Crave

by Violet Vaughn

  He stiffens and doesn’t touch them. “Ah, maybe.”

  I chuckle as I take the books and set them on the coffee table. “Sorry, I get kind of excited about the cookie thing. How about you pick one kind you’d like to make and come for those? Then, if you’ve had enough, you can leave. Or you can stay and bake more. Does that sound doable?”

  His shoulders relax. “Yes. I can handle that. Can we do the man cookies you made for me?”

  It’s my turn to chuckle. The man cookie is a gingersnap heavy in molasses and makes every man I have ever given one to groan in pleasure. “Is there anything else you would like to try?” I raise my eyebrows to tease him. “There’s the mistletoe thing. I have a feeling you’d like that tradition.”

  “Oh, definitely the mistletoe. How does it work again?” He grabs a cookbook and holds it over my head.

  “Oh my, there’s mistletoe over my head.” Batting my eyelashes at him I add, “Somebody has to kiss me.”

  He leans in and kisses me. When he pulls away, his voice is husky. “I do like this tradition.” He kisses me again; this time it’s deeper and arousing. He pulls me in tightly so that my body fits against his and sets my limbs on fire. Fingers slide under the bottom of my shirt and stroke my skin, making the heat spread. I ache for him to touch more. He stops and moves away.

  I close my eyes and tilt my head back. “Oh my. Mistletoe is my new favorite part of Christmas.”

  I hear a throaty noise as he shifts on the couch. “Movie?”

  “Uh-huh. Just give me a minute to recover.”

  Chapter 53

  Today is my scheduled day off. I coordinated it with Nick, Megan, and Jason. After the first powder day together, Nick suggested the idea. The four of us love to ski similar terrain, and it makes our day off super fun. With a two-week period of holiday vacationers approaching, this would’ve been my last day off for a while. Instead, I took a requested private. The pay is a lot more money, and it’s a sweet older woman named Meredith. I couldn’t refuse. I wait for her at the private sign.

  A teenaged girl screams as she skis by. Following a precarious turn, she falls and laughs. A friend skis up to her and joins in the fun. I watch for Meredith’s familiar jacket and notice Jason near the lodge. Huh, I assumed he would ski with Nick and Megan today. He approaches a girl. She has a helmet on, but I see sandy-blond hair poking out the bottom. Is that Cassie? Jealousy seeps into my veins. They embrace for a moment and then walk toward the chair. As they get closer, I recognize the face. He’s skiing with Cassie? My stomach clenches. They’re getting close enough now that I could call out, but I don’t. I shove the green monster aside and rationalize. She’s just a friend, and he’s probably helping her out. I know she doesn’t ski very well, and he may be giving her an informal lesson. I take a deep breath. The old Casey would do something stupid to make him jealous, too. But what would Jason want from me? No games. I walk toward them. “Hey, guys!” I wave and they both look at me. “Cassie, how’s your winter going?”

  She tilts her head at me, but smiles. “Great. My skiing’s getting better, and Jason is going to give me some tips today.” Jason looks pleased that we’re talking. “I meant to thank you for putting in a good word for me with Mrs. Matheson. The boarding house is more affordable than my other options.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad to hear it’s working out.” Jason beams. “You two have a great day. I see my private. Bye!” I move past them to take Meredith’s skis. I also mentally pat myself on the back. I have nothing to worry about. If Jason wanted to be with her, he wouldn’t be inviting himself over to snuggle on the couch. She also wouldn’t have been so pleasant to me. Yup, that was a much better approach than grabbing the closest guy and doing what I can to make Jason see I’m desirable. I greet Meredith with a big smile.

  Chapter 54

  I watch the snow kick up from the back of Jason’s snowshoes. It sticks to the seat of his pants, and I’m tempted to slap it off. It’s an unusually warm day. My hair is damp with sweat from the effort of lifting my snowshoes coated with heavy snow. I’ve already removed my hat. I call out to Jason. “Hold up a minute. I want to take off my jacket.” I slide off the pack that holds our picnic.

