“I’m ready to stay,” she says, her voice steady but threaded with emotion that cuts through me. “Not just for you, but for me. I want to build a life here. I want to find a way to make my dreams fit with yours. And I know it won’t be easy, but I think... I think it could be worth it.”
Her words hit like a rush of warmth, melting away some of the cold that’s been locked up inside me. I reach out, cupping her face with hands that tremble despite the chill in the air. My thumb brushes over the curve of her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin, the heat beneath. “You really mean that?”
She leans into my touch, her eyes slipping shut for a moment, like she’s soaking in the feel of me. When she opens them again, there’s a fierceness there that takes my breath away. “Yeah, Slate. I do. I’m tired of being afraid of what I might lose. I want to be brave enough to fight for what I want—for us.”
Her words make something snap inside me, something that’s been coiled tight since the moment she left. I bend down, resting my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling in the cold air, warm puffs that drift up toward the clear sky. I close my eyes, letting myself believe that maybe, just maybe, we can make this work. That this time, things could be different.
“Then let’s do this,” I murmur, my voice rough with the promise that’s building in my chest. “Let’s start over, Emma. No more running, no more hiding. Just us, figuring it out together.”
She nods against me, her hands coming up to curl into the fabric of my jacket, gripping like she’s afraid I might slip away. “Together,” she repeats, her voice soft but fierce, the word a promise that makes my throat ache. “Whatever happens, we face it. No more looking back.”
I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her, feeling the way her body molds to mine. She fits against me like she always did, like she always should have. My lips brush against her temple, lingering there, and for a second, the world around us fades away—the mountains, the snow, the hurt and fear. All that’s left is her, and the hope of something new.
Her breath shudders against my neck, and she presses closer, her hands sliding up to cup my jaw, her thumbs brushing over the stubble there. I feel the heat of her breath, the warmth of her mouth so close to mine, and it sends a jolt through me, a fire that has nothing to do with the sun beating down on us. “You’ve always been stubborn, Slate,” she whispers, a smile curving against my skin. “But I think I love you for it.”
I pull back just enough to look at her, my own smile tugging at my lips, rougher than hers but no less real. “And you’ve always been impossible, Emma. But hell if that doesn’t make me want you more.”
She laughs, a sound that’s raw and sweet and cuts through the last of the tension hanging between us. I lean in, pressing my mouth to hers, tasting the cold on her lips, the heat beneath. The kiss is slow, gentle, but there’s a hunger there too, a promise that we’re just getting started.
When we finally break apart, I press my forehead to hers again, breathing her in. “No more looking back,” I repeat, my voice rough. “Just us. Whatever comes.”
She nods, her breath brushing against my lips, her hands tightening in my jacket. “Whatever comes.”
We stand there, wrapped up in each other, the snow crunching under our boots, the sun warm against our faces. And for the first time in years, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
“You don’t know what you’ve unleashed in me, beautiful,” I finally murmur, my voice rough with emotion as I focus on herface, taking in every detail. After all these years, after all the lost time, here she is, standing right in front of me, a sweet smile on her lips and snowflakes dusting her eyelashes. My hands weave through her silky hair, gathering it up and bringing it to my nose. That familiar scent floods my senses, filling the lonely spaces I’ve carried for so long.
My chest tightens, almost painful with the feeling that’s building there. I’ve been a man starved—starved for the warmth of this woman, for the memory of the girl I knew and loved. And now she’s here. Finally.
“I’ve thought about you for so long, Emma,” I say, my voice trailing off, disbelieving that she’s really here, that she waited for me, just like I waited for her. It was always her. It was always Emma or nothing. “I spent so many nights with you on my mind.”
She presses a trembling hand to her lips, tears shining in her eyes.
“And now we’re here,” I hum, running my thumb along the curve of her bottom lip, feeling its softness, savoring the warmth. “Sweet Emma, it’s always been you. Always. Not a single moment went by that you weren’t with me, at least in spirit.”
The emotions swell, and before I can stop myself, I pull her to me, kissing her with a hunger that’s built up over the years. Her delicate fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer as I claim her lips with a desperate urgency. She tastes like comfort, like home.
I kiss my way down her neck, across the gentle curve of her collarbone, letting my hands roam the length of her body, needing to feel every inch of her against me. Her body is heaven—soft, warm, and mine. I press kisses down her neck, tasting the sensitive skin at her wrists, the tender flesh at her temples. Myhands slide beneath her waistband, inching closer to what I’ve craved for so long.
“I want inside you again.” My voice drops, rough with need as I hover over her pussy, waiting for her permission, needing her to want this as much as I do. I can’t stop myself anymore, but I want her to choose this too. Because once we start—there’s no turning back. I’m never letting her go again.
“I thought about this a thousand times,” I admit, my lips grazing the edge of her waistband as she shivers beneath me. “And now that we’re here I can’t get enough of you.”
She hums as my tongue teases along her bare skin. I guide her back into the cabin, kicking the door closed with my boot.
I steal a glance down at her, catching the way her eyes darken as I stroke my fingertip over the denim that hides her from me. I lick my lips, and then, in one swift move, I lift her into my arms, carrying her to the bed.
My lips twitch into a grin, my voice dropping to a husky murmur. “Well, beautiful, I can’t wait to see every sweet inch of you as I make you cum so hard you forget both of our names.”
Her eyes widen, a smile tugging at her lips as I growl playfully, then pull her jeans down, revealing a pair of soft, white panties dotted with tiny pink hearts—and a damp spot in the center.
My hands grip her creamy thighs as I lean in, breathing in her scent, then hook my thumb into the fabric and tear. Her gasp fills the room, echoing off the walls, but it’s quickly swallowed by a moan when my tongue slides slowly over her wet heat, swirling and nipping at her sensitive clit.
Her breathing quickens, and her hips begin to rock against my mouth. I work my tongue over her, teasing and tasting, while my fingertips toy with her entrance, feeling her tighten and shiver beneath me.
“Oh God, Slate…” she moans, her fingers fisting in the sheets as her body writhes. Her need, her desire—it’s everything I’ve been missing. Everything I’ve craved.
She trembles, her muscles tightening as I push her closer and closer to release. And when she finally shudders, her orgasm washing over her, I drink her in, letting the sound of her pleasure echo through me. It’s a sound I’ll never get tired of hearing.
