Chapter 7
EMILY
I can’t help but shiver as Tanner’s lips brush against mine again, this time with more urgency.
The kiss deepens, his tongue exploring the contours of my mouth, and I respond eagerly, my own tongue sliding against his.
His lips are firm but soft as they press against mine, moving in slow, deliberate strokes.
His hands move from the snow, warm against my cold cheeks, and then trail down to my neck, his fingers gently stroking the delicate skin. My breath catches as his touch becomes more assertive, roaming over my collarbone and slipping beneath the edge of my coat. The sensation is electrifying.
As his fingers move lower, they brush against my collarbone and travel further down, making contact with the sensitive skin of my chest.
His touch becomes bolder, cupping my breasts through the fabric of my coat and sweater. He kneads them gently, his fingers finding their shape and pressing possessively. The sensation is overwhelming, even though we aren’t skin-to-skin, and it makes me gasp against his mouth.
Each kiss is punctuated by the caress of his tongue and the gentle pressure of his lips, while his hands continue their exploration.
“Oh, fuck,” Tanner groans against me. “You feel so fucking good.”
His kisses move from my lips to my neck, where he kisses and nibbles softly, sending tingling sensations through my body.
I find myself yearning for more warmth, more closeness. I wonder if we should take this inside. If he can kiss like this, I wonder what else he’s capable of. The idea of being in a warm, soft bed with him, without inhibitions, becomes increasingly enticing.
We finally break the kiss, breathless and flushed. As I’m about to voice my thoughts, I hear the unmistakable sound of a dog barking. Before I can fully process it, Raffle bounds into view, his big paws slipping and sliding in the snow.
He trots over to us, tail wagging furiously. As soon as he spots Tanner, he starts growling. I burst into laughter as Raffle’s barks grow more insistent, and he tries to jump on me, his tongue flailing wildly.
“Hey, boy, it’s me! Remember?” he says, mock hurt in his voice.
Raffle doesn’t seem convinced. He continues to bark and nuzzle at me, his huge frame knocking me further into the snow while he totally ignores Tanner.
“Wow,” Tanner says. “He’s totally in love with you.”
I laugh as Raffle continues to lick me up and down while I attempt to pet him in turn. “Where did he come from?” I manage to say between my giggles.
Almost as if on cue, I hear footsteps crunching through the snow, and I look up to see Axel, Jace, and Ben approaching. Axel’s eyes immediately find Raffle.
“Raffle, come here!” Axel calls, his voice firm but calm. Raffle ignores him at first, still too excited about me, but after another call from Axel, he reluctantly trots back, tail wagging.
As Raffle moves away, I feel a sudden chill that has nothing to do with the snow.
Jace is looking at us, his expression tight, and I can’t quite tell if it’s irritation or something else in his eyes.
The playful warmth I felt just moments ago fades a bit under his gaze, and I have an almost instinctual urge to put some distance between Tanner and myself.
I subtly shift away, brushing snow off my coat and trying to act casual.
Axel clears his throat. “Sorry about that. We let Raffle out for a minute, and he bolted. He usually doesn’t run off like that unless he thinks something’s wrong.” He’s looking at Tanner, but I catch the way his eyes flick over to me, checking if I’m okay.
“Oh, well, everything’s fine,” I say, forcing a smile. “We were just...uh, taking a walk.” My cheeks flush a little, and I’m grateful for the dim light, hoping it hides the color. I quickly adjust my jacket, hoping that whatever we were up to is not apparent outright.
“Good to know,” he replies, his voice even.
Jace, however, doesn’t say anything. His jaw is tight, and he looks like he’s biting back words. I can feel his annoyance radiating off him, and it makes me want to squirm. Tanner must have told him and his friends about our date. Jace doesn’t look too happy about it.
Ben steps forward and gently extends a hand toward me. “Here, let me help you up,” he says.
I take his hand, feeling the strength in his grip as he effortlessly pulls me to my feet. I mumble a thank you, brushing snow from my dress.
I glance over at Tanner and see the flicker of annoyance in his eyes. Jace remains quiet, his eyes shifting between Tanner and me, still tight-lipped. Axel pats Raffle’s head, giving Tanner a knowing look, almost like the whole situation amuses him.
