Winter Kisses Read online

  He collapses forward, grunting, heaving in giant breaths as both of our bodies quake and tremble in the aftershocks of our shared pleasure.

  “Jesus, that was perfect,” he whispers, sliding out of me but still hugging me close to him.

  “That’s funny,” I say, twisting around to find his lips in a brief brushing moment of affection. “I was just thinking the exact same thing.”

  We stand up and then I spot it on the decking, a blot of crimson proclaiming my taken virginity. We both look at it and a blush rises on my cheeks, but then we meet each other’s gazes and share a private moment of satisfaction.

  He doesn’t need to say it.

  I can read it in his eyes.

  He’s glad I waited for him.

  And I am, too.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Wayne

  I lean back on the couch with Winter in my arms, smelling the fresh scent of her shampoo and the sweetness of her shower gel, though that does little to mask the tangy, sweet scent of her womb.

  She settles against me and I wrap my arms around her belly and pull her as close as two people can physically get – and even that’s not enough – I imagine that my child is already taking root inside of her.

  The fire crackles and hisses and outside the snow falls through the night, the security lights illuminating it in stark yellow swirls that turn it into a magical display.

  Rusty is asleep on his back, his paws twitching every so often as he sprints through his canine dreams.

  “You really love him, don’t you?” Winter murmurs.

  I nod, kissing her neck, and then force myself to stop before I lose control like I did back at the hot tub. She triggers something inside of me, an atavistic desire that goes far past pedestrian want.

  “I inherited him from my mother six years ago, when he was two. I never thought I’d be much good with dogs. I’ve never had pets. I thought I’d be too busy with my business. But, well, dogs have a way of making you not care about the complications. At least, Rusty did. He’s become a fixture at Comet, following me from my office to boardroom meetings, riding with me wherever I go.”

  “That’s so cute,” Winter smiles. “How come your mom didn’t want him anymore?”

  “She passed away,” I say.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “No, no,” I assure her quickly, smoothing my hand up her body so that I can slide my fingers through her silky golden hair. “It’s okay. It was a sudden heart attack. She didn’t suffer. And my old man… well, I don’t want to unload on you, Winter.”

  “Unload on me?” she wriggles so that she’s facing me.

  I brace her back to stop her from rolling off the couch, her features even more attractive in the flickering firelight, her cheeks shadowy with her back turned to it.

  “Um, I’m pretty sure you have unloaded on me, not to be the grossest person ever. No, seriously, I want you to be able to talk to me, Wayne.”

  “I don’t … talk,” I say, laughing grimly. “Not about my feelings, if you can call them that. Or my personal life. But with you, yeah, I should make an exception. You’re right. You’re going to be the mother of my children and I want to be honest with you.”

  “That means a lot to me,” she whispers, leaning close and pecking me on the cheek.

  It’s a small gesture, but I can tell by the way her eyes twinkle that it means a lot to her, that she had to overcome a lot of inner defenses even to do that.

  It makes sense, because she doesn’t have the mind-blotting fuel of our sexual lust to stifle her anxiety.

  I know how it feels with her, to completely lose my head, to not even be able to pause long enough to think.

  But this warmth, with the fire crackling off behind her, it’s different.

  I feel something loosening inside myself, like a bolt screwed tight finally easing open and spinning freely.

  “He has dementia,” I murmur. “He’s in the best facility money can buy. I tried to take care of him for a while, Winter, I really did. But it was impossible. With my work and his needs…well, he’s getting all the care he needs now. He recognizes me sometimes, but not very often. It’s—well, it is what it is. There’s nothing I can do to change it.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Wayne,” Winter says, nuzzling closer to me. “That must be so difficult for you.”

  “Yeah,” I say. “I guess it is. I try not to think about it.”

  “Because you’re too macho,” she teases, her hand trying to tickle my abs.

  I grab her wrist and smirk.

  “No way, Winter. You’re not getting away with that.”

  If it wasn’t for Rusty, I’d take her again right now, but then the moment passes as she pouts and snatches her hand away.

  Later.

  I’ve got the rest of my life to pump my seed into her, even if holding back is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

  “What about you?” I ask, to distract my dirty mind. “Are you close with your parents?”

  “They passed when I was six,” she says. “A car accident. Nobody’s fault, really, just one of those horrible things that happens. My sister, Anna – she’s great – basically raised me from then. We had to live in an orphanage until she was old enough to leave and support us, but then I lived with her. That’s why I’m here. I’m staying with her over the holidays to start my Great American Novel.”

  I sense the self-deprecation in her voice and hug her tightly, nuzzling my lips along her neck.

  “You’re going to be one of the biggest writers in America,” I tell her.

  She giggles, shaking her head.

  “Wayne, you’ve already gotten into my pants. Why the sudden flattery?”

  I give her a squeeze.

  “I mean it,” I say. “I can sense how determined you are. I can sense how fierce you are. Just let the world try and stand in the way of you, Winter, and you’ll tear all your obstacles down one by fucking one.”

  “I hope so,” she whispers, leaning closer and closer until our lips touch, our noses touch, and our eyes sear into each other.

