Mating Season

But he had a sinking feeling that Claire would realize pretty quickly that his mother's Manhattan condo didn't feel nearly as warm, or half as inviting as her family's home.

Surprisingly he didn't feel the least bit cold, cuddled up close to his pretty 'girlfriend,' with their hands clasped together under the blanket, and him clad in her father's insulated snowmobile boots, with a hand-knitted wool hat tugged down on his head and heavy work gloves covering his hands. And what surprised him even more was that he knew he wouldn't mind, if he had a chance, to come back again next Christmas to join in the fun.

But then he wondered what Claire would think of him looking so far ahead, when they'd only agreed the night before that they might try dating once they got home to New York. Already he knew he wanted more with her maybe even like some kind of a future. Which was not only crazy but something he'd never even considered before, thinking about planning his life with someone else.

Happy just to be able to touch her, he took hold of her chin, turned her face and pressed a kiss to her lips, deciding that showing how much he cared shouldn't look odd to her family, if they were supposed to be involved.

Delighted at his show of affection, Claire just grinned and snuggled in even closer, playfully rubbing her nose against his.

And he did like having her close, even if that's all they could have for now. Already he had a feeling that he was getting into her pretty deep, so he told her, "You know I'm really enjoying myself with you."

She grinned. "Me, too, this is fun."

Truth was, she was fun and sweet and probably the most alluring woman he'd ever been with, for a lot of different reasons that surprisingly weren't only about how undeniably sexy she was. Especially since she was incredibly smart, too, which he also thought was pretty sexy. And a nagging little voice in his head had him starting to think that he'd be crazy to ever let her go.

Everyone cheered the moment the wagon jerked ahead as the horses started up. And as they clopped along circling the barn before heading off on a path that lead out onto the pastures and into the open fields, everything just looked and smelled so fresh and clean covered in freshly fallen snow, that everyone seemed to inhale the clean, crisp pine-scented air all at once. Then kids started a chorus of Jingle Bells, and everyone joined in laughing, a few of them happily singing off-key as the horses took them across the fields. Greg decided then that he was pretty sure he'd be back, and she'd be right by his side, maybe with little ones of their own one day, at least if he could convince her that what they had was real, and there was nothing fake about it.

An hour later, the sleigh pulled up back in front of the barn, and everyone clambered off, with the kids all giggling, already playing in the snow, tossing around snow balls. Before they all dispersed, her brother Scott hollered, "Hot chocolate's waiting inside for anyone who wants it, and a couple of us are going to build snow forts and snowmen out in front of the house for whoever wants to join in."

Greg smiled down as Reesa waddled over in her snow boots and heavily padded pink snow suit, took him by the hand, looked up into his eyes and said, "Okay, Greg, time to make a snowman."

He chuckled over her head at Claire as he told her, "Sure, Reesa, just show me the way."

She nodded, making the little pom-pom on the top of her bright pink hat wobble on her head as she led him around to the front of the house with Claire and two of her sisters following behind them. The three sisters smiled at how cute they looked with big tall Greg being led around the house in adorable Reesa's tiny little mitten-covered hand.

"I hope you realize this one's a keeper," Claire's sister Tracy quietly told her. "I don't think even when we were first dating Randy ever looked at me the way Greg looks at you, like he just can't wait to get you naked."

Her sister Ellie, walking on her other side, nudged Claire with her elbow, leaned in and said in a low voice, "If I were you, I'd take him out to the barn, and tell everyone you're just showing him around. Then you can have some fun without everyone knowing what you're up to, since I'm sure you'll be sleeping in separate beds tonight."

Tracy nodded in agreement, and warned her, "But just remember mating season's not till spring, so be careful, since all of us Olson's are pretty fertile, and two of us got pregnant at Christmas."

Though Claire rolled her eyes at them, since she was more careful than that, she still couldn't help but imagine how hot it would be to get Greg out in the barn, where no one could see them, or have any idea what they were getting up to.

