Blazing Hot Christmas

A Blaze Family Romance Collection

Fiona Starr

Steamy Starr Stories

Blazing Hot Christmas: A Blaze Family Romance Collection

featuring: His Christmas Dream and His Christmas Wish

All titles Copyright © 2019 by Fiona Starr

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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Contents

A Note from the Author

His Christmas Dream

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

His Christmas Wish

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

About Fiona Starr

Also by Fiona Starr

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DON’T MISS:

ACADEMY OF ELEMENTAL MAGIC

AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON

A shifter, three sexy mages, and an Elemental with magic thought to be extinct… what could possibly go wrong?

I was born the day my parents died—talk about luck. I grew up bouncing around the foster system, never knowing when the rug would be pulled out from under me. Now, I’m twenty-two and while I’m free of the dangers of my childhood, life still isn’t easy.

When a strange couple appears chanting in some weird language, I try to walk away, but the guy whips out a freaking fire lasso and starts making like he’s going to hogtie me right there on the street.

That’s when all kinds of crazy breaks loose.

Next thing I know, I’m strapped to a bed in what looks like a hospital, I can’t speak, and some woman is telling me I’m a Vox Elemental, which leaves me a choice between getting shipped off to a magic school to train my voice or be silenced forever.

Of course I choose the school; who wouldn’t? Turns out my new home is a highly competitive, cut-throat academy where one wrong step could cost me everything. I promise myself that I’ll work hard and get free, which all goes out the window when I meet not one, not two, but four of the hottest guys I have ever seen, and they are definitely not part of the curriculum. As if juggling new relationships, a new school, and some rather testy mean girls weren’t enough, there’s also someone or something making a meal out of the student body—literally. Add that to the things I have to manage. Assuming I survive…

Some luck, huh?

Reverse Harem Academy fans will want to one-click this exciting reverse harem steamy paranormal romance.

Upcoming release dates:

January 23, 2020

February 20, 2020

March 26, 2020

ACADEMY OF ELEMENTAL MAGIC

AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON

His Christmas Dream

Chapter One

ADAM

“Adam Blaze, Jess HQ.” My radio crackles as I am getting off the ski lift. It’s a call from Jess at Ski Patrol Headquarters looking for me. I push off the seat and glide down the small incline so I am clear of the off ramp. Once I’m in the open, I press the talk button on the radio clipped to my shoulder and respond with my location. “South Summit. Go ahead, Jess.”

“Need a check on Jackhammer. Reports of big ice on the right side, below Widow Maker. May need a hazard marker.”

Jackhammer is a tree-lined black diamond run with some serious moguls. The bump field is mostly on the right side of the run, formed naturally by skier traffic. It’s a spot we don’t groom often because many of our guests enjoy the moguls, but when the conditions are right, with just enough days of sun, and lots of wind, the bumps can get pretty icy. Once it becomes a hazard, we need to shut it down until it can get groomed.

“Copy that. Clear,” I say.

“Thank you. Clear.” Jess signs off.

I glide across the summit to the Patrol House on the other side of the ski lift. The small cabin is decorated with colorful Christmas lights and sits back by the trees. It is home to hot coffee, lots of patrol gear, and a couple of well-worn recliners for the emergency response team on duty. The various teams hang out at each of the resort’s summit stations waiting for calls to help on the slopes with guest emergencies.

I click out of my skis and step inside to find Lexi rifling through a hazard pack by the door of the patrol house. She’s wearing a red and white Santa hat and her navy-blue tee-shirt says, Snow Ho Ho across the chest.

“Hey, Adam. Heard the call and was just pulling a pack for you. One of the pole sets is missing. One sec.” She opens one of the lockers in the entryway, then closes the door and checks the next one, searching through the equipment until she finds an extra pole set, which she zips into the pack. “There you go.”

“Thanks, Lexi. I appreciate it.” I slip my patrol pack off, strap the hazard pack onto it and head out.

The resort is booked solid for Christmas week, and the runs are pretty busy. I’d forgotten how busy it could get. But on the first day I arrived back in town and saw the crowds as I drove back to the family’s house, I offered to help.

Which had been immediately accepted.

Given the growing panic I feel now that the last of my friends is getting married, leaving me the lone single guy left… having something to do to take my mind off Greg’s wedding and all the grief coming my way is exactly what I need. I shove thoughts of everything but checking out the runs out of my head as I make my way through the pockets of people, following the beginner and intermediate trails that will take me to the more advanced runs.

When I get to the top of Jackhammer, I stop a moment to see if I can spot the ice. The left side of the trail was groomed recently, so it is mostly flat. The right side features some nice bumps that the groomers will ignore until they get to be a hazard and need to be mowed down. Perfect.

The intersection where Widow Maker branches off Jackhammer is about halfway down this run, so I hop off the ledge and go. The wind whistles under my helmet as I make my way, bouncing and turning over the steep moguls. It feels good to be here, on the slopes where I grew up.

Once I pass the turn off for Widow Maker, my plan is to slow down and inch forward so I can find the icy patch they called me to check. But just when I pick the mogul on which to pause, my skis hit the ice and I find myself airborne. I am launched off the wrong end of the bump and sailing into the air toward the trees, arms flailing and completely out of control.

I land on my back and hit the ground hard. The packs I’m wearing prevent me from slamming into the mountain with my spine, and instead, force me to hyper-extend backward so my helmet crashes onto the hard pack, causing stars to explode in my vision. One of my skis disengages and flies off to my left as my momentum continues to carry me down, down, bouncing and sliding off the icy moguls.

When I finally stop sliding, it takes a moment to get my bearings. I lay there, gasping, fighting for breath while trying to take inventory of my body. I hit my head pretty solid. My ears are ringing. I’m sprawled uncomfortably on my pack.

I blink a few times and realize I can’t see through my goggles because they are covered in snow. I pull them off my face and squint in the bright sunlight. As I take in some fresh air, I feel my chest grow tight. Suddenly, it’s like an invisible avalanche has landed on me and is crushing the air out of my lungs. I fight for breath, but it’s like there is no room for my lungs to expand. I try to get my pack off my back, and as I shift my weight, the pressure on my chest increases. My heart is racing and I feel both sweaty and cold at the same time. I try to do an inventory of my body but I can’t focus on anything and it feels like I’m going to jump out of my skin. Oh my god, am I having a heart attack?

Holy shit, I can’t breathe.

Chapter Two

KATIE

I stop at the top of the ski run and take in the view. I’ve only been in town for a few days, but I can already tell that moving to Blaze, Colorado has been a good choice. The ski resort is gorgeous, the people I’ve met so far seem really nice, the apartment I’m in is adorable, and my boss at the restaurant loves everything I’ve cooked for him and his guests.

Before I landed in Blaze, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get hired in another restaurant again. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to cook anymore. It’s amazing how one person can ruin everything, literally.

I sigh and watch my breath puff into a frosty cloud and float away. I wish the memories of my past would disappear like that. The last thing I want to be doing right now is thinking about Florida and my ex—Jack Phillips. But, the wound is still fresh and my sister-the-psychologist’s advice rings through my head every time I want to block him out. Feel your feelings. Be angry. Then let it go.

It sounds so easy to do, but the injustice of it all is what really kills me. Jack and I were in a relationship for six months. We were spending the night at each other’s places regularly. I could easily imagine a future for us together. Then the owner of the restaurant where we were both chefs started paying more attention to me and my cooking. Jack had worked there long before me and was used to being the center of attention. Then I came in, and was the golden child. It felt like the compliments and the write-ups were about my food and my menu changes.

At first, Jack seemed fine with all the praise being sent my way. He didn’t seem to mind the light shining on me rather than him for a change. But when the owners started talking about opening a new place, and needing a head chef to bring their brand to the next level, everything changed. And I mean, everything.

He stopped returning my calls. He was suddenly unable to make it to my place after work. He would work side-by-side with me in the kitchen and it felt like I was working with a stranger. I thought he’d met someone else, and didn’t have the balls to tell me. But not even close. Turns out, he was angling for the job as head chef of the new place and doing everything he could to sideline me. I can handle a cold shoulder. I can handle competition. I can even handle lying and rumors. But what I apparently can’t handle is sabotage.

Jack Phillips made it his mission to spread the lie that I slept with him to get ahead. He told everyone—our bosses, our clients, and staff at other restaurants that I couldn’t be trusted. He said that the recipes and the changes coming out of our kitchen were actually his ideas, stolen by me. He played the naïve guy that had been fooled, and everyone bought it.

I lost my job, my reputation, and almost lost my desire to cook. It’s impossible to work in a city where the word is that I’m a talentless hack who lied, cheated, and slept my way to the top. It was too much.

So when a friend of mine suggested I crash in her apartment while she’s visiting her family out west for Christmas, it felt like a lifeline. From the moment I arrived in Blaze, everything has fallen into place. The apartment is at the base of one of the mountains and walking distance to everything. Due to the crush of the holiday season, I got hired right away when I interviewed at one of the resort’s restaurants. And two of the women who work in the restaurant invited me to join them at some parties so I can meet people.

I refuse to wallow in the past. If ever there was a situation that felt like it was meant to be, this is it.

I take in a deep breath and this time I feel a smile spread across my face as I exhale. I won’t give any more of my energy to the negative things. Instead, I am going to keep my eyes forward, work hard, and appreciate the fact that everything that felt like doom was actually a blessing in disguise. I am going to enjoy the free ski pass that comes with the job, and take time to appreciate the gorgeous place I find myself planted in as a result.

As if on cue, a lone skier descends over the lip of the run and bounces along the moguls like he was born to do exactly that. He moves like an athlete, smooth and strong, his body twisting and bending with each curve of the mountain. I watch as he passes me, the clouds of snow sparkling in his wake. Then, he hits a patch of ice and goes flying.

