Page 8 of Starstruck with the Krampus (Clearwater Monsters #3)

CHAPTER 8

GIANNA

D ominic’s garden is a winter wonderland. The scene unfolds in front of me, and I can’t do anything but sit and stare, trying to take everything in.

The lights he switched on are cleverly positioned, illuminating bushy fir trees decorated with dainty glass baubles that glitter like ice. White string lights are wrapped around their trunks and tucked between the branches, winking softly and creating a startling, ephemeral effect. On the snowy lawn, several hand-carved bird feeders wait for the birds to return in the morning. There aren’t any inflatable Santas to be seen, nor reindeer, just a whole forest of Christmas trees, all beautifully decorated to create a magical scene.

I knew his company created hand-crafted wooden toys and ornaments, as well as Christmas decorations, but this is beyond anything I’ve seen while creating the branding for him.

Dominic drives slowly toward the house, and I glance this way and that, discovering something different at each glance. There’s a blown-glass swallow on one of the trees, so delicate it looks like a real bird turned to glass, and a whole tree decorated only with icicles, glittering like diamonds.

“This is amazing,” I breathe and finally focus on Dominic.

He’s been quiet ever since he welcomed me to his property, as if he wasn’t sure I’d enjoy this. Now he gives me a slow smile, his sharp white teeth flashing in the darkness.

“I like shiny things,” he confesses. “And forests. I wanted to live close to civilization, though, not in some godsforsaken forest.”

I grin at him. “So you brought the forest here.”

He stops the car in front of the darkened house, then presses another button on his phone. Soft lighting springs up, tastefully illuminating the front porch, welcoming us home.

My heart squeezes at the realization that this is exactly the kind of house I’d get if money was no obstacle. It’s a modern log cabin, with wide windows facing the snowy lawn and a chimney puffing out smoke from what must be a wood fire inside. Now that the iron gate has shut behind us, we’re completely secluded, and I understand why Dominic felt the need to build himself such a fortress of a property—here, he can be himself without the fear of being seen. The walls are tall enough to hide the garden, and the trees further obscure the view of the house.

My brain tells me I should probably be afraid of being here with him, so far away from the rest of the world, but all I feel is peace. A sense of serenity so deep, it permeates right into my bones. This is Dominic’s sanctuary, his safe haven from the world.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” I whisper, throat tight with emotion.

He nods, then exits the car and rounds the front to open my door. I take his offered hand, and he leads me to the door of his house, then ushers me inside. As much as I enjoyed the frosty garden, it’s amazing to be out of the cold. I let Dominic hang up my coat and scarf, then step out of my heels and leave them at the front door, padding behind him down the short hallway.

The living space opens in front of us, the windows overlooking the illuminated garden. There’s a kitchen to the right, with gorgeous custom-made cabinets and a dining table big enough for a family. The only other light comes from the glass-enclosed fireplace where embers glow orange, the fire burnt low in the hours since Dominic was last here. He walks quickly to it and puts another log on, waiting for it to catch.

I think he’s giving me time to snoop around, yet I don’t want to explore anything but him right now. So I walk over to where he’s crouched in front of the fireplace and lean into his side. We’re standing on the edge of a plush rug that covers the rustic oakwood floor, and I wiggle my stocking-clad feet happily, glad to be out of those heels.

Dominic wraps a hand around my calf and strokes lightly up, until he reaches the hem of my dress, then down again. He stares into the flames, firelight flickering over his harsh, beautiful features.

“What are you thinking?” I whisper.

He lets out a shuddering exhale, and I notice for the first time how tightly coiled his muscles are, how tense his posture.

“You don’t know how good it feels to have you in my home,” he rasps. “I’ve never… It’s never been like this.” He shakes his head, his right horn brushing over my hip. “I don’t know if it’s some remnant of my ancestors, maybe, the need I’ve felt to drag you into my lair and lay claim to you.”

