Page 9 of Snow Drift

I want to tell her that if staying here at the chalet with her forever was an option, I would gladly take it.

"The time-space continuum is never impossible," I say with a smile. "There's a team of people working out how to live on Mars. There's another one figuring out how to live on Venus…theoretically, of course."

"I thought that entire planet was poisonous?"

"It is. I saw it on Youtube. Something about making habitats that hover above the ground. If people can figure that out, I know we could figure out how to be together if I'm only a three hour drive away."

Her eyes shift uncertainly. "I can't believe you're saying things like this," she whispers.

"Not just saying them. Feeling them. Hopefully…showing them?"

My thumb brushes against her bottom lip, causing her mouth to open slightly. Leaning in, she stretches up, as eager I am. It's not just the perfect pressure of her lips against mine. It's the way her fingers tangle in the back of my hair. The way her entire body shifts to press against me everywhere she can. Her breathy little moans as the kiss deepens.

She unfastens two buttons of my shirt to run her palm across my bare chest. "Fair is fair," I murmur, slipping my hand under her shirt and her thick thermal tank top.

Her belly flutters as my hand moves slowly across her skin. I realize that I'm literally holding my breath, needing to hear her every sound, sense any tension in her muscles as I reach higher.

A light sigh reaches my ears as I caress her soft breast, suggesting that she likes the way I touch her. My thumb drags slowly across her pebbled nipple, eliciting another breathy shudder.

"Everything about you is completely precious," I whisper before sinking my lips against hers again.

She shifts, her hips moving restlessly as I realize her thighs are rubbing together. "If you ever want to come to my room for a bit more privacy, Kallie…"

She sticks out her bottom lip in a sexy pout. "You know I can't risk my job, right?"

I'm tempted to reassure her that I have more than enough money for both of us, but don't want to push the issue. "Fine. Just think about it."

Her lashes flutter suggestively. "Think about what?"

"Tease. You know exactly what."

Her palm caresses my beard, as her voice slips into an overexaggerated southern dialect. "I do declare, I have no idea what you're talking about, sir. I think I need to hear you say it."

I'm not sure why, but her teasing makes my libido kick into overdrive. "If I had you in my room with a locked door between us and the rest of the world…"

Kallie nods and drops the southern belle schtick. "Yeah…?"

"I'd snuggle you under the blankets, pulling off your clothing piece by piece so that I could keep you toasty warm against me."

"Why would I have to be naked?" she asks innocently, her eyes sparkling as she attempts to stifle a laugh.

"So I could caress every single square inch of you. Drag my tongue right here…" My thumb swirls around her nipple. And nibble along here…" My fingertips slide down her ribs, then inward to circle her navel.

My hand slips out from under her shirt, moves to her knee, and slowly wanders along the inner thigh of her jeans. "Maybe, if I was really lucky, you would spread these sexy legs for me. Then I'd lick you until you moaned my name just right."

I can feel the powerful shudder that runs through her. Kallie wants me as much as I want her. There's no denying this lust, this wild connection.

But I want more than that. I can't just have this gorgeous young woman for a week. I need her for life. I need to wake up next to her every morning, and tuck her in every night. Need to take turns making lunches and have a running grocery list on the fridge where I always add her favorite cookies before she does.

But first, I need to make sure she can truly let her guard down around me. "Let me walk you back to your room before I get any more filthy ideas."

She whispers, breath warm against my ear. "I like your ideas."

There's a sound in the hallway, causing us both to freeze. After a minute of silence, Kallie's head shakes. "That might have just been the wind, but I can't take that chance. I'll slip out, then you leave in a few minutes, okay?"

Nodding, I kiss her again, this time with every ounce of passion I possess. The sound of her gentle moans is going to echo in my ears all night long.

She jumps up, tossing the blanket over the couch, then quickly darts out the door. Listening carefully, I don't think anyone is out there.

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