by R. C. Ryan
“In that case, let’s cut this run short and hike back up.” He snuck his hand into her fleece coat and felt his way up her chest.
She rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but her heart beat faster under his palm. “We just got here.”
“Snowboarding is overrated.” Especially compared to sex.
She wriggled away and maneuvered to a sitting position. “We can head back soon. But first I want to see you ride all the way down there.” She pointed to where the snow tapered off into wet, soggy grass. “You need to finish this run, Jaden.”
He loved the sound of his real name on her lips. “What about you?”
“I’ll watch. That’s how I learn best anyway.” She took his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his, brushing them softly, waking him once again. “Go. Alone. Do what you came here to do.” She obviously understood how much he needed this, to rediscover peace out here.
He reluctantly stood, surprised to find the dread was gone. There was nothing but anticipation. Starting out slowly, he eased his weight onto his downhill foot, cutting across the mountain before leaning into a turn. Slushy snow sprayed all the way up to his face, cold and familiar. He let himself pick up speed, taking the turns quicker, carving a wavy line into the snow. Wind sailed across his face, stinging his nose the way it always did when he really cut loose and flew.
“Woohoo!” Kate cheered behind him, clapping and whistling. He crouched lower, using the momentum and speed to cut and jump, feeling lighter than he had in three dark months.
Chapter Eight
They didn’t even make it inside the house before Jaden started to kiss her. He moved swiftly around the Jeep and opened her door, taking her hand.
The captivated, aroused look on his face heated Kate all the way to her core.
Seeing him on that mountain—facing whatever demons had chased him through the last few months—had done something to her. She no longer cared about the article. Or Gregor. Or her stupid job as a senior editor. She wanted Jaden. All of him.
Bella scooted out of the Jeep after Kate, barking as though she didn’t understand what was happening.
Jaden seemed to ignore the dog. His eyes were intense on Kate’s, speaking all sorts of hot, scandalous things without saying a word. He pinned her against the side of the Jeep, kissing her lips, sweeping his tongue through her mouth. Then he pulled back, stealing a glance at her, smiling that private, sexy smile.
Bella wedged herself between their legs and whined.
“It’s okay, pup.” He reassured her with a quick scratch behind the ears before Kate directed his gaze back to hers by threading her fingers into his hair and holding his face in place so they could take the kiss deeper. So much deeper. His lips were fused to hers with a heat that set her skin ablaze and made her body burn for him. “Inside,” she managed to gasp. “Take me inside.”
He hoisted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he carried her through the garage door. Kate was so busy kissing him that she caught only a glimpse of poor Bella tagging along behind them.
Jaden brought her through the kitchen and then the living room, all the way to the master bedroom, kissing her mouth with a recklessness she happily matched.
He paused near the bed. “We forgot all about the dinner I packed.”
“Later,” Kate gasped. “We can have dinner in bed.”
“I love that idea.” He carried her across the room and set her feet on the floor just inside the bathroom.
He hadn’t been exaggerating. The bathtub in the master suite was enormous. A freestanding rectangle that was tucked into a marble-tiled alcove in front of a large picture window that looked out on the mountain. It was straight out of a fantasy—gleaming white porcelain with a crystal chandelier dangling overhead.
“Holy mother,” Kate murmured, staring at the beauty over Jaden’s shoulder.
He held her close. “Are you using me for my bathtub?”
“Yes,” she said with fabricated certainty. Then she worked her hands up his chest underneath his T-shirt and leaned into him, running her tongue along his neck until she’d reached his ear. “Is that a problem?”
“Nope.” He jumped into action, plugging the drain and turning on the water, holding his hand under the faucet to test the temperature.
The running water seemed to spook the dog. Bella scampered out of the bathroom and plopped herself on a cushy pillow next to the king-sized bed. Obviously the dog was not a fan of baths.
Jaden left the water running and came at Kate again, lifting her back into his arms. “It feels so good to hold you,” he whispered against her shoulder. He carried her to the king-sized bed and set her on the very edge, standing close enough that she could raise his T-shirt and kiss his tight abs.
His breath hitched each time she pressed her lips to his skin. As she tasted him, his hands smoothed down her hair. He stepped back and took her right foot in his hands, removing the boot, and then her sock, watching her eyes the whole time. He did the same with her other foot, caressing her toes with his thumb until she lay back on the bed, moaning like she was already halfway to an orgasm. “Wow. You’re amazing.”
“Are you using me for my massage skills?” he asked, running a single finger down the length of her foot.
“Yes,” she whispered. She loved the way he touched her. His hands were so strong, knowing and perceiving, taking their cues from the sounds she made, the movements of her body.
Jaden grinned. “Use away.” He inched closer and caught the waist of her yoga pants in his fingers, tugging them down her hips, efficiently taking her lace underwear with them. Moving even closer to the mattress, he edged his body in between her legs and leaned over to unzip the coat she was still wearing. He worked slowly, watching her face between long gazes down her body like he didn’t want to miss one detail.
