Chapter 6

Ashleigh awoke the following morning, Slate wrapped around her, her body deliciously sore. After he’d taken her twice on the sofa, he’d stripped off the negligee he’d given her, and they’d made love on the blankets in front of the fire, slow and sweet. At some point they’d fallen asleep, and he’d carried her down the hallway to the master bedroom. She’d slept alone here last year, with Slate taking the guestroom, when they’d found themselves unexpectedly both staying at Jett and Anna’s cabin. And now?

Absolutely everything had changed.

“Good morning, future Mrs. Hutchinson,” Slate said huskily, his voice thick with sleep.

She flushed as he tightened his arms around her and she felt his morning erection rub against her bare bottom. Slate was always aroused and ready for her when he awoke, and she loved knowing how much he wanted her.

“Ummm,” she said, leisurely stretching. She arched back against him, listening to his quiet moan as she inadvertently rubbed against his swollen cock. “Good morning yourself. You’re in a good mood,” she teased, practically shivering in delight as one big hand palmed her breast and he trailed kisses down her neck. Slate nipped at her playfully, and Ashleigh felt her nipples tighten and heat coil down from her belly, her body immediately responding to him.

“Maybe I’m remembering how incredible last night was—and thinking about how someday I’ll make you my wife.” His other hand slid down the front of her body, his fingers lazily dragging over her stomach, before lightly caressing her sex. “Are you sore?” he murmured, gently fingering her folds.

Heat bloomed across her face as she nodded, and Slate stilled. Shifting, he turned her over in bed and hovered above her, his green eyes holding her captive. “I was too rough with you.”

“Not too rough, but you’re big,” she said, her cheeks no doubt turning pinker.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she said, reassuring him as her hands raked through his short hair. “Last night was amazing.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” he asked with a knowing smile. “I guess I’ll have to find other things to do rather than sinking into your gorgeous pussy right now.”

Her breath caught, and he nuzzled against her, lightly kissing the tender skin beneath her ear. Ashleigh arched into him, desire winding its way through her. “And what’d you have in mind?” she asked, trailing her hands down his muscled chest. He tensed beneath her touch, no doubt trying to restrain himself. She could feel his rock-solid muscles beneath his masculine flesh, his body honed from years of training and time on the battlefield. Slate was practically a work of art.

“I’ll feast on you instead,” he murmured, his voice strained as he kissed his way down to her breasts, his biceps bunching with the movement. Ashleigh was already growing hotter as he put his mouth on her, Slate kissing his way around one areola before sucking a nipple into his mouth. The stubble from his jaw raked over her sensitive skin, and she shivered. Slate was all male. Big. Broad. Commanding and raw.

He teased and laved her peaked bud, Ashleigh letting out a tiny mewl of pleasure.

“Slate,” she breathed, feeling his erection jump against her leg.

“This is about you,” he growled.

He lightly bit one nipple, soothing the sting a beat later with a swipe of his tongue. She was already panting and breathless when Slate turned his attention to her other breast. Her folds grew slick with arousal, and Ashleigh whimpered, lightly bucking her hips. Slate smiled against her breast, knowing all too well the effect he had on her, before kissing his way down her stomach. Shooting her a knowing look, Slate licked his lips before burying his head between her thighs. Ashleigh gasped as Slate began to devour her. Licking. Teasing. Not letting up until she was climbing higher and higher and crying out his name in the quiet cabin, her legs spread wide and her body at his complete mercy.

He looked up from between her thighs as she clutched onto the sheets, a smug smile on his face. Ashleigh was flushed and gasping, trying to catch her breath, and Slate looked practically victorious. “Wanted to do that last year,” he admitted.

“The motel room,” she reminded him, sucking in another breath. “You did do that last year.”

He kissed her inner thigh. Soft. Gentle. A sharp contrast to the way he’d just enthusiastically pleasured her. His gaze slanted back to her, his eyes burning with heat. “Nope. I wanted to do it after I undressed you in front of the fire. If the circumstances had been different, I’d have kissed and tasted you everywhere, then made love to you all night.”

“We’d just met,” she protested, warmth flooding through her.

Slate’s gaze briefly dropped to her pussy, still only inches away from his mouth, before he met her eyes once more. “Yep,” he agreed. “We had just met, but I was already smitten.”

***

After showering together, leisurely and slow, they got dressed in the master bedroom. Ashleigh’s pink suitcase was atop the dresser, and she rummaged through it, watching Slate’s lips quirk as she pulled out her lacy bra and panties. He loved seeing Ashleigh in her feminine things, the two of them polar opposites in many ways. Ashleigh’s belongings were pretty, a mix of colors and fabrics. Slate was efficient, his clothing practical and utilitarian, neatly organized like the rest of his life.

