Chapter 26
Sunday
I squeal with giddy fear as I shoot a quick glance back at Jason over my shoulder, my laughter echoing through the snow-covered evergreens as I race higher up the elevated ridge.
This morning Jason went to church in town, before meeting up with his crew to go over a little paperwork in the diner.
And as soon as they’d wrapped up their meeting, he’d headed straight to Casey’s cabin, a handsome smile tugging at his mouth as he waited for me by the front door.
He’d taken one look at the cowgirl boots that I was slipping on and, chuckling quietly, he simply said, “No.”
Which is how my cowgirl boots and my carry-on ended up in the backseat of his truck, and why I’m now racing through the sparkling pines behind his house in my padded snow-boots.
We spent over an hour on his back porch going over various hand-to-hand techniques, his enormous body being surprisingly gentle with me as he positioned us into each move.
And I’d thought that I’d want him to teach me in high-speed, as if we were in an action movie or something, but I relished his unwavering patience and the careful way that he demonstrated each position, moving purposefully in slow-motion so that I’d understand why my body should respond in a certain way, his grip firm and protective as we swapped between offence and defence in the snow.
As my reward for being such a fast learner he laced his fingers through mine and walked us toward his large black snowmobile, reminding me that he’d promised me a ride on it. And seeing as the snow has held back all morning, we decided to seize the opportunity before the inevitable winter storm starts to fall.
He rode us up the ridges slower than he’d go if he was on an SAR mission, not wanting me to doubt the safety of the vehicle when I’m trying to push my fears aside, and I wrapped my arms around his warm abdomen as tightly as I could, my thighs squeezing the sides of his quads as he manoeuvred us through the elevating climb.
And after he killed the engine and wrapped his gloved hands around my thighs, I decided that I wanted to play with him a little.
He heaved himself up off of the vehicle, turned back to help me dismount, and after taking his hand and hopping down, that’s when I did it.
I took off like a bolt of lightning.
He waited a solid five seconds before shooting after me, giving me a decent head-start as excitement sizzled in my stomach.
And what I’ve learned from the past twenty seconds of racing through the pines is that, despite his heaving stature, Jason is fast .
Each step is calculated, his moves are effortless and graceful, and amusement crinkles at the corners of his eyes each time that I turn back to flash him a grin.
And those sexy smile-creases are what distract me for a second too long – making me scream with laughter as he finally captures me, compressing my body against his chest.
Strong forearms band around my waist, tugging me close as he shakes with laughter, and I reach my gloved hand behind my back to playfully shove the sexy smirk off his face.
He laughs harder and squeezes my hips, walking us easily back in the direction of the snowmobile.
“That was good,” he rumbles, amusement lilting his deep voice.
And even with the insane altitude, Jason doesn’t sound remotely exerted. But I’m panting so hard that I have to pause for a second, and Jason caresses my shoulders as he stands behind me, waiting for me to recover.
“How do you run that fast?” I gasp.
“Had something worth catching right in front of me.”
I laugh breathlessly at that, swallowing hard as I calm my inhalations.
“Don’t doubt yourself, Sunday. Seriously, you’re fast. We should come out here in the mornings and we’ll get your speed even higher in no time.”
“You run in the mornings?” I rasp breathlessly.
“On weekends. Just from my place to up here.”
My jaw drops as I turn around to face him. “You run from all the way down there to here ?”
I don’t know how far we just travelled in the snowmobile but we’re far enough away from his place to warrant an emergency-supplies bag – although Jason promised me that he always takes it with him, no matter the mission’s distance.
“Yeah,” he says simply. “I want you to join me from now on.”
I raise a teasing brow, fighting back a smile at that. “In these mountains? With you and the wolf? Hmm, I think I’ll pass.”
Jason chuckles quietly. “Hey, she’s led me on some good trails.”
My irises flare. “ She ?”
“Sunday,” he laughs, amusement warming his sparkling eyes, and his palms squeezing my waist as he gathers my body against his.
