Page 30

RYDER

T he wind howls outside, whipping snow against the windows of our tiny cabin. But here, curled up in front of the fire with Callie, it’s the coziest place on earth.

I’m sprawled on the couch, tail preening from the warmth, and Callie’s draped over me like a blanket of her own. She flicks a marshmallow at my mouth, and I catch it with my teeth.

“Observe, ladies and gentleman,” she proclaims. “Ryder doesn’t miss .”

“Nope,” I say, still chewing. “Except that time the ghost moss knocked you off your paddleboard.”

She huffs. “Are we ever going to move on from that?”

I pull her closer, kiss her nose. “Not until you admit I was right about the creatures in the shallows.”

“You were right, and I was swimming too fast to notice.” She sticks her tongue out. “Satisfied?”

“Not even close.”

She swats me, and I catch her wrist before she can inflict real damage. But then, because I’m me, I hold it steady, and tuck a stray piece of red hair behind her ear. She softens at that, leaning in like she can’t help it.

“I missed you,” she murmurs, barely audible over the fire crackling. “Even when I saw you at lunch, I still missed you.”

I know exactly what she means because I feel it all day.

“Is it still weird?” She traces my jawline with a finger.

I shake my head. “Just weird everything else got quiet.”

We stay like that for a long while, tangled together, measuring time in contented sighs and marshmallow bribes. Even the wind’s died down outside, and the world feels softer as a result.

Callie shifts, rests her head against my chest, fingers tracing lazy circles on my shoulder.

“We’re good at this,” she says.

“What? Cuddling?” I grin into her hair.

“Quiet,” she clarifies, but grins back. “I mean, not a quiet, but… stillness.”

“Mmm.”

“Used to be I couldn’t sit two minutes in one spot without chasing something to do,” she muses.

“Still can’t,” I tell her. “You were taking apart the kitchen radio last week.”

“Yeah, but I put it back together.”

“With glitter glue.”

“Everything’s better with glitter.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

She laughs, low and bright, like it’s bubbling out of her, and I get this weird, unexplainable surge of happiness because I made her laugh.

It’s all so mundane and mundane has never been better. We drift into an easy silence, and I listen to her breathing, the fire popping, the comfortable readjusting of two souls who have found their home in each other.

And it’s not that the magic is gone, the lake is still out there, glimmering with its own power but here, with her, it's like we've made our own brand of it. Simple, steady, ours.

The fire's glow casts flickering shadows across Callie's face as she leans in, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames. My hands find the curve of her waist, drawing her closer until there’s no space left between us. Her skin hums under my touch, alive with warmth and anticipation.

“Ryder,” she whispers, her breath hot against my lips, “you promised me we’d make love by the fire.”

I grin, my fingers trailing up her spine. “Did I now?”

“Yes, you did.” She nips at my lower lip, teasing. “Not that I need reminding, but I think your exact words were”

“I think,” I interrupt, claiming her mouth with a kiss so deep it makes my tail twitch, “we can skip the preamble, don’t you?”

But Callie’s always been one for banter. She pulls back, eyes sparking with mischief. “Preamble? Who are you, the U.S. Constitution?”

“No,” I growl, biting at her neck. “I’m the guy who’s about to worship you by firelight.”

“Oh, are you?” She arches against me, that maddening smile still in place. “And here I thought you were just a lifeguard with a fish tail.”

My hand slips under her shirt, and the little gasp she gives is all the satisfaction I need. “Shut up, Callie.”

“Make me,” she dares, breathless.

Challenge accepted.

Our clothes don’t last long after that. The room is warm, but not as warm as the heat building between us.

I take my time, exploring every inch of her freckled skin, committing the feel of her to memory.

The way her breath hitches when I kiss a particular spot, the way she shivers when my fingers skim her ribs.

“Ryder,” she moans, writhing under my touch, “you’re mean.”

“Mean?” I raise an eyebrow, pausing to suck on the pulse point at her throat. “I thought you liked it when I was mean.”

“I do.” She tangles her fingers in my hair, pulling me back to her lips. “But I like it even more when you make good on your promises.”

“Always do,” I murmur against her mouth.

I take my time with her, working her up until she's quivering, just the way she likes. Callie's all breathy moans and little gasps, writhing under my touch like she can’t get enough.

“Ryder,” she breathes, tugging at my shoulders, “now. Please.”

"As you wish."

I nudge her thighs apart and slide my cock into her slowly, enjoying the way her lips part around a moan so long and deep it makes my ears ring. She swears, raking her nails down my back.

“Took your time getting there,” she gasps, squeezing around me. Her walls grip me tight, like she never wants to let me go.

I groan, resisting the urge to thrust into that delicious tightness. “Quiet, you.”

“No,” she says, gripping my biceps. “It’s always you setting the pace. I want”

“the student becomes the master?” I tease, but she pulls me flush against her, heat radiating from every point of contact.

“Something like that,” she whispers, rolling her hips until I’m buried to the hilt. I can feel everything, every twitch, every flutter of her muscles, her heart beating against mine. I kiss her, and she moans into my mouth, grinding against me until my thoughts scatter.

“Slow,” I manage as she pushes me onto my back, straddling me. Her red hair spills like fire over her shoulders, framing her face, flushed and eager.

“Oh yeah?” She moves with an intensity that steals my breath. “Think you can handle that?”

“Nope,” I breathe, but she’s already rocking against me, head thrown back in pleasure.

Then it’s just her. The feel of her wrapped around me. The smell of sweat and smoke and skin. The firelight casting shadows across her body, making her look like some kind of wild goddess, and I’m her willing sacrifice.

She bears down on me, palms flat on my chest as she rides my cock with everything she's got. She switches pace between achingly slow and breathtakingly fast.

I grip her hips tighter, just enjoying the ride, and the view of her tits bouncing over me.

I sit up slightly and take one of them into my mouth, licking and teasing at the nipple.

"Ryder," she whines, her careful pace quickly undone by the sensation.

I’m close already, fighting it with everything I’ve got.

“Callie,” I warn, gripping her hips as she grinds down, moaning my name, shuddering as she unravels first.

She comes hard, mouth stretched open and eyes shut tight. In here, during the off season, there's nothing to hold her back. She screams my name as wave after wave of pleasure overtakes her.

And then she keeps going.

It’s almost enough to send me over with her, but I barely hang on, thrusting my cock up to meet her rhythm until she comes again with a cry, fingernails digging into my chest. I follow her, spilling hot and deep, pulling her down to me in a kiss that’s all teeth and tongue and promise.

The room falls still except for our ragged breaths, hearts pounding together. She collapses against me, boneless, sighing as I trace lazy patterns on her bare back.

"I used to think the off season was boring , too long," I admit quietly.

"And now?" Callie asks, a grin spreading across her freckled face.

I smile back. "It might just be my favorite part."