by Kinney Scott
Hearing the exchange, Kelsey tried to move in Ben’s direction. She hoped to whisper a suggestion in his ear. Maybe she could make up for last summer’s bad timing, and pursue the heat that still simmered between them.
Kelsey watched as Kent blocked her plan. She knew his move was intentional, but could not figure out why Kent would give a rip. Before Kelsey could get in a word to Ben, Kent asked, “Hey, Ben - if you want to crash at my place, that’s cool. I’ve got plenty of room, and the roads to my place won’t have six inches of snow.”
“Yeah, I think I’ll take that offer. Thanks.” The party dissolved rapidly, as everyone tried to beat the accumulating snow.
Wade was in no hurry, as he planned to stay on site in the tiny home Whitewater kept as a demo unit. Lately he spent more time in that bed than his own. His home, and original brewery, sat about an hour north of town tucked close to Mount Adams’ flanks, overlooking Mosquito Creek, the namesake of his brewery.
Iris was the last to gather up her winter coat. “Are you staying here on a cot in the office?” she asked wondering why Wade seemed settled in for the night.
“No, Seth has a tiny house on site, stocked and ready. I’ve been there more often than not lately.”
“Convenient. And right here - is it nice? She smiled adding a slight sway to her walk.” Iris wondered if Wade would take the hint, if not she would leave their friendship as is.
His body responded to the not so subtle suggestion, heating with possibilities. “Yeah, would you like to take a look?” Her gaze went from slightly steamy to unquestionably molten.
What Wade offered, she seemed more than willing to take, but he wanted to be sure. Until today, their contact had been professional and friendly, without a hint of desire.
“Show me the way,” she said her voice darkened by growing desire. The breadth of his hand spanned the sway of her back, leading her to the small side door of the shop. Just a few steps away the little home welcomed Iris as the porch light illuminated the falling snow.
“Wow, it’s really coming down out here.” She feared that this could get awkward if he didn’t want her to spend the night.
“With this turn in the weather, I think you should stay.” He added as he reached around her to swing open the door, but used the movement to press the length of his torso against her back, inhaling the warm natural scent of her lavender shampoo. She moved slowly to allow him to draw closer.
“Are you sure?” She asked, “I think I can make it home, if I leave now. Or, I could borrow one of the Mosquito Brewing fleet.” She turned to Wade, waiting for his decision.
“Don’t you think you would be safer here with me?” Wade asked, as he grasped the nape of her neck in his hand and teased his lips over hers.
Her tongue responded, sneaking out to stroke first his bottom lip, then taste the top. “Safe is not the word I had in mind,” she whispered.
Immediately, he parted her moist mouth, his tongue exploring while he lowered his grasp from her waist to the swell of her firm behind, locking her body in place to drive the evidence of his arousal against her. She moaned at the sensual contact, encouraged by his clear response.
Wade eased the muscular length of his thigh between her legs, inching her apart, teasing her heat. Her humm of pleasure vibrated his lips softly, and damn if he didn’t feel the sensation in his cock.
Iris took back a small measure of control, pulling his shirt from the waistband of his jeans. Sliding her slender hands across the ridges of his stomach. She finished the path by smoothing her fingertips around to touch the warm corded muscles of his back. He growled as she worked her gentle caress back to his pecs, teasing her nails over the ridges of his small nipples. “You like that,” she said, when he shivered.
In one quick movement, he tore his shirt off over his head. Stepping back for just a moment, she enjoyed the contours of his well-chiseled physique, eyeing the detailed shading of his black and grey mosquito tattoo. “Your ink - nice.” Iris bit into her lip and reached for his belt.
Wade wanted to savor her, to slow down the momentum, and covered her hand with his own. Pulling her to him, he led Iris up the ladder to his lofted bedroom. Gently Wade teased her shirt off, lifting it over her head. Leaving the filmy skirt in place. No need to rush, Wade planned to savor her body one inch at a time.
