Hard.

  She flew toward Josh squealing. He didn’t have time to move, her body thudded into his and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her body, so she didn’t crumple to the ground. He could see the frustration and embarrassment on her face. The roundness of her chest was pressed against his and he could feel his cock begin to stir. She looked up into his eyes, then grimaced and looked away, blinded by his headlamp.

  He reached up and clicked off the small light, darkness immediately enveloping the two of them. He could hear her breath and feel the warmth of it against his neck, her chest expanding into his with every breath she took. Instinct took over, and even though he knew it was a bad idea, he let his cheek linger next to her forehead. She tilted her head back in response, pressing her cheek to his. All it would take was for one of them to turn their head and their lips could meet. He pressed his hands into her lower back and pulled her tighter against him. The corner of his lip was at the corner of hers, the steam from their breath mingled together between the warmth of their faces. His cock was not just stirring, it was pulsing and well on its way to tenting out his snow pants. He didn’t know how long they remained that way, cheek to cheek, the only sound their breathing and the snowflakes falling gently on the surrounding pine trees. He closed his eyes tightly and moved a fraction of an inch at the same time Megan did, their lips granting each other permission to mesh. He met her soft lips with his and heard a slight whimper escape from her mouth as her lips responded to his. She reached her arms around his shoulders and he could feel her gloves gripping the collar of his jacket. He pressed his hips into hers tightly, but pulled back his face slightly and she responded by leaning forward to nip at his lip.

  That was it.

  He responded hungrily. He threw down his ski poles and gripped her entire back with his arm, their mouths growing aggressive with want. He could feel his heart pounding like it was going to burst through all the layers of his clothes. Something had awoken in him that had been asleep for so long, and like a bear emerging from its den after a cold long winter, he was hungry. His cock throbbed and pressed against his long underwear. He wanted nothing more than to throw Megan down in the snow, rip off her snow gear, and plunge into her warmth.

  He wondered if she wanted him inside her the same way he wanted to spread her legs and taste her. Something about the way she was kissing him told him she did, and when she reached her hand to the front of his snow pants and began fumbling with the button, he had his answer.

  “Megan,” he breathed into her mouth, the skin on his lower abdomen tingling with the sensation of her cold fingers gripping the waistband of his pants. “We can’t.”

  Her fingers slid out of his pants and he felt her body lose all its tension, “I know,” she sighed.

  Josh needed to step away from Megan, to give his raging hard on some space from her body, but he was afraid if he did so, she would crumple to the ground in a heap of Gore-Tex, skis, and heat. “I need you to plant your poles in the ground and get ready for me to let go of you, okay?”

  Megan nodded in the darkness.

  “Was that a nod?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  Josh clicked on her headlamp and then turned his gaze from hers as he clicked on his own. “Are you ready?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied breathily.

  Josh gingerly let go and when he was certain she wasn’t going to fall, strode a couple ski lengths away. Megan planted her poles and pushed off, less aggressively this time. She pushed again with both poles and began picking up speed. She started to get into a rhythm. Despite her rocky start, the woman was a natural. Josh stepped out of the tracks and let her pass.

  “Keep going, you’ve got it,” he yelled, as she skied by him, Timber hot on her heels.

  He heard her laugh and she yelled, “This is fun,” without turning back to face him.

  He pushed off and followed behind, hoping that the light from his headlamp wouldn’t give away the fact that he couldn’t take his gaze off her round ass as she skied.

  His manhood had settled down somewhat, but he knew that it wouldn’t take much to get it going again. He took a deep breath. It felt so good to be on skis, but it felt even better to have a woman in his arms again.

  It’s too bad that this was one woman who he could never have. He couldn’t fall for a big city girl, especially a rich big city girl, one that was currently signing his paychecks.

  Nope, that fine ass in front of him could never be his. He wouldn’t, no he couldn’t, let her into his heart. It would only end in disaster for both of them.