But first things first, they all pitched in and had fun helping Reesa build her snowman, with Claire's mother bringing out a long straight carrot from the kitchen for the nose when they were almost done. And once they had it assembled, Greg got on his knees and helped her pack snow around the base, the waist and neck to make sure it would be sturdy enough to last. And he asked her as they finished, "So, what are hoping to get for Christmas, Reesa?"

"I just want one thing."

He looked down at her. "And what's that?"

"A baby doll with pretty hair and not a bald one."

He laughed and thought she was the cutest kid ever as he helped her get to her feet, since her bulky snowsuit was a little awkward to move around in. Then he lifted her onto his shoulders and stepped in close so she could finish it off by placing an old black felt hat on top of its head.

When he stood back, so she could see what it looked like complete with coal for the eyes, and a smile made of stones, with the top hat and green scarf wrapped around its neck; gleefully laughing, she clapped her little mitt covered hands together. Then leaning over, she exuberantly pressed a loud smacking kiss to the top of Greg's head and told him, "Thank you for helping me, Greg. Isn't he perfect?"

Greg flashed a smile at Claire and agreed, "He sure is."

Soon her father David came and took his daughter off his shoulders and told her to come and see the fort they were building, probably so Claire could have her boyfriend to herself for a while. Though Greg had actually enjoyed helping her build the snowman, which was something else he never imagined himself doing. And he was really starting to wonder what it would be like to have little ones of his own, especially in a place like this.

But he knew one thing, if he ever did have kids, he'd be the hands-on-type like her siblings. Doubting that any of their kids were enrolled in things like ballet or piano, mostly just to keep them out of their hair, like his sister's children, who spent more time with their nannies than they did with their own parents.

Breaking away from the group, coyly waving goodbye to her sisters, who were heading inside, Claire took Greg by the arm and said, "I was just thinking I should show you around, since we'll be gone by tomorrow."

He just nodded. "Sure, I'd love to have a look around," and followed her over to the smaller storage barn, just behind the big red barn that housed the cattle.

But once she got him in the small heated outbuilding, the sultry smile she gave him had him cocking an eyebrow and starting to grin, wondering what she was up to. Though, he already had a feeling, if she was thinking what he was thinking, since they were finally on their own and away from the prying eyes of her family, he was definitely going to be on board.

"This smaller barn is where we keep our supplies," she told him, running her hand up his chest and stroking his cheek. "And it's heated to keep the chemicals from freezing, and they use it for calving, too."

He tossed his hat onto a workbench and then his gloves. Keeping his steely gaze trained on hers, his voice low and husky, he murmured, "Good to know."

Unzipping his coat, and tossing that aside too, already feeling himself growing hard, he asked, "Anything else you do in here?"

She flashed him a sexy grin, waggling her eyebrows. "Well, people have been known to come out here just for some alone time."

Greg's grin turned devilish as he closed the distance between them, and started to unzip her coat, murmuring over her lips, "And what exactly do they do when they're out here alone?"

Pushing up on her toes, eager to have a feel of his big, hard body, running her hands over his chest and down over his abs, she pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. Looking up into his eyes, she whispered against his lips, "Guess they just enjoy each other... making love."

Greg could feel his cock growing painfully hard, and was already scouring the interior for the best place to get her on her back. But Claire was way ahead of him, grabbing a blanket off one of the old stall dividers she tossed it onto the clean hay scattered inside. And he happily followed her as she took him by the hand and led him into the stall.

But when she tossed her coat aside, then made quick work of her clothes, he blinked. And his pulse started racing when he realized she was standing in front of him gloriously naked, with her long pretty hair loose around her shoulders, her nipples hard as diamonds and aroused enough that he could smell the scent of her sex in the air.

Looking up into eyes, smiling coyly, she licked her lips before she dropped to her knees. And Greg felt like his own legs were about to give out, just thinking about how incredible it would feel to have that pretty mouth of hers stretched tight around him. Never mind how hot she looked going down on him, especially seeing as she was naked as the day she was born.

As he watched her working at undoing his belt and lowering his fly, running his hands through her hair, staring down at the curve of her pretty ass, he asked, "You ever bring anyone out here before?"

