Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
RAINE
E verett wasn’t kidding. The snow is like a thick blanket falling down on us as we head inside the cabin. My body feels like it’s frozen. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes in my boots. Pushing the front door open, Everett lets me inside. Snow clings to my hair as I drag it over my shoulder and shrug out of his coat, leaving a chill along my limbs I’m afraid will never go away.
“I’m gonna shower,” I announce, hoping the hot water will defrost my already chilled bones.
“I’ll start a fire,” he replies.
“Perfect.”
I undress quickly and step into the shower. As I lather my hair with shampoo, I let the heat from the water warm me when, all of a sudden, I’m blanketed in darkness. My lungs stall, and I look through the glass toward the closed bathroom door, but all I’m greeted with is pitch black. I blink a few times, willing my eyes to adjust to the lack of light quickly as I call out, “Everett?”
Silence .
My heart stutters in my chest, and I wipe the fog clinging to the glass with my hand. “Ev?”
A loud knock against the closed door causes me to jump.
“Raine?” Everett’s muffled voice echoes through the wooden barrier. “Raine, the storm must have knocked the power out. You okay?”
I nod on reflex, despite knowing Everett can’t see me. I clear my throat, answering, “Uh, yeah. Yeah. I’m okay.” I let out a soft laugh. “I can’t see a thing.”
“Yeah it’s pitch black out here, too. Do you have your phone?”
“It’s on the charger in my room.”
“Shit.” He hesitates. “I promise I’m not looking, all right?” The hinges squeak quietly as he opens the door. Barely any light spills in from the fire in the main room, but Everett’s eyes are squeezed shut nonetheless as his phone practically blinds me with its flashlight.
Partially covering my eyes, I peek through my fingers, and ask, “Don’t you need the light?”
“I’ll be fine.”
He starts to set his cell on the counter, but I call out, “Stay where you are, but give me two seconds, okay?”
His movement stops. He drops his head back, looking toward the ceiling while keeping his eyes closed as I hurry to rinse the rest of the conditioner from my hair. Once I finish, I turn the water off and reach for the towel on the hook outside the shower. As I wrap it around my body, I realize how strained the muscles in Everett’s jaw are. My eyes slowly lower, and I take him in. If I didn’t know any better, I’d expect him to steal a peek at my naked body.
He won’t, though. The man doesn’t have a slimy bone in his body.
My attention catches on the bulge in his slacks, and I hesitate. Okay, he might have one bone in his body that’s curious. Or maybe it’s how the little light bit of light in the room hits his pants. Yeah. It could easily be nothing.
Okay, nothing is a bit of a stretch, since there is most definitely something in the front of his pants.
But why are you still looking?!
I gaze down at my feet, tuck the edge of the towel into itself by my breasts, and step closer to Everett. It’s quiet. I can hear his steady breaths. The soft brush of my bare feet against the tile. My unsteady heartbeat as I inch closer to him, daring him to open his eyes. To prove he’s like every other guy I’ve ever been around.
When I reach him, I glance at the door and look back at the man in front of me. My touch is gentle as I drag my fingers against his phone-wielding hand. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it.
“You can open,” I whisper.
Those baby blues hit like a wrecking ball as he lifts his lids and looks down at me. They slide down my body for the briefest of seconds then lock with mine.
“You good?” he rasps.
I nod, attempting to ignore the magnetic pull I feel whenever he’s around. Like a string, it weaves through me, binding me to him and making it impossible for either of us to walk away. To leave the room or acknowledge exactly how little space is left between my towel-covered body and his.
“Why didn’t you peek?” I whisper.
“What?”
“Why didn’t you peek?” I repeat. “Every other guy would’ve peeked.”
His Adam’s apple bobs. “Didn’t want you to feel like a piece of meat.” He grabs my wrist, placing his phone in my palm. “Dress in something warm. I don’t know how long the heat will be off, but I have the fire going. I’ll meet you in the family room. ”
I nod and watch as he walks away, leaving me alone and even more confused than ever. Considering the whirlwind mess of my brain right now, that’s saying something.
