She couldn’t get enough of his mouth, the way he lazily brushed his lips across hers while he took his time caressing her with his fingers. There was no fast and furious rush to get her to the finish line. He rubbed his fingers over her sex, a tease that made her lift her h*ps to meet him and wrap her tongue around his.

She wanted this, needed him to make her come. And when he increased the pressure, giving her just a little more, she grabbed his wrist and held him right there, right at the point that would guarantee to sail her to oblivion.

But he pulled her wrist away and deepened the kiss, then tucked two fingers inside her while swirling his thumb over her clit.

She was going insane, needing that burst. She rolled to the side and lifted her leg over his hip, driving against him so he’d get her there. Unashamed, she thrust against his fingers, and he groaned against her mouth. And when she came, he soaked up her cries with his lips, taking every moan and whimper while he continued to pump his fingers into her and she rode the wave of one fantastic orgasm that left her shaken.

She was still trembling from the aftereffects when Drew pulled away only long enough to grab a condom. Then he was back, rolling her underneath him. She was still throbbing when he slid inside her, cupping her butt to raise her h*ps so he could push deeper.

He lifted his torso off her and held himself up with his hands, staring down at her. She smoothed her hands up his arms, feeling the strength in his muscles as he moved within her with slow, easy thrusts.

He kept his gaze trained on her face, his eyes intense, hot, and filled with a passion that equaled hers. She rubbed her hands over his arms, tightening her hold on him as he eased down on her and ground against her, heightening the sensation to peak level.

She brushed his hair away from his face, feeling the sweat across his forehead. She cupped the nape of his neck and drew his face closer. His lips took hers in a feverish kiss that made her tighten, made her nerve endings tingle. And when he groaned against her mouth, she wrapped her legs around him, urging him to give her more.

He pulled his lips from hers and looked down at her. “I love the way your pu**y tightens around my cock, Lina. Do you know I can tell when you’re about to come? You squeeze my c**k and your pu**y quivers.”

He drew back, then slid back in, ever so slowly, rolling his h*ps against hers, giving her the friction that tore her apart. “Like now. You’re ready to come, but you’re holding back. Is it good?”

He was right. Every sensation was so delicious, she wanted to savor the moment. She could have come again already. He mastered her body, was so in tune to what gave her pleasure. But being with him like this, wrapped in this cocoon of heat and desire, was a never-ending source of sin and delight. She never wanted it to end.

“Yes,” she said, lifting against him until he powered in deep. “It’s so good. I want more. I want to come.”

He rolled against her again, and this time, she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold back. She dug her nails into Drew’s arms, lost in the way he moved against her, the tidal wave of sensation that engulfed her as her cl**ax hit.

He kissed her as she came, absorbing the cries she couldn’t help but release as she rocked against him. And when Drew came with a hard groan and shuddered against her, she held tight to him, her lifeline in this wild, out-of-control storm of pleasure.

He held her, stroked her hair and brushed her lips with soft kisses as she came down from the high, out of breath but utterly content.

And then he got up and went to the bathroom and Carolina rolled over, exhausted. When Drew came back, he pulled the covers over them both and snuggled his body against hers.

She could barely keep her eyes open. “I need to go back to my room.”

“Okay.”

But his warm body against hers was her undoing. Her eyes drifted closed and she was out cold.

SEVENTEEN

DREW LISTENED TO THE SOUND OF CAROLINA’S DEEP breathing, and knew she’d fallen asleep.

He’d wake her in a little while. He usually slept light, so he’d make sure she was out of his room early enough, before everyone got up Christmas morning.

Though he had no idea how early everyone got up. He leaned over and reached for his phone.

Three a.m. That wasn’t going to give them much time for sleeping.

He smiled. Worth it, though. He wrapped his arms around Carolina and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair.

He liked having her in his bed, liked the warmth of her na**d body nestled against his. His c**k twitched, but he forced those thoughts aside.

Yeah, he wanted her again. He wanted her all the time, but she needed at least a few hours of sleep.

Just an hour of her next to him in bed would be good enough. Then he’d wake her and she could sneak back to her room.

No one would know.

No one could know. That would be a disaster.

He yawned and closed his eyes.

 • • •

THE RAP OF A COUPLE QUICK KNOCKS PENETRATED the thick fog of dead sleep that had sent Drew spiraling off into oblivion.

But the sound of Gray’s voice shot him up in bed.

“Hey, Drew, I thought we’d get a head start on everyone else—”

Gray saw the body in bed next to Drew at the same time Drew threw the covers over Carolina’s head.

“Oh, shit. I’m sorry, man. I had no idea.” Gray started to back out, then paused as Carolina threw the covers off her head.

“Drew, what’s going on?” she asked.

And then it was like a scene in a really bad movie.

Because Carolina woke enough to see her brother standing in the doorway, a horrified expression on her face.

And Gray realized it was his sister in bed with Drew.

“What the ever-loving f**k is going on here?” Gray asked.

“Gray. Get out so your sister can get dressed.”

Carolina, eyes wide, said nothing.

Gray, however, looked pissed as he narrowed his gaze at Drew. “You and I need to talk as soon as you get dressed and come downstairs.”

His lips clamped tight, Gray shut the door.

Shit.

Drew dragged his fingers through his hair and climbed out of bed.

“I’m sorry. I meant to wake you a couple of hours ago. I just passed out.”

He expected panic on Carolina’s face. Instead, she seemed . . . calm. She slid out of bed and grabbed her clothes. Drew couldn’t help but admire the sleek lines of her na**d body. “I’m a grown woman, Drew. My brother is going to have to get over it.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

“No. I’ll talk to him.”

