“Stone, this is too much,” I tell him, turning the items over in my hands one by one. There’s a top-of-the-line avalanche transceiver, a compactible snow shovel, a snow probe, a crystal card, a magnifying loupe, a field guide, and at the very bottom is an avalanche airbag.
Forget what I said aboutonethousand dollars…the pack with the airbag is that muchalone.
“Ohmygod, Stone! I can’t accept this!”
“You can. And you will,” he says. “You’re interested in this field because you wanted to combine your love of science and weather with your desire to keep me safe. So, my Christmas gift is a combination ofmylove of science andmydesire to keepyousafe.”
“I don’t know what to say. I mean,thank you, obviously, but outside of that…Jesus, Stone.I’m overwhelmed.”
“I hope you’ll never need most of it. And anywhere you work that has you in the field should supply these things, but you probably won’t know how well they’ve been maintained or how old they are.” He averts his gaze, and a look of pain mixed with shame has me grabbing his chin, forcing his eyes back to mine.
“What aren’t you saying?”
“I don’t want to weird you out,” he says.
“Yeah,” I deadpan, “because I get weirded out so easily.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re such a smartass.”
“Only when you deserve it,” I point out. “Now tell me what you were going to say.”
“I’m already dreading the end of your internship. I don’t want you to leave, and I hate what that means for us. This stuff,” he waves a hand toward the items littering the table. “This is so I know you’re protected with brand new gear that is the best money can buy. It’ll make me feel like I’m still with you even if it’s notmymountain you’re working on.”
God, I’ve been so wrapped up in trying to process what iscurrentlyhappening that I haven’t even stopped to think about the end of the internship. My mind had already made the move. I’m staying in Montana. If this is where Stone is, then this is where I want to be, too. I’ve felt that way for most of my life, even if the driving force behind that adoration wasvastlydifferent back then from what it’s become over the last month.
Stone had taken a seat at the table while I stood, pulling things out of the bags. Pushing his chair out now, I make room for myself and straddle his lap, lacing my fingers together behind his neck.
“I fucking love you, Stone. I know it’s fast and complicated. I know most people are going to feel some kind of way about it.And I’m certain some shrink somewhere would love to dissect this, but none of that makes it any less true.”
“I love you, too,” he says with a smile before pulling my face to his. Our kiss heats up quickly, breakfast totally forgotten.
Finally, Stone runs his hands up my thighs until they rest in the crease of my hips, and he leans away from me, making me push my bottom lip out in a pout.
“Don’t you give me that look. You can’t forget to eat in favor of getting off,” he reprimands.
“Why the fuck not?” I ask, rolling my hips over his sweatpants-clad dick, which is clearly interested in the fact that I’m sitting here.
“Hanlon.”
“I like it when you growl my name,” I tease.
“Eat,” he commands.
“This isn’t over,” I tell him, sliding from his lap.
“Speaking of…” he starts. I stop dishing up my plate at the stove to turn and look at him, but he pushes me on the shoulder to turn me back around so my back is to him. “No, face that way. I’m too embarrassed to ask this if you’re looking at me.”
“Well, my interest is certainly piqued,” I tell him, resuming the action of plopping eggs onto my plate.
“There issomethingyou can get me for Christmas that I’d really like.”
“Anything,” I tell him, knowing no matter what’s on his list, it still won’t make the gift exchange even.
“I want to do more…”Here goes nothing.“…like fuck.”
To hell with Stone’s instructions. I whip around so fast I almost send the pan of bacon to the floor.
“Stone, there’s no rush. I’m perfectly satisfied with hand jobs and blowingyou until you’re comfortable doing more.”