  “I believe in you,” I tell her firmly.

  “Can I tell you something really weird?” she whispers.

  “Always.”

  “I sort of want to melt into you right now. Just close my eyes and melt into you, feel you all around me. Sink into each other. I know it makes no sense, but, yeah, I guess it was a weird thought.”

  “It’s not weird,” I say, passion flaring in my words, in my chest. “I feel the same. You’re … you’re everything to me, Winter. And tomorrow, I’m taking you into town, I’m treating you like the lady you are. But for now, let’s just lie here. Let the outside world be cold and distant and …”

  “Like a dream?” she whispers when I trail off.

  “Yeah,” I say, lips twitching upward. “Let it all just fall away.”

  “I’m so glad you found me in that storm.”

  “I don’t think it was an accident,” I murmur. “I know how it sounds, and I’ve never believed in this sort of thing before, but I think it was fate. I think I was, don’t laugh, but I think I was destined to find you.”

  She blinks and I see tears shimmering fire-yellow on her cheeks.

  “Me too,” she says, voice low and quiet.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Winter

  The cold air rushes past me as we speed on the ATV along the snowy road, plowing through, the engine growling each time Wayne adds more pressure to the throttle.

  I laugh like a loon and cling onto him, squeezing onto his solid belly as we bob along, cutting a path through the winter, the snow-heavy trees watching us from either side of the road.

  When I first saw that we were taking this four-wheeled bike into town, I laughed and shook my head, thinking he was joking. But then I saw that he was deadly serious in the borderline sadistic twist on his lips, his dark eyes glimmering impishly.

  “What?” my seven-foot CEO growled. “Don’t think you can handle it?
”

  And of course, there was no way I was going to back down after that.

  We set Rusty up in his little nook, giving him a bone to gnaw on and more blankets than he could possibly need. Before we left, Wayne knelt down and let him lick his face, and told him, “Out, boy, we’re going out. We’ll be back soon.”

  That satisfied the caramel-colored terrier, and he trotted off to bed to work on his bone.

  Soon, the town of Snowy Crescents emerges from the world of blanketed white, the forest falling behind as the land drops and dozens of lights flash into the night like fallen twinkling stars.

  Wayne pulls the ATV over so we can look over the town, a picture-book winter world of wonder.

  “I hope you’re hungry,” Wayne says, his voice mixing with the winter wind swirling icily all around us.

  “I’m starving,” I say breathily, laying my head against his back. “But you know I’m going to order a salad. I want you to think I’m one of those girls who eats a salad and then puke it up later anyway. I’m going to be a size zero by Christmas, Wayne. I promise.”

  He twists in the seat, smirking at me, his face half-shielded by the angle.

  “Winter, if you ever think about losing those curves, I won’t be responsible for the savage spanking I’d punish you with.”

  A surge of warmth rushes through me, belying the surrounding cold.

  “Okay, so you may have just given me the only motivation to diet I’ve ever actually experienced. Bravo.”

  He chuckles deeply and then starts the decline toward the town. I expect him to head toward the center, but he veers off into a partially wooded area.

  We disappear into darkness, the engine hot beneath us, and when we emerge I have to blink to convince myself that I’m not hallucinating.

  The igloo is carved of sleek ice, glistening in the fairy lights that are strung up all around it, suspended on invisible wire so that it appears as if they’re floating. A plush deep brown rug leads up to the entrance, and within I spot a glistening diamond-encrusted table and chairs, a candle burning in the center. I peer closer and see that the candlestick is also carved of ice, steadily melting.

  “Woah,” I say, as we both climb from the ATV. “This might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Wayne. No, scratch that. This one hundred freaking percent is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “You like it,” he says, sighing with relief. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I wasn’t sure you would.”

  “Are you crazy?” I giggle. “It’s amazing.”

  Wayne smirks and gestures toward the igloo’s entrance.

  “After you.”

  I step ahead of him and then, whack, he spanks my ass lightly. I spin on him, ready to do some serious damage, but the look in his eye has my laughter rising like a soul-soothing balm in the air.

  But then somebody clears their throat behind us and I turn to find a stiff-backed man with a stuff mustache standing respectfully off to the side. Wearing a full suit and a top hat, he bows and nods to both of us.

  “Sir, madam,” he says, his accent so British it’s one step away from caricature.

  “Hello, Jarvis,” Wayne says warmly. “Thank you for arranging this.”

  “Of course, sir,” Jarvis says. “Would you care to take a seat?”

  Wayne grins mischievously, but still with a savage capability glinting in the wintry depths of his eyes.

  “You’re the boss,” he says.

  Jarvis’s lips tick and then he shakes his head.

  Wayne loops his arm around me, hugging me intimately to him, and I can’t help but let the little spanking war drift into the background as we walk into the igloo and take our seats at the table.

  “Oh,” I yell, leaping up from the diamond chair.

  Except it’s not a diamond chair.

  It’s ice.

  “You,” I laugh. “You could’ve warned me.”

  “Where would the fun be in that?” Wayne chuckles. “Jarvis, if you wouldn’t mind bringing my lady a blanket?”

  His lady.

  I could get used to that.

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Thank you,” I tell him, as he drapes a heavy blanket over the ice chair.

  “Any drinks to get started with?” Jarvis asks.

  “I’ll have an orange soda, if you have it,” I say. “Anna always used to give me orange soda when we were kids. Well, when I was a kid. I guess it was Mom’s favorite drink and I always asked for it when I was upset and … okay, sorry, I didn’t need to tell you my whole life story then.”

  “I’m interested,” Wayne says with passion. “Always. Jarvis, two orange sodas, please.”

  Jarvis bows and then retreats from the igloo. I look across the flickering candlelight at Wayne, feeling a fuzzy contented heat infuse me despite the icy surroundings.

  “When did you arrange this?” I ask.

  “Last night,” he says. “It was worth it to see your face light up like this, Winter. You look so goddamn beautiful when you smile.”

  I feel myself blushing and then reach across the table, running my thumb along his knuckles, feeling like I know this man even better than myself despite the short time we’ve known each other.

  There’s something about our closeness that defies time, that defies logic.

  When it works, it works.

  And this more than works.

  “Wayne, this is for real, right?” I whisper.

  “What do you mean?”

  I sigh, squeezing his hand harder.

  “I mean I’m not going to wake up one day and find out that this was a trick, that you did this for some sick sadistic reason, a joke, a prank. I don’t know.”

  “Do you really think I’d do that to you?” he asks.

  “No,” I say. “No, I don’t.”

  “Good,” he growls. “Because I’d die – I’d kill – before I let anybody hurt you like that. If the assholes in your high school never realized how perfect and beautiful you are, Winter, then I wish I could shake every one of their hands and thank them. Because it left you for me. And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. That’s the goddamned truth.”

  I love you.

  I bite down, killing the words, the silly too-soon words.

  But then, what the heck does too soon mean with me and Wayne?

  “So, what do you think you want to eat?” Wayne asks.

  “Where are the menus?”

  “There aren’t any,” he says. “You can have anything. Any dish you can think of, and it’s yours. I don’t want you to think a CEO’s life is all wanton indulgence, but fuck it, this is a special week, and I think I’m entitled to spoil my queen a little.”

  “Okay, Wayne,” I say, grinning. “I’ll do you a favor and let you spoil me.”

  He smirks and my smile widens, and a drop of melting ice shimmers in the candlelight.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Wayne

  With a steak settling nicely in my belly, I hold onto Winter’s hand as we walk through Snowy Crescents.

  The small New England town has put up a few decorations for the holiday seasons, lights strung up across Main Street, red and green and yellow, glittering.

  But nothing is brighter than the feeling whelming in my chest when I look at Winter, her blonde hair poking out of her winter hat, her cheeks ruddy from her burger and the cold.

  Watching her eat was damn sexy, and I don’t care if she doesn’t believe me.

  Watching her fuel her body so that she’s strong and sturdy and ready for when our children come made my manhood twitch like a fucking beast, and I was glad Jarvis was there so I didn’t sweep the table clear and place her down, treating her like the sexy fucking goddess she is.

  There isn’t much to do in Snowy Crescents, but the walk around the edge of town is quiet and oddly peaceful with the stars watching from the clear sky.

  I feel as though something is changing within me, a shift of character
I never anticipated before.

  I love this woman.

  The truth of it thuds into my chest and I almost blurt it out right then, as we walk through the snow to the edge of a park, and then through the ice-coated gate and down the blanketed path.

  But something stops me, an inner roadblock I didn’t anticipate.

  We’re moving fast and that’s good.

  No, fuck that, it’s great.

  But I’ve never said those words to anyone before, let alone actually thought about saying them, and the last thing I want is for her to tell me I’m moving too damn fast and scare her off.

  I hold her hand tighter as we move deeper into the park, under the shadows of some trees where my desire overwhelms me and I spin to her, smoothing my hands down her body and pulling her close to me.

  Her lips are soft and warm and sweet as I crush mine into hers.

  Her tongue is even hotter, and when she moans through the kiss I have to forcibly remind myself that we’re in public.

  Then I hear a deep-throated laugh coming from behind me, the sort of noise that reminds me of certain members of my board of directors, cruel men who are soon going to be shunted from my business.

  I break off the kiss and turn to find five men standing as shadowy silhouettes in the darkness, with five matching bottles of liquor in their hands.

  The man at the front steps forward, wide and tall, around six-five.

  All of them are tall and strong-looking, the sort of men who hit the gym regularly and most likely hit the illegal enhancements, too, to get an unfair advantage.

  The leader of this rabble has a bald head, turned crimson with the cold, and when he speaks his voice is clear despite the liquor.

  “Ain’t you that rich fella?” he snaps, as though this is in itself a crime. “I swear I saw you on TV once. You are, ain’t you? That high-and-mighty motherfucker who likes to pretend he don’t screw his workers over like the rest of them?”

  I sigh and subtly move Winter so she’s standing behind me.

  “Why don’t we both just mind our own business?” I say coldly.

  “And by the way,” Winter snaps from just behind me, “he’s not pretending to be a good person. He actually is one.”