He comes down so hard I can hear the crack of his helmet on the ground all the way up here.

“Oh shit,” I whisper.

He’s lucky he’s wearing a helmet.

I hurry down to him, careful to avoid the patch of ice that caught him off guard. When I get to him, he’s on his back, grasping at the zipper at his neck.

I click out of my skis and crouch down next to him. He’s blinking furiously and gasping for breath as he fights to open his parka.

“Are you all right?” I move his hands aside and open his coat for him. He stares at me, his green eyes wide with panic. His face is wet from melted snow and snowflakes stand bright against his dark brows. “You hit pretty hard.”

He’s swallowing fast and he keeps gasping for air. I can’t tell if he’s badly hurt but I know that if he doesn’t calm down he’s going to hyperventilate.

I undo the chin strap on his helmet, hoping to loosen it around his jaw and help him relax.

He pushes his hands into his helmet, trying to get it off but he’s still so all over the place he can’t get a hold of it.

“It’s okay. I’ll get it. Try not to move.” I can’t tell if he hears me as I slide his helmet off for him, gently, taking extra care not to move his head in case he has a neck injury. I have no idea if it’s smart to let the frigid air at his sweaty hair or not. I don’t know what to do.

He’s gulping for air now and I can see his pulse throbbing in his neck. Jesus, he’s in panic mode.

I place my hand on his chest, and that’s when I see the logo on his shirt. He’s Ski Patrol. I sit up and look him over once more and realize that he’s got a tiny black radio strapped on his shoulder and his parka also has the patrol insignia. Holy hell, I have no idea how I missed that.

I pull the radio off his shoulder and press one of the buttons. The tiny speaker squawks. I’m not sure how to use the thing. I release the button.

“Jess HQ. Anyone there?” the woman’s voice asks.

I press the button again and speak into the radio. “Hi. Um. I need help.” I let go of the button and wait, glad to hear a voice right away.

“Copy that. What’s your name?”

“This is Katie. I am with one of your ski patrol guys. He hit his head pretty hard, and is having trouble breathing.”

“Katie, what is your location?”

Shit. This is only my second day skiing here. I don’t know the names of all the runs. I glance around and spot a sign for a different run branching off to the left. “I don’t know which run I am on, but it’s a black diamond run and I can see a sign for Widow Maker just above me.”

“Copy that, Katie. Please put the radio down to keep the channel open. Help is on the way.”

I clip the radio back to the guy’s shoulder as the woman’s voice calls out over the air.

“This is Jess HQ. Assistance needed. Ski patroller injured on Jackhammer below Widow Maker. Be advised, we’ve had reports of big ice.”

The radio pops a second later. “Topher and Lexi, South Summit. Grabbing a toboggan. On our way.”

I place my hands on his cheeks and position myself so I am right above his face. “Hey, you hear that? Help is on the way.”

Chapter Three

ADAM

I am leaving the doctor’s office the following afternoon when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I tap to take the call. “Hi, Mom.”

“Adam, what did the doctor say?” She sounds worried.

I stop on the sidewalk and turn to face the sun, closing my eyes and letting it warm my face. I didn’t sleep much last night, and I feel like a zombie today. “I’ve got a mild concussion and a bruised lung. The doctor said no skiing for at least a week, but I am going to be fine.”

“Oh, what a relief.”

“No kidding. I’ll take that over a heart attack any day.” I’m being sarcastic, but the relief I feel is bone-deep. When the doctor explained that a bruised lung could cause chest tightness, shortness of breath, and many symptoms that feel a whole lot like cardiac arrest, the sense of dread I’d been carrying disappeared.

“You’re all right to drive?”

“Yeah. But I don’t plan to go anywhere. I’m heading back now, but I’ll stay in town until my follow-up appointment next Monday. If everything looks good she said I’ll be able to get back to work. For now I am supposed to keep my feet on the ground.” I feel bad leaving my team short a person when things are so busy for the holidays, but there isn’t anything I can do about that.

“It’s probably for the best. Can you join us for dinner?”

I check my watch. It’s almost five. “Thanks, but I am meeting some friends at the bonfire in a few minutes.”

“All right. Maybe tomorrow then. I am glad you’re going to be okay.”

“Thanks, Mom. Me too.”

I end the call and hop into my Jeep for the short drive back to Blaze. It is probably just as well that I can’t go to work because I’m totally wiped out, but also completely distracted. I can’t stop thinking about that girl.

When I asked Topher and Lexi about her, neither of them could remember much beyond the basics. When they arrived they took her statement. Her name was Katie. She described how I fell and how she helped me. Once they got to work on me, she gathered up my equipment that had scattered on the mountain. But once the emergency rescue team arrived, there was no reason for her to stay.

Lexi noticed that Katie was wearing a purple ski pass; something only available to friends and family of the staff. So maybe she’s here visiting someone for Christmas. Everywhere I went today, I was on the lookout for her. Unfortunately for me, there are so many people in town right now, the odds of running into her are not in my favor.

But I just can’t get her face out of my head. Her blue eyes as they locked on mine, her smile as she held my face. Her warm hands. The raspy quality to her voice. You hear that? Help is on the way.

* * *

The bonfire is a holiday tradition at Blaze Mountain. It’s like a Christmas festival, a tailgate party, a concert and nighttime barbecue all rolled into one. Santa makes an appearance, and we have horse-drawn sleigh rides, an ice-carving exhibition, a hot cocoa making contest, and about a hundred other things to enjoy.

When I was a kid, the bonfire was something I looked forward to as much as Christmas itself. It’s festive and fun, and looks like something out of a movie.

I spot a bunch of the ski patrol crew hanging by the lodge. I head over and grab a beer, and sit down so I can watch the crowd.

A cloud of fragrant smoke billows from the chestnut roasting station, filling the air like sweet fog. Then the wind changes and it’s gone and when I look up, it’s like I’ve stepped into a dream.

She walks toward me through the smoke like she appeared out of thin air. She’s wearing jeans and heavy boots, and she’s looking at her phone. She looks up once, as if trying to get her bearings. Then her eyes are back on her phone, which lights up her face as she taps the screen. She seems lost in thought, distracted.

It’s Katie. The girl from the mountain. How did she find me?

I sit up straight, not sure what to do. I’m so surprised to see her here.

She lifts her phone to her ear and stares off at something behind me.

“Hey. I’m outside by the chestnut roasting guy. Okay. Oh, good.” She listens to the person on the other end then looks up again. “Yeah. Got it. See you in a minute.” Her voice is soft and has a raspy quality that makes it unique.

I put my beer down and I prepare to say hello. But she turns toward the lodge and heads inside.

I feel like an idiot, but I have to meet her again. I am on my feet and following her before I have time to think.

Chapter Four

KATIE

I got lost twice on the way to meeting my new friends. This resort is huge, and has several villages and town centers. I mistakenly took the shuttle to the other side of the mountain and had to come back again once I realized my mistake. I am pretty sure I am in East Village now because I just passed the huge bonfire Jo described in her text. Now to find the lodge with the blue snowflake decorations outside. I feel like I am on a scavenger hunt.

I worked lunch today, and I have the night off, so I decided to meet up with Jo and Ashley at a dance club where a bunch of the staff is hanging out. I text an S.O.S. to the group chat and I’m relieved when Ashley calls.

“Katie! Where are you?”

I look around again. “Hey. I’m outside by the chestnut roasting guy.”

“You’re in the right place!” A group of people laugh in the background.

“Okay. Oh, good.”

“You see the lodge building, and to your right there’s a double door on the ground floor that’s got blue and white snowflake lights all around it? That’s Club Danski. We’re in there. We have a table up near the bar.”

I scan the building until I spot the door. “Yeah. Got it. See you in a minute.”

Inside, the scene is hopping. The bar is packed and the dance floor is crowded with masses of people moving to deep bass pounding from the speakers. The deejay is wearing a huge hat with tall antlers wrapped in multi-colored Christmas lights. The lights bob and sway as he dances, a single headset earpiece pressed against one ear.

I find my friends’ table and smile as they all shift to make room for me. It’s really been awesome falling in with these girls.

“Hey! You made it!” Jo offers up a high five. “Everybody, this is Katie. Katie, everybody.”

I make my way around the table, trying to commit people’s names to memory, but I get lost after the sixth person. I peel off my coat and hang it over the back of my chair. “I’m going to get a drink.” I motion to the empty pitcher on the table with the foamy dregs of beer. “Can I get a refill?”

“Yes, please!” Jo hands me the pitcher. “Happy Hour IPA.”

“Got it!”

I move to the bar right as a couple of people leave. I slide the pitcher onto the counter and then inch onto one of the empty seats to wait for the bartender to head my way.

A guy steps into the newly opened gap at the bar. He’s standing next to me but doing his best not to crowd in. I don’t really pay him any attention until he leans in to speak to me. “Hi. It’s Katie, right?”

His voice takes me by surprise. I don’t expect anyone to know me here. I turn to see his face, surprised to recognize the guy from yesterday who fell on the mountain.

I can’t help but smile. “Hey! Ski Patrol! Nice to see you on your feet.”

His face flushes and he tilts his head as if he wants to look away. But he doesn’t. Instead he holds my gaze. “I wanted to say thank you.”

I remember how he looked when I found him, how tense it all was. That stressed out and injured guy from yesterday couldn’t be more different from the calm and cool guy standing in front of me.

“You’re welcome,” I say. He’s much taller when he’s standing. He’s also drop-dead gorgeous when he’s not panicked and gasping for breath. “I’m at a loss. You know my name…”

His face flushes. “Adam,” he says, offering me his hand.

“Katie.” When our hands touch a shock of static electricity zaps us both and makes us both jump.

He smiles at me and I swear it’s like the rest of the club disappears. He’s over six feet tall with broad shoulders that force his thin knit shirt to stretch tightly to contain him. His dark hair is cut short and stands up a little in the front. His green eyes won’t let go of mine.

