CHAPTER 5
Back in Seacouver Amanda and Mac dropped Richie and Claudia off at Beth's house. They'd
had dinner in town that night and would get together again the next afternoon to exchange gifts
and finish planning their trip to the wedding. Since Beth hesitated to fly with Barkley for fear he
might not take the cargo hold well, Richie and Mac had offered to drive him cross country in the
SUV, and Joe, Claudia and Amanda would fly in. They planned to arrive two days before the
wedding, barring any unforeseen problem.
"I'm sorry the holiday didn't turn out exactly as you'd hoped." Ricky offered as he turned to lock
the door behind them.
"It's all right, really. I understand why Beth wanted to go home, and I'm excited about the
wedding and meeting her family." She replied. "And besides … you are here, and Duncan and
Joe and Amanda will be over tomorrow. And the trees are beautiful … It's really more of a
Christmas than I've ever had."
Richie understood what she meant. As he followed her into the main room and looked at the
lights on the tree and the packages with his name and the names of their friends on them, not to
mention the smell of spiced cinnamon from the pies Claudia had made earlier that day … using
Beth's recipes. She had really settled into all of this domesticity, which surprised him.
But then a lot of things surprised him about Claudia. They had been officially 'dating' for almost
three weeks now and it had been a lot easier than he had expected. She liked dressing up and
going out, which had been a little much for him at first … but he was getting used to it. She in
turn had agreed to hang out casually at Joe's …. and then there were the bike rides.
Even in the cold, clear December days, she agreed to ride like the wind without complaint. As he
watched her walk across the room, which was illuminated only by the tree lights, his mind went
back to yesterday afternoon …
They'd ridden up to their favorite point to watch the sun set. But when he'd moved to get off the
bike, she'd held him fast. Slipping her hands inside his jacket, Claudia moved them over his
chest sensually as she pressed herself against his back and began kissing his neck. And then
when her hands began to caress him beneath his T-shirt, he could stand it no more. He tried to
turn and kiss her, but she had other ideas. Sliding from the back of the bike … keeping her
hands on his shoulders as she moved around him almost cat like. Claudia's eyes locked with his
as she slipped one leg over the front to face him.
She practically wrapped her legs around his waist as he laid her back against the front of the bike
with the force of his kiss. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her … but the time
hadn't been right. And he wanted it to be right.
Claudia called his name for the second time, realizing he was lost in thought as he seemed to
stare right through her.
"Earth to Richie." She laughed, waving her hand. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the black
beaded gown she wore, and when he focused on her face … he couldn't stay away from her any
longer.
Without saying a word, he turned and slid a CD in the entertainment center, and when the soft
music began to play he held out his hand. "Dance with me Claudia."
His voice was low and deep and Claudia felt her heart begin to beat faster as she stepped toward
him. He pulled her hand to his chest and slid his arm around her, letting his hand slide lightly
over the smooth skin of her back.
Claudia's eyes were lost in his as she felt Richie pull her against him, and when his hand touched
her skin she let out a little gasp. Slowly he began to move her to the soft rhythm of the music.
She brought her free hand up over his shoulders and let her fingers sift absently through the hair
at the nape of his neck. Neither said a word as they simply moved together and drank in the
desire they saw mirrored in each other's eyes.
When Richie lowered his face to kiss her, Claudia melted against him like butter with a soft sigh
of pleasure. The sound and the way she immediately opened her lips to deepen the kiss
combined to pull a low moan of desire from deep within his throat … and the fire was lit.
He felt the shudder that ran through her body and couldn't help but smile at the thought of what
such a simple touch had done to her. He had to hold himself in check at the thought of how she
would respond to the many ways he wanted to touch her. But he had to be sure she wanted him
to.
His lips left her mouth and began to move slowly along her jawline and to her neck. He looked up
briefly at her closed eyes and her slightly parted lips as she seemed to be completely lost in the
sensation of what he was doing. Richie traced her collarbone with his tongue, and then slid the
strap of her gown slightly to expose the tip of her shoulder, where he placed a soft, wet kiss.
Her hands came up to fist in his hair, holding him to her. "Richie" her soft cry was almost frantic.
Looking up he could see how much she wanted him … this … and he was at the breaking point
himself. "Let's go upstairs." He whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth.
"No" she replied "I want you here … now … " The lights from the tree and the glow of the fire
cast a magical glow on the room, and she didn't think that anything could be more perfect.
Richie cast a glance down at the rug beneath their feet and wanted better for her this first time.
"Claudia … trust me … come with me." He said as he kissed her knuckles and slowly began to
lead her out of the room and toward the stairs, watching as she followed.
She didn't try to stop him, but followed him silently … her eyes moving from the hand that held
hers to his eyes as they took each step.
About halfway up the stairs, Claudia moved closer to him … sliding her hands up his arms and
beginning to remove his jacket. He saw what she wanted and shrugged out of it, leaving it
hanging over the railing as he turned and encircled her waist with his hands and pushed her into
the bedroom.
She flipped the switch on the wall that illuminated the tree in her room before wrapping her arms
around his neck and letting him propel her further into the room.
