Mad Mad Love ~ The Remembrance Trilogy: Complete Box Set Holiday Edition (The Remembrance Trilogy #1-3)

by Kahlen Aymes

  "Don't get your hopes up. You know how I hate to disappoint you," she admonished and rolled those gorgeous eyes. I shook my head in disbelief, while the corners of my mouth lifted slightly and my brow furrowed.

  "Not possible. If you spend the entire day on your ass, you're perfect just as you are. Got it?"

  "You're so graceful, it makes me feel like a klutz," she moaned.

  "Well, obviously, I won't be today. I don’t have my own skis. Rentals won't be the same."

  "Oh, poor baby! I feel so bad for you, Mr. I-Can-Do-Anything-And-Everything! How will you manage rented equipment?" she mocked.

  I put my arm around her head and started rubbing the knuckles of my other hand on the top of it as she squealed in protest. "That's enough out of you. I think I owe you a face full of snow!"

  Julia~

  Okay, so I was doing pretty well. I didn't fall too much and I was even starting to enjoy myself. My knees weren't hurting like I remembered and I was actually having fun. Honestly, I'd been dreading the skiing part of this vacation, but Ryan loved it so much, I wanted to at least try for his sake.

  Colorado was beautiful. The Rocky Mountains rising majestically in all directions, glistening with fresh powder and the scent of evergreen and blue spruce hung in the air. The sky was a brilliant blue, with cottony clouds floating in its endlessness. The sun reflecting off of the snow made me thankful for my sunglasses.

  Ryan was waiting at the bottom of the run as I skied the last fifty yards. He looked gorgeous, but what else was new? The sun was shining brightly and reflecting off of Ryan's hair, giving it a golden, multi-tonal cast. He flashed me a bright smile as I glided toward him. I forgot what I was doing and was having trouble stopping. I was going to plow right into him.

  "Ryan! I can't stop! Move so I don't hit you!" I called, but he just threw down his poles and held his arms open, laughing the entire time.

  He cupped his hands over his mouth and burst out, "Julia! Don't worry! I'll catch you!"

  In my panic, I was losing my balance as I rushed toward him. It was like an old movie, everything moving in slow motion, yet there was nothing I could do to stop. He was still laughing when I finally made contact. His arms wrapped around me and our bodies collided with a thud. I think he could have stopped me, but fell backward into the snow, taking me with him. I landed on top of him, breathless.

  "Ugh! I'm sorry!"

  He was laughing his head off. "I'm not!"

  "Hey, Julia! I'll save you!! How about a drink at the lodge?"

  I rolled over and tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. Ryan's mouth set as he pulled himself up, his skis still attached. Mine had come off my boots and he grabbed the front of my parka, pulling me up after him to set me on my feet as if I weighed nothing.

  Two guys on the lift above us were calling down to me.

  "Hey, dickhead! Am I invisible?" Ryan admonished with a grin.

  "Oh, aren't you her brother?" one of them called back, joking and playing along.

  I flushed as Ryan brushed the snow off of me, paying extra attention to my ass.

  "Hardly!”

  "You're gorgeous, Julia! If you change your mind, 7 PM in the lodge lobby!" the other yelled down.

  I started giggling and waved up at them as Ryan took me in his arms. "That's funny, is it?" He brushed some snow out of my hair with a gloved hand. I wanted to laugh, he was so adorable. I bit my lip and nodded.

  "Yes. I think it's hilarious," I choked out and then burst out laughing. It warmed my heart to see his jealousy, even if it was only a little bit.

  "Oh, really? Flirting with those guys is fun, huh?" He lifted me up, dumping me back in the snow and falling back on top of me.

  "Ahhhhh!" I screamed in surprise.

  Ryan's warm breath rushed over my face as he spoke and nuzzled the side of my face with his nose. His voice lost its laughter. "I think I let you up too soon. Kiss me," he commanded.

  He shoved his goggles up and bent to take my mouth with his as he pinned me in the snow.

  I cursed my gloved hand when I couldn't feel his hair under my fingers, so I slid my arms around his shoulders. I loved this man so much I couldn't put it into words. Every touch, the easy teasing between us, how he looked at me...all of it meant everything. I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and he licked at my top one, before his mouth devoured mine, his tongue teasing mine into passionate play. We both forgot where we were until others began hooting and whistling.