When she shook her head, smiled up into his eyes, and said, "No, only you," he actually felt his chest swell, knowing that this would be a first for both of them.

Then when she tugged his jeans and his boxers down to his ankles, and his cock sprang free, it almost bounced up and hit him on the stomach she'd gotten him so hard. Greg let out a groan the second she touched him, sure he'd never felt as elated to have a woman lay her hands on him, never mind the thought of how much pleasure she was about to give him with that sexy mouth.

"Oh, my, you really are a big one, aren't you?" she remarked, admiring the beauty of him fully erect as she began to stroke him up and down in her hand. Definitely the most perfect specimen she'd ever seen, long and thick and just so velvety smooth, and yet so hard, with a tempting little bead of pre-cum glistening on the tip, that she just had to taste.

Softly moaning, she closed her eyes and lapped at him, licking him clean, lashing all around him, before she opened up and sucked in the swollen tip that amazingly seemed to grow even bigger in the heat of her mouth as she playfully teased him with little flicks of her tongue.

Sure he'd never been as turned on in his life, Greg could feel his heart pounding hard enough to hear it in his ears, practically beating out of his chest. Letting out a guttural groan, he fisted her hair in his hands, convinced he'd never seen anything hotter than her on her knees, with her lips stretched around him, sucking him in a little deeper with every stroke of her wicked tongue. If he thought last night with her was hot, tonight she was practically on fire.

As she bobbed up and down on him faster and faster, taking him as deep as she could, while gently rolling his balls in her hand, she smiled up into eyes, loving how zoned-out he looked as he flexed his hips and carefully slid deeper into her mouth. She felt just as blown away from the feel of him filling her up, even when he got a little more forceful and fisted her hair a little tighter. Till she could feel the slight sting in her scalp when he pushed in deep, twisting her hair in his hands, he really had her pussy tingling.

When he slammed his eyes shut and told her, "Damn, Claire, I'm going to come so damn hard if you keep that up," smiling around him, she just sucked him even harder. But then she let out a yelp, when he suddenly pulled out.

But he soon had her smiling with anticipation when he grabbed her by the hips, turned her around, and pressed down on her back, till he had her butt in the air. The shock of the cool air sweeping across her wet pussy had her nipples tightening, sending goosebumps racing over her flesh.

Just the sound of his deep lusty voice had her shivering even harder, as he breathed, "My turn," into her ear. On his knees behind her, sliding his tongue over her sex, he groaned as he slid into her with his tongue. Pushing in two fingers, teasing her clit with his thumb, he had her squealing and shuddering so hard, she wondered how many orgasms a girl could possibly survive.

Then before she'd even had a chance to catch her breath, after coming hard enough to nearly collapse, he was clutching her hips, fisting his cock in his hand and thrusting his way inside her.

"Oh, damn, Greg," she cried out, clenching the blanket in her fists, her heart galloping out of control as he gave her the ride of her freaking life.

Grunting and growling behind her, his hands dug into her hips, pushing in harder and deeper with every thrust, flesh slapping against flesh, his sweat trickling onto her back. Clenching the blanket tight in her fists, fighting just to breathe, she knew she'd never experienced anything as hot in her life. Lost in the feel of each other, mating like a rutting bull with his mate in heat, it felt so primal to be so wildly out of control, their bodies driving them to reach that pinnacle where they'd find their release.

Reaching under her, teasing her clit with his finger, murmuring, "Come for me, Claire," that was all it took. With one more long hard thrust, she lost it and felt herself flying right over the edge, shuddering and shivering as she rode out the most amazing wave, coursing through her every nerve ending in her body. She had to pinch her lips tight to keep from crying out. Sure she'd never experienced anything like it, so overwhelmed, it felt like her legs were about to give out.

When Greg threw back his head, letting out a fierce growl, slammed into her one last time and stilled, the feel of him pulsing inside her as he came, flooding her with his hot seed, sent another small ripple straight up her spine, like a tingly little aftershock making her shiver even harder.

