No one had ever told Noelle she was delightful before.

Her mom always said she was kind, and her siblings said she was a brat. Delightful seemed so formal. Stiff. She didn't know whether to be offended or indulge and play—but play she did.

She licked, and nuzzled, and giggled her way to the floor.

He needed to play.

He needed to let go. The only way to keep him from sliding back into his gloomy, painful past was to give him a playground full of a wonderland of toys.

Surprisingly, having sex and making him forget about his past made her feel better.

She wasn't rebounding.

And being with him wasn’t a fling, or a one-night stand. The decision to be together was specific, purposeful. Just like him, she needed to help. To be wanted. Desired.

“Oi, I think my hair got tangled in the tree.” She grabbed the hair strands and pulled.

“Hold up.” He grabbed her hand. “You’ll pull the tree over.”

“That wouldn’t be good.”

“No.” He kissed her temple. “But you taste good.”

“Mmmm. So do you.” Too good. “Maybe floor sex isn't a good idea.”

He slid her bra strap off her shoulder. “It's a terrific idea.” Her bra clasp suddenly popped open, and he lifted the edge of the fabric. “You’re so sweet.” His hot breath puckered her nipple.

She pushed at his shoulder. “I thought we were getting undressed. Not just me.”

He looked up at her, and a wicked smile crooked the corner of his mouth. His clothes disappeared faster than her ginger cookies at the party.

Seconds later he returned for and indulged in a kiss. “Better?”

If he didn't look so darn cute, she might have laughed. But he was playing, and she didn’t want to say or do anything to ruin the moment.

“You forgot something.” She pointed at the long-leg boxer briefs hugging his thighs and his growing bulge.

He pressed his midsection forward to make sure she understood what she was in for. She wasn’t frightened. In fact, she was intrigued.

“Take them off.”

His brow lifted. “You first.”

Looping her thumbs underneath the elastic, she slowly slid her panties down her legs, and hung them on a tree branch. She would have mirrored his sexy smile, but he kissed her again, and continued until she nearly forgot to think.

She fought to draw air into her lungs. His gorgeous hazelnut browns mesmerized. “Your turn.”

He hung his briefs next to hers on the tree, then braced himself above her and pressed into her while she became acutely aware of his size. Her head fell back on the carpet, and she moaned. “What are you waiting for?”

He kissed her collarbone, her neck, her jawline, then licked her pulse point. “I'm waiting for you to change your mind.”

“Not gonna happen.”

He reached for his wallet, and slid out a crumpled condom packet. “This poor fella has been around awhile. It’s past its expiration date, but I'm clean.”

“I went to the doctor to be tested before I came home, just to be sure Jon didn’t give me an STD. I'm clean and on the pill, but enough with the technical. Let's play.”

A big, warm hand slid down her back and around her butt cheek. “How hard do you want to play?”

“Let me show you,” she leaned forward and bit his peck.

A slow smile crossed his face. “Now that is fun.” He kissed her shoulder, then ran his tongue around her nipple and sucked in air. The nipple puckered.

She groaned, and her back arched up to meet him. He squeezed her butt cheeks, then stroked around her thigh and between her legs.

“Too bad that Sin Sugar isn’t readily available.” He shifted lower.

“Ethan…” She reached for his shoulders, but they were out of grabbing distance.

His facial hair scraped across the inner thigh. His tongue flicked and circled and caressed. Ethan Brennan sure knew how to frolic and take his time. His hand flattened on her stomach. She jerked.

“Relax.” He kissed one thigh, then the other, then settled in between.

Relax, he says.

He got busy demonstrating the rules of the game. Her pulse raced. Her heart pounded. Her head pressed into the carpet. A scream welled in her throat and she opened, but no sound came out.

She reached toward him, but he continued to explore, his tongue drawing new designs on her folds. Who knew doctors could be so creative? Her fingers intertwined into his hair. She pulled gently, but his focus was unmovable.

If Santa existed, he just granted her Christmas wish.

