Chapter 14

We finally got out of the water. I handed Fiona a heated towel to dry off. I quickly dried off, then pulled on sweats. I went into the living room to throw a few logs onto the fireplace, and then padded into my kitchen to make hot chocolate. We were both quiet, reflective.

I hadn't planned for anything to happen. I couldn't wrap my mind around it, and I suspect she couldn't either.

I heated the milk on the stove, and when it was boiling, I poured it into two mugs, and stirred in the hot chocolate mix we bought for the guests. I dropped a few mini marshmallows on top, then handed her the mug.

"Thank you," Fiona said, blowing air across the top of the liquid.

"Let's sit on the couch." I guided her off the stool and to the couch by the windows where I wrapped us in a cozy throw.

I was enraptured by the snow. It was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the fire and the slap of the flakes against the windowpane.

"I have a feeling if we went outside, it would feel like the snow was covering the earth like a blanket."

"We'll go out tomorrow." I had no desire to leave the warmth of the room, especially since I wasn't sure the backup generator would work if the power went out and how long we'd be snowed in. I had plenty of food and wood because I'd stocked up for the week.

Fiona rested against my chest, her head tucked under my chin.

I never thought we'd be together like this. Our relationship as teens was different. There was no cuddling on couches or baths to be shared. This felt better in a lot of ways. We could spend more time together.

"You don't think we screwed up, do you?" Fiona asked so softly I wasn't sure I heard her right.

I tensed. "Does it feel like we did?"

She was quiet for a few seconds, and then she lifted her head to see my face. "It felt right."

"How could something that felt right be wrong?" Even though it felt good, I couldn't help but worry about what it meant. Fiona was leaving soon to go back to her life, and I couldn't forget that.

"I don't think it's wrong. I'm just not sure there will ever be a right time for us."

I didn't contradict her because it was the same feeling I was having. Our timing sucked. And that might be the reason why we weren't meant to be together. But we could enjoy this time we had now.

When Fiona got sleepy, I carried her into my bedroom, watching the snow fall as she slept with her head resting on my shoulder. I didn't want to close my eyes because I didn't want to miss any minute of being with her.

I'd dreamed of nights like these, holding her close. I wasn't sure I'd ever stopped loving her. But it was too soon, and I wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to hear that.

Eventually, I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.

I woke a few hours later to a dark room and Fiona placing light kisses on my abdomen. Her other hand pushed my sweats down. I helped her shove them off so my cock sprang free.

Even though I wasn't entirely awake, my dick was on board with Fiona's plans. She encircled the base with her hand and pumped.

My hips shot off the bed, and I fisted the sheets to stop myself from touching her.

"Please touch me."

Hesitantly, I stroked her hair with my hand, loving the feel of the silky strands.

"I want to know you're touching me," Fiona said as she licked the head.

I gripped her hair more firmly, a steady weight on her head without pushing her.

Her eyes fluttered closed in pure pleasure as she sucked me inside her mouth.

"I love your mouth on me," I said, my voice tight.

She hummed around my dick as she continued to lick and suck and jerk me with her hands. The sensations were too much. I was on sensory overload, and when she sucked me deep, swallowing around the head, I couldn't hold back. I shot my load into the back of her mouth. When she pulled off, I sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you."

"It was perfect," Fiona said, and I had a feeling she was talking about more than a blow job.

"I want to taste you." We hadn't had a chance to do this earlier, and I wanted it. I wanted to show her how good I could make her feel. We experimented as teens, but I was more experienced in pleasuring a woman now.

I flipped her so that she was on her back, her legs spread wide. I held her ass in my hands as I lifted her to my mouth. I breathed her in, wanting to feast on her.

Fiona raised up on her elbows. "I want to watch you."

I growled deep in my throat as I licked, keeping my gaze on hers. Fiona bit her lip, and her arms trembled as she struggled to stay upright.

"You taste better than I remembered."

Fiona made a choking sound, and I sucked her clit, using a finger to enter her. Her head dropped back, and I alternated circling her clit with my tongue and sucking on it.

She finally fell back, her hips lifting, and when I used two fingers, she let go, her muscles spasming around me. I wanted to always give her pleasure. To worship her. To make her mine.

