Page 111 of Major Love

He holds my hand firmly in his as he slowly leads the way down the mountain, trudging carefully through the snow and patiently ensuring that I don’t slip.

And when we finally reach the vehicle, he pats the seat with his gloved hand.

“You wanna ride?” he asks, glancing down at me over his shoulder. And when he sees that I’m trying not to laugh, his country-boy smirk breaks free.

He bands his forearms around my lower back, tugging me against his chest as I squeal with laughter.

“I was talking about the snowmobile, naughty girl,” he says gruffly, before burying his face in my neck and tickling me with his stubble.

“Jason!” I squeal. “Too much, too much!”

He chuckles, bites me playfully, and then pulls back until his mouth is hovering just above mine. I tentatively stroke my fingers up his jaw and his eyelids grow heavy as I caress him.

I love that such a strong man enjoys me being gentle with him.

I slowly trail my fingertips over the harsh stubble on his cheeks, and his eyes lower to my lips as he tugs the glove off his other hand.

And then his palms are on my hips, slipping just above the waistband of my snow-pants, a gift that Jason brought to the cabin this morning because he knew that I wouldn’t have any.

“I’m so glad that you’re here,” he tells me, his deep voice quiet and earnest. “In Phoenix Falls. At my place. Spending your weekend where it’s just the two of us.”

His forehead nudges mine and I exhale shakily, clutching him tighter. I wrap my arms around the back of his neck, keeping him close, telling him that I want this.

And he hesitates for a moment before swiping his tongue over his bottom lip and going for it.

“I came to see you,” he says gruffly, closing his eyes as he holds me against him. “As soon as I got honorary discharge, I came to see you down in Nashville.”

I blink up at him in shock, my lashes fluttering as he looks down at me.

“When?” I rasp breathlessly.

“Couple of times, at the bar. Didn’t know how else I could find you so I took a chance on you being front of house.”

But I never knew that he came, because Ididn’twork front of house.

I owned and managed the bar so most of my work was done off-site, except when country musicians were doing a gig and then I’d hang out with them before their show.

“I know I never found you, but I don’t regret trying.” And then he looks deep into my eyes and says, “The bar was fucking beautiful, Sunday.”

My heart squeezes painfully in my chest and I bite my cheek, tamping down my emotions.

Because from the way that he says it I know what else he’s implying – that Cash would have loved it if he was still with us. He just isn’t saying it out loud because he doesn’t want me to get upset.

But one teardrop slips free, and he captures it with the tip of his thumb.

“You know what I’m saying, right?” he rumbles quietly, searching my eyes.

And I release a sad teary laugh, nodding my head and willing myself to be strong.

“Fucking beautiful,” he repeats, his hands gripping firm. “Just like you.”

I peek up at him from under my lashes, smiling shyly as he strokes my snow-kissed cheek.

“I want to ask you something,” he says, and I pull off my other glove so that I can caress his nape.

And when I do, he groans quietly, pulling me closer and gently squeezing my waist.

I nod, feeling my blonde ponytail swish. “Anything,” I whisper up to him.

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