Let it Snow

Let It Snow! Michael Barnette

Let It Snow! Copyright © December 2009 by Michael Barnette All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions. eISBN 978-1-60737-465-7 Editor: Sandra Rychel Cover Artist: Marci Gass Printed in the United States of America

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About this Title Genre: LGBT Multicultural Cooper Heywood is working alone at Rocky Mountain National Park over the Christmas holiday. It's not a busy time of year but there are a few groups of people he is told to watch over. The one that most annoys him is the photographer who's come to the park. In his experience photographers are a real pain in the behind. They don't understand how fast the weather can change in the Rockies. Alejandro Velez is an accomplished photographer with several beautiful coffee table photo books to his credit. He's come to the Rockies to photograph the wintry landscape for his newest book, Let it Snow: The Beauty of Winter. What he doesn't plan on is the instant attraction he feels for the handsome park ranger. More than snow flies in the winter, and Cooper and Alejandro soon discover campfires and cocoa aren't the only hot things in the Rockies. Publisher's ote: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, male/male sexual practices.

Chapter One The ranger station in Rocky Mountain National Park was well lit and warm, and the smells of spruce from the Christmas tree in the corner and fresh coffee from the station's kitchen filled the air. Cooper Heywood, with a steaming mug in his hand, stared at his boss, Mark Waller, as the man pointed to a map on the wall where a series of pushpins had been placed to mark the locations of the winter campers. A group of seven skiers was marked with a blue pin, and a trio of snowboarders had its camp marked with a yellow pin. The green pin indicated the base camp of a group of eight hikers, while the last pin, a bright red one, marked the location of their last winter guest: a lone photographer. Being alone in the rugged wilderness lands of the park wasn't safe, but some people didn't listen to advice. This guy was probably one of those who thought they knew it all—until they got into trouble. Then they would whine for someone to come rescue them from their own stupidity. Cooper frowned at his boss. “So I have to keep an eye on this guy until he decides to leave?” His boss, an older man with over thirty years' experience as a park ranger, nodded. “That's right, Cooper. He shouldn't be any trouble. He's a photographer. My understanding is he'll be here until he gets all the photos he needs. So you've got him and the other groups to check up on. It's all pretty routine.” Cooper's frown deepened. “A photographer? What's he doing up here at this time of year?” He and the other rangers had a bad experience with a photographer

who'd shown up during the fall two years ago. The man had arrived with an entourage of people, including a bunch of needy models who'd been nothing but trouble. They'd come to the park to do a fashion shoot. As if that weren't bad enough, they'd decided to stage several of their shoots well off the easy paths and in the deeper part of the forest. They'd gotten lost twice, and one of the models had broken his leg and had to be airlifted out. To make matters worse, their totally unsecured camp—where they'd left food lying out everywhere—had been ravaged by a hungry young black bear. The thought of another bunch like that—or even a guy like the clueless photographer who'd headed the group—made his head ache. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said a silent prayer to whatever divine powers might be listening that the photographer wouldn't be a total pain in the ass. “I'd guess he's taking pictures of the park. That's what he said he'd be doing when he applied for his backcountry permit.” Cooper sighed and took a sip of his steaming coffee. “During the winter? I hope he's prepared for the bitter cold of the Rockies. Did you warn him about how fast the weather can change around here? I don't want a call from this guy in the middle of the night, telling me he's freezing to death.” “I discussed it with him. The photographer seemed well prepared from what I could tell. He's got a lot of gear with him anyway,” Mark commented. “Seriously, Cooper, I don't think he's going to be nearly as much trouble as that pack of dimwits we had here two years ago.” “We can hope,” Cooper replied, still unconvinced the photographer wasn't going to be a rolling disaster. People who weren't used to the fast-changing weather of the Rockies often wound up in serious trouble in the summer, much less in the depths of winter, when temperatures could dip well below zero.

“You know the routine. Get them out fast if the National Weather Service issues a blizzard warning. Most of the folks here right now are Colorado residents, so they're probably well aware of the dangers. But that photographer's from Florida, so if anyone needs to be warned, it will probably be him,” Mark informed Cooper as he shrugged into his coat and headed for the door. “That figures,” Cooper remarked sourly. “The hikers and the snowboarders will be leaving tomorrow. The skiers are leaving on Christmas Eve, sooner if the weather turns foul. Take care, Cooper. I'll see you after Christmas.” “I'll be here,” Cooper replied, walking Mark to the door. “Merry Christmas.” Mark smiled at him. “Merry Christmas.” Cooper shut the door behind his boss and watched him drive away through the large window at the front of the station. The snow wasn't deep—they'd only had a few inches so far—but that could change as fast as you could say Santa Claus here in the high country of the Rockies. He turned away from the window and headed into the kitchen with his empty coffee cup. He'd be responsible for looking after the people in the park until two days after Christmas, when Julie Liddy would return from her vacation. Then the two of them would be watching over whoever came to camp in the park until the day before New Year's, when Mark would return and Cooper would take his two weeks of vacation. He couldn't wait. He'd already booked a hotel room in South Beach, and he was looking forward to warm breezes and tasty tropical drinks served in hollowed-out pineapples or coconuts. High-octane, fruity drinks that came complete with orchids or little umbrellas in them.

He'd have nothing to do for fourteen days but laze on the beach, soak up the sun, and watch the sexy Latino hunks stroll by. Better make my rounds for the day and check up on the folks staying here. I hope they've all got GPS tracking devices and weather-alert radios. This time of year, the weather can be particularly treacherous. He left the ranger's station, locked the door behind him, and climbed into the park's SUV. He started it up and let it run for a minute to make sure the engine wasn't going to cut out. They'd had it in the shop several times, but the mechanic hadn't discovered what occasionally caused the vehicle to stall. He put the SUV in gear, then rolled out of the driveway and headed toward the nearest group of campers. The drive was difficult, as the roads weren't plowed beyond the station, which made for slow going. If the snow had been deeper, he'd have taken either the snowmobile or the bigger snowcat, though with fuel prices being what they were, they tried to save the snowcat for emergency use only. Fortunately the snow had been on the light side so far this year, which meant he could stick to the four-wheel drive. He made his rounds, chatting with the skiers and snowboarders. The hiking group wasn't in its camp, so he left a note and headed toward the location where the photographer was supposed to be. Cooper found the camp. The tent was closed and the campfire was out, telling him the photographer wasn't a total idiot. A rope tied around a tree showed where the guy had hung his backpack, which probably contained his supply of food. While that wouldn't protect it from a determined wolverine—rarely found in Colorado—it would keep the bears from getting at it. Of course, the bears were already hibernating at this time of year, but Cooper got the impression that the guy had at least some knowledge of wildlife.

He parked his vehicle in front of the photographer's SUV and waited for the guy to return. If he's not back in half an hour, I'll leave him a note.

Bright red berries under a thin layer of ice glittered in the bright morning sun. Perched near the berries was a brown bird with striking black, rust, and yellow markings. A few flakes of snow drifted lazily in the still air, creating a perfectwinter's-day image. Alejandro Velez adjusted the focus until the image in the camera lens was sharp and clean. He snapped the photo, followed it with a second, and turned the camera clockwise to get a slightly different take on the image. He smiled when the bird took off, emitting a high-pitched whistle as it flew into the ice-decked trees. Alejandro stood from where he'd been crouching, his breath pluming in the bitter cold air. He turned to regard the snow-draped mountains, which were bathed in bright sunshine. A few stray clouds overhead were dropping scattered flakes of snow. This is beautiful country, but so cold. I miss the warm winter nights of Miami. But he wouldn't be away from them for much longer. All he needed were a dozen-or-so images from Rocky Mountain National Park to complete his Let It Snow: The Beauty of Winter photo journal. Then he could head home to the balmy, semitropical breezes of Miami to make his final selections for the book and write the brief sections of text that went with the photos. After that, he'd send the book to his editor and publisher and wait and see which images they turned down, if any. The fact that some photos didn't make the cut was why he always shot extras. He crunched his way through the knee-deep snow. The heavy boots and wellinsulated winter clothes he wore kept him warm enough, but he'd be happy to

return to his camp and get warm by a fire while jotting down some notes about the images he'd shot so far today. He'd have to write them down longhand because it was much too cold to take out the computer. The best of the morning's photos had to be the bird he'd just shot. The rest were pretty stock images of mountains and snow-decked evergreens, as well as a juniper bush loaded with ice-covered berries. He'd snapped them even though he didn't expect any of them would be selected for the book. He slogged through the deep snow, moving between thick stands of evergreens. He was ready for something hot to drink—like a gallon of coffee—and a hot meal. He'd probably heat up some noodles in a Styrofoam cup or one of the dehydrated camping meals he'd brought with him. The last thing he wanted was a case of hypothermia because he hadn't eaten enough to fuel his body heat. He came around the last patch of thick tree cover, where he caught sight of his camp—and the big four-wheel-drive SUV parked next to his smaller, rented SUV. The big vehicle had the Park Service emblem emblazoned on its side, and he could make out the form of a person sitting at the wheel. Someone in the drab green of the park rangers. Please don't let his guy be here to tell me my permit's been revoked. I already got booted from the Grand Teton -ational Park because of the weather conditions. I can't afford to lose this site too. He had to shoot all the images needed for this book so he could head home to pick out the perfect pictures. He had deadlines to meet and a lot of work to do before then so the book could come out in time for the holiday shopping season next year.