  "Jesus, Julia," he groaned against my mouth, the sound of his arousal turned my insides to jelly. "I'm gonna have a problem when we get up," he whispered softly and smiled against my cheek.

  I laughed gently and placed another small sucking kiss on his mouth. "Mmmm, well? What do you expect when you dry-hump me in front of a mountain full of people?"

  "I expect to get a raging hard on and be frustrated as hell. Satisfied?" He was still above me and smiling the crooked grin I loved. His blue eyes sparkled like diamonds.

  "No. But maybe later?" I teased.

  "Ugh!!! Definitely. Many times." He rolled over and pulled me with him, using his arms to push me up onto my feet at the same time as he stood up. He threw an arm over my shoulder and pulled me close one more time. "I love you."

  "Me, too. So much it's sickening!" I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face into the warmth of his neck above the collar of his coat. He smelled so good and his arms around me felt amazing. There was nowhere else I'd rather be and I found myself wishing I could move to Boston instead of New York.

  "Mmmmm...don't stop. Ever," Ryan said softly.

  "I can't. I've tried."

  "What?" He released me and bent to pick up both pairs of skis, putting them over one shoulder while I gathered up the poles and we made our way into the lodge. "When?" he asked in a tone that clearly stated that was impossible.

  "Um...every time you went out with some bimbo and broke my heart, that’s when." I nudged into him with my shoulder and then he nudged me back.

  "Yeah. I was an asshole," he said seriously.

  "No, you weren't. You were my friend. You didn't know I loved you."

  "I should have known. You were always so good to me. I was blinded by my love for you."

  "Stop. It's over. I did the same thing."

  He placed the skis in a rack outside the lodge and as we went inside, I started unwinding the scarf from around my neck and pulling off my gloves. The lodge was gorgeous, a huge log monstrosity at the base of several mountains. There were multiple fires blazing; with a restaurant on one side, and a lounge on the other, with huge windows looking out onto the lighted slopes. The sun was beginning to set behind the trees and contours of the mountains. It was a beautiful site.

  Ryan unzipped his blue parka and grabbed my now bare hand, pulling me beside him into the lounge area with a big stone fireplace with plush leather furniture surrounding it. My thighs were cold, despite my many layers and I was shivering slightly. Ryan pushed my coat from my shoulders and then his before sitting in a large chair and pulling me onto his lap. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he rubbed his hands over my legs to create the fiction necessary to warm the surface of the skin. I brought my knees up and curled into him like a child while he wrapped his arms around me. "Mmmm..." I sighed into him. I was content and his arms tightened and he kissed my forehead.

  The cold made me tired and now I was warm and my eyes were very heavy. "This feels nice. I could hold you forever," Ryan said softly against my skin.

  "I wish."

  "Are you tired, baby?" I nodded without speaking. "Do you want to go back to the cabin?” he asked. “Or... if you want to skip the drive, I could get a room here tonight. Would you like that?"

  I ran my hand up his chest and around his neck to curl into the soft hair at the nape. He was really telling me that he didn't want to wait those couple of hours to make love. I smiled and turned my face to place an open-mouthed kiss on the strong muscles of his neck. He gasped quietly and shi
fted beneath me. I knew what I was doing and loved the fact that I could affect him that way. My nose brushed along his jaw before I kissed it softly. "Whatever you want," I whispered.

  "Julia..." he moaned. I felt his hands grasp the back of my head to tilt it up toward his mouth and he kissed me slowly and spoke when he lifted his head.

  "I mean it... It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together," I said so softly only he could hear. I pressed my forehead into the curve between his neck and shoulder. My body was vibrating with want. He wasn't even touching me in a sexual way, and I was dying for him to take me.

  His hand moved down the back of my head, wrapping around the nape of my neck while his left slid beneath my legs as he stood up. Before I knew it, I was sitting in the chair he'd just vacated and Ryan was striding across to the concierge desk. I felt the heat rush up beneath my cheeks and I bit my lip. He felt the same urgency that I did. I gave up trying to hold in the smile and a soft chuckle broke free of my chest.

