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the passage of time until he felt the water run cold. Reluctantly, he
pulled out and put her down.
Oh god. He realized why she d felt so good, so hot and tight.
What? she asked, turning off the water and grabbing a towel and
drying his skin.
I didn t put a condom on. I forgot. I brought one in here. It s on the
counter. It s just when you ran your slick, soapy hands over me, I just
lost it. I m so sorry. He searched her face expecting her to be upset.
She sighed and smiled at him, slapping his ass. It s all right. I
wanted to make it a Christmas present but I went on the pill three weeks
ago. It takes two weeks to work so I didn t want to say anything until the
time was up. We both got tested for STDs, it s okay.
He exhaled in relief. Oh god, you feel so good without a condom. I m
so glad we won t have to use them anymore. I wasn t sure how I could
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Giving Chase
bear to go back to being covered while inside of you once I d been there
bare.
She kissed his chest and quickly dried herself off. You do say the
most unique but wonderful stuff, baby.
Laughing, he took the lotion bottle from her hands and applied it to
her skin himself. I won t be able to share a shower with you until we
come back home so let me do this to tide myself over.
It s just one night, Kyle. Sheesh.
He backed her into their bedroom. But not being able to hear you
scream out my name is going to be hard to live without. Even for just one
night. His eyebrow went up and a frisson of lust twisted through her.
They ended up back in their bed for another forty-five minutes before
stumbling up to get dressed.
The crowd at Polly and Edward s was insane. Kyle took their bag
upstairs to their room while she headed into the family room where
people covered every possible surface. They were all going to a Christmas
Eve service at church and then coming back for dinner.
Nan and Pop were gushing over their new great grandbaby and
looking at Maggie and Kyle with sly smiles of expectation. Nan and Pop
were Edward s parents. Pop was something of a local legend. A war hero
in the Pacific who lost an eye, there were no less than three buildings
and a street named after him. They took to Maggie right away. Pop was a
terrible flirt and Nan just grinned at her and made unsubtle hints about
great grandchildren until Kyle just burst out laughing.
After the service, they laid out a huge buffet dinner of cold cuts and
salads and then got down to the very serious business of game playing.
They cleared the dining room and set up some card tables in the
family room. Two fast and furious games of canasta started. Kyle and
Maggie were partners and their unspoken communication enabled them
to kick butt. She saw that the Chase boys were as competitive at cards
as they were in billiards.
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Lauren Dane
In the end, after Kyle and Maggie won every round, Shane and Matt
made a rule that they weren t ever to be on the same team at cards
again.
Christmas morning was total chaos. Despite the fact that everyone
there was in their mid-twenties or older, the rush to the tree was
reminiscent of a bunch of seven year olds. Maggie s dad came over and
settled in on the couch while Pop played Santa and handed out presents.
The process took well over three hours as they waited while each person
opened their present until the next one got distributed.
This one is for Maggie, from Kyle. He bought a large box and sat it
before her.
She ripped it open only to find another, slightly smaller box inside.
Unwrapping that one, she saw yet another smaller box inside that one.
She did it five more times until a small box remained. She looked down
at it and saw the card tied to it. Open Me First. She read it to herself.
Maggie, my heart never truly beat until the first time I touched your lips
with my own. You are my everything. The air I breathe, the blood in my
veins. You are my heart and my soul and I love you.
With tears welling up in her eyes she unwrapped the final package
and saw the black velvet ring box. Stilling for a moment, she cracked it
open with trembling hands, exposing a pear cut solitaire diamond that
was at least a carat. Her eyes widened and the room remained totally
silent.
Kyle, who was already sitting at her feet came up on one knee and
took her ring from the box and then her left hand. Margaret Elizabeth
Wright, my sweet Red, will you do me the honor of marrying me?
Her hands shook as she looked into his face and saw everything
she d ever wanted and dreamed of, sitting right there.
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Giving Chase
She nodded, tears running down her face. Yes. Oh definitely, she
said and he slid the ring on her left ring finger and a whoop of joy sprang
up from several people around the room. Kyle hugged her to him tight
and she saw he was crying, too.
I love you so much, Kyle, she said into his ear.
Ditto, sugar, he answered with a grin.
Hot damn! Matt exclaimed, a goofy smile on his face. I ve got the
loveliest sister-in-law to be in the entire state of Georgia.
Polly and I couldn t ask for a better daughter-in-law. You make our
boy the happiest we ve ever seen him. Thank you, sugar. Edward kissed
her cheek and Polly, who stood at his side, weepy, nodded mutely.
She was on cloud nine for the rest of the day. Kyle loved the watch as
well as his new golf club and the clothes and music she d gotten him.
She couldn t stop looking at how her ring sparkled on her hand as she
sat outside on the porch after dinner watching the guys play a very
rough game of football in the yard.
Shane came and sat beside her on the glider swing. The game had
gentled a bit as they all had a few aches and pains. Many of the others
had gone for an after dinner walk.
Shane reached out and squeezed her hand. Hey, Maggie,
congratulations. I hope you and Kyle will be very happy together. He s a
very lucky man to have a woman like you. I m jealous.
I think she s out there. The one for you. Waiting for you. When you
find her, I hope you can open your heart enough to let her in.
You think?
I really do.
He smiled and kissed her cheek and then yelped when the football
Kyle had been throwing hit him in the head. HEY! He came up off the
glider and headed down the steps.
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