Page 42 of Wren's Winter

It doesn’t mean anything, Wren. Remember, you’re leaving soon. Don’t get ahead of yourself.

His hands on my hips, he bent down to press a kiss to my lips. When our mouths touched, an aching formed in my chest at the tenderness of his touch. Our tongues met, and right away, my core heated. The kiss deepened. Our mouths slanted over one another. My hands reached around his back, down the back of his sweatpants to grab his ass and bring him closer.

He pulled away, pointing the spatula at the stool on the other side of the island. “You sit over there, or I’ll be ready for round two.” He paused, cocking his head to the side. “Or is it three? Anyway, we need to eat before I fuck you again. I have plans that involve you being well fed.”

Settling into the stool, I crossed my feet at the ankles and watched as he mixed the batter together. “Plans? Aside from sex?”

He scoffed, the whisk dripping on his wrist as he held it up in mock outrage. “Birdie, there is more to me than my masterful tongue and magnificent cock. I’m a person, you know.”

I laughed, taking a sip of my coffee. “So, what kind of non-sex plans do you have?”

He didn’t use measuring cups, going by rote memory as he whisked the sugar and flour together. “I didn’t say sex was off the table, but I want to take you somewhere.”

Narrowing my eyes, I watched him as he poured the batter into the pan. “Where?”

“This little spot at the top of the mountains. The drive is a little bumpy, but the views at the top are incredible.” Poking the edges with his spatula, his statement was directed at the pan.

“You want to drive further up a mountain?” I asked skeptically.

He slid the crepe from the pan onto my plate, garnishing it with powdered sugar. “You’ll like it. I checked the forecast, and it’s supposed to be cold but clear. The views are worth it.”

I took a large bite, too ravenous to be dainty. He smiled as I chewed. “Good?”

I gave him a thumbs-up, my mouth too full to respond. As I ate, he started his own batch, cooking quickly. His was far less fancy than the one he gave me, but as he sat beside me, he didn’t seem to mind.

“Okay, but promise you won’t drive crazy?”

“I would never do anything that puts you in danger. You’re safe with me.”

I swallowed down the lump that was forming from the simple declaration. I had heard those words before. Most often accompanied by drunken boat rides, where I was whipped about in the cold spray of water. Or the time I got left behind on a double black diamond, my second time snowboarding and had to hike by myself to the lift.

I raised a brow at him. A dull throbbing in my chest at his statement.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked, lines forming between his brows. “I would never do something that would make you feel unsafe. I promise.”

When I didn’t respond, he pushed his half-eaten crepe away from him and turned to face me. “I swear to God. I don’t want to hear a thing about your ex because I’d want to slash his tires.”

I laughed. Taking the last bite of my food, I licked my fork clean. “He’s a non-issue. He dumped me...”

“How that man could be so stupid?”

“He’s not stupid. He just didn’t want to be with me anymore. I’m okay, I swear.”

“It’s not okay. You don’t have to tell me a thing, and I already know. That man was reckless with you. If I had that kind of chance with you, I’d never be so capricious.”

“Look at who’s picking up a dictionary to be all swoony.”

He leaned forward, his hand on my bare upper thigh. “Is that what gets you going? My big…vocabulary?”

The corner of my mouth ticked up as I leaned in to meet him. “Something like that.”

His fingers gripped my chin, bringing me a breath away from his mouth. “You know, when it comes to getting you back in my bed, I plan on being tenacious.”

“Who am I to be obstinate?” I murmured. “But who said we need a bed?”

His mouth descended over mine, this time without a hint of tenderness of earlier. His hands found my hips, pulling me into his lap on the stool. The grip on my hips tightened and then his hands were sliding beneath the shirt to grip my ass. My back against the counter, the edge dug into my lower back, but I didn’t care. All I knew was the burn of his taste, the rough scrape of his hands as he held tighter. Scooping me up, he hoisted me onto the counter where we were the same height. The embrace deepened, our tongues clashing and teeth knocking. His hands pulled my shirt up and over my head.

“Goddamn, you’re bare for me.” He leaned back to gaze over my body. The way he was staring at me should have made me self-conscious. Being naked in front of others was never something I enjoyed. All my little and big flaws were on full display in the midmorning light, but all I saw in his eyes was hunger and need.

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