Chapter Seven
Kelley looked outside the living room window. Lots of kids were out in the street, many of them making snowmen, some had snowboards, and there was also a random snowball fight happening.
Crow moved up behind her. “Tell me what is on your mind?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie.”
She didn’t want to say what she was thinking. It was stupid and childish, and ... she was a grown-up.
“You want to go out there, don’t you?”
“No!” She knew she had spoken too fast. “It’s nothing, okay. Honestly, it is silly.”
“No, what is silly is you hiding what you actually want to do,” he said.
She spun around in his arms. “I never,” she stopped and pressed her lips together, “played in the snow.” She shrugged.
“You haven’t?”
“No, it ... my mom was ... well, she wasn’t great, and I don’t know why I never played in the snow. No one wanted to be friends with me, and it was easier to just stay home.” Again, another shrug.
“Your mother was a piece of work,” he said.
“Yeah, and she’s still alive. She could be causing someone else trouble.” She shook her head. “Ignore me. I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
He cupped her face and tilted her head back. “Yes, you do know what you’re talking about.” And then he kissed her. “Now, get your ass in a jacket, gloves, scarf, and a hat.”
“Crow, what are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to take you out in the snow.”
“Seriously, you don’t have to do that.”
“Kelley, babe, snow does not have an age limit. Anyone can enjoy snow.” He winked at her, and she watched as he moved toward the door. “Well, if you’re not going to go out and enjoy it, I’m not going to let it slip me by.”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m going to go and enjoy the snow.” He pulled on his leather cut, and she had a spare pair of gloves, scarf, and a hat. He winked at her. “But if you don’t want to come out with me, I guess that is on you. I’m going to have fun.”
She watched as he opened the door and closed it.
Right there, in front of the living room window, out in the cold, Crow stood, picking up a large ball and tossing it into the air.
For five more minutes she tried to act like the adult, who didn’t need to go and play out in the snow.
It wasn’t that she needed to do anything in the snow.
But that didn’t mean she didn’t want to.
And she really, really, really, did want to go out and play. It was insane.
The ball Crow had was getting bigger, and she knew he was making it into a giant snowman.
Why are you doing this?
Just go out there.
Your mother is not there to spoil it. Kids are not there to push you away. No one is going to stop you.
Kelley clenched her hands into fists and made her way toward the door.
“No one wants you to go out there and play.”
“It’s the whore’s kid.”
“She’s got a slut for a mom.”
“You’re a loser, Kelley.”
She lost count of the number of times she was told exactly what she was by other people. Even her mother had told her she would never fit in, would never have any friends.
Well, she had left that woman five years ago. She was not going to allow her to keep controlling her. That shit had ended, and she had not looked back. She didn’t miss her mother. She didn’t fucking care about her mother. It was a title some women did not deserve, and that was her reality.
She put on her jacket, slid her hands into gloves, put a hat on her head, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Done.
She stepped out, and it was freezing cold.
The sound of children’s laughter filled the air, and she couldn’t help but smile.
The occasional scream rent the air, but it sounded amazing.
It was the sound she recalled of many winters when she would just stay indoors, go to her room, and open the window just slightly so she could hear.
She was never part of it. No one ever wanted her as part of that world.
“Well, well, well, it is about time you joined me,” Crow said. “I thought I was freezing my balls off for nothing.”
“Crow, they might hear you!” She moved closer to him.
“Yeah, right. You think anyone can hear themselves think with that fucking noise? I’d like to see it happen.” He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, they’re more interested in the snow than my balls.”
Kelley couldn’t help but laugh. So, she was outside, but now she didn’t quite know what to do. She was at a loss.
“Help me build this snowman. Our yard is looking a little empty, and in case you can’t see, ours is the only one without a snowman.”
She looked down the street, and he wasn’t wrong. She’d been standing at the living room window, watching the kids play for a while. Perhaps a little too long. That sucked.
“What do I do?” she asked.
