by Allison West
She slipped them under the covers, not wanting to freeze her toes any sooner. Once the socks were on, Becca climbed out of bed, pulled the quilt around her shoulders and tried to keep from tripping over it as she walked down the stairs to the kitchen.
"How do you make coffee without electricity?" Becca asked him again. Wandering down the stairs, a glimpse of warm amber illuminated the living room. "The fireplace works?" She didn't wait for an answer, pleased to see it on as she hurried to sit in front of it.
"I just started the fire. Luckily it works on battery to ignite the pilot light. Grab a seat, make yourself comfortable. I've got to dig out the camping supplies."
"Seriously?" Becca laughed. She sat in front of the fire, hogging all the heat as she rubbed her hands together. A small amount of warmth radiated from the confined space. It wouldn't warm the entire house, but it would make the room a little more comfortable.
He grabbed his cell phone and used the flashlight feature to head down the stairs into his basement. "I'll be right back."
"Be careful!" Becca called out after him.
A few minutes later she heard the groan of footsteps on the wooden stairs as he came back to the first floor. "I've got a camping stove and percolator."
"Sounds delicious." She didn't budge from her spot on the floor. The blanket helped keep her comfortable. At least the cold kept her bottom from stinging. Apparently it was like adding ice to her sensitive flesh. "Do you need any help?" Becca asked.
"I've got it. You stay warm and cozy. I expect you to warm me up again when I'm done."
She laughed under her breath. "Great." The last time he'd frozen her when he'd warmed up. Quietly she watched the flames in the fireplace, finding them mesmerizing as time seemed to pass without any knowledge of the hour. The clocks weren't working and she'd forgotten her watch at home.
Alec headed into the living room, carrying two mugs of coffee. "Here you go," he said, offering her a steaming mug. "It's hot."
She reached for the mug, feeling the heat spill out from the ceramic. "Thank you." She didn't take a sip yet. Instead, she leaned her head forward, letting the steam capture her cheeks and nose before it warmed her lips.
He sat down on the floor beside her and Becca opened her blanket, wrapping it around his shoulders, sharing it with him. Scooting closer, he sipped his coffee. "Not bad and at least it's warm."
"What else can you make with that camping stove?" Becca asked.
"I can cook us up breakfast. Bacon, eggs, whatever you want. The fridge is stocked." He leaned into her, his shoulder nudging hers. "Of course I might get hypothermia away from the fireplace and blankets."
"Put a jacket on," Becca joked.
"Wow. Thanks." Shaking his head, he reached for her coffee. "I'll take that back."
She sipped the liquid and turned her shoulder away so he couldn't easily reach it. "Not if you know what's good for you."
"Is that a threat?" Alec asked.
She hadn't thought of it as one. "Might as well be," she said and smirked. There was something about the flirting and teasing nature of this new relationship between them that made her heart soar and stomach flutter with butterflies. It wasn't as though they hadn't been intimate earlier either, but she still felt like a virgin all over again.
"Come with me," Alec said and stood up. He dropped the blanket from his shoulders, letting Becca decide whether to follow him or not.
"Where to?" She didn't want to go anywhere if it led outside or into his dark basement. It had to be colder down there and the fact it seemed dark and the idea creepy, she would pass on the invitation.
"By the window." He didn't wait for her as he carried his steaming mug of coffee to the sofa and sat down. Behind him sat the window that faced the east. "The sun is coming up. I thought it'd be pretty to watch."
"You don't normally watch the sunrise?"
"I'm not usually up for it," Alec said. "Or if I am, I'm locked in the ER without any windows. Sit with me."
Becca stood up, took the blanket with her and kept it wrapped around her shoulders as she joined Alec on the sofa. Shivering, the fabric felt chilled the further she walked from the fireplace. Staring out the window through the curtains, she watched as the sun slowly rose along the horizon. The clouds had cleared and though it was windy, it gave her hope that the roads might actually be drivable soon.
