Christmas Lily — Marteeka Karland

hristmas has never been so wonderful for Lily. She's on a trip with her church friends, anticipating a community Christmas concert, and just plain having a ball. Until confronted by a member of her church who's taken a strong dislike for her for no apparent reason.



When Beaumont Madden comes to Lily's defense, he knows he has to tread carefully. Feelings he's long suppressed seem to rush to the forefront, feelings better left buried deep.



The only problem is, Lily seems to have the same longings he does.



EXCERPT:



“Look,” he said, taking her hand in his once more, kissing the backs of her fingers because he simply had to taste her skin. His mind momentarily blanked as he resisted the urge to nibble on her fingertips, to suck each one into his mouth until she squirmed. With effort, he pulled himself back to reality and his mouth from her hand. “You need to really think about what you want. You're young. You're beautiful. You could have any man you wanted. I'm thirty-two years old. You're twenty-one.”



“So? That doesn't mean I don't know what I want.” She looked so cute when she raised her chin in that stubborn way that looked so much like her father. Beau almost smiled. Almost. The way he was feeling right now, smiling wasn't something he thought he could manage. He wanted to whisk her away to his own home, to his bed, and keep her there all fucking weekend. Longer, even.



“So…” He took a breath just to draw her fresh, clean scent into his lungs once more before letting her go. “I need to go. You need to think about the implications of anything happening between us. Your father, for one.”

“My father doesn't run my life.”



“No, but he's good to you and he loves you. I respect him more than my own father, or we wouldn't be having this conversation.” Beau turned her hand over, giving her one last kiss in the center of her palm. It wasn't nearly enough, but it would have to do for now.



He let go of her hand, getting out of the car and opening her door. Lily still appeared a little shell-shocked -- not that he could blame her. The incident at the hotel had been bad enough, but having him playing ping-pong with her emotions was likely not helping. Not for the first time, he cursed his own weakness. He never should have started this erotic game with her. It would only get them both hurt. Unfortunately, he was too far gone to ever pull back entirely. Beau wanted Lily like he wanted to take his next breath, but he needed her to be absolutely sure of what she was getting into. He had no doubt he could make her want to stay with him if she chose to continue on this path, but she had to be sure this was the best thing for her. The last thing he ever wanted to do was cause her pain.



At her door, he pulled out a business card, penning his personal cell on the back of it. Handing it to her he said, “Use this.”



“When?” She took it without hesitation, pulling out her phone and programming the number into it.



“Whenever. After you think about this. Tonight. Next week.” He pulled his cell from his pocket. “Give me yours. If you don't call me, I will definitely be calling you.”



She did. Looking up at him with those deep brown eyes of hers, she asked, “Why are you doing this?”



“Leaving you here?” When she nodded, he said, “Because I play for keeps. Think about that.”



Lily bit her bottom lip, turning her head away slightly. With a groan Beau lunged for her, pulling her against him much as he had at the hotel, only this time he threaded his fingers in her hair and forced her to look at him. “Just so you know why you need to really think about what you're doing to me…”



When she opened her mouth to say something, he took her lips with his, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth with all the subtlety of a charging bull. She gasped, stiffening in his embrace but clutching at his shoulders. Her responses were so innocent he had to wonder if she'd ever even been kissed before. Had he thought she ever been with another ma