by Lexi Post
As she fell backward, his arms came around and he rolled with her, slowing her fall. He lay half on top of her, his chest pushing against her covered breasts.
He grimaced. “I take it you’ve never had a fireplace.”
She shook her head, unable to speak at the heat building within her from both embarrassment and desire.
He brushed the hair from her neck and cupped her cheek. “You’re a handful, Bea.”
Her breath caught at the desire in his eyes. No grin softened his lips. The purpose in his face changed the heat in her body to a roaring fire. His hand on her cheek tensed as he positioned her face for his kiss. At the touch of his lips, she breathed again, his strong, silent command demanded she open her mouth and let him in. Giving up, she twined her tongue with his, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him hard against her body. As he devoured her mouth, the touch of his hardening cock next to her thigh caused pulses of excitement to streak through her body, tightening her inner muscles.
She moved one hand to rifle through his hair, its thick softness similar to the furs at her back. Her mind and body acquiesced to his demands. When his hand left her face and burrowed under her sweater to hold her breast and thumb her sensitive nipple, she moaned in sheer helpless pleasure. To let him have his way with her, however he chose, was a heady turn-on and she floundered in the fantasy.
This was what she‘d been missing, to abandon herself to the ecstasy. His hand reached between her legs, his finger found her clit and circled it as if exploring it for the first time. His touch sent her juices flowing.
The kiss continued, not urgent but controlled, his total mastery of her undeniable. As his tongue swept through her mouth, so did his finger play upon her, building her anticipation, winding her up. Helplessly, she spread her legs wider, pushing her thigh against his swollen cock, her hips thrusting and retreating from his skilled hand. She wanted him to do what he would and gave up her own will in the process as the tension between her legs built.
He played her like a master puppeteer, but with no teasing this time. Her blood raced to the spot where his fingertips rubbed, building and catching fire. He had a goal and he would bring her to it, a full conflagration. His tongue thrust into her mouth, becoming demanding even as his strokes against her clit changed cadence and her pleasure intensified, increasing until arching her hips against him, her orgasm burst upon her.
He caught her scream in his mouth and his finger stopped its movement to press her throbbing nub, holding her on top of her release until he decreased the pressure. He released her mouth and placed a gentle kiss on her open lips before leaving a peck on her cheek. She gulped in precious air as her heart tried to find its normal rhythm. A strange weariness infused her body, weakened her limbs and refused to allow her to open her eyes. Giving herself up to the unusual sensation, she drifted into a comfortable slumber.
Zach couldn’t stop touching the hot beauty in his arms. He played with the black strands of hair resting in his palm. Though his cock ached for release, he wouldn’t wake her. The way she responded to him confused him.
He’d had his share of lovers, but none had reacted to his sexual skills quite the way she did. None had completely shaved their pussies either. Hell, that was hot. He’d seen hairless labia in porno movies but never in person. Bea’s differences didn’t end there either. None of his past women had sex with him so soon.
It would be hard to split with her. He wasn’t sure that three times would be enough, but he couldn’t let her get too close. For some reason fate didn’t want him to have a permanent someone in his life and had proved it with Danielle and Lisa. He would have to stay on guard. But there was a sweetness beneath the professional distance Bea occasionally created. And despite her obvious sexual experience, he found her naïve in a strange way.
It didn’t matter. He planned to enjoy this temporary relationship for all it was worth and keep both his and her hearts out of it.
Letting go of Bea’s hair, he lay back next to her and pulled the sheepskins over them. The warmth from the fire had transferred to the furs and enveloped them in a warm cocoon. He glanced at the fireplace. Not much wood left, but he sure as hell wasn’t getting up. They would be cold come morning, but they could always have sex again to produce more heat.
He had worn her out. He grinned as he closed his eyes. Despite a six-month hiatus from sex, he still had it. And he would use it every chance he got.
