Snowman

by AC Netzel

Two souls joined… for a little while.

  Frank Sinatra’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” plays on the radio, and instead of ending our dance, Nick holds me tighter, kissing me sweeter between playful nibbles on my earlobe and lingering kisses on my neck.

  I’ve never been so grateful to snowstorms and ice as I am right now. The catalyst that allowed us to enjoy all we are right now…

  And all we might have been.

  “For you, Beautiful.” Nick hands a glass of white wine to me as he sits next to me in front of the roaring fire.

  “Can I ask you something personal?” I take a sip of my wine.

  “You’re going to ask anyway, so go ahead.”

  “Why didn’t you sleep with Ever? I mean, the girl is clearly into you.”

  “I didn’t see us going anywhere,” he says matter-of-factly. “I have to be careful. Now that Noelle’s in the picture, there’s too much at stake. I can’t risk bringing rotating partners into her life. It would confuse her.”

  “What about, you know, casual sex? Just playing around. No strings, don’t bring the girl to meet the family?”

  “I don’t have casual sex anymore. I don’t play around. I play for keeps. And I don’t sleep with anyone unless I see a possible future with them.”

  “But you slept with me.”

  Silence falls between us. His soulful eyes say more than words ever could. And it makes me happy and sad at the same time.

  Because I love what his eyes tell me...

  And I hate that I shouldn’t listen to them.

  “One last question.”

  He nods slightly, never taking his gaze off me.

  “Since you’ve moved back here—including me—how many women have you been intimate with?”

  He caresses my cheek tenderly, never breaking eye contact.

  “Including you… One.”

  My heart beats wildly in my chest. Cradling each side of his face in my hands, I lean into a long, soft, beautiful kiss. If I didn’t know him for only a few short days—I’d know, without a doubt, this is the very moment we fell in love.

  A hopeless, desperate, endless love.

  But my sensible side reminds me that I’m wrapped up in the romance of what will one day be a fond memory of a beautiful man who stole my heart for a little while.

  “Stop being so charming,” I whisper.

  “Stop being you,” he whispers back.

  “I can’t.”

  “Neither can I.”

  He takes the wineglass from my hand and places it on the hearth in front of us.

  “Hey,” I protest. “You took my wine.” My bottom lip protrudes out to an exaggerated pout.

  “Keep doing that, and I’m going to bite that lip.”

  “Like to see you try.”

  No lie.

  With his eyes hooded, he leans forward and gently bites my lip, sending a thrilling current from my mouth straight to my nether regions. It’s not fair how quickly my body responds to his touch. He grabs my hair from the back, fisting it through his fingers. Pulling my head back slightly, he kisses me. Deeply.

  Slowly, he slides my robe off my shoulders until it falls to my waist. I sit topless and exposed. His for the taking.

  “Dammit, you are so incredibly sexy. How do you want me to fuck you tonight?” His thumb brushes across my hardened nipple.

  Thank God, the dirty talk is back.

  I moan in response because I don’t really care. I’ll do anything he wants.

  “Are you wet for me, Summer?” It’s more of a statement than a question. He knows how he affects me. “Should I fuck your mouth? Or maybe your tits then move on until I’m inside you.”

  “Ohhh,” I moan again as he presses delicate kisses on my collar bone then traces my shoulder with the tip of his tongue.

  “I think we’ll do all three.” He bites down on my shoulder. “That work for you?”

  “Umm-hmm.” It’s almost a word.

  “But first, I’m going to need you to do something for me?” He leans down and sucks on my nipple, swirling his tongue around then sucking again.

  “Okay,” I whisper.

  “Go in your suitcase and slip on those black boots,” he murmurs in my ear as he pulls the robe up and covers my naked breasts.

  “Do you have a shoe fetish?” I tease.

  “I’ve got a you fetish.”

  A slow smile rises from my mouth. “You want to have sex while I’m wearing my new boots?”

  “It’s all I’ve thought about since I saw you in them. Those boots drove me crazy.”

