Her eyelashes fluttered, but her eyes didn’t close as I ran my hands up her back, then down her arms, the very tips of my fingers on her smooth skin. I touched her face, the lines of her nose and jaw like I was memorizing her every feature. I felt her swallow as my fingers traced down her throat then spread out over her collarbone.
Her skin was so soft as I traced over the hills and valleys of her breasts then down her stomach. Her hips. Thighs. Down her legs and back again, finding her ass, the dimples on her lower back, the vertebrae leading up to her shoulder blades.
She did the same, exploring my body as I did hers, giving me the gift of her touch, our eyes never leaving one another’s. Between us, my cock stood at attention, the mound of her sex pressing it tight against my belly.
I was going to come. I felt the buildup in my balls. From the way she was breathing, she was going to come too.
Which was ridiculous. We weren’t even dry humping. But dammit, I was close.
“Next, let’s transpose our breathing. Breathe opposite of me. When I inhale, you exhale. When I exhale, you inhale.”
Following her direction, the sense of intimacy between us increased as I took in her breath, watched her take in mine. We’d been as close as two couple could get, but this was beyond intimate. Beyond sexual. We were partners in a dance of life, giving and receiving the most basic element of our existence.
The room warmed as the minutes, hours, days passed us by. I didn’t know how long we sat there, touching, breathing… being.
Our gazes were intensely fixed on the other, neither one of us looking away. All the energy in the universe seemed to have gathered and focused on the top of this mountain as all the rest of the world faded away.
Her hips began to move, small circles at first, her smooth mound brushing the thick vein on the underside of my cock. It would have been so easy to lift her up and ease her down, connect us as I wanted to. Sink deep into her slick heat.
But I watched. Waited.
I breathed her air and gave her mine.
I touched and accepted the comfort of hers.
And when she cried out, her body trembling uncontrollably, I wasn’t at all surprised. And I was glad. I needed her orgasm as much as I needed my own.
A tear trailed down her cheek, and I leaned forward to lick it away, inhaling the scent of her skin.
“I know we said we wouldn’t, but I need you to make love to me,” she said against my lips, rising up so that it only took a small movement for our bodies to connect.
It burned.
It blessed.
And still we breathed.
In. Out.
And when it was my turn to come, it was also my turn to cry.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Zoe
I watched him sleep for hours that night, curled in the warmth of his arms.
When my bladder insisted that I roll out of bed, I did so as quietly as I could. Once in the bathroom, the big tub looked so inviting, that I turned on the taps, then lowered my sore body into the hot water.
It wasn’t only the sex that made me wince. The general aches and pains from the wreck could still be felt at times. But I was mostly better, the dizziness creeping up on me on occasion. Closing my eyes, I sank deeper until the water was at my chin.
Every day, I had to pinch myself, unable to believe that I was here. In the cabin. With him. It was hard to comprehend the chain of events that had brought us together.
I wasn’t sure if I liked or disliked the idea of fate, that we all were pre-destined puppets, rushing down some predesigned road, moving toward some other puppet who was meant to be there. I snickered, although it wasn’t really funny. In my case, I hadn’t been racing anywhere. I had been falling… falling… dangling by a thread. Or in my case, a tree.
I frowned.
If that was true and fate had directed me toward Gray and this cabin, was it also true that fate had directed me to that bar that night? Those men?
I’ll make you feel good.
I shuddered. Maybe I was thinking too hard, and instead of trying to determine the differences between fate and destiny and coincidence, I should simply appreciate where I currently was. Otherwise, I’d drive myself crazy trying to connect the dots of my life.
After an hour, it was still dark outside, and I rose out of the water, extra pruney. Shivering, I slipped back into Gray’s clothes, wishing I’d thought to search for something clean. Stepping out of the bathroom, I tiptoed to the door leading to the living room, Gray’s long, heavy breathing making me smile.
Click. Click. Click.
Maggie followed, Go racing between her legs. I scooped the kitten up, holding him to my chest. I smiled as he began to purr instantly. The little guy was really coming around.
Although I was relaxed after the bath, I still wasn’t sleepy. I put the kitten down and tossed a couple logs on the fire, needing the warmth and extra light in the dark room before lighting a lantern and carrying it over to the wall of glass.
Oh dear heavens. It was snowing again.
I set the lantern down and cupped my hands around my eyes to peer out of the glass harder. Yes… more snow. More like flurries than anything, but still… hadn’t we had enough?
Of course, the snow could leave me trapped even longer, which was something I decided I didn’t mind. I sighed. I just wished there was something more we could do.
Not that having sex six times a day was a bad way to pass the time.
My vagina pulsed, as if daring me to do it again.
Bored already, I walked over to the bookshelf but turned away just as quickly. I didn’t want to read. I wanted to write, and I wished I had my laptop with me, so I could allow my characters to have all the feelings I was experiencing.
Strolling to the huge office area, I stared at the gigantic computer screens. I knew they ran on power. I stroked the keyboard. So near and yet so far.
Continuing to walk through the cabin, I headed down a short hallway I’d seen before. Gray had never talked about the room, and I’d never asked. I assumed it was a guest room, but then again, he’d slept on the couch my first night here. If it was a guest room, wouldn’t he or I have stayed there?
The door was closed, and I tried the knob. It turned easily in my hand and I pushed it open.
Holding the lantern high, I stifled my disappointment to discover the room was only used for storage. Actually, it was filled to the brim with boxes. Curious, I lifted the lantern higher, then gasped. These were Gray’s late wife’s belongings.
Box after box was labeled with books — her books. Games. Collectables. Clothes.
When I came to a box labeled pictures, my curiosity got the best of me, and I lifted off the top. And there she was.
Thin. Long brown hair. Eyes that looked to be a soft brown, maybe hazel. We looked so similar that we could have easily been confused as sisters.
I picked up another picture, this one framed in an ivory coated metal frame, with beautiful scrollwork down each side. In this one, Jessica’s hair was piled on top of her head, very similar to the way I was wearing mine now.
Another photo made my heart squeeze. In a similar ivory-colored frame, it was Jessica in Gray’s arms, his hands on her bulging stomach, his lips in her hair.