But then I bite back a smile of my own because I’m suddenly ready to put our hand-to-hand practice into use – or, technically, knee-to-groin, as I back up a step and quickly shoot my leg up.
I mean, he did tell me to try out some moves when he was least expecting it!
But Jason instantly grabs my thigh, shaking with laughter as he spins me one-eighty, and then he presses his stubbled cheek against my jaw and rumbles tauntingly, “You don’t want to do that.”
My cheeks dimple with a little smile at the gravelly timbre of his deep voice.
“Even if I’m willing to kiss it better?” I whisper softly back to him, and his broad chest suddenly heaves, the implications of my words making his body swell with awareness.
Exactly like I knew it would.
And I use his moment of distraction to break his solid hold, whipping around and going for the shins in a move that he just taught me.
Jason grunts as he loses his balance, his hands grabbing my waist before he can fall, and then he’s chuckling as I squeal against him, tumbling backward into a pile of snow.
He groans out a laugh as his back hits the icy ground but, just before I can declare his defeat, I’m yelping with delight as he flips us over.
His gloved hand grabs the back of my head, saving my fluffy ponytail from the snow, and he braces his other arm beside my shoulder, his eyes blazing as he towers over me.
Then he lowers his mouth to my jaw, his coarse stubble scraping my snow-flushed skin.
“I win.”
Heat pounds in my belly as he slowly lifts himself up onto his elbow, looming over me for a long moment as his large quads press between my thighs.
Then he searches my eyes with his, his broad chest heaving, before gently tugging my ponytail, the smile-creases in his cheeks flexing deeply.
I giggle as he rolls us over so that he’s lying on his back, and he settles one gloved palm beneath his head as I brace my hands against his chest.
His free palm envelops my hip, holding me firm as I straddle his abdomen.
“You’re real naughty,” he murmurs gruffly, his playful eyes flickering with heat.
With you, I would be, I want to say, but Jason’s authoritative self-assuredness has always made me a little shy. So my cheeks just flush brighter as I trace his large pecs, fighting back my smile.
“This has been fun,” I admit shyly, glancing at him from under my lashes as he watches me from below.
And a handsome smirk tugs at his mouth as he rubs his palm up my waist and back down again.
“Yeah, except for that part when you tried to bruise my balls,” he teases quietly.
I laugh as I roll my eyes. “Even if you hadn’t stopped me, I might’ve missed.”
He grunts, unconvinced. “Unlikely. They’re big targets.”
I blink down at him for a long moment before laughing nervously and fanning my cheeks.
Because from the laidback way that he said it… I can tell that he actually isn’t joking.
He’s telling me that the things that he’s got down there are… that they’re big .
And the idea of what he’s implied has my whole body shivering with heat.
Jason inhales deeply and slowly lifts himself into a sitting position, gripping my thigh in one of his hands as I go to climb up off his lap.
I smile as I peek up at him, curiosity sparkling in my eyes as he shoves one of his gloves under his bicep.
And then he lifts one of my gloved hands up to his mouth, capturing the tip of the fabric between his teeth and gently tugging.
I swallow breathlessly as he slowly pulls the glove from my fingers, yanking it a little harder at the end so that he can get it fully off without using his hands.
Then he tucks mine with his beneath his arm, and I bite my smile as I realise why he did that.
Just so that he could leash his warm fingers through mine.
He holds my hand firmly in his as he slowly leads the way down the mountain, trudging carefully through the snow and patiently ensuring that I don’t slip.
And when we finally reach the vehicle, he pats the seat with his gloved hand.
“You wanna ride?” he asks, glancing down at me over his shoulder. And when he sees that I’m trying not to laugh, his country-boy smirk breaks free.
He bands his forearms around my lower back, tugging me against his chest as I squeal with laughter.
“I was talking about the snowmobile, naughty girl,” he says gruffly, before burying his face in my neck and tickling me with his stubble.
“Jason!” I squeal. “Too much, too much!”