* * * * *
Bea stretched, luxuriating in the softness that surrounded her body until her toes slipped from beneath the covering. She yanked her foot back under the…fur? She opened her eyes. Oh damn.
Zach had little issue with the cold. He lay on his back, his entire torso and one knee exposed to the living room air. His chest rose and fell in even rhythm. Grateful he still slept, she lifted his hand, which lay possessively on her thigh, and wriggled out from under the sheepskins.
The cool air shocked her and she bent to retrieve her clothes, but when she stood again, she stilled. The sight outside the living room windows captured her breath. If “winter wonderland” were posted on Wikipedia, the sight before her would be the perfect image. No words needed to define it. The snow sparkled in the morning sunshine, twinkling on every buried branch, rock and banister. The forest valley below proved at least three more feet of snow had fallen overnight and only the sharpest incline escaped its burden. The trees bent low with their loads, one white birch making a perfect arch that reminded her of a wedding bower. She gazed at the scene, enthralled. A hump of snow fell from its precarious branch and drifted in a sparkling cloud to the ground. She shivered at the cold and turned to find the bedroom Zach told her about.
His voice from the floor startled her. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
She looked down at him. No, he was amazing, in so many ways. Lying there on the sheepskins, his hands beneath his head, his biceps pulled taut by his position, had her wishing for a different life. She loved it here with him, but she had limits and the bulge beneath the fur was a clear indication of what he had in mind.
“You have a beautiful place here, Zach. I’d love to stay longer, but I have to go to work. I’m already late and it’s always crazy after a snowfall. You know, digging out guests, helping them find other flights or extending their stay, having the porch and walkways cleared…”
She paused, sensing his withdrawal. She tried a different tact and gave him a knowing smirk. “Today is Thursday and as much as I’d like to crawl in there with you, some of us have to work.”
His face lightened a little and she breathed easier. She didn’t want him upset with her.
He sat up, his stomach muscles tightening as he threw the skins aside. “Okay. I’ll start the fire and find you some breakfast. Coffee?”
About to shake her head, instinct kicked in and she nodded. When she did, he relaxed and turned his back to her to set up a fire in the cold fireplace.
She hesitated as he bent over, his tight butt, smooth, pale and perfect, called to her. No. If she wanted any more of him, she had to leave, and the sooner, the less painful. Striding across the room, she raced up the stairs and found the guestroom. She dropped her clothes on the bed and strode into the bathroom.
She stopped and took in the enormity of it. A person could have an orgy in the tub. It was the size of a small pool and sunken into the pine floor. The skylight above it mirrored its size. Next to it stood a tiled shower with no curtain. She closed the bathroom door and locked it, which didn’t make sense considering how much Zach and she had done already. This was a new experience for her, this “morning after”. Whatever it took for her to muddle through it, she would do, even if it meant locking out the nicest man she’d ever met.
* * * * *
Zach strolled into Bear Tracks and took a seat at the bar. Old George sat at the end as usual and a young couple claimed the corner.
“Hey, Zach. Great game last night. Thanks for the hundred bucks!”
He looked over to see
Randy, Steve and Billy lifting their glasses to him.
He waved. “Yeah, it’s the least I could do. With that new baby comin’, I thought you’d need more cash.”
Steve frowned, but Randy and Billy thought the comment hilarious. They had been here a while, probably since happy hour had begun. Zach checked his watch. Eight o’clock.
“Hey, Zach, how’s it going?” Tracy plopped a tall draft of Bud Light in front him. Wisps of her gray-streaked brown hair fell into her eyes.
He glanced up into her lined faced and gave her a smile. “It’s going, with or without me.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” She jerked her head toward the main room. “Heard you lost a little money at your poker game last night.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but don’t worry, I’ve got enough left over for a few beers.”
She propped her foot on the drying rack behind the counter and leaned closer. “You better. So, you want munchies to go with that?”
“Yeah, you better make us some moose balls. Josh is coming and he loves those things.”
She stood back. “You’ve got it. One order of fried testicles coming up.”