“I can’t believe you’re real.” He’s still holding my hand.

His words catch me off guard. “Of course I’m real. What do you mean?” I could get lost in those eyes.

“Yesterday. When you… when you appeared.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know. The whole thing. It’s like it happened in a fog. After a while I thought I dreamed you.” He looks down at our hands as if just now realizing he’s still holding mine. He lets go, but I can tell he doesn’t want to. I don’t want him to let go, either.

What’s happening to me?

A new song starts up from the deejay and a wave of people make their way to the dance floor.

Adam leans down to my ear. “Can I buy you a drink?”

I shake my head. “How about a dance?”

He arches his brows. “You want to dance?”

I grin wickedly. “I thought you’d never ask!” I take him by the hand and lead him to the dance floor, dropping off the new pitcher of beer for Jo as I pass the table.

Chapter Five

ADAM

When we get to the dance floor, Katie pulls us deep into the center of the crowd then turns to face me. The bass pulses in the air and she smiles as she sways to the music, her arms moving in graceful arcs around her. I watch her in awe. She’s so beautiful and she moves like she was made for dancing.

She closes her eyes and raises her arms above her head, twirling slowly. Her hips rock back and forth as her hands move down over her body. Damn. I feel myself waken to her. She bounces and flows with the music like she’s the only one in the room. When she opens her eyes and catches me staring, she moves toward me and presses her body up against mine.

She runs a hand around my waist and leans in. “You’re not dancing!” She has to shout over the music.

I pull her to me, my hands at the small of her back, holding her and moving in time with her as we rock together on the dance floor. Her skin is hot and when I bend to her ear I’m overcome with the sweet smell of flowers. My god, she even smells good.

I can feel the bass throbbing through her body and mine, the music is like a second heart beating in my chest.

She smiles up at me and makes a face as if she’s trying to read my thoughts. “What?”

Everything about her feels special. Like we were supposed to meet. As soon as the thought pops into my head, I feel the icy shot of fear course through me. Only this time, instead of sending me running, I see it for what it is: irrelevant.

Whatever has kept me from connecting to women before feels like it was meant to bring me here, to this moment, with this girl. Maybe I’m experiencing some weird pull because part of me feels like she saved me, but part of me feels like she’s the reason I moved back home. I am drunk with her, intoxicated by the pull of her. I don’t feel any fear, any stress—nothing. This is exactly what is supposed to happen.

“I’m dazzled.” I don’t stop to think about my words. They just come out of my mouth.

She stops dancing and looks up at me, her face serious.

Fuck. Did I just misread the moment? “I’m sorr—”

Katie gets up on her toes and plants a kiss on me that sends a pulse of desire from my mouth all the way down to my toes. My cock stiffens and I groan as she pulls away, but she doesn’t leave. She stands in front of me, her hand flat on my chest, that small point of contact setting my skin on fire.

She pulls her lower lip in, sucking it like she’s tasting me on her. Savoring me. I place my hand on her cheek, much like the way she did on the mountain and run it through her thick, dark hair until my fingers find the back of her neck and pull her closer.

I kiss her deeply. My tongue strokes hers like the world is about to end and this is all we will ever have. I can’t explain the need growing inside me. If I had any time to think about it, I know my old self might bolt, but this is different. She’s different, and she’s here, with me, and she’s so fucking hot.

She kisses me back, grabbing my shirt and clinging to me, pressing her body against mine and grinding against me.

The music changes, sending a cheer through the crowd as the people around us start jumping in time to the beat. I realize we’ve stopped dancing some time ago. The people around us don’t seem to notice, and if they do, they don’t care. Hello, I could stand here all night if it meant I could keep kissing her like this.

She pulls away, breaking our kiss, taking my hand, and leading me off the dance floor. I think she’s heading to the bar, but she veers to the left, grabs her coat from a table full of people and heads for the door.

The December air hits us like a blast but our skin steams from the heat inside and between us. We’re at the back of the resort. It’s still crowded from the bonfire party and the people who enjoy night skiing.

We’re both breathing heavy, clouds forming in front of our faces.

“You want to—,” I start.

“Your place?” she says.

I smile because I can see my apartment from here. I grab her hand. “This way.”

Chapter Six

KATIE

It takes about three minutes to walk to his apartment building. We step into the waiting elevator. He hits the button for the tenth floor and we start kissing again before the doors close. When the bell sounds we separate, but only because we can’t walk down the hallway while making out like sex-starved teenagers. He hurries the key in the lock on his door and then opens the door for me to enter.

I don’t have a history of one-night stands. I don’t normally hook up with random guys, but tonight, I really don’t care. I don’t care what the old me would do. I don’t care about rules. I want him, and judging by the way his body reacts when we touch, it’s clear that he wants me, and that’s all I need to know.

The door closes and he stands facing me, his keys in his hand, his hair sticking up at odd angles from my fingers running through it. He’s gorgeous, and based on the parts of him I could feel until now, I can’t wait to see his body and explore every inch of him.

Now that we’re inside, the desire surging inside me overtakes any hint of rational thought.

He smiles a little bit shyly. “Can I get you—”

My heart is racing. I don’t want anything but him. He’s all I need. And if I don’t have him now I feel like the fire inside me will burn me alive. I shake my head no and reach for him, pulling his mouth to mine so we can pick up where we left off.

He moans as our tongues intertwine. I hear his keys drop to the floor and then his hands are on me. He undoes the zipper of my jacket and I shrug out of it, letting it fall. The buttons of my flannel shirt are open which makes it easy for him to slip that off too. His hand slides up under my shirt and around my back, warming me as he pulls me up against him and then steps forward to press me against the wall.

I am so wet, so impossibly wet and his cock is rock hard against my belly. I grind against him, pushing against his hardness until he gasps. I move to unbuckle his belt.

He shakes his head as he pushes my hands away. “You first.”

He opens the button of my jeans and pushes my pants down over my hips. Then he runs his finger under the edge of my panties, taking his time and making me writhe.

I am panting with expectation, my body buzzing with raw desire and urgent need. He slides my panties down to my ankles and moves a hand behind my knee. He bends my leg gently and lifts it over his shoulder, draping it there so he can—

Holy fuck! My god! He moves his mouth over my pussy and homes in right away on my throbbing clit. I want to melt into him and let him devour me.

“Oh, oh god!” I can’t take it. I grab hold of his head, my fingers in his hair, pulling him, holding him, as he sucks my clit and brings me closer and closer to the edge.

“Yes!”

My knee starts to buckle and my leg trembles as I lose any hope of control. I slide down the wall and he wraps his arms around me, holding me up and lifting me off the floor. He carries me, still straddling his face, through the apartment and then lowers me slowly to the bed. I sink into the mattress as he sinks his glorious mouth back into my pussy.

He moves off my clit and plunges his tongue inside me, tasting me and sucking me like it’s his goal in life to make me come. He moves back to my clit and this time he’s rough and when pleasure hits me it’s like an avalanche and fireworks and a tidal wave all at once.

I let out a moan of relief when my orgasm finally subsides. He’s got a triumphant smile on his face as he watches me.

“Wow,” I whisper. “I’ve… that was… I’ve never…”

He crawls up onto the bed toward me and kisses me again. He tastes different, musky, and I realize with a start that I am tasting me on his lips and tongue. The thought of it sends a thrill through me.

I shift to the side so I can reach him. I grab a hold of his cock through his jeans and smile. “Your turn.”

Chapter Seven

ADAM

She pushes me back onto the bed and opens my belt. I help her with my jeans. My cock springs up against my shorts. She runs her hand over my stomach and up to the hair on my chest, flicking my nipples and making goosebumps ripple over my skin.

Then she eases my cock out of my shorts and smiles up at me before she takes me into her mouth.

Her mouth is like warm velvet and I watch her move up and down, sucking me hard then soft, then moving her tongue over the head. I want to watch her, but it’s too much; she’s so fucking hot and I don’t want to come yet.

I close my eyes and sink into the bed, holding on as long as I can. When I can’t take another second, I lift her chin with my fingers.

She looks up at me, a question in her eyes. “What is it?” Her voice is soft and that rasp makes me smile.

“Come here.”

She crawls up to me and we kiss again. Her mouth is swollen and warm. I lick her lips and then move down her chin, over her neck and down to her breasts, squeezing her and pushing the lace of her bra away so I can suck on her nipples. I feel as though I have been starving all my life, without ever knowing that she was the thing I needed to satisfy my craving.

I pinch her nipple between my lips and she gasps with pleasure. Everything she does turns me on, every time I touch her, she responds as if it was exactly what she needed. I’ve never connected with anyone like this before, and I don’t want it to end. Not ever.

The thought flies across my mind and leaves as quickly as it comes. I just met her; I don’t know anything about Katie except that she’s got a killer fucking body that feels like it was made for me to touch. I don’t know what she wants, what her plans are, nothing. And there’s an alarm going off inside me that realizes I’ve gone from thinking I would spend my life alone to thinking about tomorrow and tomorrow with Katie. What the fuck is happening with me?

I shake off the thought and get back to business.

She writhes under me, pressing her body against my mouth, moving with my hands as I kiss her collarbone, her ribs, the soft flesh of her belly and the curve of her hips.

She grabs me and pulls me to her. “Adam, please.”

I reach into the night table and pull out a condom. I take care of it and toss the wrapper aside and watch as Katie gets up on her knees. She faces away from me and grabs the corners of the headboard, arching her back and turning to look at me over her shoulder.

My cock is throbbing for her. I move toward her, wrapping one arm around her as I press my cock against her opening, feeling the warmth of her pussy teasing me. She’s so wet, so ready.

