“Should we go back?” Pete asked. The intense look on his face was hard to read. Excited? Scared?
“Sure,” she said.
They walked hand in hand again, but there seemed to be an urgency about their pace. Cassidy felt breathless even though the walk wasn’t taxing. Pete squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back. By the time they arrived at her back door, she was practically quivering with anticipation. It seemed their bodies were communicating their desire, and Cassidy didn’t fight it or try to question it. She used her key to open the door, and they slipped inside, still hand in hand.
They stood in the dark, kissing in their wet raincoats until Pete finally unzipped his and then it was like a mad dash to shed the rest of their layers and shoes. Cassidy almost fell over when her boot got stuck on her heel, but Pete caught her, and they both busted up with laughter, followed by more kisses. Her thinking brain was operating minimally in the background, but it was easy to ignore because Pete’s hands slid under the hem of her sweater. His fingers were cold on her skin, but she pulled him near and his closeness sent sparks of warmth through her body. They kissed some more, their bodies pressing together.
Cassidy felt time slip away, like she could kiss him like this for hours, days even, high on the fluttery pull of longing heating her body. She remembered his endurance and strength and his deep questions during their full day on St. Helens, and then to the attentive way he had looked at her in the Blue Star Café, like she was the only person in the room. How could this be happening to her? A part of her didn’t feel worthy of this, and the other part worried that she was mistaken about Pete. But the shivery feeling inside her overruled these thoughts.
She untucked his shirt and pulled it up. He helped by yanking the shirt forward and over his head. Pete lifted off her sweater, and their eyes met in the darkness. “Cassidy,” he said, caressing her bare arm. “I’m just . . . ” He leaned in to kiss her softly again, as if afraid she was fragile. “Tell me if this is too much, okay? I just want you to . . . ” He paused, and they kissed again. She stroked his shoulders, and he came up breathless.
“I’m okay,” she breathed as another rush of desire washed over her. Actually, she wanted to add, I’m a lot more than okay.
They kissed for a long time, caressing, their bodies touching. Her bare skin against his felt so good. Pete kissed behind her ear and down her neck, making her shiver. His fingers found the bra clasp and he fiddled with it, but after several tries, it still hadn’t budged. Cassidy suppressed a giggle.
“Sorry, I’m a little out of practice,” he said, his shy grin lighting up the darkness. He came back up to kiss her lips.
“Let me help,” she said, and with a quick twist from her fingers, the clasp released.
“Any other hazards I should know about?” he teased as the bra slid from her shoulders.
“Nope,” she said, pulling him to her.
His deep, guttural groan filled her ears. “This feels so incredible,” he said, holding her close. “You feel so incredible.”
Cassidy met his lips and they kissed.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he whispered. “I tried not to, but it was impossible.”
Cassidy squirmed. “I’ve been thinking about you too.”
His fingers brushed over her bare skin, and she pressed into him. They kissed longer, his lips so soft. She tucked her fingers beneath the waistband of his jeans to where his skin was warm and soft, and he hissed in a breath. She worked the top button, but it got stuck. She tried harder, using both hands.
“Sorry,” Pete said as it finally came loose. He undid the other buttons and his jeans slid to the floor.
“Any other hazards I should know about?” she teased, her fingers stroking over his collarbone and chest.
“Other than the fact that you’re driving me crazy and I might explode any second? No,” he said with a soft chuckle.
“Do you want me to stop?” she asked.
“Hell, no,” he answered, then looked sharply at her. “Why, do you?”
“No,” she laughed, and kissed his lips. He stroked her shoulders and along her arms, sending shivers over her skin.
“Maybe we should,” he said with a concerned look in his eyes.
“Maybe,” she replied, though her hand continued to stroke down his chest, then just beneath the waistband of his boxers.
“That’s not helping,” he said. He kissed her, and their bodies pressed close.
She arched into him, wanting more. “That’s not, either,” she replied.
“If we do this,” he said as they kissed again, “Can we agree,” he continued, “I mean, it’s not like I have a set of rules or anything, but, I’m kind of a one-girl guy,” he finished.
“So you mean I have to break up with all of my other boyfriends if we sleep together?” she said, and the look he flashed her before realizing that she was kidding was priceless, as was his hearty laugh. “Because as you can tell they’re just beating down my door,” she added.
He kissed her again, and the mood shifted. “You are so gorgeous, do you know that?” he said, his eyes bright with desire.
Cassidy bit her lip. It was such an unexpected thing to hear from this man she hardly knew, yet somehow did know. Maybe this feeling stemmed from their intense time in the mountains—both on St. Helens and Baker, or maybe it was that they seemed to fit together so easily. She remembered descending Pan Face and the countless other runs they had skied yesterday, their turns like long ribbons through the snow, their energy matched stride for stride. She so badly wanted to give in to this.
They lay down on the bed, kissing, their bodies entwining as he stroked