He chuckled. “Better fried than mashed.”
She laughed as she punched the order into the computer and disappeared into the kitchen.
He took a taste of beer. He should install a tap in the house. Beer on tap was so much smoother, but if he did, he would never have a reason to leave his place.
The door to the bar opened, letting in a gust of frigid air as Dr. Joshua Porter ducked under the doorframe and walked in. “Made it.”
Zach shook his head. “Late again. Guess you have to buy.”
“I’m not late.” He took the barstool next to Zach. “This is early for me.”
Zach raised a brow. “Hate to tell you this, Josh, but you said 7:30. It’s 8:12.”
Josh raised his brows. “Damn, I’m good. Less than an hour late.”
Tracy approached. “Michelob Ultra, Doc?”
Josh put a finger to his lips. “Shhh, it’s just Josh. I’m off duty.”
“Whatever you say, Josh.”
“That’s my girl. What’s new, Tracy?”
“Not much, grandchild due in a month and the ex is playing mind games, so basically the same old, same old. How about you?”
Josh bowed his head in an attempt for sympathy. “The usual, working too hard.”
Tracy smacked his arm with a bar rag. “Yeah, right. Zach, you got a lying sack of shit for a friend.”
He sighed. “I know.”
Josh took a gulp of beer as Tracy moved away to wash glasses. “Hmmm, that’s good. Thanks for inviting me. I needed an excuse to get out of the lab. What’s up?”
Zach took another swallow of beer. “Nothin’.”
“Don’t give me that shit. It’s not hunting season and the ice fishing derby is over, so it must be personal.”
Zach shifted in his seat. His friend knew him too well. “Hey, I usually invite you when there’s something to keep you entertained. It’s not as if my life is that exciting. But I figured, what the hell.”
“Mmm-hmm and I’m a crab apple tree. Zach, we’ve known each other for more than thirty years now. What’s up?”
Zach wiped the sweat from his beer glass. “I guess it’s a woman.”
“You guess?”
“Yeah, I guess. I just met her Monday.”
Josh counted on his fingers. “You’ve known her five days and already you think she’s special? That’s not your usual modus operandi.”
Zach took another gulp of beer. “My what? Never mind, I don’t think I want to know. And I didn’t say she was special. The thing is, we met on Monday, had mind-blowing sex on Wednesday and I haven’t heard from her since.”
Josh let out a low whistle. “Sounds like a one-night stand to me, but your limit is three, so you want your two more, don’t you?”
Zach looked away.
“Ah, that’s it. It’s fine for you to call it quits but not her. Okay, I get it. So did you call her?”
Zach shook his head.
Josh tipped his beer and swallowed. “Oh man, you’re kidding me. You have some hottie, she is a hottie right, ’cause you always get hotties, and you haven’t called her?”
Zach kept silent. His friend, with his elongated face and thin six-foot-four frame resembled Lurch from The Addams Family and didn’t catch many dates, despite being a doctor and a great scientist.
Josh finished his beer and signaled to Tracy for two more. “I’m flattered you called me, but there’s a simple solution to this dilemma, Zach. You know what it is, but for some reason you aren’t acting on it. You don’t need a biochemical doctorate to know you need to pick up your phone and call her.”
Zach took the beer Tracy handed him and watched the foam disintegrate. Great, now he’d insulted Josh’s intelligence and still didn’t have the guts to call her. “Isn’t she supposed to call me? That’s usually what happens. You know, women are much more vocal about what they want. If she hasn’t called me, obviously she doesn’t want to see me again.”
Josh set his beer down with a thud, foam sloshed over the side and puddled on the bar. “Wake up, man. Even I know every woman is different. If you want to see her, call her. If you don’t, I guarantee you’ll never see her again.”
Josh could be right. Bea was confident and insecure at the same time. Maybe she was old-fashioned and needed him to call her. “You’re right, I’ll call her now.”
“Good man. While you do that, I’m going to troll for chicks.”
