Winter Love (Love Collection)

by Natalie Ann

  It wasn’t just the ideas in his brain from the wedding today though. It was the past few days with her working here.

  Kendall in his kitchen working with his staff.

  Him sneaking in and checking in on her, then helping himself to whatever she was cooking.

  Just knowing she’d be there when he wanted to catch sight of her was calming him in a way he’d never felt before for someone that was pretty calm most of his life.

  Did his staff in the kitchen and on the grounds know what was going on? They probably did. He had a bad habit of pulling her in and giving her a hug, a kiss, a little cuddle. When he was around her, he had to touch her.

  Since she never avoided his touch and even initiated several of her own, he was thinking she thought the same way. But he didn’t know for sure, because they hadn’t talked about anything more than the wedding that was finally over.

  There hadn’t been any talks about her final week at the lodge or where she was going next. At some point, one of them would have to bring it up.

  Tonight wasn’t going to be that time though.

  He was just stepping out of the shower an hour later when he heard footsteps outside of the door. He turned when the door opened to see Kendall standing there, her work clothes still on. She hadn’t even gone back to her hotel room to change.

  “Damn,” she said. “I was hoping we could do that together.”

  “I don’t mind jumping back in and giving you a hand,” he said grinning at her.

  “That takes the fun out of me surprising you in there. I won’t be long. Why don’t you dry off and go down to get some wine glasses? I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  “I might have stolen a few things from the kitchen and the wedding.”

  He laughed and finished drying off while she undressed in front of him and jumped in the shower. For two people that’d only been together a few weeks, it sure did feel homey and normal to be in his bathroom together.

  Once she was under the water, he walked out of the bathroom, leaving the door partially open, and made his way to the kitchen. There on his counter was a bottle of champagne from the wedding, one of the few that hadn’t been opened. Next to it was a container of strawberries and something else he had no clue what it could be. He peeled the top back and saw whipped cream.

  Oh, this night was going to be one for the books.

  He grabbed two wine glasses and the food, no plates. No reason to bring them up, as he had no intention of using one. The same with silverware.

  The minute he stepped into his room he saw her standing in the doorway of his bathroom smiling at him. She was wearing...nothing at all.

  “Are you waiting for me?” he asked.

  “I was. I see you have the same thoughts about my surprise as me.”

  He set the champagne bottle and glasses on his nightstand, then opened up the strawberries and cream. “Are you hungry?”

  “I am,” she said. “I’ve been snacking on and off trying the food tonight, but I’m dying for something sweet.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to wait any longer,” he said, dropping his boxers. It was the only thing he’d had on.

  She climbed on his bed, not bothering to pull the comforter back. He was fine with not wasting any time, knowing his sweet tooth was already craving something.

  He handed her a glass of champagne and they both took a sip. The Montgomerys spared no expense on the alcohol for Alexa’s wedding, then told them to just keep the rest.

  He caught her eyes on the strawberries, so he took her glass and set it down with his, grabbed the bowls and put them between the two of them. “Lie back,” he said.

  She did, leaning on her side, her head in her hand so she could watch him.

  He grabbed a large strawberry and held it to her lips. When she was ready to take a bite, he pulled it back. She narrowed her eyes, so he brought it back to her lips.

  She gave it a little nibble, juice dribbling down her chin, and of course he had to lean down and lick it up, then bring the partially eaten strawberry to his own lips.

  Once the first strawberry was gone, he grabbed another and dipped it in the cream, brought it to her lips, then moved it to her nipple instead. Much better, he was thinking.

  He swirled the cream and cold berry around her hardened peak, shifted his eyes up to see what she was doing, and all he saw was a desire mirroring his own, watching his every move and smiling that smile that he’d fallen for weeks ago. The first time he saw her walking alone on the path snowshoeing.

  Her eyes fluttered closed now, a softness on her face that he didn’t see often, but enough. Usually only when the two of them were together. They didn’t have to be alone for him to see the look, but just when he was focused on her. When he was in her presence.

  Rather than lick the cream off her nipple, he painted her body with much more. She wasn’t watching, so he took a risk and wrote a few words on her. Endearments he was afraid to voice.

  Her eyes had stayed closed, her breathing was increasing, and when he had half the container of whipped cream on her, she’d said, “Leave me some to do the same to you.”

  He set the strawberry aside and went about licking off all the cool sticky cream, lingering in more places than others. She didn’t seem to mind, so he continued on the course he’d set.

  They were going to need another shower after this, he was guessing.

  He wasn’t even close to being finished when she sat up and pushed him on his back, then straddled his hips. “You’ve had your fun now. I’m the one that was hungry.”

  He wasn’t going to complain. Not when there was a hot chick on his groin, naked, and telling him she was hungry. But it wasn’t just any hot chick. It was his hot chick.

  She didn’t even bother with a strawberry. Nope, she grabbed the bowl, stuck her finger in it and wiped it all over his chest, finger-painting style. She wasn’t drawing words. She was painting pictures. “What is that?” he asked.

