Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“Clause?” I whisper as the night before starts to come back to me. I think I might have had a Christmas crash, if that’s a thing. I was so excited about decorating Clause's home, I ended up overdoing it. There might have been some spiked eggnog too, which was my idea.

Clause only grunts a response, which makes my nipples harder. I glance down at my clothes, and I’m pretty sure I’m in one of his shirts.

“You’re killing me,” he grits out as I wiggle again, and I’m not sure if he’s mad. His tone is different.

“Three words all strung together. I’m impressed,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood and my growing desire. “Care to tell me why I’m killing you?”

Does he have a hangover? I don’t feel hung over, but I’m also a lightweight when it comes to drinking. I think I had three of those cocktails last night. One holiday movie turned into another as we decorated, and before I knew it, we were on the sofa watching together.

“You’re wiggling your ass against my cock.” I have to fight not to do it again. Now that he said it, that's all I can think about.

“You’ve got a hold of my boob,” I point out. He could have let that go at any time because I’m sure he grabbed it in his sleep or something. Clause isn’t handsy. In fact, he gives me too much space at times. I remember after my first drink trying to flirt with him, but I don’t think it worked.

“You’re the one that demanded cuddles.”

“I demanded cuddles?” That must have been after the third drink. Is that my flirt game? To demand cuddles? I start to giggle, and my whole body shakes.

My laughter dies as it comes back to me. Oh god. It was clear after the first drink last night that I wouldn’t be driving, so Clause said I could have the bed after he gave me one of his shirts to sleep in. I think I might have even danced around to Christmas music. He sat there and watched, probably thinking I was a weirdo and asking himself why he blackmailed this person into coming to his house. Kill me now.

“I like them,” he finally says.

“My boobs or cuddles?” I’m thankful my back is to him and he can’t see my face because I wouldn't be so bold with my words otherwise.

I still can’t believe I’m in Clause’s bed in only his shirt and my panties. If someone had told me this was coming a week ago, I would have called them crazy. I didn’t think Clause could stand me, and now we’re friends. At least, I think we are. Really I have no clue where we stand because Clause isn’t a big communicator.

“Both.” His hand slips down slowly, and I don’t stop him as he moves it under my shirt and up to grab my bare breast. “You’re so soft.” He buries his face in my neck, and a warm shiver spreads over my body.

I feel him suck in a deep breath. Is he breathing me in? Why is that so freaking hot? I close my eyes, enjoying him groping me. I love the way his giant body presses against mine and makes me feel delicate.

“And you’re very hard.” I know it’s natural for men to be hard in the morning, but could there be more to what is happening? He rubs his rough thumb across my nipple, making me moan. “Clause?” I turn my head, needing to see his face.

We’re crossing a line here, and I’m not sure what that means. I don’t know why it scares me, but it does. Clause doesn’t let people close, but I practically jumped in his bed and dragged him into it with me.

“Are—” He cuts me off as his mouth comes down and claims mine.

The kiss starts off slow as both of us tentatively explore the other, but it quickly turns wild. Clause’s mouth devours mine, and then he shifts to move over me. My legs part, making room for him, and I feel his cock pressing against my sex and then hitting my clit. We grind on each other, moving back and forth, mimicking sex. I dig my nails into his back as an orgasm rises inside of me with each thrust of his hips. His cock gives my clit the perfect amount of pressure.

“Clause.” I break the kiss. “I…ah…”

“Yes?” he grunts, thrusting down harder. It sends me over the edge, and my orgasm explodes through me. He groans my name, and his body jerks over mine as he buries his face in my neck again. My panties are soaked, and I’m not sure if it’s his release or my own.

When Clause finally lifts his head, his expression is unreadable. He opens his mouth to say something, but a bell goes off, followed by a loud pounding at the front door.

A growl rumbles from Clause, and he pushes off the bed and stomps into his closet. I sit up, and the bell goes off again as the pounding on the front door gets louder. Clause comes back out of his closet with a new pair of sweatpants on before he storms out of the room.

“You better open this door, you lumberjack serial killer, or I’ll blow it open,” I hear Tinsel yell. “I know you’ve got her in there.”

Shit, she must have seen my car parked out front.

“You’re not blowing anything open,” Jack tells her.

“I could make a bomb. I’d need to use your phone to google it, though.”

I hear the front door swing open a second later. “You’re trespassing,” Clause snaps, and I jump from the bed and run out to the living room before a fight can break out.

“I can’t see. Get your hands off my face,” Tinsel shouts.