He chuckles, bites me playfully, and then pulls back until his mouth is hovering just above mine. I tentatively stroke my fingers up his jaw and his eyelids grow heavy as I caress him.
I love that such a strong man enjoys me being gentle with him.
I slowly trail my fingertips over the harsh stubble on his cheeks, and his eyes lower to my lips as he tugs the glove off his other hand.
And then his palms are on my hips, slipping just above the waistband of my snow-pants, a gift that Jason brought to the cabin this morning because he knew that I wouldn’t have any.
“I’m so glad that you’re here,” he tells me, his deep voice quiet and earnest. “In Phoenix Falls. At my place. Spending your weekend where it’s just the two of us.”
His forehead nudges mine and I exhale shakily, clutching him tighter. I wrap my arms around the back of his neck, keeping him close, telling him that I want this.
And he hesitates for a moment before swiping his tongue over his bottom lip and going for it.
“I came to see you,” he says gruffly, closing his eyes as he holds me against him. “As soon as I got honorary discharge, I came to see you down in Nashville.”
I blink up at him in shock, my lashes fluttering as he looks down at me.
“When?” I rasp breathlessly.
“Couple of times, at the bar. Didn’t know how else I could find you so I took a chance on you being front of house.”
But I never knew that he came, because I didn’t work front of house.
I owned and managed the bar so most of my work was done off-site, except when country musicians were doing a gig and then I’d hang out with them before their show.
“I know I never found you, but I don’t regret trying.” And then he looks deep into my eyes and says, “The bar was fucking beautiful, Sunday.”
My heart squeezes painfully in my chest and I bite my cheek, tamping down my emotions.
Because from the way that he says it I know what else he’s implying – that Cash would have loved it if he was still with us. He just isn’t saying it out loud because he doesn’t want me to get upset.
But one teardrop slips free, and he captures it with the tip of his thumb.
“You know what I’m saying, right?” he rumbles quietly, searching my eyes.
And I release a sad teary laugh, nodding my head and willing myself to be strong.
“Fucking beautiful,” he repeats, his hands gripping firm. “Just like you.”
I peek up at him from under my lashes, smiling shyly as he strokes my snow-kissed cheek.
“I want to ask you something,” he says, and I pull off my other glove so that I can caress his nape.
And when I do, he groans quietly, pulling me closer and gently squeezing my waist.
I nod, feeling my blonde ponytail swish. “Anything,” I whisper up to him.
Jason watches me for a moment before exhaling roughly. “Tell me you’re staying.”
I laugh quietly and whisper, “Jason, that’s not a question.”
Laugh lines crinkle at the sides of his eyes as he nods his head. “Guess it’s not.”
I wait for him to continue, to ask his question, smiling harder when he tentatively touches my ponytail, gently rubbing a blonde curl between his thick fingers.
And when a good ten seconds pass by I can’t contain my amusement anymore.
“You still haven’t asked me anything,” I point out, giggling when he scrunches my whole ponytail in his big fist.
He smiles, flicking his eyes back down to mine. “I don’t ask twice.”
“You didn’t ask me anything the first time around!”
A smile tugs at his mouth as he murmurs, “Guess I didn’t.”
“Jason!” I laugh, and in the next second I’m breathless as his mouth descends on mine in a heart-stopping kiss.
Those large palms cup my cheeks, his shoulders hunched so that he can reach me, and I squeeze my arms around his neck as tight as possible.
“Stay,” he murmurs against me, making my stomach flutter as he kisses me again.
His mouth is gentle but firm, his breathing heavy as I tug him closer, and then my boots are lifted from the snow as he heaves me by my waist in his warm hands.
“I haven’t decided yet,” I whisper back to him, not wanting to hurt his feelings but knowing that I have to be honest about this. There’s still the job offer for me in Nashville, but here, in Phoenix Falls…
I may have been gone for a long time, but I have a really good reason to stay.
Jason searches my eyes, always understanding, and swipes his tongue over his lower lip, breathing shallowly as he nods.
“I get that,” he rasps quietly. “Just… tell me that you’ll consider it. Staying. Here, in Phoenix Falls with me.”