The ranger opened the door of his vehicle and got out as Alejandro reached the center of his one-person camp. He came round the front of the SUV and stood there, regarding Alejandro with an expression Alejandro could only label as disapproval or perhaps annoyance—maybe both. “Hi, I'm Alejandro Velez. I'm a photographer,” he began. “Yeah, I figured that's who you were.” The ranger cut into his introduction, his tone as unfriendly as his expression. “I was told you were up here. My boss asked me to check on you.” That explains the look on his face. He's unhappy about being told to keep an eye on the ignorant guy from Florida. Well, I don't need anyone to watch over me. Alejandro set down his heavy equipment bag. “I'm fine, and it's not necessary for you to check up on me,” he stated, his own tone cold as the weather. “It's routine. I check up on everyone camping here at this time of year. Just part of the job,” the ranger replied icily. “Thanks. You've done your duty. Now you can go.” Alejandro tried not to look at the ranger too closely. He didn't want to reveal his interest in men to anyone, because sometimes it led to serious trouble. But he did notice that the ranger was an attractive blond, a bit over six feet tall. He couldn't tell much about his build, given the heavy winter coat and pants the man wore, but Alejandro suspected from the lean angles of the ranger's face, the guy possessed a fine, athletic form. Exactly the sort of man he enjoyed having in his bed…or bedroll. Alejandro liked what he could see, and he had a thing for blonds, especially blue-eyed blonds with good musculature. Too bad he's made of 100 percent bad attitude and probably straight.

The ranger glanced at the sky, where a scattering of thin, high clouds was drifting along. “The weather report is calling for clear skies tonight, but there are some fronts heading this way that could bring snow. The reports are mixed. It might be nothing but flurries, or it could be a real blizzard. Do you have a GPS and a weather-alert radio?” “Yes to both. I'm not ignorant of the wilderness, Mr.…?” he prompted, trying to find out the ranger's name. “Cooper Heywood,” the man replied, his voice no less frosty. Alejandro nodded. “Thanks for stopping by,” he said and headed for the tree where he'd cached his food supply. He'd learned the hard way the first time he'd gone into an actual wild area not to leave food where wandering animals could find it. After that, he'd learned about how to keep his supplies safe. At this time of year, he only had to worry about coyotes and foxes getting into his food. Cougars wouldn't bother with the stuff in his backpack; any he might encounter would be stalking him, not his dehydrated meals. When he didn't hear the sound of the ranger's SUV start up, he glanced over his shoulder to find the man watching him with keen intensity. Is he checking me out? He let his gaze wander from the man's face down his body, pausing at his crotch before focusing on the man's face once more. “Something you want?” he asked. Heywood's lips curled into the faintest trace of a smile. “I could do with a cup of coffee,” the ranger replied, his now-mollifying tone a sharp contrast to the way he'd spoken to Alejandro not a minute ago. Alejandro stared at the park ranger. He just did a one-eighty-degree turn on me and became a human being instead of a jerk. I wonder why the change of heart? He frowned, and then something dawned on him. He'd just checked

Heywood out, and in response, Heywood had stopped being a royal dick. Wow! Could the guy be gay too? Or is he just jerking my chain? “Try the ranger's station,” he muttered under his breath, then instantly relented. He was still slightly annoyed by the ranger's earlier attitude but decided to forgive him because the ranger really was good-looking, and he wouldn't mind company for a while…so long as the man didn't plan to tell him he needed to leave the park. “What was that?” Heywood asked. Alejandro forced himself to smile, willing to give the guy another chance since he'd decided to stop being a jerk. The other thing that prompted him to give Heywood a second chance was the prospect of having another gay man to talk to. But that Heywood was gay still hadn't been proven. “I've got a camp stove in the tent if you want to get it set up while I get out the can of coffee and pack some snow into the pot to melt,” he said as he got his pack down from of the tree. “Sounds like a plan,” the ranger said as he unzipped the tent and ducked inside to find the stove. -ow what I want to know is why he stopped acting like an asshat and suddenly wants to have coffee with me. I can think of only one reason he'd do that. He's gay, and he's lonely for the company of another gay man. But Alejandro still wasn't ready to accept that as a fact until the jury in his head came back with a solid verdict. And that would take a lot more than a long stare and a loss of the asshat behavior Heywood displayed just a few minutes ago. He opened the backpack and dug around, searching for the can of coffee he'd put somewhere near the bottom.

He glanced at his tent as Heywood came out. He could feel the man's eyes on him, as if the ranger wanted to devour him whole. A flare of heat—of lust— warmed Alejandro, and he forced himself not to look at the blond ranger. That's it. He's got to be gay. That's twice he's checked me out in less than five minutes.

Chapter Two Cooper finished setting up the camp stove and clicked the electronic ignition, which lit the burner needed for the coffeepot. The entire time his gaze kept wandering over toward the handsome Latino photographer. He studied the man, taking in his wavy, dark hair. It was trimmed short at the back and along the sides, but it was long enough on the top to hint that curls formed when it grew out. Bulky clothing hid the man's body underneath, but the way Alejandro moved reminded Cooper of the more athletic people he encountered in his job. Every movement was controlled, graceful. Cooper glanced at the camp stove as the Latino hunk put the pot over the burner. “It will take a little while for the snow to melt and the coffee to brew.” He shivered at the sound of the man's voice. Deep and reverberating, there was just a faint trace of a Hispanic accent to color the velvet tones, the mark of someone who'd grown up fully bilingual from an early age. Eyes dark as bittersweet chocolate met his gaze for the third time, and Cooper felt his cock stir in reaction. He seriously regretted the way he'd spoken to Alejandro when they'd first met, but he'd been going on the idea the photographer was a city-born idiot who'd be nothing but trouble. Cooper hadn't even considered the possibility that the man would be drop-dead gorgeous…or gay. The instant he'd set eyes on Alejandro, he'd felt a jolt of desire, which he'd suppressed by acting like a total asshole. It helped him keep his distance, and since

he'd been under the mistaken idea the photographer was straight, he didn't feel it would matter all that much. Big mistake. Alejandro was setting off his gaydar the way a major storm warning would set off a weather-alert radio. He was sure the man had checked him out, and when he caught the photographer's eyes roving over him from head to toe a second time, any doubt he might have had about the other man's gayness fled. I'm positive he's as gay as I am. The question now is how do I get him to acknowledge it? And even if I do get him to admit to being gay, will it mean anything? He didn't come up here looking to hook up with a park ranger, that's for damn sure. He turned his gaze to the Latino photographer. He tried not to stare, but he failed. Cooper couldn't help himself. The guy was pure sexy wrapped in unadulterated hunky goodness. He mentally fumbled for something to say but came up empty because he couldn't bring himself to start with something as inane as the weather. Fortunately Alejandro chose to speak. “How long have you worked here, Mr. Heywood?” the photographer asked. His dark-eyed gaze rested on Cooper, sending a flare of heat through him. The way Alejandro looked at him made him feel naked, and the shiver that rolled through him had nothing to do with the cold. “Call me Cooper,” he urged. “All right, then, Cooper.” Those dark eyes locked with his, and Cooper felt lust dance through his veins, his cock stiffening beneath the heavy winter clothing, which he was grateful to be wearing. If it had been summer, his erection would have been obvious.

“It'll be six years in March,” he replied as he solidly met Alejandro's penetrating stare. Is he as interested in me as I am in him? Cooper worried he might be reading more into the man's intense stare than he should. But damn, Velez was really good-looking, with his dark hair and soulful brown eyes, and those looks pushed so many of Cooper's buttons, he just wanted to go somewhere and fuck the man until his brain melted. The photographer nodded. “I bet you know this place pretty well, then.” “I can find my way around without a GPS, if that's what you mean,” he answered. Alejandro was making small talk with him, as if he might be trying to work himself up to something more personal. “I've been searching for good places to capture images of winter. Can you think of anywhere that would make for some great photographs?” Cooper considered the request and searched his mind for areas in the park that might suit the photographer's needs, though he hoped Alejandro might be looking for a reason for them to meet again. Then again, he really might be reading too much into the situation. Still, the way the handsome Latino continued to watch him spoke volumes to Cooper, so he decided to play along. “I know of some rock formations that probably have a coating of ice on them. Is that something you might be interested in?” Alejandro nodded. “It might be.” The Latino scooted closer to Cooper and held out his cell phone so he could see the screen. The image of a snow-dusted juniper branch with dark blue icecovered berries filled the small screen. “That's a test picture I sent to my publisher so she could get an idea of what I'm planning to use in my next book.”

Cooper studied the digital image, very aware of the man's nearness and his subtle scent. Cooper's mouth went dry, and his cock ached to be touched. He swallowed. “But you're looking for something more striking than that, right?” “Exactly.” “What are you looking for? I mean, what kind of book are you working on?” he asked, fighting to keep his mind focused on the conversation. Alejandro smiled at him, and Cooper felt his cock throb with unmitigated desire. The man's machismo was driving a spike of lust deep into his mind, and he fought the urge to lean in closer and press his lips to Alejandro's sexy mouth. Get it under control, or you're going to piss this guy off worse than you already have. “I'm doing a coffee-table book called Let It Snow: The Beauty of Winter,” Alejandro explained. “I do one book a year for my publisher. They specialize in coffee-table books.” Cooper nodded. “Those are the oversize books with full-page pictures and short descriptions or poems that go with the images.” Alejandro smiled. “That's exactly the kind of book I shoot images for, and Jenna Davidson writes the poetry to go with the images.” Cooper studied Alejandro. “So you make a living doing this?” “I do. It helps that they pay for most of my travel expenses.” “If you don't mind me asking, where do you call home?” “Miami Beach. I live in a small apartment where I work during the offseason. I also freelance as a photographer, mostly for local magazines.”

