Page 13 of Christmas Replay
We drove for hours, Alissa picking it up quickly. We stopped occasionally. On the first, she leapt off her snowmobile and into my arms. “Oh my God! This is so fun! Promise me we can do it again!”
“Every weekend if you want.”
I couldn’t see her mouth, but the look she gave me, made me think she was biting her lip and smiling. I’d seen that expression in her eyes before.
“I’m holding you to that.” After fist bumping me, she headed back to her snowmobile to ride off again.
I followed, watching her backside more than the trail. Thank God, it was mostly clear. When we finally arrived back home and changed, we were both exhausted. Alissa yawned roundly.
“Nap?” I suggested.
“Yeah, maybe. I was a little too keyed up to sleep last night.”
“It took me forever to drop off,” I confessed. “I kept thinking about this woman down the hallway.”
“Same problem.”
I scooped her up into my arms, and she shrieked. “What are you doing, crazy man?”
“We’re taking a nap.” I tipped my forehead to hers, staring into her eyes before she could protest. “Just a nap, I promise.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep like that. With us in the same bed.”
“I think we’ll manage.” I wasn’t entirely sure how I’d do, but I knew I’d feel better with her there with me, in my arms, under the same blankets.
Acting more sure of myself than I was, I strode down to my bedroom. Once there, I yanked back the comforter and top sheet, never letting her go. Alissa silently clung to my shoulders and watched what I was doing. I felt her tension, but she didn’t try to dissuade me or get away. I took that as consent. And since I didn’t plan anything else, that was enough.
I climbed into bed and arranged us so I was spooned behind her, then I pulled the covers over us. “This okay?” I murmured, my arms around her.
“Mm-hmm,” she managed, the sound a little strangled.
I kissed her neck, and felt her racing pulse beneath my lips. “Just sleep. Promise. I’ll be good.”
“I’m not worried about that. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep.”
Turning onto my back, I readjusted us so she used my chest as a pillow. She snuggled in, her hand splayed over my chest with her ear over my heart.
“Better?”
“Mmm,” she mumbled.
Closing my eyes, I smoothed my palm up and down her back. Her breathing evened out as she dropped into sleep. The sound lulled me, and soon I followed, feeling as if I could be like this every day into forever.
Nine
Alissa
I woke up completely tangled up in Cliff’s arms. Our legs had twined together while we’d slept, and I’d rolled to my side so my back was pressed to his chest.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” he whispered against my ear.
“Mmm,” I mumbled. “How long have you been awake?”
“Not long,” he admitted. “But I didn’t want to move and risk waking you up.”
“Uh-huh.” I smiled and pressed a kiss to the inside of his wrist which was resting on the pillow next to my head. “You were holding on to me for altruistic reasons?”
“The purist,” he assured me, fake innocence in his tone.
