then gone down
on her knees before him, kissing, licking, and sucking raw maple
syrup shot with bourbon from his every inch. His stickiness had
immersed them in the bathtub. For a nice, hot soak.
He stared at her now, amid the light
film of steam. Her gaze was half-lidded, her lips parted. Strands
of damp hair curled against her forehead and cheeks. The tops of
her breasts were buoyant. She drew a slow, relaxed breath, and her
nipples bobbed above the amber-scented bubbles. Rosy and pebbled.
And within his reach, should he stretched out his hand.
He did not. He let her body unwind.
His, too. He leaned his head against the porcelain of the tub,
contemplating the next day. He shared his thoughts with her.
“Snowplows should’ve made it to the ridge by now. I need to catch a
ride up-mountain tomorrow.”
“ I’m happy to drive
you.’
“ What about your
after-Christmas sale?”
“ The door can open at ten
instead of nine. I’m expecting moderate business, not a big
rush.”
“ I plan to discuss your
shop with my parents first thing.”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “Are
you sure you want to do this? Move me to the lodge? We’d be seeing
a lot more of each other. Day in. Day out. I don’t want to crowd
you.”
“ You’d never crowd me,” he
assured her. “I want you close. We fit like human puzzle pieces.
The expansion will be good for your family’s business. You’ll catch
customers at both the top and bottom of the mountain.”
“ I’m excited for the
opportunity.” Extremely excited. “I’ll call and confer with my mom
and dad, too. There’s no reason for them to object.”
“ No reason at all. They’ll
be excited for us.”
“ Us…” the word hung on the
steam.
“ We make a good
team.”
“ Team…” seemed to
disappoint her.
He was as committed to her as he’d
ever been to anyone in his life, including his family. Yet he was
hesitant to say more. Not until he’d spoken with his parents.
Future plans formed in his mind. Promising and forever, and ones
he’d share with her soon. Once they were finalized.
Silence sat in the tub between them.
The water started to cool. She gave him a weak smile, said, “Time
to dry off.” Gripping the sides of the tub, she pushed up, and
stepped out. She grabbed a fluffy peach towel on a nearby rack.
Wrapped it around her. Knotted a corner above her left
breast.
“ Back to bed?” he
initiated.
“ I’d like you to hold
me.”
No mention of sex, only cuddling. He
could do that. Holding Allie proved there was more between them
than condoms. He climbed from the tub, dried off, too. Then
returned to her bedroom. They landed in bed, naked. Snuggled
beneath the quilt. Their arms and legs tangled, their breathing
even, their dreams of each other.
Allie was shy with him the next
morning. Tentative. Unsure. She fixed him oatmeal with granola,
then wheeled him up the mountain road in her Grand Cherokee. A
significant wind blew snow across the two-laner. It was slippery.
She drove slowly.
Thirty minutes, and they crested the
ridge, crossed onto five thousand acres of ski country. The
circular driveway delivered her to Forester Lodge. Built in
alpine-style, the four-story, two hundred-fifty rooms was a
picturesque façade of timber and stone veneer. Oversized windows
drew nature inside. Outdoor balconies opened to the slopes. A
five-star restaurant and luxury spa offered vacation
comforts.
Vehicles came and went, and Allie
parked beyond the entrance, so not to block traffic. Rhys leaned
across the console and stole a kiss. A kiss drawn-out, as neither
wanted to say good-bye.
“ I’ll be in touch,” he
said, straightening. “New Year’s week, and I’m jammed. I’ve
doubled-up on beginners classes in the mornings. I have groups
scheduled for cross-country skiing every afternoon. Some
snowboarding. Night skiing, too.”
Night skiing was one of her favorite
activities. The bunny hills were as well-lit as the advance slopes.
She enjoyed the
on her knees before him, kissing, licking, and sucking raw maple
syrup shot with bourbon from his every inch. His stickiness had
immersed them in the bathtub. For a nice, hot soak.
He stared at her now, amid the light
film of steam. Her gaze was half-lidded, her lips parted. Strands
of damp hair curled against her forehead and cheeks. The tops of
her breasts were buoyant. She drew a slow, relaxed breath, and her
nipples bobbed above the amber-scented bubbles. Rosy and pebbled.
And within his reach, should he stretched out his hand.
He did not. He let her body unwind.
His, too. He leaned his head against the porcelain of the tub,
contemplating the next day. He shared his thoughts with her.
“Snowplows should’ve made it to the ridge by now. I need to catch a
ride up-mountain tomorrow.”
“ I’m happy to drive
you.’
“ What about your
after-Christmas sale?”
“ The door can open at ten
instead of nine. I’m expecting moderate business, not a big
rush.”
“ I plan to discuss your
shop with my parents first thing.”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “Are
you sure you want to do this? Move me to the lodge? We’d be seeing
a lot more of each other. Day in. Day out. I don’t want to crowd
you.”
“ You’d never crowd me,” he
assured her. “I want you close. We fit like human puzzle pieces.
The expansion will be good for your family’s business. You’ll catch
customers at both the top and bottom of the mountain.”
“ I’m excited for the
opportunity.” Extremely excited. “I’ll call and confer with my mom
and dad, too. There’s no reason for them to object.”
“ No reason at all. They’ll
be excited for us.”
“ Us…” the word hung on the
steam.
“ We make a good
team.”
“ Team…” seemed to
disappoint her.
He was as committed to her as he’d
ever been to anyone in his life, including his family. Yet he was
hesitant to say more. Not until he’d spoken with his parents.
Future plans formed in his mind. Promising and forever, and ones
he’d share with her soon. Once they were finalized.
Silence sat in the tub between them.
The water started to cool. She gave him a weak smile, said, “Time
to dry off.” Gripping the sides of the tub, she pushed up, and
stepped out. She grabbed a fluffy peach towel on a nearby rack.
Wrapped it around her. Knotted a corner above her left
breast.
“ Back to bed?” he
initiated.
“ I’d like you to hold
me.”
No mention of sex, only cuddling. He
could do that. Holding Allie proved there was more between them
than condoms. He climbed from the tub, dried off, too. Then
returned to her bedroom. They landed in bed, naked. Snuggled
beneath the quilt. Their arms and legs tangled, their breathing
even, their dreams of each other.
Allie was shy with him the next
morning. Tentative. Unsure. She fixed him oatmeal with granola,
then wheeled him up the mountain road in her Grand Cherokee. A
significant wind blew snow across the two-laner. It was slippery.
She drove slowly.
Thirty minutes, and they crested the
ridge, crossed onto five thousand acres of ski country. The
circular driveway delivered her to Forester Lodge. Built in
alpine-style, the four-story, two hundred-fifty rooms was a
picturesque façade of timber and stone veneer. Oversized windows
drew nature inside. Outdoor balconies opened to the slopes. A
five-star restaurant and luxury spa offered vacation
comforts.
Vehicles came and went, and Allie
parked beyond the entrance, so not to block traffic. Rhys leaned
across the console and stole a kiss. A kiss drawn-out, as neither
wanted to say good-bye.
“ I’ll be in touch,” he
said, straightening. “New Year’s week, and I’m jammed. I’ve
doubled-up on beginners classes in the mornings. I have groups
scheduled for cross-country skiing every afternoon. Some
snowboarding. Night skiing, too.”
Night skiing was one of her favorite
activities. The bunny hills were as well-lit as the advance slopes.
She enjoyed the
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