Release: New Adult Sport Romance (Fire and Ice) (11 page)

“You must be Lori. We’ve been waiting for you.” Skinny jeans and a tight zip-neck show off her fit body. Are those abs I see? I tighten mine.

Huh, she must be new. I say, “I hope you like meat. That was the only request.”

“I’ll eat anything right now.” She takes the top box off the pile and puts it on a chair behind the counter. She looks back at me as if she wants to ask a question. It’s like I should know her, but can’t place why.

Nick and Chris have their hands full tonight. Ski boots litter the floor as people with stocking feet sit on the benches. The smell of the girl’s coconut shampoo wafts toward me as I maneuver my way behind the counter to set the rest of the boxes down.

The roar of the sand belt is punctuated by the zing of metal as Kaleb grinds the base of a ski. He gives me a nod and flicks the machine off. “Thanks. I’m starving.”

I open a box for him, and he grabs a slice. I watch in awe as he bites off half the piece. “Hungry?” I ask and pull out a piece for myself. Pepperoni tempts me with its salty garlic smell.

He speaks around the mouthful. “Busy. I’ve got a mountain of tunes to get done for tomorrow.” He sticks the rest in his mouth.

“Who’s the new girl?” I ask.

He tilts his head in a question at me as he chews.

“The girl behind the counter. I’ve never seen her before.”

He gulps the mouthful of food. “Oh, that’s Gretchen. She’s a competitive snowboarder. She just moved here.” He finishes off another slice, and I realize he’s not in the mood to talk.

I notice the poster behind the tuning bench. It’s of a girl in tiny strips of material, which I guess is her bikini. She’s wearing snowboard boots and holds a Burton board. She’s hot. She’s also Gretchen. Great.

I take a bigger bite of my pizza and then decide to just eat it on the way to my truck. “You get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He looks relieved as he wipes his hands on his work apron. “Thanks.” He flips the switch back on and picks up a ski.

Gretchen rings up a customer. The older man flirts with her, and she flirts right back. While the poster is probably Photo-
shopped, she’s still beautiful. A pang of jealousy tugs at me.

Nick nods his head at me as I leave. A little disappointed I didn’t get to spend time with Kaleb, I placate myself with the idea of hot tea, a good book, and cookies. My step lightens as I approach my truck.

* * *

Cotton ball clouds move lazily in the blue sky. My heart is up there floating on them this morning as I walk to the locker room. My mom called earlier to tell me she got a grant to do research in Switzerland. She was her typical chilly self, but thawed a bit when I gushed on about Kaleb. I know she’s always wanted the best for me, and in the past couple of years we’ve come a long way. She even ended the conversation with an “I love you.” It’s made an already great day more amazing.

“Hi.” Kaleb sits on the bench in front of my locker and holds two large paper cups. He hands one to me.

“Hey, how late did you end up working last night?” My tea is still hot, and I take a cautious sip.

“It was a long one. Gretchen and I didn’t leave until about eleven.”

Gretchen? I notice he’s ready to go out and is dressed to board. My blood pumps a little faster.

He follows my eyes as I take in his baggy pants. “I’m taking a few runs with Gretchen this morning, but I need to ask you something. Nick invited us over for Christmas Eve. Casey and Jason will be there too. Want to go?”

I try to relax. He just asked me out in the same breath he spoke about snowboarding with Gretchen. “That sounds fun. Do we need to bring anything?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure Megan will work it out with you.” He steps in a little closer.

I put my palm on his chest just inside his open jacket. He leans his forehead down against mine. “It’s so busy at the shop this week I won’t get to see you much. I don’t like that.”

I don’t like it either. Especially now, since he works with Gretchen. His lips are close to mine. “I miss you too.” I close the inches between us with a kiss. He pulls away and winks at me. “Have a good day.”

I lick my lips and savor the taste of coffee and of him. “You, too.”

I’m jealous. I’ll bet Gretchen isn’t shy about sex. I open my locker and pull out my ski socks. No doubt she’s an amazing snowboarder too.

