Chapter 11: Scott
Nathan
Nathan was just going to have to grow a fucking pair. So he’d been right. Making love to Anna had felt different. And he felt a little more when he kissed her now than he’d ever felt with any other girl. So what? He sort of thought the same thing with Kelli when he’d first kissed her. The biggest difference was while Anna was making it clear she had no qualms about what they were doing, Kelli had been hesitant about even a peck from the get-go. He knew now why she’d gotten worse each time he’d been around her again. But at the time he’d been certain her being so reluctant to get more serious was the pull for him. He really hadn’t experienced rejection up until then. Not like that anyway. It’d been so damn confusing his dumb ass had taken it on as a challenge.
Now here he had Anna, an adorable, not to mention fucking breathtaking, girl whom he’d just met just two days ago, and she’d given so much to him already. Not only that, she was all for the no-strings-attached thing he practically said was the only way he’d do this. With them not knowing how long they’d be stuck there, who knew how many more times he’d have all of her before having to walk away. More than once last night his body had done what he’d sworn he wouldn’t—claimed her. As much as his head kept arguing it was only while they were here, already he couldn’t bring himself to keep his lips off her for very long. It was a bachelor’s fucking dream come true. So why didn’t he feel as all for it as she seemed to be?
He could say it was for the reasons she thought until he was blue in the face. That he didn’t want her getting any ideas about this being more than sex. But it was just the opposite, damn it. His candy ass was the one worried about needing more. Just hearing her say she had a lot to get back to—plenty to keep her busy back home—had him seeing red, and he’d only owned her body for one night. His heart could not start demanding more. Those very comments were exactly why he should ignore his irrational heart. She lived with a dude! It’d be ridiculous on his part to think he might convince her to make such drastic changes in her life just because he’d have a hard time dealing with it.
Grabbing the pieces of wood, he still wasn’t sure if he should just succumb to the incredible urging of his heart or be smart. So he decided to just play it by ear. When he walked back into the kitchen, he saw Anna standing in front of the television, looking troubled.
“Anything new?”
She frowned, shaking her head. “Not much about the storm ending anytime soon, but a lot of people are missing. Hopefully, they’re just stuck somewhere waiting out the storm like we are. The family members of the missing are beside themselves.” She turned to him just as what she was probably thinking hit him too. “I hate to think my mom is just as worried. My sister will be on her cruise until the end of the week, so she probably doesn’t even know about the storm. She wouldn’t be expecting me to call her on the ship, but my mom . . . I usually check in with her at least once a day. She was already worried that I’d be up here by myself that first night. Knowing my mom, she’s probably frantic, especially because by now she’s probably talked to Scott and knows he never made it out. I’m sure they’re both worried sick.”
Nathan frowned as he set the wood down on the brick around the fireplace and tried not to think of Scott being worried sick about her. “Yeah, my brothers and sisters are probably going nuts too. At least your mom and Scott know you made it here fine. They’re probably hoping you just got snowed in. If my siblings tried calling the hotel I had reservations at, they know I never made it.”
“Oh my God, I hadn’t even thought of that,” she said, eyes wide open. “They must be beyond frantic.”
Nathan shrugged, not wanting to think about it. “Let’s just make sure we keep our phones charged while we have power, so the minute we can get out of here and somewhere with a signal we can call them. Regardless of what our families are thinking, at least we know with fair certainty none of them will be getting any tragic news.”
They stopped to listen when there was an update on the weather. The third big storm in a row they were expecting was being downgraded now. They were no longer expecting another blizzard, just more snow, but the cleanup was already underway. Plows would be working day and night to try and dig out some of the higher traveled areas and highways. But according to the meteorologist reporting the news, they could be back to normal weather in a few days.
Nathan and Anna exchanged a glance. Just a couple more days and they could be out of here. Head their separate ways. While the thought of being stuck in that cabin for a few more days was more pleasant than it should be, knowing their time together would inevitably be ending and they may never see each other again was one his obstinate heart refused to entertain.
He finished loading the wood into the fireplace as Anna changed the channel on the television, sitting back down on the sofa. The moment he replaced the screen on the fireplace he made his way back to the sofa next to Anna. Already it had been too long since he’d tasted her lips last.
Moments into the lustful kiss and feeling her usual eagerness, he began to feel the same concern about hurting her. She’d been so damn tight last night those first few times. Normally, even that thought would make it impossible to hold back much longer. But with Anna, when it came to this, he wouldn’t push. Laying her back slowly, he touched her softly—sweetly. “I love the taste of your mouth,” he whispered against her lips then devoured it again, sucking her tongue then her lips.
Anna’s mouth and body responded with the same hunger he was feeling. Okay, holding back might take a little more effort than he anticipated. It took everything in him to hold back, not take her there. But when he did, Nathan knew now without a doubt he was feeling so much more for her than he should this soon. It was the only reason he was able to hold back. If it were any other girl, he’d be deep inside her already. But the real concern he felt for her helped him refrain. He didn’t even have to dig too deep and it worked. Reminding himself of her words did the job.
I have a lot waiting for me back home.
