He pulled out more candles and arranged them on the mantle and end tables, then got a deck of cards. Carli shuffled the deck, placed it on the carpet closer to the fireplace, then they sat facing each other. Between the fire and the candles, it was bright enough for Carli to see his face. He hoped.
They decided to play Crazy Eights, and as Blake dealt the cards, Carli suggested, “How about we sign each of the cards. That way you get practice using the numbers.”
“Sounds good.”
He brought out some cheese and crackers and fruit to munch on while they played. It took a while, but Blake finally rememberedlose a turnandpick up twoand the numbers, though he kept getting three wrong.
“No, that’s a W. Use your thumb and first two fingers for three.” Carli took his hand and arranged his fingers correctly. The glance she gave him showed she knew he was doing this on purpose, but he’d never admit it. Having her touch him anywhere was always exciting.
After she’d won four games in a row, he conceded defeat. “You’re too good for me.”
Gathering the cards, he shoved them back in the pack, then pushed to his feet.
“I’m going to fix the fire.” Once he’d gotten that stoked in his bedroom again, he settled in front of the gas stove and enveloped Carli in his arms. “Come here. Are you cold?”
“Warm enough with your sweater.”
He’d given her an old Irish knit sweater to put on over her flannel. His mom had probably paid a fortune for it in Ireland. It was huge on her, but he couldn’t stop staring at how beautiful she was. The firelight flickering in the room cast highlights on her hair, making them dance.
“You are so beautiful. I love seeing you in the fire…” How did he say this word? “L-I-G-H-T.” He was such a slow fingerspeller. It had totally killed the mood of the compliment.
She showed him the sign, and he repeated it like he’d been doing all night long. He tried again.
“You are beautiful.” Leaning in, he kissed her. There was no hesitation in her response. He could kiss her all day long. She tasted like ambrosia, or maybe it was the grapes she had eaten earlier. Whatever it was, he couldn’t get enough. He skimmed his lips over her cheek and pushed aside her hair. She usually had her CIs in, so he’d never done this before. They weren’t there now.
Trailing kisses along her neck, he pushed aside the flannel and nibbled. A tiny whimper floated from her throat, spurring him on. Carli lost any shyness and draped her arms around his shoulders. With his hands holding her head, he lowered her to the carpet, the light from the flames caressing their entwined bodies. No words were needed for the way they felt right now.
How long they lay there, kissing and touching, was anyone’s guess. Forever, but not long enough. He didn’t even want to know what time it was. Carli in his arms was all he needed.
It was getting chilly in this room, though. Regretfully, he eased away and sat up, pulling her with him.
“Time for bed. It’ll be warmer in my room. If we sleep in the same bed, we won’t be as cold. I promise to be…good. B-E-H-A-V-E.”
Her lips crooked to the side as her eyes sparkled. “Behave,” she said while showing him the sign.
“I promise.”
Carli chuckled softly and trailed her hands up his chest to cup his cheeks. “What if I don’t want you to?”
Carli blinked the sleep from her eyes and pulled the covers closer to her. The tip of her nose was cold, but the rest of her was toasty warm. Because Blake was warm. Or should she say hot? Last night, they’d almost combusted.
When she peeked over the edge of the bed, she saw the fire had died down to a few glowing embers. Maybe she should throw another few logs on. Didn’t seem as if the power had come back on yet, and she hated to have Blake restart the fire if the embers died before he woke.
Creeping stealthily out of bed, she found the sweats she’d borrowed from Blake on the floor and slipped them on. At some point in the night, she’d shrugged into the flannel shirt. She’d liked tangling her bare legs with his as they drifted off to sleep, her back to his front, his arms holding her close.
The fire only needed a few pokes to reignite, so once she put a couple more logs on, it caught quickly. In the bathroom, she brushed her nasty morning breath away, then stole back to bed. No sense wasting all that heat under the covers while she waited for the room to warm up.
As she scooted closer to Blake, she took the time to study him. All of him and not only his mouth as he spoke. The new dawn light seeping in from the windows highlighted a flawless male silhouette. He looked far younger with his face totally at peace. His hair twisted in several directions, but she liked it disheveled. Showed he wasn’t perfect every second of every day, and the rest of him was pretty darn fine. The stubble along his jaw, which always seemed to be there, was heavier than usual this morning. The memory of it scraping against some pretty intimate places sent blood rushing to those same parts.
How could she have been so bold last night? He’d joked about behaving if they shared the bed for warmth, and the words had slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. She couldn’t say she regretted it. He’d sent her flying through the stratosphere.
Hopefully, he’d been equally as moved. It had been difficult to tell with the room only being lit by the fire and her CIs not in. But she’d kept her hand along his shoulder and neck while they’d been involved, and it felt like he’d been humming. Certainly making some sort of noise.
The last few days staying here had been incredible. From the outside looking in, it had all been perfectly ordinary, but being with Blake casually was enough to set her heart racing faster than ever. His easy smile was always close to the surface, and he’d made it a point to kiss her at every opportunity. Oh, she’d liked that. Until they’d tangled in the sheets last night, kissing had been her favorite activity with him. She might have to adjust her list.
She reached out to push aside the lock of hair that fell across his forehead and controlled the urge to comb her fingers all the way through it. Heat filled her as she recalled having had a handful last night at some point.
Blake shifted, and she held her breath. What would it be like now? Would they still have their easy camaraderie or would awkwardness take over? She hadn’t done this too often and wasn’t used to the morning after routine. In addition, she wasn’t wearing her CIs, had no batteries for them, so would communicating be difficult as well? They’d managed last night. Though, to be honest, the communicating they’d done had been more physical than verbal.
