13 ALICE
My eyes open, and the room is filled with blinding light.
I shield my eyes as I sit up to figure out why the bedroom is so brightly lit.
The blinds were down, and the curtains were drawn last night.
That’s when I see Cole standing in front of the window, looking out.
He’s only wearing a pair of boxers, and for a moment, I’m completely stunned by his hard, toned body.
That’s when he turns and looks at me from over his shoulder.
“The roads have been plowed.” Without another word, he turns and walks out of the bedroom.
A sense of dread settles over me as I push back the blankets and stand from the bed, walking over to the window to see for myself.
Sure enough, the roads are clear. It’s time to go home.
I knew this day was coming. At first, I was wishing and praying for this day, but then things changed, and suddenly, I didn’t even think about when this day would arrive.
Now it has, and it’s time to go back to my real life, something I’m not even sure I want anymore.
My business—of course, I want that. But living in the big city, spending every night alone, is that something I want?
I turn away from the window and begin to get dressed.
I know it sounds crazy, but Cole and I have rekindled something since my return.
I’ve never been so happy. Every night, he holds me close, and every morning, I wake in his arms.
He kisses me with blinding passion, and when he touches me, it’s like he’s touching my soul.
I haven’t felt any of those things in years, and now that I’ve experienced them again, I’m not ready to let go.
But I know how crazy all this sounds. Cole and I were together before, and we failed.
Our marriage failed. I moved on. I left and told myself I’d never return.
I went off and built a life for myself. I have my own apartment, and I’m running my own business.
I have employees who depend on me for a check every week.
I have friends waiting on my return. I’ve been back with Cole for barely more than a week.
I think changing my whole life after a week is a little rash.
I can’t just give up everything I’ve worked so hard for. And what would happen if I did and we failed again? I wouldn’t have anything left. I wouldn’t have my company, and I wouldn’t have this newfound love either. I’d be all on my own with nowhere to go. I’d have to start all over again.
After I get dressed, I put all my things into my bag and carry it out to the living room, where I set it on the floor by the door.
Cole is in the kitchen, and the smell of coffee fills the room.
I walk in and pour myself a cup. I lean on the counter as I hold the cup between my hands.
I watch him move around, fixing breakfast as I take sip after sip.
I know he’s upset about me having to leave.
So am I. But we need to think about things.
Just because I leave today doesn’t mean that we’ll never talk or see one another again.
Maybe we could try long distance for a while.
I’m not ready to give up on us. Not yet.
“Cole, we should talk,” I say as I watch him carry a frying pan over to the stove.
He sets it on the burner a little harder than necessary. “What’s to talk about? The roads are clear. You’re leaving. Nothing to discuss.”
“That’s not true. There is a lot to discuss.”
“Like what?” he asks, grabbing the eggs from the fridge and setting them down on the counter by the stove.
“Like if we want to keep this going by trying a long-distance relationship for a while.”
He turns to face me. “What?”
I roll my eyes and stand up straight. “I never expected this to happen, Cole. I thought that I would fly down here, get these papers signed, and I’d be back in California by the next day. I didn’t expect to get caught in a storm. I didn’t expect to stay here for a week.
And I certainly didn’t think we’d….”
I shrug as I try to find the right word. “Rekindle our relationship.”
He leans against the counter, and he crosses his arms over his chest. His crystal-blue eyes find mine.
“I don’t want to walk out of here without knowing where we’re going.”
“Where are we going, Alice?” he asks with a shrug.
“I don’t know, Cole. But I know I can’t give up everything I’ve worked my ass off for because we spent one week together. I can’t just stay here and never go back. My whole life is there. But I don’t want to go back there and pretend this didn’t happen either.”
I start walking toward him. “I want us to work on this. I want to be with you, Cole.”
“You do?” he asks, but it almost sounds like a challenge.
I nod once. “I do, but I don’t know how this can work yet. I just need to know that you won’t give up, no matter what happens. That we’ll keep working until we figure it out.” I’m right in front of him now. I look up, and our eyes are locked.
“You’ve been gone for ten years, and I haven’t given up yet, Alice,” he says, reaching for me and pulling my mouth to his.
My arms wrap around his neck, and I pull myself as close as I can get.
His tongue finds mine, and they dance together as I lose myself in him.
Suddenly, I’m not thinking about the snow or the roads or California or getting back to work.
All I can think about is him and how I never want to live without him again.