“We start gathering snow, and we get a nice big ball, and I say we settle it where we want Mr. Snowman to be. Are you ready for this, Kel?” he asked.
“Yeah, I am.” He made it sound so serious, but for the next hour at least, they built two large balls. The bottom was bigger than the other. Crow heaved the second ball right onto the first, and they patted it into place.
He took a step back and turned to her. “We need a third.”
She got right to it, and this one took less time, but there was still a lot of snow around.
With the head made, Kelley ran back into the house to grab a hat, another set of gloves, and scarf. She also grabbed some carrots. Crow had found a couple of dark stones to place for the eyes and the mouth.
She put the hat on the head, along with the gloves on each end of the stick. Once they stood back and admired their handiwork, Kelley loved it.
“Let me grab my camera.” She rushed back inside, grabbed her cell phone, and insisted that Crow stand with the snowman as she took a picture.
She should have known Crow would insist on the same, but she didn’t mind. Holding her thumb up, she stood close to her very first snowman, and she had a horrible feeling that when the snow melted, she might just cry.
“I adore him,” she said.
Crow didn’t get the chance to answer as a snowball was thrown right at the back of his head. It was like the street went completely silent.
Kelley looked to the kid, who couldn’t have been any older than ten. Even their parents had come out into the street to enjoy the snow. She and Crow were not the only ones taking in the fun.
“I’m sorry, Mister, it just slipped out of my hand. Promise.”
“So, you think you’re ready to take me on for a snowball fight?” he asked.
The boy frowned. “You’re not mad?”
Kelley watched as Crow bent down. “What’s your name?” he asked. Crow was gathering snow in his palms.
“Tim.”
“Right, Tim, you see that beautiful woman close to me?”
“Miss Rade,” Tim said.
“That’s right. You know she has never been in a snowball fight, nor had a whole lot of fun in the snow. How about you and your friends help me show her how much fun this could be?”
The smile on Tim’s face was wide. “You got it.”
“And, Tim, the name’s Crow, not Mister.” He got to his feet and spun toward Kelley. She looked at the snowball.
“Crow, what are you doing?”
“We’re going to have some fun. Don’t you want to have some fun?”
She held her hands up. Did she? Hell, yeah, she did.
“I suggest you arm yourself, because you’re about to get snowed,” Crow said.
It was so lame, but Kelley screamed as a snowball fight of massive proportions broke out in the street. There was no violence, but parents and kids all got involved, and Kelley couldn’t believe how much fun she had.
****
“You know, you didn’t have to do that,” Kelley said, bringing him another bowl of soup.
She’d made chicken soup, one of his favorites. He took the bowl from her, and Kelley picked up her bowl and sat next to him. They’d been outside playing with the kids for a good couple of hours. Crow couldn’t recall the last time he had played in the snow. It had to have been another lifetime ago.
“I know I didn’t have to do that, but I had fun. Didn’t you?” he asked.
The smile on her lips would stay with him forever. This is what he wanted for her, to make memories. He hated to see sadness in her eyes, or tears.
Kelley had also told him exactly what he knew was bothering her.
Her mother was still alive, and that bothered Kelley.
He pushed that little nugget of information to the back of his mind.
He would deal with that soon. For now, he was just going to focus on his woman, and he had a feeling she had a lot more darkness in her past than she liked to admit.
“Yeah, I mean, did you see the way Tim looked at you? He looked like he was going to wet his pants.” She laughed.
“It was all good. I wouldn’t hurt a kid. Besides, I reckon the big kids put him up to it.” He shrugged.
“It didn’t make you mad?”
“What? Kids being kids?” He shook his head. “Nah, they’re kids having fun. There is tons of fucking snow around. Everyone should enjoy it.” It had been a long time since he had. “Are you mad that I threw a lot of snowballs at you?”
It had gotten late and the sun had set before they even came back into the house. They were both freezing and used the shower to warm up.
Kelley had left the shower first, and he had every intention of making love to her, as her menstrual cycle was now finished.
