My December Darling: A Holiday Novella
My December Darling: Chapter 23

I’ve been told I’m a patient man, but my ability to control myself went out the window the moment Catalina appeared today, wearing a smile solely meant for me and a silk dress that highlighted every curve I’ve spent the last few weeks dreaming of.

Throughout the wedding, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, and I stole glances every chance I got. The groomsmen gave me shit about it, but I ignored them, knowing their teasing came from a place of envy. Because who the hell wouldn’t be envious of whatever man is on the receiving end of Catalina’s attention?

Hell, I’m envious of people who are her damn family, especially when her uncles and cousins whisk her away for a dance or two, leaving me to stew in the corner, nursing a beer, while I wait for my turn again.

Tonight has been a true test of my self-restraint, and I’ve done a wonderful job. The challenge proves even more difficult once Catalina drags me onto the dance floor to the sound of the Martinez-Rivera family getting excited over whatever popular Latin song that began streaming from the speakers.

“Just follow my steps.” She places one of my hands on her hip while she grabs the other.

I let her take the lead, and she shows me how to properly dance to the music her family loves. All of them slap me on the shoulder and say a few words of encouragement, and after several songs, I get the hang of some basic moves.

Thankfully, Catalina is patient with me, never getting frustrated despite me stepping on her toes multiple times. She shows me how to shimmy my hips and smoothly spin her around until I can do it without her instruction, and I get her to laugh multiple times when I accidentally lose my rhythm.

I swear I haven’t felt this level of contentment before, and it’s all because of the dazzling woman in front of me, who seems to glow as she shares a story about how her dad never danced at parties until her mom showed up at one and started dancing with all the men except for him.

I relate to her father in this moment because before tonight, I was always comfortable sipping a drink in a corner while everyone else was on the dance floor.

Just another thing to add to my growing list of reasons why the thing I have with Catalina is special.

We continue dancing together until the DJ announces the last dance for the bride and groom. I’m reluctant to let Catalina go and end the spell between us, so I hold her hand and don’t let it go throughout Aiden and Gaby’s final dance and sparkler send-off.

The only reason I release her is when she needs to get inside the car I ordered to drive us back to town.

As I open the door for her, I say, “I’m going to have him drop you off first.”

She doesn’t reply as she slides into the back seat, and I follow behind her and close the door behind me. Before I have a chance to reach for her hand again, she grabs mine and interlaces our fingers first, making me bite back a smile.

“Or we could head back to your place.” She keeps her voice low while peeking up at the rearview mirror.

I turn in my seat to face her. “We’ve both been drinking.”

She shoots me an exasperated look. “I don’t know about you, but I stopped feeling buzzed an hour ago.”

“Same.”

“But if you don’t want to…” She sucks on her bottom lip.

Hell yeah, I want to. I shut her worries down with a kiss before telling our driver about the change of plans. The short ride to my apartment feels like a four-hour one, and I spend every second thinking of what I plan on doing with Catalina once I get her inside.

Perhaps I should tie her up so she can’t leave for California in two days.

Now that’s an idea.

“Luke?” Catalina calls.

“Huh?” I snap out of my thoughts.

“We’re here.” She flashes me a timid smile, and I hop out of the car so I can open her door before the driver has a chance.

My long steps are difficult for Catalina to keep up with in high heels, so I end up tossing her over my shoulder to save her the trouble.

“Hey!” She laughs while smacking my back.

“You’re too slow.”

“Well, excuse me for not wanting to twist an ankle before we ever make it inside.”

“An unnecessary risk when you have me.”

She stops beating against my back and ass as I carry her up the small walk-up and into my apartment. I reach into my pocket for my keys and unlock the front door while the LEGO figure Catalina got me for Christmas spins around from the jerky movements, making me smile in the process.

The second I shut the door and place Catalina on her feet, she throws herself at me. Her lips crash against mine, and her nails dig into the front of my coat as she pushes me against the door.

Whatever thoughts I had disappear until I’m left with only one prerogative.

Making Catalina mine.

She seems to have the same idea as she yanks my coat off before chucking hers in the direction of the couch.

“Fuck.” I shiver when she kisses a path down the column of my throat, and my head drops back to give her more room. The grip I have on her hips is punishing as she rolls them, pushing her center against my straining cock.

“I like the sounds you make,” she says against my skin between kisses.

I reach around her, grab her ass, and lift her off her feet. She wraps her legs instinctively around my waist, and returns to kissing me while I fumble my way through the dark, tripping over a few random belongings in the process of getting to my bedroom.

“Tell me this isn’t a terrible idea,” she says right before she lets out a shriek when I toss her on the bed.

Catalina bounces once before slamming back down on the mattress, and I take advantage of her breathless state to crawl over her body and seal my mouth over hers, gripping her chin tightly between my fingers while my tongue lashes out.

She returns my kiss with vigor, and it takes an incredible amount of self-control to pull away.

