Snow Place Like Home

Chapter Twenty

Shonna

Jason was a monstrous man. Larger than life. Roguishly handsome. Rough around the edges. And with the gentle touch of a peaceful giant. She had been happy to discover that his length was perfectly in proportion with the rest of him.

He was kinkier than she imagined. She had never been one for ass play, or so she thought, but his attention to that part of her made her come harder than she ever had before. This man had a knack for surprising her in the most pleasant and unexpected ways. It was as if he knew her body and what she wanted without having to ask.

After what was unequivocally the best sex she ever had, she lay sprawled on top of her brutish lover while he traced circles on her back with his calloused fingers. Shonna was not one to cuddle after sex. Matter of fact, she wasn't one to cuddle at all. But after Jason gave her two mind-blowing orgasms, she had no intention of asking him to leave.

As she glanced around her newly constructed bedroom, the one this man had built for her with his own hands, along with the help of his friends, she wondered how she could pack up and leave this behind. Leave him behind. Could she really return to Arizona and pretend none of this existed? Her grandmother's life had been here for the last ten years, and in her last words to Shonna, she begged her granddaughter to come here. And because of that, she met Jason. The connection she felt to this man was nothing short of extraordinary.

She could almost see herself living in this beautiful snow village, with its quirky karaoke singers and majestic scenery. She and Penny hunkered down in the cabin with daily visits from Jason. They would dance under the stars and live a life free of worry. He would fix her delicious meals, feeding them to her in bed, and afterward, they would have amazing sex night after night after night. She bumped those foolish thoughts from her mind. Although a wonderful fantasy, it was not rooted in reality.

Her life was in Arizona. Her friends, the family she had built for herself, and who she couldn't imagine life without. Darren, Jackie, Danny, Veronica, Julius, and even Braydon were a significant part of her life. She wasn't like YoYo. She didn't know how to give up everything she'd ever known to live in this corner of the world that she knew little about.

Shonna listened to the rhythmic thump of Jason's heartbeat, matching the tune of her own.

"How come you don't have a beauty salon around here? Do Alaskan women not believe in getting their hair or nails done?" She broke the silence.

"Is that a serious question?"

She chuckled. "Just curious."

Plus, she was in desperate need of a manicure.

"It's not that we don't believe in getting your hair professionally done. Guess there is no one around here interested in starting that type of business."

"That makes sense. This climate has been a nightmare for my hair. My edges have never been this neglected."

Jason scoffed. "Oh, please. You're beautiful. No matter what the hell your hair looks like."

"That's what you better say."

He turned to her then, sure to meet her eyes.

"I'm serious. Every inch of you is perfect, flawless. I think you make sure of that. I love the time that you take to do your makeup and hair. Nothing is out of place. It's what first caught my eye."

"But?"

"As we lay here now, you are even more beautiful than when we first met. Stripped of any cover-up. Your clothes in a pile on the floor. Your curves on display, beautiful breasts, and plump behind I'd love to bury my face in. I can see the birthmark on your hip."

He kissed it gently. "I can see the stretch marks on your thighs." He kissed the tiger stripes. "Your hair is a mess." He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her on the mouth.

"You better be going somewhere with this," she warned.

He let out a deep throaty chuckle. "I like you this way. Even more than in your fancy clothes and perfect hair. You, like this, with me... is truly beautiful."

She cupped his face. It was the sweetest and most romantic thing she had ever heard.

"As for this...." His face was in front of her center as he gazed at it intently. He kissed her inner thigh softly and then kissed the other one. "She would be even more perfect if you let her be... Natural. Wild. Free." He continued, applying kisses after every word.

Before long, his tongue was inside her.

"You've never told me why you're still single," she panted between moans.

"Because I want to be," was his response.

He didn't stop tasting her, and it was clear he wasn't going to indulge her questions tonight. She let him bury his face between her legs, welcoming the release that washed over her as he made her come again and again.

And again.

***

Jason

Jason was stirred awake by the sun peeking through the shutters.

He was still in Shonna's bed. He used the only condom he had, so he found some creative ways to keep her satisfied. She seemed to love every minute, and he was already aching for more.

She snored softly in bed beside him. He smiled and brushed her hair from her face. God, she was beautiful as she lay there peacefully, like an angel.

His angel.

Well, maybe not his. Not yet. But he sure as hell was going to do everything in his power to change that. A few weeks ago, he had given up on relationships, on love, on the idea that he could ever find a lifelong companion like his parents had in each other.

They had been married for forty years, and, as his mother liked to tell him, most of them happy. His father was a hard man, not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, but he still found a way to romance his wife, surprising her with little handmade gifts and weekend trips. It was what Jason wanted for his own life, a partner, a best friend, a lover, and a confidante. But after Alicia, he thought he was done with all that. YoYo would tell him all the time not to give up. That the one was still out there. She insisted on it, believed in this hypothetical woman so much that he wanted to believe in her too. Then she passed away, and when he read her letter, in his heart, he knew the woman he was meant to be with would come.

Then this magnificent creature before him stumbled into his life. And like a bear to honey, he was on her. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, and her lips until, finally, she stirred awake.

"Hey," she said, her eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning, beautiful."

She smiled sheepishly at him.

He wanted to be inside her once more before the day officially began, but it would have to wait. He checked his phone for the time.

"I wish I could stay here like this with you all morning, but I need to head back to the inn. Gotta get ready for tonight's festivities."

"What's tonight?"

"Blackstone's Annual Winter Festival. The whole town is gonna be there to celebrate the holidays and winter solstice. There will be ice skating, tree lighting, and sleigh rides. You should come."

"Thought I already did," she said.

He grinned at that.

They both got dressed, and he drove them to the inn. While she headed to her room, he headed straight for the kitchen to get started on the preparation for the big night. Not only was it a special occasion for the town, but a big night for his business. And it was Jason's last chance to get Shonna to fall in love with Blackstone and maybe fall in love with him, too.