However, they were both starving, so he left her to go and finish their food.
The chicken noodle soup was divine. It was the best he’d ever tasted.
Kelley was a damn good cook. He’d also seen the chocolate fudge cake on the counter, which looked just as good.
He intended to have a large slice of it as soon as he finished his chicken noodle soup.
The flavors were all on point, and the noodles were cooked just right, not overcooked slop.
“No, I’m not mad at all. It was a lot of fun. I can’t remember laughing so hard.”
They finished their soup, with carols playing in the background. Kelley had put some music on, and with the fire glowing and the festive lights twinkling, it felt like Christmas to him.
After the soup, Kelley took his bowl and made her way into the kitchen. He sat down, waiting for his cake.
He loved being with Kelley. They were good for each other, and he knew if he’d not been here, she would not have gone outside to play. She would have stayed inside, watching them, wondering what it was like. He hated that. Kelley needed to experience life.
You need to stay.
Make a life with her.
Marry her.
Kelley walked back into the sitting room, complete with two plates of chocolate fudge cake. The frosting was thick, just the way he liked it.
He took the plates from her and put them on the table.
“What’s the matter?”
Crow got to his feet, and the curtains had already been drawn, so he didn’t have to worry about anyone looking in. She wore a shirt and a pair of sweatpants.
Cupping her cheek, he tilted her head back and took possession of her lips. She moaned as he banded his other arm around her waist and pulled her in close. He put one hand at her ass, squeezing the supple flesh. He couldn’t get enough of her ass. There was more than a generous handful.
Breaking the kiss, he grabbed the bottom of her shirt, tugged it up and over her head, tossing it to the side as he did so.
He put his hands at her waist, then slowly started to lift them up, cupping her tits.
She wore a lacy red bra, and he just knew his woman had a matching pair of panties.
They were so fucking tempting. He stroked each nipple, leaned down, and through the bra, he sucked each bud hard. She gasped, arching up against him.
He pushed the waistband of her sweatpants down, and he was right.
Matching lacy panties, designed to drive him crazy with need.
They were so fucking pretty. Sliding his hand down the front, he pressed against her clit, through those panties, feeling her slick against the material.
He rubbed her slit, watching her eyes close and the way her teeth sunk into her bottom lip.
At the same time, he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked once again at the bud.
She moaned his name.
His balls tightened.
He stopped touching her pussy first, but that was so he could grab the panties, and he tore them off her body.
The fabric was no match for his strength.
She whimpered. He opened the clasp of her bra and allowed it to slide down her arms and fall to the floor.
Before it had even dropped to the floor, he cupped her tits, then took each nipple into his mouth, lathering them with attention.
“You know, you taste so damn good, but I know what will make them even better.” He slid his finger into the chocolate fudge frosting and coated each nipple. She cried out as he took one nipple into his mouth, then the other, sucking hard. The chocolate made his mouth water.
Once her tits were clean, he spun her around and made her sit on the sofa. She licked her lips, and he started to remove his shirt, followed by his own sweatpants. Kicking them out of his way, he wrapped his fingers around his dick and watched her as he moved his hand up and down his length.
“You like what you see?” he asked.
She nodded her head.
He worked his cock and gritted his teeth because he loved when her eyes were on him. Crow was not going to come staring at her, though.
He sunk to his knees and spread her legs, pulling her to the edge of the sofa.
Putting her feet on his thighs, he ran his hands up the inside of hers, and the lips of her sex were open just slightly.
She was already soaking wet, and her clit was swollen.
He leaned in close and took her clit into his mouth, sucking it hard.
She cried out, arching up against him, and he sunk his fingers into the curves of her ass, pulling her up against him as he pressed his face against her pussy. She smelled and tasted amazing.
All yours.
And that was a heady experience. Kelley belonged to him. He’d never had anything that was all his. Even his bike was secondhand. But Kelley hadn’t been with another man. He was the only man she had ever known. He liked that, and he didn’t want any other man to know just how precious she was.