I think I like him. Scratch that. I know I like him. I like him a lot, actually. And earlier tonight? When I heard him call someone babe, it felt like a knife to my chest, only for him to pull it out a few inches when we were dancing at SeaBird, and he called me Stormie.
It doesn’t really matter, though. I’m still lost. Still a project. Still an obligation.
My cheeks puff out as I force the oxygen from my lungs and make my way into my bedroom. Once I’m dressed in a hoodie and sweats, I head back to the family room. The fire is blazing, the orange and yellow flames licking at each other and highlighting Everett’s unreadable expression as he stares into it. He changed, too. Now, he’s sporting a pair of sweats and a dark T-shirt stretched across his chest.
What are you thinking, Everett Taylor?
Feeling like I’m intruding on something, I rock back on my heels and whisper, “Hey.”
He glances over his shoulder, and his eyes roll down my body like they did before. “Hey.”
Stepping closer, I hand him his phone and force a smile. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“The power’s still out,” I note.
“Yeah, it does this sometimes. I was thinking…”
“Yes?”
“You should sleep by the fire.”
I glance at the roaring blaze, then back at Ev. “And where will you sleep?”
“I’ll grab a couple extra blankets?—”
“Ev.” I reach for his hand. “I think the family room’s big enough for both of us, don’t you? ”
A wrinkle forms in his brows as he studies me carefully. “You sure?”
“Pretty positive.” I smile, and this time, it’s more real—more genuine—as I fold my arms. “Although, I think we might still need those extra blankets. It’s freezing.”
He chuckles while dragging me into him and hugging me, letting me steal his warmth as he rubs his hands up and down my arms and back. “Want to build a fort?”
“A fort?”
When he nods, his chin hits the top of my head. “Yeah. Fin and I used to build them all the time when we were kids. What do you say?”
“I’ve never built a fort.”
“You’ve never built a fort?”
I shake my head, but before I can feel embarrassed, a grin practically splits his face in two. “Stay here.”
Like a whirlwind, he disappears down the hall, reappearing with his arms full of blankets and pillows. Dropping them at my feet, he jogs into the kitchen and returns with a container full of chip clips.
“Here.” He offers them to me, dashes back to the kitchen, and drags each of the chairs into the family room, creating a large half circle in front of the fire. When I finally catch on to what he’s doing, I grab the blankets from the floor, help spread them out, and use the chip clips to secure the edges to the chairs, creating our own homemade cave. The entrance opens to the fire, and despite the lack of a furnace, once we’re tucked inside, all I feel is warmth.
It’s…peaceful.
The crackling fire acts like our own personal DJ and flashlight all at once, making me want to curl up and read a book. I would, too, if it wasn’t so late. It’s been a long day—a really long day—and I’m not the only one feeling it.
I peek at Everett as he shifts the blankets around us, mentally checking every box on his list to make sure we’re comfortable for the night.
“Do you always take care of everyone around you?” I ask.
He hesitates. “What?”
“I said, do you always take care of everyone around you? Me. Reeves. Dylan. Finley.”
His mouth twitches. “Reeves would kill you if he knew you added him to the list.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” I argue, not even bothering to hide my amusement. “He’d probably call you his man-wife for all the heavy lifting you’ve done in his life lately.”
He snorts. “At least it makes me the husband in the relationship.”
“What about Griff? Are you his man-wife, too?”
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “Griffin’s the real rock. Keeps his head down. Focuses on hockey. Tries to make his dad proud.”
“I bet,” I murmur. “Not sure what’s up with him and Fin, though.”
Everett frowns. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” I hedge. “It’s just…Finley told us Drew made her promise to kind of…cut ties with him.”
Everett’s eyes widen. “Who, Griffin?”
I nod.
“Why?”
My shoulder lifts. “I don’t know? I think Drew is jealous.”
Everett chuckles dryly. “Drew has nothing to worry about.”
