Page 13 of Collision of Winters (Hillcroft Group #4)

Wade Winters

T hat’s deliberate.

Right?

My eyes flashed open, and I automatically grabbed on to what was trying to back up against me. In this case, Kayden. Who was…awake? Asleep? It was still dark out. His shift had felt so swift and purposeful, yet his breathing pattern indicated he was dead to the world.

Fuck.

I flexed my fingers on his hip, and something suddenly simmered with heat inside me.

Good Christ, he was too close. His back to my chest, his sweet little ass pressed against my cock, and my arm had ended up under his head at some point.

He was right fucking here, in my arms, where he fit perfectly.

I closed my eyes again, and I drew a deep breath.

What I wouldn’t give to just…

Goddamn, I wanted him.

I recognized that the cobwebs of sleep had a hold on me, to the point where my guard was lowered, and I didn’t care. In fact, so be it. It gave me a defense, something to blame, for not easing away.

Instead, I slipped my hand to his front and let it rest along his stomach, and I released a breath and sank into a pool of desire and sleep. I soaked up his warmth and held him to me.

I’d been a heavy sleeper once upon a time.

Three deployments had fucked that up for me. These days, I woke at the faintest sound, like the dogs moseying from one spot to another, like the rain hitting the windowpane back home on my ranch, like a car pulling into the driveway.

Like the sound of Kayden’s breath hitching.

I became acutely aware of how I was wrapped around him, but he was the one shifting against my cock.

What are you doing to me?

If I didn’t already know he was awake, his shaky exhale would have given him away. Which meant he was doing this on fucking purpose, and he definitely wanted something other than a platonic safe space to let go of his adult filters.

It wasn’t as dark out, but I could hope he fell back asleep.

Or hope he didn’t…

I was screwed.

What was his plan here? To rile me up in my sleep, and then I’d be too turned on to deny him?

It took a lot more than lust and a hard cock to sway me.

My problem was that my brain was as fucked over as the rest of me.

Every part of me wanted him, and I wasn’t sure I could go back at this point.

Especially after the day we’d spent together yesterday.

His mind was addictive, his sense of humor was all mischief and goofy jokes that never failed to make me smile, and he was a damn sweetheart. Caring and compassionate.

A moment later, he shifted again, but this was different. He carefully squirmed out of my embrace. Worry struck immediately—what if he was uncomfortable? But then I watched him shield himself, or rather his lower body, as he scurried out of the room.

I swallowed against the dryness in my throat and gave my cock a squeeze.

I could hear him through the wall in the bathroom, specifically the water hitting the basin. There couldn’t be much left in the tank. I was supposed to have refilled it yesterday. Was he splashing it on his face to cool down? Was he going to jerk off? Was he at war with himself?

Fuck my life.

I’d fallen asleep again?

I woke up, groggy and disoriented, and squinted toward the door.

The smell of coffee had returned, and Kayden was busy in the kitchen.

Was he okay? How much time had passed? Considering I could also smell freshly baked bread, he must’ve been up a while, and I couldn’t believe I’d slept through the sounds of him putting together a dough.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, and then I reached over to the bedside table and grabbed my watch. I checked the time as I put it on. Christ, almost nine in the morning.

The edges of the window were covered in snow, but the weather looked to have calmed down.

The dogs should be pacing restlessly by the front door.

“Kayden?” I dragged my ass out of bed and shivered at the chill in the air.

He soon poked his head in with a grin. “Good morning, Sir. Breakfast is almost ready.”

He didn’t look traumatized, just fucking gorgeous. He was back in his pajama pants and the indecent “Best Stuffie Ever” tee.

I mustered a tired smile. “You spoil me. Did you by any chance walk the dogs?”

He beamed. “We played in the snow. There’s so much! Then I left them in the dog yard. There’s no damage to it. I checked.”

His happiness did something to me; I wanted to get close and roll around in it. His energy was rejuvenating. To watch him be this way. It almost felt like he was being himself for the first time. At least with someone else present.

“I wish I could’ve seen you goof off.” I couldn’t help myself. I met him in the doorway and cupped his cheek, then kissed the top of his head. “I’ll go freshen up.”

“Yes, Sir.” His cheeks turned pink, and I forced myself to back off. “Um, I was gonna refill the tank, but the water you left on the porch is frozen solid.”