“Come on, Emily,” Tanner says, putting an arm over my shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” Ben says. “The snow is only going to get worse.”
“Ben is right,” Jace says. His frown seems to be deepening by the second, and I’m surprised he hasn’t tackled Tanner away from me yet. “It’s not safe to be out here so late.”
Tanner turns to the three of them, his jaw tight. “Seriously, guys? We’re obviously in the middle of something. Can’t you take a hint? Get lost,” he snaps, waving his hand like he’s shooing away some pesky flies.
“Look, we didn’t just wander out here for fun,” Jace says, his voice tense. “Raffle was barking like crazy, and we thought something was wrong. And turns out we were right—you two out here in the snow like it’s some romantic movie scene or something. Ever heard of hypothermia? Or bears?”
Tanner scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Bears, Jace? Really? Try to be a little more creative next time.” He snorts, giving Jace a look like he’s just suggested they might be abducted by aliens.
Standing beside Jace with Raffle at his feet, Axel lets out a frustrated sigh. “Tanner, the point is, it’s snowing, and it’s not exactly the best idea to be outside right now. You’re acting like you’ve never been in a storm before.”
Tanner rolls his eyes again. “Oh, come on, Axel. We’re firefighters. We’ve faced worse conditions than a bit of snow.”
Axel’s expression darkens, and he steps forward, looking Tanner square in the eyes. “Yeah, but we don’t take unnecessary risks, especially when there’s no reason to. And we sure as hell don’t brush off concerns just because we think we know better. Besides, what about Emily? She’s a civilian.”
I stand there, caught in the middle of their little spat, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration bubbling up inside me. “Guys, really,” I say, trying to cut through the tension. “It’s fine. We were just…taking a walk.”
Jace snorts. “A walk? In this weather? Emily, anything could have happened. We were just trying to make sure you’re safe.”
“Yeah, safe from bears, apparently,” Tanner mutters under his breath, still clearly annoyed.
“Okay, enough about the bears!” I blurt out, throwing my hands up in exasperation. “We can all just go inside now.”
“No,” Tanner says firmly. “And seriously, Jace, you need to chill. It’s just a walk.”
Jace steps closer, his voice rising. “I’m acting like you should’ve used your head for once, Tanner, instead of your dick.”
I want to bury my face in my hands.
“You’ve some nerve, man,” Tanner growls. “Take that back. It was incredibly disrespectful.”
“What’s wrong is putting Emily in harm’s way after what she went through yesterday.”
“Thanks, but I think I can take care of myself. And Emily, too.”
I look between them, baffled by the sudden escalation.
“Guys, can we not do this right now?” I interject, trying to cut through the tension. But they’re not listening to me. They’re too busy arguing, their voices overlapping in a chaotic mess of accusations and defenses.
“You think I don’t know how to be careful?” Tanner barks at Axel, his fists clenching at his sides. “You’re not the only one with instincts, you know.”
“I sure as hell wouldn’t be out here in the middle of a storm with a lady.”
“And yet you all are here, putting your nose up in my business,” Tanner says.
I try again, louder this time, “Hey! Can you all just stop for a second?”
But it’s like I’m invisible. They’re locked in their argument, Tanner’s face flushed with anger, Jace’s eyes blazing, and Axel standing firm with a look of exasperation.
The more they argue, the more it seems like this is less about the walk and more about…
what? Protecting me? Or maybe something more?
Frustration bubbles up inside me. I can’t believe they’re ignoring me, standing out here like idiots in the snow, fighting like schoolboys. I’ve had enough.
“Fine, you know what? I’m going back inside,” I mutter, more to myself than to them. I turn on my heel and stalk off, snow crunching under my boots as I leave them behind. If they want to act like children, they can do it without me.
As I stomp away from the guys, I head in what I think is the direction of the lodge. The snow crunches under my boots, and the icy wind bites at my face, but my frustration keeps me warm.
I keep walking, but after a few minutes, I realize I don’t see the lodge. I pause, squinting into the darkness. It’s so dark that I can barely make out anything beyond a few feet in front of me. The snow is coming down harder now, swirling around me in a disorienting flurry.