She’d never expected to fall in love with a man like him, always imagining she’d end up with someone in a regular nine-to-five job. Ironic given that her own career was ever-changing, with her writing schedule set entirely by her. Slate worked long hours during operations, spending more time on base than home. He was demanding of the teams he commanded, expecting the best from his men and accepting no less. While he was orderly in the rest of his life, gruff and intense, he was also sweeter than she’d ever have imagined him to be when they’d first met.

Slate tugged on his boxer briefs, adjusting himself. While they hadn’t made love yet again this morning, she’d given him a quick hand job in the shower, loving the way she could make her strong, alpha male lose complete control. He’d wrapped her in a towel after their steamy shower, but after drying off himself, he’d strut into the bedroom completely naked, his entire muscled body on display.

He pulled on a pair of jeans next, shooting her a look as she stood there watching him. “Need some help deciding what to wear?” he teased, noticing she’d stopped looking through her suitcase to watch him instead.

Ashleigh smiled, warmth flooding through her. “Nope. Just enjoying the show.”

Slate smirked and stalked toward her, gently unwrapping the towel that was loosely fastened at her breasts. “Ummm,” he murmured as the damp fabric fell to the floor. “I feel like I’m unwrapping my Christmas present.”

She playfully swatted him away, grabbing her clothes. “Slate. We’ll never eat breakfast at this rate.”

“Sorry,” he said, not looking apologetic in the least.

Slate palmed a pair of her panties and helped her into them as Ashleigh flushed, her bare breasts bouncing with her movement. “Shame to cover this all,” he joked as she slid on her bra.

Ashleigh shot him a withering look, and he chuckled. She pulled on leggings and another soft sweater, watching as Slate turned to grab a shirt from his duffle bag. Her man was neat and efficient, no doubt. While she was organized in general, the room currently looked like her suitcase had exploded in it as she’d dug through to find what she wanted to wear.

Slate took her hand and guided her down the hall, and Ashleigh’s gaze fell on the blankets on the floor by the fireplace. “Wait, you left everything scattered on the floor?” she joked. “That’s not like you.”

“Like I’d leave you naked and alone in bed,” he replied, his voice gruff.

She giggled, and Slate tugged her the rest of the way to the kitchen. “I’ll clean it up later—or take you back to the living room and ravish you again.”

She licked her lips, flashing him a look. They might’ve lived together for a year, but this almost felt like a honeymoon of sorts. Ironic given they weren’t even married yet. But returning to the spot where she and Slate first met? There was something romantic as hell about it, especially knowing he’d arranged for the decorations and presents.

“This is late for you to be having breakfast,” Ashleigh commented as he crossed the kitchen to start the coffee.

“It is, but it was totally worth it,” Slate said as he glanced back over his shoulder, a gleam in his green eyes. “It’s not my choice to leave you in bed and get to base at the crack of dawn back home. We’re on vacation, right? I might as well enjoy the benefits.”

“We are—oh my gosh, it really snowed!” she said excitedly, opening the blinds to look through the kitchen windows. “There must be a couple of inches out there.”

“We’re in the mountains, Ash. It snowed here last year, too.”

Ashleigh shot him a look.

“What?” he asked, his lips curling in a smile. “There was already snow on the ground when we arrived yesterday, and we knew it was in the forecast.” Slate pulled his phone from his pocket as the coffee began to brew, briefly glancing at it before turning his attention back to her.

“It just feels so magical here,” she finally said. “Like anything could happen.”

“It is only a couple days until Christmas,” he pointed out.

“Why do I have a feeling you have something up your sleeve?” Ashleigh asked, tilting her head as she looked at him.

Slate’s laughter filled the room “Because I surprised you with a Christmas tree, presents, and cabin completely decked out for the holidays?”

“And you were just checking your phone again.”

The smile slid off his face. “Unfortunately, that was some work issues.”

“But everything’s okay?” she questioned.

“For now.”

She frowned, and he crossed the room toward her, brushing back some of her hair. “Hey,” he said, looking into her eyes. “Everything’s okay. You know I have to keep apprised of multiple situations. Even when I’m off-duty, I’m not. I’m just making sure things are as they should be.”

“I know. I love how dedicated you are to your job. It’s a scary world out there,” she added with a shudder.

