Noelle threw her hands up in victory. “I won! I won!”
Seth sat back with a grin. “You did, kiddo.” He stood and stretched. “I’m going to clear a little more.”
I started to stand. “I’ll help.”
He grinned. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “Let me get my boots and I’ll shovel while you use the snow blower.” I picked up my glass and followed Alex into the kitchen. “What about the rest of the grounds? The driveway and parking lot?”
She smiled at me, taking the glass from my hand. “As soon as the highway is clear, Mr. Johnson will be around to do those and make sure the front is good. It might not be for a couple of days, though. Since I pay him in trade, we aren’t the first on his list, but he is usually pretty fast.”
I frowned. “Trade?”
She smiled sadly. “Jeff knows money is tight, so we trade.”
I stepped in front of her, resting my hands on the counter, effectively pinning her in. “And what, exactly, do you trade?”
Her brow furrowed. “Seriously, Dylan. His wife isn’t a good cook. I make them some meals, he keeps the snow clear.”
“Lucky man.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “What did you think I traded?”
I had the grace to look ashamed, and she frowned. “You live in a different world.”
Dropping my head to her shoulder, I turned my face to her neck, pushing the edge of her shirt out of the way with my nose. I teased the delicate skin with my lips, swirling my tongue along the edge of her jaw. “Jealous,” I whispered. “I can’t stand the thought of someone else having your attention.”
She moaned, a low noise in her chest, as I pulled her tight in my arms.
“I can’t stand the thought of you kissing anyone else. Letting them hold you.”
“No one has in a very long time.”
I covered her mouth with mine. “Good.”
Fiery heat ignited between us. Alex’s fingers tugged on my neck, holding me close as I explored her mouth, groaning at her taste. The richness of the chocolates she’d been nibbling lingered, heightening the sweetness that was her—all Alex.
Seth’s voice startled me. “Hey, Dylan! Are you coming?”
I groaned, pulling back. “I’d like to,” I muttered. “But not much chance while you’re aw
ake.”
Alex giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.
I grinned and kissed her forehead. “I have shoveling to do. Stop distracting me, woman.”
“Dylan . . .”
I cupped her cheek, stroking it gently with my thumb. She looked nervous. “What is it?”
“I was wondering, instead of eating dinner in your room tonight”—she took in a big breath—“if you wanted to have dinner with us, in our room?”
“I’d like that very much.”
“Me too. Six o’clock, in case I’m upstairs when you come back.”
“I’ll go work up an appetite.” I kissed her again—long and hard. “Of a different sort.”