Cooper heard the name of the city, and a shiver of excitement swept through him. South Beach, where he'd be taking his vacation, was at the southern end of Miami Beach proper. “I'm going to be vacationing there after Christmas.” Alejandro's dark eyes regarded him for a moment. “I vacation in Key West. It's close to home, and I have a great time at the annual PrideFest.” And there it was, Alejandro mentioning a Pride event as if they were talking about the weather. Admitting he was gay. “I've never gone to a Pride event, since they're usually in the summer when I can't get time off work. That's our busiest time.” And there he was, making the admission he was gay too. For a moment neither of them spoke. Cooper stared into Alejandro's beautiful brown eyes as he searched for something to say or do next. The decision was made for him when Alejandro's hands cupped his face and drew him closer, the sexy mouth covering his with a kiss that left Cooper shaken by the sudden passion of it. Breathless, cock thrumming with lust, Cooper returned the kiss. His arms went around Alejandro's neck, and he leaned into the contact, shocked at his own reaction, at the need that blazed through him. Oh my God!

Alejandro's heart hammered in his chest as the blond ranger returned the kiss he'd initiated. Cooper's lips parted, and he thrust his tongue inside Cooper's mouth. He could smell the crisp, clean scent of soap, the faint trace of a spicy shampoo that clung to the ranger's hair. Cooper smelled good. Tasted good. And having the man's arms around his neck excited Alejandro, made him want to lead Cooper inside the tent, lay him down in the sleeping bag, and undress him so he could see what was beneath those thick layers of clothing.

But what he wanted and what could happen were not one and the same. The air was freezing, and Alejandro didn't even undress to sleep in such bitter-cold conditions. It wasn't safe. He ended the kiss and gazed into eyes blue as the bright summer skies reflected in deep lakes. Eyes that burned with intense desire to match his own. “I…uh…” Cooper stuttered. Alejandro set a gloved finger over the other man's lips to silence what he was going to say. He shook his head. “Enjoy the moment,” he murmured, then pressed his lips to Cooper's for a second kiss. He explored the man's mouth with his tongue, savoring the intimacy, the feel of being with another man, even if in this limited way. How long had it been since he'd had a lover? Six months? Seven? He couldn't remember the exact amount of time since he'd last taken someone to his bed—or made love with anyone, for that matter. He only knew he'd been lonely, longing for a connection with another man. A connection deeper than casual gym or barpickup one-night-stand sex offered. Okay, hit the brakes here. Just because you've shared two kisses—scorching ones—doesn't mean Cooper's ready for more. He ended their second kiss and turned to busy himself by checking the water for the coffee. There wasn't enough for a full pot, so he scooped up some more snow and added it to distract himself from the thought of another kiss—or more. While he'd done one-nighters in the past, he wasn't ready to start one here and now. Not when he had so much work to do before the weather turned foul. And not when he really did want more than a few quick-and-dirty fucks between the layers of a sleeping bag.

“Maybe I should be going,” Cooper said, which broke the lingering silence that had fallen between them. “I guess I overstepped the bounds of good sense,” Alejandro remarked. To his surprise, Cooper shook his head. “No, actually you didn't.” The ranger gave him a lopsided grin and a wink. “I'm glad you kissed me. I was starting to forget what it was like to be wanted by a hot Latino.” He's got a thing for Hispanic men. That explains a lot—his letting me kiss him, his vacation in South Beach, the way he was staring at me. But did that mean he should take what he wanted? And yes, he did want Cooper. He had a thing for blond men, the same way Cooper apparently had a thing for Latin men. We both like what we see; we both want what we see. So why not? “You're into Latin men?” Cooper nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I am. I take most of my vacations in Florida.” He glanced away from Alejandro to the camp stove. “Water's hot.” Alejandro focused his attention on pouring some water into one of the dehydrated meals. He added a little more snow, keeping his mind on what he was doing rather than thinking about the hot park ranger he'd been kissing. It's a bad idea to get involved with someone I won't ever see after I'm done here. But Cooper did say he was heading for South Beach after Christmas, so there was a good chance they could meet up when Cooper arrived in Florida. But he was getting ahead of himself. They barely knew one another. Still, the attraction he felt for the ranger was powerful—an almost-primal force that left him excited and wanting the ranger. Which was strange, considering how unfriendly Cooper had been when they met. Or maybe not so strange, considering how long it had been since Alejandro had a lover.

But as he often told himself, there was no accounting for his own stupidity or the lengths his libido would go to gain satisfaction. He'd had his fair share of sexual flings over the years, most of which had ended under less-than-pleasant circumstances. Alejandro hoped he wasn't walking into another fling that would end badly. Of course, the best way to prevent that from happening was to not get involved in the first place. Unfortunately Alejandro already knew that wasn't the course of action he planned to take. He'd been on the road, lonely for companionship—any companionship—too long to turn down this opportunity. He poured two cups of water and stirred in the instant coffee, then sat beside Cooper as a few errant flakes of snow drifted from the sky. “So do you want to come back later this evening? We could have dinner, talk, maybe play some cards or something.” Cooper's gaze met his. “Play cards?” Alejandro cleared his throat. “Or something.” Cooper's eyes sparkled with good-humored mischief. “Or something, huh?” Alejandro nodded and checked his lunch to see if it was ready, just so he didn't have to look at Cooper. Much longer in the man's presence and he might suggest the ranger and he go find a way to keep warm in the tent or one of the SUVs. “Oh hey, I wasn't thinking. Do you want something to eat?” Cooper shook his head. “Don't worry about me. I've got food at the station. But you might want to eat that stuff before it freezes.”

“Yeah, it's already getting cold,” Alejandro admitted as he got a spoon out of his gear and dug into the package of stew. It wasn't the best, but it sure beat some of the stuff they'd made years ago when he and his family used to go on expeditions to different parks. And it sure beat a diet of instant-noodle cups. “So when should I come back?” Cooper asked as he took a sip of the steaming coffee. “Around six?” “Sounds good,” Cooper agreed. He downed the rest of his coffee, swished some snow around in the cup before setting it down beside the camp stove, and stood. “See you then.” Alejandro put his food aside and rose to his feet. “Sure, see you then.” He reached out to touch Cooper's arm but found himself engulfed in the man's embrace. Warm, eager lips covered his mouth with a kiss that he returned. His heart hammered, and his blood went hot; his cock hardened instantly as Cooper's tongue invaded his mouth for a brief exploration. Eyes bright with lust, Cooper pulled away from him. “Six it is,” he said. Alejandro's entire body hummed with desire. He watched as Cooper got into the park's SUV. He smiled and waved back when Cooper waved at him through the window before starting up the SUV and driving off. Alejandro watched the man drive away, his mind filled with thoughts of how hot the ranger would look stripped naked and begging for his cock. He smiled at the mental image of the tall blond facedown in the back of the rented SUV, his firm ass ready and waiting for Alejandro's cock. He blinked, turned, and went back to his food. Alejandro ate while in a daze, his mind drifting to thoughts of what the two of them were going to do later that

evening. His body tingled with the memory of their shared kisses, the feel of the blond in his arms. Alejandro then shook himself out of his reverie, cleaned up his camp, and headed out to take more potential photos for the book. The sooner he took them, the more free time he could carve out of his schedule to spend with the handsome blond park ranger.

Chapter Three Cooper made his rounds a second time, checking on the sites of the other campers in the park. No one needed help, so he returned to the ranger station. He checked for messages on the answering machine, but there were none, which meant he had some free time to do the usual paperwork and a little cleaning up in the station's kitchen. As he worked, his mind repeatedly drifted to thoughts of Alejandro and his beautiful dark eyes, his warm smile. It would be all too easy to form some sort of emotional attachment to a man like that, given time—and the right circumstances, of course. But what would be the point of becoming emotionally involved with the photographer? Even if he spent his vacation with Alejandro, it would only give him two more weeks with the Latino man. Hardly enough time to build a meaningful relationship, which was what Cooper wanted in his life. He wanted someone to go home to, someone who'd be there for him, not what would amount to another meaningless fuck with no commitments. He'd had enough of that already. Every man he'd ever been attracted to had turned into a short-term relationship. For reasons he couldn't understand, the Latino men he longed to be with didn't seem to share his desire for anything more enduring. He didn't understand it, wished he could figure it out, but had no answers to whatever the problem might be. But the pull of the hot Latino photog could not be denied. He wanted the man, and he intended to have him. Or more to the point, be had by him. If it only lasted

the few days he had until his vacation, or if it extended into his vacation and then ended, he would have gotten something out of it: pleasure and a few weeks to forget how lonely his life had been these last couple of years. I hope to hell he's macho and dominant. He really enjoyed sex when the other man he was with went alpha male on him. It was one of the biggest turn-ons for Cooper. Sex was good, but he enjoyed it most when he was being dominated by a hot Latino. Just thinking about Alejandro exerting control over him got Cooper so hot, he considered masturbating. He quickly decided against it. Too much fantasy before a date often left him feeling dissatisfied with the real thing. He couldn't help his mind drifting to visions of Alejandro dressed in leather, holding a soft suede cat-o'-nine-tails. He didn't really care for a lot of pain and had never really gotten involved with the hardcore D/s and BDSM scene, but a little play added spice to sex. And he really enjoyed a spicy Latin man in leather. The thought brought a smile to Cooper's lips as he headed to the back of the station and the small living area where the resident rangers pulled their overnight duties. The room was within earshot of the weather-alert radio and the station phone, so if anything happened, whoever was on duty would hear the beep from the radio or the ring of the phone. He considered what he and Alejandro would do out at Alejandro's camp and wondered if he should try to convince the photographer to come back to the station for dinner and sex. He didn't have anything fancy to offer. A selection of nuke-andeat meals, some frozen burgers, and a package of onion rolls for dinner, which would be followed by sex on a twin bed. But that was, to his way of thinking, a lot better than dehydrated camping meals and sex in the back of a cold SUV. The thing he worried about making the offer was that Alejandro might think he was being a bit pushy if he suggested a change of venue.

