Something slips through my fingers and a warm brush slides down my cheek. Jace's voice is a whisper as he says, "Hey, we got to get ready if you still want to sled."
My eyes flutter open and I look around my room. Jace sits next to my hip in a gray long-sleeved shirt and black joggers. A beanie sits on his head and the leg resting on the bed shows he's wearing his running shoes. He flips the book I fell asleep reading over and reads the description. "A haunted hotel and two brooding, handsome twin brother spirits. What more could a girl want?"
My face flushes and I snatch the book from his hand and fling it over on the other side of the bed. "You are nosy," I say in a gravelly voice. My eyes run over his form one more time. "Besides, you totally left me hanging last night; I had to take the edge off somehow." My tone is teasing, but the wink I give him is less silly than it is seductive.
"I'll make that up to you today with some cold weather and hot cocoa, but you have to get moving." He places a soft kiss on my lips and stands. "And you wouldn't be so grouchy if you hadn't stayed up late reading about beefy twins getting frisky with a hotel owner."
I grab a pillow from behind me and throw it at him, but he is too quick, slipping out the door before it reaches him.
With a whiny groan, I roll out of bed and jump in the shower. I twist my curls into two long braids that fall over my shoulders before digging through my closet and finding a pair of thick ski pants Grub had insisted I buy when I decided on moving to Denver. Before I put them on, I layer them with a pair of long johns and a thermal shirt. I add a parka, waterproof boots, gloves, and a scarf, and I look exactly like an Oompa Loompa.
"I'm ready," I announce, tugging a green stocking cap onto my head as I waddle into the kitchen under all my layers.
Jace is leaning against the island with a bottle of water in his hands. He unscrews the top and brings the bottle to his mouth. "You look...warm," he says, covering his smile by taking a sip.
He has added a jacket to his athletic ensemble and changed into snow boots. The fingers of a black glove hang out of his pocket. He doesn't look much different than when he goes for his morning run.
"Is it too much?" I ask, looking down at myself and gesturing to my pants and parka. "Should I ditch the snow pants?"
He sets down his drink and walks over to me. Helping me out of my jacket, he says, "We will be in the car or moving, you won't get that cold. Did you get some fleece-lined leggings?" I nod and he continues, "Those will be better for this trip. The snow is solid where we are going, and it's a clear day. I promise we won't be in a blizzard."
Jace kneels before me to remove my boots and reaches for the waist of the bulky pants. He pulls them down and chuckles at the long johns. Reaching around me, he feels for the two buttons above my ass. "Sexy. You could just go in these."
I cock my head to the side and look down at him. "Ha-ha. You're hilarious. In case you didn't notice, we don't exactly have snow in Infernis, so I was just going by what I've seen in the movies I've watched since I've been here. Apparently, they're a little extra when it comes to wardrobe," I say as he unsnaps the buttons and gives the globes of my ass a playful swat. "I—" But my words get caught in my throat as he stands in front of me and fingers the top button on the long johns before making his way down the center of my chest.
"The truth about everything is less is more." He pulls the fabric down my shoulder and kisses the exposed skin. "And the same goes for snow gear. If you wear too much, you sweat." The top of the onesie falls away leaving me naked from the waist up. "Sweat cools the body. And when it is cold outside, the last thing you want is moisture eventually freezing." He cups my breasts, pulls down the thin fabric of my bralette, and lifts a peak to his mouth. After lapping at the now-hardened nipple, he says, "But there are other activities where sweat is very appropriate."
I gasp and lift my hand, tangling in the little bit of hair at the nape of his neck that is visible under his hat. "Oh, how fascinating," I manage as he slides the onesie a little further down, exposing my lower abdomen and the black thong I chose this morning in the hopes he'd end up seeing it. "And what activities would those be?" I brace myself with a hand on his shoulder as he helps me step out of the garment that was already damp in places that would have likely been uncomfortable for the rest of the day.
He draws a wet trail with his tongue that starts at the waist of my panties and swirls around my navel. "The kind that will make us miss out on sledding."
I bite my lip and fight a battle in my head. I've never been sledding before and doing that with Jace sounds like a lot of fun. But his tongue on my skin is too tempting to resist. But he planned this day for us and I don't want to derail it. There will be time for this later.
"Okay, okay," I say, tugging on his hair. "No more licking. Let me go get dressed." But my voice is strained and doesn't sound very convincing.
"No more licking." He kisses the lace covering my center and stands. "Hurry before I change my mind."
I run up the stairs and tear through my clothes. Wearing winter leggings and a tight long-sleeved shirt, I grab a puffer jacket and return to Jace.
"Better?" I ask, holding out my arms and spinning around.
"Much. And I can see all those sexy curves now. Throw on your boots and let's get out of here."
After driving for forty-five minutes, we pull off onto a crude road in the middle of nowhere, and his BMW SUV cruises over every bump. Snow covers the pine tree branches, and the sun beams down on the ivory blanket, making it look like a million diamonds on the ground.
We park on the side of the road where several other cars are lined. Children with sleds and snowboards zip down the sides of what appears to be a huge white bowl. Parents stand at the bottom with their phones in hand capturing every moment. On the far side of the basin is a log cabin with smoke billowing from the chimney and people walking out with steaming cups in their hands.
