Chapter 13
DREW
It’s taken me a couple weeks, but I finally came up with the best date idea I could figure out.
Knowing that Willa loves being outside, regardless of the cold, and that she loves dogs, I came up with a plan.
As soon as I shared it with Ava, she was completely on board with helping me out by watching Izzy and Maya.
“Take all the time you need,” she assures me as she unpacks her bag full of art projects for Izzy. “We’ll be so busy your girls won’t even realize you’re gone.”
“Do you know what we’re doing?” Willa asks her.
Ava mimes zipping her lips and nods her head. “You’re going to love it. Have fun,” she shoos us out of the house.
“Ready?” I ask, amused by the look of surprise on Willa’s face at having the door gently closed on us.
“I am.” She takes my hand and lets me lead her down the stairs and into the truck. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” I wait until she’s inside the cab and then close the door.
“Are we skiing?”
I look at her sideways as I back out of the driveway. “You’re not good with surprises, are you?”
“Nope,” she answers shamelessly. “I’m way too curious for my own good.”
“Lucky for you the wait won’t be long.”
She keeps guessing as we drive out of town. Somehow, I manage to give absolutely no indication whether her guesses are getting closer or not. It’s not until we pull up to the ranch that she figures it out.
The sound of excited dogs fills the thin air. Sun filters through the milky clouds, burning them away for what is bound to be a beautiful day of brilliant blue skies and sparkling white snow.
“Dog sledding?”
“Yep. I asked around to make sure they treat the dogs well here. According to Ava, they treat them like athletes.” I knew from conversations about Maya and the animal rescue that she cares deeply about the ethical treatment of animals.
I definitely didn’t want to bring her somewhere they’re actively abusing dogs.
That’s something I’d never support. “Have you done this before?”
“No, never.” She pushes her sunglasses up on top of her head to look out at the dogs. “They all look so happy.”
A woman walks out and introduces herself as the owner of the ranch. She gives us a tour of their facilities and talks about the dogs. We get directions on how to give them commands and meet the team that will be taking us to the cabin where we’ll have a meal and soak in the hot springs.
Once we’re introduced to our teams and guides, we each take a seat in the sleds.
I’m a little worried I’ll be too big as a passenger, but the guide assures me that the dogs won’t even notice.
In his words, they’re just happy to be out running in the snow.
If his words weren’t enough to placate me, the way they took off at the first command definitely was.
They don’t seem to have a single issue lugging me along.
He tells me so much about the geology and ecology of this area as we fly along behind Willa’s team.
As someone new to the area, I had no clue about anything he’s telling me.
I soak all the new little nuggets of knowledge up like a sponge, excited to take them all back to share with Izzy.
Especially since she wants to do more outdoor activities like hiking and canoeing next summer.
Before packing us up and moving here, I wasn’t sure how long I’d keep us in Colorado, let alone Holly Ridge, but with every passing day, we settle in more.
I learn more about the area, the town, and make friends.
Izzy’s at a great Montessori school. It’s getting harder and harder to imagine her growing up anywhere else.
Willa’s cheeks are pink from being windblown when we get to the cabin. The guides show us inside where a chef is preparing our dinner. There’s a small table set for two in front of a roaring fireplace.
“Hello,” the chef greets us. “Dinner won’t be ready for another nine minutes, if you want to go enjoy the hot springs while you wait.”
“Hot springs?” Willa’s head turns quickly in my direction.
“Yep.”
“There are two robes and slippers you can wear out to them,” the chef says, pointing at a door behind us. “The changing room and bathroom is right through there, as well as the exit to the path to the spring.”
“Thank you,” I call over my shoulder as I pull her into the changing room with me.
“I don’t have a bathing suit,” she says as soon as the door closes behind us.
“Neither do I.” I unzip my coat and pull my hat off.
“What are you doing?”
“Undressing.”
“You’re getting naked?” Her eyebrows shoot upward.
“Yes, and you should, too. It’s a private hot spring; we’re the only ones who will be using it.”
“But we won’t be the only ones on the property.”
“No one’s going to bother us.” I reach behind my neck and pull my shirt over my head. “Do you need help undressing?”
“If you help me undress, we won’t make it out this room.”
I give her a slow grin. “Would that be a problem?”
Her jaw drops. “The chef would hear us.”
“I ask again, would that be a problem?”
“Andrew Ackers, are you a closeted exhibitionist?” She clutches invisible pearls.
“Willow Baker, are you a closeted prude?”
She rolls her eyes and unzips her coat. “A prude wouldn’t let you play with her ass.”
“Good point.” After toeing my shoes off, I drop my pants and push my boxer briefs down my legs. I find her staring when I straighten back up. “What?”
“You’re just fine stripping down right here?”
“Yeah.” I turn, giving her a full-frontal view of me. “I spent half my life naked in front of other guys in a locker room. You seeing me naked isn’t a big deal. Especially when I’ve been inside you. Many times.”
“Well, when you put it like that, it makes sense.” Her hands tremble a tiny bit as she undresses, peeling the layers off one at a time.
