Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“We have to stop,” he grits out and takes a deep breath before he steps back, and I let my hands fall from him.

“Right,” I agree and step back too.

“If we don’t we’ll end up in our bed and I can’t let that happen.” His words confuse me. It’s our bed, but we can’t end up in it together? I’m still not sure if I have my own room or not. All of this is confusing, and I don’t have it in me to ask the questions I should be asking. If I’m honest, it’s because I’m scared of the answers and what they could do to me.

“Okay,” I agree.

“You shower. Explore the house. I’ll be back.”

“You’re leaving?”

He is already heading out of the room, and he has to call back over his shoulder. “You think I'm going to let another man touch my wife’s vibrator?”

“No?” My response comes out as a question.

“Joy, I’m not sure what’s going on in that head of yours, but when something is mine, I can be pretty possessive of it.”

“Really?” I never thought of him as the stingy type.

“When it comes to some things, yes.” His eyes rake up and down my body with a heated gaze. “I’ll be back. Don’t leave the house.”

I don’t get a chance to respond. How could I leave? I don't have a car. The mayor's house sits on one of the mountains and has a beautiful view of the town, but it’s a good ten-minute drive if not more with the weather going up and down the road.

I’m not going anywhere.





CHAPTER 10





NORTH





It doesn’t take long for me to get over to Joy’s place and grab a bag of essentials. Just as I was leaving, the movers were pulling up so I was glad that I left when I did. Even with as much as it pained me to let her go.

On the way back to my place, I decide to make a quick stop and pay a visit to the local dressmaker Carol. After an excited conversation and lots of squeals on her part, I leave her with so much to do and only a little time left to do it. She seems to think that what I want won’t be a problem so I know I’ve left my idea in good hands.

This might be the first time since I can remember that I’m excited about going home. Most of the time it’s the opposite because I’m excited to be going to work or getting out of the house. That has everything to do with Joy and wanting to be around her as much as possible. I used to go out of my way to find her on the weekend and casually bump into her. Now, I don’t have to create that excuse anymore because she’s mine. Mine. The one word sends a thrill through me as I walk through the snow and into our home.

Once inside, I take the stairs practically two at a time in search of my wife. In the distance I can hear Christmas music playing, and somehow it fills up the space that felt so empty before. Will it always feel that way now that Joy is living here?

The closer I get to my bedroom, the louder the music gets. By the time I push the door open, I see Joy in one of my shirts while she sits on the floor and plays with the buttons on my Bluetooth.

“Hey,” I say, leaning against the doorframe and taking in the sight of her.

Her hair is damp and piled on the top of her head, and her face is free of makeup. My shirt is so big it hangs over one shoulder, and the way she looks up at me and smiles makes that place in my chest ache.

“Hey,” she echoes and nods to the music. “Just thought I’d put something festive on.”

“Good idea.” I walk over and end up taking a seat on the floor beside her and placing her bag between us.

“Did you, um, you know?” she asks and tucks her chin because she’s embarrassed.

“Did I get your vibrator before anyone else saw it?” I say, and she lets out a little laugh. “Yes of course. But I have a couple of questions.”

“What kind of questions?” She eyes the bag and then me skeptically.

“How do you make it work?” I reach in the bag and pull out the little rose-shaped thing.

“There’s a button,” she says softly, and when I don’t see it right away, she takes my wrist and turns it over so I can see it on the bottom. “If you push that—”

“Oh,” I say when I do it and the thing comes to life. “It’s stronger than I thought it would be.” She doesn’t say anything but watches me as she nervously bites her bottom lip. “Wait, does this thing—”

“It’s suction,” she says and then buries her face in her hands. “Oh god, this is mortifying.”

“Why?” I ask, pulling her hands from her face. “I think it’s hot.”

Her eyes meet mine, and she looks down at the toy. “Really?”

“Feel this.” I take her hand and put it between my legs so she can feel how hot I think it is. “I’m hard as fuck thinking about you using this.” Her lips part, and I hold the little vibrator between us. “I wanna see you use it.”

“No way.” She’s already shaking her head as I get on my knees and move closer.

“Come on, think of it as my teammate.” My mouth is already beginning to water. “Imagine this and my mouth at the same time.”

“I’m not sure I would survive.” She looks so serious as she says it, I can’t help but smile.