“Ah, that’s cold,” she yelled. “Jonathan, I need help.”
The child merely laughed as he cavorted, throwing snow into the air.
“Sneaking up on me, huh? Hardly fair.”
Her face softened as she stared at him, her eyes so expressive. He could see right into her soul but he hated what he saw. The feelings she had for him were close to the surface and there was fear behind them. Not of him, never of him. He’d never hurt her. He hoped she knew that. Never intentionally anyway, but she’d still be hurt when he had to leave and say good-bye to this idyllic scenario they’d been playing out the last few days.
Kissing her nose, he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll never stop trying to get back to you and Jonathan. I swear until my last breath, I’ll get you out of this situation with Victor.”
Raising her mitten covered hand, she placed it on his hat. “No talking about Victor or leaving. Not this week. This time is for us, no one else. Promise.”
“Promise.”
He sealed it with a kiss. This one started out gentle but the need in him grew. She must have felt it because she wrapped her arms around him and held tight like she’d never let go. Not that he wanted her to. Grabbing her and Jonathan and getting away, that’s what he wanted. Far away where Victor couldn’t reach them. For now he’d simply kiss her.
He couldn’t get enough of her mouth and plundered the recesses with his tongue. The little noises she made spurred him on. Damn, he wanted these clothes gone and her in a warmer place.
“Mama dot a boo-boo?” Jonathan’s concerned face appeared next to Callie’s. Jack leaned back and pulled the boy into his lap.
“No, I simply like kissing her because she’s so pretty.”
“Mama pwetty.”
Turning pink, she lifted herself from the snow. “You two.” She shook her head. “Why don’t we go in and have some hot cocoa? Auntie Heather and I got all the decorations up and we can plug in the lights and sit and watch them.”
Callie had to take a few pictures of Jonathan with his snowman before he would go in but she’d made Jack be in a few also. As they stripped off their wet coats he saw her clicking away at the phone, her face tense.
“What’s up?” He slipped his arm around her shoulder. She looked up, her expression almost guilty.
“I sent one of the pictures to Victor. So he’ll know we’re fine and Jonathan’s enjoying himself. Hopefully that way he won’t bother us while we’re here.”
“You didn’t send him one with me in it, did you?” he teased.
Her head whipped back down to her phone as she checked. She let out a huge breath. He hugged her close.
“I knew I hadn’t but then you got me nervous.” Her eyes flew up to his. “Oh, my God. What if he asks Jonathan about making the snowman? And Jonathan says he did it with his daddy? Jack?”
Taking the phone from her hands, he set it on the end table then pushed her in the direction of the roaring fire. “I’ll be over with hot cocoa soon. Relax.”
Heather had already heated the water so all it took was scooping the chocolate into cups. Adding extra milk to Jonathan’s to cool it quicker, he then settled on the floor, his back against the couch. First, he pulled Callie between his legs and she did the same with their son.
As they sat and watched the fire, he calculated odds of getting close enough to Victor to actually kill him. Yes, it was murder and he might go to jail, or get killed himself, but it might be the only way to get the man out of their lives. The odds weren’t good. But maybe…his mind went back to information he’d gotten when he worked for the mob boss. The risk was worth it. Callie and Jonathan were worth it. He’d do anything for them.
Finishing the drink, he set the cup aside and wrapped Callie in his arms. Nestling his nose in her curls, he inhaled her floral scent. Jonathan was practically asleep in her lap. She leaned against him and sighed. A contented sigh. That was the sound he wanted to hear always.
Slipping his hand under her thick sweater, he caressed the skin on her stomach. She looked over her shoulder at him and frowned.
“Jack? Our son is right here and Heather’s in the kitchen.”
A tiny snore drifted from Jonathan’s mouth and Jack quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t think he’ll notice anything unless you start moaning loud like you sometimes do.”
Her eyes narrowed. He let both hands roam now and cup her sweet curves. Her eyes drifted closed and her back arched slightly. When he nibbled on her neck, she trembled.
“No fair.”
“No one said life was fair, Calico. If it was, I’d be here with you and Jonathan all the time and not—” No talking about Victor she’d said.Remember that.
Moving his hands again, he skimmed them over her soft skin. He’d love to slide them into her pants and drive her to the edge of insanity, but she wasn’t always quiet when he pushed her there so he’d wait. Tonight was soon enough. Once their son was in bed they’d be free to explore all they wanted. And he definitely wanted.