Shivering, as the windows felt drafty, she waited a few minutes before dragging the blanket and herself back toward the fire where it was warmer and far more comfortable. "It's chilly back there," she said, nodding toward where he sat.
He stood up and joined her, finishing the last of his coffee. The electricity still hadn't come back on and Becca began to doubt that it would before she left. "Once the roads are clear, you should come with me to my brother's place. You need to keep warm and I'd really like your company." She knew it was soon to invite him to meet her family but the invitation wasn't about that. Becca was trying to look out for him just as he'd cared for her.
"Let me make a few calls." He kissed the top of her head and grabbed his phone, stepping out of the room. She could hear the questions to his friends or colleagues, whoever he spoke with over the line. He asked them about the travel conditions, how the highway was, and finally the last person he spoke to, he asked if he could come by and clean off the driveway.
Heading back into the living room, Alec smiled. "It's done. I've asked a neighbor to bring by his bobcat to clear the driveway and make a path for us to the main road. From there, the rest, at least until we get to your brother's, will be plowed."
"Thank you," she said, relieved to know that she wouldn't have to travel the rest of the way alone. Though the snow had ceased and her wipers wouldn't be necessary, it didn't mean they might not be needed for cleaning the window with the salt on the road. She'd have to get it fixed first thing tomorrow, after Christmas day. Nothing was open today.
"Why don't you get changed? I've got your clothes from yesterday washed and dried. I'll start on making breakfast. Hopefully there's enough propane left in the small tanks that we can finish cooking."
Becca stood and headed for the bathroom with her clean clothes. Outside the window she could hear the neighbor plowing the driveway. She dressed quickly, opting not to have a shower since there was no hot water. Hopefully she didn't smell too much like sex.
Chapter 5
Finishing a nice breakfast, Alec dressed while Becca offered to wash the dishes and clean up. He didn't take long to get ready. Bundling up in a hat, gloves, and winter coat he grabbed the keys and walked Becca down to his car. The two feet of snow had been pushed aside to let him get out of his driveway. It also helped that his truck had four-wheel drive.
"Where exactly is your car?" Alec asked as he drove her to her abandoned vehicle.
"It should be up the road. I broke down on the side of the highway."
He spotted her car from the frontage road and hopped on the highway, coming up behind her vehicle that had landed in a ditch. Alec connected the chains to the underside of her car and though his wheels spun, he pulled her out of the snowy ditch. "I want you to follow me back to the house. We'll leave your car at my place. I'll drive you to your brother’s." He wasn't taking no for an answer. It wasn't safe for her to drive another hour each way without the use of her wiper blades.
"Fine." She didn't argue with him. Had the discipline helped or did she agree and see his reasoning?
They exited at the next stop and Alec led the way back to his house via the frontage road. Becca followed behind him and pulled her car into driveway. His neighbor had been kind enough to clean up the rest of the snow after he'd gotten out, making plenty of room for Becca's small sedan.
Shivering, she climbed out of her car and walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door. "I need to load the presents in your truck."
Alec left the engine running to keep the car warm while he opened the truck and Becca opened the trunk of her car. He helped load the vehicle. "
Is there anything you don't need?" She had quite a few wrapped presents.
"You can leave my suitcase that's in the backseat. Since I didn't make it there last night, I don't think I need my clothes for today."
Alec finished packing up his truck. "Sounds good. Ready to go?" He climbed into the front seat, removed his cell phone and plugged it into the charger.
Becca locked the car and then climbed into his truck. She shoved her hands in front of the heater, letting it warm her fingers. She gave him directions as he drove them back toward the highway.
"You should call your brother. Let him know that you're okay and bringing company." He didn't want there to be any uncomfortable surprises when he showed up with Becca at her family's holiday festivities.
Becca reached for his phone and dialed her brother's number.
Alec couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, but he listened to Becca.
"Hi, Ryan. It's me." There was a momentary pause. "Yeah we're on our way. I'm bringing a friend," she said, glancing briefly at Alec. "He's driving. We should be there in about an hour, assuming we don't run into traffic or other weather complications. How's the road by your house?"
