"Jesus Finn. For real?"

I looked up and couldn't stop laughing. "No, baby. I'm kidding...unless."

"No. Absolutely not. You're so fucking corrupt."

"But you like it." I tugged my hand free and reached for her before I could stop myself. I tilted my head to the side and slid my fingers along her cheek, loving so much the beautiful innocence that sat on her. "Tell me you like it."

She stared at me for a moment and I wished I knew what she was thinking. At least she hadn’t shoved my hand away.

“Even if I do it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to start anything and then leave. But hey, I think you’re a good guy.”

She cupped her hand around mine, sealing the memory in my mind for when she would leave me.

* * * *

I walked out of the dressing room in a red jacket as she moved out in a thin white one.

"Now what?" I reached out and helped button the front of hers, not thinking twice about helping her though she seemed a little stiff by my nearness. It felt too natural to me not to give into it.

"We need to go outside, but I'm not sure they'll let us." She pushed at me. "I can get it. Find another way to get your hands all over me. Jeez."

"Is that an invitation? Because I have a million excuses that will seem reasonable." I laughed and turned to find the nearest sales associate, motioning for him to join us.

"Yes, Sir. How can I help you?" He smiled and me and turned his attention to Chloe as a smile slid across his face. I knew how he felt.

"We need to see how these feel outside. You got a place we can test them against the wind and cold?"

"Of course. That balcony right over there is open for you to use. It doesn't have another exit, but through the store, so feel free." He spoke to me, but kept his eyes on Chloe.

I coughed and got his attention before shaking my head. "Don't."

He adverted his eyes and walked away, clearing his throat and blushing.

"What was that?" Chloe laughed softly and nudged my arm.

The arm nudge was one step closer to the end game. Now if we could just move to small kisses, just a friendly peck when the moment called for it. I wanted to taste her lips so damn bad, but I knew I'd have to wait for her to make that move. Patience wasn't anywhere near my strong suit.

"It was man-speak for 'stop looking at my girl or I'll bend your ass over'." I winked and opened the door for her.

"But I'm not your girl." She lifted her eyebrows.

"You are for pretend, right? You're killing me over here. Are we together or are we not? I'm losing my shit, and you just don't understand me. You never have." I pulled at my hair and she laughed, slapping me and forcing a serious smile on her face.

"Be serious for a minute. I need to test these jackets out. My Dad is a hard sell and I really want to impress him." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before peaking back at me. "Close your eyes. You need to feel the jacket."

I rolled my eyes and snorted. "Oh shit. Is this one of those California yoga things we're about to do?"

She laughed and popped my chest. "No, but you have to concentrate."

"I am, but I'm not closing my eyes. Ask your questions and let’s get into the next jacket." I leaned against the railing and watched her closely. There was a light inside of her that burned brighter when she was talking designs and colors. She was going to be great at what she did and I realized that I wanted to support her. In any way she would let me. I'd try on coats all damn day if that's what she needed.

"Why won't you close your eyes? Afraid of the dark?" She smirked and brushed her hands down her jacket as if trying to get a feel for it.

"Naw. I don't want to miss a minute of this."

"Of what?" She looked up as her smile faded.

"Of my time with you." I winked and moved toward her as tears filled her eyes again. "Well damn. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to explain why I didn't want to close my eyes."

She reached up and pressed her hands to my chest as I pulled her into a hug. "It's not that, I just..."

"Just what? Tell me what I'm doing and I'll stop. There's no crying on shopping day. Jeez girl. You didn't read the damn rules?" I leaned down and brushed my nose past hers, trying to get her to look into my eyes and see the good times I was trying to present.

She closed her eyes and moved up, pressing her lips to mine. That was it.

A floodgate broke loose inside of me. I moved one of my hands up to let my fingers slide into her long silky hair as I tilted my head, and pressed my tongue against her lips. I wanted in.

She whimpered softly and opened her mouth, the combination of her need and taste driving me insane. I pressed my hips forward and kissed and licked at her mouth as she took every bit of what I offered and seemed to want more.

I broke the kiss and closed my eyes, brushing my lips by hers as I panted. "I've wanted that since we met."

"Me too, now stop being so damn sweet." She brushed her fingers by my lips and I kissed them before moving back.

"Right. No being sweet." I winked. "Ask your questions on the jacket and let's get out of here. I want to show you a little frozen pond not far from my place. It's going to get dark before we know it."

"Okay." She tugged at the front of the jacket and dove into question after question about comfort, color, warmth, flexibility and texture. I answered them all as best I could while trying to stave off my dizziness.

It was the weirdest feeling in the world.

Wanting someone and thinking that it could be forever.

Forever was such a long time.

How could anyone agree to forever?

I didn't know, but I knew one thing was for sure.

I wanted to find out.

Chapter 15

Chloe

The kiss was so far beyond what I expected, and I wanted another and another. The way he looked at me left no doubt inside of me that he wasn't looking for a night of passion, but lots of them. I'd worked so damn hard for five years to get my degree so I could live the life I had planned. I was going to design summer clothes for college kids and then find the right movie star in L.A. that I could latch onto. Fame would be mine, and it would be me that would walk down the catwalk at the end of the show, gaining accolades for my work.

Why did it feel like the light was dimming on that future all of a sudden? I'd been in Colorado for almost two weeks at that point. That wasn't long enough to learn to ski, much less fall for a local who seemed to have every girl's attention.

I pulled out my phone and read through the data that Finn and I gathered as he sang soft and tapped the steering wheel of his old truck.

"Where is this place again?" I glanced up from my phone and let my eyes move across him. His body was hidden behind his jacket and sweater, but the memory of seeing him shirtless left my heart racing. The swell of muscles on his chest and tantalizing grid of them along his stomach was something I wanted to see again...up close.

"It's just a stone's throw from my cabin." His brow pulled tight and he reached over and took my hand. "You okay? You look like something is wrong."

I pulled my hand back and let out a short sigh. "No, I'm just tired. I haven't transitioned well to the altitude and the bed at my Dad's sucks."

"Well, I can't do much about the altitude, but you're more than welcome to try my bed on for size." He wagged his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes.