“And I can’t wait for you to show me.”
And there, in the center of town, next to the Christmas tree, we kissed. It was the best Christmas ever, and I had a feeling it was only the beginning. I couldn’t wait to give her the white Christmas she’d always dreamed of, the future she’d dreamed of, in our home, surrounded by our family.
Chapter Five
BRIE
A FEW WEEKS LATER
I stared out the large window to the back deck, snow swirling in the air. The wind whistled outside, the fire crackled from beside me, and I was filled with a warm glow.
“Here you go,” Justin said, joining me. “One hot chocolate supreme with extra whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, accepting the mug gratefully.
We’d moved to Colorado a week ago and were still settling into the house, adjusting to the shift in our relationship. Though in many ways, it felt completely natural. We were us, but…more. I loved kissing and touching him, falling asleep with him, and just being with him. Though, we still hadn’t had sex, something I hoped to remedy soon.
And Justin had been right about the house—I loved it. The mountains rose up in the distance, their snowcapped peaks incredibly picturesque. And the house was a classic A-frame style with tons of natural light. The interior was made of light wood and my favorite thing besides the view was the hot tub outside. We had yet to use it, but I was excited about the prospect.
“So…” He placed a kiss on my cheek. “I was thinking maybe we could do something different tonight.”
“Like what?” I asked, taking a sip of my drink. It was a little bitter, a little sweet, and just the right temperature. My body hummed with delight.
“Well…like a date.”
“A date?” I scoffed, though I was touched. We’d somehow skipped straight from dating to living together, not that I was complaining. Living with Justin was a dream come true. I got to go to sleep and wake up beside my best friend in one of the most beautiful places I’d ever been. Already, the move had done wonders for my creativity. I loved my new office, and I’d never been prouder of my work. “We’re practically snowed in.”
He chuckled. “This—” He gestured wide in a sweeping motion that drew my eyes across the mounds of snow blanketing our backyard. “This is nothing to the locals.”
“I don’t know,” I hedged, though I was excited at the prospect of exploring. Just not in the dark, cold night, where we were more likely to drift off the road or meet a bear than find the local restaurant.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him. “How about a dip in the hot tub, then?”
Steam rose out of the hot tub, the warm water bubbling invitingly. But it was still cold as crap out.
“It’s like…” I glanced at the thermometer mounted outside and squinted as the sun dipped behind the mountains. “Twenty degrees outside. Wait—make that nineteen.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure, Pocket?” Justin waggled his eyebrows.
“Where’s your sense of self-preservation? Um, hello, frostbite, anyone?”
He laughed, removing his shirt. Next to go were his shoes, which he kicked off before unbuckling his belt. My mouth went dry as he slid his jeans down his waist, along with his boxers. I’d seen him naked, but the sight never got old.
“Well, I’m going in.” He gave me a devilish grin, daring me to join him. It seemed like he was inviting me to do more than just join him in the hot tub.
The muscles of his back and ass flexed and clenched as he stood at the back door, bracing himself. Finally, he slid it open and dashed toward the warm water, letting out a whoop as he splashed into the tub. He grinned at me from the deck, crooking a finger in invitation.
I laughed, shaking my head from inside the house. He was crazy, but he was mine. And I loved him.
Never one to back down from a challenge, I decided to have a little fun with him. While he reclined against the hot tub, arms outstretched, hair slicked back, I slid my hands down my torso. I grabbed the hem of my shirt, drawing it up slowly, teasing him as I pulled it up over my head. I reached for the button of my pants, taking my time as I turned and pushed them over my hips with a little wiggle. Next to go was my bra, and I dropped it to the side, my back still to Justin. Then, my underwear, before I slowly turned to face him.
When I did, his eyes were molten lava, hotter than the hot tub and searing me with their intensity. I still didn’t relish the idea of stepping out onto the deck, but I had a feeling it would be worth it. I bounced on my toes then slid open the door and ran for the hot tub, squealing all the while.
“Holy shit. Holy shit,” I panted, trying not to slip while also speeding across the deck as fast as possible. “This is ridiculous.” I jumped in beside him, the water sizzling from how cold I was.
He smirked at me. “But you made it.”
“It better be worth it,” I muttered, my muscles still tense from the cold.
He inched closer, wading across the hot tub to stand before me. “I’ll make sure it is.” There was a dark promise in his words, and desire shot to my core.
“Is that so?” I arched an eyebrow, hoping maybe, finally, we’d have sex. Because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out.
Yes, we’d been busy. There’d been the holidays and moving. But still…there was time. There was always time for sex. It felt as if we’d been dancing around it—teasing and torturing each other as if it were a competition.
“Pocket.” His voice rumbled over my skin, the effect more powerful than the warm jets pulsing against my back.
“Yes,” I sighed as he mapped my hips, my body with his hands. He’d barely touched me, and I was ready to explode. Between the cool mountain air on my face and the warm water and his caress—it was sensory overload. I didn’t know whether I was hot or cold, floating or falling. All I knew was that I needed him.
I wrapped my fingers around his length, gratified when he let out a tortured groan. He dotted kisses down my neck, over the tops of my breasts, and I no longer cared about the temperature outside. I thrust my breasts up, needing his mouth on them.
We were a blur of hands and lips, hot and cold. And as he worked me into a frenzy—sucking my nipples, teasing my clit with his finger—I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I need you,” I gripped his hips. “I want to feel you without anything between us.”
He already knew I was on birth control. And I knew neither of us had ever had sex without a condom. Even though we weren’t each other’s firsts, this was a first. One I couldn’t imagine sharing with anyone else.
“Fuck,” he groaned, resting his forehead against mine. “What are you doing to me?”
“Loving you,” I said, breathless.
His lips spread into a wide smile, and he cupped my cheeks, his kiss searing. I wrapped my legs around him, his erection sliding against my center. Hells yes.
“Need you,” I panted when he continued to torture me. “Inside me.”
He lined up his tip with my entrance, dragging himself through my folds.