He won’t meet my gaze, and his lips are pressed into a thin line. Could he be…anxious?
My pulse quickens, and I question whether I’m reading him right, yet his reaction confirms it. It’s not Maple who doesn’t want me to leave—it’s Shep.
I place my hand over his, easing the hat from his grasp, and setting it on the coffee table. I turn back to him, noticing his shallow breathing and shoulders tight with tension, betraying his worry that I might decline his offer to stay.
I graze my knuckle along his cheek as I whisper, “Do you want me to stay for Christmas?”
Please say yes.
He slowly lifts his eyes to meet mine. “I do.”
I give him a soft smile, letting my fingers trace along the gray streaks at his temple. “Is that the only thing you want, Shep?”
I move closer until our faces are only inches apart. His muscles tense under my touch, and he grabs hold of the armrest like it’s the only thing keeping his self-control in check.
“Noelle, what are you doing?” His voice is hoarse.
I probably shouldn’t tease him, but seeing the effect I have, combined with the fact that we’re snowed in together, makes me ache to have his hands on me. I won’t relent until he surrenders to the sparks igniting between us.
My gaze flicks to his mouth. “Do you want to kiss me, cowboy?”
His chest rises and falls rapidly as he tightens his grip on the armrest.
“It’s alright if you do.” I lean in, brushing my lips along the edge of his mouth.
The room pulses with the hum of our mingled breaths.
“You’re trouble, woman,” he growls.
“Only the fun kind,” I whisper back.
He cups my chin, letting his fingers glide along my jawline. “Kissing is a bad idea.”
“The very worst.”
His usually cold expression is replaced with an undeniable simmering hunger that radiates desire.
“Good thing I don’t shy away from bad ideas, darlin’.”
He closes the remaining distance between us to claim me with a possessive kiss that makes it impossible to think straight. The tip of his tongue glides across my lips, and he lets out a low growl when I open my mouth and welcome him inside. He lifts me into his lap, swinging my legs over the armrest, careful notto further injure my ankle. I weave my fingers through his hair, dragging him closer as our kiss deepens.
“Fuck, I’d have kissed you sooner if I knew you’d taste this sweet,” Shep groans.
I couldn’t agree more. His mouth on mine is a revelation—euphoric, primal, consuming. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.
Whatever restraint he had left snaps as his hand roams along the line of my waist. He rocks against me, his hard cock rubbing against my thigh. My nipples grow achy, and my body hums with longing, wishing I could straddle him.
I’m on the verge of begging him to take my clothes off when the timer in the kitchen goes off.
I blink rapidly, awareness sinking in, as I’m met with Shep’s heated gaze. His hair is tousled from my grip, and his striking brown eyes study me closely, gauging my reaction. His chest heaves like he’s just run a marathon, and his pupils are dilated.
I instinctively brush my fingers against my bee-stung lips.
Oh my god.
I just kissed Shep, and it was better than I could have imagined.
After a few seconds, the timer goes silent and when he speaks, his voice is low and gravelly.