Alec focused on the road, the snow had been cleared from the highway, which made the drive a breeze. There were a few cars on the highway but not too many considering it was Christmas morning. Perhaps with the storm everyone had traveled earlier to their destination and already arrived.
"Good. We'll see you in a bit," Becca said. She ended the call and relaxed beside Alec.
"What's the verdict?" Alec asked.
"He's happy for the extra company. No complaints there. He did say the road outside his house is treacherous, but a few people have driven through the two feet of snow, so it's starting to pack down a little."
"We'll be fine." Alec had driven in worse conditions and it seemed Becca had last night as well. Besides, they were already on the way, he wasn’t going to turn back now. "You didn't ask him if he had electric."
"I didn't think I needed to," Becca said and shrugged. "He'd have mentioned if his house was an igloo for Christmas."
Alec tended to agree with her. "Okay. Should we stop to get wine or something?" He didn't have a gift and felt it rude to arrive empty handed.
"Stop where?" Becca laughed. "It's Christmas. Remember?"
He knew that, but he'd hoped a convenience store gas station would still be open. Though it was a long shot finding a bottle of wine. Maybe a six pack of beer, but that would make for a shitty gift. Hopefully, as far as first impressions went, his wouldn't be too terrible coming without a present. "How often do you visit your brother?"
"Why?"
He wanted to know when he might see her again. Though he didn't say as much, yet. "Just curious."
"Mostly holidays, birthdays, the obligatory family gatherings. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother and his wife is nice, we're just not that close. Being nine years apart, it doesn't exactly spell closeness."
"It's nice that you have a brother," Alec said. What he wouldn't have given to have a brother or sister. Someone now that his parents were gone.
"Are you suggesting I should visit him more often?" Becca asked. "You haven't met him yet. Maybe you should make that determination after meeting the two of them."
"Why, are they that bad? Do they like to do naughty things so they'll get spanked?"
Her cheeks reddened and she hid her face in her hands. "You knew?"
"I suspected." Alec grinned. "The naughty language and I’d warned you about being like that would lead to a spanking. I thought you might have been testing me."
"Well, I was the first time," Becca said. She dropped her hands to her lap. "I didn't intend to get spanked the second time when I knocked us off the bed."
Alec knew as much. He decided it was best to drop the topic. "So when will I get to see you again?"
"Oh." Her eyes light up. "That's why you're asking about Ryan. I'm an idiot. Yes, I hope we'll get to see each other again."
"Good. We'll talk more about it when we have some time alone," he said, pulling off the highway for the exit to her brother's.
She offered him directions, leading him to Ryan's house in a small subdivision with cookie cutter houses. It was a nice quiet area.
Arriving at her brother's place, he parked the car and got out, carrying her presents with her to the front door. They had to trudge through snow, the street wasn't plowed nor was his walkway cleared. Apparently he'd made no attempt to clean the path they'd walk up. Becca knocked on the front door, juggling packages in her arms.
The front door clicked as Becca's brother opened the door. Alec stared at Ryan, recognizing him. "Ryan Carter?"
"Alec Stiles?"
"You two know each other?" Becca asked, stepping into the house as Ryan opened the door further. She placed the presents down on the nearby table and slipped out of her boots. "How is that possible?"
"I knew we'd met before," Alec said. "Remember yesterday, I was trying to figure out where we knew one another?"
"You were at my wedding," Ryan said. "Both of you."
"How do you know my brother?" Becca asked.
"I actually know Candice. She's a nurse at the hospital where I work."
"Small world." Becca laughed, and shrugged out of her coat, hanging it up on the nearest hook.
Alec placed the presents he was carrying on the table beside Becca's and then worked his shoes, hat, and coat off. He shoved his gloves into his coat pocket.
"It's been ten years. How have you been?" Alec asked Ryan.
"Good. Come in, make yourselves at home," Ryan said. He locked up the front door and led them into the kitchen. "Have you eaten?"