Her bra, a deep brown, the color of melted chocolate, matched her glossy wavy hair. The decadent silky cloth edged in fine strands of gold lace, glimmered in the low light. He loved when women splurged on lingerie, decorating their already beautiful forms with deserved attention.
“Iris - Beautiful,” were the only words he could utter as he lowered her slowly to the mattress. In a fluid controlled movement, his body followed to worship her soft breasts. He nibbled a line where her tantalizing skin spilled over the shimmering gold lace.
The tip of his tongue began a path down the valley of her chest, where he found a touch of the lavender scent she had applied to this exact spot. Inhaling, he trailed kisses across one milky white swell as his hand snuck up to caress the other, over her gorgeous bra. When she arched in pleasure, seeking more, his hand snaked behind her and quickly found the clasp, releasing her breasts. He lavished attention on each peak once again.
Until now, he had straddled her legs, but the need to explore her more fully took over. Wade stretched each arm over her head, encouraging her grasp on the rails of the bed. Her eyes flared as she saw his need to control, and she held tight to give him full access. Wade rewarded her patience, licking his way across the swell of her stomach, while his hands eased up the light fabric of her skirt.
Growling with anticipation, he breathed in the scent of her arousal mingled with lavender, and laid his lips over the lace that covered her mound. The moment he made contact with her heat, her desire turned molten. Iris arched fully to meet his tongue. Wade slipped his hands over her hips to slide the lace off her body, but left the skirt bunched around her waist for now.
Taking her slim hips in his hands, he lifted her to his lips, diving first into her core, then dragging the length of his tongue along her seam, holding her in place to control the slow deliberate slide. Her desperate moan was precisely the response he was looking for, so Wade repeated the path once, twice, three times. With each measured repetition, he pressed harder, moaning in pleasure as he lapped up her delicious arousal.
“Oh, please Wade,” Iris cried out unable to reach the peak that was just out of her grasp. His chuckle vibrated against her, as he grabbed a pillow to keep her hips exactly where he wished. Now that his hands were free, he used first one finger, then a second to swirl the outside of her entrance. At her core - slick, hot and ready, he pulsed his fingers in, until her body began to buck in response.
Hands still clasped tightly to the bed, her knuckles white with coiled tension, Iris gave her body willingly over to his exploration. His fingers curled, pressing exactly on the spot she craved. Coupled with the firm lashes of his tongue across her sensitive nub, her hips flexed, as her breath shuttered. Wave after wave of heat crashed over her body. The arch of her orgasm ebbed and peaked several times before he circled her channel with soft kisses. His lips continued the lavish attention over the inside of her thighs, down a path to suck slightly at the inside of each knee.
Wade’s dark sexy whisper pulled her back, “You with me Iris?”
Coming back down to earth, she was shocked to see that Wade still wore his jeans, but looked ready to explode through the tightened fabric. “Wade, you have many talents, but I’ll be damned if that wasn’t better than your beer.”
“Not as easy to bottle and sell,” he laughed.
“I won’t let word get out. You my friend, are my secret.” She stretched, and seized his waist with her calves, urging him forward into the v of her thighs.
“If that was the warm up round, I can’t wait to get started on the main event,” she whispered as he leaned over to claim her mouth again. She tasted her own arousal and moaned. Wade presse
d his firm erection, still trapped in his jeans, against her.
Iris wanted a chance to touch, lick and if he was game bite this delicious man, so she shifted her body to slide from the bottom and enjoy every inch of him from the top.
Wade arched his brows in a sexy smirk that egged Iris on, encouraging her to take control. Time to turn the tables. She grasped his jeans and slid them off his hips, pulling his boxers along. As he sprang free, she stood for a moment, enjoying a long, decadent view. “Do we need anything from your wallet?” she asked, “I don’t want to pause later and search for a condom.”
“Side drawer,” he motioned. As he spun to grab three condoms from the bedside table, her eyes enjoyed the fantastic view of his well-formed muscular butt, a lighter shade than his tanned torso. Where to begin, she thought.
As he waited for her to make a move, he warned, “Babe, I’m so ready to impale you right now, too much more foreplay, and you may only get a floor show - Just saying.”