“You sure?”
“Griff doesn’t look at her in that way.”
I bite my lip to keep from arguing with him, well aware he’s more in tune with his family’s dynamics than I’ll ever be.
Lifting the edge of the blanket for me, he adds, “Come on. Let’s get some rest. ”
With the glow of the fire, I bring the blanket up to my chest and close my eyes, trying to find sleep.
But I can’t convince my brain to shut off. To let me relax. Not when Everett’s beside me. Not when I can feel him so close.
I face his back, watching his body move up and down with every breath until my own breathing matches it. Not on purpose. It’s like any time I’m around him, we sync. We find our cadence. Our rhythm. And I’m tired of fighting it.
Licking my lips, I whisper, “Hey, Ev?”
The blanket rustles, but he doesn’t face me. “Yeah, Raine?”
“W-why didn’t you peek in the bathroom?”
He rolls onto his side and faces me. “Are you serious?”
“I want to know.”
“I already told you.”
“I’m not a piece of meat,” I repeat his words from earlier.
“Did you want me to look?”
The weight of his words sits on my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. Did I want him to look? I should say no. Obviously. But the truth is…I don’t know. Maybe? Is it so wrong if I kind of did? And what does it mean? What would the fallout be?
I’m so used to walking on eggshells, careful of every single word I say, always keeping my thoughts and feelings close to my chest in hopes of not rocking the boat. Of not causing ripples. But the truth is the idea of saying no. The idea of denying the pull I feel with the man I’m sharing a homemade fort with feels wrong. So damn wrong if I even think of saying that stupid two-letter word in response to his question about whether or not I wanted him to look at me naked makes me sick to my stomach, full of regret. Makes me question my sanity entirely. How could I not want him to look? I’ve already shared one of my most vulnerable parts with the guy, and instead of letting me down, he let me in. He had my back, albeit grudgingly.
“Stormie?” he prods. “Did you want me to look?”
I nod slowly. “Yeah. Yeah, Ev. I think I did.”
A solid ten seconds pass, but I swear it’s more like thirty as the light reflects off his light blue eyes, his expression unreadable. A mask of restraint.
Until…
His movements are slow—controlled—as he rolls on top of me and cages me in, resting his weight on his forearms on either side of my head. He pins me to the ground, and even though I can’t move beneath him, I’m not scared. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt safer.
Bending closer, his breath kisses my lips before his lips follow with a soft caress. My heart soars, and I open my mouth, letting him in as his tongue sweeps against mine. He tastes like mouthwash, and I smile against him. He dives deeper, adding more pressure, turning me into a puddle beneath him.
Clutching at his T-shirt, I tug him closer, loving the feel of him pressed against me as the fire crackles near our feet. It’s sexy and romantic and feels like coming home. Time slows as my pulse races with every touch. Every dip of his tongue. Every caress of his lips.
If this is what a real kiss feels like, I can only imagine what it would feel like to give him everything. Every broken piece, knowing he’s the only one patient enough to put me back together.
An ache builds between my legs, so I shift beneath him, spreading my thighs a few inches. As if he can read my thoughts, he groans against my mouth, tearing his lips away and resting his forehead against mine.
“Storm.”
“Ev. ”
“Tell me you want to go to sleep. Tell me this isn’t real. Tell me?—”
“Kiss me again.”
His mouth is on mine in an instant, and I loop my arms around his neck, arching my back off the cushioned ground, spreading my legs fully and hooking them around his waist. It feels good. Having him there. Feeling him there. Feeling him all around. His scent. His heat. His quiet groans and the slight shift of his hips.
A small voice in my head whispers how this is a bad idea. He’ll hurt me the same way Drake did. The same way Drake’s still trying to.
But then I remember how Everett didn’t peek. It’s such a simple thing. A silly thing, really. Proving he isn’t an asshole in the smallest, most insignificant way, yet it holds more weight than he’ll ever understand.