Maybe next time. That is, if there is a next time. He showered, shaved, and changed into a clean uniform. Glancing at the clock, he headed out. He would be meeting Alejandro in about two hours, which left him time to make one final round of the campsites before the day faded into twilight. It would be full dark by the time he'd made it to Alejandro's campsite.

***** The warm glow of camping lanterns greeted Cooper as he brought the SUV to a stop beside Alejandro's campsite. The flicker of a fire and the added flame of the camp stove told him that his host had gotten things ready for his arrival. When he stepped out of the SUV, he could smell coffee brewing, along with the scent of chili. Chili. That smells much better than those dehydrated things. I wonder if it's canned or one of those expensive, fancy brands that comes in a jar. “Hello, Cooper. I was wondering if you'd decided not to come,” Alejandro remarked as he stood to greet the ranger. “Sorry I'm late. I had to sort out a minor situation at one of the other camps. They accidentally locked their keys inside their four-wheel drive and couldn't get them out.” “Did you manage to get the door open so they could get their keys?” Cooper nodded. “I'm an old hand at unlocking doors. It happens at least once a week in the summertime around here,” he explained. Alejandro motioned to a low folding camp chair near the fire. A blanket was draped over it. “I thought you might like the blanket to help you keep warm.”

“Thanks,” Cooper said as he walked to the seat. He spread the blanket out over the chair, noticing it was a thermal one. Well, it will keep my butt from getting cold through the chair if the wind starts to pick up. The weather forecast called for light breezes out of the northeast, and in the bitter cold of a Rocky Mountain night, even a light wind tended to suck the heat right out of a person. He sat down and wrapped the blanket around the rest of his body, glad for the added warmth. The fire popped and crackled, and Cooper leaned closer to watch Alejandro in the flickering light. The Latino's eyes caught the firelight, awakening the golden sparks within the depths of his dark gaze. The stark light and shadow of the fire brought out the lines of Alejandro's masculine features, and Cooper had to direct his gaze elsewhere or be caught staring. The sound of the fire crackling filled the silence, neither of them speaking. Cooper glanced in Alejandro's direction and found the man's gaze on him, the look intense. Desire did more to warm Cooper than the blanket around him. A knot formed in his chest as his cock stiffened and pressed uncomfortably against the zipper of his flannel-lined winter pants. “The chili's almost hot,” Alejandro stated as he redirected his attention to the contents of the pot. “Good, I'm really hungry,” Cooper freely admitted. “It's the cold,” Alejandro remarked. “I wind up ravenous by the time I'm done taking a couple dozen pictures. I came back early and ate one of those dehydrated Stroganoffs I brought, but I'm already hungry again.” “Making heat does take a lot of caloric energy,” Cooper said. “I've been known to eat two cans of chili in one shot after working outside in the cold for a couple of hours.”

Alejandro served up the chili, and the two of them ate quickly, downing it before the food could start to freeze. They followed it up with steaming cups of coffee, Cooper's with a sprinkling of dry creamer, Alejandro's with a spoonful of sugar. Cooper watched Alejandro, waiting for the Latino to make the next move, whatever it might turn out to be. I wonder when he's going to ask me into the back of his SUV for sex. “I've got camp-stove popcorn. Want me to make some?” Cooper blinked. “Um…sure, if you want.” I thought we were going to have sex, and here he wants to make popcorn? He sighed. Alejandro set aside his coffee cup. “I left it in the back of the SUV.” “Do you need help finding it?” “I might. It's pretty dark over there.” “I'll hold the lantern, then,” Cooper volunteered. Guess I'll make the best of it. Maybe he's nervous or something. He frowned. I hope to hell he hasn't changed his mind. Then again, he didn't exactly say Hey, come back later and we can fuck, either. Damn! I hope I didn't misinterpret his kisses and invitation for dinner as more than they were intended to be. That would really suck. He picked up the battery-powered lantern beside his chair and followed Alejandro to the back of his SUV. The Latino opened the door, and air warmer than the outside poured from the utility vehicle. The sunlight would have warmed the vehicle during the day, but it couldn't account for the wash of heat that poured out of the SUV now. Cooper smiled. Alejandro must have run the heater for a while before he arrived. But the heat wouldn't last long, especially not with the

door wide open. Alejandro shoved a box aside, pulled a milk crate closer, and peered into it. “I don't see it. I think we need to get into the SUV and have a better look.” “Sounds like a good plan,” Cooper replied, his pulse beginning to race. He knew where this was leading, and it wasn't to making popcorn. Alejandro climbed into the back and took the lantern so Cooper could follow him inside. A thick quilt covered most of the back of the SUV, and the rear seats had been folded down to give them more room. “Shut the door. It's getting cold in here,” Alejandro commented. Cooper closed the door and turned to Alejandro. Warm lips tasting faintly of chili closed over his mouth, and Cooper's heart ramped up to a much-faster pace. His cock stiffened, becoming fully hard at the contact. Strong arms wrapped around him, pulled him down onto the quilt, held him close. Cooper groaned, body tingling, hot and ready for whatever Alejandro had in mind.

The sound of Cooper's cry inflamed Alejandro and turned his want into a need that scorched his body. He took off his gloves and unfastened his coat without breaking their kiss. When it was off, he reached for Cooper and removed his coat and thick winter gloves. His arms wrapped tight around the ranger, and he rolled himself on top of Cooper, pressing their groins together. Despite the thermal clothing they both wore, he could feel Cooper's dick hard and eager underneath the layers of fabric. He ended the kiss, pushed himself up onto the palms of his hands, and gazed down at Cooper. Lust filled Cooper's eyes, making their intense blue color even

brighter. Or maybe it was the flush of color suffusing the blond's cheeks that made them seem even more blue than before. “What's wrong?” Cooper asked. Alejandro smiled. “You are wearing too many clothes.” Cooper chuckled. “Good point,” he replied and started to unbutton his own shirt. Alejandro gripped Cooper's hands in his and shook his head. “This is my job. Your job is to undress me when it's my turn.” Cooper's left eyebrow arched, and he licked his lips as if his mouth had gone dry. “Really?” His voice was tight with emotion. Alejandro let a small smile curl his mouth. “Yes, really.” He guided Cooper's hands above his head and pressed them to the quilt, a wordless order for them to stay there. -ow I see how far I can take this with him. I hope he's not totally vanilla. That bores me really fast. With his gaze locked on Cooper's blue eyes, he reached for the buttons of the man's drab gray uniform shirt. He slowly unbuttoned the collar, his fingertips brushing along Cooper's jaw and throat. He lowered his head, set his lips to Cooper's jaw, and starting at Cooper's left ear, kissed his way along the man's jawline, stopping at his right ear. Underneath him, Cooper squirmed and gave a low moan that brought a smile to Alejandro's face. The deep rumbling sounds of need from the other man made his own body heat with lust, but he could control it, could wait for the right moment to roll Cooper over onto his belly and slide his cock into the ranger's firm butt.

He rose onto his hands to look at Cooper, his gaze once again locked with those beautiful blue eyes. He undid the next button and lowered his head to kiss Cooper's exposed throat. Pushing the collar of the shirt aside with his chin, he latched on to the soft skin where neck joined shoulder and sucked on the sensitive curve, flicking it with his tongue, then letting it go to blow cool air across the damp flesh. “Oh God…” Cooper groaned and squirmed beneath Alejandro, then started to lift his hands from where Alejandro had placed them. Alejandro sat up, preventing Cooper's attempt to touch him. He grabbed both of Cooper's hands and forcefully pushed them down against the quilt. “Those need to stay there, understood?” Cooper nodded, lips parted, his hunger for domination clear in his gaze. Alejandro leaned down until his lips touched Cooper's ear. “The park ranger needs to behave, or I may have to punish him.” Alejandro heard Cooper swallow, felt the trembling of the man's body under him as he touched the tip of his tongue to the curve of Cooper's ear. He exhaled gently, and Cooper shivered underneath him, the ranger's reaction urging Alejandro to do more. He pushed himself up to straddle the man's hips and reached for the next button. He popped it open and pulled at the shirt, exposing the line of Cooper's collarbone. Alejandro's gaze fastened on the dip between that collarbone and the firm arch of Cooper's shoulder, then moved to the top edge of Cooper's pectoral muscles, taking in the masculine lines. He touched the firm flesh that had been hidden under the shirt. Alejandro opened the next button, exposing more flesh, more hard muscle, a dusting of golden hair. He pushed the shirt aside, leaned down, and captured the rose-gold bud of a tiny male nipple with his lips. He flicked his tongue over it and felt the hot pulse of desire ripple through him at

