Bonus Chapter #2
We made it inside eventually, stomping the snow from our boots at the door.
Without the lights or heat, the cabin felt weirdly empty.
.. quiet in a way that wasn't comforting.
The dim light from the setting sun spilled through the windows, but it didn't do much to cut through the shadows creeping in.
Andy shrugged off his jacket, hanging it by the door. He nudged me lightly with his elbow. "Hey... Don't look so serious."
"I'm not, I'm fine," I said quickly. Too damn quickly. It came out sharp, clipped, not at all convincing... I avoided his eyes and sank down onto the couch, dragging my hands through my hair. Outside, the snow kept falling.
But it wasn't fine. I'd screwed a surprise up. Again.
This was supposed to be perfect for him.
A few days at a cozy cabin in the woods, where Andy didn't have to think about work, stress, or anything other than enjoying himself.
Instead, the lights were out, the heater was dead, and we were stuck in the dark until who-knows-when.
I'd called it in, and thanks to the snow levels, no one could get up here to check the power line until at least tomorrow afternoon.
No generator, no heat... we were screwed.
How the hell was this supposed to be relaxing?
"Hey, Vince," Andy said, coming to stand in front of me. His voice was softer now, teasing but careful. "You know... there are ways to stay warm without the heater."
Normally, I'd have some snarky reply to that... something to make him roll his eyes and laugh before I pulled him down into my lap and had my way with him. But the words just wouldn't come. I tried to smile, but it didn't stick.
Andy tilted his head, studying my eyes with that quiet intensity that always unnerved me. His playful grin faded, replaced by something softer and thoughtful. He crouched down in front of me, resting a hand on my knee.
"It's not your fault," he said, his voice steady.
I shook my head, staring past him. "I just wanted it to be perfect for you."
"It is," he said, like it was the simplest truth in the world. "It is perfect, Vince. You, me, here in the snow... it's perfect. Power or no power."
I still couldn't look at him. I was too caught up in my own head, too busy thinking about how I usually always let him down with things like this.
Andy sighed, then leaned in and kissed my forehead, slow and deliberate, the kind of kiss that said he knew me better than I knew myself... By the time he stood up and walked away, I could already hear him rummaging around in the kitchen.
I sat there for a second, staring after him, before I finally got up and followed.
Andy was at the counter with a lighter in one hand and a box of candles in the other. He glanced over at me, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Fixing it," he said simply, flicking the lighter.
The first candle came to life, its glow soft and golden, warming the edges of the room.
Andy moved around with quiet focus, lighting every candle he could find, his face lit up in the flickering light.
When he grabbed the firewood from the rack by the fireplace, I leaned against the doorframe, watching as he got the fire going within only a few minutes.
The fire caught, its glow spreading through the room, and Andy turned his attention to the pile of blankets stashed in the corner. He dragged them out, throwing them onto the floor in front of the fire and arranging them into a ridiculous, cozy nest.
"Come on," he said, waving me over. "I'm not doing this blanket fort thing alone..."
I hesitated for half a second. I still felt like I'd ruined something, but... the way he looked at me now, with so much determination and love, I couldn't say no.
I kicked off my boots and made my way over, sinking down beside him in the mess of blankets. Andy pulled one over both of us and leaned into my side, his head resting on my shoulder.
"See?" he murmured, his voice low and content. "Perfect."
I wrapped an arm around him, letting my hand settle on his waist. The fire crackled, the cabin glowed, and for the first time since the power went out, I let out a genuine smile.
Andy noticed... He always did.
He turned his head slightly, those baby blues catching the flicker of the flames. "Hey... There he is," he said softly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He pinched my chin between his fingers for a brief moment and grinned wider. "I was starting to think I broke you."
I huffed out a quiet laugh. "Not possible."
"You sure?" he teased, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my arm. It was a small, absentminded gesture, but it sent warmth coursing through me.
For a moment, we just sat there, his head leaning against my shoulder, my hand resting lightly on his side. The quiet between us wasn't awkward, it never was. Then he shifted, his weight pressing slightly into me as he turned, one hand coming up to rest on my chest.
"Vince... You promise you're okay?" he asked.