She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. He’s just being overprotective. He’ll realize that this is none of his business.” She went over to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m going to take a shower, then I’ll see you downstairs.”

He wrapped his arm around her and tugged her close, prolonging the kiss until, despite the upcoming conversation with Carolina’s brother that he was dreading, all he could think about was throwing Carolina back in bed and spending an hour or so with her.

But she pulled away. “I really need that shower, before the rest of the family wakes up.”

“Yeah. Me, too.” He swept his thumb over her bottom lip. “Too bad we can’t take one together.”

She sighed. “That would have been fun. The drawback to being surrounded by family—one that doesn’t knock before entering a room.”

He laughed. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

After Carolina left, Drew took a quick shower and got dressed. Not one to delay the inevitable, he found Gray downstairs, brooding over a cup of coffee.

“Where’s everyone else?”

“My parents and their security went for an early morning walk. Evelyn’s still asleep. What the hell are you doing in bed with my sister?”

Drew went to the coffeepot and poured a cup for himself, then faced Gray. “I don’t really think that requires a detailed explanation, do you?”

“Come on, Drew. She’s my sister.”

“And well over twenty-one, and more than capable of making decisions about who she shares a bed with. It’s not like she’s a kid anymore, Gray. You need to let this one go.”

“It’s a rule, man. You never mess with a friend’s little sister. You broke the cardinal rule of friendship.”

“That was a rule set up when we were nineteen.” Though no way was Drew going to mention he had, in fact, broken that rule back in college. Gray would never forgive him.

“It’s one that still holds true.”

Drew took a couple long swallows of coffee. After not enough sleep last night, he wasn’t ready to fight this battle with his best friend. “Come on. Are you saying I’m not good enough for her?”

Gray paced. “No. That’s not what I mean at all. But I know your lifestyle. I know you go through women as often as you change socks. I don’t want Carolina to be hurt.”

“And I don’t want to hurt her. It’s not like that.”

Gray let out a short laugh. “Right. I’m sure you say that about all the women you sleep with, then dump.”

“You need to stay clear of this one, buddy. My relationship with Carolina is my business, and hers. Not yours.”

Drew knew right away it was the wrong thing to say. The look Gray leveled at him was not one of friend to friend. It was big brother looking out for little sister.

“My sister’s happiness is always going to be my business. And if I think she’s seeing the wrong guy, I’m going to step in.”

Immediately defensive, Drew stepped forward. “Since when am I the wrong guy?”

“Okay, enough of this.”

Drew looked over at the doorway where Carolina had walked in. Instead of coming toward him, though, she went to Gray and put her arms around him for a hug.

“Merry Christmas.”

Gray hugged her back. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”

Then she came over to Drew, and gave him the same innocuous hug. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Lina.”

Gray shot him another one of those looks that could kill. Tough.

Carolina grabbed a cup and the teapot and started to make tea. Then she turned to face her brother. “I’m an adult. This is my life, and I get to make the decisions about what—and who—is right for me. While I appreciate you being protective, Gray, you being irate about me sleeping with Drew is out-of-bounds. He’s your friend, and I don’t want your friendship with Drew strained over this. If this goes wrong and I get hurt, that’s on me. I’m in this willingly and with my eyes open. Got that?”

Gray looked at Carolina for a long minute, then his shoulders finally relaxed. “I guess. But you know I’m always going to watch out for you.”

“I understand and I appreciate it. And if Evelyn had had big brothers who would have been unhappy about you sleeping with her, what would you have said to them?”

Gray looked at her for a minute, then shrugged. “I’d have probably told them to f**k off, because my relationship with Evelyn was nobody’s business but the two of us.”

Carolina stared at him.

“Okay, point taken.” Gray looked over at Drew. “Sorry for flying off the handle.”

“It’s okay,” Drew said. “And Merry Christmas.”

Gray laughed. “Back at you.”

“And can we please not mention this to Mom and Dad? I’ve had enough drama this morning. I’d like to keep my relationship with Drew under wraps for the time being.”

“Why?” Gray asked.

“Because it’s new. And you know how Mom is about stuff like this. Just me seeing a guy will have her so excited she’ll be picking out china patterns for us.”

“Okay, you have a point. I won’t say a word. How about Evelyn?”

“I’ll . . . mention it to Evelyn,” Carolina said, and then slid her glance to Drew, which gave Drew the impression that Evelyn probably already knew.

Given that women talked to each other about relationships all the time, that didn’t surprise him. Or bother him.

“Now that that’s settled, I’m going to make some tea and try to wake up the normal way.”

It wasn’t long before Gray and Carolina’s parents came back from their walk, and Evelyn came downstairs. Then there was a flurry of activity and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. They had breakfast, then everyone gathered in the family room to open gifts.

Drew settled back to watch the family open their gifts, then was surprised when Mrs. Preston handed one to him.

“For me?”

She smiled at him. “Of course.”

He opened it up, and there was a framed photograph of him scoring a goal in a game against New Jersey. It was a great shot, too, with his stick in forward motion right at the net.

He stood and hugged her, then shook the vice president’s hand. “Thank you for this. It means a lot to me.”

“I’m so glad you like it,” Mrs. Preston said.

Evelyn and Gray had given him something, too. A mug with a hockey stick that said, “I have a big, hard stick and I know what to do with it.” He laughed out loud.

“This is perfect.”

“Evelyn picked it out,” Gray said.

Evelyn grinned. “It seemed appropriate for you.”

When Gray gave her a look, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “That’s not at all what I meant.”

And then everyone laughed.

He’d brought gifts for all of them, too, though considering what went down this morning, he wasn’t sure the gift he’d gotten for Carolina was going to go over all that well with Gray. But he’d found it and he thought it suited her, so he handed it to her.