It was dangerous to think like that because she wasn't mine anymore. I wiped my mouth on the sheet, then moved up her body, dropping kisses as I went. Then I gathered her into my arms, her ass nestled against my dick. I was semihard but wasn't pressed to fuck her again. This had always been about more than the physical. It felt amazing to be with her like this again. But it was so much more.

I enjoyed spending my days with her, working and talking about the future of the inn. But this wasn't her home, she didn't work for me, and we sure as hell weren't together. She had her own life, far away from mine, and she was happy there.

She hadn't said anything other than she didn't feel comfortable in her parents' home, but I suspected she didn't want to move back because of the memories. One steamy night wasn't going to change anything, even if I wanted it to.

Her head rested on my bicep, and I felt her breath evening out a few minutes later. The next time I woke, the bed was empty, and the room was lighter. I turned to see the gray sky and the flakes coming down, smaller and slower than last night but still at a steady pace.

Just when I thought that I should go in search of Fiona, wondering if she'd retreated to her own room, the bed dipped.

"You're awake," Fiona said.

I turned to find her holding two mugs. She set them on the side table, then kissed me. Warmth flooded my body. I wanted to wake up every morning just like this. "Morning."

Her lips quirked. "Good morning. I can't believe the snow is still coming down."

"I think they said there would be two bands of heavy snow."

"This must be the second. But it's smaller flakes."

"You want to play outside?" I pulled to a seated position.

A smile spread over her face. "I'd love to."

She handed me the mug of coffee. "But first, caffeine. Then I thought we could have breakfast, and then go outside. I'm starving."

"I can cook for you." I wanted to feed her. It was something I'd never been able to do when we were together. The only kitchen I had was the one in my trailer, and her family didn't know we were dating.

"You know when we were teens, I wasn't embarrassed to be dating you. That's not why I kept us a secret."

Fiona was strong-willed even back then. She knew what she wanted, and she didn't want her family in her business. I'd respected that. "I never once thought you were embarrassed."

Relief filtered over her face. "Oh, good. I was worried about that."

"If I thought you were, I wouldn't have continued dating you." I'd felt her love, as young and naive as we'd been. We thought it could stand the test of time, growing together.

Fiona sipped her coffee. "I never thought we'd end up here."

I chuckled. "You thought we could work together and keep things platonic."

"Didn't you?" Fiona asked, genuinely curious.

"I wasn't sure that this was a good idea. With you living somewhere else and me invested here at the inn."

She reached over and curled her fingers around mine. "Let's not talk about the future. I want to enjoy this and however many days we have together."

I let out the breath I'd been holding. "I want that too."

Fiona grinned, looking so much younger, more like the girl she'd been in high school. Then her stomach rumbled.

"Let me feed you." I gave her a smacking kiss on her lips, reveling in my freedom to touch and kiss her whenever I wanted. Then I lifted off the bed, searching for the sweats we'd removed last night. I pulled them on, and Fiona smirked.

"It's going to be hard to cook without getting distracted. You can see everything in those," Fiona pointed at my crotch where sure enough my semihard dick was visible.

I caught her wrist, encircling it with my hand. "Behave."

Fiona threw back her head and laughed.

I let go of her, walking out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. I loved seeing her so carefree.

She followed a few seconds later, holding both of our mugs, and set them on the counter. "What are you making?"

"Pancakes. We're going to need the energy."

Fiona rounded the counter and ducked under my arm, her hand on the bare skin of my chest. "Oh, we will. Will we?"

Then she kissed me.

I sucked in a breath. "I can't make breakfast with you doing that."

"I want to taste you." She placed kisses down my chest, then my stomach, pulling the waistband of my sweats over my hips until they pooled at my feet. I stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. She sank to her knees, gripping the base of my cock while she looked up at me.

I braced my hands on the counter, every muscle in my body bunched with the effort of my restraint. I wanted to bend her over and fuck her from behind. I wanted her with an intensity that overwhelmed me. Why did I want her again? Why was it more intense each time we came together?

Emotions swirled around me even as my blood heated with desire.

Fiona gripped the base tight and sucked hard. When she reached into her panties to touch herself, my skin tingled.

I let my head fall back slightly as she took me into her mouth. When I couldn't take it anymore, I hauled her up by her arms. She ripped my T-shirt off over my head, and I tugged her panties down. Then I turned her around to bend over the counter like I'd imagined. I ran a hand down her spine, enjoying the sight of her milky-white skin on display.