As our kiss grows stronger and more intense, he picks me up against him, and my legs wrap around his hips.
He sets me on the counter, and he steps up between my legs.
His hands move up my body to my face, where he cups my cheeks and tilts my head back, giving him more access to my mouth and neck.
His lips kiss down my chin, my jaw, and to my neck as he urges me back.
I lie down on the countertop, and he kisses down my chest until my shirt cuts him off.
He pulls his lips away as his hands land on my stomach, pushing the material up until my breasts are exposed to him.
He sucks one hard nipple into his mouth.
He sucks hard, and he flicks his tongue back and forth against it.
My stomach muscles tighten, and my release begins to build even though he hasn’t even touched me between the legs yet. Boy, is his mouth talented.
Almost like he can sense what he’s doing to my body, his hand slides between my skin and my yoga pants, and his fingers move between my folds.
Rubbing my clit only adds to the pleasure I’m already feeling, and it isn’t long before I’m moaning and begging him for more.
He slides two fingers inside me while his thumb continues to rub my sensitive nub.
His mouth moves from breast to breast, sucking, flicking, and biting.
It feels like he’s somehow able to touch every part of my body all at once, and before I know it,.
I’m shattering right here on the kitchen counter.
I’m moaning out his name and begging him to fuck me, but he doesn’t stop until I’ve quieted and my body has gone limp.
He removes his hand from my pants, and he releases my breast with a popping sound.
He pulls me to my feet quickly, and he moves so fast that I can’t process what’s going on.
The next thing I know, he’s moved us over to the kitchen table.
He’s pulled my pants down my legs, and he’s bent me over the top.
“You have no idea how much you get me going,” he says, taking himself in hand and guiding his tip into me. I let out a moan the moment we connect as one.
His hands squeeze my hips, and with his hips pressing against my ass, he rolls his hips, making his tip brush against that spot that has me seeing stars.
My fingers wrap around the edge of the table, holding myself in place.
I feel like I could float away at any moment.
He pulls his hips back and sends them flying toward me again.
It makes my stomach tighten, and I can’t hold back my whimper.
One of his hands moves from my hip around to my clit.
His fingers glide between my folds, rubbing and pushing me to the edge once again.
Once his fingers are wet and glistening with my arousal, I’m surprised when he slides one finger into my ass.
He’s never done this before, and as much as it surprises me, it’s exactly what I needed to go spiraling once again.
My muscles are tightening around him with my orgasm, and it only makes his hips work faster.
Hearing him let out growls and moans is sexy as fuck, and it only adds to my release.
I feel tired and weak and worn out after my high, and I was so engrossed with everything I was experiencing that I didn’t realize that he didn’t come with me until he pulls out and turns me around.
He pushes me back onto the table, but this time, I’m lying on the top of my back.
My legs are spread as far as they can go, and he’s stepping up between them with his big cock in his hand.
He positions at my entrance, and then he rocks his hips forward, filling me to the brim.
I let out a soft moan as my eyes flutter closed.
“Look at me, Alice.”
My eyes open and lock on his. “Keep those beautiful eyes of yours on mine. I want to see the look in your eyes when I make you come one last time.”
His hips double their pace, and it’s not long before I’m shattering again, this time with my eyes locked on his, giving him exactly what he wants.
When he sees the look in my eyes when I come, he comes with me, and we both keep our eyes open until we no longer have control of them.
He collapses against me, and we’re both breathless, breathing hard and too weak to move.
* * *
“Call me the minute you land,” he says as he opens the car door for me.
I toss my purse into the passenger side seat and turn to face him. “I will.”
“Be careful. Just because the roads are plowed doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. Watch out for black ice.”
I smile as I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. “I know, Cole. I have driven in the snow a time or two.”
“I know. I just want you safe,” he says, moving his lips to mine.
He kisses me soft, slow, full of need and passion and sadness. When he pulls away, he takes a step back. “Go on and get out of here before I decide to stop you,” he says with a smirk.
I smile as my eyes fill with tears. I was so ready to leave until it was time to.
I slide into the driver’s seat and close the door.
I put the key in the ignition and twist it.
The car starts, and I shift into reverse.
Without looking back at him, I back down the drive and out onto the road.
I refuse to look at him, knowing that it will make it all the harder to leave.
As I start down the road, I lose control, and my eyes move up to the rearview mirror.
He’s walked out to the street. Standing in the middle of the road, he watches me drive away.