“That it is,” he agreed, his face darkening. Ashleigh reached up, lightly cupping his cheek. Slate hadn’t shaved yet, but the stubble on his jaw looked masculine and sexy. His eyes softened as he looked at her. “I have another Christmas present for you to open today.”

“I’m still recovering from the last one,” she quipped.

His eyes smoldered. “I rather liked that gift, too. But this one is purely for your enjoyment.”

“You bought me a vibrator?” she deadpanned.

Slate looked surprised for a beat then burst into laughter, playfully collecting her in his embrace. Ashleigh squealed in surprise, and he maneuvered her against the counter, caging her in with his muscular arms. “If I did ever buy you one, it’d be for both of us to enjoy—because I love making you come, Ash,” he said, his voice deep and husky. “Although I much prefer it to be on my mouth or cock.”

She flushed, and he lightly caressed her cheek, running his thumb over her lips. “I love how I can still make you blush. I’ve already explored every single inch of you. Thoroughly.” Her breath caught, and he ducked lower, their breaths intermingling. She could smell his clean, masculine scent and feel the warmth radiating off his muscular body. Slate hovered there for a beat as Ashleigh’s heart thundered in her chest, and she felt pinned in place by the scorching look he gave her. Slate moved infinitesimally closer, the moment making it feel like they were suspended in time, and then his mouth finally met hers in a seductive kiss.

Ashleigh whimpered and yielded to him as Slate took his time tasting her lips, sliding his tongue against hers. He was already growing hard between them but gave her one more slow kiss before pulling back.

“We should take vacations together more often,” she said breathlessly when they finally came up for air.

He licked his lips, smirking. “That we should. But don’t worry, aside from today’s present, I still have a few more surprises for this trip.” Her eyes lit up, but he chuckled. “That’s for later, sweetheart. Now, what do you want for breakfast?”

“You’re teasing me,” she said.

“Yep.” He looked darn proud of himself, his green eyes dancing with amusement. Slate was stern and serious around the men he commanded but almost a different person entirely with her. She still recalled how shocked his men had been last year when he’d shown up with her in San Diego. She imagined it was somewhat the same with Jett and Anna. Jett’s team was all former military, running black ops. The two of them were opposites in every way.

“You’re no fun,” Ashleigh playfully pouted.

“What if I promise it’ll be worth the wait?” he questioned, his eyes sparking with mischief. “And I’ll even make you breakfast in the meantime.”

Ashleigh smiled as he turned to pour them both cups of coffee. The scent of the dark roast brew had filled the kitchen, and her stomach rumbled. “I guess I’ll have to be patient. And how about omelets for breakfast?” she asked hopefully.

“Omelets it is,” he said. “And thank God you didn’t ask for homemade waffles, because the one time I attempted those, it was a disaster.”

She giggled. “I think I remember that. You were really grumpy afterward.”

Slate muttered under his breath but crossed to the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of eggs and other ingredients. “That’s because the waffle maker was leaking batter all over my kitchen counter and floor. It goes against my neat and orderly ways.”

“Thank God you’re marrying me and not Anna,” she joked. “She makes it look like a hurricane tore through the house when she’s finished with any project—cooking or otherwise.”

“Indeed,” he said with a smirk. “Having Anna as my sister-in-law is more than enough trouble some days.”

“But you’re making her my sister, too,” Ashleigh said with a smile. “And for that, I’m grateful. Who would’ve thought? It’s almost like something out of one of my books. Two best friends marrying two brothers.”

Slate chuffed out a laugh but got to work chopping veggies for their omelets.

Ashleigh’s phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, and surprise washed over her as she picked it up to read a text from her own sister.

Bentley: Merry Early Christmas! Change of plans. We’re still in town! Let’s get together later this week, okay?

Bentley: Enjoy your romantic Christmas with your honey! ;)

Ashleigh’s jaw dropped. “Oh my gosh, I thought my sister was flying somewhere tropical and warm for Christmas with her family,” Ashleigh said as she looked over at Slate. “They’re still in Seattle!”

“Oh yeah?” he asked as he cracked some eggs in a bowl and began whisking them.

“Yes, I can’t believe it. She just texted me that we should get together later in the week.”

Slate turned and kissed the frown off her face, his lips quirking. “That sounds like a good plan. We’re only an hour from Seattle.”

“Definitely. I was so bummed they wouldn’t be here when we flew up from California,” she said, quickly thumbing a message back to her sister. “I wonder why she waited until now to tell me? Anyhow. Not that I mind alone time with you, but this is perfect. We’ll get to see my niece, nephew, and brother-in-law, too. Shoot. I already mailed their gifts ages ago.”

