Page 62 of Five Days of Christmas Spice

“But?”

She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes up tight.

“Holly, tell me,” I stroke her shiny hair, bringing her close to me.

“Noel, I could have stayed like that for longer. If you hadn’t called my name, I would have, and that scares me.”

But she flashes me that confident, sexy grin. “But I knew I had safewords, and you checked in with me, so I wouldn’t have lost myself, right?”

“No, Holly. The scene had a beginning, middle and end.” I stroke her hair until she relaxes.

“Okay,” she says to herself as if confirming something in her head.

“Thank you for your trust. For your submission.” I trace her jaw.

She shudders under my touch.

“Thank you for giving me space to let me indulge in my submission,” her green eyes stare into mine and the realization hits me. Whatever this woman asks me for, I’ll do everything in my power to give it to her, no matter what it takes.

14 HOLLY

DECEMBER 28TH, FOURTH DAY OF KINKMAS

“Give me that hot toddy!” Cat calls, laughing as we file back into the warmth of Vixen’s Paradise.

“Me too!” Rick says he places his hand on his wife’s shoulders, and I step in after him. Pauline and Kai.

Noel is behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist. “I can think of other ways to warm up,” he whispers in my ear.

I blush through my frost-nipped cheeks.

“I want that hot toddy first.” I kiss him, his facial hair prickly under my lips.

“You may have anything you want first.”

I giggle. He takes my cloak. I slip off my boots and slide my feet into slippers.

“Can we have the hot toddy upstairs?”

“That’s a magnificent idea.” His dark eyes glow with desire.

My heart skips a beat as his lips brush mine.

When I woke up alone this morning, I had a moment of feeling bereft. But that’s what I wanted, right? Not to get too close to Noel. These five days of Kinkmas were supposed to be fun. A way to let down my hair and tip-toe back into kink. I can’t ask him for the closeness that I said I didn’t want.

And if he’s not comfortable spending the night in my bed, I can’t force that on him.

But after the puppy play yesterday…that scene got right into my soul. It was everything I had dreamt about and told myself I couldn’t have.

Noel took good care of me after the scene, running a bath, checking me for any injuries, and making sure I ate. Then we cuddled on the bed and watched an old Christmas movie. He even left dark chocolate on my bedside.

But when he kissed me goodnight, I wanted to throw myself at his feet and beg him not to leave.

This morning, I slept late, definitely experiencing sub drop. A call from my cousin is what woke me.

“The guy called me again, Holly. Did you look over the offer?”

“I’m taking my time with it,” I said carefully. The truth was I had gotten distracted on my first read-through.

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