Red Hot Winter

by K. Webster

  “August Miller!” she shrieks, her fat lips popped open in shock at my words.

  “Fuck off, Jackie. Leave me alone. You already destroyed my life once. I won’t let you do it again.”

  When I burst through the front door, Winter is nowhere to be found. I stalk through the condo in desperate need to fuck out my irritation. She’s not in Callie’s room or the living room. It isn’t until I push through my bedroom door that I stop dead in my tracks.

  A beautiful damn angel.

  Fuck Jackie for insinuating otherwise.

  Winter’s red hair is beginning to wash out some since she’s been staying here. And while it’s cute on her, I like seeing her natural brown color return. She’s wearing one of my T-shirts and my sweatpants along with a bright neon pair of socks. But what has my heart stammering in my chest is how right and sweet she looks on my bed. All the time this girl runs her mouth and likes to push my buttons, but at the end of the day, she’s just a sweet girl who needs a good man to take care of her.

  I tug off my tie and shed my jacket. As I pluck through the buttons on my dress shirt, she stirs but doesn’t wake from her nap. I leave on my undershirt but strip out of my shoes and slacks. The lamp is on, but the rest of the room is dark. I crawl into bed next to her and like her body knows mine, even in her sleep, she curls an arm over my chest. I run my fingers through her soft hair and inhale her cinnamon scent that has permeated every inch of my home.

  Tony needs to think long and hard about what he’s done. I would never push Callie away in a million years. I don’t care if she was being a little cunt like her mother. Never. She’s. My. Daughter. How in the hell he chose pussy over Winter is beyond me.

  My blood starts to boil again. In an effort to cool off, I grab my novel off the nightstand. It’s a new one by Stephen King, and soon, I’m engrossed in the story. I make it through several chapters before I get sidetracked again.

  Jackie needs to stay the hell away from me. I still can’t believe I had to deal with her sorry ass today acting like she was doing me a favor. It’s pretty fucking sad she feels threatened by Winter. Her insecurity was the start of her demise and the ultimate downfall of our marriage.

  “The book must be scary. You’re growling,” Winter says sleepily, her thumb rubbing circles on my chest through my shirt.

  I toss the book on the nightstand and toy with a strand of her hair. “So scary,” I deadpan.

  She snorts. “Liar. What’s wrong?”

  A sigh rushes past my lips. “Your dad emailed me.”

  “Oh?” Her entire body tenses. “What did he say?” A pause and then a huff. “Actually, no. Forget it. I don’t want to know.”

  “Your evil stepmother came by the office, too.”

  She sits up and fire blazes in her brown eyes. “What did she want?”

  Cupping her face, I admire her perfect features. “To warn me away from the wicked Winter storm that has invaded my life.”

  Her eyes roll so hard they may fall out. I laugh at her antics.

  “Beware,” she grumbles. “I’m awful. I already got rejected by one family.”

  I grip her hips and pull her across my lap. “Don’t talk like that.”

  A tiny tremble of her bottom lip is the only sign of her hurt feelings. Then, she grits her teeth and hardens her features. “It’s true.”

  “It’s not and I don’t like when you let them make you feel that way. You’re better than those assholes, babe.”

  She leans forward and I hug her to my chest. Her body relaxes against mine. Silent tears soak my shirt. I don’t say the words again. She knows it’s true.

  After she’s no longer sniffling, I tug at a strand of her hair. “You done crying yet?”

  “I wasn’t crying,” she argues in her usual sassy tone.

  “Good, because I don’t like it when my girl cries. Makes me want to go kick some ass. I’m too old to be kicking ass.” I kiss the top of her head. “Come on. Let’s get up and go out. I’m hungry and you can’t cook for shit.”

  Winter

  “You’re such a dick,” I grumble and shove him when we get near his front door, making him drop his keys.

  He laughs as he bends to pick them up. “Good thing you like dick then, huh?”

  I swing my purse at him and he dodges. “I’m getting better at cooking.”