  He comes to me to take the backpack from my hands. I tie the arms of my jacket around my waist. “We got lucky. It’s great day for this.” His face shines as he speaks, and I notice the sun glisten off a few blond hairs in his day-old beard. Good Lord, he’s sexy.

  I slip on the backpack and Jason leads on. He moves faster than I would, and I’m slightly out of breath. He doesn’t even seem to be winded. “How is it you’re making me work hard to keep up with you? I thought I was in good shape.”

  I hear him chortle. “I’ve been running. I figured it was the best way to get my high-altitude lungs. I guess it worked.”

  “That explains why your butt looks so good.” I hear his snort and he adds a little swagger to his movements. “Since you’re in such great shape, maybe you should carry the pack.”

  He turns to walk backward, which is no small feat in snowshoes. I see the twinkle in his eyes. “Happily, but you have to go first now. I hear the view is something I shouldn’t miss.” He starts to laugh and stumbles. He lands in the snow with a plop.

  I walk over and look down at him as I let the backpack fall off my arms.

  “Help me up?” He reaches out a hand.

  I know better, but grab it anyway. Within seconds I’m in the snow next to him. I lay back and let it cool my body. “Thanks. This feels great.”

  “Really? Are you that hot?” He looks down at me with an evil grin on his face.

  I reach up and pull him by his fleece to bring him closer. “I believe I am. Should I prove it?” I don’t wait for an answer as I lift my head to kiss him. His tongue meets mine and we melt into each other.

  Jason pulls away and takes off a glove. He grabs a handful of snow, and cold water spread as he rubs it downward on my neck. “You most definitely are hot.”

  Shivers run down my spine, but not from the cold. The snow under my head starts to get uncomfortable as the chill seeps through my hair. I sit up. “We need to keep moving. I want to find that clearing you showed me last fall.”

  Jason’s face lights up, and I know he remembers the magical place. “Do you have any idea how to find it? I’m aware of your sense of direction. I think it’s for the wrong planet.”

  “Very funny. I can’t believe you doubt me.” I give him a sly smile and unzip the outer pocket of my pack. I pull out a map. Paper rustles as I unfold it. “I come prepared. Look at this.” I show him the topographical map with a penciled route and notes. He studies it. I reach down to my fleece zipper and hold out the small compass attached. “And this is my secret weapon.”

  “Nice. I’m impressed.” He nods and I can tell he means it. “Let’s get going, then. I can’t wait to see what else you packed.”

  The swishing of nylon is the only sound I hear as we move. The beginning of our hike was easy compared to what we’re doing now. In thick woods, we part trees and maneuver our feet through low branches and fallen logs. Fortunately, I hiked back here a few times last summer and know the trees thin soon. I also know we’re about to come to a small pond. This time of year I expect we should see animal tracks near the water.

  I stop and turn back to Jason. “It’s about to clear, and there’s nice spot for a break. Sound good to you?”

  “Yes. Want water?” He has taken off the pack and pulls out our bottles from the side pockets. His smooth locks are a stark contrast to the rough stick I remove from his hair. My skin longs to feel more.

  I say, “It’s pretty out here. If we didn’t sound like a couple of elephants, I’d bet we’d see some wildlife.”

  “I know. We can try to be quiet when we rest, and maybe we’ll have a sighting. There are deer and elk in these woods.” I put my bottle back in the pack he has re
turned to his back. “Do you ever wonder what it must have been like to live in the woods during the 1800’s? When I was a little girl, I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder series a few times. She made it sound fun and fascinating. Part of me wishes I could experience it.” I hold a branch back for Jason to grab so it doesn’t hit him as he goes by.

  “I do. I’ve thought about what it would be like to build a house using trees I cut myself. I think we would have been great pioneers.”

  “If I had you, then I think you’re right.” I look back at Jason to see his reaction. He’s smiling.

  “Want to live off the grid with me?” He has a joking tone, but I sense he’s considered it.

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure I could live without getting to be girly from time to time. I kind of like heels, makeup, and pedicures.” I duck under a thick branch and it catches my hair. I yank, leaving some behind.

