Page 8 of Primal Snow

“Shut up!” I laugh despite myself. He always makes me laugh.

But something in his eyes changes, and the intensity builds. He shifts his body toward me, his knee brushing mine as his hand slides from the back of the couch onto the curve of my waist. He cups my face with his other palm, and my cheeks immediately heat up.

The next thing I know, he’s kissing me.

Soft at first, like he’s giving me a moment to adjust. Then, as I melt into him, his tongue enters my mouth to find mine and we join in a passionate dance. His lips press harder against mine, warm and firm, while the hand on my waist pulls me closer, anchoring me to him. And suddenly, it feels like we’re the only two people in the room. I clutch at his hoodie, holding on like I might float away otherwise, and my body presses against his without thinking. All I feel is him—his lips, his hands, the way he smells, the way he tastes.

“I know you hate all of it,” his voice drops to a husky whisper, “but I’m so happy you’re here with me, Em.”

He deepens the kiss, his hand moves from my face to the back of my head to steady me as he grasps a fistful of my hair. I moan softly into his mouth as he grows more urgent, his lips exploring mine with an almost overwhelming heat. His hand slides from my waist, onto my thigh. I feel his fingers dig into my flash over the fabric of my leggings and he tosses my leg over his lap, closing the gap between us completely. His hand snakes up higher, brushing against the bare skin of my stomach just under the hem of my shirt, and my entire body lights up.

Things are getting dangerously close to us dry humping in front of an audience. Whether they’re paying attention or not, the thought makes me pull back slightly, breaking the kiss just enough to whisper, “Chase…”

“Hmm?” His lips trail along my jaw now, feather-light, moving down toward the sensitive spot just below my ear. “You want to move to the bedroom?” he murmurs, his breath warm and rugged against my skin.His teeth find my earlobe, and he nibbles lightly, sending a bolt of heat straight through me.

I freeze.

It’s not like we haven’t done stuff—we have—but we haven’t gone all the way. And it’s not that I don’t want to. I do. But part of me hesitates, wondering if it’s too soon, if I’m truly ready.

Then there’s the other part. The one that’s scared. Not of him, but of what comes after. No guy is nicer than one who hasn’t fucked you yet—everyone knows that. And Chase? He’s almost too nice.

I know I’m no troll—five-seven, fit, sun-bleached blonde, legs for days, grass-green eyes, and a natural tan that doesn’t quit. I bring my own to the table. I could get any guy if I wanted. But Chase? He’s on another level. A guy like him—gorgeous, popular, filthy rich—doesn’t need to try this hard.

And I don’t have much experience in the relationship department. I’ve always had bros, but Chase is different. My first real boyfriend. I’m also still a virgin. I guess I was waiting for the one—or something. Is he it? I don’t know. We haven’t dropped L-bombs yet. And I’m not sure I’m there.

But when I meet his baby-blue eyes, my head goes fuzzy. I bite my lip, heart racing as I weigh the thought of going to bed with him.

“Or…” Chase pulls back slightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “We could heat the hot tub.”

I blink at him. “The hot tub? Outside? You realize there’s a literal blizzard happening, right?”

And a killer stalker or something, I add, but only inside my mind.

“It’s not that bad. Look,” he says, glancing out the window.

I follow his eyes. Snowflakes swirl in the dark, but they’re still manageable, not the whiteout we were warned about.

“And besides…” He licks the shell of my ear, his voice dropping to a low rasp. “I intend to keep you extra warm.”

My brain short-circuits for a second. “You’re ridiculous,” I say, pushing lightly at his chest.

“Ridiculously into you,” he counters without missing a beat, grasping my face between his hands to steal one more passionate kiss before I can protest.

I give in to him, kissing him with the same eagerness.

“Come on,” he says, standing and pulling me up with him. “Just the two of us. It’ll be fun.”

I hesitate, glancing at the others. Vicky and Jay are wrapped up in their own world, Mia and Derek are still bickering, and no one seems to notice us. My eyes then shift back to the windows—I don’t think the outside is safe, blizzard or not. But how crazy does that sound?

“Okay,” I say finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

His smile is enough to chase away my doubts. Maybe—just maybe—this getaway won’t be so bad after all.

“Alright, I’ll go get it started,” he says, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on my forehead. “Meetme out there in a few minutes? And bring some towels.”

“Yeah, sure,” I mumble, trying to sound casual. He puts on his jacket, grabs a couple more beers, then turns on the fairy lights outside and steps out onto the patio. The cold air rushes in for a brief second before he shuts the sliding door behind him.

I head to our bedroom on the main floor, my heart beating a little faster than it should be. Is it the shadowy figure or my virginity that’s stressing me out now?

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