I wasn’t surprised. The temperature had dropped significantly overnight, and the roaring fire in the main room didn’t suffice anymore.

“There’s maybe half a gallon left in the bathroom,” he added.

“That’ll be plenty, thank you. I’ll be right back.” I ducked into the bathroom and instantly looked away from my reflection in the mirror. Instead, I relieved myself and then used the last of the water to scrub clean. Maybe we could get to the boathouse today. An actual shower would be nice.

We’d see what Quin’s first update looked like. If everything was resolved today, chances were we could start our journey home tomorrow.

I clearly needed distance from Kayden, which I would have to be smart about. I refused to risk upsetting him. Knowing him, he’d believe he’d done something wrong if he noticed my pulling away. The mere thought sickened me.

At the same time, I could feel my self-control slipping, so something had to be done.

After toweling off, I righted my boxer briefs and applied deodorant, then walked out of the bathroom again.

Kayden was in the middle of carrying two plates to the coffee table. “Sit down, Sir. Let’s eat!”

“I’ll just go get dressed first?—”

“Nuh-uh! We have blankets. C’mere. It’s cozy.”

I hesitated. Sitting there undressed when Kayden was so clearly in his Little space didn’t seem safe. Or Middle space, or what the fuck ever.

“Come onnn,” he urged. “Bacon’s getting cold, you know!”

Oh, all right. I’d bundle up and make sure we had some blankets between us.

I rounded the couch as he fetched my coffee and rambled about what he wanted to do today. He definitely wanted to play in the snow, and he wanted me to teach him how to play poker. Now that he was going to work with us, he wanted to learn so he could win money off Chris.

“Dad says Chris isn’t good at poker,” he finished.

I felt my mouth twitch as I took my seat, and I threw a blanket around my shoulders.

“I’m afraid Chris is only decent in Quin’s eyes because Quin could mop the floor with the professional players in Vegas.

I’m undoubtedly worse than Chris is. I can’t hide my expressions when I’m trying to study others’ poker faces. ”

“Oh.” He set the coffee by my plate and sat down next to me. “I guess I can make my money off you instead. And none of that playing for quarters either,” he warned. “I’m talking dollars. Maybe even five-dollar bets if I’m feeling lucky.”

I grinned and took a sip of my coffee.

Perfect.

“First lesson is free,” I replied, picking up my utensils. It was an impressive, delicious-looking spread of eggs, bacon, buttery rolls, and presumably the last of my Brie. “You’re not supposed to tell anyone that you’ll raise your bet when you have a good hand.”

“Oh,” he repeated. “Dammit. Because then you’ll know. Duh!”

I tapped my nose.

He was definitely in his Little space.

He sat back to ponder that, and I tucked into my food.

With a bit of luck on my side, he’d change the topic to something that edged him further away from being a Little with me.

Perhaps discussing more work would do the trick.

He already seemed so determined to become a logistics officer, and I couldn’t imagine his training would act as bait for his kinky identity to come forward.

Either way, I needed a break before I broke.

I chewed around a mouthful of bacon, wondering how he got it perfect every time.

For me, cooking tended to be hit or miss.

I had some dishes I’d mastered over the years, but bacon, eggs, pasta, and potatoes came out with mixed results.

I supposed I wasn’t paying attention all the time.

In front of the stove, it was easy to drift off in my thoughts.

“Mister Wadey Doc?”

I snorted softly. That one was new. “Yes?”

He grinned, half timid for some reason, and scooted closer. “I gotta whisper something in your ear.”

The fuck you do, boy.

I narrowed my eyes at him and wiped my fingers on a paper towel. “No brat shenanigans, I hope.”

His eyes widened with innocence. “No, I swear!” Then he scrambled onto his knees and closed the distance, and he cupped his hand around his mouth and leaned in. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m super happy,” he whispered. “This has been the best kidnapping in the universe.”

I swallowed hard, unable to suppress the shiver that rolled down my spine, and I fucking melted.

Or perhaps my brain short-circuited. He poked his face out and smiled at me, and he was so close, and so goddamn adorable, so appealing, so free of filters and uncertainties, that the last ounce of my self-control flew out the window.

Unbridled heat and affection tore through me as I stared into the sun that was Kayden Winters.

His pale blue eyes had always affected me in one way or another, and now, brimming with joy, he made me feel so complete .