"We managed to cook breakfast on a propane stove," Becca said and laughed. "Alec is pretty handy."
"It's all we could do without electricity." Alec glanced around the house, taking it all in. The place was homey with pictures on the walls and felt warm. "Do you mind if I take a quick shower?" He regretted not bringing a clean change of clothes with him.
"Sure. No hot water, right? You can use the bathroom down the hall. It's got fresh towels and a hair dryer, if you need it."
"Thanks," Alec said.
Becca grinned whispering something to her brother before giving him a hug and then following Alec toward the bathroom. "I'll show you where it is."
"Appreciated." He could have found it on his own, but what fun would that have been? Becca led him into the bathroom and shut the door after him. She locked the door and started the water.
"I'll show you how to run the water."
Grinning, he knew what she was up to and honestly, he didn't mind it. "In your brother's house?" he asked.
Becca shrugged. "My brother and his wife have done far worse in my home." She stripped out of her clothes and hung them up for after her shower.
Alec undressed, using a second hook for his clothes while he waited for the shower to heat up. He flipped the fan on to drown out their voices.
Becca stepped under the spray first, dousing her hair, the blonde darkening significantly under the spray. Her blue eyes shut as beads of water dripped down her skin.
He followed her into the shower stall, guiding her against the cold tile as the water pounded his back and he shoved his lips over hers. "Is this what you want?" he mumbled between kisses.
"No." She pulled back slightly, staring up at him. "I want you to fuck me."
He pulled her closer, away from the tiled wall as his hand came down to spank her bare bottom.
Becca's eyes widened. Was she worried that someone else might have overheard the sound of her being spanked? "That isn't how a lady talks."
"You should know I'm not much of a lady," Becca said. She leaned toward him, gently tugging on his bottom lip between her teeth before crushing her lips down, kissing him hard.
Alec groaned, his body responding, but his mind kept telling him he shouldn't, they shouldn't. It wasn't his home. This was a colleague's house and i
f word got around work, he'd never live it down. Alec didn't know Candice that well to determine if she'd embarrass him or not.
Her hand came down between them, stroking his length, forcing his erection to grow as she teased the head and then down the shaft of his cock. Her touch felt heavenly and he reached out, putting his hand on the cold tiled wall to keep himself steady. Would she drop down onto her knees and suck him dry?
"This time, I want you to fuck me."
Through the foggy haze he reached around and spanked her bottom. "Yes," he rasped into her ear, sucking the skin of her neck as his lips caressed her body. "I will gladly do that." He hated when women spoke about sex as fucking, but right now, the pull and desire gnawed at him, begging for his own release and he knew Becca felt that way too. He'd satisfy them both, before the water ran cold.
His fingers slipped down between her folds, feeling her silky wetness as he stroked her center, teasing her clit before touching her labia, slipping his fingers into her warmth. His digits sunk into her heated fire and Alec was surprised to find how wet she already was for him. He gently pushed her hands from his cock, teasing her with his member at her entrance, sliding inside of her tight pussy. She felt warm and good, comforting, as he inched his way further into her.
Becca's lips parted and her head hung forward, fingers gripping his shoulder and then his hip as she wrapped her legs around him.
He hoisted her up, holding her as she clung to him. Alec wouldn't let go. The warm water pounded against his back as he leaned her against the tile, feeling her shudder from the cold sensation mixed with the warmth of their body heat.
She didn't try and suppress the moan that spilled from her lips.
"Quiet," he whispered over the roar of the shower, covering her lips with his.
Becca didn't listen. Her moans only grew louder as her insides clenched onto his cock. "Alec!" She didn't seem to care that others could hear her.
Holding her with all his strength, he managed to get a slap to her bottom, spanking her for not listening to him. It only appeared to arouse her further as her head dipped back and he was forced to reach for her hair, pulling her forward, shoving his mouth over hers. He captured her lips and wouldn't let them go, drowning out the sounds she made as they both grew toward the edge.