When I enter her she lets out a sigh an eases her body down onto me. The muscles in her arms bunch and stretch as she maneuvers her body against the headboard. She rocks against me, matching me thrust for thrust.

I reach around and press my fingers to her clit. She whimpers under my touch. I start slowly, running over her in soft circles as she gasps and her breath catches. Then she lets go of the bed and covers my hand with hers, pressing my fingers against her clit, making me rub her faster, harder, harder as I fill her with my cock.

When she comes, I feel her pussy press against my length, and I can’t hold on any longer. I grab her hips and drive myself into her, deeper, harder, lost in this further than I have ever been in my life. I can’t get enough. I can’t… “Oh, god. Katie. Oh…”

“Yes,” she whispers. “Yes. So good. Yes.”

We fall into a heap on the bed, our bodies sweaty and hot. Every one of my muscles is limp and weak, spent and useless. “You thirsty?” I kiss her and then run my nose against hers.

She nods. “Water sounds great.”

I slip away to dispose of the condom then head to the kitchen. When I return, she’s standing at the window, a blanket wrapped around her, lit up by the colorful Christmas lights twinkling in my tree.

Chapter Eight

KATIE

The view outside Adam’s apartment is spectacular. The bonfire is still raging off to the left, the huge Christmas tree stands in the center of an ice-skating rink on the far side of the village. Horse-drawn sleighs swoosh by in the distance, the gigantic Clydesdales raising clouds of twinkling snow that billows out behind them. Above it all, the ski runs on the mountain are dotted with lights, and the night skiers are tiny specks weaving down into the village.

Adam arrives next to me and hands me a glass of water. “For you.”

I take the glass and watch him as I take a sip. “Thank you.” He’s wearing a pair of sweat pants and no shirt, and my god is he ripped. His hair is a mess, standing up all over the place; evidence of the explosive sex that still has my body buzzing.

“What’s funny?” he asks.

“Your hair.” I bite my lip. “It isn’t funny though. It’s… cute.”

“Cute, huh?” He runs his fingers through it in an attempt to calm things down, but it doesn’t work.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

We stand at the window, watching the people outside. I can feel the heat coming off his arms next to me and I’m suddenly very aware of the fact that I am naked under the blanket I dragged off the bed.

As if sensing my sudden awareness, Adam puts his water down and hurries over to his closet and returns with a sweatshirt.

I slip into the sweatshirt, which hangs down mid-thigh, and I’m overcome with the smell of citrus and pine. My stomach growls audibly.

“How about some food?” he asks.

I’m actually starving. “That sounds great.”

He pads over to the kitchen and opens the fridge. “Not much here,” he calls out. “You want to order in or go out?”

I think about it for about a second. “Is it weird if I say I want to order in?” I ask, feeling self-conscious but also not wanting to break the mood.

He wraps his arms around me and smiles. “Is it weird if I tell you that I don’t want you to go?” His kiss is soft and tender, and moves from my lips down to my neck and my ear. The fire inside me flares as we move back to the bed and he pulls be down on top of him.

Chapter Nine

ADAM

We eat Chinese food out of the containers, sharing bites like we’ve known each other for years. I can’t explain the easy feeling I have sitting on the couch with Katie. I’ve had a few one-night stands, and they usually end with an awkward departure full of uncertainty and embarrassment. But that’s not what’s happening here. Katie seems as relaxed as I am, and it makes me smile.

“What?” She digs into the carton of noodles and sucks one off her chopstick like a kid.

I shrug. “This is nice. It’s nice to hang out and eat.”

Her smile tells me everything I need to know. “Agreed, though…”

“Though?”

“You don’t know anything about me.” She blushes and it’s all I can do not to climb across the couch and kiss her.

“Well, that’s not true. I know your name is Katie.”

She arches a brow at me.

“Where are you from? What brings you to Blaze?”

“From back east. I moved here last week and I am a chef. I just started working at The Log Cabin.”

“The Log Cabin? Okay, so you’re a five-star chef, nice.”

She waves the compliment off. “What about you?”

“Well, you know that I’m ski patrol when I am not having panic attacks and getting concussions. But I am only in town for the holiday and a friend’s wedding. I’m working patrol to help out. I live in Vegas, though my family is lobbying hard to get me back here.”

“A concussion? My god. I knew you hit your head, but… wow.”

“Yeah. I bruised my lung too, which was why I was having such a hard time breathing. It was crazy.”

She nods. “It was pretty crazy. I am glad I was there to be with you.”

“Me too. It still feels like a dream.”

“I know what you mean.” She smiles and digs her chopsticks into my carton. “Okay, so there’s no way you’re ski patrol in Vegas. What do you do when you’re there?”

“Oh, well, I don’t want you to get too excited. But, I am an accountant. I work in a firm managing some casinos down there.”

“Really?” She grins wolfishly. “It’s like you’re Superman. Ski Patrol by day, intrepid accountant by night. Do you wear thick rimmed glasses to hide your secret identity?”

“Actually…” I nod.

“No!” She throws her head back and laughs.

“If you tell anyone, I will deny everything.”

“Your secret is safe with me. Promise.”

“So, Chef Katie, new resident of Blaze, Colorado… What’s your last name?”

She extends her hand across the cushion and smiles. “Katie Mason. Nice to meet you.”

“Adam Blaze, the pleasure is all mine.”

A shadow moves over her face. “Blaze? What are the odds that your name is Blaze and you live in Blaze?”

I shrug. “Pretty good actually. There are a lot of us. My family owns the resort.”

Katie sticks her chopsticks into her carton and places it on the coffee table. She looks like she’s going to be sick.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I… I just… I have to go.”

I have no idea what just happened but I don’t try to stop her from gathering up her things. She heads into the bathroom and when she comes out she’s dressed in her own clothes and her hair is pulled back. I meet her at the door to the bedroom.

She leans up and kisses me. “Thank you, Adam. This was… you were… incredible.”

I watch the door close and stand in the hallway, stunned.

What the hell just happened?

Chapter Ten

KATIE

What the fuck, Katie! You loser! It’s like you have radar for the wrong guy every time! My thoughts spin out of control as I punch the button for the elevator. In my defense, I had no idea who he was until just a moment ago. His family owns the fucking resort? Are you kidding me?

It’s bad enough that I got stuck in a relationship that went south after sleeping with the boss, but this? My god, girl… you left Florida because you didn’t want that stain on your life. You don’t sleep your way to the top. You are not a climber. And you don’t use sexual relationships to advance your career.

I take a deep breath and try to reconcile the ache in my chest. The look on his face. A mix of surprise and bummed-out confusion.

“Shit. Damn it to hell!” My voice echoes in the empty elevator.

Adam is really a nice guy. Like, a true good person. For a while there I could imagine spending some real time with him. Dating, or something more serious. And the sex… holy fuck. But it doesn’t matter how good he is in bed, or how nice he is… you can’t sleep with the son of the family that owns the restaurant where you work, the mountain it’s on, the resort, and the whole fucking zip code!

I step out of the elevator and head for the door and the night air.

I’m all right. Everything is all right.

I am a lot of things, but I am not stupid. I am going to have to put Adam and our amazing connection behind me and just savor the memories. I won’t make that mistake twice.

Chapter Eleven

ADAM

I spent the rest of last night awake, pacing my apartment, unable to sleep or to stop thinking about Katie. I have no idea what happened to turn a perfectly nice night into a rush out the door. I stood at my window and watched her leave my building and walk away into the night.

I don’t understand, and it’s killing me.

I’m not the kind of guy who would have forced her to explain anything. It was clear that something had changed and she needed to leave. Did she suddenly remember something? Was it something I’d said?

I watch the sunrise on the mountain and then get into the shower. There’s no point trying to sleep now, and besides. I replay the conversation over and over in my head. I don’t understand what went wrong, and I can’t stand not knowing.

Normally I can just walk away too. But something here is different. There’s something else, something bigger looming in my chest. It feels like I just lost something important. Like I just had a glimpse of something real and now it’s gone.

I towel off and pull on the sweatshirt Katie left on the counter. It smells like her and sends me back into the spiral of confusion and unanswered questions.

I look at my reflection in the mirror, searching my face for help.

“Fuck it.” I finish getting dressed and head out the door.

Chapter Twelve

KATIE

I stifle a yawn as I step into the kitchen at The Log Cabin, ready to prepare for the lunch service. The rest of the staff are busy with their own list of things to do so I’m grateful I don’t have to talk to anyone.

I haven’t slept at all. My mind is a jumble of crazy hot sex, gorgeous green eyes, and the way we just hung out after and talked. Who does that?

Ugh… the talking is what did me in. Part of me wants to go back in time and cut the night off before the conversation started. But then I would have missed hearing his laugh, and watching the way his mouth moves when he speaks. The dimples when he smiles…

Damn it. Maybe I have a curse hanging over me. I mean, how in the world do I get run off from my old life because I slept with the boss, only to land here and do the same exact thing?

Well, Adam Blaze isn’t technically my boss, and I had no idea who he was at the time we… oh my god. I’ve already broken all the rules. I’ve slept with the boss. Fuck.

I know there are lots of resorts around here, and tons of restaurants. Maybe I can find something in a nearby town so I can just disappear from Blaze for good.

I grab a pot from the freezer and bring it to the stove. The flames lick the ice on the outside of the metal and I search the space for the long-handled whisk I need to stir with. The utensil drawer is empty. I open the next one, and then the next.

“They’re at the bar up front,” Patrick, the sous chef says. “Our washing sink clogged last night so we washed the small stuff at the bar.”

“Thanks.” I turn off the burner, head out of the kitchen, and walk into the dining room and straight into Adam Blaze.

I stop short. “Adam. What are you doing here?” My voice sounds harsher than I intended, but I don’t correct myself. I can’t risk sending any mixed messages.

