“That was amazing!” Madeline crowed, arms wide and voice loud, more like her sister’s usual mode. “I want to go again!”
“Me too!” Of course, Charlotte was game and the girls took several more turns on the small hill before gamely tackling a medium-sized one.
“I wanna see Calder go!” Charlotte demanded after another successful trip down the hill.
“That I want to see.” I pushed on his massive shoulder, not that I thought it would take much to convince him to take a spin.
“And you, Uncle Felix,” Madeline added.
“Oh I don’t think I should...”
“Sure you should.” Shoving the toboggan at me, Calder steered me toward the slope. “Here you go. Have at it.”
Both girls cheered as I made a show out of groaning and being all reluctant to get more laughter and cheers from them. “Okay, okay. One time.”
In reality, I probably would have agreed even if Calder hadn’t been along. He didn’t have a monopoly on having fun with the girls, but he certainly did have a way of amping my enjoyment way up.
“We’ll cheer for you,” he called after me. The line moved crisply, and my turn arrived before I could talk myself out of this idea. The three of them stood at the bottom the slope, faces turned toward me.
Pushing aside my worries about looking silly, I took a deep breath. I launched myself down the hill, zipping along at a skin-stinging clip. My lungs burned, like my oxygen levels were soaring right along with me. All too soon I arrived back at the bottom and stumbled toward Calder and the girls on shaky legs.
“You did great.” He threw an easy arm around my shoulders. Maybe he was mine. Only for a second. But it counted.
“Thanks. I lost my hat though.” I patted my bare head, hair undoubtedly sticking every which way.
“Here. Have mine.” Calder stuck his cheerful orange hat on my head. “My brother’s wife knits whenever he’s deployed, keeps us all in hats. Looks better on you anyway.” He winked at me before grabbing the sled. “My turn. Let’s see if I can beat your time.”
“Always a race.” Chuckling, I shook my head at him. His long strides easily carried him back up the hill, and it wasn’t long until he was speeding back down to us, big grin on his face.
Mine. Only for this moment, but mine. I got to claim him, and today that was enough, the rush of pride and happiness making me feel like I was back skidding down the slope myself. Who needed adrenaline when they had Calder?
“Way to go!” I cheered when he returned to us.
“Who’s ready for lunch?” He accepted high fives from both girls. “Bet we can find something with bones for Charlotte.”
“You’re silly.” She giggled and poked his sleeve. “I want a burger.”
“Me too.” The moment might not last, but I sure was going to enjoy it.
“Sounds good. Lead the way back to the car, Miss Charlotte.” Calder made a show of following Charlotte, making all three of us laugh.
“Thank you,” I said to him as the girls raced ahead.
“For what?” His brow wrinkled.
“For being so good with them.”
“Eh. I’m just having fun.” He put his arm back around my shoulders.
“Me too.” And I was. As long as I remembered that fun was all this could be, we’d be fine, and I wasn’t going to let weighty questions distract me from enjoying how damn good he felt by my side.
Chapter Nineteen
Calder
“I should be sleepy.” Felix yawned against my chest. It was late, and by all rights we should have been sleeping hours earlier, but we kept thinking of new things to talk about. “I’m gonna regret this tomorrow.”
“Me too,” I groaned and held him closer, no intention of actually going to sleep before he did. This was simply so good. I wasn’t sure I’d ever enjoyed talking with another person this much. Somehow we’d slid from another molten make-out session into a discussion of basic training versus medical school. Spirited debates were always going to win out over sleep for me, even if I’d need more coffee in the morning.
“You?” Felix lightly elbowed me. “You’re like the star of a battery commercial, never losing your charge.”
“Hey, you wore me out today.” I rolled my neck from side to side. My whole body had a well-used feeling that made my chest lift.
“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” Felix smirked before dropping his gaze to our naked bodies. Neither of us had bothered getting dressed after making out earlier, choosing to do the bare minimum of cleanup and snuggle under the covers instead.
“You’re cute smug. I meant the work around the cabin and the sledding, but yeah, make it about the sex.” I pretended to be put out when actually I too was rather proud. I’d gotten him off in record time. Win.
“Sorry.” He blushed adorably, looking far younger with pink cheeks, reminding me of how he’d looked flying down the sledding hill. Man, that had been a sight. Almost as good as watching him come. Felix enjoying himself was never going to get old for me.
“Don’t be.” I kissed his forehead. “Keep talking long enough and you can go for doubles.”
His cock had perked back up the longer we cuddled. The only thing better than getting him off once would be doing it twice. As nice as it felt to climax while he kissed me and I touched myself, I loved his orgasms most of all.
“Now who’s sure of themselves?” Felix tilted his head up, clear invitation.
“Me.” I kissed him long and tender. Impossibly, he still tasted sweet, better than the chocolate ice cream we’d had for dessert.
He sighed happily when we finally came up for air. “See, this is why I can’t sleep. I’m stockpiling kisses.”
“Until the next time we can be together?” I asked carefully. We’d been inching toward this topic all evening while also avoiding the issue like it was surrounded by hazard tape.
“Calder...”
“Tomorrow doesn’t have to be goodbye.” My voice was firm. I did have to leave by midmorning to be back on base in time, but I was already full of plans for Felix, and I wasn’t giving up easily.
“It should.” Eyes serious, he rolled so he could peer down at me.
“You promised to help me find a wedding present for Derrick and Arthur,” I reminded him. I wasn’t above using his help, especially if it got me more of those kisses. “Also, you’ve got a pantry for me to organize. And we don’t need a lawyer meeting to decide to have dinner. This doesn’t have to be complicated.”