I nodded, but he raised an eyebrow. He could always tell when I was bullshitting. "It's just... I wanted this weekend to be perfect for you. The trip, the cabin, everything. I'm a dumbass, I should've checked the voltage this old cabin could handle before I hooked dozens of lights up to it."
Andy tilted his head, his lips twitching like he was holding back a laugh. "Vince. Look around..." He gestured vaguely at the blanket fort, the candles, the fire. "This? This is perfect... This is so romantic."
I stared at him, letting myself take him in... the way the light softened his features, the faint flush still lingering from earlier, and his hair, all messy from leaning against me and taking a beating in that epic snowball fight. How was he always so effortlessly gorgeous?
"Yeah?" I questioned, looking for a little extra assurance.
"Yeah..." he said simply, his voice quiet but sure.
His hand slid up to cup my face, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone in a way that sent warmth through my entire chest. "Now quit being mopey and kiss me."
I smirked, leaning in to close the small space between us, the weight of the day melting away the second our lips met.
I kissed him softly at first. Andy let out a small hum of approval, his hand sliding from my cheek to the back of my neck, fingers threading into my hair like he was trying to anchor me closer.
The fire crackled beside us, the cabin wrapped in a golden glow, but all I could focus on was him.
.. how good he felt, how his lips always tasted so sweet.
His lips parted just enough to let me deepen the kiss and I shifted slightly, pulling him into my lap.
He settled against me with that perfect fit we always had.
His hands roamed from my shoulders to my chest, and my own hands found his waist, pulling him closer. The kiss suddenly turned hungrier... until all I could feel, all I could think about, was Andy.
"Vince," he whispered against my lips, his voice breathless and soft, sending a shiver down my spine. I hoped this was leading where I thought it was, because the blood I now had rushing south was making it nearly impossible to focus. His body brushing against mine wasn't helping.
He leaned back just enough to look at me, his blue eyes sparkling in the firelight. "This is the part where you tell me how amazing and capable I am, by the way."
I laughed, low and warm, leaning my forehead against his. "Me spoiling you is turning you into a brat, sugar baby."
"Oh god! Shut up with that, Vince, I'm serious," he teased, smiling.
I let out a deep laugh, and then his lips crushed back against mine, cutting me off. My hands slid under his sweater, brushing the bare skin of his back. He sucked in a sharp breath at the contact, and I couldn't help the teasing edge in my voice. "Hey... You're not cold, are you?"
"Not even a little," he replied, his tone softer now.
I kissed him again, letting the moment carry us. The kiss deepened, slow at first, then hungrier, more deliberate. Andy's fingers slid up into my hair, tugging just enough to send a jolt straight down my spine.
When I flipped us over, he let out a surprised laugh that turned into a soft gasp as I pinned him beneath me. His breath hitched as I kissed down the line of his jaw, my teeth grazing his skin just enough to make him shiver.
"You wore too many layers," I muttered, my fingers tugging at his sweater, wrestling it over his head. "It's like unwrapping a goddamn Christmas present."
His grin widened as he helped me, arms lifting, exposing his toned stomach and the trail of golden hair that disappeared beneath his waistband. "Maybe I wanted to make you work for it," he quipped, but his voice had taken on that low, breathy edge that drove me wild.
"You're the worst," I murmured, my voice rough with teasing as I leaned down and nipped at his collarbone.
My lips brushed over his skin, warm and soft beneath me, and I couldn't resist letting my teeth graze lightly against him.
He shivered, his breath catching in a way that sent a thrill through my chest.
I trailed my mouth down to his neck, finding the sensitive spot just below his jawline that always made him melt.
I sucked on the skin there, slow and deliberate, as his fingers curled into my shoulders.
His soft groan filled the space between us, low and breathless, and it made my pulse hammer against my ribs.
The faint flush spreading across his neck and cheeks only encouraged me. I pulled back just enough to admire the faint mark I'd left behind... a perfect reminder that he was all mine.
His eyes fluttered open, and the way they burned into me half-lidded, glassy, and entirely wrecked. It was enough to make me lose my breath.
"Seriously?" he muttered. But there was no heat in his voice, only a playful exasperation as a slow grin crept onto his face.
I smiled, my thumb brushing against the fresh mark. "It looks good on you."