Landing the Air Marshal (Snowpocalypse)

by Jennifer Blackwood

She smiled at this. “I know a person in wardrobe if she ever needs anything.” That was where half her clothes came from, because she couldn’t afford them otherwise.

  They continued walking, and Gage’s hand slid to hers, their fingers weaving together. Abby’s heart jetted sideways in her chest at the sweet gesture. “I’m pretty close with my sister as well,” he said. “We all usually spend the holidays together. This year was rough. I missed out on my little niece opening presents and building a snowman. She lost her two front teeth and I wasn’t even there.”

  What was that sound? Oh, just her lady bits detonating. No big deal. Abby’s mind couldn’t even conjure up how cute it would be to see Gage and a little girl playing in the snow together.

  “Was that who you were face-timing with earlier this morning? I liked your rendition of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.’”

  “You heard that.” He shook his head and smiled, but didn’t look embarrassed that he’d been caught. With a deep voice, smooth as his honey eyes, there was no need to be self-conscious, she supposed. “Yep, that’s my Emily.” The way his eyes lit up when he said her name, it did something between her thighs. Something about a man that cared for little kids just did it for her. Not that Abby had time for kids right now, but she’d like to in the future. Maybe in ten years or so, before her ovaries collected cobwebs but after enough time to establish herself in the film business. Seriously, God was playing a horrible trick on her to tempt her with the world’s sexiest man at the least convenient time ever. It was much better when men were the furthest thing from her mind, and her sex drive was quietly tucked away in the recesses of wherever it had been hibernating the past twenty-five years.

  “I promised her we’d make snow angels if it snowed this year. It’s snowing right now, and I’m not there for her. It’s killing me.”

  “I’m sure she understands. You have a job to do, protecting our nation. That’s important.”

  He nodded. “Yeah.” A smile twitched at his lips. “She’d probably throw a fit if she saw how much snow was here right now. She loves it.”

  “You should take a picture for her.”

  “Not a bad idea.”

  Gage handed her the bag and champagne and before she could say anything, he flopped down on a bank of snow, a dusting of fluffy white flurries flying into the air like he’d jumped into a pile of packing peanuts. She’d never seen snow this fluffy before. Once when she was a little girl, she’d traveled with her mother and sister to Chicago. A storm had hit while they were at her aunt’s house, and she could still remember the slushy, wet snow that slopped at her ankles when she raced to the car on the way to the airport. Even as a kid she’d hated it, much preferring the waves of the California coast. But with Gage’s elated grin, and his hair covered in snow, she was willing to reconsider.

  “What are you doing?” She stared down at him, and a wide smile affixed to his face, creasing the skin on the corners of his eyes. Seriously, did he hit his head? Why would anyone want to get in close contact with something that was supposed to be in the freezer, even if he did look very enticing while doing it?

  “Snow angels.” He moved his arms in the snow above his head and then down to his sides while moving his legs in and out. On a two hundred twenty pound, well-muscled man, this looked absolutely ridiculous and cute and hot all at the same time. “Come. Make one. You’ll feel much better.”

  “I’m good with my blanket.” She put down the food and bottle and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders as if to emphasize her point.

  He sat up and gave a wink before tugging at her leg. She toppled over, falling into his warm chest. The tips of her stiletto boots dug into the snow as she straddled his lap. His fingers threaded through her hair, and he pulled her down on top of him as his lips swept over hers. His mouth was warm and inviting, and she ran her fingers along his strong neck as she was lost in the kiss. “You’re not playing fair,” she whispered. Whenever his lips connected with any portion of her body, it was like her mind went to static, and she couldn’t form a coherent thought to save her life.

  “Who said anything about fair?” And with that, he flipped her over so her back was pressed into the snow. She let out a little shriek as the cold pierced through her jacket, straight to her already freezing skin. With her mittened hands, she grabbed fistfuls of snow and plunked it on Gage’s head. He shook it off like a dog shakes off water when coming in from the rain, and the snow flew in all directions.