  “That’s my mouth. My lips,” she said grinning at him.

  She lowered her mouth and started to not just lick it off his chest, but take a few nibbles of his skin in the process.

  “I have to say this is one of the best ideas you’ve had.”

  “I’ve been known to come up with them a time or two.”

  He’d lost track of time, but he was pretty sure a few swear words had escaped his mouth, and now the bowl of cream was all gone.

  “How is it possible you aren’t going crazy right now?” he asked her.

  “Who said I wasn’t?” She reached for his drawer and grabbed a condom. “We’re kind of messy, but I think our knees are clean. Well, mine are.”

  “Turn over,” he said, moving fast and putting her on her hands and knees. There was no time for her to change her mind before he was entering her fast, his hips moving at a pace he wasn’t sure his body could maintain. There was a speed in him faster than when he took off out of the gates at the top of the mountain racing down the slalom for his first place medal as a teen.

  She was inching toward the top of the headboard, then lifting her hands up and bracing herself. “Touch me,” she said.

  He reached his hand around, placed it on her little swollen bud that he’d been teasing and feasting on earlier. Dreaming of on nights they weren’t together.

  He had one arm wrapped around her waist keeping her in place while his fingers went to work, the other hand on her hip squeezing skin and most likely leaving a mark. She wasn’t complaining so he wasn’t stopping.

  “Zeke,” she said, her voice rising. “Go faster. Like it’s our last time together and you don’t want me to forget you.”

  It was the best and worst thing she could have said. Best because he was out to prove to her she’d never have better. That she couldn’t forget him because it’d be wonderful if she stayed.

  The worst because his chest felt as though it was being run over by a steamroller with the thought of not seeing
her again. Of her walking out of his life when he wasn’t ready.

  The problem was, he’d never be ready for her to leave.

  “Now, Zeke. That’s it.”

  He loved when she said his name. When she told him—no, demanded him—to do what she wanted. And what she wanted was for him to make sure she didn’t forget about him. He could do that and he was going to. But he also had no intention of letting her go.

  His hips were moving as fast as his fingers and her voice was getting louder. He wasn’t about to stop a thing he was doing even if he was running out of energy. He’d reach deep down to find the will to keep going. He had no intention of stopping until he got her there and she fell right with him.

  It wasn’t going to be long, or he hoped it wasn’t, because he couldn’t hold on much longer.

  “Please tell me you’re there,” he said.

  She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. Her body clamped around him and it was almost painful in her urgency to get to where he was trying to send her. To a place he’d never been before but one he was longing to experience.

  Her arms gave out and she collapsed down, him landing on her with the unexpected move. She grunted and he somehow found the strength to move off of her.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I think so. I always feel like I get such a workout when I’m with you.”

  He knew that feeling well. He rolled to his side and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” she asked, her hand moving over his shoulder. He loved this tender side of her. He loved every side of her, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice it. Not now. Not until he knew for sure how she felt or what her plans were going to be in the future.

  “For exhausting me again tonight.”

  She laughed. “That isn’t what you were going to say.”

  She knew him well too. “No. But it’s enough for now.”

  “You can tell me,” she said.

  Maybe she was wanting him to bring it up first. “There is only a week left.”

  “Don’t remind me,” she said laughing, but it wasn’t a funny sound.

  “Where are you going next?”

  “I don’t know yet,” she said quietly.

  “You haven’t made any plans at all?”

  “No. Which is completely unlike me. I’m sure I could find a hotel somewhere last minute. I guess I need to start looking.”

  “You don’t have to. I mean I could still use you here.”

  “For work?” she asked, leaning back.

  “Not just work,” he said tugging on her hair, “but I haven’t had any luck finding anyone.”

  She grinned. “You haven’t even tried to look.”

  She was right. He hadn’t. He was purposely pushing it off, but she must have seen right through it. “You like it here.”

  “I don’t like the cold,” she argued.

  “But you only experience it when you leave the building. Right now you don’t even have to go outside from your hotel room to the restaurant.”

  “For one more week. I don’t have anywhere to stay after next Sunday.”

  He said what he told himself he wasn’t going to. “Stay with me.”

  “Here?” she asked.

  “There is plenty of room,” he said, trying to be nonchalant about it. “My bed is big. The drive is short. You get plenty of exercise here.”

  “There is that.” She reached her hand up and ran it through his hair. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “I can’t make any promises to you.”

  “You don’t have to.” Even if he wished she would.

  “A few more weeks,” she said.

  That was good enough for now.

  Not Doing It

  Somehow it was early February and she’d been living with Zeke for close to three weeks. She’d said a few. That meant two weeks tops to her, but here she was, with the same two suitcases of clothing she’d brought with her.

  That was a lie, she’d bought more clothes. She needed work clothes for a job she’d said she would fill in for. A month later from when she’d started and Zeke didn’t seem to be any closer to filling the position.

