How the Hitman Stole Christmas - Sam Mariano Page 0,71
actually. I didn’t know she was a badass until this happened, I’ve never even heard her speak, but she grabbed one of the fuckers after they shot at Candace and rammed a steak knife through his neck. They all emerged relatively unscathed except for the mental scars it left on them, but that night could have ended his family, and none of us would have seen it coming.” He holds my gaze, his more serious than I’ve seen him before. “And that could have been any one of us, Autumn. That’s a risk we all live with. I can live with it when it’s just me, but a wife, kids?” He shakes his head solemnly. “Not in the cards for me.”
His story is horrifying—every single bit of it. I don’t know what to say, but my heart is heavy for everyone involved. “That sounds like quite a burden,” I say softly.
“It can be.”
“And… you never think about getting out?” I try not to sound hopeful. I tell myself it has nothing to do with me. I do really like Jasper. I have fun with him, and I’d love to keep seeing him, but I know that’s not possible.
At least, I tell myself I know that.
It doesn’t keep the note of hopefulness out of my voice.
“You said the people you work for are reasonable, that you weren’t born into it so they’d probably let you out if you asked, right? So… if you were seeing someone that you wanted to get serious with, if you decided you did want a family of your own… it’s not impossible. Right?”
Jasper’s heavy gaze lingers on my face. He’s not stupid—he knows why I’m asking. He can hear the hope in my voice, probably see it glinting in my eyes. He knows that as reckless and crazy as it is, I can’t resist thinking about having more with him than just Christmas in Stillwater.
“No,” he answers softly, solemnly, almost a tinge of sadness in his tone. “It’s not impossible.”
The little burst of hope I couldn’t suppress wells up inside me, overflowing more than it probably should.
He may not have promised anything, but he didn’t extinguish that little spark of hope.
Yes, it would be difficult. Yes, he would have to change his entire life to accommodate me.
But we’re not impossible.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jasper
Christmas Eve gets off to a very good start.
I wake up first. Autumn is snuggled up in my arms with her tempting little ass pushed back against me. That’s all it takes to get me going and she’s already naked, so I snake my hand between her thighs and start kissing the back of her neck.
Her eyes stay closed for a while. I only know she’s awake because her breathing becomes more labored, the rise and fall of her chest more pronounced as I rub her. I’m only exploring at first, not trying to get her off, but when I caress her a little higher than I mean to and she moans, it’s like a drug shot straight into my veins. I need another hit, so I pull her back on the bed and climb on top of her, still with my finger in her pussy, and I rub until she’s grabbing desperately at the pillows, crying out with abandon as pleasure washes over her.
While her body’s still convulsing, I push my cock into her. She sighs like she feels as complete as I do when we’re together, then she locks her legs around me. I fuck her nice and slow, kissing her as much as I can until the need is overpowering. She doesn’t complain a bit when I flip her over and bury her in the mattress, grabbing a fistful of that beautiful hair of hers and riding her until we’re both good and satisfied.
I collapse on top of her, kissing the back of her shoulder, then resting my face against her back. Once I regain some strength in my muscles, I move off her so I don’t crush her and pull her into my arms.
Autumn wraps her arms around me, naturally twining her leg around mine, too, so she can pull herself closer. She’s an affectionate little thing.
“Merry Christmas,” she murmurs against my chest.
I smile, kissing the crown of her head. “It’s not Christmas just yet.”
She pulls back to look up at me, happiness glinting in her pretty blue eyes. “Almost.”
I can’t resist stealing a kiss on the lips while I’m at it. “Almost doesn’t count.”