He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Hey. I’m sorry to bother you here. I had to speak to you. I just… I hope I didn’t do something wrong… yesterday. I wouldn’t ever want to hurt or… Shit. I shouldn’t have come.”

My chest tightens as I watch his struggle to explain himself. I want to kiss him and tell him it’s all right, everything is going to be fine. I look at my watch. I really don’t have a lot of time right now.

“Adam, look. It’s nothing you did. God, yesterday was amazing. Like, totally amazing. It’s just…”

“Just?”

“I like you. But I just can’t right now. It’s complicated.” And I am definitely not going to humiliate myself in the dining room of my new job while all my co-workers look on.

He puts up a hand. “No, it’s all right. I should go. Sorry to have intruded; it’s inappropriate for me to be here.”

I let him leave, even though it crushes me to watch him walk away.

Chapter Thirteen

ADAM

I lean back in the deck chair and bundle the blanket over me. The sky is cloudless tonight and the stars look so bright they appear fake. I spent the whole day wandering around the resort, aimless and lost in thought, trying to get to the bottom of what’s happening to me.

I can’t work because of my concussion. I can’t ski for the same reason. I can’t sleep because even though I am freaking exhausted, my mind is racing with Katie. I haven’t been able to eat all day, and I can’t go talk to Katie.

One, she clearly doesn’t want to see me and two, if I did show up there, I’d just have to walk away all over again and as much as I respect her feelings, that was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

There’s something special about her that I can’t explain. It makes absolutely no sense, and yet… I feel it in my bones. It’s not just the all-star sex we had. That was fucking out of this world, but it’s more than that. Deeper. More… real. I close my eyes and picture her the way she looked standing at my window. It’s an image I will never forget. I try to conjure up the sound of her voice. The soft tone and the little raspy quality.

“If you fall asleep, you’ll freeze to death out here.”

My eyes fly open. “Katie.” I am so surprised, I don’t know what else to say. I move to stand.

She sits on the chair next to me. “No. Don’t get up. I’ve been looking for you all evening.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I wanted to talk to you.”

I sit up in my chair and watch her face. She seems really uncomfortable. I want to reassure her, tell her that she can say whatever she needs to say and it will be fine. But when I open my mouth to speak, she holds up a hand.

“I owe you an apology.”

I shake my head to tell her no, but she interrupts me again.

“This is really hard. Let me just get it out, all right?”

“All right.”

“When I left Florida, it wasn’t by choice. Well, I chose to leave, but I didn’t feel like I had another option.” She sighs and the weight of whatever she has been carrying is obvious. “I was in a relationship before I came here. With a co-worker, who also happened to be my boss.”

As she tells her story, I find myself getting angrier and angrier on her behalf. The guy she was with is an asshole for ruining her reputation and trying to ruin her career like that. Jesus. But when she gets to the part where she can’t believe what we did and then finding out my family owns the whole place… it makes me smile.

“This isn’t funny, Adam. I am serious.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Because I just realized that we don’t have a problem.”

“What do you mean, of course we do. We have a big problem.”

“Actually we don’t. Let me explain. Blaze Resort was started by my dad and his three brothers. My dad met my mom at the real estate office when they bought this land. My uncle Malcom met his wife Anika when he hired her as a ski instructor. My uncle Danny met his wife when he was her family’s attorney for a huge horse purchase. My uncle Patrick lives out of state now, but his wife used to run his stable. My cousin Amelia runs the B&B on the other side of the village with her husband, whose family used to own their property, my cousin Daphne is married to the guy who manages all the liquor distribution coming into the resort. There are twenty of us cousins, should I continue?”

She’s smiling and it gives me the tiniest shred of hope. “What does all of your family have to do with us?”

“Don’t you see? The entire Blaze empire was built on people meeting at work and falling in love.” Holy shit. Did I just say that to her? Me, who hasn’t wanted anything to do with love? Who was freaking out over being the last single guy of all of my friends? What’s she going to think? I shake my head a little and continue. Maybe she won’t notice. “You don’t have to worry that I’m going to do anything to risk your job or your reputation. That’s not who I am, no matter what. But you also don’t have to worry about being with me and working for my family… if you wanted to.”

She shakes her head. “Yeah but, I don’t know. It’s hard to picture that after everything that happened with me and my ex. It’s easy to say things won’t get ugly when we’ve just met.”

“Well, they won’t. Hell, I have nothing to do with the restaurants. I’d never even see you. And when I move back to town I’m going to have a desk job working in the executive offices.”

“I thought you said you were only here for the holiday.”

I swallow, trying to loosen up the tightness in my throat. “I am, I was… but, I could…”

She gets up off the chair and slides onto mine. “You could what?”

“I could move back. They want me to work for them. Live here.” I reach for her hand which is gripping the side of the chair. She laces her fingers through mine.

“They want you to come back…” She inches up onto my lap and kisses me gently.

I nod. “It would make my mom really happy.”

She closes her eyes. “I can’t believe I am doing this.”

“You’re doing this?

“I am.”

Epilogue

KATIE

One Year Later

The town is all decked out for Christmas and the entire Blaze family is in town. They’ve closed The Log Cabin restaurant for the night for a family dinner, and as the newly minted Executive Chef, I am overseeing the whole thing. No pressure, right?

Over the course of the last year I have met a lot of his family. It’s overwhelming when a few of them are together, I can’t imagine forty-six of them in one room. Here. Tonight. Eating my food.

Warmth blossoms through me as I think of all that has come because I took a chance. When Adam told me he’d move back here, my heart raced faster than it had ever done before. Before I could think about it, I’d told him I was in.

Hands down, that has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I smile, thinking of just how fantastic this past year has been. Adam is… he is everything.

“Stop,” I mutter. “Focus.”

I race through the kitchen and check the sauces one more time. The line cooks are prepping the grill and the pastry chef is piping the icing on the cake. The menu for the evening has been pre-set, thank god. But there is still a lot of prep and I want to make sure everything goes exactly right.

The hostess steps into the kitchen. “The first few guests have arrived.”

“Thanks Anna.” I wipe my hands and straighten my coat and make my way to the front of the restaurant.

“Katie! Good to see you!” Adam’s mother kisses my cheek and smiles warmly. “Thank you for doing this for us. It’s a lot, I know.” She slips her coat off and hands it to Mr. Blaze, who hangs it on the coat rack by the door. Adam’s brother Charlie and his wife, Violet are here, as well as his cousin Amelia and her husband, Damon.

“It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Blaze. Thank you for coming.” I address the others. “Glad to have you all. I think you’ll like the meal tonight.”

The hostess gathers everyone together. “Would you like to take your seats?”

Everyone files toward the dining room. Mrs. Blaze leans in and says, “Adam just texted; he’s on his way over.”

Mention of his name still makes my belly flutter.

* * *

Dinner goes off perfectly. I’ve come out a few times to visit with the family and meet the few Blaze family members who don’t live in town. I feel like I could float away. The night has been perfect, the food was prepared exactly right, the servers were on their game, and most important of all, everyone is happy.

I’m about to head back to the kitchen when Adam grabs my hand and pulls me to him.

I smile at him. “I have to get back. Dessert is coming out.”

He stands and plants a peck on my cheek. “This will only take a minute.”

Adam lifts his wine glass and taps his spoon on the side, ringing the room to attention.

“Everyone, if I could have a moment. I wanted to say thanks to our chef, Katie.”

Applause breaks out and murmurs of thank you and delicious float around the room.

“You don’t have to,” I whisper to Adam.

He ignores my protest. “It really was perfect,” he says. “But that’s not all I wanted to say. I am so happy that you’re all here to meet Katie and see how amazing she is.” He drops to one knee and produces a red velvet box, which he holds in his hand.

“Adam!” I feel my jaw drop open and it’s all I can do to stare at him.

“Katie Mason, you are everything. You’ve made my life more than I ever could have dreamed. In the year since we met, I haven’t gone a moment without feeling grateful for you, and your smile and your heart. It’s been a fantastic year, and I’d like to ask you to give me all the years to come.”

Tears stream down my cheeks. I smile and nod, fighting to get the single word out of my mouth. “Yes.”

The room explodes in cheers and applause as all the Blazes signal their approval and excitement.

Adam scoops me into his arms and kisses me and I feel so loved and supported, so genuinely happy that I could burst.

“I love you, Katie,” Adam whispers into my ear.

I turn and wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you, Adam. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life showing you exactly how much.

His Christmas Wish

Chapter One

BRIAN

I sit at my desk outside my boss’ office, waiting for her to get off the phone. We’ve been preparing the contracts for Blaze Hospitality Corporation to purchase a parcel of land adjacent to the resort. It’s been a complicated process, working with the county on road development planning, easements, mineral rights, and all the licensing that needs to happen in order for this deal to go through. The land purchase would double the size of Blaze resort, adding two new peaks to the property.

All this work isn’t what has me agitated. I am jumping out of my skin because I have finally made a decision. After watching Adam propose to his girlfriend at the end of our family’s holiday dinner last night, I haven’t been the same. I’ve never seen anyone get engaged first hand. They were so excited. Clearly they are totally in love. It was fantastic to see.

I celebrated with the family and then I closed my eyes and made a wish for myself.

I wished for the courage to tell her how I feel. It’s only been about twenty-four hours since then, and it’s all I can do to get through the rest of the night. When my boss asked us to stay late, it felt like the perfect opportunity. This project has been almost a year in the making, and we’re almost ready to sign off on the final contracts before the end of the month.

I’ve stumbled and fumbled through awkward conversations with her for this whole time, and now that we’re both here working late, it feels like my chance. I feel like time is running out, but we’ve been so wrapped up in actual work tonight, I haven’t had a second to even speak to her.

My boss hangs up her phone and writes something down on her notepad. I grab a folder and walk to her door, standing there, waiting for her attention.

She finishes her note and smiles up at me. “Yes, Brian?”

