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“I want you, Carter. I want to be yours. But I need to know my dad’s safe too,” she whimpers.
I calm her with my hands, running them over her, pulling her closer, forgetting everything again as it’s just the two of us.
She pulls herself away slowly, fearful of us being caught, I know.
“Then just go make sure he knows you care,” I advise her.
Ignoring my own victory once I know she’s not going anywhere that I’m not.
It could cost me my best friend, a lifelong bond. But I already know I love her.
I already know she’s my new best friend.
Mine.
I don’t want her to go anywhere, but I urge her to go check on her dad, to be there for him.
Like I told her to.
I’ll be here for him, always.
I don’t plan to push him away either, but I know a storm’s coming if I have my way.
Now that I know I’m getting it.
I watch her go outside, down to her dad’s truck which he opens to let her in on account of the cold.
He’s started it up and has the heat going as well as to charge his satellite phone I’m assuming.
It’s hard not to have her here, but I know she needs to square things up with Greg if she’s gonna stay.
I know she wants to stay and I know Greg doesn’t want her to, but what real choice does he have.
If only you knew how well I’m gonna look after her, buddy.
I stoke the fire some more, trying to busy myself. Almost jealous that Greg actually has something to do.
My whole life’s ahead of me, and I’m essentially unemployed.
Nothing to do but manage my money and…
Start a family. That’s full-time work, I hear.
I tell myself, grinning suddenly and moving back over to the window, annoyed at the frost and how I can’t make out Serena’s shape in her dad’s SUV anymore.
But starting to plan a few things of my own.
Little mental notes.
Things that I would have laughed at even a few weeks ago are now suddenly important.
Things about Serena, about where we’ll live.
The family I’ll raise with her.
First things first, slick. You gotta get said family inside her first.
The sight of her suddenly snaps me to attention. She’s not mad or upset, hurrying up the steps back inside, so I open the door for her.
“Well?” I hear myself ask as if I need permission to even think my next thought.
“Dad’s going to Washington, the company’s major distribution center. They’re sending a plane or helicopter, whichever they can get in first. Apparently, the roads are out for a few miles down. We’ll be stuck here for days.” She announces, pretending to look out the window again, but I can tell she’s quivering with excitement.
“Days,” I hear myself murmur with satisfaction.
Wondering if it will ever be enough to begin what I want to show her.
“He’s coming,” she warns me calmly, clinging to the curtain as I turn to tend the fire again, hearing Greg come back inside.
I hear the thud of his satellite phone, but keep myself busy.
Knowing he wants to stay as much as I want him to leave, but not because I don’t care for him as a friend.
Just because I need to let nature run its course.
What’s mine is mine, and everything’s going in my favor now. I’m sure even he knows that on some level. But his own mind is on business right now, as it should be.
“I have to go, Carter, I really can’t get out of it unless I want to lose my career, the house, everything,” he says, glancing to Serena as I turn.
“What’s happened?” I ask, curious more than anything as I watch him blow air from his cheeks and run his hands through his hair, starting to pace before he stops and takes Serena’s hand.
“The company chief had a medical episode, everyone else is out of the country so it falls to me to keep the ship righted. There are unusual storm cells all over the place, and the stores have been stripped. I need to get to Washington and oversee distribution, pull some strings from our friends in customs too to free up supplies.”
It sounds like a mammoth task, but I know Greg’s the man who can do it.
“Our holiday might have to wait, honey,” he tells Serena softly, lowering his voice as he turns his back to me.
“I’ll leave the truck here, hopefully, I’ll be back in a few days but… I wouldn’t count on it.” I hear him tell her.
I don’t want to smile, but I feel it welling up inside me, along with fresh arousal and attraction for Serena.
I turn back to the fire, crouching on my hams while I pretend to warm my hands, feeling nothing but the heat radiating from my own body.
A sheen of sweat on my brow as I almost clap my hands together in triumph.
