I Need You for Christmas Read online

  I Need You for Christmas

  By Leah Braemel

  Ryan Porter is a sculptor, and beneath his callused hands, even the most rigid metals bend to his will. So, too, does his girlfriend, Megan—a confident, strong woman who delights in submitting to Ryan’s dominance in the bedroom.

  Megan is a Mountie, and she’s spent the past few years in the Arctic following her career dreams. Family obligations kept Ryan at home, but their love survived the distance thanks to several hot visits. A Mountie always gets her man, and Megan is bound and determined to keep Ryan.

  Now Megan’s with Ryan for the holidays…but how long will this visit last? She’s always been willing to do anything Ryan desires, but will he finally tell her that all he needs for Christmas is her?

  34,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  I love the month of December when it comes to releases at Carina Press. This is our third year of publishing our special holiday collections, and I’m fortunate to be the one to edit the collections. It’s become our tradition to do three separate anthologies and this year we chose to do contemporary romance, science-fiction romance and erotic contemporary romance collections.

  Each of these three collections is amazing in its own right (not that I’m biased or anything), showcasing the talent of the contributing authors. In our contemporary romance collection, Romancing the Holiday, Jaci Burton wraps up her Kent Brothers trilogy with the story fans have been waiting for: it’s finally time to see Brody and Tori’s combustible attraction on page and cheer them to their happily-ever-after in The Best Thing. We’ll Be Home for Christmas by HelenKay Dimon returns readers to Holloway, West Virginia, as she gives us Spence’s story. Lila is more than a match for the delicious Spence and sparks fly when they go toe-to-toe. Last, but certainly not least, is newcomer to the collection, Christi Barth, with her delightful friends-to-lovers novella Ask Her at Christmas. And if you haven’t already checked out Christi’s full-length novel, Planning for Love, now’s a great time to treat yourself to this funny, emotional, captivating book.

  Heating up the pages, and I do mean heating up, are the three novellas in Red Hot Holiday, the erotic contemporary romance collection. If you’re looking for stories that are going to make what goes on under the mistletoe even more interesting, you’ll want to read this collection. I Need You for Christmas by Leah Braemel features a strong-willed, career-driven Mountie—and the sculptor who molds her to his will in the bedroom. In Wish List by K.A. Mitchell, Jonah discovers his lover, Evan, may be the one who can deliver the BDSM wishes on Jonah’s naughty list. And Anne Calhoun brings to the collection a stunningly powerful erotic romance that’s both deeply erotic and deeply emotional, with Breath on Embers.

  A Galactic Holiday is the third of our holiday collections, showcasing three science-fiction romance novellas with incredible world building and incredible characters. In How the Glitch Saved Christmas, author Stacy Gail takes us to our future, with bod-mods, enhancements, tech, artificial intelligence…and a growing love between two rival detectives investigating the case of the...appearing gifts. Traveling off world, Anna Hackett’s Winter Fusion delivers a story that’s also of two rivals. Rival negotiators Brinn and Savan must come to an agreement on behalf of their respective planets during the cold of Yule, and amidst the danger of a force that wants to stop their negotiations. Galileo’s Holiday by Sasha Summers takes us into deep space. Riley’s tugger has just been destroyed, but will she still have reason to be thankful as her relationship with Leo gives her a future to look forward to?

  In addition to these nine incredible holiday novellas, four fantastic novels release in December, each one the first book in a new seriesfrom the respective authors. For fans of Regency romance, Wendy Soliman kicks off her Forster series with Compromising the Marquess, in which the enterprising heroine supports her family by writing for a scandal sheet, placing her on a collision course with a marquess. In her steampunk romance The League of Illusion: Legacy, Vivi Anna begins a dangerous journey for three brothers. Each will find love while two brothers battle deception, jealousy and ruthless rivals to find and rescue the third.

  Fan favorite Dana Marie Bell’s new series, The Nephilim, begins with All for You. He’s not just the guy next door, he’s the angel next door. And it’s just become his job to protect her—while trying not to fall in love, or into bed.

  And this month we’re thrilled to introduce debut author Alison Packard with her debut contemporary romance title, Love in the Afternoon. When I grabbed Alison’s book from the slush pile to put on my eReader for the weekend, I had no idea I was in for such an amazing story. Though I’m not one to watch soap operas, Alison sucked me into the world of soaps and made me fall in love with Kayla and Sean. Soap opera stars, maybe, but characters you root for, relate to and want to turn the pages faster for so you can see them fall in love, definitely. If you’re a fan of Shannon Stacey, Victoria Dahl and Jill Shalvis, be sure to give this new author a try.

  I hope you find time to pamper yourself during the crazy holiday season. And if that pampering takes the form of a great Carina Press December release, even better!

  We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication

  To Angela James, for having faith in me and assuring me

  “I know you can write.” Thanks, Angela. That meant the world to me.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  “There’s the beautiful Mountie who always gets her man.”

  That voice! That sexy, half-mocking, gorgeous, friendly voice. Megan Sullivan searched the crowd waiting outside the baggage claim area for its owner. His long legs clad in trademark denim, Ryan Porter stood in the middle of the concourse, his mouth pulled up on one side in the grin that caused her knees to wobble every single time.

