Cryostorm (14 page)

I swallowed my food, and it nearly got lodged in my throat. Hell yes I was okay with it, but—

“Lois gave me a stern look, but that was it.” He grinned. “She probably realized there wasn’t anything she could say to keep me from you.”

I couldn’t help smiling as I bit into the burger again. “I bet.” His intensity, paired with his size, yeah, I could totally see him staring Georgia’s mom down.

But how he looked at me right now, it was anything but intimidating. Well, maybe a little intimidating, considering I was only wearing undies and a bra beneath this robe. The heat emitting from his stare triggered a few fires in me.

My days as a virgin were numbered, weren’t they?

The idea kind of freaked me out, yet didn’t.

“You okay with staying here with me?”

“More than okay.” I winked. “I never did get my room swap back when we were snowed in that hotel, remember?”

He laughed as he leaned to the side and grabbed a soda. “Drink?”

I nodded as I took the last bite of my burger. “What’d you read in the papers Lois had?”

“Most checks out, I’m more interested in what happens with Tim’s phone call to them. That’s going to be the tell-all.”

“Scott and the gang back in Trifle are okay?”

Nate dipped his head. “Martin’s checking into GEM, too. Everyone’s safe…for now.”

“For now.” I tossed the French fry I was going to eat back on the plate. “It’s always temporary, isn’t it?”

Nate let out a long breath that sounded more like a sigh than anything. “I’m afraid so.”

“You’re not holding out much hope on this GEM guy, are you?” I grabbed the plate then leaned over the side of the bed and put it on the floor.

The bed jostled, so I assumed Nate was doing the same thing. I took another swig of my soda and set it on the floor, too. One push had me back on top of the bed, and I fell onto my side.

The down comforter sure was thick. It swallowed up my body for the most part. Nate sat back against the headboard, watching me.

“To be honest, Mandy, no. I don’t hold out hope for this GEM guy. At least not for me.” He swallowed hard. “The rest of you, like I said before, are products of loving relationships. Victims. I’m—”

“A victim, too.”

He grinned, waving me to him. “In a sense. We’re all unique, yes, but me, I’m—well, I’m your modern day Frankenstein, right?”

“But totally not sewn together!” I rested my head to his chest, beneath the warmth of his arm. He smelled so good, fresh scented and always a hint of cinnamon. How was that?

He tucked my forehead to his neck and combed my hair back. “We’ll see what happens. I don’t want to talk about Agents, The Center, or GEM tonight.”

“Or Bev’s freaks at GenCorp.”

“Exactly. We’re safe here for the night, so let’s forget about everything else.” His lips brushed against my forehead. “I want to give you something, but I’m not sure I should.”

“What do you mean?”

He kissed my nose, then my lips and smiled. I felt his heart rate pick up beneath my hand on his chest.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing at all. I… I want to be with you, Mandy.” His voice was soft. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my lips.

They tasted salty but carried a hint of sugar from his soda. Wait, I detected some chocolate mixed in there, too.

“I want to be with you, too, Nate.” I scooted up. “But you’d better share that chocolate I’m tasting, first, or I might have to throw some snow around.”

He lifted me on top of him, and I let out a squeal. He moved so fast sometimes it surprised me. His strong hands cupped my face, then pulled me to him, and he claimed my mouth.

His kiss was urgent, hungry. I was
so
okay with that, too. I relaxed against his body, feeling every hard plane as I molded to him. One night of love. Just me and him. No worries. No Agents. No nothing…

We deserved that, didn’t we?

My body warmed at the thought of being close to Nate. To touch him and learn even more of him now that we were alone. Finally alone. I’d never wanted to be with anyone more.

Nate eased me away from him a fraction and stared deep into my eyes. He sat up and set me astride him.
Ohhh
. That felt good, too.

I settled against him and closed my eyes at the sensations he triggered in me.

“Mandy,” he whispered, his breath warm against my neck. He peeled the robe down over my left shoulder and kissed it. “You know how I feel about you.”

I hummed my answer as I nibbled along his neck.

“Even though we’ve not said the words, I—” he cleared his throat, and I sat up. “I want to show you. Give you something.”

