the action a few more times until I felt her shake and moan through an orgasm. I licked her neck, nibbled on her ear, and picked up the pace again.
Hot licks of anticipation lashed at my skin, sweat broke out across my back, and with my last deep thrust, I held on to Sloane with all my strength and bared my vulnerability.
A sea of colors and sounds filled my head, which seemed to go on forever. I rode the wave without a care in the world.
When I came back, she was putty in my arms. I carefully laid her next to me and wiped her silky hair off her forehead.
“Hey,” I kissed her mouth and felt her chuckle against my lips, “you know you can give a man a complex laughing so soon after sex.” I pretended to scowl.
“No,” she laughed harder and shimmied to sit up on her elbows pointed at something, “I’m thinking we just scared the shit out of Doug for life.”
I tossed my head back and laughed with her. “Trust me, the things I’ve seen on this farm, they all owe me.”
She covered her eyes and laughed harder. “Thanks for that visual.”
“Anytime, babe.” I twisted so I leaned up against a bale of hay, thankful for the blanket behind me. I gently guided her to sit between my legs and wrapped a blanket around her body then wrapped my arms around her shoulders, giving her neck a kiss.
The snow came down harder now, collecting a small amount along the edge of the doors. Sloane yawned and rested her head on my arm.
“Are we crazy?”
“It depends on who you’re asking,” I joked.
“Can we even do this?”
“You mean date?”
“Yeah, I mean, I know the others have, but their situations are different. Will it even be allowed?”
“I’m guessing, since you’re already vetted, and Frank knows you well. I mean, you’re living at Shadows, and you’re working for us. I think it’s safe to say yes.”
She nodded with another yawn, and I knew she wasn’t long for this world. Then something hit me, and I struggled to find the right way to ask.
“Sloane?”
“Mmm?” she murmured.
“I think the bigger question is, would you leave your life in Washington to live at Shadows with me?”
I held my breath, unsure whether I was asking something too soon.
“Would you leave Shadows to be in Washington with me, John?” She shifted to get more comfortable while I digested what she was asking of me. We both stayed quiet and watched the storm in front of us, wondering who would speak first.
I think I would leave, and that scares the shit out of me.
Chapter Sixteen
Sloane
“Hey,” Oliver stood in the doorway of the study, “I thought you might like something stronger than tea.” He set a cup of coffee on the desk and glanced at my computer screen.
“Thank you. I needed this.”
“You’ve been in here a lot the past couple of days.”
“Yeah.” I nodded and pulled off my glasses to rub my tired eyes. “I found something that has nagged at me since. It keeps leading me back to the same person, but I’m not sure why.”
“Well,” he sat on the edge of the couch and hung his head as he thought, “maybe that person is trying to tell you something?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “The only problem is he’s dead.”
“The dead can still speak.” He smiled. “You just need to open yourself up for the signs.”
I moved my gaze back to the computer screen and pulled my notes free. I thought for a moment, and things suddenly started to click. The change in my expression must have been obvious.
“Run with it, dear.” Oliver gave my shoulder a pat as he left me alone to follow my new train of thought.
It wasn’t until eleven that night that I climbed onto the couch. It was as if once I started to follow more clues, I couldn’t stop the flow. I wasn’t sure when I passed out, but my phone rang at 4:45 and jolted me awake.
“Hel—” I cleared the fog away from my throat. “Hello?”
“Hey, honey.” My father’s voice made me swing my legs in front of me. “I got you cleared, but you’d need to leave in fifteen to make the flight. Can you do that?”
“Yup, yes.” I shut my computer and slipped it into my bag.
“You were right, and I do believe you’re on to something. Your gut has never steered you wrong, so go with it, but if you get into trouble—”