“I just…I never expected to be stuck in an outhouse with a known gangster in the middle of a blizzard!”
“Hey now,” Nate says, clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth, “I take exception to that characterization.”
“Are you saying you’re not a gangster?”
“I’m saying this is barely a blizzard. Just a winter squall.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” I glance up at the tiny, crescent opening. Only dim, grey light shines in. “It’s getting late, and Bernard said it was going to be a big storm.”
“Is he the town meteorologist as well as the snow-shoveler?”
“He runs a repair shop, but he does keep his eye on the weather, yes. It’s also getting late. With or without a storm, it’s going to get very dark, very quickly.”
“It’s only a little after six o’clock,” Nate says. “Not that late.”
“But it will be dark soon.”
“I’m not going to let you freeze to death out here, Cherry. We’ll wait a while and then make our way back to the car. My gun is in my overnight bag. I’m still kicking myself for not carrying it, but I’ll feel a lot better about this when I have it on me.”
“I don’t want you getting hurt,” I say.
“I’m more concerned about you.” He runs a cold finger over my cheekbone. “Are you warm enough? Your cheeks are the same color as your hair.”
“Better than when we were outside. Neither of us is dressed to be out in this. I didn’t consider getting caught out in a snowstorm.”
“How far is your house from here?”
“It’s just on the other side of the field,” I tell him. “Maybe a ten-minute walk.”
“We’ll get back there and into the heat before the sun sets,” Nate promises. “Does the fireplace in the house work?”
“Yes. I used it a lot over the winter. There’s a woodpile behind the house.”
“You just imagine a nice, warm fire,” Nate says, “and I’ll make it a reality before you know it.”
“Sounds great for later,” I say, “but hardly making a difference at the moment.”
“Maybe this will help.” Nate places his hand on the back of my head and pulls me to him.
He kisses me softly, our tongues and lips meshing together in our own perfect rhythm. My heart beats faster, and a warm tingle develops on my skin.
“Better?” Nate pulls away slightly, grins, and then moves to my neck.
“Maybe a little,” I say as I tilt my head back to give him better access. “Mmm…that’s nice.”
“See? We don’t need a fire. We have each other for warmth.”
I do feel warmer. Even though I’m aware of the cool air around me and the sound of the snowstorm outside, all my thoughts are focused on what Nate is doing as he continues to trail kisses over my neck until I start to moan.
“I love that sound.” He whispers against my skin. “I love hearing what I’m doing to you.”
Nate moves his hands over my arms, shoulders, and back as I kiss him again. From where I sit on his lap, I can feel him harden beneath me, and soon he starts pressing upward with his hips, grinding into my backside.
“Nate, that’s not going to work.”
“Sure, it will.” His fingers grip my thighs briefly before he slides his hand between my legs. “I can already feel a lot more warmth here.”
I moan as he pushes my legs a little farther apart and rubs at me through my jeans. His lips find mine again, and I lose myself in the sensations as my clit begins to throb. I feel him push my jacket open just