“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.