“I guess we’d better finish with the ice so we can get back then.”
“Hey, you know what?” she asks.
“What.” I can’t imagine what is swirling around in that brain of hers. I’ve found I actually like the continual banter now.
“I haven’t thought about those presents in a while.”
“And to think, I was just about to agree to let you open them all.”
eleven
HARMONY
I am attackingthis ice like my life depends on it. My sanity might very well. Beau Rayburn should come with a warning label. Ride at your own risk. I’m sore, tired, and can’t wait for more. That’s right, I ripped that fourth wall right down. I don’t know if that’s a thing, but it should be. Sex should be labeled the fourth wall. Spread the word. I just took a sledgehammer to that bitch.
“Slow down before you lose a leg,” he says next to me. I know I make him nervous swinging this thing around.
“Fine, here. I’m going to go make a fucking snow angel.” At least the snow should cool me off a little.
“Damn, you get a little and turn into a sailor,” he teases. Taking the axe, he takes over where I left off. I flop backward into the snow. Okay, it’s more like ice, but at least it’s cold. I spread my legs and brush my arms in an arc. Beau stops chopping to watch me. “Now moan ‘more, Beau.’” I glare at him. He just laughs and goes back to chopping.
I do several more rounds of ground calisthenics before stopping. I’m panting from the exertion in the cold. My legs arestill spread eagle while I lay on the ground. A shadow crosses over my body. Opening my eyes, I find Beau standing over me with a serious look on his face.
“Remember that pose. That’s what I need from you this afternoon.” I throw a fistful of snow at him. Most of it just blows back in my face. Laughing again, he reaches down to help me up. I let him pull me off the ground and into his arms. “This isn’t going to get awkward, is it?”
“Doesn’t seem like you’re going to let it,” I answer again his chest.
“Good. I don’t want you regretting anything. You can put the brakes on if you want, but never regrets.”
“I guess that depends on how good you are at eating pussy.” A deep rumble spills up from his chest.
“Like my life depends on it,” he says.
“Yeah, well, put your money where your mouth is.” Is it possible to be any clearer what I’m wanting the second we walk back into that house?
“Or I can put it somewhere better.”
“Your mouth?” I’m kidding, I know what he means.
“My mouth.” The words still send a shiver down my body. “Are you cold?”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.” Who would have thought I would turn into a sex fiend. It has to be more than that. Could I be falling for Beau? Of course I am, which is going to suck when I head back to Nashville.
He moves me to the tractor and helps me up the steps. I settle back on his lap. Snuggling against him, I press kisses to his neck.
He finishes chopping up the rest of the ice while I watch from the cab. It’s still cold, but at least it hasn’t started snowing again. When we get back, he pulls the tractor into the barn. After helping me down, he checks on the horses.
“I can hear your stomach rumbling,” he says as we walk to the house. “How does stew again sound?”
“Good.” We walk in the house to Reacher’s enthusiastic greeting. Beau sends him outside for a few minutes while we remove all the outer layers of clothes.
“Work on the fire, and I’ll put the stew on,” he says.
I toss several more logs on to take the chill out of the room. There’s a bark at the door, and Reacher runs in to find me a few minutes after. We both sit by the fire to warm up.
Beau carries two bowls of stew into the living room for us. I move to the bed, and he hands me one. It’s finally getting warm in here.
He takes our empty dishes to the kitchen when we’re done. I can hear him putting the kettle on for dish water. It’s like living in the old west. My belly is full of stew, the room is finally warm, and I can barely keep my eyes open. Kicking off my jeans, I curl up under the covers.
