“After about mid-morning. They’re used to waking up with their mom, then coming to my place a couple hours later.”
“Ben, I—”
“How long are you in town?”
“Until the second. Ben…”
Ben reached out and touched her face again. Her eyes closed and she leaned her cheek into his hand.
“Is there anyone else with you?”
“No, we’re alone. Why?”
“I wondered if you brought a new boyfriend along with you.”
“Nope, no new boyfriend. What about you?”
“Nope, no new boyfriends for me either.”
“Very funny.”
“Ask.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I’m afraid to, Ben.”
He reached out, cupped her neck with his hand and pulled her closer to him. “There’s nobody. Nobody. Only you.” His eyes were dark, angry, when his lips covered hers. His kiss was just as angry, just as dangerous.
Her cry was stifled by his mouth on hers.
He licked her lips with his tongue, bit her bottom lip, and crushed his mouth back into hers for more. There was nothing like kissing her. Nothing.
Whoever else was sitting near them, the rest of the people in the lodge, all disappeared. He couldn’t hear anything other than her soft, sweet murmurs.
Liv pulled back from him. “Your boys,” she said.
His boys. He’d forgotten about his boys. Not that he minded them seeing him with Liv, but she was right?he needed to take a step back, at least while they were in the lodge.
Ben stared into her eyes. Nothing was any different. The hurt, longing, anger, pain—none of it mattered. He loved every single thing about this woman, the good, the bad, all of it.
Renie returned with Ben’s boys in tow. “They’re ready to go back out. Do you want me to take them? I’m on skis, they’re on boards, but they should be able to keep up.” Renie turned and smiled at the boys, who were about to argue.
“What about you, Ben? Are you ready to get back out on the hill?”
No, he wasn’t. He wasn’t ready to do anything but get Liv alone and out of her clothes.
The five of them spent the afternoon together. Liv and Renie skied, Ben and the boys snowboarded. When they announced the lifts would be closing in fifteen minutes, Renie offered to take Jake and Luke up one more time if Ben and Liv wanted to relax for a few minutes.
“That was the best afternoon I’ve had in a very long time,” Ben said. “I’m sure my boys would agree.”
“Me, too.” Liv didn’t remember the last time she was this relaxed…and happy. She took off her helmet, gloves, and started to unfasten her boots.
“Here, let me help you with that,” Ben offered. He knelt down and ran his hand up the inside of her leg.
“Uh, my boots are in the other direction, cowboy.”