Winter Heat

by Kennedy Fox

I flipped my own sweater over my head, and he stopped in the middle of the room. “Sweet Zeus.”

  I frowned. That seemed like an odd phrase, but I didn’t have time to think about it. I needed to help him out of his shirt. There were far too many buttons. We both fumbled with the tiny pearlescent disks. My fingers shook and his were too large.

  My goodness, he was proportional. Finally, we got them all, and I pushed the gold and gray plaid shirt off his shoulders. Before I could get it down his wrists, they were caught. We’d forgotten the buttons at his cuffs.

  He was at my mercy and I kinda liked it.

  He kept trying to get his wrists free as I scraped my nails through the just-right amount of hair on his chest. It covered his extremely impressive pecs and arrowed down his lean torso with a lighter and silkier texture. I brushed my cheek along the softness and kissed my way down his abs.

  “Ellie.”

  My name was a strangled moan as I dropped to my knees. I flicked my tongue over the little divot of his navel. “It’s been a little while since I’ve done this, but I think I remember how this goes.” I jerked the tail of his belt free from the loops and loosened his buckle.

  His cock curved up against his zipper, bulging for freedom. I flicked open the button of his jeans and slowly peeled down his zipper. The chili pepper boxers I revealed made me laugh.

  “Better be the boxers you’re laughing at, woman.” He finally got his hands free from the shirt and tried to draw me up to my feet.

  I shook my head then reached in for my prize. His stormy eyes went heavy and dark as I dragged the flat of my tongue along the underside of his length. A hint of that cedar scent hit me just before the salty, earthy flavor of him made my mouth water. I took more of him, swallowing down his taste and wanting more.

  His head dropped back and his throat worked as he groaned my name. Spurred on by it, I took him again and again, coating him enough for me to palm his length and suck harder until he finally raked his fingers through my hair to stop me.

  “God, that feels so good. I don’t want to come in your mouth first. I want you wrapped around me. Under me—fuck, even over me. Just not like this.”

  I drew him deeper until the velvety head of his cock hit the back of my throat. I wanted to make him come. I could taste the power of it. As if he was a conduit to something bigger and more important. A freedom I’d been searching for all of my life.

  Taking something for myself.

  Taking him for myself.

  He bent over to me and freed himself with a hiss. “I’ve never wanted a woman so badly. Please.”

  I wiped my mouth, but he shook his head and lifted me, kissing me with wild abandon. Dirty and deep until I could scarcely breathe around it. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he turned enough to get us onto the bed.

  I wiggled higher, and he dragged at the cups of my strapless bra. “I wondered if you had one of these female contraptions under that sweater.” His eyes were almost black as he inched it down my ribs then yanked it around to get to the hooks. “Off. Off.” I tried to shimmy higher on the mattress, but he was having none of that. He bore down on me as he tossed the scrap of satin over his shoulder. “There you are.” He tugged on one nipple and dragged his beardy chin over the other before licking it lightly. “My turn.”

  “Turn?” I arched up off the bed as he twisted my nipple to just the edge of pain. The blood bloomed like fire under my skin, and warmth pooled in my belly. Pooled lower as I moved my hips restlessly. His cock was right there trapped between us.

  He pressed it along my thigh as he shifted lower to get the button of my jeans undone. Again, he dragged his chin over my skin. Goosebumps rose and covered me from neck to toes. “Callum.”

  “Say it again.” He traced the tip of his tongue along the lace edge of my panties, just under my bellybutton.

  “Callum.”

  He smiled against the light pink lace. “I’ll hear that in my dreams.”

  I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to think about him dreaming of me. I only wanted to think of the now—the pleasure from this ill-advised plan. Not the nebulous future I couldn’t control.

  Then he tucked his tongue under the elastic and groaned at what he found there. Nothing but skin and me. “Ellie.”

  He peeled my jeans and panties down and growled. Wasn’t sure I’d ever heard a guy growl about me. He fumbled with my stretchy boots and finally got them off. He shoved his shoulders between my thighs and opened me wide then dragged his chin over my flesh to the absolutely bare skin around my slit.