  "Hey...that sounds nice. Remember me?" I glanced up as a dark-haired man sat in the chair next to mine. He had olive skin and thick, wavy hair, and was maybe of Italian or Spanish descent, quite handsome, with dark eyes and strong bone structure.

  Not as beautiful as Ryan.

  I glanced over at him and recognized the dark blue and red ski suit as one of the men from earlier. "Julia, right?" I nodded. "Is that your given name?"

  "Yes, Julia," I said before I could think.

  "Ah...Such an elegant name and you're such a beautiful woman, it suits you. I am Vincent." His foreign accent made his vowels thick and heavy.

  "Hello. It's nice to meet you." He picked up my hand to kiss it and I pulled back abruptly, glancing over at the desk. Ryan was turned, his gaze burning as it settled on Vincent. "My, uh...I'm not alone. I'm waiting for someone."

  "Ah yes. The gentleman on the slopes, no doubt. He was amusing. I was serious about wanting to buy you a drink. I would like to know you better. I am an excellent skier. Perhaps I can instruct you tomorrow."

  A pair of blue eyes was still watching, leaving me nervous about what Ryan was thinking. "I'm sorry, Vincent. That won't be possible." I shook my head as Ryan made his way toward us. He wasn't hurried, but the muscle in his jaw was working overtime. I grabbed the coats, stood up and walked the few feet that separated us. His arm shot out to wrap around me possessively.

  "Are you ready, my love?"

  "Yes. Ryan, this is Vincent. Remember, from the lift?"

  Ryan extended his hand graciously, but he still had steel in his eyes. "Nice to meet you. Maybe we'll see you on the mountain tomorrow. Enjoy your evening." His arm tightened as he dismissed the other man.

  "Goodbye, beautiful Julia." Vincent bent and kissed his fingers before extending them toward me in a silent kiss.

  "Bye," I murmured. Ryan stiffened, still holding me close to his side as we walked to the elevators. "Hey," I placed a hand on the front of his sweater, "so, I guess we're not making the drive tonight. I don't have my pajamas." I looked up into his face and tried to get him to smile. "Soooo, it's a good thing that you don't have yours either."

  "What did he want?" he asked gruffly, ignoring my gentle teasing as the elevator doors opened. "I mean, what did he say?"

  "Nothing of consequence."

  "Damn it, Julia! Tell me what he said!"

  "He asked my name and offered to teach me to ski. I said no thank you. End of story."

  He removed his arm from around me, but grabbed my hand as he led me down the hall toward our room, put the key card in the slot and pushed the door open.

  We went inside and I dropped the coats on an upholstered bench near the door. Ryan moved to the end of the bed, and sat down, pulling me toward him. His hands landed on my hips and he bent his head toward my chest as I laced one hand lovingly through his thick hair. The fingers of my other hand fluttered across his jaw. He needed comfort, some ease to the jealousy that was eating at him.

  His breath rushed out in a sigh, the warmth pushing through the material of my shirt. "I hate how I feel when other men come on to you."

  "Ryan, there is absolutely no need for you to feel that way. You know how much I love you. I don't even look at anyone else. You're being silly."

  His arms slid around my body and I hugged him close to me, my arms wrapping around his head and shoulders. "I know. I'm sorry. I just...I won't be with you and you're so beautiful. Of course men will want you."

  I smiled into the top of his head. "Stop. It's no different than women coming after you. Like that chick from Gross Anatomy class, right?"

  "Yeah. I can't seem to get away from her."

  "Because she stalks you. I'm not freaking out about her, and yeah, it bugs me, but I won't let it come between us."

  His hands started moving to pull my shirt up over my rib cage. "Okay, I see your point. Two hundred miles is still too far, baby. I don’t think I can stand it after being with you like this."

  "Just don't forget to remember how much I love you... I'll never let anyone else touch me like this...you know that. It's not possible."

  His hands traveled up the sides of my body, under my shirt until they came in contact with my black lace bra and his thumbs brushed over the fabric. My nipples hardened instantly.

  "Like this?" he whispered.

