Page 22 of Up to Snow Good
Eight
Caden
Iwoke up tangled in Amari’s arms and legs. I extracted myself, trying not to wake her. Her curly hair laid matted to one side of her head. Her lips moved, but no sound escaped as she settled back into the bed.
I kissed her shoulder and watched her sleep for a while. The peaceful, satisfied look on her face made me smile. The smirk on her face made her look like she had gotten away with something.
We both did.
I hoped, because nobody could ever find out about us. It hurt me to the core, but it was our reality.
To protect her, I couldn’t have her.
I kissed her one last time and got out of bed. I found a sweatshirt and a pair of black sweatpants in the closet. I grabbed one of her fathers hunting hats and a red, black, and yellow plaid jacket.
The paper from the half-open presents no longer littered the floor. The food on the fireplace had beenput away.
I stared and grinned at the spot under the tree where I took her. She’d given me the best Christmas present. I wished I could return the favor. The ornament of her and her mother remained behind the tree. I picked it up and placed it back on the tree.
I rubbed my chin and moved into the kitchen. I made coffee and snagged another piece of the chicken from last night. I pulled the door open. It creaked. I cringed. The temperature had increased.And the snow had stopped. I grabbed a couple logs off the top of the stack on the porch and brought them back inside and made a fire.
I wanted her to wake up warm and toasty to fresh brewedcoffee. If I knew how to bake something, I’d have done that, too.
I looked back over at the open bedroom door, she hadn’t moved. I took another look around the place to make sure everything was in order and headed out.
I stuck to the path. Our proverbial roll in the snow now covered as if it never happened. My cock jerked. The memory was there. Her lips sucked on my tongue, her body slid beneath me, strong and soft at the same time. The memory would linger in my brain for the rest of my life. The feel of being inside of her. Soft and warm and so tight, the way she squeezed my cock without even trying.
Being with her was better than my fantasies.A few things had surprised me. I never thought Amari could surprise me. I’d studied the woman for half of her life. She whispered dirty things into my ear. The little giggles and squeals when I made her feel good, they all surprised me and made my dick hard. It wasn’t her first time, but she seemed mesmerized fromthe whole experience like it was shiny and new.
I shook my head and adjusted my dick as I continued on to my place. I made one last walk of the grounds to make sure everything was secure.
It was a beautiful Christmas morning. The sky was blue and clear, not a cloud in the sky. A morning with no regret. I worked my brain around the fact that I had to be satisfied with one taste. I had to convince her of the same.
I worked for her father. Her father made it clear, to all his men, Amari was off-limits. In our world, if you defied the boss, you didn’t get fired—you got dead. I was ready to die, but it would kill Amari too, and even in death, I couldn’t bear it.
She didn’t know what her father had planned for her. Confronted withmarryinga man she didn’t even know, now I wasn’t sure if Amari would agree or run. If she ran, I’d support her, but I couldn’t follow her because it would put her in even more danger. He wouldcome for me.
I banked on the fact he loved his little girl. He’d give her the choice. Was I giving theman too much credit?
I’d help her in any way I could, but it was easier for one person to disappear, but for two people? Impossible.
* * *
Amari
I woke up alone. Caden long gone. I panicked for a second but didn’t jump out of bed and run after him. I laid back down. Images of last night filled my head. The warmth from the fire comforted me. The freshcoffee filled the air. I got up and poured myself a big cup full and brought it back to bed and under the covers.
The warm fire and coffeewere his way of showing he cared. He needed to work out some things. I’d give him the chance. No doubt my father and how he would react if he found out aboutus ran through his head. He had a healthy respect for my father. He worked for him after his own father passed away.
Men were afraid of my father. I learned that at an early age. I convinced myself it was reverence, but at the bottom, it was fear. In their business, my father had to be ruthless and decisive. It made people fall in line. Also, they made a lot of money doing bad things, and to protect his empire, people needed to fear him.
I got my own fearlessness from my father. Why else would I fall in love with one of his men? Something he told me not to do.
Caden didn’t fear my father.He knew what my father was capable of, and he knew his secrets. Caden was more dangerous for my father. It was the reason he kept him close and why he trusted him with me.
My father had plans for me. I knew what he had planned, but I was not about to give up on my life to enrich his. I wanted the fairytale, and that couldn’t be bought or forced.If it meant giving up my life to be with Caden, it wasn’t a big sacrifice. A life without him Caden was not thelife I wanted.
I took my time and showered and dressed. My wool-lined leggings, thermals, sweater, and parka were in order today in case I took another roll in the snow. I giggled, thinking about the memory, the kiss and the kick in the balls, all seemed normal with Caden and me.