  Working at a salon meant I had access to all sorts of personal grooming. And keeping our Brazilian techniques sharp in a small town meant sometimes we had to practice on each other.

  “Beautiful.” He glanced up at me as he traced his tongue along my swollen center.

  I lifted my hips to either help him along or push him away. I wasn’t sure which. It was too much and too invasive for a first time. And yet hadn’t I done the same? Here was my tit for tat. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be pushing him away in the final moment as he’d done to me.

  Reaching up toward the headboard, I only found pillows. I couldn’t breathe around the rasping play of his tongue along every nerve ending inside me. When I couldn’t move away from the onslaught of his lips and then the pressure of his finger sliding inward, I gave up and cupped my breast to tug at my nipple.

  I was on the edge and crazed with it. No self -induced orgasms were like this. They were perfunctory when my insomnia got too bad, and it was the only way to knock my ass out. This was all-consuming as he watched me flail.

  His nostrils flared as he held onto me and spread me wider. I tried to buck him off me, afraid the entire floor would hear my sounds. Finally, I grabbed one of the pillows behind me and screamed into it. The broken sobs had me curling into myself, but he wouldn’t allow it.

  He wanted inside every part of me.

  Quickly, he climbed up and took the pillow from me, replacing it with his mouth. The wildness of my own taste was a chain reaction. He slid two fingers inside me and rode out the scream. I tasted blood as our teeth clashed in the shuddering chatter of my overwhelmed system.

  He was right there with me. He swore and scraped his teeth down my neck as I cried out his name over and over. There was no generic cry for God. There was only Callum and the maelstrom of pleasure. When he fumbled between us, I recognized the unmistakable feel of latex, and then it just didn’t matter. He was filling me, driving into me and chasing the end of my orgasm and demanding more. And I gave it. I gave him everything without thought to the aftermath.

  I wrapped myself around him and accepted all of him. The sweat and the hardness, the power and the insanity. It shouldn’t be this good. It shouldn’t feel like everything.

  But it was.

  It did.

  “Ellie. Come with me.” He slid one hand between us and the friction and the fullness were no match for self-preservation. I dug my nails into his back as he thrust into me again and again. And the one orgasm clawed into two.

  He pinned me to the mattress and groaned against my neck then found my mouth as we held on to one another. I didn’t realize there were tears until he kissed them away and slowly, the room came back into focus.

  The muscles I hadn’t used in well over a year shrieked even as I wanted to roll over and sleep for a lifetime. “Glorious,” I murmured into his skin.

  He laughed and lightly kissed my shoulder. “You may not say the same when you see what I did to your neck.” He drew his thumb over an abrasion before he rolled off me with a wince.

  We lay side by side, our breathing still labored. Eventually, he rolled off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of water running and the flush of a toilet roused me from the near coma I’d slipped into.

  He shifted me under the covers and kissed me. “I’m freaking famished.”

  I cuddled into the cool white pillow and could have happily drifted off. “I should go.”

/>   “No, stay. I’m going to go get us something to eat.”

  I needed to go. Ties came with each minute I lingered in the afterglow. But the bed was so warm, and everything was so soft.

  Including me.

  He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

  “‘Kay,” I mumbled.

  I should really go.

  Chapter Nine

  CALLUM

  I resisted the urge to whistle my way down the stairs. Ending up in Crescent Cove had been a lucky break after all.

  Now if I could just figure out how to keep Ellie in my life for more than a few more mind-blowing hours…

  One thing at a time.

  First, I would make sure the rest of the evening went as well as it had started.

  I headed downstairs as soundlessly as possible. A few of the steps creaked, so I made sure not to make too much noise.

  I wasn’t trying to hide exactly. I just didn’t want to be noticed.

  Or questioned.

  Or gossiped about.

  The elegantly appointed foyer beckoned. Sconces high on the wall flickered as if lit by candles. Tasteful Christmas bells and garland dripped from the reservations counter, and cheerful holiday carols played from recessed speakers. The air was scented with cinnamon and nutmeg. All seemed perfectly welcoming.

