Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Chloe
Hours later, the snow is still coming down hard. When Ryder tells me we’re not likely to leave the cabin for at least another day, maybe two, I’m not upset.
Not in the least.
How could I be when I’m stranded in the middle of a snowstorm with only one bed and the sexiest mountain man I’ve ever seen, who also happens to enjoy helping me with my research?
It’s cozy by the fire, and I’m tucked in under a wool blanket with my notebook while Ryder braves the snow to chop more wood.
I’m doing my best to record every single detail from our sexy times last night and again this morning and then again right before he left to chop wood, but it’s so hard because reliving it in my writing is leaving me in a constant horny state.
I’m so wet between my legs that I’m afraid I’m ruining the blanket.
That has to be a good sign that my writing is finally on track. I know I’m a talented author, but my stories have always been lacking.
And now I know exactly what they’ve been missing.
Because I know we’ll be doing more research when Ryder comes back inside, and I really do want to make the most of my alone time, I force myself to focus and dig into my story.
I’m so lost in my writing that I hardly notice when the door opens and my mountain man comes inside with an armload of wood.
“Hey there, kitten. Getting some work done?”
I love it when he calls me kitten. It makes me purr deep inside.
“It’s not exactly work.” Guilt flashes through me because I know I should be working on the article. “I’m working on my book.”
Ryder’s eyes flash. “Oh yeah? Putting all that research to good use, are you?”
He crosses the room, and my pussy quivers the closer he gets.
I bite my bottom lip and nod as he bends his head to me.
I love the way he kisses me, with the scruff of his beard scraping a little on my skin.
I’m ready for his lips to press on mine, but instead, he moves my hair out of the way and starts to lick and nibble my neck.
It doesn’t take long before I’m moaning under his attentions. “That feels so good.”
Ryder’s hand slips under the blanket and finds my breast. He palms it and lazily rubs his thumb over my nipple as he continues kissing my neck.
I’m putty in his hands. I had no idea being with a man could feel so good. I know it’s ridiculous. Sure, I knew it would feel good. But not this good.
I never want it to end.
I never want to leave this place.
Or this man.
When he pulls away, I don’t bother to hide my groan of disappointment.
Ryder chuckles and kisses me gently. “Not to worry, kitten. We’ll do more research later. I have plenty of things in mind.”
“I can handle some now.”
He laughs again. “Maybe you can, but it’s important to rest, too. We’ve done a lot. I don’t want you to be sore.”
I was sore. But not in a bad way.
My body aches, but I love it because every time I move, I’m reminded of having Ryder’s big, thick cock inside me. Still, it would be nice to be able to soak in a hot bath. Visions of the giant tub back at the lodge that I planned to relax in tease me.
“Kitten?” Ryder’s looking at me with concern in his eyes. “You are sore, aren’t you?”
“No. I mean, yes. I mean…truthfully, I thought I’d be enjoying a nice hot bath at the lodge right about now. In fact, it was the whole reason I pushed the snowshoe expedition the way I did.”
“For a bath?” Ryder sits back, and I can’t read the expression on his face. “You did all that, risked your life for a bath?”
I feel like a stupid little girl, but it’s the truth. I did. So I nod.
Without another word, Ryder stands and strides across the room. He grabs his coat, shoves his feet in his boots, and is gone before I can stop him. The wooden door slams behind him as I sit, watching and wondering why I couldn’t have just kept my mouth shut.
Tears well up in my eyes, but I blink them away and pick up my writing.
It doesn’t matter if he’s upset. Not really. This isn’t forever. I need to remember that.
Even if I’m stupid enough to fall for the fantasy doesn’t mean he is too.
My reality is starkly different. I’m a small-time reporter whose rent check depends on this article.
Maybe it’s time to get some work done after all.
Ryder
A bath? She risked her life—and mine—for a bath.
I should be pissed. Hell, I should be livid. Going out in that storm could have killed us both.
But it didn’t.
And more importantly, if Chloe hadn’t been so foolish, we wouldn’t be snowed-in right now. And I wasn’t complaining about that.
Quite the opposite.
The old door slammed shut behind me before I could stop it, but I didn’t have time to go back and do anything about it. I was on a mission and now that I had the idea in my head, I couldn’t wait to execute it for my girl.
No one was more surprised than I was to discover how much I was enjoying getting to know Chloe. And not just in bed. Although, all our research together has been amazing.
Just thinking about sliding my dick inside her sweet, hot pussy has me hot and bothered again. I just spent over an hour chopping wood in the snowstorm in an effort to cool off and just like that, I was already overheated again.
I’ve spent my entire adult life avoiding any kind of relationship with a woman. But despite what my brothers think, it’s not because I’m determined to be single my whole life. Truthfully, I’d never given a relationship any real thought because I’d never met a woman worth changing my ways for.
