Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
I’d dug into my drawers for extra warm weather gear, letting Cam poke around my things. Of course, he’d had a million questions. He’d wanted to know if I did all the work myself. Mostly, but no…Tony and Billy helped too. Who decorated? He liked the blue-and-beige palette. I’d rolled my eyes at the word “palette” and told him that was all me.
Then he’d wanted to know about the people in the photos my mom had framed and propped on the built-in shelves flanking the fireplace. He’d astutely observed that they seemed to all be of my friends from home. I liked them best, I’d explained with an absent shrug before ushering him out the door.
The questions hadn’t stopped until we started to climb the perimeter of Monaghan’s to reach the top of the hill. Less personal, though. If trees were the going theme, why did the founders name the town Fallbrook? When was the cemetery established, and who the fuck thought it was a good idea to plant pines at the bottom of the hill? You know…shit I couldn’t answer. So I kept quiet and set a grueling pace.
Cam was in great shape, but he was panting when we reached the top.
“Wow, this is…beautiful.” He set his hand over his eyes like an explorer and pulled out his phone to snap a few pictures. “I feel like I’ve stepped into a Currier and Ives painting of an idyllic New England village in winter. Amazing.”
I scanned the impressive panorama. It was beautiful.
“For as much as I’d dreamed of getting the fuck out when I was a teenager, I have to admit, this was a great place to grow up.”
I didn’t realize I’d spoken aloud till Cam slipped his cell into his pocket and turned to me. “You’re lucky.”
“Maybe I am,” I admitted with a smile. “I felt like an utter failure when I returned five years ago, but that was me beating myself up. Everyone was happy to see me. My friends saved me a seat at the bar, invited me to barbecues, and volunteered to help me get my house in order. All the while, I’d been planning my next escape, wondering where to go. And you know…as of this very second, I’m happy where I am.”
Cam’s solemn nod indicated he understood the enormity of the sentiment. He threaded his gloved fingers through mine and squeezed. “The ultimate happiness is to live in the moment. Stop thinking about what’s next and just…enjoy what’s here.”
I let go of his hand and gestured to the toboggan I’d hefted up the hill. “Well, what’s here is a sharp incline followed by a moderate slope. You ready to ride this baby?”
He frowned slightly. “Are we doing this together?”
“You’re welcome to do it on your own. Just be careful to veer right at that rock on the three-quarter mark and if you gain too much speed to avoid the trees, lean left. Got it?”
“Yeah. Let’s do it together,” he grumbled.
I snickered and motioned for him to climb on.
It took some effort to get in position. I sat behind Cam, my chest pressed against his back, resting my legs over his thick thighs. I wiggled suggestively, loving his growly protest.
And just to make him a little crazy, I kissed his earlobe and whispered, “I like being behind you. I think you like it too. We should try this naked…my dick in your ass. What d’ya think?”
I didn’t give him a chance to reply. I pushed off and sent us flying down the hill at full speed, yelling, “Banzai!” Cam hooted with laughter as we soared through the snow, lifting in the air after hitting the plateau that sent us careening toward the trees. I’d done this too many times to be freaked out. I knew how far to lean and when to straighten again. However, I misjudged the added weight of an inexperienced partner.
We narrowly skimmed past a fat stump and were heading for a giant pine, when I leaned heavily to my left. The momentum slowed our progress as we cleared the copse and better still, avoided a potentially bad crash. However, we got tossed into a snow bank like a couple of rag dolls.
I scrambled to my feet and hurried to Cam’s side. He was already brushing himself off, a wide, merry expression on his sinfully handsome face.
“Woohoo!”
I grinned. “You okay?”
He grabbed my face in his snow-crusted gloves and fused his cold lips to mine, pushing his tongue inside. I was thirty-seven years old, yet it occurred to me that I’d never kissed a male lover in broad daylight in my hometown. Other than a couple of kids throwing snowballs near the entrance to the tree farm, we had the hill to ourselves, but it felt oddly…significant. Maybe even important.
Okay, that was dramatic. Nonetheless, I threw everything I had into the connection, practically cleaning his tonsils as I twirled my tongue around Cam’s and pressed my body close.