  Pulling her biggest suitcase behind her and wrestling with the carry-on she’d balanced on top of it, she battled her way through the throng and hurried toward him.

  Once she rounded the barrier, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground in a full-body hug. “Hey, you. I’ve missed you.”

  Ignoring the amused spectators, Ryan lowered his head to capture her mouth with his. Pure male confidence, shouting to the world, “Yeah, she’s mine,” came through loud and clear from the hard press of his lips to the way his hands kneaded her ass.

  When he finally pulled away, both of them breathless, Meg left her arms hooked around his neck, loving the feel of his body against hers. Her clit pulsed, needing to be touched by his long callused fingers. Her pussy heated and her nipples ached in anticipation of his mouth on them.

  “That wasn’t an I’ve-missed-you kiss.” It had been a full-blown I-want-inside-you kiss.

  “No, it wasn’t just an I’ve-missed-you kiss,” he corrected.

  She rested her forehead against his chest, the long-seated loneliness that had plagued her up north finally leaching away. “I thought you were supposed to be in Montreal until tomorrow.”

  “Are you kidding? And waste even one day with you?”

 
Meg’s breath stuttered when he cupped her head and kissed her again, this time softer, sweeter, showing none of the blatant possessiveness of the first kiss. This one whispered of need and desire. “I love you, Meg.”

  “I love you too.” She loved the way he kissed, the way he felt against her, the way he made her feel feminine instead of the hard-ass bitch she’d been called far too often on the job. She loved the way he smelled of sawdust and... She leaned in and sniffed him deeper. “Why do you smell like roses?”

  “Because Amy’s into her nesting phase.” His grimace and fake shudder made her laugh. “She’s making homemade soaps and shampoos, claiming they’ll be safer for the baby. So naturally she’s using us as her guinea pigs. Her latest batch is some hippy-dippy rose petal shampoo so me and Derek and Noah all smell girly-girl. I tell ya, pregnant women are seriously dangerous to us guys.” He dipped his head to whisper in her ear, his russet hair tickling her nose. “I’ll pay you to convince her to make something more manly.”

  “You mean like new car scent or burnt motor oil?”

  “Yeah, now you’re talking.” He rounded his free hand as if there were a basketball in front of his stomach. The laughter made his amber eyes almost glow though others might have blamed it on the bright sunshine streaming through the glass roof. “Wait’ll you see her. She’s out to here. Derek won’t let her get behind the wheel anymore, she’s gotten so big.”

  “I can’t wait to see her again.” Amy had been her roommate in college and they’d become fast friends. When Amy had started dating Derek, Megan had found herself on a double date with Derek’s older brother Ryan. Though she’d expected to be bored when she’d learned Ryan was an artist, she’d been fascinated by his energy. After spending the night debating movies (he preferred art house movies where she loved action) and music (they both loved the same groups), he’d asked her for another date. Three months later, he’d asked her to move in with him.

  Until a car accident had changed all their plans.

  Ryan stroked the backs of his knuckles along her jaw. “You should be exhausted from your flight yet you’re even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.”

  “I slept on the plane, and it’s not hard to look better considering I was just coming off a double shift last time.” Sexy was a tough look to achieve in her standard uniform. But it was only after he’d left that she’d seen her reflection and grimaced. Her hair had been sticking up on end, and she’d had a grease stain on her cheek from changing the tire on an old woman’s car. Definitely not the memory she’d wanted to leave him with, not when he’d been on his way to New York to meet his agent at some swanky gallery in Manhattan. Manhattan, where he’d been surrounded by women with carefully coiffed hair, pouty collagen-injected lips and mile-high legs made even sexier by stilettos she’d never manage to walk in without falling on her ass.

  “I mean it, Meg. After all the delays, the changes in your schedule, the sixteen-hour layover waiting for the weather to clear up, you’re beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” He looked pretty damned good himself, but then he always did. In addition to staying fit, he’d let his hair grow longer so now the russet waves flowed over his shoulders. It suited him. She reached up and stroked his jaw. “Why did you shave your goatee?”

  “Amy and Sophie double-teamed me before I left for Montreal. They said I should shave it since the press was going to be at the gallery opening.” He leaned down and rubbed his clean-shaven jaw over her cheek. “Do you like it?”

  “You look good.” Except she’d liked his goatee, especially when he was between her thighs, his tongue working its magic, the bristle of his facial hair adding an extra— Stop thinking about how great it would be if he fucked you in the front seat of his truck. About how he’d feel when you straddled him and lowered yourself onto his thick cock. How his fingers would dig into your hips, lifting and lowering you, as his mouth sucked your nipples, rasping his teeth over them. Her pussy tightened as she imagined him pounding into her, hitting all the right spots until her muscles tightened around him, clenching, spasming...

  Crap, that really wasn’t something to dwell on until they were somewhere private. At the rate her pussy was tingling in anticipation, drenching her panties, she might not wait for anywhere more private than a dark corner of the parking garage.