“Haven’t you ever skinny dipped on any of your trips?” I grab my robe and wrap it around me, tying the waist.
“No, actually. I always have a bikini with me. Or at the very least a pair of shorts and a sports bra.” She takes a deep breath and unhooks her bra, letting it fall to the floor as she reaches for the robe.
It takes all my willpower not to pounce on her right now. But I can tell she’s nervous, so I hold back. She pulls her underwear off from beneath the robe and sets them and her bra between her pants and sweater.
Together we slip our feet into the slippers they provide and then head out into the brisk air.
I can’t tell if the path is heated or if they just maintain it exceptionally well because the stone beneath us is free from any snow, ice, or mud.
It leads us through pine and aspen trees to a rocky outcrop.
Steam rises from the blue water of the spring invitingly.
A quick scan of the surroundings eases my worry about privacy.
Not so much for me, but for her. I probably shouldn't be surprised by her hesitation to get naked, but I can’t help wondering why she’s nervous about it.
Surely she knows I’m a big fan of her naked form. She is lithe, athletic, and strong.
I can’t tear my eyes off her as she looks around the clearing and pulls the waistband of her robe free.
She takes it off, laying it over a large, dry boulder and steps down into the springs.
My cock stiffens just from the contented sound of pleasure she makes as she sinks to her shoulders in the water.
“This feels amazing.”
“How hot is it?” I want to prepare myself if it’s the temperature she likes her water at.
“Little cooler than I usually like, but that’s probably good, so we can stay out here longer.”
I take my robe off and lay it over hers. As I step down into the hot spring, I catch her eyeing my half hard cock. Just the simple act of catching her looking and wanting, I completely harden. We haven’t been able to find time to be alone together much since Izzy’s been home.
“Hi.” She smiles as I slowly cut through the water toward her.
“Hi.”
We move into each other’s arms at the same moment.
As soon as I feel her warm body pressed against mine, a wave of need courses through my veins.
My body demands to be joined with hers, but I want to draw this out.
I need her to crave me the way I do her, to feel the same burning fire within her body that I feel every time she’s near.
The urge to grab hold of her and never let her go is maddening.
Her lips skim mine, parting when I drag my tongue against their seam.
I pull back once our tongues just barely touch each other, regardless of the herculean effort it takes.
For the briefest second she looks irritated, but her smile returns as I back her toward the stone bench someone must have etched out long ago.
Right as she’s about to sit, I wrap my arm around her waist and turn us.
She wastes no time once I’ve sat to straddle my lap.
This time when she kisses me, I let her take the lead.
Her fingers slips into the hair at the nape of my neck as her tongue glides along mine.
The kiss is so deep and sensual that my dick jerks between us.
She reaches down and wraps her fist around it, slowly giving a few pumps.
My heart rate increases as she teases me by notching the crown at her entrance but doesn’t slide down. Her hardened nipples brush my chest as she rocks back and forth, teasing herself with the tip of my cock. I want to offer a teasing sensation of my own, so I reach over and grab a handful of snow.
“What are you doing?” she asks as she drags kisses up and down the column of my neck.
I shape the snow into a ball and lean back along the edge of the spring. “Stand up.”
“Why?” She leans back, looking at me skeptically.
“Because I want to show you something. You’ll like it, I promise.”
“It’s cold.”
“I’ll warm you up. I promise.”
She hesitantly slides off my lap and stands before me. Water sluices down her body as steam drifts off her exposed skin. I wrap my hand around her hip and pull her a little closer to me.
She watches me lift the snowball to her piqued nipple and gasps as I use it to circle the peak.
Icy water drips from my hand onto her breast. I watch with deep, aching desire pounding within me as goosebumps ripple across her flesh.
As I switch the snowball to the other side, I cover her cold, tight bud with my mouth.
“Fuck.” She arches against me, offering her tits to me. “I need you,” she moans. “Drew. Inside me.”
I bite down on her nipple. “Say please.”
“Please, please.”
Her body trembles as I slip two fingers inside her slippery, wet heat.
We might be in a hot spring, but her body is both wetter and hotter than anything I’ve ever experienced.
I’ve learned her body as well as I know my own now, so I hook my fingers inside her.
She gasps as I hit the spot along her front wall that makes her go fucking feral for more.
Just as I wanted, she reaches down and pulls my hand away. I give her the control she needs to drop down on top of my cock. Once she’s fully seated over me, I drop the snowball into the water and grab her hips.
She rocks against me, dragging her slick channel along length until I feel like I’m going to blow. She hasn’t come yet, and that has to happen before I do. I could never look myself in the mirror if I took my pleasure before she did.
I grip her tightly, holding her in place as I fuck up into her.
Water sloshes all around us, waves crashing over the edge of the spring and onto the stone surrounding it.
Our eyes lock as I feel the first squeeze of her pussy around me.
She never looks away as she comes, her lips parted in exquisite pleasure.
My release comes quickly after hers. Pulse after pulse fills her until we’re both spent, and she drops her forehead to my shoulder.
“I needed that,” she whispers as our heart rates slow.
“We both did.”