I knew she cared for me deeply. Obviously, but did she really love me? The kind of love my parents had shared before my dad had passed? The kind of love I felt—

Fuck.

Kneeling down beside her, I closed my eyes. Funny how you think if you don’t finish a sentence in your thoughts, it somehow doesn’t make it true. So fucking stupid because the brain might take a lala-land vacay, but it didn’t change a damn thing.

I was in love with Syd.

Like totally, madly, irrevocably in love with her—had been for years. I thought about the tattoo I’d gotten after high school, the one on my back, and shook my head. Maybe I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it before, and maybe I was a total shitbag for being with those other girls, but I couldn’t ignore how I felt for her any longer.

Reaching over, I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek and my hand lingered as my gaze traveled across her face. Would we’ve gotten to this point if we hadn’t been snowed in together? I didn’t think so. I would’ve kept fucking girls and she would’ve found someone who didn’t parade other chicks in front of her. The guy would have been good to her. He’d have had his shit together. He’d have treated her like she was the most cherished thing in this world. He’d have been one lucky son of a bitch.

I wanted to be that man.

I could be that man, if she’d have me.

It took a hell of a lot for me to stretch out beside her and not wake her up, especially when she turned on her side, thrusting that ass up against me. Fuuuck. But like the night before, I fell asleep pretty damn quickly and woke up before her, strangely refreshed for sleeping on a damn mattress on the floor and rocking a hard-on to end all hard-ons.

I woke her with my mouth between her thighs.

Syd rose onto her elbows, hair tumbling over her shoulders and her chest rising raggedly. “Kyler, what are you…?” Her voice was husky with sleep and arousal. I loved the sound. “Oh, God…”

Smiling against her, I slipped a finger into her hot wetness as I circled her clit with my tongue. I loved the taste, smell, Sand feel of her. Could spend an eternity between her legs. I watched her as I added another finger and sucked deep. Her weight went on her elbows and her head kicked back. The low breathy moan almost had me losing my shit right there. Syd raised her hips and made little rocking movements against my hand and mouth. It was the hottest thing ever.

“Oh…” she gasped out. “Kyler, I’m gonna…”

“You’re gonna come?” I flicked my tongue, and her movements amped up. “Yeah? That’s what I want, baby. Let go.”

And she did.

Syd fell back, her body arching, causing the borrowed hoodie to slide up her stomach. A stream of words came out of her as her inner muscles clamped down on my fingers. Her brows were pinched and her throat worked. I watched her come like a dirty bastard, but I loved it.

Fucking beautiful.

I don’t even remember moving, but somehow I got that damn hoodie off her and my sweats were clear across the room. Lust rode me hard, digging in deep. Gripping her slender arms, I stretched them above her head, pinning her wrists down.

I was inside her in one deep, powerful roll of my hips, all the way in. Her body exploded around me again and I caught her scream with my lips. I pumped in over and over, losing myself in her once more. Something about this time felt so different. Raw. Animalistic. Her slick tightness clenched me like a satin glove as my tongue plunged into her mouth. She was in every pore, soaking through my muscles and bones, taking up a place deep within my chest.

My own release powered through me, lighting me up until my hips pounded against hers and I was distantly aware of her muscles clenching and unclenching again. I’d never felt this before, so goddamn connected and—

Holy shit, the impossible had occurred, something that’d never happened to me before. I’d forgotten to use a condom.

Chapter 18

Sydney

It took me a few moments to realize the reason why Kyler felt so incredibly good inside me, hot and throbbing, and the sensation breathtakingly intense. Every inch of him was a delicious torment and every thrust was a heady tug and pull.

He didn’t have a condom on.

Oh my God…

Shock rippled through me. I believed him when he said he always used a condom. Kyler wasn’t stupid, but he hadn’t this time, hadn’t even stopped to consider it. Panic rose for the briefest moment, but then gave way to an overwhelming tide of pleasure. The knowledge that this was another first for him, combined with the way he held me down, the way he felt with nothing between us…well, it swept me head-first into another powerful orgasm.

“Sydney,” he growled, and he pulled out at what I knew was the last second. His mouth was on mine as he pressed against my stomach, his body spasming. Only then did he let go of my wrists.

Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I held him tight as aftershocks rocked him. He didn’t move until his breathing slowed and his heartbeat returned to normal. Then he eased most of his weight onto one side.

He looked down between us. “Shit. Sorry about all of that.”

I grinned as I turned, pressing a kiss against his chest. “It’s okay.”

“I always use a condom. I just…” He let out a soft laugh. “Hell…”

“It’s all right.” I threaded my fingers through the hair curling against the nape of his neck. “I’m on the pill,” I reminded him. “You could’ve…you know.”

His lips brushed the side of my face. “I remembered, but I’m so used to wearing a condom. Kind of a hard habit to break.” He leaned back, clearing his throat. “Not that I’m trying to break that habit or anything.”

My lips parted, but my mouth was suddenly dry. What had he meant by that? Was he not planning to break the habit because he was still planning on sleeping around? I closed my eyes, mentally stringing together a redneck’s vocabulary of cuss words. He didn’t mean anything by that other than he wasn’t making a habit of not wearing a condom. That was all.

I hoped.

But what if nothing changed once we left here?

God, I couldn’t…

I tried to push the troubling idea away, but it settled in my belly like week-old food. We needed to talk, but every time I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I didn’t know what to say or how to start this conversation. Excuse me, do you plan on being a man-whore still? Yeah, that wouldn’t come out right. Even though Kyler had told me I deserved more than a hookup, I hadn’t asked for more, and he hadn’t offered.

We really needed to talk.

Opening my eyes, I tilted my head back. Kyler was watching me with a slight smile on his face. He looked so… so relaxed. More so than I’d ever seen him before, and now would be the perfect time to say something.

“I need to shower,” was what came out of my mouth.

Kyler’s gaze dropped to my belly. “Yeah, sorry about that. I made a mess of you.”

That was so not what I wanted to say. My cheeks burned, especially when his grin spread. “It’s alright. I mean, sex can be messy sometimes and these things happen and…I really need to stop talking.”

Kyler chuckled deeply and then he kissed the tip of my nose. “Have I told you how adorable you are?”

Adorable? I’d been aiming for sexy or hot. I shrugged one shoulder.

“You’re fucking adorable.” Dipping his head further, he kissed me. It was quick and soft, but it curled my toes nonetheless. “I think we both need a shower. It’s going to be cold, though.”

Remembering the icy drenching I’d gotten when the generator had gone off, I winced. “Yikes.”

“I guess it depends on how badly you want to shower.”

I considered it and decided I wanted a shower that badly. Sighing, I wiggled free and sat up. Grabbing for the blanket, I held it to my bare chest. The flames were low in the fireplace, almost out. I listened for a moment and realized I didn’t hear the wind. My gaze went to the thin slit in the curtains and I wasn’t sure if I should be happy or sad about the fact the blizzard was over.