Unwrapping Her Perfect Match

Chapter Fourteen

Gwen barely made it through the bedroom door before John spun her into his arms, nudging the door closed with his foot. His mouth landed on hers and he kissed her, slipping his tongue between her lips as he held her so close she could feel every breath he took. She wound her arms around his neck, pleasure sweeping through her that he had to bend down to reach her. She'd always wondered what it would be like to feel small. Now she knew she'd spent her whole life searching for the wrong feeling. This was what she'd wanted to feel. Needed. Wanted by someone who was large—not physically, though that certainly pumped lust through her—someone whose heart was big enough to hold hers without crushing it.

She'd wanted to feel safe in someone's arms. She didn't know yet whether she was safe here. It was still too early to tell. But she felt safe enough to continue exploring.

And John explored too. His palms swept over her back, cupping her bum and pulling her up tight against his heavy erection, moaning when she wriggled closer. "God, I've wanted to do this all day. Bloody parenthood."

His gruff voice held just enough amusement to tell her that the last part was a joke. "You love it. Admit it."

"I admit it. Today was pretty brilliant."

His sweet grin sent tremors through her. She ran the pad of her thumb over his lips, her eyelids fluttering closed when he nipped at it.

"This is the first time I've felt like a real dad, Gwen. I can't tell you how much it means that you've helped make that possible."

Blood rushed to her face, burning her cheeks. "I've hardly done anything—"

His fingers tightened almost painfully on her bum. "Don't do that. Don't underestimate yourself. You've sacrificed your own Christmas plans to look after a virtual stranger so he could spend time with his daughter. You've found ways of helping me talk to Agnes. It's been the best Christmas of my life—even better than when I was twelve and got my first rugby boots. I owe you everything."

Her throat swelled, and self-effacing denials shot to her lips. But my Christmas plans weren't important. I was just going to spend the day with my parents, like I do every year. I don't mind giving up my plans to spend the holidays with a man I barely know. I'm that desperate and lonely and uncertain around men unless I have the excuse of taking care of them. Her lips trembled with the effort to hold the words in.

"Gwen? Oh, fuck, don't cry. I'm sorry. What did I do? I'm a great big lummox. Don't listen to me."

She shook her head and unhooked her arms from his neck. When he let her go, she covered her mouth and fell back on her old habit of taking blame where it wasn't due. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I've ruined the moment."

"Is this about that guy from your school?"

Stark humiliation rushed through her. "You...you know about him?"

He cursed and turned away, walking a few paces before coming back and taking her hand. Threading his fingers through hers, he tugged her toward the bed. "Sit. I'm going to get us some water. I'll be right back. Don't move. And don't even think about leaving."

It hadn't occurred to her. Her mind was too numb trying to figure out what had just happened. One minute they'd been kissing and she'd thought she'd figured out something wonderful. Then self-doubt had taken root.

When he returned a few minutes later, she was sitting against the pillows with her knees hugged to her chest. He handed her a glass of water before perching on the edge of the bed. "My head's still fuzzy from my fall, and there's this little voice telling me I shouldn't have brought that arsehole up, but I'm no good at ignoring things. I'm trained to bash into people headfirst, not tiptoe around them. So talk to me."