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Hopefully, this was a sign that the year of Ellie was off to a roaring start.
* * *
Between songs, Matt slipped an arm around Ellie’s waist and pulled her to him, pressing a kiss to her temple and breathing in her soft warmth. Savoring and memorizing. Before it was too late. He knew the clock was ticking, and time was running out. He’d lost track of how many songs they’d danced to. The night was flying by way too fast, and midnight was rushing at him like a freight train.
A slow song came on and Ellie slid into his arms as if she belonged there, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to do.
She deserved to know, especially if she was feeling even a fraction of what he was. She pressed into him and nuzzled her face into his neck. His heart slammed into his stomach.
“I want to show you something.” He spoke the words against her ear.
She pulled back and smiled up at him, her eyes almost the same sparkling color as champagne. “Oh yeah? What?”
He smiled. “You’ll see.” He didn’t want to tell her with all of these people around.
Or maybe he just wanted her all to himself.
“Ooh, I love surprises!”
Somehow, he doubted she’d love his. He took her hand in his and led her through the crowd, Ellie trailing behind him as they cut a swath through the dancing partygoers. She traced her thumb in circles over his palm, and even though the contact was innocent enough, he felt a tug low in his stomach and his cock stirred in his pants. Jesus, he wanted her. He had absolutely no right to want her, and chances were she’d want nothing to do with him after he told her about Seattle, but still. He wanted her with an intensity he hadn’t felt in a long time. Years. Maybe ever.
Fuck.
They stepped out into the hall, the rush of party noise fading away, and he led her to a stairwell. She stopped for a second, shooting him a wicked grin as she slipped a champagne bottle from an open box against the wall. He glanced around before pushing the door to the stairwell open and ushering her in.
“Where are we going?” Her voice echoed against the concrete of the stark, bland stairwell. He spun to face her, letting go of her hand and suddenly feeling at loose ends for the lack of contact. She clutched the champagne bottle in one hand, the other planted firmly on her hip. Her lusciously curved hip. God, she was so sexy, and she had no idea. No idea how achingly lovely she was. No idea how much she turned him on. No idea how alive and scared and awake she made him feel.
“The roof.”
“The roof?” Her eyebrows shot up over her glasses.
“Yeah. The view’s incredible.”
“You know this how?”
“There was a robbery here when the place was still under construction. A bunch of building supplies got jacked, and the Laramie County Sheriff helped with the investigation because the thieves were wanted in Cheyenne for similar thefts.”
She smiled playfully, her lips quirking. “And you expect me to climb exactly how many flights of stairs in these heels? My feet are already sore from all that dancing.”
Right. Her shoes. He hadn’t even thought of that.
He shook his head. “I would never. I’ll give you a lift.” He turned his back to her, crouching down slightly. “Hop on.”
“You’re going to piggy back me up the stairs?”
“That’s the idea.”
“What if you drop me?”
“I promise I won’t drop you.” He glanced back over his shoulder at her.
Biting her lip, she stepped toward him. “Okay. If you promise.” Tentatively, she put her weight against him before hopping on his back, her legs wrapping around his waist. She felt so good against him, causing heated visions of exploring every inch of her body to explode in his mind, his cock once again perking up in his pants. Her breasts pressed against his back, and he almost groaned. He took a breath and then started up the stairs, Ellie’s hair falling forward and tickling his neck.
Matt pushed open the door to the roof, his heart hammering in his chest, partly from the exertion, and partly from having Ellie draped over him. A blast of cold air swirled around them, and he set her gently down on the threshold. Shrugging out of his jacket, he draped it over her shoulders, his hands lingering on the lapels. It would’ve been the easiest thing in the world to pull her into him and kiss her until neither of them could breathe, but he’d promised himself. The truth before midnight, and no kissing before the truth.
Several inches of snow covered the small, flat surface of the roof onto which they’d emerged. Most of the resort’s roof was steep and angled, but there were a few spots where a flat surface was necessary to accommodate the HVAC system, and this was one of them. The ski hills glimmered before them, and Matt lifted her back onto his back so that she wouldn’t have to walk through the snow in her heels.
“This is beautiful,” she breathed. Snow clouds filled the sky, obscuring the stars, but giving the expanse of black a soft, velvety feel. Matt eased the champagne bottle from her hand and laid it carefully in the snow, the white flakes stark against the bright orange label. She sighed happily and kissed the back of his neck, causing all of the hairs there to stand at attention, much like another part of him.