Gently, he pulled one of her arms out of the coat and then the other, shoving her jacket aside before securing his hands to her waist under her T-shirt. “You’re so beautiful, Kate. Such a good person.” The words were almost solemn, as though he didn’t think he deserved this, deserved her. But he didn’t know.
She cupped her hands on his shoulders, bringing him down to lie over her. “You’re a good person too. Strong and thoughtful and funny.” So profound in his thoughts, tender in his touch. “I’ve made mistakes.” The biggest one lately not telling him everything the first day she’d met him.
“Mistakes can be forgiven.” He slid his hands higher up her rib cage, pulling off her shirt and letting it pool behind her.
“I hope so.” She drew in a long, sustaining breath as his finger traced the very edge of her lace bra.
One of his hands eased under her back and popped the clasp, and then he shifted onto his side next to her and pulled the garment away. His gaze swept over her, dark and greedy. Jaden kicked off his own boots, pushed off the bed, and pulled her up to stand with him, pressing her body to his as he maneuvered back to the bathroom. He broke away only long enough to shut off the water, and then he had her back in his arms.
Kate took over, peeling his shirt up and over his head, letting it fall to the floor next to them. She kissed his neck, his chest, sliding her tongue seductively over his skin while she unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down, taking his boxers with them. “Actually, maybe I’m using you for your body.” She stood back to admire him—all that hard, angled muscle tensed into perfection.
“Like I said…use away.”
“Oh, I plan to.” Keeping him in anticipation, she stepped into the tub and slowly lowered her body to the water. Resting her head against the side, she closed her eyes. “Ohhhhh.”
“That good, huh?” Jaden climbed in and settled his back against the opposite side to face her.
“I can think of something better.” She shifted to her knees, opening her legs to straddle his hips.
His chest expanded with a long breath. “You’ve changed so much for me.” He gazed steadily into her eyes.
“It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything…”
“What do you feel now?” She ground her hips into his, moving over his erection, feeling it slide against her, slick and hard.
“You.” He held her tighter against him. “I feel you. Everywhere. In my head. In my heart. In my arms.” He kissed her so torturously slow, as though he wanted to make it last as long as possible. But there was too much passion surging through her, too much want nudging her closer to the edge.
She stilled her body, and Jaden sat up straighter, bringing his mouth to her breasts, nipping and kissing his way from one to the other. Her head fell back, the ache for him driving deeper into her.
He traced his lips up her chest and back to her mouth while his hands caressed her back. He paused and looked into her eyes. “What are you thinking?”
“How much I want this,” she murmured. “How much I want you.” It had all happened fast but he’d let her see everything, his pain, his heart. Way more than any other man had ever allowed her to see.
Kate stood on weakened legs and stepped out of the tub. Within seconds, Jaden stood with her, kissing her as he slowly eased her backward toward the bathroom vanity. He lifted her and set her backside on the marble countertop and then opened a drawer and found a condom. She leaned over and kissed his shoulder while he put it on. “I need you inside of me,” she whispered, tugging on his hips and arching her back to bring him in deep.
Jaden wrapped his arms around her as their bodies came together, moving in a rhythm that loosened her feeble grip on control. He angled his hips on each thrust to graze that magic spot, again and again until she was gasping and throbbing and too close to pull back. Bracing her hands against the countertop, she pushed up to meet his thrusts, welcoming the explosion of sensations as it burst forth inside of her, moaning his name so he knew he could let go too.
“God, Kate, you’re amazing,” he uttered between jagged breaths. Jaden held her tighter, rocking his body, reigniting her climax until he trembled with release.
He hunched over her, his forehead resting on her shoulder.
“Wow,” she murmured into his hair.
He raised his head and kissed her softly, still out of breath. “Wow.”
“I’m exhausted.” She could hardly hold herself up anymore.
Jaden straightened and took care of the condom before wrapping a towel around his waist. Then he came back and lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.
They both fell to the soft mattress, lying side by side. His fingers stroked her bare arm. “I wasn’t just saying that earlier. You really have changed things for me.”
Kate entwined her fingers with his and brought his knuckles to her lips.
“You’re the first person who’s bothered to see me,” he went on. “No one else cared what happened. Everyone wanted a fallen champion, a villain, so that’s what they turned me into.”
Kate propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him for a long, beautiful moment. “I see who you really are.” And she would make sure everyone else saw it too.
* * *
Waking up had never been Jaden’s favorite thing, but it had been especially brutal since February. Most mornings he would’ve much rather kept his eyes closed than face the world, but not when he had Kate in his bed. Since the sun had come up, he hadn’t been able to stop looking at her.
He still held her in his arms, her body curved against his, their legs tangled together. Kate was asleep, her face still somehow just as stunning as it was when she smiled at him.
At some point during the night, Bella had snuck onto the bed and curled up at their feet as though she couldn’t stand to be left out.
A lazy contentment weighted Jaden’s body. He wanted this. Waking up with someone every morning. Feeling the silkiness of her hair over his arm, feeling her breathe so peacefully against him.
