Page 68 of The Forever Christmas Tree

It was a combat of wills as she tried to ride him in a frenzy of bucking, while he held firm, putting on the brakes. As long as he could. When he finally surrendered . . . What else could he do? . . . she was making those little squeaking sounds he remembered as she climbed to a second orgasm, and he was arching his neck and letting loose with a guttural roar of torturous pleasure.

For a long moment, she sat on his lap, with his no longer rigid cock still inside her. Her head was sagging against his shoulder, and she seemed to be shaking. Was she crying?

Had he taken advantage of her? No, he was pretty sure that she was the one who initiated the sex. But maybe he should have been the sensible one knowing she would have regrets. Oh, God! Don’t let her be regretting already.

“Wendy?” he said, raising her face in his cupped hands so he could look at her.

She wasn’t crying. She was laughing.

“I told you I was hungry,” she said.

He laughed then, too.

Like sand through the hourglass, their time together was sifting away . . .

Wendy was looking forward to her time at the pool. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d swum and dived, just for pleasure. Added to the fun was Cassie’s excitement over something that had meant so much to Wendy.

From the time they’d picked Cassie up at her friend’s house, the girl didn’t stop talking. Which, in a way, was a good thing because it kept Wendy from thinking about last night and this morning and her outrageous, out-of-character, mind-blowing (and other kinds of blowing, forgive my crudity) sexual romp. That’s how she had to refer to it in her mind . . . a romp, insinuating a casual encounter, nothing permanent or even long-term. The idea of “love-making” was more than she could handle at this point.

So, she leaned back in the comfortable leather of the Lexus passenger seat and listened with amusement to Ethan’s daughter.

“Miss Wendy . . . I mean, Wen-dy!” she squealed. “What are you doing here? The pool? Today? Oh, Dad, that is the best Christmas surprise. You don’t even have to buy me a Christmas present now. Except for an iPad Mini, hair chalk, a bracelet bead kit, a mermaid blanket, a cat purse, cupcake-scented bath bombs, a karaoke machine, and a ukulele, but Santa can bring those.” She batted her eyelashes at her father.

Ethan just rolled his eyes at Wendy, while Cassie buckled herself into the backseat of the sedan, and said, “That’s the first I’ve heard of a ukulele.”

“I just added it to my list. Maggie Olson brought one to the sleepover last night, and it was so cool!”

Ethan explained to Wendy, “Her Christmas list changes by the day—by the hour, even.”

But Cassie was already off on other tangents.

“Did you get my choir gown from the dry cleaners? I have dress rehearsal for the children’s bell choir tomorrow morning.”

“How long till we get to the pool?”

“Did you bring my pink sparkly bathing suit, or the pink unicorn one? Oh, good! Maybe I’ll buy a blue one next time. Blue to match my eyes.” Wendy turned and smiled at her for that latter remark.

“Nana said I could stay up as long as I want on Christmas Eve. Well, maybe she didn’t say that exactly, but I bet she would let me wait up till I hear Santa’s sleigh bells.” She gave a mischievous grin to show she probably didn’t believe in Santa anymore.

That was proved when she added with an almost-adult cynicism, “Do you think Santa gets his sleigh bells from Bell Forge?”

“Why is your mouth all kinda red, Dad? Do you have chapped lips? You can use my Chapstick if you want.”

Definitely an almost-adult cynicism.

“Your lips are chapped, too, Wendy. Were you out in the wind? My lips get chapped in the summer when I’m on the beach too long.”

“You’re pushing it, kiddo,” Ethan said.

“Guess what, Dad? Melanie’s mother said you’re a hottie. She was talking to Maggie’s mom in the kitchen.”

“I’m hungry.”

“My sweater itches.”

“Is Mrs. Santa Claus the mommy to all those elves?” she inquired, back on the Santa joking issue.

“Will it snow for Christmas? I wish it would. Nana says snow for Christmas is good luck.”