Page 18 of One Night With You

Just be careful. And have fun.

I ignored the extra emojis that I wasn’t even going to name, as I set the phone down.

“Well…this isn’t how we planned this weekend.” I wasn’t sure what else I was supposed to say.

“Pretty much. But we have entertainment, food, lots of wine, and I brought the good bourbon.”

I grinned. “Bourbon?”

“I’ll make some old fashioneds. After we make sure the house is safe. Looks like it’s going to be a long night.”

And as he moved away to check whatever needed to be checked, I sighed.

Oh, a long night wasn’t even going to be the half of it.

5

KINGSTON

This wasn’t exactly how I had planned to spend my evening, nor my vacation; however, in the end, it could have been worse. Snow began to accumulate on the windowsill and the trees as well as on top of our cars, but it wasn’t too cold outside. Meaning we weren’t going to end up with heavy ice on branches, or other issues that would mean power loss, or us having to deal with things we rather wouldn’t.

So I was grateful for that at least.

And it was damn beautiful out, even with the wind and snow, and I didn’t mind the view.

Of course, I wasn’t exactly only looking outside the window.

I had a very strong old fashioned in my hand, andClaire stood in the kitchen, bright smile on her face, as she added a whiskey cherry to hers.

“These are potent,” she said, her hips moving to the music as she moved around the room.

I adjusted myself in my jeans, a little worried about the fact that I got so hard when she was around. That wasn’t exactly what I had been planning on showcasing, but it wasn’t as if I could change that. I couldn’t control what my body did when it came to seeing her.

Then again, that happened often.

That first time we had seen each other in the forest, I had sucked in a sharp breath, and been enraptured by her face.

Yes, she had been a little fierce, a little manic since a bear had walked past the park restroom where she had been hiding, but she had been so full of energy, I couldn’t help but laugh right along with her.

And then we saw the instant connection between Kane and Phoebe, and I had taken a step back.

Frankly, Claire was good as my friend. And I liked that.

I liked the fact that it was easy around her. Or at least, it had been.

Before everything had changed, and she had been hurt.

But Claire and I had just been friendly. Yes, I had found her attractive.

Just because I never allowed myself to see Claire in that way, didn’t mean that somewhere deep down it hadn’t been there. Waiting. Lurking. Especially for the most inopportune time.

Like when we were alone in a cabin in the woods in a snowstorm, where she needed to be able to trust me. And I needed to not be the asshole who got a hard-on whenever she was around. But those hips kept moving.

They were intoxicating. As if they were calling to me.

Maybe I should switch to water.

But then Claire moved forward, and clinked her drink to mine, and grinned.

---