A tingling sensation started at her toes and sizzled up her legs. His hot tongue lavished. He pushed her up, and up, and up—and finally over the edge.

“Ethan!” she screamed.

He braced an arm on either side. “Wrap your legs around my back.” He lowered one inch at a time. His need was raw. His eyes hot and fierce. He pushed in, holding steady, then again, waiting for her to relax around him. Then he thrust forward, pinning her to the floor.

A delicious sensation sizzled throughout her entire being. Cherished. Wanted. The emotions circled and combined and expanded into bliss. She wanted to give him everything and more in return. Rocking into him, she opened wider. When he began to move, she matched his rhythm pulse by pulse. Her breathless scream echoed through the living room as her body took over. Ethan continued to romp, and she wasn’t about to stop him.

Noelle dropped a forearm over her head.

Two feet of freezing ice and howling snow pummeled the windows. A draft of cold air blew across the floorboards, but she didn’t feel the least chilled. She was lying bare naked on top of a man she’d known less than a week. There were pine needles in her hair, but she didn’t care.

Of all the reckless things she’d done in her life, this one was the most reckless and the most satisfying. It felt right.

The aftershocks of making love kept her warm. Her body quivered, and she dared not move to spoil the moment. Ethan stirred and rolled her to his side, propping his head on one elbow.

“Don't you dare ask.”

“Okay, I won’t ask.”

“Good, because that was the best sex I've ever had. I think you melted my bones.”

A slow smile formed—a real one, not one of those he plastered on his face when he wanted people to think he was happy. “Bones break, or get crushed, they don’t melt.”

“Oh yes, they do. Trust me. I don't think I'll ever be able to get off this floor.”

“I’d better come to your rescue. You’re already starting to get cold.”

She glanced down to see goosebumps spreading across her torso.

In one fluid motion he pushed vertical to put another log on the fire. She took in his magnificence as he grabbed a throw from the basket by the couch, tossing it on the chair. Lifting her in his arms like she was light as a pinecone, he settled into the large leather seat. She curled into his arms, nestling in close while he tucked the blanket around them.

Trapper changed positions and settled next to the fireplace. Seconds later, Cheddar hopped up and settled in on top of the blanket. A gentle peace settled into her heart.

He didn't speak, and she let her breathing synchronize to his.

She laid her head on his shoulder.

“Noelle, I—”

“I read a study online that men should have an orgasm at least every other day to protect against prostate cancer.” A deep breath of courage nestled into her lungs.

“Noelle—”

“Having sex is a much better way to keep the man-pump working properly, don’t you think?”

He drew in a heavy breath.

“Apparently if you don’t use your thing regularly, fluid gets built up and can cause problems down there.” She risked a peek at his face. “You masturbate, right? I’m assuming every male…”

The hitch of his chest made her stop.

“What? I'm serious.”

“I know. That’s what’s funny.”

How was it he made her so comfortable she wanted to stay in his arms forever and smack him, all at the same time?

She laid her head on his shoulder.

“Ethan, it was just sex.”

He picked a pine needle from her hair and set it on the side table. “Noelle, we didn’t have just sex.”

“I know.” She blew out a breath. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. I’m leaving, and you’re staying.”

He pressed his lips to the top of her head.

“Follow your dreams, Noelle. You need to find the life you deserve.”

Her heart shuddered. What if she didn’t know what she wanted?

“But—”

“You need to see if there’s something for you in LA. I promise, I won’t let this happen again. You don’t need the added confusion.”

And he wouldn’t. His whole life was about staying in control, being deliberate and methodical. He didn’t welcome people in his life, and she counted herself fortunate to be one of the few he allowed inside. “What if I don’t get the spot?”

He wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. “Then you’ll be free to decide what’s next.”

A quiet part of her spoke up, questioning why Elkridge always seemed small and suffocating—why she’d never felt content living in the small mountain town.

Had Elkridge changed? Or had she?

At the moment, in his arms, her whole life became comfortable, perfect—even a little predictable. She surprised herself by thinking it felt wonderful.