Chapter Nine: Intimate Moments
Dylan and Kimmy were delighted with the tree. Instead of wanting to go out as they had begged to earlier, they now wanted to have a picnic by the tree. They ended up eating pizza by the light of the tree and the glow of the gas fireplace. It was cozy and safe, cocooned in the warm of the master bedroom. After dinner, the four of them got into their pajamas and climbed into JC’s king-sized bed. They snuggled close together as they watched Christmas specials on the big television.
“This is the best Christmas ever!” Kimmy declared. She had been too young to remember her father’s monumental efforts at Christmas. Nikki didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
The mother read the indecision in her son’s eyes. Dylan had adored Chad. Saying time with JC was the best was dishonoring Chad somehow. “It’s pretty good.”
“Little dude, I’m not trying to take your dad’s place. He was your daddy nothing changes that,” JC assured the boy. “I’m trying to make my own space. The human heart has all the space in the world for love. You don’t have to choose.”
Nikki felt misty again. “JC, your parents raised one fantastic son.”
“Actually, I have a sister and brother they raised too.” He grinned.
After the television was turned off, the four of them lay there quietly, lost in their own hopes and thoughts. Kimmy was the first to succumb to sleep, secure in her world. Thumb in her mouth, her head dropped to JC’s chest.
“Braces,” JC murmured as he nuzzled the silky blonde head. “If she doesn’t give that up, she’s gonna need braces.”
Nikki sighed. “She does seem to have picked that up again.”
Dylan made his own astute observation. “Only since we’ve been here. She doesn’t do that at home.”
Nikki thought about it. Her son was amazing. “You’re right, Dylan.”
The boy shrugged. “She really doesn’t like sleeping alone in that big bed. She crawls in with me.”
“You’re a terrific big brother, little dude.” JC told him.
Again Dylan shrugged. “She’s a pest, but she’s my sister.”
“Dylan, how do you feel about JC being here? With us I mean,” Nikki questioned.
“He’s not Dad. But as long as he knows it, I’m okay. I want him with us.”
“Kinda like Kimmy, huh? JC chuckled.
Dylan smiled sleepily, taunting JC. “Uh-huh.” Then he added. “You make Mom happy, real happy.”
“Someone getting sleepy?” Nikki asked. JC yawned as if on cue. “I didn’t mean you!” she laughed.
Dylan closed his eyes and snuggled against his mother.
“It’s been a long day for all of us,” JC stated.
“I feel too good to move.”
“Then don’t. It’s a big bed.”
“That you aren’t used to sharing.”
He wanted to argue he had every intention of sharing his bed with her for the rest of his life, but the timing wasn’t right. “Rest here for a bit. I’ll put the kids in Dylan’s bed.”
”You’re too good to me.” She gave him a sleepy smile.
“No such thing for you, sweet thing.”
JC rose, careful not to wake Kimmy. He scooped her up. The sweet child didn’t even open her eyes, lying trustingly against his chest. This was a child of his heart. He had not sired her, but he would give her a father’s love. Next he retrieved Dylan. Dylan was his heart’s child as well. As an observant and sensitive child the adjustment, to JC from the father Chad Martin had been, was going to be hardest on the little boy. Placing Dylan next to Kimmy, JC tucked the blanket in around them. His heart was filled with love and fatherly protectiveness. “I’ll do right by them,” JC promised the late Chad Martin softly.
In the short time it had taken JC to tuck Dylan in and the moments he spent gazing at the children, Nikki had fallen asleep. A more chivalrous man would merely have taken her room for the night. Not him, he slid beneath the covers with her. He laid his head on the pillow next to hers and watched her sleep. Nikki would probably not be considered the most beautiful woman in the world – if you merely looked at her face. Her true beauty shone from within. She had a stunningly beautiful soul and a generous, loving heart. She had taken a brave leap of faith getting involved with him – a young bachelor with a rather nomadic career. When you are a widow with two children that took courage, a lot of courage.
No matter how gorgeous the view, JC’s eyes drifted shut. In another twenty-four hours he would know if Nikki would agree to be his wife.
On waking, Nikki felt a momentary panic that sent a jolt of adrenaline into her bloodstream. Where was she? And what was that radiant heat at her back? Easing her eyelids up, she saw the still lit Christmas tree and the fireplace. Ah…the hotel…the master bedroom…The heat pressed against her had to be JC. She could smell his cologne and his own unique scent. This felt wonderful, not waking up alone. She nudged back against him…
Ooh! She recognized the hot hardness pressing against her rear. JC had a hard-on! Damn, he was big! She could hardly wait to know him more intimately. He would be a patient, caring lover, given his nature and up bringing he couldn’t be anything else. But would he let her explore her naughty side? She and Chad had been each other’s first and only lovers. Love between them had been good once they figured it all out. They hadn’t known enough to be very creative. Nikki was older now. The new man in her life had to be more experienced, didn’t he? Even the gentleman he was, JC could not be a saint with his lifestyle!
What would JC be like?…
Nikki turned over to face the sleeping man. He had a beautiful face. You could read his sensitivity and his sense of boyish fun in his face. Those lips of his…they begged to be kissed – and they were perfect for it! Mmm… that deceptively powerful upper torso and arms, she hadn’t expected that. He had such a slender stature – she had figured he’d be skinny. Lean flat hips – so temptingly masculine. Hadn’t she once read an author who always described her perfect male heroes as flat-hipped? That was JC.