I stifle a giggle—this house is hardly a lair —but he’s being so serious. I don’t want to trample on his emotions by laughing at him.

“What do you want to do now that you have me here?”

“Everything,” he admits.

His dark eyes glitter with gold, and I’m caught, unable to look away.

“Okay,” I whisper. “We can do that.”

He laughs, the spell broken. With a swift move, he rises to his full height, towering over me. Now that I’ve left my heels behind, I realize how much taller he really is, especially with those wicked horns jutting up from his head. I want to touch them again, but first, I want to see all of him.

Fingers trembling with anticipation, I reach for his bow tie and tug on one end until it unravels. Dominic’s exhale is sharp, and his minty scent washes over me. He puts his hands on my hips and holds on while I focus on the buttons of his jacket. He lets me push the jacket off his shoulders, then shrugs it off and tosses it aside. His vest is next, and finally, his shirt. Every button I pop reveals more of his chest, radiating warmth. When he removes the shirt completely, I can’t help but stare.

His chest is lightly furred, the texture similar to that of his short beard, and the hair extends to his shoulders and back. But I’m more interested in the way the chest hair tapers down to a line that runs all the way to where his belly button must be, then dips under the waistband of his dress pants.

I can’t resist anymore. With a glance up to check in with him, I undo his leather belt, then shove the pants down his legs. They’re furred, too, ending in massive hooves, but my attention is pinned to his cock—because Dominic apparently doesn’t like underwear.

I bite my lip to keep myself from gasping out loud. I knew I would see his cock, and that it would likely be different than a human’s, but I didn’t know . I couldn’t have.

“Gianna?” he murmurs, shifting his weight to kick his pants away.

I whip my gaze up to his face. “Huh?”

His lips twist in a wry smile. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.”

I fight valiantly, knowing I shouldn’t stare, but I can’t help it. It’s just so… I gaze down at his hard cock, fascination gripping me again. It’s larger than a human’s. It’s different in shape, too, the shaft streaked with big veins, the head more conical in shape. But what draws my attention is a pair of platinum studs on the underside, piercing the skin.

“You can touch me,” Dominic says. “Explore all you want.”

I flash him a grin. Of course he wants me to touch his dick. Isn’t that what every man wants? But his expression is surprisingly earnest. I pause, studying him, and then it clicks.

“You still think I’m going to run?”

His throat bobs as he swallows. “I don’t want you to. I’m afraid I’m not completely in control anymore, and I might chase you. I might tie you up so you can’t escape.”

A thrill goes through me at his words. “You want to tie me up?”

His chin lowers in a nod. “I’m sorry. Chains and cuffs are a big part of my heritage.”

“Oh God, why does that sound so good?” I shake my head, smiling up at him. “If this is your idea of warning me away, it’s having the opposite effect.”

Dominic’s smile is a bit wicked, but mostly relieved. “Is it really?”

I step closer and put my hands on his shoulders. “Yeah.”

He draws in a big inhale and shudders. “Are you getting wet for me, little mouse?”

“Want to find out?”

I tug at his neck, and he obliges by dipping his head down to kiss me. His tongue, forked and long and rougher than mine, licks at my lips, and I open up for him eagerly. I shiver when he sucks on my lower lip, his fangs scraping against my sensitive flesh. He finds the hem of my dress and slowly pushes it upward until he grasps firm handfuls of my ass, bringing my body flush with his.

Then he hoists me up suddenly, and I squeak, breaking our kiss. He looks so damn handsome as he grins at me, then guides me to put my legs around his waist.

“I’m taking you to my room,” he tells me. “Someday soon, I’ll fuck you right here, on the rug, but I need you in my bed tonight.”

“Okay,” I agree. “Yes. To all of that.”

His dark eyes sparkle with gold. He carries me past the shadowed kitchen to a tall wooden door. I notice vaguely that all the doors are taller than usual, as are the ceilings, which makes sense for a Krampus who tops seven and a half feet with his pointy horns. Then I see his bedroom, and my breath catches in my throat.

