My heart raced as I lay back down. Her scent was still on my body, and I knew it would color my dreams with her. Of all the things I’d done in my life, creeping into her room was by far the ballsiest. My cock hardened just remembering how she looked when she was asleep. Her large breasts strained against the fabric of her t-shirt and her dark hair streamed next to her on the pillow. She was gorgeous, far more beautiful than I remembered.

I strummed my fingers across my chest. What did I remember? I remembered being a total tool to her. She was right. Everything she felt or thought about me came from experience and I couldn’t blame her for it. But then she’d let me take her somewhere I could tell she’d never been before.

The words from her diary came piling into my mind as I’d lain awake and listened to her get ready for bed.

I had my first time last night with Gill. It was short, but he tried to be sweet about it.

Gill and I had another fight. He wanted to do it again, but I asked him to do what I wanted. Pull my hair. Do it really hard. Make it feel like he was taking something from me. He freaked out.

Gill and I broke up. He said I was sick for wanting what I wanted. He said I’d never find a man who would treat me like that short of bondage freaks.

If I knew where Gill lived, I would have been more than happy to go there and beat him senseless for touching her, for starters. For finishers, I would stomp the shit out of him for making her feel like anything other than the amazing woman she was. But who was I to do any of that? I had no doubt I’d made Anna feel worse about herself than Gill ever could.

I turned over on my side and stared out the window at the falling snow and the all-encompassing darkness. I closed my eyes, her beautiful body imprinted on the insides of my eyelids. I couldn’t erase the past, but I could make it up to her in the present.

* * *

I’d slept better than I had in months. I dressed and went down to breakfast.

I took a deep breath and went into the kitchen. I didn’t know what to expect. My palms were damp and I wished I’d checked to see if Annalise was still in her room. Her door was closed, though, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcome.

Howie sat in the doorway, blocking my path and demanding attention. I had to give it to him. He was a great dog – smart and loyal. I scratched his head and let him give me a few good licks on the cheek. Once satisfied, he trotted into the kitchen to look for any surprise human food that may have been dropped.

I followed to find Ellen, Dad, and Annalise all talking and laughing as Annalise tried to make pancakes. I winced at her technique. The finished product would definitely be crunchy given the amount of egg shell she was dripping into the batter.

When she noticed me, she looked up and pink spread along her cheeks. She looked like a winter wet dream. Long dark hair free down her back and her body encased in warm, white layers—form-fitting pants with a fleece top and a turtleneck beneath it. I was glad she thought to hide the marks on her neck. It might be difficult to explain to our parents how she managed to get a set of love bites overnight.

My heart sped up and banged against my ribs as she smiled at me. It was somehow shy despite what we’d shared the night before. Beautiful beyond belief, all the same.

Ellen cleared her throat and I realized I’d been gawking for an awkward amount of time.

I recovered under Ellen’s gaze. “So, what’s for breakfast?”

“Anna is cooking some delicious pancakes. Quite fabulous, no doubt.” Dad winked at me.

“Looking forward to it. Can I help?”

“Go ahead and set the table.” Ellen looked between me and Anna, as if unsure whether we would start sparring again.

It depended on Annalise. Her beautiful smile told me one thing, but I didn’t know if her mouth would tell me another. After all, it was only one night and I had years and years to make up for. The thought made me grin.

“What’s gotten into you this morning?” Dad clapped me on the back and sank into his chair.

“Just glad to be back Stateside I guess.”

“It grows on you, doesn’t it? I don’t miss much – maybe hot cross buns and tea time – but this—” he waved his hand toward the women in the kitchen “—is far better than anything I could have ever imagined. Worth it, yeah?”

For the first time, I actually agreed with him on the point. One glance back at the snow white dream in the kitchen cemented it. I was happy to be back, and the reason was making a mess of pancake batter.

“Yeah.” I sat down and watched Ellen try, and fail, to teach Annalise how to prepare breakfast. Ellen eventually took over and Annalise came and sat at the table with us.

She tucked a dark lock behind her ear and sipped at a steaming mug of coffee.

“Ready?” Dad unfolded his newspaper.

“We’re not still doing that are we?” Annalise asked, mock exasperation in her tone.

“Well, if you can’t handle it anymore. American education ruining your mind and all that, then I suppose I’ll have to represent the dark blue and handle the crossword myself.” Dad drew a stub pencil from his pocket.

“Pencil?” Annalise snorted. “Amateur.” She scooted her chair closer to his and they went to work.

This brought back memories. The two of them, both with their brows wrinkled in concentration, every Sunday morning. I’d hated it when I was younger, the way Dad somehow had a bond with Annalise that he never had with me. Now I realized it was a good thing. Their bond was strong, something different yet somehow the same as my bond with him.

“That’s not even a word.” Annalise laughed, the sound smoothing away the bad memories and leaving only butterflies darting around in my stomach.

Ellen came in carrying a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. “Eat up. I might think twice about the pancakes, though.”

