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“Well, definitely not that it was absolutely freezing.”
He scoffs, though lightheartedly. I’m sure he’s tired of hearing me go on about the chill. “Come on, you’re a Canadian. You can handle cold.”
“Yes, but not in shorts and a tank top.”
“Fine. Aside from the cold, wasn’t it worth it?”
“Absolutely. The view was breathtaking though I’ve never faced wind like that. I could hardly stand upright, and all I had was this to keep me warm.” I pull at his hoodie, not in the least bit bashful at taking it from him.
When we reached the summit and quickly realized we weren’t dressed for the weather, Tom rummaged through his luggage for warm clothes. Sadly, I didn’t have anything appropriate. I’d packed for a warm LA summer, and any winter clothes I might have had were still in the condo in Vail.
His soft, thick hoodie smells like him, and I welcome the reminder of how I was covered in his scent last night. So much so, I didn’t want to shower this morning and wash off eau de Tom.
He wears a smirk like I’m such a baby, and I playfully push at his hard shoulder. “Come on. You were cold too. Don’t deny it.”
“Yeah, it would’ve been better if we’d had coats. We would have lasted longer.” He chuckles and shivers, most probably at the memory of the bone-chilling wind. “But I loved every minute of it. Just think, if we hadn’t gone up there, we’d never have seen the mountain goat and her kid. That was way cool.”
I was first to spot the large all-white animal with black horns and its baby. We snapped a few pictures and watched them clamber over the rocky terrain.
“The goats were cool, but I’d have to say the majestic views above the timberline were my favorite. It’s like what it said online; we could see forever from up there.”
It felt like Tom and I were the only two people on earth, and I can’t say I didn’t like it. If only it could be like that always.
“Almost to the prairies of Kansas?” He echoes a line from one reviewer’s write-up of Mount Blue Sky.
“I don’t know about that, but the mountain ranges went on for miles.”
He nods in agreement and gifts me a big and beautiful smile. And that right there—his smile—warms me more than the drink does. My cheeks heat when our gazes lock, even if only for a beat. I can only imagine the look I’m giving him is something close to adoration.
His lips taunt me. Plump and softer than you’d think. A rush of heat sweeps through me. His mouth had been all over me yesterday. I’d started it, no longer wanting to constantly restrain myself. I wanted Tom and I went for it.
At the time, I hadn’t really thought about where the kiss would lead. Or most probably, I didn’t care what came next or if there would be consequences. Tom made the kiss last and then everything that came after… I wouldn’t regret it or trade it for anything in the world.
Tom’s wistful tone cuts through my thoughts. “Yeah, it was beautiful up there.”
We’re closer to the end of our drive today, and with a quickly fading sun at our backs, streaks of orange, pink, and mauve score what once was a clear blue sky.
We make it to a boutique hotel in downtown Lincoln just before seven and check in to our two-bedroom suite and freshen up. Lois tried for separate rooms, but the hotel was booked up for a medical conference. It was the best she could do under such short notice, and that was just fine with me. Though I did pretend to be upset and put up a little fuss because I wasn’t about to tell her that I was good with sharing a room with my driver.
Though maybe sharing a room isn’t such a good idea. Tom’s acting like nothing has changed, and maybe I’m the one overthinking this. Maybe nothing has changed—sex aside.
The concierge recommends a few nearby restaurants and books us in at one just a block down the street. We’re seated quickly and our food comes fast.
I gawk at Tom’s plate, stunned when I shouldn’t be. “French fries? You really meant it when you said you’d eat your weight in potatoes, didn’t you?”
He pinches a fry between his thumb and forefinger, holding it midway to his mouth. “I wasn’t joking. But not just any potatoes, only French fries.”
The golden morsel disappears into his mouth, and I force myself to stop staring at his lips. He chews, and my eyes drop to my plate as I stab at the garden salad.
He inches closer to me and lowers his voice conspiratorially. “I’ll let you in on a secret.”
“What?”
“While I like fries, I only went on this mission because it revolted you to see me eat them.” He chuckles and holds up one only inches from my mouth. “You know, if you ate a plate of fries, I’d abandon this quest. Spare you from having to watch me stuff my face.”
“A plate.” I wrinkle my nose and swear my eyes bulge out of their sockets. “Are you out of your mind? I don’t like them.”
“Really?” He tilts his head to the side in that far too adorable way of his, and I squash down the yearning sigh that’s pressing against my lips, demanding to be freed.