  “You’re asking for it, sweetheart,” he said with a wry smile on his face. He grabbed snow on either side of her and gave her the wettest noogie of her life.

  Oh. Oh God. So cold.

  Flurries melted into her scalp, and she shrieked as bits of snow worked their way under her coat. Christ on a cracker, she might very well get frostbite. On her ass. Could people even get frostbite on their ass? Regardless of the current frosty skin predicament, she couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. Even in sub-freezing weather, this was the most fun she’d had in a long time.

  “Are you ready to make a snow angel now?” he said, rolling over to lay beside Abby.

  Abby looked over at him, more snow falling from her hair onto her face. “Do I have a choice in the matter? Or am I just going to get more snow to the face?”

  He just smiled in response.

  Abby huffed out a sigh, more for show than actual annoyance. Because, in truth, she’d gladly do this all night with Gage. Plus, most of her skin was numb by now, so the bitter cold no longer affected her. “Show me your ways, oh wise one.”

  “Dig into the snow like this.” His hand pushed on her arm so that it sunk deeper into the snow. “Now move your arms up to your head and spread your legs.” His fingers gripped her thighs, pulling them apart inch by inch. The heat from his hands radiated up her legs, pulsing between her thighs. He hovered above her, his greedy gaze raking down her body.

  She swallowed hard. “You sure have a knack for being bossy.”

  “Just making sure you get the whole experience.” He lifted a brow. As she moved around, she felt a bit silly—because isn’t this what kids did? Not adults in their mid-twenties. Not women who were in charge of multimillion-dollar business decisions. And yet, this was exactly what she needed. It was nice to forget her identity for a few minutes and just be a girl in the snow, laughing and flirting with a cute guy. She worked harder at digging in her limbs, making a deeper imprint of her angel.

  Gage stood up and then pulled Abby to her feet. She looked down at the two figures in the snow, her angel beside Gage’s, and smiled. Gage had given her something more than just a cold back. It felt…fun to let loose. Maybe, just maybe, this trip was the release she needed in order to feel revived when she got back to work.

  “Have I had the full New York experience yet?” she said expectantly. “Or is there something else I need to do before we leave tomorrow?”

  …

  Gage couldn’t stop staring at Abby’s rosy cheeks, or the smile that made her eyes crinkle, those baby blues twinkling in the moonlight.

  Dammit, everything about this woman called to him on a visceral level. His need to claim her, for her to be his, hammered harder than his pulse in his temples. He’d make the best of his last night with her, devouring her inch by inch, memorizing every curve, every taste, every sound, and then board his flight without a second thought.

  Now he just needed to convince himself of that, because leaving tomorrow morning would be a new form of torture. If there was a God out there, he had a sick and twisted sense of humor to pair him with someone who lived too far away to actually even consider a relationship—not that he had time, with his job—and also one that would certainly give his mother a heart attack.

  Abby looked up at him with those big eyes, and his resolve crumbled to snow flurries. What was it she’d asked? He was so focused on thinking of every which way he wanted her once they got back to the hotel that the question hadn’t registered.

  “One more thing a
nd then we can leave.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We haven’t finished what’s in the bag. We still have one more New York specialty.”

  “Oh?”

  He pulled out the container of chocolate-covered strawberries. “These are the best strawberries in the city.”

  She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the package. “And what makes you say that?”

  “Because they’re about to be touched by your lips.” That one might have laid it on a little thick. But Gage was telling the truth. Anything would be lucky to get the gentle caress of Abby’s lips.

  “That is quite a line, Mr. Michaels.”

  He ignored her comment and opened the container, grabbing one of the strawberries by the stem and guiding it to her mouth. She opened and he watched, mesmerized as her teeth bit into the chocolate and fruit. A trail of juice trickled down her bottom lip and made it halfway down her chin before Gage swept in and caught it with his tongue. He dropped the other half of the strawberry to the ground and threaded his fingers through her hair, unable to go even a full minute without touching her. He pushed her down into the snow and climbed on top of her, prying her legs open. Abby was warm and soft, and every bit as tempting as a chocolate covered strawberry. His hand smoothed up her stomach, under her coat, and palmed her breast. His thumb circled over her hardened nipple, and she arched her back, pushing into his palm.