Until now.
Our whole lives, we were raised knowing our parents had experienced an instant love connection that was so strong it could never be broken or denied. On some level, I know I’ve been waiting for that. But with all the many women I’d been with, I’ve never felt anything remotely like that.
Is that what I was feeling with Chloe?
I stopped in the middle of the yard and inhaled the crisp, cold air deeply as the realization crashed through me.
Yes.
That’s exactly what I was feeling.
I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do about it. But I can start by showing Chloe how special I think she is.
The snow is still coming down hard, piling up on the already huge snow drifts all around the cabin. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m up for the challenge.
She’s worth it.
I grab the shovel, find the big mound of snow I’m looking for, and get to work to unearth Chloe’s surprise.
It takes me at least thirty minutes to get the snow off the cover of the old wood-fired bathtub. I make quick work of clearing out the tub and building a fire in the woodbox, before filling the tub with the clean snow I just removed.
Years ago, when Ma and Pop were first married and she was pregnant with my oldest brother, Maverick, my father built the wood-fired bathtub as a treat for Ma, who also loved to soak, even when they were up at the hunting cabin.
It took longer than I wanted, but I finally got everything ready and went in search of my girl.
Chloe was fast asleep in the chair, her open notebook on her lap.
I didn’t plan to read it, but my eyes fell on the first paragraph, which was a very vivid and well-written description of Chloe with my cock in her mouth.
Before I knew it, I’d read through the next few pages because I simply couldn’t stop. Chloe had written a page-turner, and it wasn’t just because I played the starring role.
She was talented.
Very talented.
Chloe
“Ryder?”
My eyes flutter open as I’m lifted from my chair. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I must be a lot more exhausted than I realized. Of course, my body isn’t used to this kind of physical exertion.
“You looked so peaceful.” He kisses my forehead as I open my eyes all the way and look up at his handsome face. “I didn’t want to wake you,” he says. “But I don’t want you to miss your surprise.”
“Surprise?”
My sleepy brain works overtime to keep up with what he’s saying. Why would he have a surprise for me when he was upset with me? And he is upset with me after finding out that I risked our lives for a bath. Isn’t he?
“But aren’t you…” I swallow hard. “Aren’t you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because I went out in the storm.” I don’t want to bring it up again. Especially now that I’m back in his arms. But I can’t ignore the way he stormed out of the cabin. “You left so quickly,” I continue. “And the door slammed and I just thought you must be—”
“Chloe.” He stops me. “I’m not mad.”
“You’re not?”
“No.” He shakes his head and grins, and the kiss he gives me makes me believe it.
“I was simply in a hurry. Now, if you’re done overthinking things, can I show you your surprise?”
I nod and drop my head against his chest as he carries me, still wrapped in the blanket, across the floor to the door. “Are we going outside?”
Sure, I’m covered in the blanket, but I’m only wearing a T-shirt underneath and the snow is still coming down hard. I’ll freeze.
“Don’t worry, kitten. I’ve got you.”
With one hand, Ryder opens the door and the blast of cold air hits me in the face, so I nuzzle in closer to his warmth and don’t lift it again until he tells me to.
“What is this?” My mouth has fallen open as I try to process what I’m looking at. “A bathtub? In the middle of nowhere?”
The large steel tub is a far cry from the fancy claw-foot bathtub back at the lodge, but the water is steaming invitingly. And with the snow coming down in big, fat flakes, the whole thing looks like a scene out of a movie.
Ryder sets me down gently and lifts the shirt from my body before helping me into the water.
“Ohhh.” I melt into the water and sink down so my whole body is covered. I drop my head back and let my hair fall over the back of the tub, close my eyes, and slowly exhale with a moan.
When I open my eyes, he’s crouching next to the bath, watching me expectantly.
“Do you like it?”
“Ryder, I love it.” I swallow back the urge to add, I love you. Because that would be crazy. We’d only just met.
But…
Maybe it’s because he was my first and he took my virginity and made me feel things I wasn’t sure I was capable of. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling so many strong things toward Ryder so quickly.
I have no idea, and I don’t really care because it doesn’t matter. All I know is that this rough around the edges man who is so gruff and so strong is making me feel things.
Real things.
“I’m so glad.” He lifts a cloth and dips it into the water before slowly rubbing it over my shoulders. “When you mentioned you were disappointed in not being able to use the bath in your room, well…I don’t want you to miss out on anything, Chloe.”
“Thank you.” I catch his hand with mine and hold it while I look into his eyes. “And just so you know, this is probably the most incredible bath I’ve ever had in my whole life.”
I’m rewarded with his smile.
“But there’s one thing that will make it a whole lot better.”
He tips his head in question, as if he doesn’t already know.
“I think you should get in here with me and wash me properly.”