“What is it, Nate?” I kissed his cheek. “It’s okay. We don’t have to say it. Words are overrated anyway.”

He grinned. “I want to be with you…for always.”

“I want you, too.” I came in for a kiss. “You’re mine.” And he was. For always.

“I’m glad you feel that way.” Nate held up a bag of M&Ms. “Here.”

“I knew you had chocolate.” But now? That was a little…weird, considering Red Vines were our sugar fix of choice for the most part.

Then again M&Ms were always a solid fallback.

“Open your hand.”

I smiled at the mischievous look in his eyes, loving that sparkle. The cool candies poured into my hand, and I went for the brown ones.

Had to eat those first.

I popped a few in my mouth and reached for some more, but a flash caught my attention.

A ring was nestled between a green and brown candy. The light on the end table beside us caught the diamond perfectly, and a rainbow spilled over Nate’s cheek.

Was there a freaking ring in the bag of candy? I froze, not literally, but close. The small jewel trapped my attention. It was a wide gold band with a ring of diamonds along the top and a swirl surrounding the main diamond set in the center of the ring.

Wait, that main diamond…was that a snowflake?

“Mandy…” He reached into the pile of candy in my now sweaty hand and plucked up the ring. He nudged my chin, and I latched my gaze on him. “I know it’s early in our relationship. But...I want to be with you for always, Mandy.”

Was he asking me to—

“Will you marry me?” He smiled. “And if it’s too soon for that, this can be a promise ring.”

Promise ring.

“I read up on those, you know.” He grinned. “It’s a step toward the real deal. A promise to one another.”

“For always,” I whispered, my focus fixed on the ring.

Holy shit. A ring.
Was I ready for this with Nate?
Yes
. But marriage?

Emotions ran high from the second he’d killed us off. Constantly on the run, dying…And through all the chaos, Nate was the constant, rock-solid fixture in all that. The calm in my storm. So yeah, I was ready for him.

At least a promise ring level of ready. But deep down I knew it wasn’t far off from fiancé talk.

“I promise myself to you, Nate,” I said, drowning in those pools of amber-flaked chocolate eyes of his.

“A promise ring it is.” He grinned as he propped it up for me to stick my finger through.

I held my breath as I raised my hand. Easing my finger through the metal band flipped a switch deep in my chest. Nate was mine. Not quite marriage level, but seriously closer to it.

And I felt only peace about it. Here in our little bubble, amidst the chaos around us, it was just me and Nate.

“Thank you, Mandy,” Nate whispered as he kissed my knuckle. “I’ll never betray you.”

And he wouldn’t. I knew that, felt it even more.

“This is awesome, Nate.” My ring blinged beneath the light beside us. “How’d you do this, with everything happening?”

The corner of his mouth went up as he planted the palm of his hand on my chest like he always did. It was like he enjoyed feeling my heartbeat. I covered his hand with mine.

“How long have you had this?”

“A while.” His half-grin turned into a full-on smile. Happiness radiated off him, and I couldn’t help but smile as well.

He grabbed the rest of the candies from my hand and tossed them in his mouth.

“I can’t believe this is happening. I mean, I can, I—”

“We’ll take it slow.” He urged me closer. “Enjoy every minute we can.”

I cupped his face and kissed his lips. “Every minute.”

He gripped my thighs, then pulled me up a fraction and shifted beneath me. It was like he knew exactly where to touch me to make my heart shoot to record pace in a blink.

Of course he did. He was the smartest man on the planet for the most part.

And when it came to sex, I so wasn’t smart. Might have to let him lead this dance, because I knew I was about to lose my virginity.

The front of my robe loosened, but I was too lost in his kiss and how he’d strategically moved me over his hard body.

I shifted back and yanked off his shirt. His pecs filled my hands so perfectly, and I leaned in again for his chocolate-laced mouth.

He met me with a burst of energy as he peeled the robe down my shoulders. Never disconnecting with his mouth, I released my hold on his chest and let him ease the terry cloth completely off me.

I curled my arms around his neck and took the kiss deeper, chasing after that chocolate taste.
And more
.

He buried a hand in my hair, and an arm wove around my waist as he rolled his hips. A thrill of electricity ignited in my abdomen, and I did some moving of my own.