“I have the latest draft of Appendix D and E for you to look over.”

She rubs her eyes and blinks a few times. It’s been a long few weeks in the office trying to get all of this done by Christmas. “I’m in the weeds on the parks and rec provision. Why don’t you go over it with Riley?”

Mention of her name makes my mouth go dry. Riley Huntington and I started working here on the same day four years ago. We met in new-hire orientation and since we both share the same land use and development law specialty, we have been paired together on many projects through the years.

She’s petite and has the face of an angel. She’s like a blonde version of Audrey Hepburn with a soft southern accent and her hair pulled back in a low ponytail. She always wears dark red lipstick. A few times she’s worn a scarf tied around her neck that really accentuates the Audrey likeness.

I’ve imagined untying that scarf and kissing her neck, releasing her long hair from the ponytail and running my hands through it. I’ve pictured those red lips in places they will probably never go. In the four years since I’ve been working with Riley Huntington, she’s been the object of my desire, the subject of every dream, and now, she’s the focus of my wish.

I tap on the edge of her cubicle and wait for her to look up. My hands feel clammy and I curse myself for being so afraid. She isn’t going to bite. So what the hell am I afraid of?

She looks up at me and smiles. “Hi, Brian. What’s up?”

I clear my throat. “Kim wants us to review the appendices. I have D and E here, for the road planning.”

“Oh good.” She stands up and digs in her stack of folders, rifling through the tabs for the one she needs. “Here they are. I have A, B, and C ready. A and B should probably be joined into one, since they are both for the eastern set of easements, but at this late stage, I don’t want to mess with anything, you know?”

“Yeah. Probably a good idea,” I croak and clear my throat again. Damn it I feel like a fool whenever I am with her.

In her heels, she doesn’t even reach my chin. Our eyes meet and she grins again, her blue irises catching the light. She stands there staring and I realize I am blocking her exit.

“Oh. Sorry.” I feel my face get hot and curse myself for being such a loser.

“Conference room?” she asks, grinning sweetly at me.

I nod and follow.

Chapter Two

RILEY

Oh my goodness, Brian Blaze is so tall and handsome and when he looks at me it sends a little pulse of happiness right between my legs. If we weren’t working, I would giggle every time because it’s part tickle and part rush, and one-hundred percent fabulous. But, we’re always working. So there is no giggle, only a tiny rush and all in all it’s just one big flop.

He’s so shy that it’s painful to watch, and to be honest, he’s so awkward around me that I can’t tell if it’s because he likes me or hates me. He’s one of those guys who has no idea of the effect he has on people. Heck, he probably doesn’t think of himself as a sex god at all. But that’s all right, because I have him securely tapped for the imaginary role, just about every night in my bed.

I swear, I’ve fantasized about all the things I want to do to him so often, I have to remind myself that none of it is real. When we stand together, I imagine touching him. I’m so short and he’s so tall, I would have to get on my tip toes just to bite his nipple. And believe me when I say that I’ve checked—so I know it to be true.

He’s also a brilliant lawyer, and he doesn’t use his name to get ahead. Most people working for their family would not be schlumping down here with the peons like me. They’d demand a corner office and a team of assistants to boot. But not him. He just does his job and pays his dues like the rest of us. Come to think of it, none of the Blaze family that I’ve met behave like they’re owed anything. They all seem to work hard and are good at what they do. It gives me pride in my job. I like working for Blaze Hospitality.

I feel Brian behind me as we walk down the carpeted hall to the conference room. I add a tiny swagger to my hips as we go, hoping that he’s looking. Poor Brian. If only he’d give me a sign that he’s thinking what I’m thinking, I’d take over in a jiffy.

Chapter Three

BRIAN

We work until almost one in the morning, both of us give up trying to conceal our yawns. Kim ordered pizza delivery when she left sometime around nine, and the last couple of pieces of pepperoni sit in the box like forgotten things.

I stretch out my arms and roll my shoulders, working out the stiffness from sitting all night. I need a massage, and a hot tub, and a long vacation someplace warm.

Riley sighs and rubs her hand over her neck. “I think I’m done for the night. I’m going to head home.”

“Yeah. It’s late. And we have the Broadmore meeting tomorrow afternoon, so we shouldn’t pull an all-nighter.”

“Oh, I’m not going to be here tomorrow. I’m supposed to fly home for Christmas in the morning.”

“Oh. I didn’t know.” The depth of my disappointment surprises me. Fuck. I gather up my papers and notes and push myself out of my chair. “Let me get my stuff and I’ll walk out with you.”

“That would be great. Thank you, Brian.” Her smile is sweet and lovely and her lips are so red. “I’ll meet you by the door.”

We ride the elevator in silence. I have about a hundred things I want to say to her, but I get one whiff of her perfume as the doors close and my mind goes on lockdown. I grip the strap of my briefcase, digging my nails into the leather to vent some of the frustration that threatens to eat me alive. I am such a coward. I need to fight this or I am going to go crazy.

The first few chords of a Christmas song play through the speaker and Riley laughs. “Well, I guess we have both succumbed to this year’s Whamageddon.”

I shake my head and smile. “That’s probably a record for people who are subjected to elevator music on a regular basis.”

“Truly, especially considering it’s already the twentieth of December. I swear, it seems to go by faster every year.”

“Yeah.”

I open the door and we step outside. Riley gasps as her face lights up. “Oh my goodness, I just love the snow! If I had known I would have made us come outside for a break and some play time!” She looks up at the sky and sticks her tongue out to catch some flakes.

The idea of playing in the snow with Riley takes over my imagination as I walk with her, down the stairs and through the parking lot, not really thinking about anything but instead getting lost in my mind. I imagine her throwing snowballs at me while we slide on the ice, her pink tongue tracing the line of my jaw…

“This is me,” she says as she pulls her keys out of her bag. “Thanks for walking me, Brian.”

I love the sound of my name on her lips. I wonder what it would sound like whispered into my ear. “You’re welcome.” I hold the door to her SUV open while she climbs inside. “Buckle up,” I say and feel like an idiot.

“Yes, sir!” She smiles and clicks her seatbelt into the lock then drops her hands onto her lap and smiles. “Merry Christmas, Brian. I hope you get everything on your list.”

“Merry Christmas, Riley. You too.”

Chapter Four

RILEY

Kiss me, Brian. Kiss me. Just do it!

I send my thoughts to him using my powers of telepathy, but they don’t seem to be working at the moment. I drop my hands in my lap and smile at him, wishing he would just wake up and smell the pheromones wafting off me.

“Merry Christmas, Brian. I hope you get everything on your list,” I say, wishing with all my might that I was sitting right there at the top of his list.

“Merry Christmas, Riley. You too.” He closes my door and then brushes the snow off my windshield with his arm and cleans my mirrors and side windows too.

I watch him walk around my SUV and a part of me just aches to make him mine. I can’t risk making a move if he isn’t interested. That would be devastating for both of us, but for him above all else. I can’t imagine it’s possible to get things to be any more awkward between us, but I dare say that an unwelcome pass made by me would certainly be the thing that could send that train right off the rails into a fiery mess.

I drive away, slipping and sliding through the parking lot, my wipers doing double time to keep up with the snow and frost. It’s not windy, but it is cold, and it’s very late. I follow the curve of the drive that leads down to the road and when I tap the brakes at the crest of the hill, the back wheels fishtail and I start sliding.

For the first time ever, I am glad my job is so insane that we keep these wacky hours. Thank goodness it’s one in the morning which means there isn’t anyone here for me to endanger except for myself. My SUV picks up speed as it descends the small hill. I guess it doesn’t take much to get going.

My driver’s side front wheel bumps the curb and sends me spinning the rest of the way down the hill. When I finally stop moving, I’m sideways in a ditch, and it feels like I’m going to flip over.

“Well, shit.”

Chapter Five

BRIAN

“Merry Christmas, Riley. You too.” I mock myself and my stupidity. “Brian you’re a fucking coward.” I can’t believe I am so goddamn lame. I was so sure of myself when I woke up this morning only to see my resolve fade away with each interaction I had with Riley.

I slam my hand against the steering wheel, wishing I could go back over to her car and fling the door open and take her into my arms. But, that’s not me. I am not the one to go rushing in, throwing caution away and going for it. I wasn’t made that way and I’m just going to have to deal with it.

I will never be able to do the things that my brothers and my cousins can do. They all have balls of steel—even my female cousins… And here I sit wishing and hoping like a fool.

“Argh!” I grip the wheel and just let out a roar. I can’t stand this. And now she’s heading home for the holiday and there’s nothing I can do until she gets back. Who am I kidding… I am not going to do anything when she gets back. I have never done anything for four fucking years, what makes next week, two weeks from now, next month any different? I know… it’s easy to feel brave when it’s not happening right now.

I blow out my breath. The ice on my windshield is starting to melt so I flip on the wipers to clear the last bits of snow and water. That’s when I spot Riley’s cars spinning as it slides down the hill toward the road.

“Riley!” Her name is barely a whisper through my constricted throat.

I throw my car into gear and race to the top of the hill. Then I am out the door, my heart in my throat and my pulse beating like a drum in my ears. I step on the slope and slide for a second, then I am on my ass, soaking wet and gaining speed. I fight to get to my feet, but there’s no hope for me standing.

The hill tosses me into a pile of plowed snow and slows me enough so I can grab on. Riley’s SUV is leaning sideways in the ditch another hundred yards away. I step off the icy road and into the ditch and take off running in the knee-deep snow, not caring for the cold or the wet or anything but Riley and her safety.

Chapter Six

RILEY

When I told my family I was moving to Colorado for work, they were simply beside themselves. They started sending me all kinds of safety information and bought me a gigantic down parka that I brought with me but it must have been made for an Antarctic Expedition and is just too warm for the gorgeous weather we have here.

