Page 9 of Baby, It Snowed Outside

He argues with me, trying to reason me into staying. It’s as if he’s saying it’s not your fault we ended up here together. The universe is working against us, and who are we to resist? Who are we to fight these feelings? These undeniable feelings that overpower all my senses and consume my every thought. It’s all I can do to fight the trembles of desire rolling through my body. As much as I want this to, I don’t think I can betray Breck this way. But the way he’s begging. The sound of my name on his lips has me hooked on the idea of where things are headed. If I allow myself to fall for Zane tonight, if I’m allowing this to play out, well then I’m going to try to stop it one more time.

“You’re very pushy, you know?” I accuse him as I nip his bottom lip.

“I like to think of it as opportunistic.” He kisses me again with just as much passion as before. I once again find myself longing for him to do more than this.

I want to ride his cock while he moans my name with those decadent lips, peppering my skin with kisses as he takes me the way I’ve always wanted. It needs to be him. I’ve saved myself for so long; just to be with him.

When he pulls away, I fight the urge to rip him back so that he can memorize every square inch of my mouth. I’m craving the taste of him and the way his tongue drags sensually across mine. Missing it like I didn’t just have all the things I’m thinking about only moments ago. Everything about his kisses are heavenly. If only heaven didn’t have to come with the cost. If only betraying my brother didn’t feel like I was stabbing him in the back. My head and my heart are on two totally different pages. I can’t get it together. One minute I’m hot for him, and the next I’m over-analyzing the intrusive thoughts of getting away from him and saving both of our relationships with Breck. My brother doesn’t deserve this. I can’t believe either of us is going through with this. If he knew, he would never forgive me. Or would he? I wonder, conflicted.

No.

Chapter six

Zane

“The answer is no,” I whisper inches from her lips, still swollen from where I’d just staked my claim to them. “No, Breck isn’t going to take this well. He’s going to be furious and you need to decide, Aspen. Decide if you’re ready to do this and all the consequences that come with it.” I pull away, knowing I’m losing her. Allowing the internal terror of admitting my feelings for her to exist to consume me. “Do you want this?” I grab her hand and hold it to my cheek, pausing to kiss her fingers gently. “Or do you want to keep the peace with Breck?”

Damn my knight in shining armor complex. I’m a glutton for doing the right thing and upholding this unspoken honor between my best friend, his little sister, and me. I can’t let my feelings for Aspen lead to the destruction of the thing she cares about the most: family. It’s because of her that I dream of having a family of my own one day. A place to call home, surrounded by people who love me, and not just the idea of me.

In my lap she sighs, then lifts herself up. I’m bracing myself for her rejection, preparing for the devastating blows of defeat. Instead, she stands, then pulls me to my feet so that we are both standing with no space between us. Our bodies pressed into one another. She reaches up, lacing her hands around the back of my neck, and stares up at me.

“Is it wrong if I say the answer is no? No, I don’t want the peace if it means I have to give up doing this.” She kisses me softly. Like she’s afraid of losing me.

I don’t know how to tell her, how to explain that she doesn’t have to be afraid of anything. That I’ve always been right here waiting for her. I’ve just never been brave enough. I kiss her back, allowing my tongue to communicate my feelings for me. My hands encircle her waist, pulling her closer. I need to feel every inch of her. We kiss like we are making up for all the years we didn’t allow ourselves to. I’m caught up and lost in the moment. I wouldn’t want it any other way, though. The record player needle scratches loudly as it skids off the vinyl, signifying the end of the album. Even though I don’t particularly want to stop, I pull away long enough to whisper, “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”

“If you’re interrupting, you may as well open your gift while I pick another record.” Her eyes dance in the fire's light as if she’s daring me to do it.

I smile. “Considering you did nearly freeze to death retrieving it. I suppose I can open this gift, even though I have a sneaking suspicion I already know what I’ll find.” My eyes tease her playfully with a wink while I retrieve the bag.

I reach inside and pull out gray fleece pants. They have trees, bears, and snowflakes printed across them in a pattern. “Let me guess, you have a matching set at home?”

Aspen smiles, unable to conceal her guilt. “Of course I do. Mine are red though, and I sent Breck a green pair.”

“You’re fucking adorable. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now show me how much you appreciate them and put them on. It snowed outside, you know.” She’s gloating.

I roll my eyes but grip the edges of my hoodie, pulling both it and my T-shirt off. It’s not hard to notice the way she’s staring. I know why she’s looking. While away at college, I’ve had no one to spend time with, so I’ve spent a lot of time at the gym in order to occupy my time while I’m not studying or going to class. I’m fighting hard to keep from smirking at her reaction. Before Aspen has time to recover, I drop my sweats to trade them out for the fleece pajamas she bought me. She surprises me by shamelessly watching as I change. Excitement washes over me. I’ve wanted this for so long and it’s finally happening. Tonight I’m going to take my time making her mine. I want to hear that soft, sultry voice of hers moaning my name, begging me not to stop as I take her. My cock jumps in agreement.

“Are you going to put on another record, or just stand there drooling?” I taunt.

She blushes, then spins around to change the record. While her back is to me, I waltz stealthily back over to her until I’m standing right behind her. I wrap my arms around the soft curves of her waist, pulling Aspen against my bare chest and enjoying the way she feels in my arms. “Thank you and Merry Christmas,” I whisper in her ear before kissing her cheek.

She spins around to face me. “Merry Christmas, Zane.”

Her lips find mine quickly, attacking them with a hungry need as if she’s been starving for my love for centuries. “Dance with me, beautiful.” I mumble.

She smiles. “I thought you would never ask.”

I pull her over to a large open spot in front of the crackling fire and spin her around before dipping her beneath the mistletoe hanging from the light fixture above us. Aspen strokes the hard edges of my jawline, both of us unable to take our eyes off one another for a moment. When I kiss her, it’s just as intense as the first time. The electricity erupting between our two bodies is impossible to deny. When I break our kiss and right her, she falls into my arms. We sway against one another to the sound of the record.

“I hope tonight has been,” she pauses, grasping for words. “Or the welcome home has been—“

“Perfect.” I rasp. “My welcome home has been perfect. I’m so lucky that fate dropped you into my arms. There’s nothing that can make this night anything more than perfect.”

Aspen nibbles my neck playfully. “I can think of something nice and warm that can make this night even more perfect.”

My cock goes rigid as her words echo in my mind. I know what she’s suggesting and I’m happy to go along with it. Against me, she presses herself closer. I know she can feel what I’m not bothered to hide. Her hips grind against me as I run my fingertips down the small of her back. “We have all night to get there, baby. What’s the rush?” I ask her, my voice husky and deep, filled with need.

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