Second Chances: A Small Town Love Story Page 11

  Josh smiled at her, “I can go first if you like. You’re strong and have good balance though, you’re just going to have to trust yourself.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Megan could feel her chest starting to constrict. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  Josh put his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “If you don’t want to do this, we can go back, but I believe in you. You are a strong and capable woman who doesn’t let a small obstacle like this get in her way.”

  Megan had the feeling he wasn’t just talking about the hill of death in front of her. “Okay,” her voice wavered, but then became stronger, “I’ll try.”

  Josh beamed and brushed a strand of Megan’s hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

  “Here’s what you’re going to do. Bend your knees and keep your weight centered over the skis. Whatever you do, don’t lean back, and don’t panic. You’re going to pick up some serious speed, and it might scare you, but try to have some fun with it.”

  Megan’s body had been coursing with adrenaline since their kiss. She knew that it was a bad idea, but when she had felt the rough tickle of his beard next to her cheek, all her worries and insecurities, every thought of Alex disappeared into the cold night air. All she wanted was to feel Josh’s lips on hers, and once she had those, she wanted more – she wanted all of him.

  Now, looking into his eyes, she knew that she could trust him.

  “Then what happens at the bottom?”

  “It flattens out and you will lose your speed. I’ll be waiting there for you.” He pushed off and briefly disappeared out of sight, reappearing in the light of Megan’s lamp briefly before he disappeared once again into the woods below.

  Timber nudged her hand and sat down on his haunches beside her.

  “I know, Timber,” she said to the dog. “I can do this.”

  She gripped her poles and bent her knees as Josh instructed. She took a deep breath and as she exhaled, she pushed off. Her stomach jumped into her throat as she rocketed down the steep roller, but she kept her body tense and focused on keeping her weight over her feet. The trees beside her turned into a blur in her peripheral vision, but she kept her eyes steeled on the black unknown in front of her.

  Snowflakes smacked into her cheeks and her hair whipped behind her from beneath her hat. The skis started to make a buzzing sound like bees as her speed picked up. She had never felt more alive, her fear replaced with exhilaration.

  Just like Josh said, the hill flattened out and she started to slow down. She caught sight of him in the distance and focused on him as she slowed down. His tall solid frame seemed to be a magnet for her and she coasted to a stop, her skis resting against the back of his.

  “How was that?”

  Megan couldn’t wipe the grin off her face, but she also couldn’t seem to find words, the only thing escaping from her lips was her breath, and then she raised her arms triumphantly and yelled, “Woooooooo-hahahahaha, that was amazing,” she gasped through elated laughter.

  “I knew that you would like it.”

  “Thank you for pushing me, Josh,” she smiled and tapped his ski pole with hers. She wanted to leap into his arms, to kiss him again, to push him down into the snow like a teenager.

  “Wait, what’s that?” she caught a glimpse of a building behind Josh.

  “Um. That. That’s nothing.”

  “Josh Johnson, is that a cabin in the woods?”

  “Might be,” he didn’t meet her gaze. “I thought that you might need a rest, and maybe some hot chocolate.”

  “And this is where you kidnap me?” she punched him in the arm.

  “Exactly,” Josh said and skied off to the small structure and clicked off his skis. She followed behind.

  “Whose cabin are we breaking into?” she giggled as he opened the wooden door. The cabin was a triangle shape, its peaked roof ran right into the ground, roof doubling as walls.

  “Mine.” Josh tapped the snow off his boots and lit a small oil lamp on the wall, casting an orange glow over the small room.

  Megan stepped inside and shivered. The room looked warm and inviting but felt very, very cold.

  “Here wrap yourself in this blanket while I get the fire started,” Josh handed her a plaid wool blanket.