One thing I did take to heart was a safety pamphlet my dad downloaded off the internet about winter driving. It talked about handling a skid, or black ice, and how to maneuver when driving in low gear. But there was one fact on that sheet that scared me enough that I will never forget it.

If your car ever gets stuck in the snow, do not leave it running or you’ll risk succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning if the tailpipe is covered in snow and the exhaust has nowhere to go.

Just the thought of dying like that sends a chill through me that has nothing at all to do with the weather. I turn off the engine and sit there a second, the silence complete. I plugged my phone into the charger when I got in the car, but it was only at one percent.

I tap the screen and realize that I will not be calling anyone.

“Well, ain’t that dandy?”

I guess I am walking. I grab my coat just as the driver’s side door flies open in a rush of snow and freezing air.

Brian Blaze takes one look at me and his face turns into a wash of relief. “Riley. Thank god you’re all right.” He’s breathing heavy and trying to speak while he catches his breath. “I saw you sliding. I got here fast as I could.” He holds onto the top of my door for balance and just smiles at me. “God, I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you.”

I stare at him, marveling at all the words coming from his mouth. “Brian Blaze, I think that is the most you’ve ever said to me outside of the office.” I smile because there is a tiny little butterfly banging against my belly and it makes me giddy just thinking about it.

His face falls. “Oh. Sorry. I…”

I point a finger at him. “No. Don’t you dare apologize. Stop that this instant.”

He clamps his mouth shut.

“I had to risk my life in a blizzard. Sliding down this terrible hill, and holding on for dear life in order for you to notice me. It’s time for my rescue. Don’t you dare make me waste a good car crash, counselor.”

His face turns all kinds of red as my words sink in.

“You want me to notice you,” he says, and it’s a statement more than a question.

“Indeed, I do.”

When he smiles the little butterfly in my belly turns into a dozen more creatures with flittering wings, spinning and twirling with glee.

Chapter Seven

BRIAN

We’re shivering in the cold and I am soaking wet from my slide down the hill, but I wait for her to put her coat on before I help her out of her SUV. She pulls her hood up and the fluffy fur around the outside frames her face beautifully.

The SUV landed sideways in the ditch, steeply angled, but leaning on the bank of snow. It will be here tomorrow and she can call to get it towed.

Riley steps out of the car and lets out a shriek as she sinks up to her waist in the snow.

“Sweet baby Jesus I am cold!” Her lips look blue as she shivers.

“Here, let me…” I bend toward her and she puts her arms around my neck. Then I pull her up into my arms and make my way up the hill in the snow.

She smiles at me and the corners of her eyes crinkle with laughter. “I never thought we’d get here, I confess.”

“Here?” I say, not exactly sure what she means.

“Yes, here. Me with my arms around you, holding on while I bat my lashes as you carry me away.”

Her words hit my ears and travel to my brain but I can’t believe what I am hearing. “Really?”

“Yes, Brian. Really.” Her smile is so sweet, even though she’s shivering.

I stop walking and just stand there holding her as the snow continues to fall. “I…” I swallow and something in me decides to lean into my fear. “I wasn’t sure,” I say.

“You weren’t sure?”

“I hoped… but I wasn’t…”

She pulls herself up and kisses me once, a slow and simple press of our lips. Then she pulls back and smiles that smile again. “What can I do to remove any doubt you might have?”

I am so surprised. Elated, shocked, blown away… I can’t even. I bend my face to hers and kiss her again and this time I take the lead, opening her lips and moving my tongue to stroke hers. She tastes minty and sweet, and I swear to god that I’d stand here forever if it weren’t like twenty degrees and snowing.

She rubs her nose against mine as the kiss breaks. “Oh, Brian,” she whispers. “It is about time.”

I could die here and now and know that I’d die a happy man.

Chapter Eight

RILEY

Brian carries me all the way to the passenger side of his truck and then he opens the door and places me on the warm leather seat. When he slides into the driver’s side, I get a good look at him under the dome light. Water drips from the back of his pants.

“Oh my goodness, you’re soaked!”

“I’ll be all right. Just need a minute.” He shivers as he turns on the seat heaters and cranks up the heat, holding his hands in front of the vents that are thankfully hot since his car has been running this whole time.

“Thank you for saving me,” I say, all joking gone from my voice.

He turns and looks at me, his eyes dark in the shadowy car. “Now that you’re all right, is it wrong to say that I’m glad you needed saving?”

I touch his cheek, feeling the stubble under my fingers. I think about all the times I’ve imagined what it would be like to touch his face, feel his stubble, and taste his kisses. “Not at all. Apparently we both needed a little push.”

He covers my hand with his and locks his gaze on mine. “I’ve waited four years for a chance to touch you like this.”

I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean up onto the console to kiss him again. “And I’ve dreamed about doing that for the same four years.”

I drop back into my seat, luxuriating in the warmth coming from the leather. “Now, Brian. I think it’s time you took me home.”

“All right, but I don’t know where you live.”

Dear lord, this boy is going to need some serious coaching in the assertiveness department.

“Well, I can give you my address, but I have a roommate at my place. I was hoping we could go somewhere with a little more privacy?”

I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. “You… want to…?”

“Yes, silly.” I smile wickedly. “You think I am going to let this night get away from us? Shoot, I just learned that the man of my dreams has been thinking about me for four years. Now I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’re not used to taking the lead on matters like this? So I’m just going to come out and tell you what I want. Is that all right with you?”

“All right.” He nods and it’s like we’re in a negotiation.

“Brian Blaze, I want you to put the car in drive, get us safely to your home, and then I want you to carry me from this seat all the way into your bed.”

His mouth falls open.

I have said my peace and now it’s time for action. “Is that clear enough for you?” I ask.

He nods slowly, puts the car in drive and turns to exit the lot from the other side that does not have a hill.

Chapter Nine

BRIAN

I must be dreaming for sure. Everything about this night feels surreal and magical and my god, she kissed me. I’d almost believe it was a dream were it not for my soaking wet clothes and the fact that I can still taste her on my lips.

She kissed me. Several times.

She called me the man of her dreams.

She said that she’s been waiting for four years too.

She wants me to take her home.

To my house.

To my bed.

It takes everything in me not to race the car down the empty road. But the last thing I need is for us to get into an accident or get stuck in the snow drifts. I drive slow and careful, keeping the car in low gear as the roads have piled up with snow and the plows haven’t been through my side of town yet.

I take the turn off the main road onto the county road that leads up over the mountain to my house. The trees are covered in snow and the moonlight looks blue over everything. The road switches back as it climbs the mountainside, and I smile as I notice Riley gaping at the view.

“Goodness, it’s beautiful up here.”

“It really is. Wait until we get over the rise.”

At the crest of the hill, the road turns to face a different valley, on the opposite side of the mountain, one without a highway, streetlights, or anything that resembles the resort side. I turn off the headlights and stop the car, letting the moon do the magic.

Riley leans forward to take in the view. “Oh my god.”

The entire valley is covered in pristine white snow. The gravel road is hard-packed, and doesn’t get much sun so the snow stays put when it’s cold. I keep driving with the lights off, enjoying watching Riley experience the way the moon lights up everything bright and clear.

By the time we get to my house, she’s grinning from ear to ear. “That was lovely. Thank you for showing it to me.”

I smile and realize I am not even a little bit tense as I pull into the garage. “My pleasure. You ready to go inside?”

She arches her brows at me. “Yes, please. You know what to do.” She sinks into her seat and unbuckles her seatbelt. Then she checks the lock on her door and pushes it so it’s unlocked. Then she straightens her shirt and smiles.

“I’m ready.”

Chapter Ten

RILEY

Now that I’ve been in the warmth of his car, cradled in his heated seats, my body can feel Brian’s arms when he lifts me out of the car. His muscles bulge under his jacket, and his pecs are rock hard as he holds me to him.

The dozen butterflies in my belly have been devoured by a wild flock of birds; they flitter against my ribcage and make it hard to breathe.

His house sits on the top of the hill facing the wide open valley we saw from the road. When we step inside, the scent of cinnamon and pine fills my nose. Brian places me on a bench in the mudroom and takes off his wet boots and socks. Then he lifts my feet and unzips my boots, slipping them off one at a time. He wraps a hand around my foot and slides my damp socks off, which warms my feet instantly.

When we’re both barefoot, he bends down and kisses my nose as he lifts me into his arms again. Then he carries me—as commanded—directly to his bed.

He lays me down on my back and I sink into his pillow. Everything in this room smells of Brian. It’s a clean scent, earthy and mild, but definitely masculine and one hundred percent him.

The room is lit by moonlight streaming in the huge picture windows that line the side of the house that faces the valley. It’s like a postcard outside, flawless, peaceful and quiet. He doesn’t turn on the light as he unzips his coat and then shrugs out of his fleece and his tee shirt, letting them drop to the floor.

I sit up and undo the button at my collar, but he reaches down and stops me.

“May I?” he whispers.

I nod and scoot over to the side of the bed, facing him.

He kneels on the carpet and then he’s only a little bit shorter than I am sitting on the bed. He runs his hand up my arm and across my collarbone, planting a kiss in the hollow of my throat. Then he opens the next button, revealing the lacy edge of my bra. Another button and he’s kissing the swell of my breasts over the top of my bra, and I think I might have an orgasm right there.

He opens the last few buttons, kissing his way down to my trousers and he doesn’t stop there. His fingers work on my buttons and zipper as his lips caress my belly, and if that flock of birds was going wild before, they are bursting now, feathers flying all over as they try to get free.

He slides his hands down over my bottom, and his skin feels like fire on mine. Then I remember that his clothes are wet and I do my best to get him out of them.

Chapter Eleven

BRIAN

Riley is so beautiful I can’t believe that she’s here with me. The moonlight dances off her skin, and as I expose more and more of her, she seems to glow.

