking."

Holly spluttered and stood still. Thank goodness she
didn't have a mouthful of liquid or his back would be soaking. All she could
think of was the pictures he painted in her mind. Of her ass on view and his
hand coming down. Another surge of juice soaked her already wet thong, and she
squirmed.

"Does that turn you on, Holls?" Mac pinned
her against the wall of the utility room they'd entered, his arm loosely across
her throat. "I bet if I put my hand up that tiny pelmet of a skirt you're
wearing and under your panties, you'd gush for me, wouldn't you? Soak my hand.
And if I rubbed your clit, put my fingers into you, you'd come, fucking my
hand. I'm so looking forward to that."

"Yes, well," Holly said, and cursed her weak
and needy tone. Of course he noticed.
Damn
him.
Her ass was on fire at the thought. And, sod him, she was almost coming
with his words, never mind any actions. "Dream on. Talk, not show,
remember? This time, it's all words, not actions."

He laughed. "This time. I like that."

Bollocks. Foot in mouth.

She didn't say anything and tried not to listen to his
amused chuckle. Carol, the cautious one, had always said her habit of opening
her mouth before her brain engaged would get her into trouble one day.

Instead, she ducked under his arm, well aware he chose
to let her, walked though the utility, which had a freezer and washing machine
in it, and into the kitchen.

It was scented with pine and spices and was oh so
Christmassy. In one corner, a tiny real tree, decorated with glittering white
baubles and lights, sat on a table. Above the Aga, an old-fashioned pulley—or
dolly-maid clothes airer, as they were sometimes called—hung from the ceiling
with a silver icicle on the end of each of the slats. Mac followed her gaze.

"Interesting, isn't it," he said. It wasn't
a question. "Such a great mix of ropes and slats. I have another one in my
room, without the decorations."

As a conversation stopper, that took the gold star.
Holly gaped at him.

"I don't use it for drying clothes either,"
he said with a hint of humor in his voice. “So far, it's untouched, but I'd
like to rectify that."

Holly's skin tingled, and sharp stings of excitement
bombarded her. She rubbed her legs together as a fresh gush of excitement sent
her juices into overdrive. At this rate, it wouldn't just be her underwear that
was soaked. How on earth could she deny him anything?

"Really?" She tried for nonchalance and was
sure she missed it by a mile. "Instead of a wardrobe maybe?"

Mac laughed. "Minx. Come on. Let's have a glass
of wine and sit by the fire. Then I promise I'll talk to you. Just talk until
you say different. I know." He held his finger over her mouth as she
opened it to come back with a smart retort. "I mustn't presume."

Holly couldn't help herself. She nipped the digit—not
hard—and then ran her tongue over the spot. He narrowed his eyes.

"Fuck it, Holly. Do not do that."

His voice had taken on a tone of command. Her body
responded like a flower to sunlight, and she swayed toward him with a breathy
sigh.

 
Oh yes.

 
"Argh,
Holly. You are so testing my patience, lady, and around you, it's pretty near
nonexistent anyway. Go sit in the lounge. Through that door there. And shut up.
Please, or I'll forget every promise I've made you and myself and fuck you five
ways till Friday."

The look of frustration on his face combined with the
throb in her clit made her decide to do as he asked. She needed to get her feet
out of the instruments of torture laughingly called shoes, and wriggle her toes
as near to the fire as she could without getting chilblains. The thought was
blissful as she nodded and walked away from him. Holly decided to ignore his
muttered, "Thank the fuck for small mercies," and the way his hand
slipped under the top of his jeans to adjust his cock. After all, she was going
to have to pull her thong out of her clit and ass as soon as she could.