In so many ways, Kate was still a mystery. All he really knew about her was that she lived in L.A. and worked as an editor. But she didn’t seem to love it there. He wouldn’t either, not with the constant crowds and the paparazzi everywhere. Maybe she’d be open to moving. For the first time since the accident, he could see settling down, sharing his life with someone. And he wanted it to be here in the mountains. At least if he took the job at the resort, he’d have stability, a beautiful place to live where the community had seemed to accept him back. He would have something to offer her.
Kate stirred and stretched her arms. Her eyes opened, and that gorgeous smile of hers bloomed when she looked at him.
“Morning, beautiful.”
“Morning.” She wriggled closer and wrapped herself into him.
He couldn’t resist playing with her long, soft hair as she laid her head back down and closed her eyes.
“Not a morning person?” he asked innocently.
“Normally I am, but we didn’t exactly get much sleep last night.” She kept her eyes closed, still smiling.
“Sorry.” He wasn’t. Not at all.
“I’m not sorry.” She peered up at him as though her eyelids were too heavy. “It was the best night I’ve had in a long time.”
“Me too.” This whole week had been some of the best moments of his life.
“What time is it?” Kate asked through a yawn.
Unfortunately, he’d been keeping an eye on the clock. He almost lied, but she could easily see for herself. “Nine.”
“Nine?” She shot up to a sitting position. “Aren’t you late for work?”
He sat up, too, leaning over to kiss her neck. “Yep.”
“Then you should go.” The words didn’t have much conviction.
“Don’t want to.” He pulled the comforter away from her chest and admired her full breasts. “I’d rather stay in bed with you all day.”
Kate lay back down and turned on her side to face him. “Aren’t they doing inspections?”
“Mmm-hmmm.” He couldn’t seem to pry his gaze away from her body.
“Then you need to be there, mister.” She pushed at him playfully. “Go. Right now. They won’t be able to sign off on everything if you’re not there.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blake had already sent him three panicked texts. Jaden scooted off the bed. “What about you?”
“Bella and I will be fine. Won’t we, sweetie?” Kate reached down and petted the dog’s head.
“You’ll be here when I get home?”
“Yes. I have some work to do today too,” she said cryptically. “But I will most definitely be here when you get home.”
“As long as you promise.” He pulled on clothes and his boots but couldn’t resist going back to the bed where Kate still lay watching him. Her black hair was mussed and gorgeous, her eyes still sleepy and innocent.
“I’ll see you later.” He kissed her, and she held on to him a little longer.
“Hurry home,” she murmured. “I’ll make a special dinner.”
“Can’t wait.” He forced himself to leave then, before he started taking off the clothes he’d just put on.
The drive up the mountain didn’t ease the ache that had tortured him since he’d left Kate in his bed. When he made it up to the site, Blake jogged over, looking more relieved than pissed.
“Glad you’re finally here,” he said.
“Sorry. Got a little hung up this morning.” Could’ve gotten more hung up if it hadn’t been for his damn responsibilities.
“The inspector is taking some pictures.” Blake pointed to a man who was currently sizing up the towrope. “I hope it passes.”
“It’ll pass.” Jaden had no doubt. Every detail had been well thought out and executed perfectly. He’d made sure. That was the only thing he’d had to focus on for the last month. And now that the project was ending, he knew what he wanted to do next. “By the way, I’ll take the job,” he said to Blake.
The man nodded as though he wasn’t surprised. “This have anything to do with the woman you borrowed the snowboard for?”
“Yeah.”
But it was more than that. “I want to be part of a community again too.” He wanted to start over in the same place he’d started out.
Chapter Nine
Kate hadn’t been this nervous since that fateful day when she’d asked Tommy to homecoming. She finished setting the table and stood back to admire the simplicity.
After the embarrassing car decorating debacle, she’d learned that sometimes subtlety was best, so no balloons or flowers or cheesy Please forgive me! signs on the table tonight. No humiliating rejection either. It would be different. She and Jaden may not have known each other long, but he seemed to get her. He would understand why she’d kept certain things from him. And once he read the article she’d written, everything would be okay.
“Right, Bella?” she asked, kneeling to give the dog some love.
Gregor had texted her early that morning to tell her he needed a draft of the article by noon or there’d be serious consequences. “Not that I care about the consequences,” she explained to Bella. Writing the article had become something bigger. She’d spent the whole morning pouring her heart into her keyboard, and the words had flowed. She’d likely get fired for writing a personal exposé on what an incredible person Jaden Alexander turned out to be instead of capturing what everyone expected, but it would be worth it.
Sure, Jaden would be surprised, but she could explain everything over dinner. It was a simple meal—lasagna and a hearty Italian salad. She liked to think of this as half an apology dinner, half a makeup dinner. Or at least she hoped they would make up after they had the inevitable conversation she’d been avoiding for a week.
“He’ll forgive me,” she murmured.
Bella licked her cheek in agreement.
“He’ll understand just like you do.” Once Jaden read her words, he would see how much she cared about him.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
Kate straightened and spun to the French doors. “Hi.” The sight of Jaden standing there in his jeans and boots sent a wave of heat crashing through her. “You’re home early.” She thought she had another half hour to prepare for this.