“Does this feel terrible to you?” I ask before sucking on her bottom lip. “Or this?” I brush my hand up the side of her body and give her breast a squeeze. She sucks in a breath when I tug on the bow holding her dress up and seal my mouth over her nipple, teasing her until she is trembling beneath me, begging for me to do something about the growing problem between her legs.

“Answer me.” I suck on her skin until a mark starts to bloom.

“No.”

“No what?”

“No, this feels right.”

“We can do better than that.” I steal another kiss from her, although this one borders on punishing before I focus on her other neglected breast.

“Luke,” Catalina groans my name as I swivel my hips and press my hard length against her center. She parts her legs, giving me room to worship her body like I’ve been dreaming of all night.

Hell, all week.

Despite my eagerness, I focus on calming down and taking my time to familiarize myself with Catalina’s body. Studying what makes her sigh and groan and curse up at the ceiling as an overwhelming amount of pleasure courses through her.

I don’t know how long I spend kissing, licking, and teasing her until she is writhing beneath me, begging for release, but I don’t stop until she tugs on my hair hard enough to yank a few strands free.

“Lucas.” Her nickname earns her a hard suck on her clit.

“Say my name.”

“Fuck me first and maybe I’ll remember it.”

“Wrong answer.” I deny the one thing she has been begging for and sink a finger inside her instead. The feel of her…the sounds she makes. It has my cock stiffen until I’m pressing into the bed for some kind of relief.

She fidgets on the bed with a groan as I add a second one, earning a frustrated huff from her when I brush my thumb across her sensitive clit.

Catalina curls her fist around my comforter, her muscles tight as she trembles underneath me. With a few more slow pumps of my fingers, I drag myself away from the bed so I can ditch my clothes and grab a condom from my nightstand.

Catalina distracts me as she rolls over and reaches for my cock. Her hand wraps around it, and she tugs until I step closer to the edge of the bed. My vision turns hazy as she collects a drop of arousal leaking from the tip before tracing lazy lines down my hard length with her tongue. My legs feel like they might give out when she takes me into her mouth, and I have to reach for the nightstand to stop me from sinking deeper.

“Shit.” I try to pull away, but she grips my ass and sucks hard enough to have me seeing stars.

“Catalina,” I moan her name. “Fuck.”

Her eyes flutter shut as she swallows around me. If she keeps this up, I’ll come before I ever have a chance to end up between her thighs, and that thought alone stirs me into action.

It takes all my willpower to pull out of her mouth, and she makes a disgruntled noise when I step away from her.

I make quick work of the condom, add some lube, and clean my hand with a tissue before I return to the bed. Catalina stares up at me with hooded eyes as she spreads her legs, beckoning me forward. I grab a pillow and shove it under her ass before leaning forward to capture her lips with mine.

Her legs wrap around my waist, and she’s the one to reach between us and lead me toward her center.

I press my forehead against hers. “There’s no turning back if we do this.”

“Already having regrets?”

“No.” But you might. I banish the thought and any other doubts I have about our circumstance.

“Good,” she says with a small smile as her heels dig into my spine.

My body trembles as I press into her. I slowly sink inside, teasing her with every shallow thrust of my hips. She gives up on being patient and meets my next thrust with her own, the jerky movement as harsh as her nails digging into my back.

We both let out a content sigh when I’m fully seated inside her, and I’m tempted to stay this way until she shimmies beneath me and begs me to continue.

I kiss her jaw. Her cheeks. The top of her head and that sensitive spot on her neck that always makes her back arch into me while I pump my hips. I’m slow at first, but my movements gain intensity as I drive into her harder. Deeper. At some point, she needs to press her palms against the headboard to keep in place while I fuck her.

She calls my name, and I soak the sound up, along with every moan that escapes her. Her nails drag against my back. My ass. My chest where sweat begins to bead underneath the smattering of hair covering my pecks.

Time ceases to exist in our lust-fueled bubble, and I want to make it last for as long as possible. Want to make the most of the night in as many positions as we can manage before I come.

When I feel myself getting close to the edge after Catalina comes with a cry, I pull out and flip her over, grabbing her by the hips and taking her from behind. This position is like heaven and hell all at once, because nothing that feels this good should ever come to an end.

Her cries feed the impulse to make her come again, and I reach around and play with her clit until she spasms around my cock once more.

The look of pure bliss on her face—a look that exists because of me—sends me over the edge, and I throw my head back with a curse as I come.

When I return to reality after my blissful high, I pull out and flip Catalina over. She opens her arms, and I lie on top of her and trap her in my embrace, soaking in the smell of her perfume and the erratic beat of her heart while she brushes her fingers through my hair.

I’m reluctant to get up and toss the condom out in the bathroom, but I eventually force myself to leave the bed once I notice myself drifting into unconsciousness.

When I come back, Catalina is battling to keep her eyes open, so I help her into one of my T-shirts before tucking her underneath the covers. I slide in too and get settled behind her.

With my arm wrapped around her waist and my leg twisted with hers, I quickly fall asleep, knowing that come tomorrow, everything between us will have changed.