Zach pointed across the room. “Uh, Josh, if you want to do that, we’d better go somewhere else.”
Josh looked around the small bar.
Zach chuckled as realization dawned on his friend’s face. There were maybe fifteen cocktail tables with chairs and the bar. In total there were eighteen men and one woman—the lady at the bar was part of a couple if the way she had her leg on her companion’s lap was any indication. The old “make her come at the bar in public” scenario going on. He’d like to do that with Bea. The thought caused his cock to pay attention. Hell. Grabbing his phone, he stalked outside.
The air was sharp and fresh, but cold, so he zipped his hoody. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and fished out Bea’s card. The ever present white Christmas lights on the bar’s porch gave him enough light to read her phone number. He dialed and held his breath.
“Good evening, Lakeside Inn, Beatrice Rappaccini.”
“What are you doing there so late?” Okay, maybe not the best beginning.
“Huh? Zach, is that you?”
He couldn’t help being concerned. “Yeah, why are you working so late?”
She didn’t answer him, but he could hear her talking to someone else. Was that a male voice? She had moved on already?
“Hi, I’m sorry, Jared needed to know what he should do now that the bridal reception had consumed all their preordered wine, but I guess you don’t really care about that, do you?”
He relaxed. What an idiot he was for jumping to the worst-case scenario. “I don’t know. It could be interesting.”
She chuckled. “Trust me, it’s not. But it’s been very busy here and the Larsens are out of town so I’m handling all three inns. I guess it’s good experience. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. Still, I’m looking forward to their return.”
He paced to the end of the porch. “When will that be?”
“Tomorrow morning, thank God. I swear, as soon as I fill them in on what they missed, I’m crawling into my own bed for a long sleep.”
A sinking feeling grabbed hold of his gut. “Oh, so I guess getting together tomorrow wouldn’t be good for you.”
“I’m sorry, Zach. Tomorrow evening I promised my mom I’d come for dinner.”
He nodded to a couple of guys as they passed him to enter the bar. “Well, you shouldn’t disappoint your mom. I don’t want her to have a bad impression of me.”
“Are yo
u kidding? My mom would love you. Actually…”
The silence lasted too long. Zach checked his phone. Did he lose the signal? Wouldn’t be the first time among the hills, but nope, he still had service. “Bea? Actually what?”
“If you like, you could come with me. That is if you want. I can’t guarantee it will be comfortable, but it will be interesting.”
His heart skipped a beat. Meet her mom? This girl moved fast. Was he reading too much into this? “Sure, I’d be happy to. Where does she live?” Hell, what was he thinking?
“She lives in Wrenborough, that’s right in between us, so why don’t I meet you? Let’s say the Wrenborough Depot at five?”
Zach leaned against one of the porch posts. “I can do that. But why do you say the evening will be interesting?” She didn’t answer, but he could hear someone else speaking to her, this time a female.
She brought her attention back to him. “Trust me, it’s always interesting because I never know which father will be there. Listen, I have to run. See you tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
She ended the call.
Zach clipped his phone back on his belt and shook his head. She didn’t say “which father” did she?
Striding back into the bar, he found Josh chewing contently on moose balls. Zach picked up the basket with two balls left. “Mind if I have some?”
Josh shook his head. “Nope, I’m full.”
Zach took a swallow of beer and popped the two balls into his mouth. The tangy taste of pineapple and seasoned moose meat glided across his tongue. A few more would have been nice. He gave Josh a disgruntled look.
Josh ignored it. “Did you talk to Mystery Woman?”
“Yeah, I’m going to see her tomorrow night.”
Josh slammed his hand on the bar. “See, what’d I tell ya? I’m a genius.”
Zach shook his head. “I think your Harvard degree already made that clear, Josh, but thanks for the nudge. What do you say we hit another place? It’s the least I can do. We need to find you a mystery woman too.”
Josh polished off his beer. “Yeah, good luck with that.”