  His tongue swirled with hers, tasting a mix of chocolate and champagne and Abby. The tastiest mixture he’d ever encountered.

  A shiver racked her body, and he cursed himself for pushing her into the snow if she’d already been cold. He’d never forgive himself if she actually got hypothermia. He grabbed the blanket from the ground and wrapped it around her, pulling her close. “How about we get back to the hotel? I bet we can flag down another sleigh.” There had to be a ton of them out, especially since that would be a safer mode of transportation than driving on the icy roads.

  He picked up the bottle of Dom and the bag of food from the ground, and they headed back in the direction of the hotel. He’d show her the New York experience, hopefully one she’d never forget. Because he wouldn’t be able to get this out of his mind. Ever.

  Chapter Ten

  By the time Gage and Abby made it back to their high-rise, the snow had started coming down in a blast. The door to the building was open and the lights were dimmed to half-mast. The doorman gave a tight smile. Never a good sign.

  “Power’s out. The backup generator is on, but the elevators are out of service,” he said with a shrug.

  “Oh.” Abby said and glanced down at her heels. They’d walked a good portion of the night and Gage bet her feet were killing her, especially while walking on uneven snow. Shit, his sister whined after twenty minutes during Friday night dinners that her heels were uncomfortable. Then again, that might also be a genius excuse to leave dinner early. Jill was always looking to spend as little time with their mother as possible. Not that he blamed her, with the way their mom always treated her like she was Emily’s age.

  There was a slight limp to Abby’s gait, and he cussed under his breath. He should have asked her to put on more practical shoes to begin with. Damn those insanely hot heels. Now they’d have to make the forty floor trek up the stairs.

  As soon as they made it through the doors to the stairwell, he offered, “Hop on my back.” It’s what a gentleman would do. Although, he’d been anything but a gentleman all weekend. Something about her brought out a primitive side that made him want to beat his fucking chest and throw her over his shoulder, and dominate her.

  Her brow rose. “I’m fine on my own,” she said, but Gage couldn’t help but notice the wince in the crease of her eyes after each step. She was a stubborn one, he’d give her that. Maybe that was what attracted him to her in the first place. He always did like a challenge.

  “Right.” He gave her a speculative look drawing out the word.

  By the time they’d made it one flight, she’d slowed her steps, and he could see clear discomfort on her face. Enough was enough. Pride be damned, she’d just have to suck it up, because he wasn’t going to let her suffer up thirty-nine more flights. He grabbed her fireman style, and she began to yell.

  “Let me down. This is ridiculous.” Her feet flailed in front of him, and Gage had to push back the chuckle that started low in his belly.

  “Not as ridiculous as you walking up forty flights in heels.” He gave her ass a swat for good measure, and she let out a groan and writhed against him. If his hand snaked up her skirt, he bet the flimsy fabric of her thong would be soaked through. She made another useless attempt at wiggling free. What was she, a buck ten?

  “I told you I can manage on my own.” She smacked his back, and it only made him smirk. Abby was a feisty one—had enough fire in her to incinerate the whole damn hotel.

  He held her tighter as she continued to wriggle around. Suffer over thirty floors in those sexy but completely impractical heels? Not happening. “Where I come from, we have manners. I see someone in distress, and I need to help.”

  She scoffed. “I’m not some damsel in need of saving. Let me down.” She kicked her legs and pounded on his back.

  Dammit, that attitude of hers drove him mad. Absolutely insane. Made him want to tear his hair out and take her hard up against the wall all at the same time. “Or what?” His fingers gripped the backs of her legs. She had stockings on today, and he felt the beginnings of a garter belt. Fuck. Once they got back into the room, he definitely needed to take everything off but the garter belt and fuck-me heels.