A large window overlooks the fairy-tale forest outside, but it’s the wide four-poster bed that draws my attention. It’s draped with deep scarlet silk curtains, embroidered with gold, and decorated with more string lights that cast a soft glow over the room. The sheets are dark green, and I realize they’re the same shade as the brand colors we picked for his business.

I glance up at him to find him studying me, waiting for my reaction.

“We did well with that color palette,” I quip.

His lips turn up at the corners, his fangs flashing. “That was all you.”

My heart does a silly little cartwheel. “I’m glad you liked it.”

He carries me to the bed and sets me on it, and I bounce lightly on the mattress. The sheets are made of the softest cotton that feels amazing against my palms. It’s a sensory delight, almost silky to the touch, but warm instead of cool. Dominic stands in front of me, watching me with something like pride glimmering in his expression.

“What is it?”

He takes a step closer. “You look good in my bed, Gianna.”

Oh . The words are simple, but the deep tremor of his voice betrays his emotions, his possessiveness. He stares at me like I’m an offering and he’s a deity who gets to enjoy me.

I love it .

Reaching behind my back, I search for the zip of my dress, but Dominic frowns at me.

“I’ll do that,” he says. “But not yet.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “No?”

He simply shakes his head. “Get up on the bed,” he commands. “Yes, like that.”

Settling against the plush pillows, I wonder what he has in mind for me. When he climbs on and moves toward me, I reach for him, but he grasps my hand and halts me.

His rumbling growl betrays his need. “Later, you’ll get to touch me any way you want, but I’m too close. I need to make sure you’re ready for me, and I need you to be good for me. Can you do that?”

I nod, and he grabs the string of lights running on top of the headboard. He takes my other hand and ties my wrists together with the lights, taking care to leave enough room so the cord doesn’t pinch me, then ties one end to the wooden slats of the headboard.

“Okay?” he checks in with me.

I draw in a shaky breath. “Yes.”

“If you want me to stop at any point, you only need to say so.” He gazes deep into my eyes, expression serious. “Do you understand?”

In answer, I settle deeper into the pillows. “I understand.”

Whatever he has planned for me, I will return the favor later. If he likes the string lights so much, I can think of several other uses for them that will be just as interesting.

“Gianna!” Dominic’s growl reverberates around the room, and he places his big palm on my knee. “Stop that. I’m barely holding on as it is.”

His claws dig into my skin, a pinprick of pain, and when he removes his hand, five little holes in my stocking testify to the sharpness of his talons.

“Now look at what I’ve done,” he murmurs. He smooths the pad of his thumb over one hole and clicks his tongue. “I will buy you new ones. These stockings are fucking spectacular.” He traces his fingers to the underside of my knee, then slowly inches his palm higher. “When I first saw them at the party, I wanted to bend you over right there and see how far up the line goes.”

I spread my knees wider, making room for him. “I wouldn’t have stopped you,” I confess.

He gazes down at me, expression full of wonder. “I know.” He lowers himself between my legs, his broad shoulders forcing my thighs up. “I can’t believe I finally have you here.”

His fingers reach the edge of my stockings, and the shock of feeling his warm palms on my skin sends a jolt of pleasure through me. Dominic groans and pushes my dress up, past my waist, and uncovers my lacy panties. His rough exhale is such a trip, as is the way he squeezes my ass, his big hands cupping me from below.

“Did you put these on for me?” he asks.

“Yes,” I admit, flushing. “I was hoping tonight would end like this.”

He groans and presses a heated kiss to the inside of my thigh, right above the line of my stocking. I’m still fully dressed, and he’s completely naked, but I feel so exposed—and so fucking sexy. The way Dominic is looking at me has heat growing in my belly, and I squirm under him, wishing for more contact.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

I raise my head to meet his dark gaze and ask what for, but he answers my silent question by hooking one claw on the side of my panties and ripping right through them. I gasp, the slight tug surprising me, but he’s already tearing through the fabric on the other side. Then he puts his hands under my ass again and lifts me off the bed, bringing me closer to his face.