“I’m sure they’ll be happy to see us either way,” Slate assured her. “Jett mentioned they might fly out here, too,” he said casually as he turned his attention toward the stove.

“What?” Ashleigh asked in surprise.

He nodded, melting some butter in the frying pan and grabbing the chopped veggies to sauté. “They’ll probably go skiing or something. Don’t worry. He told me they’re getting a hotel in the city. We’ll make plans to see them, too.”

Ashleigh frowned again, watching Slate. “I just texted Anna yesterday. She didn’t say anything about coming out here to Washington.”

“You know Anna,” he said, lifting one broad shoulder. “She probably woke up this morning and decided it.”

“But how’d you know about it then?”

Slate poured the whisked eggs into the pan, the sizzling sound filling the air. Ashleigh shook her head as she picked up her mug of coffee again, taking a sip. “It just seems strange, right? Both of them ending up in Seattle when we’re here? I mean, what are the chances?”

A loud rapping on the front door had her nearly spilling her coffee in surprise, and Slate glanced out the window. “It’s a delivery truck. That must be one of your presents.”

“What in the world?” she asked as he directed her to watch the stove while he answered the front door. Ashleigh moved the eggs around in the frying pan with the spatula, the scent of onions and mushrooms filling the kitchen. She watched out the window as Slate signed for the package and then came back inside with a big grin on his face.

“Do I get to see what it is?” she asked as he set a brown box on the counter.

“Maybe after we eat.” He took the spatula from her, looking rather proud of himself for whatever secret present had arrived, and pulled out his phone again to check his texts.

“Slate,” she pleaded. “What’s going on? What’s this big surprise you’re plotting? Gifts are arriving. People I didn’t expect to see are coming to Seattle at the same time as us. Aren’t you going to tell me?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he promised.

“How soon?”

“When the surprise is ready.” The corner of his lips tugged up in a smile. She playfully pouted at him but moved away from the stove so that he could finish cooking. “I might give you your gift tomorrow,” she told him, taking another sip of her steaming coffee.

“On Christmas Eve?” His green gaze flicked toward her.

“Maybe. I’m pretty excited about it, and you’ve already been arranging surprises for me,” she pointed out. “I don’t know if I want to wait until Christmas morning to give you your present.”

“You’re all the present I need,” he told her, his gaze possessive as it briefly raked over her body. Ashleigh wanted to shiver in delight. He locked eyes with her, then turned his attention back to the stove again. She stared at him for a moment, watching him cook breakfast. Slate’s broad shoulders and back tapered down to a narrow waist. The jeans he had on hugged his ass and muscled thighs to perfection.

Her man was most definitely in peak physical condition.

“How much snow was out there?” she asked, finally crossing the kitchen to get out silverware before setting the table.

“Just a couple of inches. I’ll head out and shovel later to clear the driveway.”

“You’re not going to want me to help, are you?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

His low chuckle filled the room. “I’ll handle it, Ash.”

She pantomimed wiping her brow. “Whew! You know cold weather and I don’t mix.”

“And yet you came here alone last winter.”

“To write by a cozy fire, not ski down black diamond slopes before I winterized the cabin and hiked through the snowy woods. Although really, sometimes I do wonder what Anna was thinking. What if I’d fallen outside when I was bringing in firewood or something? No one would’ve been around to help me. I couldn’t even get a cell signal that first night.”

Slate’s face darkened. “We’re lucky they set us up—in more ways than one.”

A few minutes later, they were both sitting at the table eating their steaming hot omelets, filled with veggies and melted cheese. “These are delicious,” Ashleigh told him before taking another bite. “I’m impressed.”

“I’m improving my culinary skills now that I have someone to cook for,” Slate admitted. “And since I’m the morning person between the two of us, starting with cooking breakfast makes the most sense.”

“Good point. But in my defense, I like to stay up late writing. There’s really no reason for me to be up early every morning.”

“No reason?” he teased, waggling his eyebrows as she flushed. Slate often woke her up before he headed in to work, burying his head between her thighs and feasting on her. After making love, sometimes hard and fast, other times slow and sweet, she’d fall back into a blissful sleep while he got ready and headed into base for the day.

“Well, maybe just a few,” she conceded, warmth washing over her.

Slate smirked. “I even ordered the groceries myself and arranged for them to be here when we arrived at the cabin. Of course, Lena prepared the dinners in advance.”

“You didn’t pack any MREs this time,” she teased.

“Jett has a stash here,” Slate said with a straight face.

“Really?”