  “Is that so? Then why are we on day three in a row of having to go out for dinner? Hmm, baby?” He smirks at me. It makes me want to simultaneously smack it off him and kiss it to keep it on. Little asshole.

  “We’re slinging out insults now? Is that how it’s gonna be?” I challenge, lifting a brow. “Why don’t we talk about how old men need to rest between—”

  His hand covers my mouth as he backs me into his door. “I know you weren’t about to say I couldn’t get it up loud enough for the entire floor of this building to hear.”

  “Mmphk.” I try and fail to call him a motherfucker.

  “Because,” he growls, his mouth dipping to my ear and his breath tickling me, “I don’t want to have to remind you how I am always ready when it comes to you.” He grinds his impressive, extremely hard erection against my stomach. “Always ready.”

  He nips at my earlobe and a shiver runs through me. His hand slips from my mouth and his lips replace it. I slide my palms up his chest over his coat, kissing him frantically. The man is right. Sometimes I’m the one who can’t keep up with him. He wears me out and naps are my friend now. For a girl who usually can’t turn off her mind, he sure knows how to flip the switch.

  “When I get you inside,” he murmurs, “I’m going to fuck you on that kitchen table we probably won’t ever use again.”

  I can’t help but giggle. He loves to give me shit about my cooking, but the little asshole isn’t any better at it. His smile against my lips melts my heart.

  The keys jangle and he drops them again. Before he can release me to pick them up, the door opens from the inside. Both August and I fall into the condo. My ass hits the ground and the breath gets knocked out of me when he lands on me.

  “What the—”

  “Dad?”

  August scrambles to his feet and I whip my head around to gape at my best friend.

  “Callie,” I squeak out and take August’s offered hand. He pulls me up, but doesn’t let go even though I try tugging my hand from his grip.

  Callie’s eyes drop to where our hands are conjoined and her mouth parts. “Ew, no.” Her gaze darts to her dad’s. “Dad, tell me no. Gross.”

  “It’s not gross, honey.”

  She turns on her heel and storms off to her room. A second later, all the windows in the condo rattle when she slams the door.

  August flinches before scooping up his keys from the ground, closing the condo door, and locking it. “I didn’t know she’d be back from skiing already.”

  “Me neither.” I frown as I dart my attention down the hall to Callie’s door.

  “I should talk to her,” he grumbles as he tosses his keys on the entryway table and starts pulling off his coat.

  Placing my palm on his chest, I shake my head. “She loves you no matter what. But me? I need to go let her know I’m not just fucking her dad to get at her mom.”

  He leans down and plants a kiss on my forehead. “Yeah? Why are you fucking her dad then?”

  Because I love him.

  I have since I was sixteen.

  “Because I really, really like him. I want to keep him,” I say instead.

  My handsome lawyer sees right through my manipulation of the truth. His green eyes darken as his lips thin into a firm line. “Winter…”

  I don’t love you, girl.

  Don’t look at me like you do.

  You’re a winter fling to me.

  Ever since Jackie went to his office the other day, I can’t drive her mean ass out of my head. Anytime I’m feeling low or like I’m not woman enough for a man like August Miller, it’s her inside my mind.

  “Just let me talk to
her,” I say lightly, patting his firm chest. “I’ll make it all better.”

  He pulls me to him and squeezes me in a tight hug. I’m not sure if he’s giving the hug or taking one he needs. Either way, I cling desperately to him. His fingers stroke through my hair and he kisses the top of my head.

  “It’s a good thing you’re a shitty-ass cook,” he says playfully, “because here I was beginning to think you were perfect.”

  I laugh and give him a shove. “I’m going to be the best cook one day and you’re going to have to eat your words.”

  Leaving him to taking off his coat, I hurry to Callie’s room. I kick off my boots, tear out of my coat, and then push into her room. She sits in her desk chair swiveling back and forth as she types rapidly on her phone.

  “Hey,” I greet.

  She lets out a sigh but won’t look at me. “Hey.”

  I walk over to her and pluck her phone from her grip before tossing it on the bed. “Eyes up here, princess.”