"What is this place?" I ask.
Jace opens the back door to his SUV and pulls out the two sleds we brought from his garage. "It's private land. The owners were ski instructors at the top resorts for years. When they had grandkids, they wanted a safe place for them to learn snow sports. It's the perfect place for a beginner."
He picks up one sled and hands me another, then holds out his hand to me.
I thread my fingers with his and say, "That's amazing. How did you know about it? It's way out here in the middle of nowhere."
His eyes scan the area, and I can tell the memory is bittersweet. "My dad used to bring me out here every year on the first snow day of the winter. It didn't matter if it was a school day. We dropped everything, and it was just him and me. As I got older and had friends that wanted to learn to ski or snowboard, we'd head out here."
"I can't imagine how much you miss him," I say as we walk toward the edge of the hill. "Growing up, besides Mandis, my dad was my best friend."
"Yeah, he was the best," Jace says, and I can tell by the way he says it that he wants to change the subject.
I squeeze his hand and we both look over the ledge. The hill isn't the biggest one on the property by any means, but I've never gone sailing down a slope on a contraption made of wood and metal before, and I am a little terrified. This just doesn't look safe; not that I'm the most careful being in the three realms or anything, but this seems purposely reckless.
The sled in my hand feels suddenly like lead instead of wood. I drop it to the snow and look at Jace with wide eyes. "I don't think I can do this."
"What do you mean you can't do it? Sit down and slide."
I shake my head, staring down at the bottom of the bowl. Little kids jump off their sleds when they reach the end of their ride, cheering and running up for another go. But up on the top of the new Mount Everest, I don't think I can do it.
Snow crunches and the creak of wood has me turning around. Jace sits at the back of the sled holding out his hand to me. "Jump on and we will go together."
With a deep breath, I nod and make sure our other sled is tucked under a nearby tree and take his hand, settling in front of him. "Are you sure this is okay, us both being on here like this?" I ask, my heart beating faster as he wraps his arms around my waist.
"I guess we will find out."
He releases me and presses a palm to the ground, pushing us forward. I scream as we fly down the hill, and Jace laughs as he holds me tight. The chilled wind whips at my face, and my stomach plummets like the drop. It's as if my entire life flashes before my eyes. At the same time, the thrill of the ride doesn't last long enough. We scoot along the flat land, and Jace digs his heels in the snow to stop us.
Looking around my shoulder at my face, he asks, "How you doing, princess?"
I laugh and lean back against him, resting my head on his shoulder and looking up into his twinkling grey eyes. "Fantastic! Let's do it again!"
We run up the hill and slide back down at least a dozen times. Jace tries to get me to ride down by myself, but I refuse. I enjoy him wrapped around me as we laugh and scream. Parents waiting for their children at the bottom of the bowl point and laugh at us. A dad even high-fives Jace, commenting, "That's the way to get a girl!"
By the end of our sledding adventure, my pants are soaked with melting snow and my teeth are chattering. Jace gathers our sleds and carries them to the SUV. He starts the vehicle and cranks up the heat before loading everything in the back.
Sliding behind the wheel and pulling onto the crude road, he asks, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, starved." I lift my glasses from my face and prop them on the top of my stocking cap. "Is there anywhere on the way home that we can get a hot bowl of soup?"
"Sure," he says, glancing over at me, then letting out a chuckle. "Oh, Desi."
"What?"
He brushes the pad of his thumb over the top of my cheek. "Did you not put on any sunblock?"
Sunblock? "Uh, no? It's cold...I thought you were only supposed to wear that when it's hot out."
His eyes widen and his eyebrows shoot straight up into his hairline. "Wait, what? You can get a horrific sunburn, or in your case, windburn, in the cold and snow."
"Windburn? What? I've never even had a—" I yank down the sun visor and gape at myself in the mirror. My cheeks are blood red, my freckles nearly disappearing under the tint, the skin under my sunglasses so pale that I look like an inverted raccoon. "Oh my God! What the fuck!?" My eyes dart to him in alarm. "What is wrong with my face?"
"Your skin is burned. It is going to hurt like hell for a little bit."
"My skin is burned?!" I exclaim in horror. "What do you mean it's burned?"
"You've never had a sunburn?"
"No! We are immortal! We don't get sick or any sort of ailment in Infernis. That includes sunburns, acne, anything like that!"
"So you admit that you're always perfect. Humble."
"Shut up," I mumble. "I'm not perfect and you know it."
"You get grouchy after staying up late reading sexy ghost books and when you've had too much sun," he says with a snicker.
I shoot him a glare and cross my arms over my chest. "And don't forget I'm hungry."
"So, you get cranky from not enough sleep, too much sun, and not enough food," he teases. "Maybe you aren't so perfect after all."
"Oh? Tell me, what else is wrong with me?" I ask, turning in my seat and giving him a smirk.
"You won't sled down a hill by yourself. You put the cups away upside-down. You're known for sneaking into other people's tubs and taking a bath without permission. You're a bold exhibitionist that lures good boys to your bed and fakes orgasms. How am I ever going to help you find an eternal partner?"