  Megan took off her boots, tiptoed over to the solid wood armchair in front of the fireplace and watched as Josh constructed a teepee-shaped pile of wood in the fireplace and lit it. The flame seemed to hesitate, then sprang to life, the small wood pieces crackling and popping as the flame grew taller. Josh added a few bigger pieces and she could feel the heat almost immediately. As he knelt in front of the fireplace, his back to her, she felt a rush of warmth that couldn’t possibly be attributed to the fire. In front of her was a real modern-day mountain man, a devastatingly handsome, young, extremely fit, mountain man – complete with beard, husky and cabin in the woods.

  “They could film a movie here,” she mused, looking around the room. Kerosene lamps hung on the walls, the furniture all appeared to be hand made, the living room and small kitchen basically comprised the whole main floor. A rustic ladder led to a loft space above.

  “A horror movie?” Josh chuckled.

  “Yeah,” Megan lied. The movie she would film here would either be a Lifetime Christmas movie, or a rom-com.

  The light from the fire danced in Josh’s eyes and when he took his hat off, his rumpled brown hair showed hints of auburn she had never noticed before – the same auburn now reflected in his beard.

  The fire started to roar. Josh stood up and started lighting all the lamps on the walls. The cold and dampness of the cabin quickly started to dissipate.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, shoving his feet into some boots by the back door.

  “Wait, where are you going?” Megan felt safe with Josh in the cabin but didn’t want to be in a cabin in the woods all alone.

  “One second, I just have to get something.” Josh stepped outside. The cabin went quiet except for the popping and crackling of the fire. Then the door burst open and Josh jumped back into the doorway brandishing a huge ax, “Baha!”

  Megan jumped in her chair and then tossed a small throw pillow at him. “You scared me!”

  “Um. That was kind of the point,” he shrugged.

  His boyish smile melted any anger Megan felt. “So, you’re skipping the romantic kidnapping part and going straight to hacking me up with an ax?”

  Megan saw that Josh was lost for words and realized that she shouldn’t have added ‘romantic’ to her comment.

  “Um. No. I’m going to go get us some water for hot chocolate. That’s how we treat our mountain captives here.”

  “With an ax?”

  “I have to chop a hole in the ice to get water from the lake.” He held up the ax.

  “Do you need some help?” Megan’s heart rate was slowly returning to the somewhat elevated rate where it seemed to hover in Josh’s presence.

  “You just stay warm.”

  Megan pulled the blanket tightly around her and settled into the sofa. She noticed that her hands were shaking and rubbed them together, but they weren’t cold. She was literally vibrating with anticipation.

  Josh returned covered in fresh snow holding a bucket of water. “The finest water you will ever taste,” he grinned and took a sip from the edge of the bucket.

  “What about that hot chocolate?” she may be open to learning about small-town life but drinking straight out of the lake was pushing it a little too far for her.

  “Right,” he smiled. “Of course.” He lit the small propane stove in the kitchen. He pulled out a saucepan and a bottle of cream from his backpack. Megan stood up and met him beside the stove. She took the old-fashioned bottle of cream from his hands.

  “Where did you get this?” she asked.

  “One of my old search and rescue buddies is a dairy farmer, he sneaks some of the raw stuff for me.” Josh took the bottle from her hands and poured it into the pan. It immediately bubble
d up.

  “Whoa,” Megan said and jumped to turn down the flame. “You’ve got to heat that slowly or else it will burn.”

  Josh turned to Megan, “I have a confession.” He was smiling.

  “Let me guess, you don’t know how to make hot chocolate from scratch,” she laughed and shoved him from the front of the stove with her hip.

  Megan expertly whisked the cream, “What else have you got in your bag there?” she pointed to his backpack with the whisk.

  “I’ve got a chunk of chocolate.” He pulled out a square hunk of dark chocolate wrapped in cellophane. “You inspired me with your dessert the other day.”

  “I’ll need a grater.” Megan took the chocolate from his hand.

  Josh opened a drawer and handed Megan a hand grater. “You keep whisking while I grate in the chocolate.”

  Josh took the whisk from her hand, and she recoiled as the same electric shock as the day before bolted between his fingers and hers. She cleared her throat and shook her hand, blaming the feeling on static, fully knowing that it was anything but.