“Will I have another chance to explore all this later?” She asked gesturing with her hands and eyes, taking in every spot she planned to touch, taste and nibble, especially the detailed tattoo that stretched over his ribs.
“I’m counting on it, but for now, Iris…”
“Get on and ride?” she laughed aloud.
“Absolutely,” he moaned.
She grabbed the condom, tore open the package, and quickly rolled it down his impressive length. Centering her hips, she teased him with wet heat, taking him within, but by only a fraction.
With a low growl, Wade grabbed her ass and impaled his length inside with one solid stroke. Her body responded immediately, clamping tight as a fist, as she moaned with deep approval.
Iris took over the rhythm, encouraging Wade, as he kneaded her breasts and teased the pink tip of each nipple between his finger and thumb. Her body responded eagerly to his touch. Each pull heightened the sensation as she arched her back to take him deep in her pulsing channel.
Beads of perspiration glistened on her torso above him, as she picked up the pace. Wade’s hips rose with each thrust, as his balls began to draw up, anticipating an explosive release. He struggled for control, as her cadence increased, her hips writhing at the end of each descent. “Wade…oh, nearly…there.” Her chanted cries mingled with his moans of sheer pleasure.
Wade could not last a moment longer. When her frantic cries broke through, wave after wave of molten pleasure took over. He lifted her with the force of his hips, keeping her centered firmly in his expansive grasp. Each fulfilling thrust that shot from his body shook her breasts in an erotic display. His all-consuming climax left him wholly spent.
Iris lay her supple body forward resting on the expanse of his chest, the crisp hair on his pecs tickling her sensitive nipples. Slowly, their breathing evened out, she inhaled the mixture of Wade’s musk mingled with her own lavender scent.
Wade stroked her silky skin, from the nape of her neck past the spot between her shoulder blades, finally resting has hands on the swell of her behind. She hated to move, but Wade eased her from his body to take care of the condom.
He returned with a bottled water for Iris, but found her sleeping, stretched out on her stomach. Wade loved the smooth lines of a woman’s body. He was surprised to find a tattoo on her right shoulder blade, a delicate blue Iris. Beautiful and perfect. Carefully he covered her. She stirred for a moment as he climbed under the blankets next to her warmth. For the first time in weeks, Wade easily found sleep. Even the stress of the expansion could not override this sated bliss.
***
Iris woke early, out of sheer habit more than feeling completely rested. After the late satisfying night, she ached in all the best places, and smiled. Good God, Wade knew how to please a woman. Just the sight of him tempted her resolve to get home before he woke. Gathering her belongings, she slid silently into yesterday’s clothes. Thankful it was Sunday, she was reasonably sure the surrounding buildings would be free from prying eyes.
Glancing through the windows, she inwardly groaned. A blanket of deep snow covered the ground, and hung heavily from the stoic Douglas Firs surrounding the parking lot. Damn, early March, and another hit of winter stubbornly hung on, refusing to give up the progress toward spring.
Scanning Wade’s shoes near the door, she decided to borrow a pair of sturdy boots that would save her pale silver flats from certain death. Lumbering through surprisingly deep snow, Iris slowly made her way across the white undisturbed blanket of cold. Each step brought a crystalline crunch, leaving a path of giant footprints in her wake. Once she made it to the safety of her little green beetle, she sent Wade a quick text explaining the missing boots.
Wade startled awake out of an arousing dream, as a car engine nearby kicked over. The sheets still held Iris’ warmth. Her lavender perfume clung to the air. From the small loft window, he followed the sleek lines her tires had carved into the snow as she pulled from the gravel lot onto the highway. Too early to move, he lay back on the soft mattress, thinking about the previous night.
Wade struggled to understand how Iris could have escaped his notice for so long. He hoped she would consider seeing him again, soon. Just thinking about her sent a surge of heat to his groin, and his hand wandered down to coax his shaft. Might as well start his morning right, he let his mind recall every detail of the previous night, getting himself off almost too quickly, with the image of Iris writhing above him vivid in his mind.