  My head fell back. "Uhhhh..." The breath whooshed from my lungs when his hot breath washed over my skin as he placed several kisses over my breasts. He pushed the shirt up further, lifting my arms and pulling it all the way off.

  "Julia...God, you can't know what you mean to me," he breathed into my neck. He stood up and put his arms around me, lifting me as his mouth moved up and down my neck. His touch sent a million tingles up and down my spine as he walked with me into the other room.

  "I..." I struggled for the words as his mouth searched for mine. "I do, Ryan. I feel you even if you never touch me again."

  "When you say things like that, you make me so hard." He set me down in the bathroom and grabbed my hand, bringing it down to press it into his erection. My hand closed around him and he groaned. His hands found the closing of my pants and slid the zipper down; pushing them down as far as his arms would reach, exposing the matching black lace thong. His fingers traced the edge of the lace lightly and his head dropped, his mouth seeking mine. He grew even more in my hands as his hands slid down over my butt cheeks while his tongue teased my lips apart. I kissed him back with everything I had. He tasted delicious, warm and seeking, sucking on my tongue and making me moan in pleasure.

  "Uh, Ryan..." I let my arms slide up his chest and I tugged impatiently at his sweater. He pulled me closer and pressed his hardness into my stomach. The wetness between my legs was making my panties damp as my body opened, preparing to feel him inside me.

  "I don't know how I ever kept my hands off you...or how I'm going to survive without touching you. How did I live without this?"

  My breathing was coming in short bursts as Ryan lifted me again. Turning, he set me on the counter beside the sink, up against the mirror on the wall. The light by the door shone in, sending the left side of him into shadow, and his features were even more striking, his eyes glowing darkly as he looked upon my almost naked body.

  I sat watching in silent hunger as he stripped off his sweater and t-shirt, his magnificent muscles playing across his chest, shoulders and stomach as he moved. Turning away, Ryan started the water in the big tub. This suite was expensive, with a whirlpool bath, a huge king-sized bed, plush furniture, fireplace and a balcony that overlooked the center of the resort. There was a basket of shampoos and bath salts on the counter next to me and he poured some into the running water. The scent of vanilla and sandalwood filled the room, mixing with the steam that began to rise and gather on the mirror. He tugged at the button on his black jeans and pulled the zipper down as he moved toward me again.

  "You're so beautiful," Ryan said urgently before his hands reached out and palmed both of my breasts. His mouth started i
ts sweet torment down my neck and onto the slope of my shoulder. He squeezed slightly and then released the front clasp of the bra, freeing the flesh he was seeking. I wrapped my legs around him, attempting to pull him closer. I wanted to feel him pressing into me, needing friction to ease the aching inside of me.

  "Julia...I can smell how much you want me. Uhh…it's so...it makes me so hungry for you. I'm going to explode." His hand ghosted over the top of the wet lace between my legs and I couldn't help the mewling pants that escaped my mouth. His hand slid around the front of the panties and pulled them away and down. I kicked them off as he knelt in front of me. His hands grasped behind my rear and pulled me forward until I was sitting on the very edge of the counter in front of him. I braced myself on my hands while he parted my thighs with both hands. His intentions were clear as he gazed down at me and I flushed. This was so intimate, so exposed, but I trusted him implicitly and I loved him with everything I had.

  Seeing him like that was so hot. I thought that I would come the minute his mouth touched me, but he teased with sweet torture. He began by kissing my inner thighs, moving closer to the place I needed him, breathing on my center and moving to the other leg. My legs were already shaking and he hadn't even touched me.

  "Uhhhh...Ryan, please."

  "Oh, babe...I love you. Can you feel how much I love you?" he asked softly before he finally brought his mouth down on me, laving in long stokes. I thought I would die, it felt so good. He alternated between that and sucking the tender flesh into his mouth and flicking it quickly with his tongue. He held me steady as I trembled under his expert ministrations. It was only a few short minutes and he had me quaking and coming hard. "Uh...uh...Oh, God," I panted. He eased the pressure but kept up the gentle sucking until I couldn't stand anymore. "Oh God, Ryan. You have to stop. I'm too sensitive." He kissed me softly one last time and then stood up to gather me close.