  He snorts. “If you help gut the deer, I’ll massage your feet and let you prance around the cabin in sexy clothes. Deal?”

  I giggle. “Gosh, that sounds too good to resist.” I look over my shoulder at him and he winks.

  “Yeah, you in a tight dress and heels is too good to resist.”

  I flash back to the night he drove me home, and my insides get tingly. Note to self—wear that dress again sometime soon.

  Up ahead is the clearing. As we approach I notice tiny rabbit tracks and bigger prints that look like deer. This must be the local watering hole. “Let’s go sit over there by that fallen tree.”

  Jason walks ahead of me and swipes snow off the log. The backpack lands with a thunk. “Do you have anything in this we can have for a snack? I’m hungry.”

  “Sure.” I walk over and unzip the backpack. “How about some cheese? And we can share an apple.”

  “Sounds good to me.” He takes the hunk of cheese I hand him. “Doesn’t food always taste better in the woods?”

  I chuckle. “I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about that, but I suppose.”

  “Seriously though, it just does.” I can tell by the look on his face he believes it.

  “Maybe when we live off the grid we should have an outdoor café. No one will know why they can’t resist coming back for more. But we’ll both know the secret. Food tastes better in the woods.” I snort.

  “Yeah, yeah, you’re just humoring me. It’s okay. You’ll discover the truth now that I’ve brought it to your attention.” He’s grins and takes a big bite of the apple.

  We sit in silence as we eat. I hear birds chatter as they flit from branch to branch. An occasional plop sounds as heavy, wet snow melting in the sun drops from branches. Jason touches my arm and he points to the small hare hopping toward the pond. We watch him take a quick drink of water and bounce away.

  I pop the last bit of cheese into my mouth and peer into the pack. Seeing the chicken salad, bread, and cookies, my stomach clenches in anticipation. “Oh man, I wish we could eat everything right now.” I stand up and prepare to leave. “I don’t think we’re far from the magical place. Did you get enough of a snack?”

  “Yup. Which way do we go?”

  I look down at my compass and point toward the direction we should head. “That way.”

  Chapter 55

  We hike for less than an hour before we reach it. Jason is in front of me, and stops when he sees the clearing. He speaks in a low voice. “We found it.”

  I nod and walk ahead of him. I pull branches apart with care to allow us to enter. There’s much less snow on the ground except for a mound in the center of the clearing. The branches don’t quite meet at the top, and snow has fallen through the circle.

  A serene silence envelops us. Jason sets the pack down and walks to the mound. He begins to carve at it with his hands, and I realize he’s making us a table. The sound of the zipper on my pack is loud when I open it. I pull out the tablecloth and watch as he finishes. I think about what it would be like living in the woods with him. He’s the most capable man I know. He could make us everything we would need. I let myself drift away in the fantasy of pioneer life with Jason.

  “I’m ready for the tablecloth now.” He takes two corners from me, and we lay it out over the snow table. Snowshoes whoosh as Jason stomps the ground. “Help me pack down the snow around it.”

  Once we have flattened the area around the table, I take off my snowshoes and begin to unpack lunch. I put out two plastic plates. Jason removes his snowshoes too and lays his coat down on the ground by the table. He sits on it and takes the French bread to slice it for sandwiches. I hand him the chicken salad too. Seltzer fizzes into two plastic wine glasses. I set them down by our plates.

  “This looks great.” Jason lifts his glass in a toast. “To roughing it.”

  I snort. “To roughing it with you, mountain man.”

  We don’t speak until we’ve devoured our sandwiches. “I know the reason food tastes better in the woods.” I smirk at Jason.

  “Oh this should be good. Why?”

  “Because you usually have to work hard before you eat it. Did you even taste lunch?”

  “Yes, did you?” His eyes dance with laughter. “Because for a minute there, I thought I heard a wild boar.”