I kiss him harder, praying he can feel it. My need. To connect. To feel. To be with someone. Someone who looks at me like a person instead of…dammit, I don’t even know?—
Everett pulls away from me again, shifting and grabbing onto my waist right above my hip bone with his strong hand as he stops me from grinding against him.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper.
“Who are you here with, Raine?”
I blink slowly, refusing to acknowledge the burn behind my eyes.
“I’m not him,” he grits out.
And I can’t tell if he’s angry at me or himself or?—
“I’m. Not. Him,” he repeats.
His words wash over me like water. Hot. Almost scalding. Leaving me raw and vulnerable. But it’s a good burn. An addictive burn. One I want to lose myself in. To wrap myself up in.
“I know,” I whisper. “I know you’re not him. ”
“Do you?”
Opening my eyes, I meet his icy blue ones and nod. “I do. Trust me, I do.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
“Because I’m terrified of this ending before it even has a chance to begin.”
His eyes fall to my lips, his hand moves away from my hip, and he cradles my face. It only makes me fall faster.
This man. Who is this man? He’s kind and patient and bossy and talented. He’s nothing like Drake and everything I want, which is both terrifying and exhilarating, all wrapped up into one complicated contradiction. And even though I feel like I’m being torn apart, I also feel like I’m being put back together again.
Please put me back together again, Everett.
I lift my chin, silently begging him to put me out of my misery, and by some miracle, he obliges. Shadows dance around us on the flimsy cotton walls as he bends down and kisses me once more. It’s the same slow, soft kiss from moments ago. And I melt even more.
With a soft whimper, I cup his cheeks, letting my legs fall open even wider. Nibbling my bottom lip, he moves his hands lower, pushes my hoodie up, peppering kisses along my jaw and neck, and moves to my bare stomach. I squirm beneath him as the heat of his mouth tattoos every inch when his thumbs hook along the hem of my sweats, and he pushes them down, exposing my most intimate places to him.
“Look around, Raine,” he rasps. “This isn’t a show. This isn’t for anyone but you.”
Me. This is for me.
“Ev…”
My words die in my throat as he kisses my center with the same soft, slow, deliberate movements. Gently, he sweeps his tongue along my slit, moving up to my clit. I jolt on contact, my jaw dropping as I savor the wet heat of his mouth against me.
With a swirl against the bud, he moves his fingers to my entrance and pushes into me. The sweet stretch makes my muscles tremble as I fist the blankets engulfing us.
I haven’t had oral in forever, and holy shit, I almost forgot what I was missing and how good it feels. My breathing turns shallow as he laps at my clit over and over again, pumping his fingers in and out of me at the perfect angle until I swear I see stars.
“So good. So, so good,” I chant under my breath.
The world starts to spin as the pressure builds in my core, leaving me desperate and aching. It’s so strange, wanting to push him away yet pull him closer at the exact same moment. Squeezing my eyes shut, I fall apart against his mouth and fingers as they play me like a fiddle, the tickle of his scruff against my inner thighs acting like the final strike of a match, leaving me blazing.
My jaw drops as tremors of pleasure pulse through me. Over and over again. My eyes roll back in my head. I shift my hips against his mouth, letting him draw out every wave of euphoria until I swear I can’t breathe.
When the sensation is too much, I push his face away from me and try to catch my breath, pulling a low chuckle from his chest as he climbs back up my body.
“Fuck, Stormie. You wanna know what you taste like?” He smirks, caging me in again. “You taste like the fucking rain.” Nudging his nose against mine, he lets me smell myself on his lips, adding, “I’ve always been a sucker for the rain.”
I tilt my head up and kiss him greedily, sucking his tongue into my mouth as I fumble with his joggers. He’s hard and ready in my palm, and it only confirms every single decision I’ve made tonight. To do this. To let my walls down. To break his. To ignore the tiny voice inside my head wondering if he’ll hurt me like Drake did.
The velvet enclosed steel spurs me on when it jerks against my palm. Running my hands up and down his length, I spread my legs even more and drag him against my wet slit.