  Nineteen

  Once she got into the rhythm, the skiing thing turned out to be a lot of fun. The two of them slid through the nighttime forest, the only sound their skis sliding on the snow and their ragged breathing – it wasn’t easy. Josh had let her lead and at first, she found the dark shadows that bounced through her headlight daunting but felt safe with the mountain man behind her.

  “Be careful Megan, there’s a hill coming up – it will kind of sneak up on you,” Josh yelled from behind her.

  Megan adjusted her headlamp and scanned in the distance. She didn’t see anything until the ground basically disappeared from beneath her. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she cried out. “You call this a hill?” Ahead of her, the trail plunged down a long steep grade into darkness.

  Josh smiled at her, “I can go first if you like. You’re strong and have good balance though, you’re just going to have to trust yourself.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Megan could feel her chest starting to constrict. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  Josh put his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “If you don’t want to do this, we can go back, but I believe in you. You are a strong and capable woman who doesn’t let a small obstacle like this get in her way.”

  Megan had the feeling he wasn’t just talking about the hill of death in front of her. “Okay,” her voice wavered, but then became stronger, “I’ll try.”

  Josh beamed and brushed a strand of Megan’s hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

  “Here’s what you’re going to do. Bend your knees and keep your weight centered over the skis. Whatever you do, don’t lean back, and don’t panic. You’re going to pick up some serious speed, and it might scare you, but try to have some fun with it.”

  Megan’s body had been coursing with adrenaline since their kiss. She knew that it was a bad idea, but when she had felt the rough tickle of his beard next to her cheek, all her worries and insecurities, every thought of Alex disappeared into the cold night air. All she wanted was to feel Josh’s lips on hers, and once she had those, she wanted more – she wanted all of him.

  Now, looking into his eyes, she knew that she could trust him.

  “Then what happens at the bottom?”

  “It flattens out and you will lose your speed. I’ll be waiting there for you.” He pushed off and briefly disappeared out of sight, reappearing in the light of Megan’s lamp briefly before he disappeared once again into the woods below.

  Timber nudged her hand and sat down on his haunches beside her.

  “I know, Timber,” she said to the dog. “I can do this.”

  She gripped her poles and bent her knees as Josh instructed. She took a deep breath and as she exhaled, she pushed off. Her stomach jumped into her throat as she rocketed down the steep roller, but she kept her body tense and focused on keeping her weight over her feet. The trees beside her turned into a blur in her peripheral vision, but she kept her eyes steeled on the black unknown in front of her.

  Snowflakes smacked into her cheeks and her hair whipped behind her from beneath her hat. The skis started to make a buzzing sound like bees as her speed picked up. She had never felt more alive, her fear replaced with exhilaration.

  Just like Josh said, the hill flattened out and she started to slow down. She caught sight of him in the distance and focused on him as she slowed down. His tall solid frame seemed to be a magnet for her and she coasted to a stop, her skis resting against the back of his.

  “How was that?”

  Megan couldn’t wipe the grin off her face, but she also couldn’t seem to find words, the only thing escaping from her lips was her breath, and then she raised her arms triumphantly and yelled, “Woooooooo-hahahahaha, that was amazing,” she gasped through elated laughter.

  “I knew that you would like it.”

  “Thank you for pushing me, Josh,” she smiled and tapped his ski pole with hers. She wanted to leap into his arms, to kiss him again, to push him down into the snow like a teenager.

  “Wait, what’s that?” she caught a glimpse of a building behind Josh.

  “Um. That. That’s nothing.”

  “Josh Johnson, is that a cabin in the woods?”

  “Might be,” he didn’t meet her gaze. “I thought that you might need a rest, and maybe some hot chocolate.”

  “And this is where you kidnap me?” she punched him in the arm.

  “Exactly,” Josh said and skied off to the small structure and clicked off his skis. She followed behind.