Cooper's cry of need. He treated the other nipple to the same tongue-flick touch and grabbed Cooper's hands when Cooper lifted them from the quilt. He stopped what he was doing to Cooper's chest and lowered his head to whisper into Cooper's ear. “You're being bad. Bad boys are punished, Cooper. Do you want to be punished?” “I don't think I could stand being punished. I want you so bad right now, my balls feel like they're going to explode.” Alejandro chuckled. “We'll get to that…eventually,” he said and resumed his slow unveiling of Cooper's body. He opened the last two buttons of Cooper's shirt and yanked it out of his pants to gaze down at the amazing six-pack revealed to him. The man's torso was a thing of beauty. Masculine perfection dusted with fine hair that caught the light like threads of spun gold. He couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to see all of Cooper, and he wanted to see him right now! He grabbed the man's left boot, yanked open the laces, and tugged it off. He tossed it aside and took off the other boot. His gaze focused intently on Cooper's surprised face, he unbuckled the dark belt and then unfastened Cooper's pants. He yanked them down and gazed hungrily at the length of Cooper's exposed cock. Like the rest of the man, it was beautiful. Long and hard as a piece of granite. He pulled Cooper's pants completely off and sat back to take in the entire picture. “Chulo lindo mio,” he murmured in Spanish. The blond gave him a blank look. “I said you are my beautiful boy,” he translated. “I know. That's why I'm looking at you like this. I'm twenty-nine years old. I'm hardly a boy.”

“Ah, to me any man I fuck is a boy,” Alejandro explained as he reached into the nearest box and took out a bottle of lube. The contents were sluggish from the cold. He frowned. I hope the condoms haven't frozen. “Check the pocket of my pants,” Cooper instructed. Alejandro smiled when he found a trio of condoms and a few small packets of lube in the pocket. “Good thinking.” “I wasn't sure you'd have any with you.” “I do, but if those are in the same shape as this lube, they're ruined,” Alejandro said as he showed Cooper the nearly frozen bottle of lubricant. Cooper laughed, took the bottle from Alejandro, and gave it a shake. “It's like a slushie.” “Not one I'd want to drink,” Alejandro commented. “Me neither. I'm not sure I want it in my butt, for that matter. It's icy cold.” Alejandro took the bottle from Cooper and studied the stuff. “It might be fun.” “It's cold enough in here without that.” Alejandro favored Cooper with a wicked smile. “But it might be fun in more tropical climes,” he stated and set the bottle aside. “I'd like to point out someone is still very much overdressed,” Cooper remarked as he reached for the buttons of Alejandro's shirt. Alejandro grabbed his hands. “Ah, ah, ah,” he chided, shaking his head. “I did not say you could undress me.”

Chapter Four “Party pooper,” Cooper muttered. Why won't he let me undress him? He got out lube and condoms, so he definitely wants to fuck, but he won't undress? I don't get it. He complied when Alejandro pushed his hands to the quilt for the third time, but there was a frown on his face. “You just watch,” Alejandro commanded as he set both condoms and lube aside. Cooper sighed. “All right. I'll watch.” -ow if I knew what I was supposed to be watching, I might be less annoyed. So far nothing had gone the way Cooper had hoped, and lying in the cold, naked, while Alejandro remained fully clothed was not Cooper's idea of a good time. He was beginning to think the entire night was a mistake. With his dark eyes focused on Cooper, Alejandro calmly unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves. Then, starting at the collar, he began to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt, one by one. There wasn't any music. There were no sounds except the soft rustle of cloth and the sound of Cooper's breathing as Alejandro revealed his chest button by button. Alejandro's chest was firm and well developed, the sort of chest you got from leading an active life that included swimming in the ocean and trips to the gym to lift weights. Cooper wanted to touch, wanted to feel the tickle of dark chest hair on

his palms. His fingers twitched, and he almost reached for what he wanted, almost disobeyed Alejandro's order to keep his hands where they were. But he stopped himself. Alejandro pulled his shirt open so Cooper could get a good view of a six-pack that made his belly look flabby by comparison. His mouth went dry, his heart slammed around in his chest as if it were trying to break free of his rib cage, and his cock twitched with lust. The ache in his balls brought a groan from him. Alejandro smiled down at him like an angel who'd tasted sin and wanted more. Wanted it with him. Cooper swallowed and forced himself not to move, not to grab what he wanted and kiss Alejandro until they were both too far gone for anything but fucking. Alejandro took off his hiking boots. His gaze intent, filled with desire, and focused on Cooper, he undid the fastenings of his pants and wriggled out of them. Cooper stared. He couldn't help it. He couldn't breathe as Alejandro was finally revealed to him. The muscular chest and belly were complemented by narrow hips and long, lean thighs and firm calves. Cooper wanted to kiss every inch of the man's body. Wanted to take Alejandro's cock in his mouth and suck it until his lover cried out with release. But he couldn't do any of those things, because Alejandro had forbidden him to move. Frustrated, Cooper let out a low growl of need, trying to get Alejandro to do something with him. Shock blasted through his body when Alejandro, without any trace of warning or sign he was about to do anything, pounced on him and took his aching cock into his mouth. He was taken to the root, sucked, laved by a tongue that knew exactly what to do to drive Cooper totally wild with desire. He cried out, body soaring, teetering at the brink of release.

His cock was let go, and he cried out with loss, gasped as he was rolled over and pulled to his hands and knees, almost bumping his head on the roof of the SUV as Alejandro's hands forced his legs farther apart. He groaned. Desperate. Needed a cock inside him to soothe the fiery blaze raging in his lower body—a bonfire of lust that threatened to steal the very ability to think from his mind. “Please,” he begged. A hand smacked down on his behind. The burn on his ass sent a white-hot flare of lust right to his balls, spreading through his lower body like lava from a volcano. “Do you want me to fuck you, chulo lindo mio?” “Yes, please. I want your cock inside me. I want you to fuck me,” Cooper eagerly agreed. He wiggled his behind and felt a hand clasp his balls. He almost lost control at the feel of Alejandro's cool hand on his sac. The ability to speak deserted him, and he gave a wordless moan. Alejandro caressed his balls, which added a whole new level of torment to the desire that raged through him. He wanted to tell Alejandro to stop, but he couldn't. He couldn't form the words. Alejandro let go of his nuts, gave his ass a sharp smack that tore a cry from Cooper, and ended all contact. Cooper turned his head to see why Alejandro had stopped, to find the man opening a condom package. He wanted that thick, hard cock inside him. Wanted it bad. Worse than he'd wanted another man in a long time. Much too long. A warm, wet tongue slid over the heated spot on his behind where Alejandro had smacked him, the sensation wringing another tormented cry from him.

Cold lube hit the crack of his ass and made him jump from the icy touch. It warmed quickly, trickling down to his anus. He gasped, wanting more than the cold lube there. Alejandro got to his knees behind him, forced to bend over Cooper's back or bump his head on the roof. The SUV wasn't an ideal place for sex. He'd known that before they even got in, but the cold and the cramped space were driving that home as goose bumps, caused by the rapidly falling temperature, rose on Cooper's skin. He shivered. A second tremor rolled through him as he felt Alejandro's cockhead nudge his butt cheeks. The heat of Alejandro's cock felt like a branding iron on his chilled behind. It slipped unerringly into position, nudged the tight ring of his asshole, then slid inside. Cooper gasped at the sensation of being filled, of the hard rod of Alejandro's cock as it stroked over the bundle of nerves at the base of his prostate. White sparks showered through his vision at the intense pleasure the contact created. Alejandro gave a soft sigh as he eased out of Cooper, paused, then plunged inward. Cooper gasped as another flash of pleasure filled him. Over and over, Alejandro thrust into him, then withdrew, sending a cascade of pleasure through Cooper with every motion of his hips. He clutched the quilt underneath him and groaned with each inward motion of the hard flesh. He gasped and moaned as his body strained toward release, not quite able to make it there. “Come for me,” Alejandro murmured as his fist closed around Cooper's cock. He stroked it in a rough counterpoint to the motion of his cock inside Cooper. And there it was, rushing toward him, the primal force of pleasure rising inside him. The orgasm roared through Cooper like a tsunami to obliterate his awareness of

everything but the rod of flesh inside him and the glorious blaze of pleasure that turned his vision white like an exploding sun. Cooper felt Alejandro shudder and heard him groan as an orgasm took his Latino lover over the brink into ecstasy. Cooper's eyes closed, and his head drooped as he gasped for breath. His body shaking from the intensity of his release, he sagged to the quilt. Alejandro rested on top of him for a moment before he moved to pull the quilt over Cooper's chilled body. A hand patted his ass. “This was good. Rest.” “It's too cold in here,” Cooper remarked. It was true. The SUV was getting colder. The little heat that had lingered from the daylight and Alejandro's use of the heater was long gone. He shivered, but he was too relaxed to want to move. He'd have to move soon, though, because his body had begun to notice the chill. The SUV shook as Alejandro moved around. From the sounds of rustling cloth, Cooper figured the hot Latino was getting dressed. “Turn over.” He rolled onto his side to see what Alejandro wanted and was surprised to discover Alejandro holding his clothes. He was even more surprised when Alejandro picked up his left foot and got it into the leg of his thermal underwear, the right foot quickly following. He started to sit up, but Alejandro's dark eyes fixed him to the quilt with a silent command. Cooper shivered, but it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with Alejandro's dominating stare.