“Oh, come on, Mom. I’m sure they’re fine.” Annalise paused the crossword and started serving out the food. When she took her first bite of pancake, she brought her napkin up and spit the bite right back out.

Laughter filled the dining room.

“Oh, shut up, all of you.” Annalise smiled despite her words. The daggers from the previous night’s dinner were gone. Instead, she was radiant, happy.

I may have given Howie a few bites of my pancake. He didn’t seem to mind the consistency.

We had a good breakfast, discussing the skiing and shopping we planned for the day. I intended to ski. The slopes were calling, the bitter wind from the previous day having died down overnight. The sun was out, making all the white gleam to a blinding shine.

“Well, I intend to hit Main Street.” Ellen put the last of the plates in the sink. “Hard.”

“Oh, dear.” Dad kissed her on the top of her head. “I can already feel my pockets getting lighter.”

“You coming, Anna?” Ellen asked.

“I think I’m ready to stretch my legs and do some skiing. It’s been a while.” She shimmied past where I stood in the doorframe. Her heat was there for a second and then gone, leaving me wanting. Her hair smelled like an intoxicating floral bouquet. It lingered in my nose, stealing any thoughts I’d had for a second.

“I think maybe I’ll shop with you today.” Dad said and draped his hands around her shoulders.

“You just want to keep me on a credit card leash.”

Dad smiled. “Even so, my love.”

I followed Annalise into the front hallway. She wrapped her scarf around her neck and donned her ski gear. I followed suit, insulating myself against the invigorating chill. The chalet was close to the gondola, so we went ahead and put on our ski boots.

I kept watching her move, the seductive lines of her body. I wished we were somewhere more private where I could be stripping her clothes off instead of the other way around. She avoided my gaze though I could see the color in her cheeks. It set me on fire.

Ellen and Dad bustled in behind us and threw on their jackets and scarves.

“Well, we’re off. Be careful out on the slopes, kids.” Ellen gave each of us a kiss on the cheek before taking Dad’s arm and heading down the stairs. The door swung closed behind them, leaving Annalise and I alone.

I’d reached for the skis, my hand already resting on them. But when I lifted them, she looked up. Her gaze met mine and I saw the sudden blaze. I dropped the skis and took her in my arms before pressing a possessive kiss on her lips. She tried to back away, to escape me. Not happening. I squeezed her in my arms and forced her lips apart, pushing my tongue deeply into her mouth.

She beat at my sides, trying to escape my grasp. I pushed her away and turned her around before slamming her back into my chest and wrapping one hand around her throat. I worked my fingers under her turtleneck so it was skin on skin contact and tightened my grip. In one rough move, I shoved my hand down her pants and into her panties.

Just as I suspected, her panties were already soaked.

“Niles, please.”

I tightened my hand until she was barely breathing and leaning against me as I swirled my fingers around her hot, wet clit. I slipped a finger inside her and her pussy clenched me in tighter. I didn’t want it to be my finger. I needed it to be my cock that was already throbbing hard as a rock in my pants.

“Be a good girl for me,” I whispered in her ear. “If you run, I’ll catch you and punish you.”

I stroked her clit harder. “Are you going to be good?”

She nodded. I released her throat and dropped to my knees so her ass was at eye level. I gripped her pants and panties and ripped them down her legs, revealing her beautiful plump ass. I yanked them all the way down past her knees. I needed my mouth buried in her sweet pussy lips, her juices running down my throat.

“Bend over.”

She didn’t move. I ran my hand up her leg, inner thigh, and then forced it into her wet heat. She squealed at the intrusion. I’d never felt anything more perfect.

“Over, Anna. Right now or you won’t like what happens next.” What happened next would be me balls deep in her pussy while I rough fucked her against the front door as she screamed.

Slowly, she obeyed.

“Good girl.”

The further over she went, the more her pussy opened up to me. I removed my fingers from her and put a hand on either side of her ass. Her asshole was a little hidden flower right above her glistening pussy.

I couldn’t control myself. I buried my face in her ass, and licked all of the wrinkled skin around her tight hole. I snaked my tongue down to her cunt to get a taste and licked her asshole as she moaned and shuddered. My cock strained against my pants, demanding to be inside where my tongue held sway.

She trembled, squeals turning to moans as my tongue pushed inside her wet heat. She gripped me, her body making promises my cock was desperate to take her up on. I slid my tongue even farther, to the hot bud desperate for attention. She jerked when I started flicking it, teasing it.

I gripped her thighs, not caring what sort of marks I was leaving. She was mine. I would mark her any way I wanted. I wanted to make her come like that, but my cock would not be denied any longer. After a few more licks I stood and grabbed her around the waist. I pushed her forward onto the stairs and ripped her pants and panties the rest of the way off. She was totally bare, her pussy swollen and ready. I couldn’t have stopped if I’d tried.

I pulled her up by her hair and stripped her shirt off before gripping the back of her bra and yanking the material apart.

“Niles!”