With a groan, he rips his mouth from mine and growls, “Tell me you’re on birth control.”
“I’m on birth?—”
He shifts his hips forward, thrusting into me, and I gasp. Holy mother of tortilla chips. He’s big. Really big. I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing my body to relax and let him in as he presses his lips to my forehead in a long, slow kiss.
“Fuck,” he rasps. “Sorry.”
With a quiet laugh, I shake my head back and forth. “Don’t apologize.”
“You feel incredible.”
“I’d say the same, but I kind of feel like I’m being split in two, so?—”
“Fuck.”
He starts to pull out of me, but I lock my legs around him, preventing his escape. “Don’t you dare.”
As he stares down at me, he whispers, “I don’t want to hurt you, Raine.”
Oh, the power of words and the many meanings behind them.
I don’t want to hurt you, Raine.
A familiar burn hits the back of my eyes. And it’s strange. Because even though I should be scared. Even though I should be terrified. I’m not. Not with him.
Shifting beneath Everett, I slowly lift my hips to his as I keep our eyes locked, praying he can see and feel and hear my sincerity. “You won’t.”
It takes a second for him to give in. For him to move inside me without being scared of hurting me .
Not going to lie. I kind of like it. The way he wants to put me first. The way he wants to keep me safe. It only confirms my decision to trust him. To let him in. Everett’s used to pushing people away. Not because he doesn’t care. But because he does. I know he does.
“You’re not gonna break me.” I drag my fingers beneath his T-shirt and tickle his lower back.
“Raine,” he rasps.
I cup his cheek with my opposite hand, encouraging him to look at me. “This isn’t my first rodeo, remember? I trust you.”
Giving in, he thrusts into me with more force, and I take every inch, craving the slight burn and the way his face twists with pleasure.
Seriously. Even if this felt bad—which it definitely doesn’t—it would still be worth it. This. All of this. Keeping himself buried deep inside me, he grabs my waist and rolls onto his back, letting me take the lead. I press my hand to his stomach and churn my hips, rubbing myself against him as I rise onto my knees and slide back down his long, hard length. With one hand on my hip and the other slipping between us to where we’re connected, he draws small circles against my clit, and I quicken my pace.
“Seriously, you’re too good at this,” I pant.
He grins up at me. “Helps when you have a good partner.”
I roll my eyes. “Of course it does.”
The scent of sweat and sex clings to the air as I chase my second orgasm. When he adds a little more pressure, I snap, falling into oblivion. His groan follows right after, his cock jerking inside of me. I love it. The lack of barrier. The feel of his heat. His cum. To others, it would look reckless. But I know Everett well enough to know he doesn’t do anything without thinking things through, and he sure as hell doesn’t act impulsively. Which means he’s thought about this. Thought about me. The same way I’ve thought about him since the moment we met.
Reaching up, he grabs the side of my face and drags me down, kissing me all over again as we both come back to earth. Come back to reality and what we’ve done.
We had sex.
I just had sex with Everett Taylor.
And I know I should feel regret. I know I should be second-guessing myself. Instead, all I can think about is how good it feels to be held. To feel him inside of me. To feel his lips against mine as his kisses soften, along with his grasp on my hip.
“Fucking perfect,” he breathes out. “You’re fucking perfect.”
My attention bounces around his face as I search for sincerity. I find it in spades. Snaking his arm around my waist, he rolls me back to our original position, then drops another kiss to the tip of my nose.
“Stay here. I’m gonna grab a towel.”
I nod as he slips out of me and disappears from sight, only to return ten seconds later with the towel he promised.
After he helps me clean up in the fort, I head to the bathroom and finish the job in the still pitch black bathroom before climbing back into the blanket cave we created in the middle of the family room. The floors are cold, and so are my toes as I climb under the covers. When they brush against his ankle, Everett grabs my foot and tucks it between his thighs, letting me steal his warmth.
“Get some rest,” he whispers.
“Okay.”