“She doesn’t have any defenses when it comes to you.”
His annoyance at his sister’s insulting meddling gave way to an odd, dizzy pleasure. He found himself smiling. “Really?”
Jody whacked him on the arm. “Stay away from her.”
Years of repressed feelings he’d been too embarrassed, ashamed, afraid to admit were churning to the surface. All these years.
What an idiot he’d been.
He’d admired her, he’d respected her, he’d loved her without calling it by its name.
“No,” he said, striding away from his sister toward the stairs.
❄
Sasha sat on the large bed, staring at herself in the snowshoe-shaped mirror on the wall across from her. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes wide and dazed. She hadn’t moved for several minutes, just kept sitting there, trying to think, waiting for her pulse to return to a normal rate.
What should she do? So far, her brain had insisted she stay in her room until tomorrow at least, away from Jake, giving him plenty of time to change his mind or confirm it. If it weren’t for the snow, she would’ve packed up and driven home to insure clear-headed decision-making for both of them.
Her body, however, quivered as if electrocuted. She dug her fingers into the thick comforter and licked her lips, remembering, savoring, wanting. Deep in her chest, her heart danced wildly and expansively, finally freed from its years locked inside a jail she’d constructed out of common sense and necessity.
All those years.
She studied her face, not as young as it used to be. The dim overhead lighting cast dark circles under her eyes, giving her an unwanted preview of her future, even-older self. Would she look back on this moment with regret? No matter what happened, this night marked a boundary in her life she would never forget.
At any point since she was fourteen, she would’ve grasped at whatever scraps of attention he threw at her. But now? Was she really that desperate to jump into bed with him just because he felt like it? Just because they were here in a mountain cabin with the snow tumbling down, muffling the world around them, isolating them in a quiet, warm, delicious—
She stood up. Yes, yes she was. Of course she was. Who was she kidding?
She tore off her shirt and jeans, frowning in the mirror at the white underwear she uncovered. Since she hadn’t expected the dramatic turn in events, she hadn’t packed any suggestive lingerie. Plenty of wool-blends and extra-strength moisturizer, but no peekaboo bras or microfiber thongs.
Well, as the saying went: less is more. She unfastened her bra, wiggled out of her panties, and slid her jeans and T-shirt over bare, sensitive skin.
Barefoot and breathless, she walked over to the door, paused with her hand on the knob, then pulled it open.
Jake was standing there. Gaze raking over her, he stepped beside her, crowding her in the doorway, and smiled. “Hello again.”
The scent of snowflake-kissed Jake washed over her. “Hello.”
Hooking an arm around her waist, he pulled her into the room and kicked the door shut. Then, still holding her against him, he slipped the hook-and-eye latch together and pressed her against the back of the door. They stared into each others eyes, both of them breathing hard.
“Now,” he said, capturing her face in his hands and lowering his head, “where were we?”
“Right here. We were right here,” she whispered. Her nose brushed his cheek, giving her a tantalizing reminder of how good his skin tasted.
“So we were.” Pushing her harder against the door, he kissed her open-mouthed, hard, hungrily.
Dozens of fantasies rushed through her mind like a fast-forwarded sex tape. How often had she imagined this very position? She ran her hands through his hair and held on. He tasted so good. His kisses were passionate but not too aggressive; he teased her just enough between deep thrusts of his hot, wet tongue to give her a chance to breathe. And whatever he was doing with his hands on her ass—how had they gotten there?—oh, now one was under her shirt, caressing her belly, moving upward to her breast…
“Nice,” he said, discovering she was braless.
“Nice,” she gasped. “That’s me.”
“Mm.” He jerked her shirt over her head and held her arms in place against the door. “You’re better than nice.” He slid his hands down her arms and let them settle over her breasts.
Nipples hardening, she kissed his dimpled chin. How many times had she fantasized about doing that? A million?
He ducked his head, kissing his way down her neck, licking the pulse at her throat, nibbling her collarbone. Desire spiked between her legs, making her knees buckle.
“You’re so beautiful, Sasha.” His breath tickled her skin. “God. I can’t believe… I never thought…”
She arched her back, thrusting her breasts into his face. While he sucked her nipples, an unwelcome thought pushed to the surface of her mind. She tried to fight it, but it wouldn’t go away. “Never?”
“I didn’t let myself.” He sucked harder, making her throw her head back against the door. Her wrists were still caught in his loose grasp over her head. Sliding his hand into the small of her back, he moved his mouth over to her other breast and licked the tip of her puckered nipple.
With a shiver, she pulled her arms free and put them on his shoulders. A gust of wind rattled the bedroom windows. The storm was picking up. “I couldn’t help myself,” she said.
He put a hand on her cheek and shook his head. “I wish I’d known.”