“Fuck, Gianna, you smell so good,” he growls.

Before I can so much as yelp, he drags his tongue over my clit for the first time, and my half-hearted protest dissolves into a guttural moan.

He feels incredible . He teases my clit with the forked tip of his tongue, the ends working around my sensitive little bud, then licks inside me, pushing deep. The rough texture of the tongue scrapes so deliciously over the walls of my pussy, my eyes roll back in my head, and I melt into the pillows, thrusting my hips up for more friction.

Dominic’s low chuckle tells me he knows exactly what he’s doing to me. I want to touch him, too, make him feel the same, but the evil Krampus has tied me up, and I can’t even dig my fingers in his hair to hold him in place. Instead, I close my knees around him, hooking my heels behind his shoulders.

“Demanding,” he murmurs and drops a kiss to my clit, so gentle, then shoves his tongue inside me in a brutal thrust that has me arching off the bed.

The combination of soft and rough is doing something to me. His claws dig into the skin on my ass, but his tail coils around my ankle, the tufted end caressing me. I whimper when he hits a spot inside my pussy that has me seeing stars, and he lifts his head, his lips shiny with my wetness.

“What do you need? Can you come just from my tongue in your pussy?”

I scrunch my eyes up in embarrassment, but Dominic waits me out, and finally, I open my eyes again to meet his golden gaze.

“I’d like you to tease my clit while you do it,” I whisper.

The smile he gives me lights me up inside.

“Good. That’s good, Gianna. I need you to tell me what you want. I want to own your pleasure and learn everything about you.”

He’s proud of me for telling him what I need, and I love that. He’s so much stronger and older than me, he could easily fuck me however he wants, and I’d let him—I’d even like it. But this is another level of intimacy, one I didn’t expect so soon.

“Your tongue feels amazing,” I tell him because I want him to know how well he’s doing. “It reaches so deep inside me.”

He shudders, his eyelids fluttering shut. “Yeah?”

I grin, slow realization sparking inside me. “And I love your claws, Dominic.”

He groans, his hips thrusting forward on the bed as if he can’t stop himself. Then he dips down again, licking through my pussy lips, and plunges his forked tongue back inside me.

Oh my God . My nerves spark with the first flutters of my orgasm, but my mind whirls with the new knowledge. My Krampus likes to be told he’s doing good. The way he lit up for me just now…I’m gonna have so much fun with it.

Dominic brings the pad of his thumb to my clit and circles it, careful not to prick me with his claw. Then he twists his tongue up inside me, and my mind blanks out. It’s a suspended moment in time, a long beat where I feel like I’m teetering on the precipice, my breath caught in my throat, my heart thudding madly.

With another press of his thumb, I fall.

Pleasure crashes through me, dragging me under. I scream, writhing on the soft sheets, and my arms tense. I try to pull away from the headboard to grasp Dominic’s horns, to hold him there or push him off, I don’t know. He draws out my climax, expertly playing my body to wring out every last drop of sensation from me, then slows his movements.

As I collapse back onto the pillows, he draws his long tongue from me and laps up all my slickness from my pussy and my clit, then licks his lips, growling in satisfaction.

But no—the sound isn’t a growl but a deep, rumbling purr. He rises over me and unties the string lights tying me to the bed. He undoes the knots and rubs my wrists, even though the cord barely left a mark. He caresses me and kisses my cheeks, my lips, my neck, and folds me into his warm body.

“Are you all right?” he murmurs.

I let out a giggle, then bury my face in his chest. “Yes. That was amazing.”

He chuckles, his hand rubbing circles on my back. When his fingers find the zip of the dress, he raises his eyebrows.

I nod, wanting more. “I want you to show me everything.”