  “Did they?” I pretend this is new information, but the way he reacted the minute he laid eyes on them, there was no doubt.

  “You know they did. I want to bury my face between your legs with you naked… in just those boots.”

  “So you going out in the ice and snow for my suitcase had nothing to do with getting me clean clothes or more wood for the fireplace… and everything to do with sex?”

  “I would say that’s a fair statement.”

  “Snowman, you are a dirty boy.”

  “You wore those cock-teasing boots in front of me twice.” He leans in close to my ear. “If you tease a bear enough times, he’s going to maul you.” His tone is low, sexy, and menacing.

  “Are you the bear in this scenario?”

  “I am.”

  “And you’re going to maul me?”

  “In a way…my paws will be all over you.”

  “I think I might like being mauled,” I say coyly.

  “Oh, you will,” he mutters confidently. “You looked so damn sexy. So fucking beautiful.”

  “You think I’m beautiful?” I tease.

  “I know you are. Now put on the boots, get naked, and walk around until I can’t take it anymore.”

  “How long will that last?”

  The side of his mouth quirks up for a quick instant. “Seconds, probably.”

  “That’s good, because it’s a little cold in here to walk around the living room naked for more than a minute.”

  “I’ll stick my hands in front of the fire before I maul you. They’ll warm you up while I touch you. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a win for both of us.”

  “Tell you what… I’ll wear the boots and nothing else… if you wear your aviators.”

  “My sunglasses?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” I nod slowly. “You look hot in them.”

  “You blow my mind.”

  “There’s something else I can blow too,” I purr seductively, as I peek down at his growing bulge.

  “Get changed. I’m getting my glasses.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

  Chapter 31

  Slowly opening my sleepy eyes, I smile, feeling content, relaxed, and happier than I’ve been in a long, long time. Pulling the blanket over my shoulder, I turn on my side and face the floor to ceiling windows. When I look outside, my smile quickly fades, and my heart sinks.

  The sun is back and so blazingly intense, I have to squint. Giant water droplets drip like a rain shower in front of the window from the icicles hanging off the roof, melting from the heat. I turn my attention to the living room and spot a single brightly lit lamp on the end table. Sneaking a foot out from under the blanket, I confirm the air is warmer than it’s been in days.

  Twisting around in my spot, I come face to face with a very awake Nick who is staring out the same windows, realizing the same thing.

  Civilization has returned.

  “Hi,” I whisper, masking my utter disappointment in Mother Nature.

  “Hi,” he whispers back.

  “Last night was fun.”

  His eyes shift to my boots scattered haphazardly on the floor, then back at me. “Yeah,” he gives me a quick peck on the lips. “It was.”

  “Looks like the electricity’s back on.”

  “I know.”

  “And the heat.”

  “Yeah, I heard the furnace kick on a little while ago.”


  “You’ve been awake?” I ask.

  “For a little while.”

  “What have you been doing?”

  “Watching,” he says.

  “Watching what?”

  “The ice melt. And you.”

  “You were watching me sleep?”

  “A little bit.”

  “Stalker,” I joke, hoping to lighten the somber mood in the room.

  He chuckles softly, although I’m not sure how genuine it is. “Guilty as charged.”

  I have so much to say, so many thoughts wrestling inside my head.

  “Nick, I…” I begin.

  “Let me make you some breakfast. Waffles okay?” he asks, interrupting me.

  Grabbing the Snow Christmas Tree Farm T-shirt and my panties off the floor, I muster up a fake smile and nod. “Sounds great.”

  I delight in the last forkful of my waffle, smiling at the corkboard of photos and Noelle’s drawings in the kitchen.

  “As always, your food is delicious.” Dropping my fork on the empty plate in front of me, I pat my stomach. “The world is missing out on your cooking.”

  “Thanks.” He’s quiet for a beat as he studies me. “Have you checked your flight information?” he asks quietly.

  And boom! Just like that, our few wonderful days of sexy playfulness evaporates, and reality sets in.

  “Yeah. It’s scheduled to depart on time.”