That and everything else she’d said was what he’d use not just to hold off at least a few more hours, but to get him through the rest of his time here with her without his heart demanding more.
Nathan stopped and stared in her eyes for a moment then down at her swollen and wet pink lips. Smiling, he licked her bottom lip as the idea came to him again. Worst-case scenario he might take it just one step further to satisfy his need for more by licking the other lips he already knew tasted just as good—if not better.
~*~
Aiyanna
As thrilling and passionate as the past week had been, Aiyanna had made sure to continue to subtly mention how excited she was about the new year—how many goals and things she had to look forward to in her future without him—because inevitably that alarm she’d seen in his eyes that first night they were together was still making an appearance every now and then.
“We’re down to our last four eggs,” Aiyanna informed Nathan as he came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “But according to the newscasts, we should be out of here soon, so I don’t think we should start panicking just yet.”
“Not sure which the bigger panic is for me now, going hungry for a few days or that my days with you, with this”—he kissed her nape softly, sweetly— “are numbered.”
She turned to face him, and he kissed her before she could respond to that. Just like all his other kisses now, this one also felt more profound. Inevitably, they’d get heavier—hungrier. They always did, but like the panic it seemed he wasn’t even trying to repress when they made love now, his kisses had changed too. The way he touched her and looked at her wasn’t just in that lustful way he had on New Year’s Eve. This, too, was a new one. In all the days since they’d begun to kiss and do some of the other things he’d done to her now, not once until now had he mentioned how he felt about this unavoidably ending.
The long heart-stopping kiss finally came to an end, and he
took a deep breath, burying his face in her neck. “Can I ask you something?”
Aiyanna nodded nervously as her heart sped up because she could already tell whatever it was he was about to ask made him nervous too. It was probably why his face was still at her neck, avoiding eye contact.
“When you said you have a lot waiting for you back home, a lot to keep you busy, what did you mean by that?” He finally pulled his head up and searched her eyes anxiously. “Did you mean someone?”
Aiyanna shook her head, swallowing hard, but was glad she’d prepared for this. “I just meant school, my job, and my friends. I didn’t want you to think just because you’d be my first you wouldn’t be able to get rid of me.” She laughed nervously, trying to make light of things because he was still staring at her so anxiously. “Don’t laugh, but I also need to get my ass in the gym. I know you were worried about me being sore in other places. I can’t believe I’m sore everywhere. It’s a testament to how out of shape I am if a few days of passion have my legs, abs, and even butt muscles sore.”
His continued serious expression made her nervous. He hadn’t even cracked a smirk as she’d been sure he would’ve. “What if I don’t wanna get rid of you?” His eyebrows furrowed in question to her reaction to that. “What?”
It was only then that Aiyanna realized she was shaking her head, and she stopped immediately. “You said you don’t do relationships.”
“I know what I said, but that was before I ever kissed you, before anything ever happened between us.” His eyes continued to search hers. “Before I got to know more about you. Is there someone waiting for you back home? Scott?” His expression hardened. “Jace?”
“Definitely not Jace,” she said with a huff. “And if he is, he can just keep waiting. I don’t ever wanna speak to him again. But Scott, yes.” His eyes went wide, so she went on quickly. “Only not what you’re thinking. Just like Sam, my sister, and my mom are waiting, he is too. But he really is just my friend.”
“You sure about that?”
She nodded, but she wouldn’t say more. Being with him here without expectations of anything more was one thing. Aiyanna already knew without a doubt, if she continued to see him even after they got home, she could easily fall for him hard. In fact, she questioned if she hadn’t already. She didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t need to make it so clear that she had zero prospects waiting for her back home. Despite what she thought he might be getting at now, it was best if she left a little for him to wonder about.
“You don’t think it’d be cool to keep hanging out once we get home?” His eyes were hopeful, almost vulnerably so. “Temecula’s less than an hour and a half from me. I could probably cut that time in half on my bike.” He smirked, but it wasn’t nearly as smug as his usual playful smirks. “I know you’re not into those types of guys, but I promise you I’m really not as bad as you might be thinking. I can tone it down if I have to.”
In spite of her head warning that she should be mindful that he’d made it all too clear that he didn’t do the relationship thing—that after just a few days she could already tell the possibility of Nathan hurting her would cut so much deeper than Jace’s betrayal—Aiyanna couldn’t help but smile.
“Yeah?” Nathan smiled now too.
The genuine excitement she saw in his brightened eyes made her heart swell, so she nodded, just as excited. Before she could say anything, his lips were on hers again. He began tugging her by the hand. With a giggle, she turned off the burner on the stove top. Breakfast was obviously being delayed.
Nathan walked backwards as they kissed all the way to the sofa then fell on it and pulled her down with him. Their kisses definitely felt different now. His hands roamed her body as they usually did when things got this heavy. Then he moved one of them inside her pajama pants. A noise outside had them slowing down momentarily, but after listening for more, Nathan shook his head. “Probably that bear or the deer again.”
