Enemy Down - Cathryn Fox Page 0,59

heart to hurt right now. I just want to enjoy the physical aspects of this, but dammit, I’ve been keeping my emotions at bay so long now, and the way he’s taking me right now, it just feels more…more than just fucking.

It’s not, Maize. Don’t go confusing love and sex.

I swallow and push back all the girly feelings as he goes still high inside me, and a second later, his cock throbs. “I feel you,” I murmur.

“So good, Maize,” he whispers, as he comes and comes and comes some more, and I worry he’s going to overfill the condom, and it’s going to burst. He falls over me, his cock still buried deep, his mouth warm and wet on my back. As he presses me to the bed, I sink into the mattress, warm, sated, unable to move a single muscle. We stay like that for a long time, and when he finally pulls out, I miss the connection.

He disposes of the condom, and I stay exactly as I am as he disappears into the bathroom, coming back with a warm cloth for me. I get rid of my clothes and my heart misses a few beats as he cleans me, and a few minutes later, I find myself positioned in the middle of the bed, Christian beside me, running his big, warm fingers up and down my arm. I’ve been studying so hard, and staying up so late, that with his body wrapped around mine, sleep pulls at me, but I force my eyes open, and turn to find Christian watching me, his eyes narrowed, deep in thought.

“Hey,” I say and put my hand on his cheek.

“Why were you leaving?” he asks, his voice serious, his eyes dark and intense.

“I can’t stay here forever,” I explain, my heart crashing hard against my ribs, I fear one could break. “My ankle is better, and I figured we didn’t need this arrangement anymore. I can still help you with things if you want, as payment until I can actually pay you, but I don’t have to be living here, right?”

Please tell me I’m wrong.

After a long moment, he nods in agreement. “I guess you’re right,” he says with a frown, and rolls to the side to look at the ceiling, and I can’t help but wonder what is going through his brain. “But it will have to wait until we’re back from Aspen.”

“What do you mean…we?”

17

Christian

It’s Saturday, and night has fallen over the mountain town as I pull the rental car up to the massive lodge. After our winning game Friday night, which Maize came to watch, we went to bed early, and got up early to catch our flights, and plan to go back Monday. I’ll miss my Sunday afternoons at the hospital visiting the kids, and we’ll both miss a few classes, but most students travel Monday instead of Sunday to extend their time at home. While we don’t have a lot of time here, I plan to make the best of it. I turn to take in the wide smile on Maize’s face as she gazes around with childlike wonderment. My heart pinches in my chest, wanting to put that smile on her face every single day.

“You like it?”

Flabbergasted she looks at me, her eyes full of joy. “Like? Christian,” she says, her voice high and excited, even though we’re both tired from an early morning followed by our flight. But seeing the look on her face is worth it. “This place is gorgeous.” I turn to the massive log cabin structure and try to see it through her innocent eyes. I’ve been here so many times, it’s easy to forget the beauty of the place. I take an extra minute to glance around, and take pleasure in the snow-covered peaks. Maize might not be able to ski, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do other outdoor activities, and a few indoor ones too.

I give her hand a little squeeze. “Come on. Let’s go check it out.”

We exit the vehicle and I meet her at the front of the car, where I take her bare hand in mine. I’m pretty sure she didn’t pack gloves, but we’re going to need them, and hats too.

“I can’t believe this place.” She looks up to the dark, star studded sky and breathes in the fresh air. “You come here every year?”

“Yeah. The air is so fresh, much different from California, huh?” She nods, then glances at her feet, her thoughts elsewhere.