Page 35 of Icy Pour

He narrows his brows. “What’s that?”

“You get to pick back up later right where you left off.”

CHAPTER 21

WALT

If there was a trophy for the longest Midwest Goodbye, Sandy would win by a mile. After we got back from our adventure across town, she wanted to know every detail about how Johnny found me tonight, how we met, how long we’d been together, whether Johnny was going to move in with me, and on, and on, and on.

The irony is not lost on me that I have been filled with restraint my entire life, wanting to be with a man. And now that the one I want is right next to me—the one I declared my love to—I’m more impatient than someone waiting for a VHS tape to rewind to make the return window at the video store.

I tried the ‘welp, it’s getting late’ bit at least three times, and she still was chatting away. We even got her to the door where she had yet another story to share. Why couldn’t she be more like Rich, who beelined it after we said our goodbyes, wanting to beat the snow? After nearly an hour of polite nods and forced laughs, the mention of the snow getting pretty heavy finally had her ready to go home and relieve her babysitter.

I’ve never been more grateful for a snowstorm in my life.

Finally, back in the apartment, the irritation I had for our guest morphs into pure, carnal lust. My skin is on fire, not from being overheated but from wanting what’s here in this room. I don’t waste a moment locking the door behind me and raking my eyes over the only thing that’s been on my mind all evening.

Johnny.

“You gonna keep undressing me with your eyes, boss, or you gonna take my clothes off?”

I cross the space between us in two steps, pulling his lips to mine. I’m not waiting for him to make a move this time. I know he’s in charge, and god, do I want him to continue that, but I need to show him, at least in this one moment, that I’m here for him too.

And I’m not going anywhere ever again.

I pull his t-shirt over his head, tossing it on the floor and placing kisses along his neck as he unbuttons my shirt. “Holy shit,” I groan. “I thought Sandy was never going to leave.”

The vibration from his laugh reverberates between the two of us. “She can be quite longwinded. But you know what I enjoyed the most?”

I don’t pause the adoration I’m showering on his skin. “What’s that?”

“Watching you try and hold back how irritated you were.” He pushes me away, moving the shoulders of my shirt over my arms and letting it drop behind me. “Your fist was balled up so tight I thought you were gonna deck her too just to get me upstairs.”

“Well, you were the one who said interrupted kisses are picked up right where they left off, but she was apparently not in on that plan. But now?” I kiss him again. “Now I have you all to myself, and I’m never letting you go.”

His fingers hook into my belt loops, pulling me closer. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Johnny”

“And now that I’ve got your grumpy ass to say those words, I feel like I deserve a prize.” He grips my cock through my jeans, his lips twisting into a satisfied smirk. “This should do.”

“Fuuuck,” I growl. “You’re so demanding.”

Johnny leaps into my arms, wrapping his legs around my back as I walk us into the bedroom. “You like it.”

“No comment.”

We work to strip each other down, kissing the entire time, barely coming up for air as we do. Pants, briefs, undershirts littering the floor as we race to have nothing between us.

Standing in front of one another, the heat already radiating off our bodies as he yanks me into his chest. Our mouths collide. Our hands feverishly looking for a place to grip harder, dig deeper, clutch closer as if we’re trying to stake a claim over each other.

As if he didn’t already own me the minute he walked into this building.

He gently bites the bottom of my lip as he pulls back, extending his hand in front of my chin.

“Spit.”

I suck in a sharp breath. He is not joking around tonight. Guess that’s my fault for running away. Maybe having this man chase me down every once in a while wouldn’t be the worst thing…Nope. Never again. I’m here for good.