  “Whose cabin are we breaking into?” she giggled as he opened the wooden door. The cabin was a triangle shape, its peaked roof running right into the ground, roof doubling as walls.

  “Mine.” Josh tapped the snow off his boots and lit a small oil lamp on the wall, casting an orange glow over the small room.

  Megan stepped inside and shivered. The room looked warm and inviting but felt very, very cold.

  “Here wrap yourself in this blanket while I get the fire started,” Josh handed her a plaid wool blanket.

  Megan took off her boots, tiptoed over to the solid wood armchair in front of the fireplace and watched as Josh constructed a teepee-shaped pile of wood in the fireplace and lit it. The flame seemed to hesitate, then sprang to life, the small wood pieces crackling and popping as the flame grew taller. Josh added a few bigger pieces and she could feel the heat almost immediately. As he knelt in front of the fireplace, his back to her, she felt a rush of warmth that couldn’t possibly be attributed to the fire. In front of her was a real modern-day mountain man, a devastatingly handsome, young, extremely fit, mountain man – complete with beard, husky and cabin in the woods.

  “They could film a movie here,” she mused, looking around the room. Kerosene lamps hung on the walls, the furniture all appeared to be hand made, the living room and small kitchen basically comprising the whole main floor. A rustic ladder led to a loft space above.

  “A horror movie?” Josh chuckled.

  “Yeah,” Megan lied. The movie she would film here would either be a Lifetime Christmas movie, or a rom-com.

  The light from the fire danced in Josh’s eyes and when he took his hat off, his rumpled brown hair showed hints of auburn she had never noticed before – the same auburn now reflected in his beard.

  The fire started to roar. Josh stood up and started lighting all the lamps on the walls. The cold and dampness of the cabin quickly started to dissipate.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, shoving his feet into some boots by the back door.

  “Wait, where are you going?” Megan felt safe with Josh in the cabin but didn’t want to be in a cabin in the woods all alone.

  “One second, I just have to get something.” Josh stepped outside. The cabin went quiet except for the popping and crackling of the fire. Then the door burst open and Josh jumped back into the doorway brandishing a huge ax, “Baha!”

  Megan jumped in her chair and then tossed a small throw pillow at him. “You scared me!”

  “Um. That was kind of the point,” he shrugged.

  His boyish smile melted any anger Megan felt. “So, you’re skipping the romantic kidnapping part and going straight to hacking me up with an ax?”

  Megan saw that Josh was lost for words and realized that she shouldn’t have added ‘romantic’ to her comment.

  “Um. No. I’m going to go get us some water for hot chocolate. That’s how we treat our mountain captives here.”

  “With an ax?”

  “I have to chop a hole in the ice to get water from the lake.” He held up the ax.

  “Do you need some help?” Megan’s heart rate was slowly returning to the somewhat elevated rate where it seemed to hover in Josh’s presence.

  “You just stay warm.”

  Megan pulled the blanket tightly around her and settled into the sofa. She noticed that her hands were shaking and rubbed them together, but they weren’t cold. She was literally vibrating with anticipation.

  Josh returned, covered in fresh snow, holding a bucket of water. “The finest water you will ever taste,” he grinned and took a sip from the edge of the bucket.

  “What about that hot chocolate?” she may be open to learning about small-town life but drinking straight out of the lake was pushing it a little too far for her.

  “Right,” he smiled. “Of course.” He lit the small propane stove in the kitchen. He pulled out a saucepan and a bottle of cream from his backpack. Megan stood up and met him beside the stove. She took the old-fashioned bottle of cream from his hands.

  “Where did you get this?” she asked.

  “One of my old search and rescue buddies is a dairy farmer, he sneaks some of the raw stuff for me.” Josh took the bottle from her hands and poured it into the pan. It immediately bubbled up.

  “Whoa,” Megan said and jumped to turn down the flame. “You’ve got to heat that slowly or else it will burn.”

  Josh turned to Megan, “I have a confession.” He was smiling.