  “You say the nicest things to me.” Okay, so I did eat quickly. “I moaned in pleasure, that wasn’t snorting. You, on the other hand—Hey!” A hand has snatched my cookie. “If you value your man parts, you’ll give that back.”

  “Actually, my valuable man parts think you need this cookie. Here. Fatten up.”

  Happy to have the cookie back, I don’t reply and take a big bite.

  Once I’ve taken the last bite, I speak again. “I’m so full now I can barely move.” I pack up the remains.

  Jason removes the vinyl cloth and lays it out on the ground with the cloth side up. “Come over here and we can rest a bit.” He falls back and faces the sky.

  I cuddle up next to him and close my eyes. I take a deep breath through my nose to smell his sweaty musk. I shiver from eating and inactivity. Jason sits up and reaches for our coats to cover us as blankets. “There, warmer now?” He’s pulled me to his chest, and the soft flannel of his shirt collar is against my cheek.

  “This is perfect.” I turn away so I’m on my back and looking up at the sky too. I hear the cheep, cheep, cheep of a nuthatch. “Why do you suppose this place was created? It has to be man-made.”

  “I don’t know, but this reminds me of being a kid. My grandparents had a farm, and in their woodlands was a little outdoor chapel. At least that’s what my grandmother called it. There were two benches made out of logs, and the trees had been cleared in a rectangle shape. Over time, the branches all leaned in, creating something similar to this. Gram used to bring my brother and me out there to play. She would sit and knit while we fought off the bad guys.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “It was. My grandparents were a big part of my life after my father died.” Jason sits up and I hear rustling. A pocketknife clicks open as he stands. He walks over and snaps a branch off a dead tree. He breaks it down to a small piece and comes to sit next to me. I see him start to hack at it with the knife.

  “Are you whittling?”

  “I am. My grandfather taught me how to do this, and I haven’t in years. I used to sit with him at night, and we would make tiny animals. If I remember right, you may even know what it is when I’m done.” He moves on to more delicate carving. “My grandfather is the one that taught me how to build. There was always something that needed to be made or repaired on the farm. I think I’ll always want to work with my hands. It’s in my blood.”

  I listen to the scraping of his knife. “You really are a mountain man. I used to help my grandmother can vegetables from her garden and make jam. It’s a satisfying feeling to look at all those jars on a shelf.” The taste of her blueberry jam is vivid in my mind, and the memory tugs o
n my heart. “She’s the one who taught me how to knit. We would sit together after dinner and make mittens or socks while watching TV. I loved staying at her house.”

  I sit up to see how Jason’s figure is coming along. He puts the finishing touches on it. Taking the sharp point of his knife, he pokes tiny indents for what I assume are eyes. “It’s a bunny, isn’t it?”

  “It sure is. This is the little guy we saw at the pond.” He places it in my hand. “Here, it’s for you. I still need to sand it, but you keep it for now.”

  My fingers wrap around the rough wood. “He’s adorable. Thank you, I love him.” I look into Jason’s eyes and see he’s proud of his handiwork. “You’re amazing.” His smile is radiant, and it warms my heart that my adoration makes him so happy.

  I get up on my knees and reach over for his hand. I pull it up to my mouth. I kiss his palm and murmur, “These are magic hands you have.” I breathe in the scent of pine.

  Jason licks his lips and gets up on his knees too. He takes my face in his hands. He brushes his thumb over my lower lip, and I start to come undone. Trembling, I reach up to touch his bottom lip with my finger. He gently sucks it in and I sigh. I bite my lower lip and realize what I’ve done. I watch his reaction. The look on his face sets my juices flowing, and I pull him to me. His kiss burns with desire as his hands move down my body to cup my butt. We have on way too many clothes. I would love to peel them off, but I’m letting Jason lead. He pulls away and takes a deep breath.

  “We should get moving again.”

  I nod and get up. I put the little rabbit in my inner jacket pocket and zip it up to keep him safe. “Someday, I want a place like this.”

  “Me, too. Thanks for bringing me here.” Jason straps on his snowshoes and puts on the pack. He sweeps his arm toward our trail. “Lead the way.”