Oh yeah, that felt good.

I broke the kiss and took a gasp of air as I rested my cheek against his temple. His hands went to my shoulders and pulled my straps down. Stinging nips along my left shoulder had me gasping.

“You taste so good.” He trailed to my breast as he pulled the last of the fabric down. “Never get enough.”

The heat pooling at my core went nuclear beneath the ministrations of his talented tongue, and I bit my lip to silence my moan.

Wasn’t sure why, though, because we were alone, in our own room. No one would walk in on us. No one to worry about. Just Nate and me.

Hopefully he had some protection with him, because I wasn’t on the pill. We didn’t need any little frosty kids running around freezing things into oblivion.

Nate’s hands scaled down my back and burrowed beneath my undies until he cupped my butt. “Hold on.” His voice was breathless, much like mine would have been if I’d said anything, so I nodded.

He shifted up and set me on my back. His body landed on mine, and then his hands were everywhere, touching every inch of exposed skin.

I shoved the back of his shorts over his tight butt, and he slowed down. The weight of his body moving against mine lit up every nerve ending, stole my breath.

“Do you have something?” I managed to ask between gasps.

He stopped, and his eyebrow quirked up.

It was so cute when he didn’t understand something but was trying to figure it out. Such a genius, but sometimes he missed the smallest thing, and it made me love him even more.

“A condom?” I ran my hands up his back then down, letting my nails graze his spine.

“Oh.
Something
…” He shifted against me, then went for my neck again. “It’s okay.” A nip followed. “We don’t need anything.”

As good as his lips felt against my skin, I eased back against the bed. “Nate. Wait.”

He kissed his way to my mouth, then rested his forehead against mine. “No sex yet,” he whispered. “So it’s okay.”

“No sex?”

“Want to touch you more,” he slid to the side. “Learn more of you.”

He cupped my breast and came in for a scorching kiss. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with my hand so I grabbed a fistful of sheets and sank into the sensation of him touching me. Kissing me.

“Beautiful.” He licked a trail along my neck to the curve at my shoulder. “Mine.”

I went to turn toward him, but he stopped me mid-turn with a hand to my waist. He slid it over my hip, taking my undies down a little as he cupped my butt.

I yanked his mouth to mine and pulled him closer. I needed to feel him against me. This fire was eating me from the inside out. “Nate.”

“I’ll take care of you.” His hand worked around my hip, his fingers grazing my abdomen, just below the panty line.

My heart shot up into my throat, and I kissed him hard. He was going to touch me. Crackling yanked my attention, sending my heart hammering even more.

Frost crept up Nate’s glass of soda. “Nate!”

A flush of heat streamed up my abdomen as he continued on. He leaned into me, easing me on my back as he caressed me. So gentle, tender. He parted my legs a fraction more with his knee.

A blast of energy erupted inside me as I moved with him, timing it to feel him even deeper. Warmth spread up my chest and to my cheeks as I let out a long moan, but it wasn’t the embarrassment of him touching me so intimately like I’d expected.

It was love. Soul-piercing, all encompassing love. I couldn’t catch my breath. I should be worried I was frosting the room over, but nothing else mattered more than that cliff I was approaching and about to jump off with my Nate.

I grabbed his shoulders, and I knew I must have dug my nails into his skin, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, he smiled and shifted his position.

That subtle move slingshot me into a fury of white blasts and utter dizziness. He swallowed my cry, and I held onto him with all of my strength. It literally felt like I’d dived off the high board. If I tightened my hold on him I’d land safely, I knew it.

My back arched on its own accord, and I felt his hard body against mine, meeting my every movement.

He let out a long sigh and collapsed against me. I held him so tight I felt his heart hammering against my bare chest.

He rolled onto his back, taking me with and tucked me close to him. I didn’t even know what to say after that. I—

“You’re amazing.” His breath brushed my forehead like a gentle feather. “That was amazing.”

I couldn’t even think straight yet. We’d been close before, but this…holy cow. I groped his pecs, pulling myself even closer to him if that was possible.

His chest rumbled in what I thought was a good sound, and I looked up. Yep, he was smiling. His eyes were closed, and he was simply smiling.