Chapter 27
Winter
Caden drops his gaze with a husky laugh, his smile-creases flexing as he shakes his head.
I bite my thumb as I tease softly, “Are you going to make me stand over here all on my own?”
He meets my eyes with a handsome grin, absently tugging his wet shirt away from his chest.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, his voice deep and apologetic, before lumbering that beautiful body toward me across the room.
He smooths his palms over his snow-soaked hair and I beam up at him as I envelop his shoulders, the warm bedside lamp making the room seem cozy, an intimate hideaway from the mountains outside.
“I can’t believe that you’re here,” he rumbles, dropping his hands so that he can grip my waist.
Then he grunts softly as I kiss his cheek.
“I had to see you on your birthday.”
His smile widens, dimpling his cheeks, and I squeal with delight as he grabs my jaw and kisses me, his mouth firm and possessive as he gathers me roughly against his heaving chest.
He hunches lower, stroking my jaw, before slowly slipping his tongue inside my mouth, groaning huskily as he backs me toward his bed, his warm strokes sliding deeper and deeper.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he rumbles softly, and I hold him tighter, my heartbeat pounding.
“I got you something,” I whisper hoarsely.
He shakes his head. “This is all I need.”
I bite my smile. “It’s only small.”
He squeezes my waist. “So is this.”
I laugh at that and shove his chest, shimmering with happiness as he smirks down at me. The navy fabric of his fitted suit jacket strains around his biceps as he holds me in place.
“You’ll like it,” I promise encouragingly, and he looks down at me in silence before releasing a sigh.
He nods and murmurs, “Okay, baby.”
I jump up to kiss the tan skin of his jaw. “Yay!”
He chuckles as I turn in his arms, grabbing the little treat from the bed before facing him again. Then I hold it out between us and his mouth curves in appreciation as he meets my eyes.
“I… I made you a cake,” I whisper, feeling kind of… nervous now that he’s looking at it. “It’s meant to be strawberries and cream,” I rasp softly, “but I guess that it got a little bashed around in my hand-luggage.”
His chest rises and falls as he looks into my eyes, still caressing my back. “It’s perfect.”
I peek up at him with a little smile. “Do you want to try it?” I ask hopefully.
His eyes crinkle at the sides and he nods his head, hunching down slightly as I hold it up for him.
I peel the baby pink wrapper from the side and he angles his head so that he can take a bite.
It’s essentially a really big strawberries-and-cream cupcake, with a sweet jelly filling and a frosted top.
And from the low rumble in Caden’s throat after he takes a bite, I think that he’s into it.
His Adam’s apple rolls as he swallows and his irises sparkle as he squeezes my waist. “It’s real good,” he murmurs, before hunching down again to take another bite.
My eyes bounce between the little cake and Caden, watching his jaw flex as he finishes half of it, and his dimples flicker with amusement when he sees my tiny smile.
I peek up at him from under my lashes and whisper innocently, “You can share it if you want.”
His broad chest shakes with gorgeous laughter, so deep and warm, as his white shirt strains.
“Here, baby,” he chuckles, using two fingers and his thumb to tear into the cake, and then he holds it in front of my mouth, gently brushing it against my lips for me to take it.
My heart flutters happily and he watches me bite it, his chest heaving steadily as he holds my gaze.
“Have you eaten today?” he asks, licking the cream from his thumb as I swallow my portion, and then I hold the rest of the cupcake up for him, smiling up at him as he finishes it off.
“Yeah,” I tell him softly, “I ate enough before I got on the plane.”
He takes the empty wrapper from my hands, chuckling when he sees how sugary my fingers are, and I bite my smile when he rumbles quietly and starts licking the cream from my fingertips.
His shoulders rise and fall in a steady rhythm as he watches me take in the sight of him in his suit, a playful glint in his heated eyes as he swipes his tongue over the pad of my thumb.
I laugh at the ticklish sensation and his dimples flex, biting me softly.
Then I stroke my free hand through his hair and his chest expands as he kisses my palm.
“How was the hockey dinner?” I ask.
He smirks and deadpans, “Real romantic. A Valentine’s Day dinner with a hundred other guys. Definitely how I wanted to spend my evening.”
Then we’re both laughing as he stands upright, his mouth curved in a lazy grin as he pulls me in for a kiss, the intimate rasp of stubble on skin the only sound in the quiet room.
He squeezes my waist and grunts softly, before reluctantly pulling away so that he can reach over to the nightstand.
“What is it?” I whisper.
His voice is like gravel. “We need a Kleenex.”
And I realise why when he lifts my palm and starts gently cleaning it.