Alejandro got Cooper into his pants, then helped him put on his shirt as his blond lover shivered from the cold.

“I'll put on some hot water for cocoa when we're both dressed.” Cooper nodded. “Do you really have popcorn?” Alejandro smiled. “Yes. I'll make some of that too, if you want me to.” “I do. Sex always makes me hungry.” “Me too,” Alejandro admitted. “What's your favorite postfuck food?” “Pizza or Chinese,” Cooper told him. Alejandro pulled on his pants as Cooper pulled on his boots, then started to search under the quilt. “I like pizza and Chinese, or those Cuban sandwiches loaded with pork and toasted in the sandwich press.” “Midnights. I love those too,” Cooper said, smiling at him. Cooper's cheeks were still flushed from sex—or maybe it was the cold—and his eyes glittered like gems in the lantern's light. Alejandro couldn't help himself; he stared in admiration at the handsome man. His blond boy with the tight ass and wonderful smile. I'm going to hate going home after this. He's so hot, even in the freezing cold. “I can't find my gloves,” Cooper said, picking up the lantern so the light made a larger pool for him to see with. “They're behind you,” Alejandro said as he put on his shirt. His fingers were getting so cold, he had trouble buttoning his shirt, but he managed. Tying his boots was even harder. He was chilled and in need of something hot to warm him, which made him think of the hot thing he'd just had. Had and wanted again. His cock stiffened as he watched the play of light and shadow on Cooper's face while he moved around inside of the SUV. “Do you know which box the popcorn is in?”

“The cardboard box,” Alejandro replied as he buttoned up his coat. “The cocoa is in a box outside. I thought we might want to drink some about now, so I got it out.” “So you thought this out before I got here, didn't you?” Cooper asked. “Yes,” he admitted. Done getting dressed, Cooper found the closed pan of camp-stove-ready popcorn, and the two of them got out of the SUV, hurrying toward the fire. Alejandro gathered up some snow and put it into the pot to melt for cocoa before placing it on the camp stove. He lit the stove while Cooper stoked the fire, which had burned down to a few dull red embers and some barely visible tongues of flame. “I'm going to wait to start the popcorn until the cocoa's almost ready. It doesn't take long for this stuff to pop,” Alejandro said, making another effort at small talk. Cooper hadn't said much, and he wondered if the guy was one of those silent types that typically got on his nerves after a week. Not that it mattered one way or another. He'd be back in Miami in a week, and he wouldn't see Cooper ever again. Unless you plan to spend some time with him in South Beach. But they could discuss that later if things between them went well. The sex was good. But sex did not a good relationship make. Not by a long shot, unfortunately. If it had, he and Phil would still be together. They'd had great sex, but the rest of their relationship had been nothing short of a disaster. After a year, the hurt of their breakup was a distant memory of great sex and horrible arguments over everything under the sun. At least that's how it had seemed to Alejandro at the time. He'd regretted losing the pretty man, but Phil's inability to

hold a job coupled with his constant infidelity had finally ended with Alejandro throwing him out. He found more clean snow and scooped it up with another pot, then added it to the snow already melting on the stove. “How's the cocoa coming?” Cooper asked as he joined Alejandro by the stove. The tall park ranger wrapped his arms around Alejandro, and he couldn't help but relax and forget about Phil. While their time together was limited, Alejandro planned to enjoy it for as long as it lasted. Whether that was a few days or a couple of weeks didn't matter. What mattered was this moment, the closeness of another human being, no matter how temporary, and it helped ease the loneliness he always felt during the holiday season. Sure, he had friends. Good friends. But it wasn't the same as having family. He sighed and stared at the camp stove, wishing the water would get hot enough to make the cocoa. “What's wrong?” Cooper asked. They barely knew one another, yet Cooper had apparently picked up on the melancholy that had abruptly overtaken his thoughts. He'd been trying not to think about spending Christmas alone and eating camp food, but the closer Christmas loomed, the more unhappy he felt. Get over it. It's not like this is the first time you've been alone on Christmas. His father had died of a massive heart attack when Alejandro was in his early teens, and his mother had passed away three years ago when a truck hit her car on I-95 in West Palm Beach. Much as he loved his sister, he couldn't go to her house for Christmas, because he wasn't welcome there thanks to her husband, Diego. The man hated gays and didn't want Alejandro around the children, as if being gay were some sort of disease they could catch from him.

“I had a long day. I guess I'm just a little tired,” he said. It wasn't true, of course, but he wasn't going to discuss his life story with a guy he barely knew either. Besides, in his experience, most one-night stands really didn't give a crap about you as a person. Honestly, he didn't really care about such things when he picked up guys at the gym or a bar for down-and-dirty sex. “Do you want me to go?” Alejandro gave Cooper's question a moment of thought. “No, I offered you cocoa and popcorn, and the water's almost hot.” Cooper gave him a hug, and Alejandro turned into the circle of his embrace to return the hug. Cooper kissed him, and he returned it, wondering if he'd read Cooper's actions wrong. Maybe his silence had more to do with their not knowing one another all that well. Cooper stopped kissing him. “I want you to know I really enjoyed being with you tonight.” “You mean you enjoyed being fucked?” Cooper nodded. “Yeah, I did. It was…” The ranger shook his head as if at a loss for words. “I can't even begin to describe it. Seriously, the sex was great.” Alejandro gazed up at Cooper. Guys lied about stuff all the time, but Cooper sounded totally sincere. “Really? No bullshit?” “No bullshit,” Cooper replied. “Water's hot.” Alejandro made their snack, and the two of them sat by the fire, sipping the cocoa, eating popcorn, and making small talk about the stars, the weather, and all the fun two men could have in Florida. “I'd better go. It's getting pretty late,” Cooper remarked.

“It's almost midnight,” Alejandro agreed. Cooper stood and so did Alejandro. He walked with Cooper to the ranger station's SUV. He gave Cooper a kiss that Cooper returned, their tongues sparring, the taste of cocoa and popcorn reminding Alejandro of the ruse he'd used to get Cooper into the back of his vehicle. He ended the kiss. “It's a long drive back to the ranger's station.” “I'll be fine,” Cooper assured him. Alejandro caressed Cooper's cheek, and the blond leaned into his touch, sending a thrill of desire through Alejandro. He wanted Cooper—wanted to see him again, fuck him again. “Can you come back tomorrow night?” Alejandro asked as Cooper opened the door of the park's SUV. “I was thinking maybe you could come to the station. We've got a Christmas tree up, and I could make burgers.” “Sounds good. What time?” “How about six? That gives me time to make my last rounds for the day, and you can take advantage of as much daylight as possible for your pictures.” “I'll be down there at six, then,” Alejandro agreed. Cooper climbed into the vehicle, and Alejandro leaned in to give him a kiss. “See you tomorrow.” Cooper grinned. “I'm looking forward to it.”

Chapter Five Cooper awoke early that morning. Eager anticipation for the evening fueled him, and he got a lot of paperwork completed. He also confirmed his hotel reservation in South Beach and replied to a batch of e-mails from people interested in camping in the park, as well as to one from his boss. He emptied the spam folder, then put on his ranger hat and headed out to make his morning rounds. The SUV started up right away, and Cooper drove out to where the hikers were camped, only to find their tents and vehicles gone. They must have gotten an early start for home. He got out of the SUV and walked around the campsite, making sure no trash or dangerous objects like broken glass were left lying around. Pleased to discover the hikers had cleaned up after themselves, he got back into his vehicle and drove to where the snowboarders were camped. They too were gone, but unlike the hikers, they'd left some things behind. A ski lay in the snow beside a plastic grocery bag of aluminum cans and plastic soda bottles. This doesn't look deliberate, and the rest of the area's perfectly clean. Cooper found himself wishing all people who used the park would clean up after themselves as well as these two groups had. Most of the time, he had some sort of mess to pick up. Summer was the worst, though, with people leaving mounds of trash and broken camping equipment behind for the rangers to dispose

of, despite park rules that said campers were supposed to remove their trash from the area. He put the items left behind into the back of the SUV and drove to the next campsite on his checklist, the skiers. Their camp was empty, and he could see tracks in the light dusting of snow they'd gotten during the night. The tracks led off to the cross-country trails, because that was what this group was doing, cross-country skiing. He didn't think he'd find Alejandro in his camp, but he drove over there anyway and sat parked behind the man's rented SUV. Cooper smiled as he recalled the things that had happened in the back of that SUV. The pleasure he'd found with the Latino man had been everything he could have wanted. Well, almost everything. It wasn't a long-term relationship, but he would gladly accept whatever time he had with Alejandro. Whether that was a few more days or if it extended to his vacation time in Florida, Cooper was prepared to take what he could get of Alejandro and his skillful fucking. He finally got out of the vehicle to stretch his legs. He walked around the camp, then into it, noting how neat everything was. Alejandro didn't even leave his camp stove out when he was gone. The embers of the campfire were pushed into a neat pile at the center of the fire pit, which would make it easy to get the fire going again when Alejandro wanted to start one. Cooper smiled. And I was worried he'd be like that other photographer. Alejandro's as different from that guy as a rocket scientist is from a monkey. He couldn't help but admire and respect Alejandro's outdoorsman skills. Not everyone had the sense to keep things picked up and out of reach of animals,

especially dangerous things like plastic bottles and bags, which could choke animals searching for an easy meal of discarded food. Cooper gave it a few more minutes on the chance Alejandro might come back to make coffee or take a break, but when that didn't happen, he made the drive to the ranger station and checked the weather. A storm system had come in off the Pacific Ocean and was headed south, but the computer weather models all had it sticking to the US-Canadian border, totally missing the Rockies and Colorado. Despite the report, the system would need to be watched until it was well east of the park, because, all too frequently, the computer turned out to be wrong. Very wrong. Trying to kill time, he wiped down the counter in the main room with some wood polish that made the room smell of lemons. Then he watered the Christmas tree and decided to make another search in the storeroom for the box of ornaments Mark hadn't been able to find, because the tree didn't look right with so few decorations on it. Cooper dug through the storage closet, moving boxes of old files, the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations, and a box filled with old computer parts. He found the second box of ornaments buried under a couple of old keyboards and a calculator so old, the cord was cracking from age. Why do we keep all this junk? He sneezed from the year's worth of dust he'd disturbed while looking for ornaments and carried the box out to the front of the station. He opened it with the intent of decorating the tree, then changed his mind because it would be something he and Alejandro could share later along with cups of hot cocoa. Cocoa? Oh crap, we're out. He had plenty of coffee, so they could always drink that instead. But it wasn't the same thing.