With a wicked smile, his eyes were back on her lips, and he devoured them once again. Aiyanna couldn’t help moaning as he sucked her tongue and bottom lip. It only made him suck harder and then moan too. Nathan tugged at her pajama pants, and she helped him pull them down further as her heartbeat walloped in her chest. She wasn’t sure if he’d just be using his magical tongue or if he’d be going further. Either thought had her body trembling and her insides going crazy already.
A noise by the door had them both stopping cold and turning toward the door. They listened again, this time a little longer than the first time. Nathan turned back to her, nowhere near as confident and quick to dismiss it. “You think—?”
“Anna!”
Both Nathan and Aiyanna sat up at the sound of the woman’s voice. It only took the woman calling out for her one more time for Aiyanna to know.
“Mom?” she said softly then she heard the second woman’s voice call her name. “Sam?”
Pulling her pajama pants up, she and Nathan were both on their feet, and she rushed to the door. “Mom? Sam? Is that you guys?”
“Oh my God!” Her mom cried out. “Thank you, Jesus!”
“Oh, Anna!” Sam called out, sounding equally as emotional. “Yes! It’s us. Are you okay?”
Aiyanna pulled the door open, and her mother pushed through the snow and wrapped her arms around her almost immediately. The snow was barely at her knees now. Nothing like in the past days where it had still been at least chest high. Neither she nor Nathan had attempted to get her car out from under the carport and start making a dent on plowing some of the snow out of the driveway.
They quickly kicked the rest of the snow out of the way, and both women hugged and held her in tears. “I was so scared,” her mom said as she continued to cry. “No one could get a hold of you. No one had answers, and all flights to Aspen and Denver were sold out or cancelled. It’s been such a nightmare for days.”
“We’ve been snowed in for days and there’s no cell signal out here,” Aiyanna explained first then the inevitable as both women turned to look at Nathan curiously. “This is Nathan. His car got stranded in the snow the day the storm started, so thankfully, I haven’t been here by myself all this time.”
Her mom and Sam said hello to him. Even through tears, Aiyanna could see the curiosity in Sam’s eyes as she took him in. The girl would be full of questions no doubt the moment she got Aiyanna alone. Aiyanna’s mom explained how they had a whole search party out there looking for her, which was no easy feat considering how many were missing since the storm first hit. “Heidi’s still on that cruise, but we got a message to her. I’ll have to call her as soon as we’re somewhere we can get a signal.” Her mom looked down at her phone with a frown. “I know she was just as worried. I didn’t want to ruin the rest of her cruise, but after not hearing a word from you in days, I had to tell her what was going on.” She turned to Sam, eyes wide. “Sam, go tell them.” She pointed out the door. “Tell them we found her.”
Sam hurried away as Aiyanna’s mom gave her another hug, and they moved into the front room away from the cold open door. She told them more about the ordeal since they realized Aiyanna was missing and about the others who’d been lost in the storm and hadn’t been so lucky. “I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so much in my life.”
Seeing her mom’s lip quiver made Aiyanna emotional and almost feel guilty about the lack of effort she and Nathan had made to try to get out of there. So she hugged her mom again, glad their anguish was finally over.
The door they’d half closed opened, and Sam walked back in with Scott. The moment their eyes met his expression broke into a pained one. Now Aiyanna really felt guilty. In all the years she’d known Scott, she’d only seen him cry a handful of times. Those occasions she recalled had all been over something tragic. Aiyanna had been so caught up with Nathan all this time she’d hardly put any thought into what her loved ones must be going through with her missing all this time.
She took a few steps toward him, and he rushed to her, taking her in a cru
shing hug. He held her tightly for a while before pulling away and brought his hand to her face, cradling it there as his agonized eyes stared into hers. “Do you have any idea how scared I was?” Without letting her answer, he kissed her forehead then hugged her again with a groan. “Thank God you’re okay. I was beginning to lose my mind out there.”
He finally pulled away but slipped his hand in hers, bringing it to his mouth and kissing it twice. Nathan’s glare hit her like a slap. For a moment, she’d completely forgotten he was still standing there, watching and listening to the whole exchange. His eyes went from hers to Scott’s and then back down to her hand in Scott’s.
“Who’s this?” Scott asked.
“This is Nathan,” she said, trying to snap out of the unease Nathan’s reaction to Scott put her in. “Lucky for me, his car broke down up the road, and he ended up stranded here with me. Otherwise, I would’ve been alone all this time.”
Scott nodded, taking in Nathan. “Really? So you two were stuck here together all this time?’
Nathan nodded since Scott seemed to address that question to him. But he still hadn’t said a word and from the looks of it wasn’t planning to unless directly addressed.
“Well, thank goodness for that,” her mom said, smiling at Nathan. “I can’t imagine being stuck here for days all alone. How frightening! Did you lose power?”
“It was frightening,” Aiyanna agreed, glad for the change in subject. “And yes, we lost power several times.”
She refused to look at Sam for too long, because she was already smirking. Aiyanna was certain her dirty-minded friend was already making assumptions about what else had been going on in this cozy cabin between her and Nathan. It would be fun once she finally got to talk to her in private to let her know how right those assumptions were. But at the moment, the tension she was picking up from Nathan the longer she stood there holding Scott’s hand was unsettling to say the least.