I ignored her protest and shucked the bra off. Then I reached around and palmed both her tits as I fastened my teeth at her neck. She tasted sweet and slightly salty, her body covered with a fine sheen of sweat. I would cover her with more than that.

I kneaded her tits and then grabbed the hard nipples between my thumb and forefinger. I twisted and pinched. She shuddered and moaned as I licked up her neck and made even more love bites along her fair skin. I switched to her other side, all the while still squeezing and pinching her. Once satisfied I’d marked her, I released her and pushed her down.

I unzipped my pants and pulled out my cock. She looked at me over her shoulder, her eyes a euphoric mix of desire and fear. She was perfectly situated one stair up, her pussy ready for my cock. I moved to her and pressed my head to her folds. She froze for a moment then took off. One stair, then another. I was on top of her in seconds. When I captured her, she cried out, the sound going straight to my cock.

“Niles, don’t,” she said, but her pussy was hot and wet. I knew she wanted it. I knew she wanted me to take it.

I gripped her hips hard. She needed to understand she was mine now. When we were together like this, I owned her. I raised a hand and brought it down on her ass with a loud crack. She squealed, and I was pleased to see my red handprint on her skin. I did it again, marking her other perfect ass cheek and she let out a strangled scream.

“I own you, Anna. All of you.” I slapped her again, another cry from her lips.

“Say it.” Slap.

“Say it, Anna. I won’t stop until I hear it.” Slap.

She turned to look back at me, tears in her eyes warring with the lust.

“You own me.” Her breathy declaration was all I needed.

“Fuck right I do.” I pushed my head inside her wet cunt, the constriction exquisite.

Her moan echoed up the stairs. All I could feel was her. All I could see, all I could think – her. I moved further inside, my legs straining with the need to fuck her raw. She rocked back into me, pushing me even deeper. Bloody hell. I reached up and took a handful of her hair, pulling her back into me as I started a steady rhythm.

She was so perfectly slick that I slid with no problem, my tip hitting her deepest part. Her breathing was fast. I was flat out panting, overwhelmed by the woman I had under my control and impaled on my cock. I gripped her hip and began slamming into her, yanking her onto my cock with each hard stroke.

We were in a direct line of sight from the front door. If Ellen or Dad came back for any reason, they’d get a front row view of us fucking. I didn’t care. I wouldn’t stop. Her body wouldn’t let me. Our skin slapped and her moans grew louder. A tinkling sound mimicked our rhythm and I realized we were shaking the bells on the Christmas tree nearby. I should have thought it was funny, should have laughed. Instead, I pounded her harder, giving the bells a run for their money as her pussy tightened around me.

“You are such a hot little cunt, aren’t you?” I gritted the words from between my teeth.

She responded by moving back harder against me and moaning low in her throat. I wanted to keep that sound to myself, to never let anyone else hear it. When she said I owned her, it wasn’t just words. It was the truth. Emboldened by the thought, I pulled her up so her back was to my chest. I bit down on her shoulder as I kept my quick pace. I slid a hand down her stomach and stroked her hard nub, swollen and needy for my touch.

“Yes, please,” she breathed.

I obliged, strumming her clit even as my balls drew up against me, desperate to shoot my load. Her muscles quivered and her pussy clamped down on me. I sucked her skin between my teeth.

“Don’t come until I say, little slut.”

“I can’t stop. P-please, Niles.”

“No. Not until I say. Not until my cock is spurting my cum deep in your pussy.”

“Oh my god, Niles.” Her voice was desperate and my name on her lips sent me over the edge too soon.

My cock surged inside her.

“Come. Now.”

She came on a strangled scream, her pussy milking me as I pumped in jerky thrusts, the pleasure short-circuiting any smooth movements. I plunged into her until every last drop was gone. She fell forward and caught herself with her hands. She gave me a look over her shoulder, her eyes glazed with the same euphoria I felt in my bones.

I had bitten into her shoulder harder than I’d intended, leaving a half moon along the top and back. Instead of regret, I felt pride. She was mine. She should bear my marks, just like the ones on her ass from my palms.

She scooted up the stairs, and I winced when my cock slid from its favorite spot. I gripped her hips and ripped her back to me. I crushed her in my arms and kissing her neck, gently this time.

“Did I hurt you?” I whispered in her ear.

“No, I just. I need to—”

“I need you to know I’ll never hurt you again, Anna.” I meant every word.

She sighed as I kissed up her earlobe and smoothed my hands around her waist. “I want to believe you. I do. But this … this thing we’re doing. Whatever it is. It doesn’t change the past.”

“I can’t change it. It’s true. But I can make it up to you. I keep trying. What else can I do?”

She relaxed against me the slightest bit. “You’re definitely making a grade-A effort. I’ll give you that.” The smile in her voice soothed my frantic heartbeat.

“Good. I’ll keep making it as long as you let me.”

“No promises, Niles.”

“Right.” I smiled, my heart warming at the sliver of a chance she was giving me. “No promises.”