I nudged her feet farther apart, her pussy already glistening.

"Are you wet from sucking me?" I asked her, my voice controlled.

She nodded jerkily.

She wanted me with the same intensity as I wanted her. I eased my fingers between her folds, gathering the wetness I found to enter her with one finger, then two. Fiona pushed back on them, and when I couldn't take it any longer, I lined up my cock with her entrance and slowly slid inside. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of her walls surrounding me.

Then I opened them because I didn't want to miss a second of a naked Fiona in my kitchen on display for me.

Fiona looked over her shoulder at me. "I need you to move."

I pulled back and snapped my hips so that my cock filled her. "Yes."

I gripped her hips tightly, spreading her ass cheeks so I could see the spot where my dick entered her. It was visceral. The orgasm starting at the base of my spine quickly threatened to overwhelm me.

I reached around and pressed on her clit, needing her to come with me. As soon as she spasmed around me, I let go. I rested my weight over her back, placing a light kiss there.

Finally, I eased out and grabbed a washcloth, warming it under the water before moving back to clean her.

I helped her pull on her panties. I couldn't believe Fiona Calloway stood in my kitchen in only a tiny pink lace thong. I grabbed her ass, pulling her against me. "I'll never get enough of you."

Her tits pressed against my chest, revving me up again. With a groan, I pulled back, running a hand through my hair. I gave her my shirt. "Put that on, or we'll never get breakfast cooked."

Fiona giggled, and I relished the sound.

I pulled on my sweats, washed my hands, and got to work mixing the batter and pouring it into the pan. When the pancakes were cooking, I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head.

When we'd dated, I held her every opportunity I got. I didn't get much attention at home. I didn't want to be near my parents, and my grandmother was nice to us, but she wasn't overtly affectionate.

It felt good to touch and be touched again.

"I missed this," Fiona said as she nestled into my chest.

"I did too." With one arm around her, I checked the pancakes as they cooked. I wasn't ready to let her go. When she walked out of my apartment, I wasn't sure if she'd throw up her walls again and remember the day I broke her heart by turning down her proposal. I couldn't blame her for being cautious, but I was going to enjoy every minute of this.

When we had a stack of pancakes, I grabbed the syrup and whipped cream while Fiona cut up strawberries.

When our plates were piled high and the pancakes smothered in whipped cream and strawberries, Fiona said, "This looks so good. I never have time for a breakfast like this."

I gestured at my plate. "This is the reason why I usually run every day. I love to eat."

Fiona laughed.

We dug in, and I couldn't take my gaze off her. She moaned with the first bite, whipped cream on her nose.

"You've got some there." I swiped the dollop with my thumb and sucked it into my mouth.

"We might need to use whipped cream later—"

"Much later. I have plans for you and the snow."

"I can't wait," Fiona said, and I felt that connection. The one that had felt so unbreakable.

Not only was I attracted to her, but I had fun with her. And I couldn't wait to spend the day together, and one more night. "Tonight, I want to cook for you. Let's get dressed up and eat in the dining room. I can find a good wine, light some candles."

"That sounds amazing."

I leaned over and kissed her softly. "Then that's what we'll do."

"It's very romantic—" Fi began, then broke off.

"I can be romantic."

Fi smiled softly. "You used to leave flowers where I'd find them."

"That was harder than you think. I had to avoid your brothers and put them in a place you'd find them and they wouldn't."

"I found them in the basket of my bike with a new book you thought I'd like," she said slowly as if she was conjuring the images in her memory.

"You know, I picked the flowers from the gardens here and borrowed the books from the library. The librarian was so happy I was checking out books. I didn't have the heart to tell her they were for someone else."

Fiona covered my hand with hers, then pulled away. "It was the thought that counted. Not how much money you spent. But how did you know which books I'd like?"

I cut another bite of pancakes. "I paid attention to what girls your age were looking at. Sometimes I asked my sister. She assumed it was for a girl."

"So you've always been romantic." Fiona popped a strawberry slice into her mouth.

"I'm only like this with you." I racked my brain trying to remember a relationship that lasted longer than a few months and whether I did more than cook them dinner. I never bought anyone else flowers.

"I feel special."

"You are special." She was everything. But I didn't want to scare her away with words. I'd draw her in make her melt with my romantic gestures. She didn't stand a chance.