Did he? What would he have done? If this was the first time he’d ever thought of her this way, what was the chance of him loving her the way she loved him?
The thought turned her cold. Her desire was like a cell phone that had just fallen in the toilet.
Twisting out of his arms, she walked across the room. “I can’t do this.”
He followed, reaching for her, but saw the look on her face and stopped. “What did I say?”
“Jody was right. I can’t be alone with you. It’s not good for me.” She grabbed her shirt and pulled it on, then walked around him, well out of groping range, and opened the door. “I’m going upstairs.”
“Wait, wait.” He ran a hand through his hair. “What’s going on? I’m sorry. It’s my fault, I’m sure, but could you just explain—”
“It would never work. I care too much.” She forced a smile. “It’s been too long, you know? If you’d felt—if you’d—but that’s not fair. It’s not your fault. It’s just life. I’m going upstairs. Have a nice life.”
“Hold on—”
She broke into a jog and hurried upstairs, tripping over the top step as she stumbled into the living room, where Jody and her boyfriend would save her from her self-destructive impulses.
But it was empty. The TV and lights were off, leaving the room dark and quiet. The only illumination was from the floodlights outside, reflecting the heavy, shimmering snowfall.
Jake’s accelerating tread on the stairs made her spin around with her heart in her throat. He turned the corner and approached her without pausing, the uneven light from outside casting dark shadows across his face.
“I’m not going to let you run away,” he said, his voice low.
She eyed the space she’d need to get past him to the stairs. Once in her room, she could lock the door, plug her ears, sing la la la, and block out the thought of him until the snowplows came and she could drive home.
But he put his hands on his hips, filling all available space, telling her with his big, strong, handsome body that he wasn’t going to let her escape.
Her heart had been already skipping along in a hurry, but now it broke into a sprint. Maybe she could jump out the window. Would hypothermia be so bad?
“You’re the one who’ll run away,” she said.
“Is that what you’re afraid of?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry to say this, Jake, but I know you better than you know yourself. You’re not ready for where this w
ould go.”
Eyebrows rising, he took a step closer. “I’m not?” A smile curving his lips, he took another. “Are you sure about that?”
She bumped into the couch behind her. “You’ve ended every relationship just before it got serious.”
“Maybe I always knew I was with the wrong woman.”
“You’ve never thought of me that way before, you said. Never.”
“I was lying.” He caught her in his arms and pulled her against him. His voice dropped. “You were just a kid.”
“I haven’t been a kid for a long time.”
His hand moved up her arm to her hair. He caught a strand between his fingers and brought it to his lips. “So true. We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”
She closed her eyes. His hard body fitted impossibly well against her curves.
He was the Borg; resistance was futile.
No, she had one more weapon. The nuclear option.
She opened her eyes. “I love you, Jake.”
She expected a flinch, a frown, a furrowed brow—but those never came. Instead, his dark gaze softened, and, pulling her closer, he said, “I wish I’d known earlier.”
Chapter 9
WELL, HELL. SHE COULD HARDLY put up another fight after that. Chucking her fear along with her T-shirt and jeans, Sasha wrapped her naked body around the man she’d loved so long and pulled him with her onto the couch. In seconds he was as naked as she was, the speckled light from outside dancing along his broad chest. She splayed her fingers over his pecs, enjoying the warmth of his bare skin, savoring the sight of raw desire on his face. And the rest of him. She’d imagined a lot, but hadn’t done him justice. Maybe he’d let her take pictures some day. Or do a self-portrait.
“God, Sasha,” he groaned into her neck as his hand stroked between her legs. “I don’t know how long I can last. I’ve never—”
She caught his earlobe between her teeth and bit lightly. “Never?”
“Never wanted anyone like this before,” he finished, pushing her knees apart and settling between them. He already had a condom in his fist and was trying to tear it open with his teeth.
Suddenly, the chandelier over the kitchen table went on.
Followed by Jody’s strangled cry. “Oh, Jesus.”
Jake didn’t move. “Mind turning that light back off, Sis?”
Darkness immediately returned. But they didn’t hear Jody’s departing footsteps on the stairs.
Jake said, “I hope you don’t plan on watching.”
“Oh, shut up,” Jody said, sounding distressed. “Uh, Sasha?”
“Yes?” Sasha asked calmly, as if they were sitting in a café, separated by tea and scones, not Jake’s naked, protruding backside.
“Are you, I mean, are you sure…” Jody continued.
“I’m sure.” Smiling, Sasha slid her hands over Jake’s hips.
The lights flashed on again. “What’s going on? I heard a scream,” Simon said, sounding alarmed. “Oh. That’ll do it.”
Jake flung his naked body over hers, crushing her into the sofa cushions. “Close your eyes and turn off the lights, damn it.”
Sasha moved her hands, like little privacy curtains, over his bottom. She couldn’t resist caressing them a little.
