Page 66 of Snowed In

He seems to have forgotten—at least for now—that he’s lost his job, wrecked his car, is stuck with a stranger, and will possibly miss Christmas with his family.

It’s hard not to get sucked into his joy. I’d even told him about some of the traditions my family had growing up when he’d pressed me for information.

“It’s alright,” I say, handing him his mug of cocoa and settling at the kitchen table.

He waves at me. “Considering what we had to work with? It’s amazing.”

I smile behind my mug, taking a sip of the hot liquid and letting the sweetness fill my mouth and senses. West sits next to me in the same spot he had last night when we shared our sandwiches and this morning as we munched on crispy bacon and eggs.

We drink in silence for a while, the Christmas music still playing softly in the background as he stares at the tree, his smile a little softer now.

“Thank you,” he says when we’re almost finished with our cocoa. “I know you did this for me, and I…”

“It’s no big deal,” I say, staring into my almost empty mug and not mentioning my near panic attack outside. “Sorry, I don’t have any lights for it.”

West makes a noise, and I glance up as his chair scrapes on the hardwood floor. He places his mug on the table decisively and steps around the table, not stopping until he’s right next to me and staring down into my face.

“Ashley, it’s fucking perfect.”

And then his lips are on mine.

Chapter Five

West

My brain catches up to what my body is doing about six seconds after my mouth lands on his.

I stumble back a step. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I don’t even know if you’re gay or bi! I shouldn’t have just jumped you like that.”

One of Ashley’s big hands—the same ones I’ve been trying not to stare at all afternoon as he helped me string popped kernels of corn with only a few complaints—snags me, palming my low back and nearly spanning the entire width. He hauls me toward him.

“You don’t have to apologize,” he says. His voice is low, intimate, causing goose bumps to ripple down my spine.

“I don’t?” I whisper.

“No. I’d like to do it again. Maybe for a little longer this time.”

I smile, gently brushing my fingers across his forehead, down his temple, and over his thick beard. His eyes flutter, like he’s not used to being touched like that. I have to wonder how long it’s been him and Carla in this cabin together. How long has he gone without feeling the touch of another human?

He might be a grumpy Scrooge, but he’s also one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He deserves all the soft touches.

Slower this time, more aware of what’s happening, I dip down and close the distance between our faces, slanting my lips over his once more. It’s gentle, exploratory, nothing but our mouths sliding against each other, learning the feel and shape.

When he licks at the seam of my lips, I part them easily with a little sigh that’s almost a whimper. It feels like this moment was inevitable. Maybe even preordained. I’m not sure I believe in such things. But the fact that I crashed my car so close to his house, and he came to see what the noise was and found me, took me into his home, cared for me, and provided a little holiday cheer to make me feel better after losing my shitty job…

I don’t know how else to explain it.

What are the chances if it wasn’t?

We kiss for a long time, me settling on his lap after a while, gently caressing Ashley’s hair and neck, his shoulders and biceps. Just touching him. Not trying to push for anything more, but trying to give back a tiny bit of what he’s given me.

His hands grip at me, his fingers tightening and then releasing my thigh and my low back like he wants more but is holding back.

I can’t have that.

I rearrange myself so I can straddle him. Rising up onto my knees, I hover over him and dive back in, devouring his soft lips. I lick inside more forcefully, urging him on. He groans, palming my hips and jerking me down onto his lap.

I wiggle on his hardness. Holding back is exactly what he’s been doing. This giant of a man could throw me over his shoulder with no effort and toss me onto his bed, have his way with me whether I wanted him to or not.

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