He nodded. “It makes sense to keep canned goods and supplies at the cabin. What if we were snowed in? Stranded? The delivery truck got through now, but if we get heavy snow, it can take a while for the roads to be cleared. And a blizzard? We’d be snowed in for days.”

She shivered. “That’s a good point. Last year, you were going to stock their deep freezer with deer. Did Jett give up on that idea?”

Slate nodded. “Anna wasn’t ever a fan of his hunting, and honestly, Jett’s too busy nowadays for that. He’s got work and family responsibilities. He came out here more when he was single. It doesn’t make sense to fill the deep freezer. Canned goods will last longer.”

“I wonder what’ll happen to the cabin?” Ashleigh mused. “Do you think he’ll keep it?”

“Well, he technically sold it so that it’s no longer in his name. The corporation that purchased it is a shadow company, however. He still owns it. After everything that happened last year, Jett wanted to make it more secure without getting rid of the cabin entirely.”

“Are you serious?” she asked in surprise. “He set up a shadow company just to purchase the cabin?”

Slate nodded. “Or he used one already in existence. I’m sure Anna knows about the sale of the cabin but doesn’t care too much about the details. She’s busy with those three boys of theirs now.”

“She does have her hands full,” Ashleigh agreed.

When they’d finished eating and cleared the table, Slate pulled out his pocket knife to cut open the packaging of the box that had arrived. “The gift inside isn’t wrapped,” he warned. “There was a delay in shipping. As much as I thought through the details, I don’t think there’s any Christmas wrapping paper here for me to use.”

“I’m still surprised any of the gifts were wrapped and waiting here,” she admitted. “Let alone the Christmas tree, lights outside….” She beamed at him. “I love it so much.”

“Lena flew out last week to help get everything ready.”

“Really? I thought she worked at Shadow Security Headquarters.”

“She must be traveling for work or the holidays,” Slate murmured. “God knows Jett pays her well. He’s got his employees flying all over the place.”

“That’s true,” she said. “And of course Lena was here if she cooked all those meals for us. I’m still kind of in amazement you went through all this trouble to have it decorated for me.”

“It was worth it to see the smile on your face,” he told her. He finished slicing through the packing tape and opened the cardboard box, focused on whatever was inside. Slate rustled around for a moment, removing the inside packaging, and then Ashleigh looked at Slate in surprise as he pulled out a velvet jewelry box. “You already have a diamond ring on your finger, but I thought this would look nice on you, too,” he said, looking slightly nervous.

Ashleigh felt her heart beating faster. It wasn’t like Slate to ever look worried, but she could see that he was anxious over this particular gift. She took the box from him with trembling hands. “Slate, you don’t have to buy me fancy jewelry or presents.”

“I know, but I wanted to.”

She flipped open the lid, looking in surprise at the gorgeous necklace nestled inside. It was delicate, with tiny diamonds interspersed along the gold chain. It also looked quite expensive. “It’s so beautiful,” she breathed, lightly fingering the necklace. “Thank you.” Tears smarted her eyes, and Slate leaned in and kissed her forehead tenderly.

“I have to admit Anna helped me with this. She said you needed something beautiful to wear on our wedding day.” He cleared his throat. “I wanted you to have it now.”

“It’s for our wedding? I love it,” she said, stretching up to her tiptoes and throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait to wear it when we finally get married.” She removed the necklace from the velvet box, holding it up to the light to admire the sparkling diamonds. “Of course, we need to decide on a date first. I want to look at dresses one day when we visit Seattle.”

“I love the idea of you in a wedding gown. I’ll put the necklace on you,” he said huskily, taking it from her and fumbling with the tiny clasp.

She lifted her long, blonde hair aside as he moved behind her. Slate’s big hands brushing against her skin made her break out in goosebumps, and then the necklace was in place, Slate’s thick fingers trailing under the delicate chain, ending at her cleavage. She could feel his strength and warmth as he hovered behind her, sense the gentle huff of his breath, and breathe in his clean, masculine scent.

The kitchen was a mess, she had writing to get to, and she knew Slate would want to check in with his teams at some point this morning besides doing that shoveling he’d mentioned. She felt lost in the moment though, standing here in the cozy kitchen of the cabin, her man hovering behind her like she was the only thing in the world.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured. His hand slid up past her collarbone, and he lightly wrapped his hand around her neck as he pressed his lips to her temple. “Beautiful and all mine,” he declared, his voice deep with desire.

“Yours,” she agreed, turning to meet his lips in a hot, slow kiss. Her breath caught for a moment, and then he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the blankets in the living room so he could show her all the ways she was his.