  Ryan lifted the strap of her duffel from her shoulder and hoisted it over his own. “Pack much? What did you do? Bring everything you owned?”

  “What? Is it too heavy for you, big guy?” She hid her grin. Wait until he learned she’d done exactly that.

  Despite her protests, he wheeled her suitcase behind them down the long concourse toward the ramp to the parking garage. They chatted about the weather, the flight, all the usual humdrum stuff, but an electricity hummed between them, the little zing deep in her soul that tingled whenever he was near.

  Once they were on the third level, Ryan pulled out his keys and pressed the remote. The lights on his black 4x4 pickup halfway down the garage flashed.

  He opened the hatch and tossed her duffel and suitcase into the back then unlocked her door. Before she could climb in, he crowded her against the frame and cradled her face between his palms. “God, I’ve missed you, Meggie.”

  He captured her mouth with his. Lips, soft and full, brushed hers. The kiss started out soft and gentle, but quickly changed as heat blossomed between them. He might smell of roses and sweetness on the outside but as his tongue slipped over hers, his wicked hot spice mixed with strength burst on her taste buds.

  Meg tangled her hands in his long hair, leaving him no room for doubt she’d missed him too. Time slowed, the desire they’d had for each other—forced dormant from their extended separation—strengthened between them like a living thing. When the hard length of his cock jutted into her belly, she wrapped her legs around his waist, tempted to let him take her right there, damn any spectators. As she slid her hands between them, intent on reaching his fly, he pulled away and rested his forehead on her hair.

  “It’s too public here.” He lifted his chin and used it to point to the closed-circuit camera in the corner. “Last thing we need is for a video of us making out to show up on the local news with the headlines that a Mountie got caught with her pants down around her ankles.”

  Despite the cameras, he slipped his hands beneath the bottom of her parka and caressed her ass. His heart thundered beneath the ear she’d rested on his chest, almost in time with her own rapid pulse. She swallowed the impulse to tell him she wasn’t a Mountie anymore. She had that announcement all planned out; spilling the secret now would ruin her plan of wrapping her acceptance letter up and presenting it to him as a present.

  “We could do it in the truck. Like that time at the drive-in.”

  “Captain’s chairs, not bench seats, and it’s too damned cold to climb into the back.” He caught her mouth with his again, a lighter, more playful kiss ending with a nip of her lower lip.

  “I guess you’re right—I want to strip you naked. Get naked beside you. Beneath you.”

  “Baby, you’ve got a deal. But we’ll pick up where we left off once we’re home.” With a sigh, she stood aside as he opened the truck door then waited for her to climb in.

  As they sped along the highway through the middle of Toronto, she spied a mall parking lot so crammed with traffic she shook her head. There were probably more cars in the lot than all the people in Iqaluit. She’d bet not one of them appreciated their ability to just pop out to a store instead of having to order things online a year at a time. “I’d hoped to do some Christmas shopping on my way home, but those parking lots look crazy.”

  “It’s not so bad in Oshawa or Peterborough—well, the malls are still insane, but not quite as crowded as they are here. I can take you tomorrow, if you’d like.”

  “That’s a good idea. Has Sophie decided what universities she wants to apply to?”

  “She’s debating between Queens and McGill.” A frown flickered across his face, and his s
houlders hunched, though she doubted he was aware of it. “But she’s got her heart set on a program in England. Oxford, can you believe that? If anyone can do it, Soph can.”

  As he talked about his half brother and half sister, she couldn’t stop watching his hands. Even with the calluses, she’d bet they were still sensitive. Artist’s hands. Equally sensitive stroking a wood carving as when they touched her. They were even more calloused now. Man’s hands used to hard work. No matter how much she and Amy had pleaded that he needed to look after his hands for the sake of his art, he had been hell-bent on doing as much of the mill’s renovations himself, to fulfill his father’s dreams, at the cost of his own.

  * * *

  It had been a close call after getting stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 401 at the Don Valley overpass then again at an accident in one of the towns just outside the GTA. The gas warning light had been on too long for comfort before he managed to inch his way onto the next off-ramp and pulled into a gas station.

  Meg unbuckled her seat belt then zipped up her coat. “While you’re gassing up, I’m going to run across the road and grab a coffee at Timmy’s. You want anything?”

  “Coffee would be great.”

  Ryan blew out a breath as Meg disappeared into the coffee shop. The desire, the sheer need he’d always had for her, walloped him in the chest like a sledgehammer the moment he’d seen her in the airport concourse. It had only gotten worse sitting beside her, smelling her fresh scent. He’d been ready to pull into a secluded parking lot, strip her clothes off and lower her onto his cock right here in the truck. Especially after that kiss.

  Whoa, boy, that kiss. He hadn’t missed how she’d slid her hands beneath his coat and cupped his ass. Or the little wiggle she’d given when he’d cupped hers, as if she were about to wrap her legs around his waist to welcome him into her body. Despite his fears that she’d push him away, that she no longer desired him, she’d responded exactly as she had every time they’d kissed. With a passion unrivaled. None of the passion between them had faded one iota. While he’d learned long ago that distance did indeed make the heart fonder, he’d discovered it also made his cock harder.