  Yet once I reached the bottom stair, I didn’t move.

  It wasn’t terribly late, but the desk seemed deserted. That was good news for me. I’d grab some sodas and salty snacks from the vending machines off the foyer, and hopefully, a few condoms. Even a dignified establishment such as this should be prepared with typical vacation items, right?

  Razors, pretzels, and rubbers. Seemed like a usual bed and breakfast shopping list.

  I found the sodas. The salty treats. The sweet ones. And a discreet sign that said, “For personal care items, consult the desk.”

  Inwardly, I groaned. Probably outwardly too.

  We’d already had sex. Amazing, life-changing, jingle my balls off sex. I wanted more of it. I was pretty sure she did too. There were plenty of other ways to enjoy ourselves without the need for protection, but I couldn’t deny getting back into the sweet clasp of Ellie’s body was at the top of tonight’s agenda.

  So, I was just going to go to the desk. They probably had other people manning it during the off-hours anyway. Sage Hamilton couldn’t be there all night long.

  “Hi, there,” Sage said cheerfully when I rang the bell for service. She’d popped up from behind the counter.

  I managed not to stumble backward but only narrowly. Did she hide behind there to surprise all the guests or was I just special?

  “Hi, Sage. Late for you, isn’t it?”

  “Oh, it’s almost Christmas, so we gave Alyce the night off. She’s usually the one who handles the desk after hours.”

  “That must be hard on you.”

  “Not so much, no. We’ll close early tomorrow, and Oliver—my husband—is watching our daughter. It gives me a night off, to tell you the truth.”

  “But you’re working…?” I regretted asking as soon as the half-formed question was out.

  “It gives me a night off from babymaking practice.”

  “Oh. Um. Okay. Good luck with that.”

  “We just kicked into high gear for our second kid, and the man is relentless. Give him a target, and he insists on shooting his gun over and over. But it’s fun for the most part. Just requires lots of stamina and hydration. Have you tried those vitamin waters? We have some in the vending machine. I recommend them for long sessions, if you know what I mean.” She waggled her brows, and I was fairly certain my kneecaps blushed.

  But it also gave me a nice segue into what I needed. I would even extend this painful conversation if it led to more condoms. Preferably a few.

  “That’s why I’m here actually.”

  “Oh, I guessed. You had that look. Plus, all of that stuff.” She gestured to the items in my arms. “You have the munchies. Been there, done that.”

  “Right.” I might die right in this very spot.

  “It’s a different kind of munchies than you get after taking marijuana. At least I assume. I haven’t tried that myself.” She frowned. “You’re not smoking in the room, are you? That’s prohibited in Section IV of the agreement you signed.”

  “No, of course not. I wouldn’t do that here.”

  Or anywhere, at least not since college. If I stayed down here much longer, she’d probably know all about my days at the university too.

  “I should hope not. How many do you need?”

  Now the flush was steadily moving up my body. Soon, my nose would be redder than Rudolph’s. “Do you have a…package?”

  “Yes. Three, six, and fifteen.”

  “Wow, that’s quite a jump.”

  “You always save when you buy in bulk.” Her cherubic face was so serious I wasn’t sure if she was kidding until she grinned. “It’s almost Christmas. Consider this my gift to you. Be sure to put a nice note in the guest book. Don’t mention the freebies though. I don’t want to shake loose the bargain hunters.” She slid an organza-covered box tied with a bow my way.

  I laughed so hard that one of our snacks went flying.

  After I collected it, I tucked the box of condoms next to the pretzels in my arms. “Well, thanks. You’re all heart, Sage.”

  She beamed. “I am, that’s why I’m going to warn you—you probably don’t need those. Unless you’ve had a vasectomy? And you look too young for that.” She waved a hand while I stared and wondered if we’d launched into another dimension. “Sorry, I’m getting too personal. Bad habit of mine. I just consider all of my guests to be staying in my home, so we’re more than friends, we’re family. Anyway, merry ho-ho-ho.”