  She sticks out her tongue, and just like that, I have my best friend back. “Why my dad?” she grumbles, but the defeat in her voice is there.

  I sit down on the edge of the bed and shrug. “Because it was always him for me.”

  Her brows furrow as she stares at me. “You look happy. I was worried things would be bad, but you’re happy.”

  A genuine smile tugs at my lips. “I am happy. He helps me not think about…” I trail off and emotion makes my voice grow hoarse. “My dad.”

  “I’m sorry they kicked you out,” Callie says.

  “I’m okay.”

  She rolls her eyes. “I can see that. It’s still gross to me.”

  “It’d be weird if it wasn’t,” I say with a laugh. “Go easy on your dad. This isn’t some fling, okay?”

  Her eyes are hard and unforgiving, such a reminder of Jackie’s cold stare, but she must see whatever she’s looking for because she softens. “Fine.”

  “Now tell me about Colorado,” I say as I strip out of my sweater and hunt through her dresser for a T-shirt. “You came back early.”

  “Lauren wasn’t feeling well, so we came back. Landon wasn’t happy because we were getting some quality alone time, but what could we do?”

  I pull on the shirt and then flop on her bed. Callie and Landon’s sister, Lauren, have gotten much closer since she started dating Landon. I’ve seen Lauren around, but never spoken to her. She seems nice, though. “Are you and Landon serious?”

  She grins. “I would marry him today if he asked me. Of course he won’t because he wants to make his dad proud and get college out of the way before settling down. But we both love each other.”

  “That’s really awesome, Callie.”

  We chat about nonsense for a couple of hours until August knocks on the door. He twists the knob and pushes inside. His concerned eyes are on Callie, but he darts his attention my way for a moment. I give him a reassuring smile.

  “Are you done punishing me?” he asks as he saunters into her room looking good enough to eat in a pair of athletic pants and a form-fitting T-shirt.

  “Technically, I’m still punishing you from that Christmas you told me I wasn’t getting a pony,” she sasses.

  He laughs and pulls her to him for a hug. “I bought you a Mustang when you wrecked my Audi this summer. Technically, I’m off the hook. Pony? Mustang? They’re the same thing.”

  “Whatever, Dad.”

  And just like that, everything is all back to normal.

  “You think Dad would like this one?” Callie asks as she holds up a dark gray tie.

  I shake my head and point to the pink one in her other hand. “He’s more in touch with his feminine side.”

  She snorts. “I’m not buying him a pink tie.”

  “Fine,” I say with a laugh. “I will.” I pluck the pink tie from her hand. We walk over to the clerk to pay for our purchases. “He’s really hard to buy for.”

  “Tell me about it,” she grumbles. “We’re both getting him ties. How lame is that?”

  I don’t tell her that I already got him some other Christmas presents that are a little more meaningful. Like a cookbook for bachelors and several Stephen King novels since he seems to be such a fan. August really is hard to buy for. But, I like a challenge.

  We pay for our purchases and end up spending the next couple of hours shopping. I’m burned out, completely out of it when I hear her voice.

  Jackie.

  I rode with Callie in her Mustang, so the sudden urge to flee is useless considering I have nowhere to go. All I can do is look down at the floor.

  “Here, sweetie,” Jackie says to Callie. “Just go swap it out for your size while I’m here. Then, I’ll wrap it for under the tree. I’ll wait right here and have a quick word with Winter.”

  I freeze at her words. Callie mumbles that she’ll be right back. The moment she’s gone, Jackie pounces.

  “What are you doing?” she hisses, coming to stand close enough that her Louis Vuitton patent leather pumps come into view.

  Heat creeps up my neck. I hate that this woman has always made me feel as though I were somehow a cockroach invading her life. “Shopping,” I deadpan, snapping my head up to meet her glare.

  She purses her lips together and I note the tiny wrinkles forming around her lips. Where August seems to get better with age, Jackie just looks old.

  “Always such a little smartass,” she snaps.

  “What do you want?” I manage to keep the shaking out of my voice. It feels good to stand up against this woman.