  Then again, he’d have to interview for it. Or maybe even advertise. She was positive he wasn’t even doing that, unless he was doing it in secret.

  She was starting to think it was intentional. Dragging her time out here, hoping she’d stay.

  Those thoughts crossed her mind and just as quickly, she wiped them off like a rag on a whiteboard. What it did bring up was thoughts of the reason she came here to begin with.

  She’d wanted to see if she could find out anything about her parents’ love story. It made her laugh thinking of it like that, but if there were two people in love more than her parents, she’d never seen them.

  She’d always been more levelheaded than her parents. More realistic.

  Love at first sight, her parents had always said they’d had. Nah. That didn’t exist.

  Yet she had to admit there sure was something like lust at first sight because she was experiencing it with Zeke.

  She should have visited this particular restaurant weeks ago, and maybe she was putting it off. Maybe she was having too much fun with Zeke and was using him as an excuse to prolong her stay.

  Who knows and it wasn’t for her to analyze now.

  Her blog was thriving. She was still posting videos and trying to cram things in on her days off about town. She hadn’t realized there was so much to do here.

  For such a small town, it had the massive tourist feel of a much bigger city. If you were someone that enjoyed nature, all aspects of it, Lake Placid was a place to mark on your bucket list.

  It was her day off now and she was going to get another interview. The interview that she really wanted. One of the restaurants where her parents had worked after they’d met here.

  She was going in the guise of interviewing the longest family-run business in the area. The current owners had been running it when her parents worked there.

  “What are your plans today?” Zeke asked.

  He’d left the house hours ago to check out the property and the horses. She’d gone on a horse ride with him a few days ago. How she didn’t break her neck was beyond her, but it was enjoyable and she could take it off the list and add it to the list of never to do again in the middle of the winter.

  “What are you doing back here?” she said, wiping down his kitchen counters.

  He was a neat person but she’d found she was cleaning more than normal. Maybe it was because she felt bad living here and not really contributing to anything.

  She’d offered to pay him rent and if it was possible for him to ever get angry, that might have been the time for it. Instead he just shook his head and walked away from her, leaving her staring at his back, wanting to call him back and apologize. She hadn’t though.

  So she was filling his kitchen with food and cooking for him as much as she could, when she could. If she had to work at night, he’d come in and eat in the kitchen with her, or she’d make sure there was something for him to warm up at the house.

  “I need to get another pair of gloves,” he said. “Not sure what happened to mine. Or I should say, what happened to one of mine. It’s probably in the barn somewhere, but I’m too lazy to look right now.”

  “How are the horses doing?”

  He grinned at her. “Sally is wanting another ride. You sure you don’t want to go exercise her?”

  “No, thank you. When she started to dance around trying to get her footing on the trail, I’d had enough. You’re lucky I didn’t jump off and walk the few miles back.”

  He’d laughed at her back then, but managed to calm her and the horse down. “She’s the most surefooted. That’s why I had you riding her.”

  “Still not doing it.”

  “So you didn’t answer my question. Do you have any plans today?”

  “I’m going to check
out a restaurant in town, then maybe I’ll do a bit of shopping. I could use a few more shirts, I think. I ruined a few of them.”

  “I didn’t think you’d be that messy of a cook,” he said, tweaking her nose, then kissing her.

  “I’m not normally. Maybe if someone didn’t always sneak up and grab me when I was cooking, I wouldn’t jump and spill things.”

  “Guilty. I’ll let you get on with your day. I hope to be back early today. Maybe around four.”

  “I should be back by then.”

  “Good. Come give me another kiss.”

  She did, because she couldn’t resist his puckered lips. Just like she was finding it hard to resist him.

  ***

  Zeke was getting nervous that Kendall was making plans to leave.

  He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold off at least interviewing for her position. He’d advertised for it and had some applicants, but thankfully none of them seemed overly qualified. At least if someone asked him if he’d made an attempt to fill it, he could honestly say he had.

  Kendall normally told him what she was doing each day, but she hadn’t said anything today and he wondered if she was trying to figure out where to go next and was afraid to tell him.

  At some point, one of them was going to have to bring it up and talk about it. But doing that would just mean there was a chance she would say she was ready to go.

  “Hey, Zeke,” Erika said. “You’re not normally in your office. What are you doing?”

  “Just a little paperwork, then I’ll go back out.”

  “How are things with you and Kendall?” she asked. Erika hadn’t yet said a word about Kendall still being here or staying at his house. He imagined the time was up and she was ready to find out the details.

  “They’re good.”

  “Yet you aren’t smiling when you say that.”

  “They seem good,” he clarified.

  “So she’s living with you now?”

  “Just staying with me for the moment,” he said.

  He didn’t think it’d be right to say she was living there when all she had was two suitcases of clothing that only took up a few drawers in his room. Had she bought some more things? Sure. But not enough to be a permanent fixture by any means.