  “When do we add the water?” Josh asked, holding up the bucket of melted snow.

  “Amateur,” Megan joked and looked up at Josh. Being with him felt easy. She didn’t feel like there was almost a generation separating them, “This is going to be the creamiest, most decadent ganache hot chocolate you’ve ever had.”

  Megan stood at the stove and stirred the chocolate with a wooden spoon, “You’ve got to keep stirring it.” As she stirred, she felt Josh come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She inhaled sharply as she felt his beard brush against the back of her neck and felt his lips on her cheek.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered into her ear and nipped at her earlobe.

  Megan realized that she was holding her breath and she clicked off the burner and poured the chocolate into the pottery mugs. She turned to face Josh and took his face in her hands, her eyes met his and she knew that he was all she wanted, she stood on her toes and kissed his lips gently. He pressed against her, pinning her against the counter. He cupped her face with his hand and returned her gentle kiss a touch hungrier. She responded by throwing her arms around his broad shoulders and pushing her hips into his, her body wanting his. He picked her up and set her on the counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned into his mouth as she felt his cock straining at his thermal underwear. She arched her head back and luxuriated in the sensation of his kisses as they trailed down her neck and across her collarbone. She reached behind him to pull his shirt up and over his head. She held it in her hand as she gripped his back as he continued kissing her neck. Megan’s hips responded to his kisses and she writhed on the counter. She knew that it would only take the lightest touch of Josh’s tongue, or lips, or cock against her womanhood and she would be done. She tossed his shirt onto the chair and he pulled hers up over her head. He pulled her bra down exposing her pink nipples to the chilly cabin air, and they puckered instantly. He took one nipple in between his lips while he cupped her other breast with his rough hand. Megan gasped, and goosebumps broke out all over her body. He had taken her to the brink of orgasm without taking her pants off.

  She tucked her toes into the waistband of his pants and pushed them down as best as she could. They temporarily caught on his erection, but with one more tug, his massive cock sprang free. He became frantic. He pulled Megan’s waffle thermals off and tossed them over his shoulder.

  She caught the grin and glint in his eye when he saw the sexy black lace panties she was wearing. He grabbed them with both his hands and Megan lifted her ass to help him slide them off her body, tossing them over his shoulder as well. He gripped her hips and kissed her hungrily as he pulled her to the edge of the counter.

  “Yes?” he whispered into her ear breathlessly.

  “Hell yes,” Megan whispered back and then gasped loudly as Josh pressed his manhood into her. He moaned and kissed her harder as he started to thrust into her. Megan leaned back onto the counter and knocked over one of the mugs of hot chocolate. Josh paused and ran his arm behind her back, he lifted her off the counter and carried her over to the couch.

  “It’s a little more comfortable here,” he whispered.

  “And warmer.” The fire cast an orange glow over Josh and Megan didn’t have to wonder if he was the sexiest man she had ever met, she knew that he was.

  “Are you cold?” Josh stood up and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch without waiting for Megan’s response. He draped the blanket over Megan’s chest and then before Megan knew what was happening, she felt the warmth of his mouth between her legs, his beard tickling her thighs and she knew that she was a goner.

  It took about four seconds for Megan to start writhing under the blanket, her hands balled up the chenille fabric in her fists as the waves of her orgasm rushed through her body. She screamed out as she climaxed, her legs shaking as she recovered.

  “Oh. My. God.” She continued to lightly buck as the aftershocks of the orgasm traveled through her. “That was incredible.” Her hands were still squeezing the blanket tightly. She tossed the blanket over Josh’s back and pulled him in tightly to her for a kiss. The warmth from his cock, bringing back her desire for him with a vengeance. She arched her back, inviting him, wanting him, needing him. He did not disappoint.

  He thrust into her and Megan starting rocking in time with him, gripping his back and admiring the six-pack that he hid underneath all of his construction clothes. It didn’t take long for Josh to shudder as he moaned and came, before he collapsed on top of Megan. She held his head to her chest and then he pressed up onto all fours on top of her. He kissed her again and she ran her fingers through his hair. He rolled in behind her and held her tightly, she heard him inhaling her scent as he gripped her in a cozy bear hug cuddle combo.

