Twenty #2
“My parents called me earlier today.” Her eyes rounded, forcing a laugh out of me.
I swung my legs out to lay on my side, taking Natalia with me.
Once the front of her body was pressed against mine, I said, “They’re so disappointed that they can’t make it to the Christmas party this year.
Mom is getting better and moving around a lot more, but they think the party might be pushing for too much too soon. ”
“Oh, that’s awful. It didn’t even cross my mind until you brought it up.
I know how much they enjoy the event every year.
” Her fingers drifted into my hair, and I relished the feel of her touch.
I loved it everywhere, wanted more of it in places she hadn’t yet explored.
“I don’t understand what this has to do with you and me, though. ”
My fingertips found the sliver of exposed skin where the hem of her shirt had drifted up her back. “They were curious if you were going to join me for the holiday again.”
“Like, on Christmas Day?”
I nodded. “You’re invited to dinner.”
Her grip on my hair tightened. “Do they know what’s going on between us?”
“I haven’t told them.”
“But you want to do it then?”
My hand slipped fully beneath her shirt and drifted up her back. “I realize you’re enjoying this time we have now to sneak around and keep this private. But I figure it’s going to get more and more difficult to hide when all I want to do is kiss you all the time.”
She shot me a dubious look. “Are you sure about that?”
“That I want to kiss you all the time?”
“Yes.”
“Of course, I am.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” she mumbled, her eyes dropping to my chest.
Confused, I said, “Look at me.”
She tipped her chin up. “Yeah?”
“Why would you say that?”
Pulling her hand from my hair, she waved her arm in the air. “I’m not wearing a watch, but I know it’s been whole minutes since I’ve walked into this cabin, and all I’ve gotten is one kiss on the side of my head.”
I swallowed down the laughter threatening to spill out. “My sincerest apologies, Miss Barton.”
She poked me in the gut with her finger, a shout of surprise escaping from me. I curled my arms around her, urged her onto her back, and brought my body over hers. For several beats, I held Natalia’s seductive stare.
My heartbeat quickened, and my voice became a deep rasp. “I’m sorry. If I’d realized how deeply disappointed you were by my lack of affection the moment you walked through the door, I promise I would’ve taken immediate steps to rectify it.”
“You know now, though,” she reasoned, her voice a touch over a whisper.
My mouth curved into a smile. “I do. And now I’m going to put in massive effort to make it up to you.”
I dropped my head down, my lips brushing over hers. Feeling the shudder that ran through her body, I fully captured her mouth.
It started slow and soft, and I poured every ounce of affection I had for her into that kiss.
But it didn’t end with just the kiss.
Much like had happened ever since the night I’d first kissed her by the campfire, Natalia and I got carried away.
We kissed like it was the first time. We kissed like two love-obsessed teenagers. And we moaned as our hands roamed. I allowed Natalia to get her fill with my body over hers before I rolled us so she was on top of me, and I could feel those gorgeous curves in my hands.
It never went beyond that. Kissing, touching, teasing, and moaning.
And though I wouldn’t have turned down more with her—it was a wonder I could think straight about anything other than that—what we had between us right now was more than enough for me.
Night after night, whether here at my place or across the property at hers, we’d talk and laugh and kiss and touch, and it was everything I needed but never expected to find here.
Here.
At Sandstone Heart.
A place I’d longed to destroy for as long as I could remember.
Now, it was different. Now, this place had a different meaning for me. It wasn’t just the place my father seemed to escape to for all those years when I was a kid.
No.
Now, it was the place that changed my life for the better in such a tremendous way. It was the place that brought this gorgeous, funny, talented, hardworking, and vivacious woman into my life.
Knowing what Sandstone Heart meant to her—even if things didn’t go where I hoped they’d go between us—I wouldn’t be able to follow through on my original plans for this place.
I couldn’t do that to Natalia. I wouldn’t take this away from her.
When a deep groan crawled up my throat at the same time a guttural moan escaped from Natalia, she begrudgingly tore her mouth from mine. Panting heavily, her face flushed and lips swollen, she asked, “Should we take a break for a bit?”
“We can.” I tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “If you need to stop, we can take a break.”
She smiled at me, the sight breathtaking. “I’m pleased to report that you did as you promised and made up for the lack of affection when I first arrived.”
My body vibrated with laughter beneath hers. “Happy to hear it. In my defense, I wasn’t expecting you at the door. Is there a reason you showed up here other than to surprise me?”
Natalia shook her head. “Not really. I just didn’t want to wait any longer to see you, so instead of waiting for you to show up at my place, I decided to come here.”
“Fair enough.”
She hesitated for a beat, her eyes searching my face. “So, we’re going to tell everyone about us by Christmas?”
“If you’re okay with it, I think that’ll be a good time. It’ll give us just a bit more time together without having to worry about anyone else, but it won’t be so long that it becomes more and more difficult to share. What do you think?”
Natalia considered it. “I think that’ll work. Yes, definitely. It’s a great idea.”
“Good.” My hand drifted down over her ass and squeezed. “Did you want to have dinner and watch a movie here, or do you want to walk back to your place now, so we can do it there?”
“I know you aren’t going to let me walk back tonight by myself.”
“I’m happy you’ve finally accepted that.”
She licked her lips as she shook her head. “I don’t mind staying here now to have dinner and watch a movie. In fact, I’d love the change of scenery. But I don’t want you to have to walk me there, only to have to return here.”
There was a small part of me that was prepared to tell her she could invite me to spend the night with her, but I managed to hold myself back.
Clearly, she wasn’t ready to take that step, or she’d have said as much.
That was one thing I knew I could count on with her.
Natalia wouldn’t hide how she was feeling.
When the time was right, whenever she was ready, she’d find a way to communicate that.
“I don’t mind the walk at all,” I told her. “In fact, I like when you spend some time here with me, because after I take you back and return, the scent of you lingers here. It’s nice.”
Her features softened. “So, we can stay here for now to have dinner and watch a movie?”
I nodded. “We can stay here.”
Natalia nibbled her lip. “I might want to kiss you again for being so sweet.”
“It isn’t me who’s going to stop you.”
The sound of her laughter filled the air seconds before she touched her lips to mine. Having dinner was important, but I was beginning to think I could survive for a long time just hearing her laugh and kissing her mouth.