"You aren't like anyone else I've ever known … you know that don't you?" Richie whispered as
he assaulted her neck with kisses and his hands spread across her bare back.
"Is that a good thing?" she breathed, her hands pulling at his shirt tail.
"That's a very good thing." He replied, pulling her earlobe gently between his lips.
"You aren't like anyone else for me either Richie." She admitted as her hands slipped beneath
the fabric of his shirt and over the muscles of his back.
"Mmmmmm is that a good thing?" he asked, loving the way her hands felt.
"It might not be for me …" she admitted with a light whisper, causing him to pull back a little so
he could look into her eyes. Her feelings for him were written plainly on her face as she finished
her reply. "Because no one's ever had the power to break my heart before … "
Her eyes couldn't continue to look into his. She'd been more honest with him than she'd ever
been even with herself, except for the passion she had for her music. And it scared her.
Richie's hands cupped either side of her face, encouraging her to look at him.
"I don't want to hurt you Claudia … and your heart is too precious to me to break." He stopped
short of saying he loved her. He wasn't completely sure about that right now … but he knew it
would be very clear to him soon.
But Claudia was sure, and somehow she found the courage to say it. "I love you Richie."
His heart turned over at her sweet admission. "I know Claudia, believe me … I know." He
replied, kissing her forehead and pulling her into his arms and holding her until their hearts
seemed to be pounding out of control together.
"Richie … please ..." She said, running her hands under his shirt and moving them across his
chest, sending a bolt of electricity through him when her fingers brushed the points of his
pectorals.
Richie groaned his surrender and slanted his lips across her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers
as he felt her hands begin to unbutton his shirt. He helped her slip it off his shoulders, giving her
hands the space between them that they seemed to crave. She seemed to need to explore every
inch of him at once. And he was happy to be the object she desired.
His own hands found their way to the straps of her dress, slipping them delicately off her
shoulders. Claudia dropped her arms long enough to let the straps and the dress fall with the
softest rustle to pool at her feet. His gaze followed the movement, and he couldn't help but pull
back a little to admire her.
Claudia saw where his eyes traveled, and suddenly felt the awkwardness of being completely
bare to him except for the tiny lace panties. She started to cross her arms in front of her, but
Richie looked up into her eyes and gently clasped her wrists … guiding them up over his
shoulders as he pulled her against him. The feel of her skin against his own was heavenly.
Claudia felt him move her toward the bed, and when the back of her knees touched the mattress,
she let him slowly lower her onto it.
Richie caressed her as if she were the most fragile of creatures. He whispered reassurances and
words that made her feel so beautiful, and when he took her … Claudia clung to him as if she
would never let go.
Back in Seacouver Amanda and Mac dropped Richie and Claudia off at Beth's house. They'd
had dinner in town that night and would get together again the next afternoon to exchange gifts
and finish planning their trip to the wedding. Since Beth hesitated to fly with Barkley for fear he
might not take the cargo hold well, Richie and Mac had offered to drive him cross country in the
SUV, and Joe, Claudia and Amanda would fly in. They planned to arrive two days before the
wedding, barring any unforeseen problem.
"I'm sorry the holiday didn't turn out exactly as you'd hoped." Ricky offered as he turned to lock
the door behind them.
"It's all right, really. I understand why Beth wanted to go home, and I'm excited about the
wedding and meeting her family." She replied. "And besides … you are here, and Duncan and
Joe and Amanda will be over tomorrow. And the trees are beautiful … It's really more of a
Christmas than I've ever had."
Richie understood what she meant. As he followed her into the main room and looked at the
lights on the tree and the packages with his name and the names of their friends on them, not to
mention the smell of spiced cinnamon from the pies Claudia had made earlier that day … using
Beth's recipes. She had really settled into all of this domesticity, which surprised him.
But then a lot of things surprised him about Claudia. They had been officially 'dating' for almost
three weeks now and it had been a lot easier than he had expected. She liked dressing up and
going out, which had been a little much for him at first … but he was getting used to it. She in
turn had agreed to hang out casually at Joe's …. and then there were the bike rides.
Even in the cold, clear December days, she agreed to ride like the wind without complaint. As he
watched her walk across the room, which was illuminated only by the tree lights, his mind went
back to yesterday afternoon …
They'd ridden up to their favorite point to watch the sun set. But when he'd moved to get off the
bike, she'd held him fast. Slipping her hands inside his jacket, Claudia moved them over his
chest sensually as she pressed herself against his back and began kissing his neck. And then
when her hands began to caress him beneath his T-shirt, he could stand it no more. He tried to
turn and kiss her, but she had other ideas. Sliding from the back of the bike … keeping her
hands on his shoulders as she moved around him almost cat like. Claudia's eyes locked with his
as she slipped one leg over the front to face him.
She practically wrapped her legs around his waist as he laid her back against the front of the bike
with the force of his kiss. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her … but the time
hadn't been right. And he wanted it to be right.
Claudia called his name for the second time, realizing he was lost in thought as he seemed to
stare right through her.
"Earth to Richie." She laughed, waving her hand. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the black
beaded gown she wore, and when he focused on her face … he couldn't stay away from her any
longer.