The twinkle in his gray eyes tells me he's kidding, so I fire back at him. "Okay, first of all, in Infernis, there is no such thing as sledding. Secondly, I already explained why I put the cups away upside-down. It makes perfect sense. Third...you're the only man whose bathtub I've ever snuck into, thank you very much. And as far as boys in my bed..." I slide my hand onto his leg and up his thigh until my fingers are nearly brushing the center of his pants. "Last I checked, I've only had two, and you're the only one who has made me feel anything close to ecstasy."
"Is that right? And what do I get for giving you a mind-blowing orgasm?"
I press down against the seam of his joggers and grin when I find him already hard. Closing my fingers around him, I say, "I know something I desperately want to give you."
"You may be a beautiful immortal demon, but I'm just a man. And I'm having a difficult time concentrating on the road with your hands on me."
I slide down his waistband, slip my hand inside, and lean over, running my tongue down the column of his neck. "Then I suggest you pull over because I'm about to blow your mind, Jace Wilder."
"Fuck," he hisses, pulling into a turnoff on the side of the road.
With hooded eyes, he rests into the seat and watches my hand move over him. My motions are slow yet firm with a tiny twist at the end. He seems to like the added touch, thrusting his hips forward and gripping the steering wheel.
Licking my lips, I inhale and whisper, "Can I put my mouth on you, Jace? I want to taste you again."
He places his hand on the back of my head and guides me down to the glistening tip of his cock. I kiss the bead of moisture, and for the second time, I get a taste of Jace. With my fingers wrapped around him, I open my mouth and welcome him inside. He fists my hair but lets me take him at my own speed. I glance up his torso and observe how the cords of his neck strain. He looks pained, like he is holding back. And at the same time, I've never seen him look so fucking sexy.
I take him to the back of my throat and swirl my tongue around his shaft and back to the tip and he grits out, "You're seriously telling me you've never done this before, little hurricane?"
I nod my head as I keep licking him, moving one hand underneath and cupping his balls, just like I'd read about in one of my hundreds of romance novels. That's where I'd learned to do this—not by experience.
Placing my hand over his, I push his fist down on the back of my head, letting him know it's all right to take control. He doesn't hesitate. The strain from holding back relaxes, and he sets my pace. Fuck, I love that he wants to control me, taking what he wants and handling me with a force I'm not used to. His abdominal muscles flex against my cheek, and I know he's getting close.
I run my free hand under the hem of his shirt and drag my nails down his skin, trying to wordlessly let him know that it is okay to let go.
"God, that mouth of yours. I'm so close. Are you sure you can handle it?"
I claw at his skin one more time and suck harder, unwilling to take my mouth off his cock.
"Fuck. Fuck." He presses down on the back of my head, holding me in place. His body spasms underneath me, muscles tight and fingers digging into my scalp. A warm liquid hits my tongue, and I swallow every salty drop.
Jace releases a long breath, and his body goes limp, letting go of my hair as he lays back against the seat.
I lift my head and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, then pull a tissue out of the glove box and make sure he's cleaned up before righting his pants. "To be clear, I've never done that before," I say as I unbuckle my seatbelt and climb into his lap, straddling his thighs. "You're my first. I bet you won't make fun of my romance novel addiction anymore, will you?"
"No, absolutely not. Maybe you can read me a couple of pages tonight, so I can up my game."
I raise an eyebrow and brush his hair out of his forehead and playfully tug on one of the errant waves. "You want to hear some of my book about the haunted hotel owner and the lusty love triangle?" I rest my index finger on my chin and pretend to think. "There is this one scene where two characters get busy on a pool table...don't you have one in the basement?"
He kisses me before helping me back into my seat. "You on my lap is definitely a distraction while I'm driving. And I'll consider taking you up on the pool table thing."
I smile down at my lap and pretend to fiddle with my seatbelt. "Okay, deal." My stomach rumbles and I clutch my abdomen, stealing a glance at him, hoping he didn't hear it, but he's definitely already laughing.
"Don't worry, hungry. We're almost there."
Jace pulls into the parking lot of a little hole-in-the-wall café. The outside of the building is questionable, the cold winters doing a number on the teal paint around the windows and on the eves. He pulls open the glass door and I'm hit with the scent of spices and fresh bread. The host leads us to a candlelit table near the corner and hands us the menus. I have to reread the soup options more than once, the soft melodic voice singing over the speakers drawing me into song.
When I can't decide between two soups, Jace orders them both for me and two more for himself. We sit across from each other laughing and dipping our spoons between the bowls. He continues to tease me about not being able to sled alone and I just let him poke fun at me because it seems to bring him joy.
But all that happiness drains from his handsome face when he looks past my shoulder. His eyes go wide and his jaw slack. All the color drains from his cheeks like he sees a ghost and I twirl around in my chair.
A woman I've seen once before stares back at him from behind me, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders in beautiful straight strands, her blue eyes shining with surprise. Her red lips pull into a faint smile before she says in a rich, soft voice, "Hello, Jace."
"Hey, Hannah."