He glanced at the calendar, where bright red squares marked the time until his vacation started. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. And of course, the day after that was Christmas. Christmas. Shit. All we've got are frozen hamburger patties, some nuke-andeat Mexican, fake Italian dinners, and a few pizzas. Those aren't meals anyone wants to eat on Christmas, including me. He grabbed the keys to the SUV, scribbled out a hasty note on a piece of paper, and switched the OPEN sign in the window to CLOSED. As he headed out, he dropped the note into a plastic bin beside the door, with the writing facing up. The note said:

Be back in three hours. Went to town for supplies. Left at 1:20 p.m. Thanks for your patience, Ranger Cooper Heywood

He locked the station door, hopped into the SUV, and headed toward town. While driving, he mentally composed a list of supplies he needed just in case the weather system went the wrong way. He wanted to have something better than skillet-fried hamburgers to offer Alejandro on the off chance the handsome Latino man wound up spending the holiday with him. When he got back to the ranger station with the food and supplies, the sun was slipping toward the mountains. He still had better than an hour before

Alejandro would arrive, which gave him time to put the groceries and other supplies away and get dinner started. He checked the weather service to make sure the predicted direction of the storm system remained unchanged, then got to work on dinner. Tonight it would be a roast beef. Tomorrow, precooked turkey breast, stuffing, and broccoli in cheese sauce. For Christmas he'd bought a small heat-and-serve ham, frozen mashed sweet potatoes, and a pumpkin pie. Along with a half gallon of eggnog, the hot cocoa, a box of microwave popcorn, and some other holiday-type treats, he felt ready to entertain Alejandro. He'd just gotten dinner started when he heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside. He hurried to the window to see who it was, but the SUV wasn't the one belonging to the photographer, as tents and other camping gear were fastened to its roof. Cooper put on his public-servant smile as a woman got out of the SUV and came in. She smiled at him. “Hello, Mr. Heywood. We stopped by to let you know we're heading home. We had a great time. Merry Christmas.” “Well, I'm glad you had a nice time. Merry Christmas and drive safe. The road's clear, so you should make good time.” “Thanks,” she said, waved to him, and left the station. He watched her climb into her SUV, the other people inside waving at him. He waved in return and watched them pull out of the drive. Whistling the chorus of a half-forgotten Christmas song, Cooper decided to dig out a couple of the station's holiday CDs because buying food for their Christmas meal had filled him with the holiday spirit. Or perhaps it had more to do with the fact he'd be spending it with the hottest Latin man he'd met in a long time.

He bopped his way toward the station's office to look for the collection of CDs they kept on a shelf at the back of the room.

Alejandro tramped through the trees, mentally going over the day's work. During his lunch break he'd checked quite a few of the digital images, and he wasn't terribly pleased with most of the photos he'd taken. There were, of course, a few with potential, but the majority he'd shot weren't suitable for the book—or anything else, for that matter. He'd used a lot of memory cards and filled up several thumb drives with pictures. I need to ask Cooper where those good locations for pictures are. He mentioned them, but he didn't tell me where to find them. After today, I could use some help finding solid images for the book. He reached his camp and got his photo viewer from the thermal protective box inside the SUV. He had to protect both the batteries and the LED screen from the cold, and the best way he'd found to do that was to keep them in a couple of thermal containers with a chemical foot warmer inside the box. He sat down inside the SUV, where it was nominally warmer from the sunlight. Alejandro put one of the afternoon's filled thumb drives into a port and turned on the device. He gazed out the window while he waited for it to start, and then scanned through the pictures. He found nothing he wanted to use. When he got to the end of the first drive's images, he unplugged it and connected the second drive. Like most of the pictures he'd taken, none of these captured his interest either. The last drive in his pocket had a single image that could work: a young deer standing in front of a snow-dusted evergreen, its gaze focused directly on Alejandro. He'd gotten that shot a split second before the animal bounded off into the trees.

Done with the near-futile search, he put the digital photo viewer back in its warm container and stepped out of the vehicle. He should have been getting ready to drive down for dinner with Cooper at the ranger station, but he hesitated. He hadn't had a shower in a couple of days, and he knew he had to smell. While some men might like that sort of thing, Alejandro found it rather disgusting. He considered his options while he got out his gear. He stuffed a pot full with snow and put it on the camp stove to heat. He could take a sort of bath in the SUV if he was both quick and efficient with his use of water, soap, and time—time being the most important factor, because he didn't want to freeze. Once the water was hot, he climbed back into the SUV and stripped. Washing himself down in the back of the vehicle was very awkward, and he briefly considered giving up, but he persevered and managed to get reasonably clean without freezing to death. He was shivering and deeply chilled by the time he put on some clean clothes, and a quick glance at his watch let him know it was almost six o'clock. He moved from the back of the SUV to the front, started up the vehicle, and began the drive down to the ranger's station. Warm, welcoming light spilled out of the big plate-glass window at the front of the station, and a light by the door added to the homey atmosphere. Through the window, Alejandro could see a Christmas tree's cheery sparkle, its colored lights blinking with a festiveness that warmed him in ways the heater in the SUV never could. Alejandro loved the holidays, which made being alone for them all the more depressing. Maybe this year will be different for once. He parked the vehicle and stepped out. He was about to reach up to knock, which was silly since the ranger station was, technically, a public building.

The door swung open before his hand could touch it, and there stood Cooper in a brown sweater and a pair of slightly darker brown pants. “I saw the headlights in the window as you pulled up,” he explained, a smile turning his mouth into a sexy invitation Alejandro accepted. He reached up, took the sides of Cooper's face in his hands, and claimed the man's mouth with his. Cooper responded to the kiss by wrapping his strong arms around him and moving closer until their bodies were pressed tightly together. The hard rod of Cooper's cock pressed to his thigh, and Alejandro chuckled because his own cock had stiffened just as rapidly while they kissed. Cooper ended the kiss and stepped back. “Well, now that we've had the appetizer, how about some dinner?” Alejandro nodded. “Sounds good.” He followed Cooper inside, pushing the door closed behind them. The aroma of roast beef and potatoes wafted over from the back of the station, and Alejandro's mouth watered. While the dehydrated food he'd brought with him wasn't bad, as far as camping food went, the smell of a home-cooked meal teased his senses the way Cooper's presence teased his libido. “Smells good.” “Thanks,” Cooper replied as he lifted the pass-through in the counter and ushered him through. “If the roast tastes good and isn't as dry as desert sand, I'll count the meal a success. I've never been the best cook, but I can follow a recipe. What about you?” Alejandro shrugged. “I eat out a lot,” he admitted as he followed Cooper into the small kitchen area and paused to take in the room. It wasn't big, as far as station kitchens went, but Cooper had put some effort into decorating it for the holiday. A festive Christmas tablecloth covered the table, the background a crisp white with bright red poinsettias printed on the vinyl. The table had already been set with

paper plates printed with a Christmas motif—poinsettias and holly—and red plastic forks and knives. Christmas lights twinkled around the room, hung on pushpins, and reindeer clings adorned the windows. A paper cutout of Santa and Mrs. Claus was fastened to the refrigerator with candy-cane magnets. Did he decorate for me, or was all this stuff already here? He didn't know, but somehow he got the impression that Cooper wouldn't have decorated like this if he had been spending the holiday alone. A CD player sat on the counter, and Cooper pushed a button. A traditional Christmas song started playing, and Alejandro's smile widened. This is going to be a good Christmas. At least I won't be eating dehydrated turkey and dressing alone by my campfire. “Make yourself at home,” Cooper instructed as he opened the oven door. The heady aroma of the roast beef made Alejandro's stomach rumble in appreciation as he took a seat at the kitchen table. Cooper turned a smile on him. “I heard that. Sounds like you're hungry.” “Not that I realized until I got a good whiff of that roast just now,” Alejandro replied honestly. “It smells good enough to eat.” Cooper's laugh was infectious, and Alejandro laughed with him as he opened the roasting pan and poked the meat with a fork. “It's almost done. I guess we'll see in about half an hour how close to edible I got this meat to be. I've never tried making a pot roast before, so this could be either a great meal or a dismal failure.” “I don't think it'll be a failure,” Alejandro commented. “Failures usually don't smell this good.” “That is a good point,” Cooper agreed as he put the cover on the roasting pan and closed the oven door. “You want a beer or something?”