And when he wrapped her in his arms, pressing kisses long her back, murmuring, "Oh, god what you do to me," she smiled, feeling the same way about him. Of course every time with him felt like magic. And she hated the idea that as soon as they got back to work that it would probably be over. And they'd go back to just smiling and saying hello whenever they passed each other in the hallway, like nothing had ever happened. Especially after experiencing something as earth-shattering as this, it would be hard to act like all they did was work together.

After he'd helped her to her feet, Greg looked into her eyes, tipped up her chin and kissed her. And then reaching for her clothes to help her get dressed, he murmured, "Damn, that was amazing." Smiling at how flushed she looked, he carefully picked the straw from her hair so no one would realize what they'd been up to.

Though she managed a smile, as she looked up at him, she felt a little sad knowing that their time together was probably only going to last for a couple more days, especially when it been so good.

As he zipped up his jeans, he looked over at her, wondering why she was so quiet, and asked, "Everything okay?"

Though she nodded and did her best to look happy, he had a feeling something had upset her, and just hoped it wasn't something he'd done. Not sure if he'd gotten a little too rough, he stepped closer, held her face in his hands, keeping his eyes on hers, he asked, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He felt relieved when she shook her head smiled and said, "No, it was great, I loved it. Guess I'm just a little tired. It's been a long day."

Not exactly sure if he should believe her, once they were dressed he took his time and kissed her till she was softly sighing and helplessly listing against him. Then he whispered against her lips, "Thank you for this, Claire, all of it. I've love coming here to meet your family, and I've really enjoyed seeing the inside of this barn."

She finally managed to laugh. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. But we should probably get back, or they'll be wondering what happened to us."

When they walked back into the house, the women were all busy in the kitchen and her two sisters, who knew about their little excursion, gave her knowing little grins the moment she stepped inside.

And Claire just hoped she didn't look too flushed, or everyone would wonder what they'd been doing.

Just to be on the safe side, once she got her coat and boots off, hoping to cool off, and get the flush out of her cheeks, she took a minute to stick her head in the fridge. Pretending to look for something, she mumbled to Greg that he should join the guys in the family room, where she imagined they'd be watching a movie with the kids.

With a teasing smile, her sister Tracy came up behind her and said into her ear, "You planning on keeping your head in that fridge all night?"

Claire turned and narrowed her eyes on her. "No. I was just looking for some butter."

Tracy waggled her eyebrows. "Why did you forget your lube?"

Claire laughed out loud, and forgot about the flush in her cheeks. And finally she stepped away from the fridge and got busy helping to put together their dinner.

Surprisingly, everyone was pretty hungry by the time the meal was served. And amazingly the huge thirty-five pound turkey and two big stuffed chickens, with all the trimmings, and another round of pies and sweets were nearly gone by the time they'd finished. Once they'd put down their forks, and pushed away their plates, her father raised a glass and said, "Merry Christmas to all, and God willing, may we all have a very happy and healthy New Year."

Everyone said, "Cheers," and Greg smiled warmly into Claire's eyes as they took a sip of wine, really hoping the coming year would have them turning into a real couple, and they could stop pretending that they were together.

His father looked over at him, cleared his throat and asked, "So, what is it you do for the company, Greg?"

Before he could think of how to answer, Claire piped up, "Actually, Dad, Greg runs the company I work for. He's the CEO."

"So you're a Hanson?" her father asked, looking surprised.

"Yes. My grandfather started the company before I was born. And I've taken over the helm from my dad who passed away a few years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about your father. But you also have roots here, no?"

Greg nodded. "I do. And I've still got some family in the area."

Everyone seemed a little surprised as they looked around the table at each other, once they realized who he was, since he didn't act like a man who had money. Then her father said, "I know your family, Greg, and they're good people. And you're welcome here any time you'd like to come. But I just hope your intentions are honorable, since as you've seen, my Claire comes from a much humbler background than yours. And I'd hate to see her get hurt if you decide she's not quite right for someone of your status."

Claire's mother shook her head at her husband. "Jonas, I don't think we should be talking about this, especially tonight. They're both adults, and I'm sure they know what they're doing. And we have no business interfering."