Page 17 of Mr. Winter
I rip my eyes away and spot Deacon as he slides me a dirty look for attending only in my spectral form. No one can see me in this form but he or someone like him. I shrug because I attended, and that’s all that matters. I salute him with both middle fingers, and he chuckles to himself. With a kiss to his wife’s forehead, he excuses himself and spins Arden into a loose embrace to dance with her, while inching closer to where I am sitting.
The asshole dances with her directly in front of me, teasing me with her nearness until I’m not sure if I want to thank him or fight him. Fuck, she’s beautiful, and being so close pulls out feelings I’m doing my best to ignore. Her fitted, silver dress with a soft shimmer hugs her curves. I bite my lip and suck back a groan. She has those ass grabbing, titty gripping, she likes it rough, watch it bounce when I fuck her from behind, grown woman curves.
If I were here in full form I’d have to adjust myself, instead, I lean back with my elbows on the table and fantasize about touching, tasting, and fucking her. I still like and cherish the sweetness of our childhood relationship, but my predilections and goals are a little more...robust as a grown man. I want to make her shiver with something other than the cold.
Deacon dips her. If she could see me, her brown eyes would be looking right into mine.
“Thanks for the dance, darlin’,” the asshole says as he spins her one last time until she’s sitting in the chair I occupy. If I were physically there, she’d been in my lap. I inhale her alluring scent. This is temptation overload.
“That’s fucked up, asshole,” I tell Deacon before pulling myself back into my body.
I open my eyes from my bed and stare at the ceiling. My dick is so hard it hurts. This has been the crux of my time in Fairhope. I’m surrounded by old friends but am essentially alone. Although it’s by choice, it doesn’t suck any less.
Arden’s scent still lingers. I hate that I can lock in on it from so far away. I crave her, and I hate myself for it since I need to stay away. Yes, my grandfather had a family, but it was much much later, and he still regretted dropping his focus long enough to lose my grandmother. He’s never gone into detail but used to lecture me on the importance of staying focused. My mother doesn’t even know the details since she was young when it happened.
I can’t do that to Arden, but my hand goes to my dick anyway as my eyes drift closed. Images of memories I’ve collected all year play in my head until I have a tempting slideshow to use as I fuck my hand. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth as my hand helps me forget everything but what I want to do to Arden.
Letting go, I allow the sensation to take over until my body tingles just before release. I cum hard but am immediately dropped back into my reality, my lonely, complicated reality where I’m trying my best to make it through the first Christmas without my grandfather and keep the woman I want away from me. She shouldn’t be involved. I’d happily shoulder this responsibility if it meant he could’ve lived longer.
The anger with myself brings the “what-ifs” along until I’m battling myself by attempting to tamp down the chaos and pull myself back together. Unfortunately, It’s gotten harder to do the last few weeks. My emotions have spoken. My body is glowing and my breathing is rapid as if I’m on the verge of hyperventilating.
The wind howls outside. I feel Deacon trying to communicate with me, but it’s not working right now. I’m too far gone. A blizzard is already brewing.
Chapter 9
Arden
We’re laughing at something when Deacon stops and stretches like a dog listening for something. He’s been weird as fuck lately, but the Fairhope guys are weird to me anyway. If Kim doesn’t seem concerned, then who the fuck am I to point it out. I’ll just mind my business.
His expression is serious when his eyes connect with mine, but he drops back until his usual flirtatious nature.
“Baby, did I tell you that your forehead twin Leesa put Espen Winters’ name on the bachelor auction list?”
“No!” Kim says surprised. “How did you—”
“She didn’t. She lied like a whole loser and now Dad is excited to see the turn out.” I want to punch him in the nuts, but a girl knows when not to do such things.
“I will get him to agree,” I insist as the group stares at me.
“Oh, yeah? Rumor has it he’s going out of town in the morning, so your window is closing,” he looks at his watch, “now.”
Flustered, I pop up out of my chair. “Like hell it is!”
“Cut the crap. You are scared of him. He’s won this round.”
“Deac, why are you getting the crazy pants worked up. She’s likely to go over there right now,” Mack points out.
Deacon just shrugs. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Arden Elisabeth Voss never backs down from a challenge. I pull on my coat and grab my purse.
“I’m gonna prove you so wrong you’ll owe me breakfast for a year.”
Mack rolls his eyes. “Her greedy ass would want free breakfast.”
I point at him. “Shut it before you lose a bet to me and owe me lunch.”
Mack stands. “Where are you going, Nutty?”