She opens my belt and unzips my pants, and my cock strains against my shorts as she tries to pull them down. Everything I am wearing is wet so I have to help her. I step out of my pants and then drop my shorts and stand there, totally naked, rock hard, and only a little bit self-conscious.

Riley’s lips part a little and she blinks. “Oh my god, Brian. You are beautiful.”

“I want to see you,” I say, and feel bold and courageous.

She gets up on her knees and slides her blouse off her shoulders, and then shimmies out of her slacks. Riley stands on her knees, in the middle of my king bed, her eyes on me. “Come here,” she whispers.

I move across the bed toward her and scoop her into my arms. I kiss her neck and she arches backward, exposing herself to me. I move to her collarbone and then the top of her breast, then I push her bra aside to find her nipple.

I need her like I need air. Water. Sunlight. I can’t believe she’s here in my bed with me, and it isn’t a dream or some figment of my imagination.

The clasp of her bra is between her breasts, and works like a twist. I open it and take her breasts in my hands, squeezing them and sucking her nipples one at a time.

Her hands move across my chest and over my pecs, and down to my abs. I can feel her pressing the contours of my muscles with her fingers, tracing every line. Then her hands are on my cock and it’s all I can do to stay on my knees.

She pushes me down onto my back and strokes my length, running both her hands up and down, and twisting gently. “My god,” she whispers. “I imagined, but I never imagined…”

She leans in and licks the tip of my cock and the warmth of her mouth sends a pulse of need through my body that wakes up every nerve.

I watch her suck me, and it makes my cock even harder. I inhale deeply and fall into the sensations of her mouth on me, sucking and stroking, taking me in.

I thrust into her mouth gently, fighting to control my movement. She feels so good, so fucking good… but I don’t want to come. Not yet. Not yet.

I pull away from her and ease her down onto the mattress.

“I want to taste you.”

Chapter Twelve

RILEY

His cock is so huge that I can’t take it all in my mouth. I do my best and make sure my hands are doing the rest. I’ve never been with a man this size. Hell, I’ve never seen a cock this big, and just the sight of him sends a tidal wave right to my pussy. Which is a really good thing because I am going to need all the help I can get.

He pulls away from me and moves forward, inching me back as he sits up. “I want to taste you.” His voice is husky and low, his face serious.

Dear heavenly Joseph I like this new Brian. I lean back into the pillows and spread my legs, inviting him in.

He lifts my leg and kisses my ankle, then my calf and my knee, then my inner thighs inching up and up toward home. My body responds to his every touch, lifting and angling, begging him for more.

His tongue enters me first.

“Oh sweet Jesus,” I gasp the words in a breathy exhalation. I can’t control myself when he touches me. I am just want and desire and need and raw, throbbing desperation.

“You’re so wet.” He clamps his mount down over my clit and pulls gently at first, letting his tongue dance around me.

“God, yes,” I whisper.

He’s playing with my clit, teasing it, tracing the contours of my pussy with his tongue. Then he moves a finger inside me, then two, and then he presses his fingers down while inside me as he sucks hard on my clit. The sensation of pressure pushing and pulling at my pussy is more than I can bear.

Little white dots explode in my vision and I grab his hair to hang on. My body bucks under his spell. There’s nothing but him and me and his incredible mouth. I feel myself rising, rising to the precipice, pleasure surging inside me and threatening to burn me alive.

I can hear myself moaning as I writhe under him, but I have no idea if I am saying words or just making noise. This is everything. This is all there is.

My orgasm hits me like a bomb and sends every hair on my body standing on end. Chills ripple over my skin, inside and out, and I feel my pussy pulse against his fingers. I am so aware of my body and every place were our skin makes contact. And I just hold on tighter, gripping his head and pressing myself to him, letting the waves of pleasure move through me until I am just a puddle of nothing in his hands.

Chapter Thirteen

BRIAN

Riley lays back on my bed, watching me. “Brian.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “How in the world is a wildcat like you hiding inside such a shy and quiet man?”

I feel my face flush hot and I’m glad the lights are out. I shrug. “I’ve waited a long time for you, Riley.”

“I’m so glad.” She giggles. “I’ve never, ever experienced anything like that.”

I waggle a brow at her. “Maybe there’s something to be said about waiting four years.” I smile and drop next to her, nuzzling her neck and breathing her in.

“Maybe. But we should carry on to make sure. You know, for science.” Her smile is wicked and playful. But then she rolls onto her side to face me and kisses me slowly. “Make love to me, Brian.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I say with a grin.

I open the night table drawer and pull out a condom. She watches me, pressing back into the pillows as she spreads her legs, and moves her fingers over her clit. My cock grows even harder in my hand as I roll the condom over my length.

I lean over her, kissing her mouth and her neck and her breasts. Her hand takes my cock and presses me against her entrance.

“You sure?” I ask.

“Dear God yes.” The way she says it makes us both laugh. She takes my chin in her hand and looks me square in the eyes. “I am sure. I want you here, and now, and I want you to fuck me senseless, Brian. Is that clear?”

I wrap a hand around her and grab her ass, holding her to me as I enter her.

She gasps as I fill her, inching slowly forward, so very aware of how small she seems. I don’t want to hurt her, and I don’t want to rush, so I take it slow, slow, moving deeper inside her and letting the heat of her engulf me.

Chapter Fourteen

RILEY

The first time he enters me, I feel my pussy stretching against his girth. The sensation is exquisite, a mix of pain and pleasure, heating up and tightening around him as he moves slowly in and then finally, achingly, out. The next time he thrusts, he moves with more power, all the while, holding me against him, pressing the small of my back which creates friction with my clit with every single motion.

We find a rhythm, and I wrap a leg around him, letting him lift me off the bed. Then I push him onto his back and straddle him, taking him in and riding him.

He watches me as I move on top of him, his face a so different from the one I have seen every day at the office. He seems relaxed and confident, assured and secure. I adore him and I absolutely love that I am the one he has been longing for just as I have been hoping for a chance with him.

He grabs onto my hips and I know he’s getting close. He takes control of my body, holding me while he thrusts beneath me. Then he rolls onto his side and, still inside me, lifts me onto my hands and knees. I lean up into him as he pounds into me, our rhythm broken by the strength of his need.

He slides his hand down my belly and finds my clit and presses his fingers against me. I move my hand over his, feeling my wetness and directing him to press firmer, harder as I buck under his touch.

“Oh god, Riley. Yes.”

He thrusts several more times, his cock filling me to the hilt as his hands draw me back up to the top and then spill me over the edge into oblivion. My pussy pulses, tightening around his cock which sends him into the abyss alongside me.

He holds me in his arms as we come back down to earth. The soft bed beneath us, the moonlight filling the room, and the sound of our hearts beating… it’s the most perfect moment I could imagine.

Then he smiles at me and kisses me deeply. “Stay the night?”

I look into his eyes, studying him, wanting more. “Okay,” I whisper.

The look that comes over his face tells me that he’s feeling about as much of this crazy huge overwhelming stuff that I’m feeling. And I realize I was wrong, because this moment is even more perfect than the one before.

Epilogue

BRIAN

Six Months Later

Riley spent the night and never left. We woke the next morning and she made us breakfast and we spent the entire day talking and sharing all the things we’d held pent up for the last four years. Part of me felt bad at first, like we wasted so much time, but then she said something that I think is also true.

She sipped her coffee and smiled at me, and the morning sunlight made her eyes shine. “I don’t like that it took us four years, but the waiting and wondering all that time made it all the more amazing when it finally happened. Only for us, the reality exceeded the dream, you know?”

We fell into a routine with work and home and being together that felt so natural and right, neither one of us can really remember what it was like before.

I wake up every single day and watch her, thinking that I am the luckiest man alive. She laughed when I told her about my big brave day that fell apart, only to come together because of a snow storm and some ice.

“Well, thank the lord that whatever wish you sent out for bravery landed on me, eh? I think I did a mighty fine job that night.”

Looking back now, I can’t understand why I had such a hard time expressing my feelings. Riley is like the perfect person for me, in every way. Whatever unease I used to live with disappeared the night she came home with me.

I used to make jokes about wishes and dreams and making things happen by sheer will, but now, I am convinced that some things are meant to be. Some people are supposed to be together, and I count us as quite lucky that we found each other.

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A shifter, three sexy mages, and an Elemental with magic thought to be extinct… what could possibly go wrong?

I was born the day my parents died—talk about luck. I grew up bouncing around the foster system, never knowing when the rug would be pulled out from under me. Now, I’m twenty-two and while I’m free of the dangers of my childhood, life still isn’t easy.

When a strange couple appears chanting in some weird language, I try to walk away, but the guy whips out a freaking fire lasso and starts making like he’s going to hogtie me right there on the street.

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Of course I choose the school; who wouldn’t? Turns out my new home is a highly competitive, cut-throat academy where one wrong step could cost me everything. I promise myself that I’ll work hard and get free, which all goes out the window when I meet not one, not two, but four of the hottest guys I have ever seen, and they are definitely not part of the curriculum. As if juggling new relationships, a new school, and some rather testy mean girls weren’t enough, there’s also someone or something making a meal out of the student body—literally. Add that to the things I have to manage. Assuming I survive…

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About Fiona Starr

Fiona Starr lives her happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her hunky husband and their fleet of fur babies.

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I write Contemporary and Paranormal Romance with varying levels of steam. Some collections are short quickies, some are longer for lingering over, but all of them are sexy, sweet, and happily ever after!

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* * *

Blaze BOXED SETS featuring EXCLUSIVE

*2nd Epilogues* for every story!

Blazing Hot Winter

Blazing Hot Spring

Blazing Hot Summer

Blazing Hot Christmas

Christmas Box contains all new titles!

Not available as singles!