“Does ‘get a room’ mean anything to you?” Jody cried.
“They’re in a room,” Simon said, just as the lights went out.
Jake’s mouth came down on Sasha’s in a hot, deep kiss.
“OK, OK,” Jody said in a rush. “We’re leaving! For God’s sake, give us a minute!”
They were too caught up in each other to hear how quickly Jody and Simon clattered down the stairs.
Which was a good thing. Jake was right: he didn’t last very long at all.
After waiting so long for him, Sasha was glad to finally see him in a hurry.
Epilogue
JAKE HANDED SASHA THE BOX, his heart beating too fast.
They’d been together for over six months now, had lived together for three, and he’d given her gifts before, but this was different.
This was terrifying.
And it wasn’t even something he’d made himself. Less than a year ago, he’d been nervous about giving his sister one of his paintings of a common garden herb. That was before his life had really begun, back when he had the depth of a Post-It Note and lived in a shadowy, dull haze.
Now all was bright and wonderful—and terrifying.
Was it too soon? He’d thought about waiting until their anniversary in the fall, but then they’d seen that baby at the neighbor’s down the street and looked at each other, and since then…
Well, neither one of them was getting any younger. And hadn’t they waited long enough?
Sasha took the small rounded box, laughing. “What, a ring already?”
His stomach fell into his shoes. Reaching to reclaim the box, he tried to laugh along with her but could only manage a strangled grunt.
She twisted out of reach, hugging the box to her chest. He’d just been kissing that chest. He wondered if he would ever kiss that chest again, or if he’d ruined his life forever. For all her talk of loving him since they were teenagers, blah blah blah, Jake was skeptical she really wanted to live with him forever. His love for her was mature and certain; hers could be just a habit, like the way she drummed her fingernails on the desk while she was working. Wanting him was a habit, and having him was nice and they were great together, but forever was a long time.
“Jake?” She was watching him with worry in her eyes.
Worry. He gritted his teeth and smiled at her through the pain. “Just open it.” Maybe she’d consider the idea. He could put the ring away until next year. Or the year after that.
Biting her lip, she glanced at him, then slowly opened the navy velvet box. All hint of a smile fading, she stared at the ring in her hand and said nothing.
“It was my great-grandmother’s,” he said. “I was going to buy you an ethical diamond somewhere, but then my mother said she’d love it if you’d accept this, which of course I would also love, but not for the same reasons. Not that I don’t also want to have grandchildren. I mean, children. And grandchildren eventually, of course, but my mom is thinking more short-term.”
“Oh, Jake.” She regarded him with her big, beautiful brown eyes.
“I’m sorry, it’s too soon.” He reached for the box. “And I shouldn’t have mentioned kids. I’m older than you, that’s the problem. Just forget it.”
“Nice try.” She plucked it out of the box and held it up. Her eyes glittered like snowflakes in moonlight. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
He let himself consider the possibility she wasn’t unhappy about his gift. “You like it?”
“It’s horrible. I’m going to move out after lunch.” She handed him the ring and held out her hand, fingers splayed. “Put it on my finger?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“About moving out, yes. About you putting it on my finger, no.”
“Right.” Hands shaking, he aimed for the extended digit, holding his breath until it slid over the knuckle and rested just where it belonged.
He was taking his first real breath in minutes when she threw herself at him, pressing her mouth against his. Anxiety disappearing, he embraced her eagerly and rolled her onto the sofa, kissing her like the first time, wondering at his good fortune, grieving at the lost years but always, always grateful it had all worked out in the end.
“I love you,” he said.
She put her arms around his chest and squeezed. “About time.”
Author Note
Thank you so much for reading!
To get an email about sales, giveaways, and new releases—and get a FREE short story!—sign up for my newsletter at www.gretchengalway.com .
-Gretchen
Also by Gretchen Galway
Read the whole series!
LOVE HANDLES (Oakland Hills #1)
THIS TIME NEXT DOOR (Oa
kland Hills #2)
NOT QUITE PERFECT (Oakland Hills #3)
CAN’T STOP WANTING YOU (Oakland Hills Short Story 1) (set at Liam and Bev’s wedding)
JUST CAN’T FORGET YOU (Oakland Hills Short Story 2)(more Trixie playing matchmaker)
Other fun, sexy contemporary romances:
THE SUPERMODEL’S BEST FRIEND
DIVING IN
See Gretchen Galway’s Page on
Amazon.com (USA)
Amazon.co.uk (UK)
About the Author
GRETCHEN GALWAY is a USA Today bestselling author who writes romantic comedies because love is too painful to survive without laughing. Raised in the American Midwest, she now lives in California with her husband and two kids.
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Can You Love Me Now?: (Oakland Hills Short Story 3) Page 4