Casey comes down the aisle. “Hey Lori, did you hear about the storm coming? Snow for Christmas. Isn’t it great?”

“Yeah, it is.” So why can’t I shake my anxiety?

Chapter 16

Lights flash by my window as Kaleb parks his car. I take one last look in the mirror and decide to answer the door before I put my coat on. I think I might like the reaction. Megan asked us to dress up, and I’m wearing my emerald silk bustier and wide-leg black pants. Fabric swishes around my ankles as I walk to the door.

In sky-high heels, I’ll still be short compared to Kaleb. Yet I think the effect will work in my favor. I open the door and watch his eager face turn to lust.

“Wow.” He licks his lips, and an evil smile turns up my mouth as my stomach growls.

Kaleb is in a tight sweater over an Oxford shirt. His winter jacket is open, and of course he doesn’t wear any gloves. I take in his entire appearance from head to toe slowly and make no effort to hide what I do. I hear him clear his throat as he steps inside. “I’m hungry too.” He teases. “Thanks for waiting for me to get out of work.”

I’m tempted to yank him into my bedroom, but my belly growls again. Placing my hand on my stomach, I reply, “Let me grab my coat.”

I hand him the dessert I made so I can work my way safely down the stairs. “Do you think they’d notice if I ate the dessert?” I’m only half joking. I should have eaten when I got home from work. On a usual night, I’m getting ready for bed at nine.

Kaleb teases. “I won’t tell as long as you give me half.”

“I’m glad we’re doing this. It makes me feel like I’m having a Christmas,” I say. Kaleb’s car is warm and running, and I’m grateful when I slide onto the leather seat. My thin pants wouldn’t have done much to buffer the cold.

“I know. Working in a resort town makes it feel like it’s something other people do.” He shifts into reverse and backs up. When he pulls out onto the road, I notice the moon. It glows in a hazy sky, warning of the storm to come.

The drive is quick. Twinkling colored lights greet us when we pull into Nick and Megan’s driveway. Kaleb turns the ignition off, and I hear the twang of the emergency brake as he gives it a yank.

Kaleb says, “Merry Christmas.” His hand turns my face toward him, and we meet halfway with a kiss. His tongue darts in my mouth, and mine entwines in response.

When he breaks away, I sigh. “I don’t suppose you want to wait for Santa at my place tonight?”

“There’s nothing I would rather do.” He opens his door and comes around to my side to take the dessert. “Will you be okay walking in those?” His eyes glitter with laughter.

“You’d be surprised by what I can do in heels. It’s kind of a short-girl perk.” I give him a teasing look. “You know, it wasn’t that long ago you just took my arm and didn’t say anything.” I snort. “Is the courtship over?” I push his arm away, strut my way across the parking lot, and hope I don’t fall as he chuckles behind me.

Casey opens the door, and the tantalizing smell of roast beef lures me in.

Megan’s in a pink dress, and her long dark blond hair is flawlessly straight. She calls out. “You two are just in time. Dinner is almost ready.”

I walk into the kitchen to put the dessert on the counter. “It smells so good. Thanks for inviting me.”

Megan pours gravy in a small pitcher. “You’re welcome. You and Kaleb are good together. Nick says he’s never seen him happier.” She stops spooning mashed potatoes into a bowl and gives me a quick hug. “I’m so glad you moved here.”

We all help take platters and bowls to the table, which is simply set. It looks elegant. Red napkins, holly, and glowing candles stand out against the white tablecloth. Melted wax and the scent of pine carry over the room. There is a little gift at each place setting. I’m uncomfortable and think I should have brought presents.

As if she read my mind Casey speaks, “I couldn’t help myself. You all have a little something from me.” She looks right at me. “I know we didn’t discuss exchanging gifts, so please just enjoy it and don’t think you should have done the same.”

“That was sweet. Thank you.” My fingers touch a soft velvet pouch, and I pull it open to reveal dainty snowflake earrings. “These are adorable.”

Megan holds up a pair just like mine. “These are perfect for us. Thanks, Casey.” She blows her a kiss.