Without saying a word, he turned and slid a CD in the entertainment center, and when the soft
music began to play he held out his hand. "Dance with me Claudia."
His voice was low and deep and Claudia felt her heart begin to beat faster as she stepped toward
him. He pulled her hand to his chest and slid his arm around her, letting his hand slide lightly
over the smooth skin of her back.
Claudia's eyes were lost in his as she felt Richie pull her against him, and when his hand touched
her skin she let out a little gasp. Slowly he began to move her to the soft rhythm of the music.
She brought her free hand up over his shoulders and let her fingers sift absently through the hair
at the nape of his neck. Neither said a word as they simply moved together and drank in the
desire they saw mirrored in each other's eyes.
When Richie lowered his face to kiss her, Claudia melted against him like butter with a soft sigh
of pleasure. The sound and the way she immediately opened her lips to deepen the kiss
combined to pull a low moan of desire from deep within his throat … and the fire was lit.
He felt the shudder that ran through her body and couldn't help but smile at the thought of what
such a simple touch had done to her. He had to hold himself in check at the thought of how she
would respond to the many ways he wanted to touch her. But he had to be sure she wanted him
to.
His lips left her mouth and began to move slowly along her jawline and to her neck. He looked up
briefly at her closed eyes and her slightly parted lips as she seemed to be completely lost in the
sensation of what he was doing. Richie traced her collarbone with his tongue, and then slid the
strap of her gown slightly to expose the tip of her shoulder, where he placed a soft, wet kiss.
Her hands came up to fist in his hair, holding him to her. "Richie" her soft cry was almost frantic.
Looking up he could see how much she wanted him … this … and he was at the breaking point
himself. "Let's go upstairs." He whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth.
"No" she replied "I want you here … now … " The lights from the tree and the glow of the fire
cast a magical glow on the room, and she didn't think that anything could be more perfect.
Richie cast a glance down at the rug beneath their feet and wanted better for her this first time.
"Claudia … trust me … come with me." He said as he kissed her knuckles and slowly began to
lead her out of the room and toward the stairs, watching as she followed.
She didn't try to stop him, but followed him silently … her eyes moving from the hand that held
hers to his eyes as they took each step.
About halfway up the stairs, Claudia moved closer to him … sliding her hands up his arms and
beginning to remove his jacket. He saw what she wanted and shrugged out of it, leaving it
hanging over the railing as he turned and encircled her waist with his hands and pushed her into
the bedroom.
She flipped the switch on the wall that illuminated the tree in her room before wrapping her arms
around his neck and letting him propel her further into the room.
"You aren't like anyone else I've ever known … you know that don't you?" Richie whispered as
he assaulted her neck with kisses and his hands spread across her bare back.
"Is that a good thing?" she breathed, her hands pulling at his shirt tail.
"That's a very good thing." He replied, pulling her earlobe gently between his lips.
"You aren't like anyone else for me either Richie." She admitted as her hands slipped beneath
the fabric of his shirt and over the muscles of his back.
"Mmmmmm is that a good thing?" he asked, loving the way her hands felt.
"It might not be for me …" she admitted with a light whisper, causing him to pull back a little so
he could look into her eyes. Her feelings for him were written plainly on her face as she finished
her reply. "Because no one's ever had the power to break my heart before … "
Her eyes couldn't continue to look into his. She'd been more honest with him than she'd ever
been even with herself, except for the passion she had for her music. And it scared her.
Richie's hands cupped either side of her face, encouraging her to look at him.
"I don't want to hurt you Claudia … and your heart is too precious to me to break." He stopped
short of saying he loved her. He wasn't completely sure about that right now … but he knew it
would be very clear to him soon.
But Claudia was sure, and somehow she found the courage to say it. "I love you Richie."
His heart turned over at her sweet admission. "I know Claudia, believe me … I know." He
replied, kissing her forehead and pulling her into his arms and holding her until their hearts
seemed to be pounding out of control together.
"Richie … please ..." She said, running her hands under his shirt and moving them across his
chest, sending a bolt of electricity through him when her fingers brushed the points of his
pectorals.
Richie groaned his surrender and slanted his lips across her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers
as he felt her hands begin to unbutton his shirt. He helped her slip it off his shoulders, giving her
hands the space between them that they seemed to crave. She seemed to need to explore every
inch of him at once. And he was happy to be the object she desired.
His own hands found their way to the straps of her dress, slipping them delicately off her
shoulders. Claudia dropped her arms long enough to let the straps and the dress fall with the
softest rustle to pool at her feet. His gaze followed the movement, and he couldn't help but pull
back a little to admire her.
Claudia saw where his eyes traveled, and suddenly felt the awkwardness of being completely
bare to him except for the tiny lace panties. She started to cross her arms in front of her, but
Richie looked up into her eyes and gently clasped her wrists … guiding them up over his
shoulders as he pulled her against him. The feel of her skin against his own was heavenly.
Claudia felt him move her toward the bed, and when the back of her knees touched the mattress,
she let him slowly lower her onto it.
Richie caressed her as if she were the most fragile of creatures. He whispered reassurances and
words that made her feel so beautiful, and when he took her … Claudia clung to him as if she
would never let go.