  He crosses his arms in front of his chest as he stares down at the countertop and nods.

  “I’ll have to leave by noon,” I continue. “Clear the snow off my car, get to the airport, drop the Mustang off at the rental place, go through security, blah, blah, blah.”

  His head is still bowed down like he’s zoned out. I’m not sure if he’s heard a word I just said.

  “Hey. Is everything all right?” I ask.

  He stands from his chair and holds his hand out to me. “Come with me.”

  “Where are we going?” I slide my hand in his, lacing our fingers together as I stand.

  “My bedroom.”

  “Oh.” My breath hitches, and my heart beats wildly in my chest.

  Without a word spoken, we walk hand in hand to the staircase. Silently, he leads me upstairs and through the hallway until we stop in front of a closed door. Pinning me against the wall next to the door, he cups my face with both hands, and gazes deeply into my eyes.

  “You,” he whispers softly, never breaking eye contact, “are breathtaking.”

  He swoops in and kisses me—the tenderest, sweetest kiss I’ve ever experienced—like he just gave me a secret part of him. It overwhelms me with emotion. I reach up and kiss him again with the same gentle tenderness, sliding my fingers through his hair, twisting it, pulling him as close as he can get to me.

  I know what this is.

  It’s our goodbye.

  And it breaks my heart.

  After our kiss, he opens the door. My nerves are raw as we enter the room. He closes the door with his foot and guides me to the edge of his king-sized bed. Light is softly filtered through a pair of slightly opened wooden blinds on the windows across the room. I stand in front of him as he grabs the bottom of my T-shirt, raises it over my head and drops it on the floor. He hooks his fingers on the waistband of my panties, crouching as he pulls them down my legs. I step out of them and stand naked in front of him.

  Feeling vulnerable and exposed, my face flushes, and I look down to the floor. I’m not sure why. He’s seen me naked before. His hands and lips were everywhere over the past two nights. But this morning, in this quiet moment, something feels different. Something feels…

  New.

  He stands, then tilts my chin up with his index finger and gently cups my face again with both hands and kisses me —so deeply, so utterly lovingly, I want to crawl inside him.

  “I want you in my bed,” he says softly, gazing into my eyes. “I want to remember you here.”

  “Okay,” I whisper. He pulls the steel gray comforter to the side, and I climb onto the king-sized bed, pulling the comforter over me while never taking my eyes off him.

  He tosses two condom packets from his pocket on to his nightstand. Sliding his shorts down his legs, he steps out of them and stands at the side of the bed. I know it’s not just his clothes that’s been stripped, I think he’s baring a glimpse into his soul. An electrifying current, that magnetic pull between us, is more powerful than ever. This unmistakable bond between us, his openness, our longing… it overwhelms me.

  I admire his body, committing it to memory. Hard, muscular, and entirely mine.

  This morning, anyway.

  Joining me in bed, he pulls me into an embrace. With his strong arms wrapped around me, he holds me, just holds me, and kisses my hair. I hold him back tightly because I know deep down, I don’t want to let this tender moment go.

  I don’t want to let him go.

  He relaxes his embrace and kisses me. Each kiss, although now bittersweet, touches me to my very core each time our lips meet.

  He places his hand on my shoulder, guiding me down on the bed until my back is pressed against the mattress. Starting at my neck, his fingertips skim down my naked body with a teasing, featherlight touch. Unhurriedly exploring parts of me he’s already touched and tasted like it’s the very first time. He traces my hardened nipples with delicate strokes that incites a low moan from the back of my throat.

  I wriggle in the bed, delighting in sensation, dazed by emotions. What’s happening between us right now is deeper than the primal, lustful sex we’ve experienced. That was good. Great even. But this…

  This is magic.

  His hand travels down my stomach to my legs, sliding between my thighs. My back arches up, my body responding to the close proximity of his fingers nearing my most sensitive spot. His middle finger lightly strokes across my slit. Once. Twice. And again. Slowly, seductively, exquisitely.