Tentatively she reached out and placed a hand on his upper chest. When he remained asleep, she smoothed her hand lower. His nipples peaked with arousal beneath the vee-neck tee-shirt he wore to bed. They seemed to be begging to be touched or sucked. Did he like that? What did he like? Her hand glided over his taut abdomen; the muscles clenched and rippled as JC moaned softly. Growing bolder, she ran her fingers along the hard swell of his pajama pants.
“Don’t tease, Nik,” JC muttered in his sleep. “It won’t break.”
She smiled. She’d forgotten his penchant for sleep talking. If he wanted it harder…She stroked him more firmly.
Groaning, he pushed into the pleasing hand. “Yeah, honey, like that,” he purred as she continued.
Damn, it felt good! JC was enjoying Nikki’s erotic massage. He was half-awake and he was still feeling it. She was really – Nikki! He opened his eyes and found her hand on him. Moaning, he plucked her hand away. “Don’t, baby.”
“Why not? That can’t be comfortable.”
It sure as hell wasn’t. “It isn’t fair to you.”
“I am not asking for fairness.”
“You’ll find I am not selfish in bed.”
She brushed a kiss over his tight mouth. “I just bet you aren’t. Let me make you feel good, JC. I’m not real experienced at it…”
“You were doing great.” He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck to pull her back into a kiss.
“I want to see you, taste you, have you in my mouth,” she confessed huskily.
He groaned again. “You don’t know what you’re asking. That could get out of hand real fast.”
She smiled impishly. “And into my mouth.”
“Stop that!”
“Do you like that? And do you like doing it for your partner?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s a rush knowing I can have you begging me for more and being able to give you all you want.” His voice was low and seductive.
“You’re making me real horny.”
“Then you’ll want me going down on you?”
“Hell yeah! And I think you’ll be more than good at it.”
“I aim to please,” he said with a confident smile.
“And you have good aim, right?” She laughed.
“I try. I haven’t had a lot of complaints.”
“JC…” Jeeze how did she make such a request?
“It’s me, Nikki, just say it.”
“Please, let me finish what I started.”
“Stroking me off?”
“Yes.”
It was his turn to run a caressing hand down her body, making her tremble. He cupped her though her pajama pants and watch her eyes drift shut with pleasure. “One condition. Whatever you do for me, I get to do to you. You stroke me off; I’ll do the same for you.”
Opening her eyes, she met his hot blue gaze. “Yes.”
He brought her against him, kissing her leisurely while touched her through her clothes. Her soft noises of pleasure only heightened his arousal. He wanted to be skin to skin, but he was afraid there would be no holding back if they were naked.
“JC, I’ve had two children…”
“Shh...Honey, you’re beautiful to me.”
“How do you know? You’ve never seen me naked.”
“Because I love you. You’ll always be beautiful to me. Beautiful isn’t on the outside.” When she looked unconvinced, his hands snagged the waistband of her pants and stripped them off, leaving her in her shirt and bikinis.
Nikki felt herself blush. She was wearing plain white cotton bikinis, not some sex thong – or even silk! “I wasn’t dressed for show and tell,” she complained.
He reached over to turn on the light, adding to her embarrassment. “Get over it, Nik. We’re gonna see each other naked a lot, if I have any say,” he told her. He honestly didn’t see what the big deal was. He saw faint, spidery white scars from stretch marks. SO her stomach was less than perfectly flat? He bent his head to kiss her belly. “There are a testament to your fertility and nurturing.”
She wanted to weep. He was so dear and so sweet.
JC’s lips traveled lower, his tongue teased above the elastic of her underwear.
“JC…”
He wanted to. It took all his restrain not to strip her panties off and replace them with his hands and mouth. “I know.” Moving back up, he aligned their bodies and slipped his hand beneath the elastic to cup her again with no barrier.
“No fair. You’re wearing more.”
“I’m free-ballin’, babe. If I lose my pants I’m naked from the waist down.”
“Take them off then you won’t get messy.”
“No mouth or tongue,” he reminded her as he shed his pants.
“I’ll remember.”
In earnest, they began kissing and touching each other. JC bent his head to suck her nipples through her shirt. He slipped his hands into her panties to stroke and tease her. He drank in her whimpers of delight. Nikki reached down, fondling his sacs lightly.
“Ah, Nik…” he purred at her touch.
They took turns, leading until they were panting and frantic, moving against each other. Pulling her leg over his hip, he opened her further for his magic fingers.
“JC, please…” she sobbed as her body clenched, preparing for the coming rapture. “Ahh!…”
JC watched her face as she reached her zenith. It was a glorious thing to see…
As she rested her head on his shoulder, Nikki tightened her grip on him and redoubled her effort. Her thumb teased the head of his shaft, making him moan. Soon he cried out as he twitched in her hand, exploding. “Nikki!”
A moment later, he cleaned himself up and returned to her arms. Nuzzling and kissing her, he felt her relax, melting against him.
“I don’t ever want to sleep alone again,” she confessed. When she realized she had spoken out loud, her eyes flew to his. “JC, I—“
He smiled. “It’s cool, honey. I can’t promise we’ll always wake up together, but I’m with you. I want your head on the pillow next to mine when I wake.”
Nikki snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. “Good night, darling.”
“Night, honey.”
JC wasn’t going to be alone again – ever.