I peek at the big box by his bed and whisper, “I wonder what those are there for.”
Caden looks down at me with an amused smile. “You know what they’re for.”
“And what are they there for?” I whisper playfully.
He grins as he shakes his head, and then we’re both laughing as he murmurs, “For whenever I think of you.”
Then he discards the tissue, grips my hips, and I giggle as he hunches down to kiss me, his broad shoulders heaving under my fingertips as a husky groan leaves his chest.
“I love this dress on you,” he murmurs, his voice unbelievably deep as I slip my fingers beneath his jacket, exposing the snow-drenched breadth of his chest as I push the navy fabric down his biceps.
He tugs the sleeves, freeing himself from the suit, and he drops it behind him as his gaze trails down my body, his large frame dominating the space as he looks me over with barely restrained hunger.
Then two warm hands encircle my waist and his mouth meets mine, gentle and coaxing. He caresses me slowly with a husky groan, and then gathers me closer as he deepens the kiss.
My fingers tremble as I reach up for his tie and I inhale shakily as I try to loosen it.
His voice is so low that it reverberates through me.
“Pull it harder,” he orders roughly.
“I’m trying,” I whisper, laughing nervously as the tie refuses to loosen.
I bite my lip, brow furrowed in concentration, and a hint of a smirk touches his handsome mouth.
And then he chuckles as he pulls me closer, placing his fingers over mine and helping me unravel it.
I ease the tie slowly down his chest, and his shoulders swell steadily as he watches me free him of it.
Then he rubs my waist as he looms over me, his eyes half-mast. “We can use that if you want.”
I bite back my smile as I look up at him. “The tie?” I ask softly.
His dimples flex as he searches my eyes, before he murmurs a husky, “Yeah.”
“What would I do with it?” I whisper.
“You could tie it around my wrists.”
I giggle at that, my heart pounding, and he scrapes his stubble up the curve of my neck, his big palms slowly massaging my back as he pulls me closer, chuckling quietly.
“It wouldn’t fit around your forearms,” I whisper teasingly, and he stands to his full height, caressing my nape.
A seductive smile tugs at his mouth as he looks me over and rumbles, “Try it.”
I jump up on my tip-toes to reach his lips, and he chuckles against me as he lets me kiss him, his warm palm bracketing my jaw as his mouth caresses mine in the rustic glow of the room.
Then I pull back and look down at his forearms, the strain of his muscles visible beneath his snow-dampened shirt, and I carefully wrap the tie around his wrists, my cheeks dimpling as he starts to chuckle.
“Like that?” I whisper, and he smirks down at me as I finish tying the bow, pulling it taut as his broad hands flex, but not so much as to hurt him.
“You’re so cute,” he rumbles, and then he pulls his wrists apart, his biceps bunching as he rips the knot and catches the fabric before it falls to the floor.
I gape up at him, impressed and, honestly, a little scared.
“Tighter, baby,” he tells me, hunching down to give me another kiss.
“That had a double knot!” I exclaim, and he laughs huskily as he holds his wrists between us.
“Come on, strong girl,” he rumbles, and I bite my lip in concentration as I try again, howling in defeat when he smirks down at me, bunches his biceps, and rips it open.
“Caden!” I laugh, and he hurls the tie in the direction of his pillows, gripping his strong hands around my thighs and hauling me upward, into his arms.
“Fuck the tie,” he rumbles, and I nod quickly, raking my fingers through his hair.
“Eff the tie,” I agree, and he growls quietly before grabbing my jaw.
He kisses me deep, groaning roughly, and he carries me in his arms to the bottom of the bed, ripping the quilt cover back with one hand as his large quads hit the mattress.
“Did you lock the door?” I ask breathlessly, and he pulls back for a second so that he can glance at the handle.
His chest heaves as he faces me again and he rumbles, “The guys won’t be coming home tonight.”
I bite my lip as I stroke his stubble.
“But I’ll lock it anyway,” he promises deeply, and I reward him with a gentle kiss before he drops me on his dark sheets.
He lumbers heavily to the door, his chest swelling as he locks it, and then he gives it a sturdy shake, letting me know that no-one is getting in here tonight.
I giggle in anticipation as I scooch backward, his deep chuckle warming me as he mounts the bed, and I glance over my shoulder when I nudge something furry, squealing with delight when I realise what it is.
I grab the piglet and squeeze it against my chest as Caden towers over me with a handsome smirk, tugging my thighs on either side of his waist as he settles his body onto his haunches.
“You keep her in bed with you?” I squeal happily, and Caden smiles down at me as he starts unbuttoning his shirt.
“Yeah,” he rumbles. “She’s my second favorite piglet.”