  “Let me guess, you don’t know how to make hot chocolate from scratch,” she laughed and shoved him from the front of the stove with her hip.

  Megan expertly whisked the cream, “What else have you got in your bag there?” she pointed to his backpack with the whisk.

  “I’ve got a chunk of chocolate.” He pulled out a square hunk of dark chocolate wrapped in cellophane. “You inspired me with your dessert the other day.”

  “I’ll need a grater.” Megan took the chocolate from his hand.

  Josh opened a drawer and handed Megan a hand grater. “You keep whisking while I grate in the chocolate.”

  Josh took the whisk from her hand, and she recoiled as the same electric shock as the day before bolted between his fingers and hers. She cleared her throat and shook her hand, blaming the feeling on static, fully knowing that it was anything but.

  “When do we add the water?” Josh asked, holding up the bucket of melted snow.

  “Amateur,” Megan joked and looked up at Josh. Being with him felt easy. She didn’t feel like there was almost a generation separating them, “This is going to be the creamiest, most decadent ganache hot chocolate you’ve ever had.”

  Megan stood at the stove and stirred the chocolate with a wooden spoon, “You’ve got to keep stirring it.” As she stirred, she felt Josh come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She inhaled sharply as she felt his beard brush against the back of her neck and felt his lips on her cheek.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered into her ear and nipped at her earlobe.

  Megan realized that she was holding her breath and she clicked off the burner and poured the chocolate into the pottery mugs. She turned to face Josh and took his face in her hands, her eyes met his and she knew that he was all she wanted, as she stood on her toes and kissed his lips gently. He pressed against her, pinning her against the counter. He cupped her face with his hand and returned her gentle kiss, a touch hungrier. She responded by throwing her arms around his broad shoulders and pushing her hips into his, her body wanting his. He picked her up and set her on the counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned into his mouth as she felt his cock straining at his thermal underwear. She arched her head back and luxuriated in the sensation of his kisses as they trailed down her neck and across her collarbone. She reached behind him to pull his shirt up and over his head. She held it in her hand and gripped his back as he continued kissing her neck. Megan’s hips responded to his kisses and she writhed on the counter. She knew that it would only take the lightest touch of Josh’s tongue, or lips, or cock against her womanhood and she would be done. She tossed his shirt onto the chair and he pulled hers up over her head. He pulled her bra down exposing her pink nipples to the chilly cabin air, and they puckered instantly. He took one nipple in between his lips while he cupped her other breast with his rough hand. Megan gasped, and goosebumps broke out all over her body. He had taken her to the brink of orgasm without taking her pants off.

  She tucked her toes into the waistband of his pants and pushed them down as best as she could. They temporarily caught on his erection, but with one more tug, his massive cock sprang free. He became frantic. He pulled Megan’s waffle thermals off and tossed them over his shoulder.

  She caught the grin and glint in his eye when he saw the sexy black lace panties she was wearing. He grabbed them with both his hands and Megan lifted her ass to help him slide them off her body, tossing them over his shoulder as well. He gripped her hips and kissed her hungrily as he pulled her to the edge of the counter.

  “Yes?” he whispered into her ear breathlessly.

  “Hell yes,” Megan whispered back and then gasped loudly as Josh pressed his manhood into her. He moaned and kissed her harder as he started to thrust into her. Megan leaned back onto the counter and knocked over one of the mugs of hot chocolate. Josh paused and ran his arm behind her back and lifted her off the counter, carrying her over to the couch.

  “It’s a little more comfortable here,” he whispered.

  “And warmer.” The fire cast an orange glow over Josh and Megan didn’t have to wonder if he was the sexiest man she had ever met - she knew that he was.

  “Are you cold?” Josh stood up and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch without waiting for Megan’s response. He draped the blanket over Megan’s chest and then before Megan knew what was happening, she felt the warmth of his mouth between her legs, his beard tickling her thighs and she knew that she was a goner.