  “I want you to stop meddling in Callie’s life. I understand that you despise me and your father.” She pauses, capturing me in her icy stare. “And the feeling is mutual.” This time, I flinch at her words. A satisfied smile creeps across her face. “But I will not have you destroying my daughter’s relationship with her father.”

  I grit my teeth, desperately holding in my words. “I have to go.”

  “You can’t run away from this, Winter,” she barks at me. “I know you’re fucking my ex-husband and it needs to stop!”

  Several shoppers laugh at the mini war happening in the middle of the mall. I can’t get away fast enough. Her voice, though, seems to follow me like a bad habit.

  “He’ll get tired of sleeping with you and then he’ll be on to the next woman! You’re not special, sweetheart. You’re not special!”

  Angry tears burn at my eyes as I disappear into the crowd. I pull out my phone and text August to come get me. Then, I text Callie to tell her I will catch my own ride. For the next twenty minutes, I hide out in Dillard’s until I get a text that August is outside.

  Rushing from the mall, I’m overjoyed to see his obnoxiously beautiful Jag parked right out front. He pops the trunk for me and I stuff my bags into it. The door gets pushed open from the inside. I slide into the front seat and jerk the door closed a little too furiously.

  “Are you okay?” he asks, not making any moves to drive off.

  I nod, hating that the tears are threatening.

  “Is Callie okay?”

  I nod again. “She’s probably shopping with her mom now.”

  Those words have him cursing under his breath. He puts the car into drive and then reaches over to grab my hand. I bite on my bottom lip to keep from crying. Thankfully, he understands my need for silence. Instead of going home, he takes me to a bar.

  “I can’t go in there,” I grumble.

  “Says who?”

  “Umm, the law.”

  “You want to be a lawyer one day, babe?” He flashes me a wicked grin. “You learn to know which laws are okay to break. Besides, it’s a bar and grill. You’ll be fine. No one is going to chase you out of there. If they try, I’ll fuck them up.”

  I snort out a laugh. “Why does it get me hot when you go all alpha badass?”

  “Everything I do gets you hot.”

  Rolling my eyes at him, I climb out of the car and head toward the doors. Before I can open the door, he reaches past m
e to grab it. He pulls it open for me and then slaps my ass like the caveman he is. I shoot him a death glare and he simply smirks.

  “Sit anywhere,” the guy from behind the bar says.

  August grabs my hand and guides me to a high-backed booth. He ushers me onto one side before sliding in next to me. His arm wraps around me and he draws me close. I slink against him, closing my eyes and inhaling his comforting scent while he pretends to look at the menu. The bartender comes by to take our order, but I don’t pay attention to what he orders. Once we’re alone again, he kisses the top of my head.

  “What did she say?” he demands.

  “Stupid, untrue things.”

  “Tell me, Winter.”

  I let out a heavy sigh. I’m embarrassed to repeat her words.

  He’ll get tired of sleeping with you and then he’ll be on to the next woman! You’re not special, sweetheart. You’re not special!

  “She thinks I’m trying to destroy Callie through you. And then she warned me that I’m essentially your winter fling and you’ll soon move on to someone else.” I swallow down the bitterness burning my throat. “She said I’m not special.”

  His fingers slide into my hair and he grips me tight. Gently, he tilts my head up so that I’m looking at him. “Winter, I want you to listen to me.”

  I blink rapidly at him so I don’t get emotional in front of him. Again. “Okay.”

  “You. Are. Fucking. Special.”

  Tears leak out against my will, burning hot lines down my cheeks. He kisses the wetness on my skin and then leans his forehead against mine.

  “I would never hurt Callie,” I mutter.

  He pulls away and scowls. “You know this. I know this. Callie knows this. Stop letting that bitch get inside your head. Promise me you will just ignore her, babe. You’re stronger than any woman I know and you’re letting the weakest one I know get to you.” He reaches up and tucks my hair behind my ear. “You’re untouchable, Winter. And that’s why she can’t stand you. You’re everything she’s not.”