And then I look deep into his burning eyes, nodding as I say, “Yes.”
Jason growls with relief, his large palm caressing my throat, and his mouth claims mine as he walks us backwards, mounting the snowmobile without even looking.
He eventually glances down as he spreads his quads over the seat, and then he’s positioning me over his lap, dropping one hand to my waist as he kisses me gently.
And Jason is so tall that, even sitting on his lap, I’m still shorter than him – a realisation that makes him chuckle as he grips beneath my thigh to try and push me upwards.
“I can’t help it,” I whisper against him, which only makes him laugh more.
“I love it,” he murmurs back to me, his palm roaming over my behind and then squeezing it roughly.
My thighs tighten around his waist and he groans quietly, deepening the kiss, slowly sliding his tongue against mine as I trail my fingers up his large biceps.
“Your coat is soaked,” I whisper breathlessly, which makes him nod before glancing down at our clothes.
He reaches behind me to check the back of my jacket and the undersides of my thighs, and a rumbled curse leaves his mouth when the wet fabric leaves his fingers drenched.
“Fuck,” he whispers, before swiping at his forehead and glancing skyward, snow from the trees pattering against our cheeks just as a fresh fall begins to scatter.
He scans the treetops for a long moment before looking down the mountain toward where his house is currently hidden from view.
“We need to head back,” he tells me gruffly, but the second that our eyes lock he’s kissing me again, groaning quietly as he licks his tongue against mine, while the snow flutters endlessly around us. His large palm brackets my jaw, then caresses my neck, his mouth warm and hard as I wrap myself around him.
“Sweetheart,” he rasps, gripping my hips and breathing heavily. “There’s a shelter around here, but my place is close enough to ride back to.”
“Even in the snow?” I whisper softly, swiping at my cheeks as the flakes pelt faster. We’re pretty high up so the snowfall is heavier up here, coming hard and fast despite what the weather app told us this morning.
“It’s not a blizzard yet. We can make it.”
And then his striking irises hold mine, waiting for confirmation that we should head back to his place.
I hesitate and bite my lip as I realise how wet our clothes actually are. I was so distracted when we were rolling around in the snow, only thinking about the heavy weight of his body on top of mine, that I didn’t even register the freezing ice melting its way through my clothes.
“How far is the shelter?” I ask him breathlessly, inhaling shakily as he repositions us on the snowmobile. He heaves himself down from the wide black seat and turns me around so that I can ride behind him.
Because even though he had said that I could ride, in this weather he needs to be the one to take the reins.
He passes me my gloves and I wriggle them on as he pulls up his own, grabbing our helmets from the back and crouching in front of me so that he can help me into it.
“The shelter’s real close, but it’s fucking freezing in there,” he says, as he places his helmet between my splayed thighs. “Would rather get you back to my place – get a fire going, get you warm.”
And then he carefully eases my helmet over my cheeks, watching me with total concentration as I adjust it until it’s comfortable.
A handsome smile tugs at his mouth as I give him the nod that it’s on securely, and he hunches down so that he can reach forward and brush a kiss to the side of my helmet.
I fight back my smile, my heart thundering at that.
He slips his own helmet over his head, his frame enormous in his search-and-rescue gear, and the snow whipping all around us as he gets ready to mount the vehicle.
But being with Jason? I’ve never felt safer.
And as I look up at him through my visor, he can tell exactly what I’m thinking.
He nudges the forehead of his helmet down against mine, allowing us a few seconds of respite before he takes us back down the mountain.
“I trust you,” I whisper, caressing my hands up the muscles of his quads, and making his whole body shudder as he watches me with increasing hunger.
Then he’s straddling the seat in front of me and tugging my arms tight around his chest, squeezing my thighs roughly in his large hands before kicking the vehicle to life.
He swipes his forearm over his helmet, clearing the snow as I clutch him tighter.
“Keep your arms around me, just like that,” he orders deeply. “This is gonna be rough.”