For two years, Ivan had shown up each night to see Winter. The first time he had crossed the street to visit Silver Taproom, Ivan had genuinely needed a drink. He couldn’t recall what small work-related irritation had sent him over the edge that day, but he remembered every detail of the first time he met Winter. Ivan smiled at the memory. In his fury at whatever had inconvenienced his life that day, Ivan had slipped and spoken in Russian while ordering. People had no idea how hard it could be to stay in a secondary language at all times. Winter had smiled and set his hand on Ivan’s arm. Air had filled Ivan’s lungs, giving him the moment that he needed to relax his shoulders. No one touched him casually. In that instant, Winter had his attention.
Winter probably stood around five-ten. His brown hair and dark blue eyes probably didn’t stand out to most. He looked like every bartender everywhere. Winter didn’t try to stand out. He always quietly went about his job—like simply doing his best to get through the day. In fact, he usually kept his head down like he didn’t want to meet anyone’s stare accidentally, but he always looked directly at Ivan.
Throughout picking up his rental and driving to the cabin, Winter didn’t say a word. As Ivan turned onto the road that led to his cabin, he finally broke. “Are you always quiet?”
A low rumble of laughter came from the passenger seat. “I’m actively trying not to talk.”
Ivan shot Winter a questioning look. “Do I make you nervous?”
Winter shifted positions, turning Ivan’s way in his seat. “No. I wouldn’t have agreed to come if you did. You’re always quiet, so it makes me feel I should be too, so I’m not annoying.”
A spike of irritation ran through Ivan. It was obvious someone had told Winter in the past he talked too much. “Ah. You live by that old adage.”
“Which one?”
A smile tugged at Ivan’s lips at Winter falling into his trap. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will have me fifty thousand dollars in debt, paying for therapy.”
A laugh burst from Winter. “You’ve been reading my diary.”
“I have to. You don’t talk.” Ivan loved the sound of Winter’s laughter.
Winter playfully slapped his shoulder. “You’re one to talk. I’ve been serving you drinks for two years now and I only know your name because someone told me you own the law office across the street. Truthfully, I should be completely terrified right now. I know next to nothing about you, but here I am.”
Ivan tossed Winter an exasperated glance. “After two years, do you truly consider me a stranger?”
Winter leaned his head against the seat. Ivan had to force his eyes to stay focused on the road. Winter was beautiful. “No,” Winter said after a moment. “I’m oddly attached to seeing you every day.” Winter’s tone turned hesitant, as if questioning if he should say more. “Actually, you’ll probably think I’m crazy and drop me on the side of the road, but you were twenty minutes late one day, and I was a mess. I didn’t know if I should start calling hospitals or fall into a fit of depression.”
Ivan’s chest tightened. He couldn’t explain his obsession with Winter without sounding crazy, but that was what it was. Winter had Ivan infatuated. He had been for a long time. “I remember that day. My boss was at his Vegas property and needed me. He flew me in, and things took longer than expected. I lost my temper when I realized there was no way I could avoid being late. After explaining the situation to Zander, he agreed our business could wait for one night.” Ivan had said too much. He half expected Winter would jump from the car.
Winter kept surprising him. “I almost asked for your number that night.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ivan held his breath. No one knew how much he wanted Winter.
For a moment, Winter didn’t speak. When he did, he sounded almost shy. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come back if I did. You’re the only thing I have to look forward to each day.”
Ivan thanked every deity listening that they had reached the driveway of the cabin, because he needed Winter to be one hundred percent clear on where Ivan stood. He quickly steered into the driveway and put the car in park. Without giving Winter a chance to get away, Ivan unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over the console between them, and claimed Winter’s mouth. A tiny part of Ivan wanted to laugh at the shock that passed over Winter’s face a moment before their lips met. That hint of humor ended up completely demolished by lust. Winter might have been caught off guard, but he obviously wasn’t opposed. He came back at Ivan with every bit as much desperation as Ivan felt. This hadn’t been Ivan’s plan. He had hoped to seduce Winter with kindness. Instead, he savored Winter’s tongue. His kiss was so much softer than Ivan ever imagined. Winter touched Ivan’s cheek. Ivan lost his breath.
Calling upon strength Ivan didn’t know he possessed, he forced his lips away from Winter’s. He couldn’t move completely away. Ivan kissed Winter’s cheek before moving to kiss the bridge of his nose. Ivan couldn’t stop. His lips were drawn to Winter. It was out of his control. When Ivan finally moved away, Winter’s eyes didn’t open immediately. His cheeks were flushed, and his lips parted on a breath. When Winter’s eyes opened and his sexy blue gaze landed on Ivan, Ivan lost his breath. Winter wanted him too. Ivan should have taken a chance long before tonight. He saw the truth now that it stared him in the face. There was no turning back. They had always been meant to end up here.
Winter’s mind was a complete mess. First, he had made the insane decision to take a trip with a man he barely knew. Then he had practically admitted to being obsessed with the guy. Now, he couldn’t shake their off-the-charts kiss. Haunted. That was the best word Winter could think of to describe how this trip would leave him when it was over. Winter would spend the rest of his life haunted by this man he couldn’t have. See, Winter wasn’t stupid. He knew he had agreed to a Christmas fling. Before that kiss, he had been fine with his decision. He wanted Ivan. They were adults. Cut and dry. Nothing felt simple anymore. They hadn’t even hit the sheets yet, and Winter already couldn’t breathe at the thought of going back to their daily routine of one drink a night. He was not the love-them-and-leave-them type. Winter hoped he could pretend to be a sophisticated adult when this was over.
As Ivan led Winter inside a cabin the size of a ski resort, Winter tried to hide his awe. The place was massive and gorgeous. It looked like something out of a magazine. Tucked away in the woodlands, the place had the highest ceilings Winter had ever seen. There was an indoor pool and steam rose from a hot tub beside it. Winter forced himself to snap his jaw closed more than once. In theory, he had known Ivan had money. This was something else altogether. The cabin was a vacation home. Winter couldn’t begin to imagine what Ivan’s actual home looked like. Even the wooden ceilings and stone fireplace took his breath. And those were just the things he could see from where they stood, removing their jackets and shoes. The luxury of the place saved Winter when Ivan looked his way with raised eyebrows.
“Am I putting your bag in my room?”
Winter’s mind was too blown to overthink the question. “Yes.” The furious blush over his audacity didn’t hit until Ivan already turned away. Winter pressed his frozen hands to his hot cheeks and followed Ivan up the stairs. The loft overlooked the living area and pool. Winter’s steps faltered as he noticed a Christmas tree already decorated and lit by the massive bay window. “You have a Christmas tree.” Honestly, Winter had no idea why that was the detail that blew him away the most to the point of surprising a comment from him, but it did.