  “Oh,” I breathe, my legs squirm as I squeeze my thighs together.

  Pressing deeper, he opens my swollen folds and strokes my clit, over and over, fast then slow, in circles then straight down, fingering me, teasing me… bringing me right to the edge. My nerve endings are on overdrive, sparks of ecstasy shoot through my veins.

  “Nick, I’m going to…”

  “I know,” he murmurs. “Let go.”

  My breath hitches as pure sensation takes over. I surrender to my body’s salacious response while my mind goes blank. My muscles spasm then tighten around his fingers, as an explosion of the most intense pleasure overpowers me. I moan, groan, and squirm while wave after wave of ecstasy washes over me.

  I catch my breath while his hand leisurely travels back up my body. He turns my head to him and kisses me with unrestrained fervor. I turn my body to face him, eager to touch him, every inch.

  I place my hand on his chest, desperate to feel his warm skin. My libido is in overdrive from my orgasm, and I can’t control my brazen need. I wrap my fingers firmly around his erection, reminding myself not to grab too hard and break something in my current state of orgasmic frenzy. Taking delight in his moans, I stroke him, up and down, fast, slow, and everything in between, my thumb brushing across his wet tip.

  Grabbing my hand, he stops me. He snatches a condom packet off the nightstand, tearing off the corner with his teeth. Pulling it out of the packet, he grabs his stiff cock.

  “Wait,” I tell him. “I want to do that.”

  He smiles and hands the condom to me. Carefully, I take it and slowly roll it down his impressive shaft. I admire my work—and his naked body—until he moves on top of me, parting my legs with his. His erection teasing my throbbing clit.

  He hesitates, gazing intensely into my eyes. I reach up, wrapping my hands around his neck and pull him down to me. We kiss—a soft, slow, beautiful kiss that makes my heart feel like it’s on the brink of bursting. Our kiss deepens… longingly, sensually, and oh-so tenderly.

  I feel cherished, worshipped, treasured.

  I’m his.

>   Completely, unequivocally his.

  Slowly, he plunges deep inside me, joining our bodies. Joining our souls. He thrusts unhurried, as I relish in every delectable inch of him. Rotating his hips, he grinds his body into mine. It’s sheer heaven on earth.

  “Summer,” he moans, his breathing ragged.

  Hearing my name from his lips makes me smile, knowing that as much as I’m his… he’s mine.

  “Oh,” I cry out as he finds that exquisite spot again. My pelvis arches up to meet his thrusts, and intense sensations below my waistline build up. “Oh, God,” I gasp, grabbing on to the sheet as another wave of sensual bliss destroys me. In the best possible way.

  My insides are tense as Nick picks up his pace, thrusting hard and fast, over and over. “Summer,” he calls out as he stills, finding his own orgasm.

  He looks down at me, silently revealing his feelings with his expressive gaze. His quiet honesty moves me.

  Once he catches his breath, he lays down next to me. We both lay silently, sated. He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips, and kisses my knuckles.

  I know what just happened between us was more than two people acting on their attraction. There was nothing dirty or licentious about it.

  It was more than physical. Much more than I can acknowledge out loud.

  What we just shared was intimate.

  Emotional.

  Loving.

  In that moment, I took the part of him he wasn’t supposed to give. And I don’t plan on giving it back.

  Chapter 32

  “I cleared off the snow and ice on your car while you were showering. Your suitcase and computer are in the trunk,” Nick tells me. “Jeb already plowed the driveway. Said the main roads are passable. Just be careful.” He’s acting blasé, but his troubled eyes tell a different story.

  I look to the floor then back at him. An emptiness creeps into my heart. “Thank you.”

  “Do you have everything?” he asks, staring anywhere but at me.

  I nod, trying my best to conceal my emotions.

  He clears his throat and looks at me. “So, I guess this is it.”

  “I guess so.”

  “I’m glad I met you.” He pulls me into a loving hug. “Despite the reason we met, I don’t regret a single minute I’ve spent with you. I hope you don’t regret... most... of our time together.”