  Megan couldn’t believe that she was lying in front of a crackling fire in the woods, with the sexiest mountain man she had ever met holding her in his arms. If they made R-rated thermal underwear commercials, they would be in one, Megan thought to herself as she gripped Josh’s forearm and kissed it.

  “Meg.”

  Josh’s tone sounded serious and she shimmied around to face him. “Yes?”

  “This is awkward, but are you on anything? I mean I got kind of carried away there. I should’ve thrown some condoms into my backpack, but I didn’t think I’d be lucky enough to have this happen.” As he spoke, he traced his finger down from her collarbone and in between her breasts. The sensation sent a shiver through Megan’s entire body.

  Megan sighed. “Josh, you don’t have to worry. I can’t get pregnant, and after Alex cheated on me, I went to make sure that I had a clean bill of health.”

  Megan felt Josh’s body relax and he kissed her on the neck. “I haven’t been with anyone in five years. This, with you. It was worth the wait.” His hand pressed down on her chest and he kissed her neck.

  “Josh, you’re incredible,” Megan murmured and felt a warmth spread through her body from within and she nuzzled into Josh’s neck and started to nod off.

  Josh whispered to her, “We should get going before it’s too late.”

  Megan wrapped the blanket around her shoulders as Josh collected their discarded pieces of clothing. Megan could’ve stayed on that couch all night wrapped in Josh’s arms. Hell, she felt like she could’ve stayed in the little cabin with Josh forever.

  “Whoa,” Josh said as he opened the cabin door and a huge snowdrift fell into the cabin. “It must’ve snowed over a foot in the last hour.”

  Megan looked past Josh and saw that there was no sign of their tracks and that the snow was still falling heavily and quickly. “We’re not going anywhere,” he said as he turned around and grinned.

  Megan ran to him and he scooped her up in his arms and then tossed her over his shoulder. Megan giggled and held onto his back as Josh climbed the ladder to the loft. He threw her down on top of the quilt and pulled off his boxer shorts.

&
nbsp; “Are you ready for round two?”

  “I can see that you are,” Megan smiled wryly, pulling at the waistband of his boxer briefs.

  Josh pulled back the covers and they spent the night alternating between sleeping; making love softly and gently, and taking each other rough and hard all while the hot chocolate turned cold and solid on the counter.

  Chapter 20

  Josh was an early bird, but today all he wanted to do was stay snuggled up in the tangle of sheets and blankets with Megan. He was tired from the night of lovemaking but felt full of energy as he watched Megan sleeping peacefully. As he sat up, she rolled over, as if her subconscious was trying to stay as close as it could to him. He pulled the quilt up over her shoulder, kissed her on the cheek, and climbed down from the loft completely naked.

  There were still some red coals in the fireplace and he stoked them before adding a couple extra birch logs, their bark sizzling and crackling as the embers turned to flames. He opened the door and called Timber, who looked up sleepily from the couch. Usually, Josh carried Timber up the ladder and into the loft to keep him company, but last night he had his hands full with Megan – all of her.

  Timber waded through snow that was deeper than his shoulders, did his business and turned quickly to come back into the cabin.

  Josh lit the burner on the stove and put the kettle on to boil. He knew that Megan was a coffee snob, and probably had the staff to make her the best cappuccinos around, but she was going to have to live with the instant stuff today.

  He climbed back into the loft and crawled under the sheets, grateful for Megan’s warmth. She murmured in response to his touch and when he wrapped her in his arms, she nestled into her position like a little spoon.

  The snow had stopped sometime overnight and the sun was rising over the horizon, casting a pre-dawn pink glow across the sea of white sparkles. Josh had everything he needed here, with her.

  He felt Megan twitch and stretch, and she gripped his biceps as she hugged into him even closer. She rolled within the grip of his arms, so they were face to face. “Good morning,” she whispered.