  “No, I haven’t had a vasectomy. What do you mean? Don’t need them, why?”

  “You haven’t heard about Crescent Cove?”

  Why, yes, now that she’d mentioned it, I’d heard about unplanned pregnancies related to the Cove. But that had to be like an old wives’ tale or something.

  Even if it wasn’t, too late now. Still, the odds were in my favor.

  Probably.

  “Heard what?” I asked.

  She bit her lip, her blue eyes getting even wider. “Let’s just say we’re having a baby boom. A lot of women come to town and end up getting pregnant. Quickly. Our tourism is up thirty-eight percent this year just due to that bit of legend and lore.”

  The logical side of my brain immediately threw up a roadblock. “If that’s so, why are you needing to practice so much?”

  “Oh, I could be pregnant already. We just enjoy the process.” She laughed. “Happy holidays!”

  I went back upstairs in a zombie-like state. I couldn’t even claim not to believe what Sage had just claimed—that a propensity towards pregnancy might as well be in the water—since I was a mythology professor. Fantastical tales were my lifeblood.

  Had I somehow stepped into one?

  I unlocked the door to find Ellie sitting in the middle of my bed, her hair a riot of waves around her bare shoulders. She pulled the sheet up to cover herself, and her eyes were soft from sleep. “What time is it?”

  “Just a bit after ten.”

  “Oh.” She swung her legs over the side. “I should really head home.”

  I crossed to her, dumping my bounty on the bed. “I got us some snacks and drinks.”

  The ribbon-wrapped care package landed beside her leg. She picked it up. “A present?”

  “Sort of a present for us both.”

  She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear then turned over the box. The rattle inside made her laugh. “Presents for us, indeed.” She loosened the bow and laughed again. “Ribbed for her pleasure, at least.”

  “Bonus points to Sage.”

  “Do I want to know?”

  I grinned. “Uh, probably not.”

  The echo of Sage’s warning about the baby boom in town should have tempered
my lust, but it seemed to only get me more excited to break into the box.

  After a Snickers bar.

  I grabbed the candy bar and broke it in half then offered her the still-wrapped portion.

  She took it, trading it for the box of condoms.

  I set the box on the bedside table before sitting beside her. “Stay tonight.”

  She looked down at her candy and fiddled with the wrapper. “I really shouldn’t.”

  “We’ve already taken the plunge. No going back now.”

  The corner of her mouth tipped up. “That’s true.” She took a bite of the candy and peeked around me. “Are those potato chips?”

  “Why, yes, they are.”

  “Gimme.”

  I grinned and handed them over. “So, that means I can have the Doritos?”

  “Maybe. Only if you brush your teeth.”

  I leaned in and nipped a kiss before she could pop a chip in her mouth. “Deal.”

  I stood and went to my new suitcase and pulled out a vintage concert T-shirt for her. She took it gratefully and pulled it on.

  I picked up three different bottles of soda. “I wasn’t sure of your—okay, Dr. Pepper it is.”

  She cracked the seal. “I pretty much drink coffee or Diet Coke but since it’s here.” She took a long swallow and sighed. “My mom loved this stuff. I used to scrape together tip money for her twelve-pack cans. Sometimes I’d sneak a can for myself.”

  Scraped?

  I had so many questions. Little slips from her about a less than stellar childhood made me ache for her. My household growing up had been noisy and full of laughter. A lot of fighting too. Far too many boys in one house meant a lot of strife in between pranks and enough laundry to ensure my mom taught me to be self-sufficient from an early age.

  But being self-sufficient was a big difference from what she was talking about.

  She popped another chip in her mouth with a sigh. “Didn’t realize I was so hungry.”

  “We sort of skipped dinner.”

  She peered into the snack-sized bag. “Not a big deal.”

  Now I felt like an asshole. I hadn’t even fed her, for God’s sake. We’d been wrapped up in each other and caught up in the push and pull of attraction. Food definitely hadn’t been at the top of my menu. “Is that diner near the park an all-night kind of deal?”