The guys open up a keychain knife. Each one of them expresses his thanks as plates get loaded up with food. It seems to take only ten minutes for dinner to be consumed, but we sit and drink while we tell stories for hours. On my second glass of wine, I can’t keep myself from staring at Kaleb. He catches me more than once and winks or nudges me with his foot.

We all have to work the next day, and the party breaks up before midnight. Downing the last of my glass before putting it in the sink, I listen to my body instead of my head. I want to take things further with Kaleb tonight, and I have plans to make it happen. I know I deserve to be in a physical relationship with someone normal. To be with a man who treats me with respect. The trick is to just trust him.

* * *

A dim light over the stove casts a warm glow through my apartment. I don’t bother to turn on the overheads when we enter. I throw my coat over the couch and do the same with Kaleb’s. As he takes off his boots, I kick off my shoes and hear them land on the carpet with a thud.

“Come with me.” When I take his hand, it’s warm around my cold fingers, and I lead him to the bedroom. Moonlight streams in, painting us black and white.

Standing across from him, I reach behind my back to release the multiple eyehook closures of my top. They’re warm against my skin, and it gives him time to take off his sweater and unbutton his shirt. He slides the cotton off his shoulders as I let my bustier fall. A low sound comes from Kaleb when the silk hits the floor. His eyes are dark.

I reach for the zipper behind my back and it softly snicks down. I watch him unbutton his pants and hear the grind of his zipper. His jeans fall to the floor with a light thump as my pants slither down my legs.

I step closer and place my hand on his chest. He crushes me with a kiss, and he moans into my mouth. My core pulses, and I want him to fill me. I pull away, and he flutters kisses down my neck. “Kaleb, I’m ready for us to go all the way. I want you.”

Hot breath speaks against my chest. “I’m all yours.” He continues down to my breast, but doesn’t stay there long. My stomach trembles and flexes as he gets down on his knees to nibble my belly. The action tickles a little, and I fight back my giggles. His nimble fingers slide my panties over my hips. He nips at my skin as his head continues down. Oh God, what is he doing?

He parts my legs and his tongue licks my opening. A shock of pleasure surprises me, and I step back. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” I’m grateful for the moonlight as embarrassment flushes my face.

He chuckles. “I want to do that. I want to taste you, Lori.” He stands up and backs me toward the bed. “Lie down.”

Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “I’ve never done this before.” The bed sinks with a whoosh as I sit.

Kaleb kneels down at the end and smiles up at me. “Well then, I think you’ll like it. Now lie down.” He puts my legs over his shoulders. He’s warm under my thighs, and the heat races to my core. I shake with fear and desire. “If you don’t like something, tell me.”

A tiny “okay” slips through my lips. The moment his tongue touches me, a jolt of electricity zings through my body. I’m not quite sure what he’s doing, and I no longer care. The sensation is so intense my head swims as my body trembles. My hips lift toward him and a moan escapes. Oh God, I think. I. I push him away. My body won’t stop twitching. “It’s too much.”

“It’s okay, babe. Let yourself go.” He says, “Scream for me.” He strokes me with a finger, and I fight another moan.

His finger enters me, and he does something that renders me speechless. My core tightens around him repeatedly.

“I want to hear you cry out. I want you to come,” Kaleb says. “I like it.” He puts his mouth on me again, and I slide into semiconsciousness. Waves crash over me one after another until I know I moan. The pleasure takes me higher than I’ve ever been before. Every muscle in my torso flexes, and I cry out.

He releases me and small shudders travel through my body. “Oh. My. Word. Whatever you want, it’s yours.” I let out a big sigh. “Just take it. I can’t move.” I take in a deep breath and blow it out. “That was incredible. Please tell me it can happen again.”

He chortles. “Oh, it’s going to happen again.” I watch as he removes his underwear. His erection is huge. Whoa. What am I supposed to do with that?

My eyes must have widened because he looks confused. “I thought you said you’ve been with someone before?”

“I have. But… You’re huge.” I slide myself back on the bed to lean against the headboard.