  The hem of her skirt had worked its way up her thighs, and if he pushed it a little farther, he’d be able to sneak his fingers under those delicate lace panties of hers. Was she as wet as she’d been this morning? The responsiveness, the way she looked at him with an insatiable hunger, it made him want to bury himself to the hilt in her tight little pussy. He wanted his cock slamming into her, skin slapping against skin, the decadent sound of their sweat-slicked bodies tangling together. The thought made him momentarily lose a step, but he caught both of them before he could stumble up the stairs.

  “I don’t know, but I’ll come up with something,” she said, her voice resolute.

  This time he couldn’t hold back his laugh. Did she understand how incredibly adorable she was? Infuriating as hell, but adorable. That, mixed with the sexy side in the bedroom, nearly knocked him on his ass. “Real good comeback, sweetheart.”

  “At least let me ride on your back. This is uncomfortable.”

  Right. It probably didn’t feel good having a shoulder bone jutting into her stomach. When he’d played football in high school, shoulders to the gut were a common but aggravating occurrence. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her—that defeated the whole purpose of attempting chivalry. “Fine.” He grunted and let her down so she could climb up on his back.

  Instead, she sprinted up the next flight of stairs, throwing a haughty look in his direction. “Ha ha, sucker,” echoed through the stairwell. She cackled as she made it halfway up the next set of stairs. Gage stood there, momentarily stunned. Who the hell was this woman?

  He ran after her and caught up before she made it the whole flight. “I need to watch out for you, don’t I?” He pinned her against the wall and ran his palms greedily over her curves. Normally he could keep his hands to himself with women. He respected them, worshiped them. But Abby’s body called to him, begged for his hands to explore every inch of her. Those supple curves, the way her back arched when he rolled his tongue over her nipples, everything was a damn homing beacon for him.

  She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, her throat working. “I’m not into that whole chivalry thing. It’s only good in movies. Anything else just feels very chauvinistic.”

  He blinked hard. “You’re saying me being a gentleman is piggish?”

  “Yes. It’s like saying that I’m not capable enough to do things myself. Goes against everything I believe in.”


  That…was not how he viewed her. Even though he’d only known her the span of two days, she was clearly more than capable of handling herself. That didn’t mean he couldn’t treat her with respect and help out a person in need. “So, I should just let you suffer?”

  “Yes.” Her breath still held a hint of strawberries and chocolate, and it took all his willpower to keep following the conversation and not ravage her mouth.

  “Not going to happen. Not on my watch.”

  “You’re really not going to let this go, are you?” She huffed and put her hands on her hips. She was so fucking hot, with that California attitude. It hit him square below the belt, and damn if he didn’t want to take her right here.

  She blew out a sigh, and her bangs fanned across her forehead. A resigned look filled her eyes and her lips twisted into a smirk. “Fine. I’ll take a piggyback, but let it be known that I could have walked up all forty flights.”

  He crouched down, putting his arms behind him, ready to grab her when she jumped on his back. “Noted. And we’ll put it on the record that you did.”

  She hopped onto him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The heat of her breath traced hot across the back of his neck, and he tightened his grip on her legs. His thumb stroked over her tight ass and she squirmed under his touch, her breath picking up in pace.

  They made it another few flights in silence. No one else was in the stairwell, everyone smart enough to stay inside on a blustery night like tonight. His footsteps echoed in the space, and each step he took, his cock hardened. That damn mouth of hers, paired with a tight little body—fuck, she’d be the downfall of him.

  “You know you’re a pain in the ass,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Hello, pot. Meet kettle.”

  “That mouth of yours drives me insane.” His words were playful, but there couldn’t be more truth to his statement.

  “Well, I’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow.”

  A hint of sadness laced her words. She was right, though. After tomorrow, the airport would open flights back up, and they’d be on two separate sides of the country. All the more reason to savor this quick breath of a weekend with her, every goddamn minute. And he was going to start now, because thirty flights seemed too far to wait to have her. He quickly flipped her around so that her legs now straddled his stomach, and her mouth parted in surprise.