***
Driving slowly across pristine white roads, Iris made her way home in a car she loved, but regretted on days like today. Snowplows often ignored these late winter blasts, as rain or sun would wipe all evidence away by noon. After she made it safely home, she used the time to catch up on orders and paper work.
As long as snow lay deep on the ground, her customers would stay at home. Iris took the time to crunch numbers and track recent sales. She studied the screen, her glasses perched on her nose, to carefully watch for emerging trends.
Two different concerns kept dogging her mind. First, her apprehension about Wade’s taproom. Mosquito Creek’s taproom, scheduled to open this summer, would not serve food. She hoped the extra traffic would make up for beer drinkers she knew would drift his way.
A second persistent decrease in her numbers remained unexplained. Struggling to find an answer to this dip in sales, she looked at her records again. The economy had improved, and the population of Ashwood, though small was growing. Tourism was steadily improving. Hikers and rafters sought the solitude Mount Adams provided compared to better-known peaks in the Cascade Range. Given time, she would figure it out, but the puzzle was starting to gnaw on her mind.
A couple employees called in, stuck in the snow, but Iris knew she could depend on her line cook and floor manager. Because she knew how to handle every job in her restaurant, from dishwasher to mixing drinks, Iris didn’t mind a slow day here and there. To her credit, her employees respected her drive, and mimicked her work ethic.
Her first customers, arriving just after noon, didn’t surprise her, as Kent and Ben wandered in. “Hey guys, you survived the storm!” Iris hollered across the empty bar.
“Are we really your only customers?” Kent moaned. He was decent friends with Ben, but could use a little variety - their conversation had already run short of easy topics. Ben felt the same, and gave his sister a call. With all this snow, he planned to head back to Portland right away. He knew he could borrow her truck and leave his car here for the week.
Kent overheard one-half of the conversation, as he pondered if it was too early for beer. He ordered a burger, with an egg, since this was late breakfast, and skipped the beer for now.
“Natalie, hey, good-morning. Nope I didn’t make it to the lake, Kent let me crash at his place…yeah that’s what I was hoping…. Sure, I plan to bring your truck back next weekend. I’ll stay at The Northside until you and Seth get here…See you soon.” Ben knew it would be nearly an hour before they arrived and placed an order fo
r a club sandwich.
A cold blast of air came in as Kelsey, Molly and Mandy burst through the door. Kent’s face lit up, now that his best friend had arrived with the twins. He looked forward to catching up with Molly and Mandy, to see how school in Seattle had been treating them.
Ben spotted Kels. Last night she sent him those familiar signals again. He knew she was still interested. Now, looking at her white-blonde hair flowing free down her back, he hurt with regret. He’d dreamed of seeing her lay below him, with her hair spread across a pillow. But the problem between them had not changed. He wanted permanent, and she ran from commitment.
THREE
Wade gave up trying to sleep any longer, his mind already spinning with details for work this week. Glancing at his phone, he saw the text from Iris. A grin took over his face as he pictured her stomping through the snow in that delicate skirt with his tall leather boots reaching nearly to her knees. Opening the front door he laughed aloud, spotting the closely spaced steps she left on her snowy trek. Wishing to roll back time, he would have preferred to drive her home, after spending an hour or two tangled in the sheets together.
Opening his email inched up his usual related anxiety. Attempting to breathe past the tension, he tried to make sense of the list of tasks that seemed to expand daily. As Wade scanned his calendar, the color-coding system blurred into a mess of red, orange, blue and green tasks. The organization system was failing. He could scarcely decipher his original plan.
Linnea planned to run the taproom when it opened in June. Now, he wondered if she would consider making the move sooner. He desperately needed someone to share the load. “Damn,” Wade said aloud - having completely forgotten breakfast with his family, he wasn’t yet late. Moving quickly, he hoped to arrive on time.
Dashing out the door, he nearly tripped on the little silver shoes Iris left behind. She must have forgotten them after she put on his boots. He could deliver them to her later, or have her stop by and pick them up. Either way, he looked forward to spending more time with Iris.