Alejandro shook his head. “Maybe with dinner.” “I, uh…bought us some red wine to go with dinner.” Alejandro stared at the park ranger. Sophistication wasn't something he expected from a guy who spent most of his waking hours in a national park. He'd been mentally selling Cooper short without realizing it. Got to keep a leash on that snobbery. Guess I've been to too many publishers' parties in -ew York or something. “So how did your picture taking go?” Cooper asked as he sat down at the table across from Alejandro. “I wish I could say I got a lot of great shots today, but the sad truth is I have one that I can use.” “That's too bad. Maybe I can come by tomorrow afternoon and take you to some of those places I mentioned.” Alejandro smiled. “That would be great. In fact, I was going to ask you if you had the time.” “There are some skiers here, but they're leaving tomorrow. After they're gone, it's just you and me here, so I'll have a lot of time in the late morning and early afternoon to take you around. At least for a couple of days.” Cooper's expression turned thoughtful. “I thought maybe, if you want, you could come here for dinner Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.” Alejandro's lips turned upward into a warm smile. “I'd like that.”

Chapter Six Cooper had trouble keeping focused on their conversation. His gaze kept wandering to Alejandro's mouth, the sensual curvature of his very kissable lips. Cooper's thoughts drifted over and over to the Latino man's scorching kisses. On the way Alejandro had fucked him, taken him, pleasured him. He'd enjoyed it immensely. More to the point, he wanted more of the man's kisses, his cock, his skillful fucking. “…but to be sure, I need at least ten or twelve more images for the book.” Cooper realized he hadn't heard anything Alejandro had said to him for the past minute or so. He took a guess, based on the last thing Alejandro said, and replied, “Well, there are some good spots around that might work. It would help me, though, if I had a better idea of what you want.” Alejandro nodded. “Do you have a computer that can connect to a thumb drive? I've got some of my favorite images stored on a couple of those.” “Sure,” Cooper replied. “We've got some computers in the office back there,” he said, gesturing down the hallway on the other side of the kitchen. Alejandro got up. “I'll be right back. I left them in the SUV.” Cooper watched Alejandro head out of the kitchen, his gaze taking in the man from behind and enjoying the view of broad shoulders, a tapered waist, a firm butt, and muscular thighs encased in a pair of close-fitting jeans.

Too bad he lives so far away. I really wouldn't mind having a permanent lover. Someone to go home to after my shift at the park is done. Cooper sighed and shook his head, because even if they did live closer together, there couldn't be much of a relationship. Not with Alejandro flying around the country, taking pictures for his books, and him being on shift at the park for days at a time. Alejandro returned with the tiny drives, and Cooper led him to the computers in the back where Alejandro showed him the pictures he'd taken. The first batch had come from Yellowstone, the park dusted with frost. The second drive was filled with stunning images of Grand Teton National Park under a layer of frost that became heavy snow toward the end of the photographs on that drive. The images were stunning and left Cooper in awe of Alejandro's skill with a camera, while at the same time evoking a sense of wonder at the natural beauty of winter. “They're amazing,” he said. “Thank you,” Alejandro replied and placed a gentle kiss on Cooper's lips. A pulse of desire thrummed through Cooper; his balls ached as his cock stiffened. He wanted Alejandro. Needed to feel the Latino man's hard flesh deep inside him. He bent down to return the kiss, but the timer he'd set to let him know when the pot roast was done beeped. Cooper gave Alejandro a sheepish smile and left the office to get the food out of the oven. The rich scent of beef filled the air. Alejandro joined him in the kitchen. For the next half hour they chatted about their lives as they ate, Cooper listening with actual interest—and how often did that happen?—to Alejandro's stories of world travel and photography.

Together they cleared the dishes, and for some reason, this simple task reminded Cooper of his parents, when after meals he and his brothers and sister would head off to do homework while his mom and dad cleaned up together. “So I think my next book is going to be about a city rather than a season. I've already done Paris and London, so I was thinking this time I should do a book set in America,” Alejandro said as he rinsed out the pots while Cooper put away the leftover food. “It must be great, traveling around the world like that,” Cooper remarked. “I admit I've had a lot of fun, but you soon get tired of hotel rooms and eating in restaurants you're unfamiliar with, not to mention struggling to find just the right images to make for a good book. Sometimes the things that look great in person just don't work because of lighting or other factors.” Cooper put leftover food into the fridge and helped Alejandro dry the pots. He put the dry pots into the cabinet and turned to throw away the plastic utensils, only to find himself enfolded in powerful arms and pulled close to a hard body and a very stiff rod of pure need pressed to his thigh. His own response was instantaneous, his cock growing hard with desire. He'd wanted this since Alejandro had arrived, but Alejandro's abrupt move came as a shock. Like a bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky, the kiss electrified Cooper, reminding him of everything he wanted from life: someone to come home to, someone to talk to in the evenings, someone to share his life with. Someone to love. He held on tight to Alejandro, relishing the feel of Alejandro's arms around him. The way Alejandro claimed his mouth…he plundered it like a conqueror taking what was rightfully his.

Alejandro ended their kiss. For a moment, his dark eyes held Cooper's gaze, then in a voice roughened with passion, he said, “I want you on a bed, and I want you there now.” Cooper smiled. “In a hurry?” “For a bed, yes,” Alejandro replied. “But once we're on it, I don't plan to rush.” “Well, in that case,” Cooper said as he took Alejandro by the hand, “the bed is this way.” He led Alejandro into the bedroom with the single twin bed, normally used by the two female rangers who alternated their duties at the park, rather than the room with the bunk beds used by the male rangers. “It's not big, but I guarantee it's more comfortable than the back of that SUV you rented,” Cooper stated. “You won't get any argument from me about that,” Alejandro agreed. “And it's going to be a lot warmer than the back of my SUV too.” “No doubt,” Cooper admitted. He reached for Alejandro's shirt and froze with his hands held up in front of him. Last night Alejandro had taken charge, refusing to let Cooper touch him until Cooper was naked. Alejandro's sexy mouth curled into a welcoming smile. “Chulo lindo mio,” he said as he took Cooper's hands in his and guided them to the buttons of his shirt. “You may remove my shirt.” Cooper lowered his head, accepting the instruction from Alejandro, accepting the role of the submissive. Cooper's mouth went dry as he opened the first button of Alejandro's shirt. In a bold move, he leaned in close and kissed the faintly stubbled skin just under the edge of Alejandro's jaw. Alejandro smelled of soap and a faint, spicy cologne that was purely male, totally Latino. He shuddered, wanting more, wondering how far he dared to go with Alejandro.

In a repeat of what Alejandro had done to him the night before, Cooper slid his fingers to the second button and undid it, then kissed the newly exposed flesh and worked his way down. Alejandro's hands slipped under the sweater Cooper wore to rub his back with slow caresses, fanning and heating Cooper's desire until he couldn't stand wearing the sweater anymore. He paused his exploration of Alejandro to shrug himself out of the knit garment and tossed it aside. He went back to what he'd been doing, his lips finding firm flesh, his hands pulling open the last buttons on Alejandro's flannel shirt. Cooper tugged at the cloth, pulled it out of the waistband of Alejandro's pants, and shoved the shirt off the man's shoulders, leaving it to fall to the floor. Cooper touched and kissed the broad chest, the hard ripples of Alejandro's abs. Then moving lower, the tip of his tongue found the tiny indentation of Alejandro's belly button. Hands pressed downward on his shoulders, and he knelt at the wordless command. Alejandro gripped the back of his head and guided it to the crotch of his jeans, where the outline of his dick showed just how much Alejandro wanted him. Cooper's own cock ached to be touched, but he'd already given Alejandro silent permission to dominate him when he'd lowered his head earlier. There was no changing his mind. Cooper knew how this worked. Once you'd submitted, you couldn't change your mind. Not with someone like Alejandro. He could see it in the Latino's heated gaze, the intensity of his stare, the seriousness of his expression. They were playing a game, sure, but for Alejandro—and Cooper too, really—the game was serious. Not that Cooper wanted to change his mind, because what they were doing was precisely what he wanted from Alejandro. Domination to illuminate his submissive nature the way a meteor brightened the darkness of the night sky.

He reached up and undid the button of Alejandro's jeans. His hands deliberately pressed the hardness in teasing strokes as he slid the zipper down. Alejandro sighed as Cooper freed his erection and took the thick rod into his hand to stroke the satiny flesh. Cooper opened his mouth to take in the head, his lips stopping behind the flared rim instead of taking Alejandro's entire length. He sucked and laved his tongue over the hard knob, tasting salty droplets of precum, and closed his eyes at the sensation of Alejandro's erection throbbing in his mouth to the beat of the Latino's heart. “That feels really good, Cooper,” Alejandro murmured, his hands stroking through Cooper's hair. Fingers pressed the back of his head, urging him to do more, to take Alejandro's cock deeper into his mouth. He obeyed Alejandro's wishes and took the flesh deep into his throat. His tongue stroked the silken length of Alejandro's cock as he sucked. He enjoyed sucking dick, and he'd developed some skill at it over the years since he'd come to the realization in his first year of college that he was gay. He'd accepted it and never worried about it being a mistake. Being who you were meant to be was never a mistake. Alejandro groaned a wordless sound of pleasure. His hands tightened in Cooper's hair, and Cooper would have smiled if he could without breaking the suction on the dick in his mouth. He deep throated the hard rod, then licked away a droplet of precum as he eased the cock out of his mouth until only the head remained before engulfing it again. Alejandro's fingers pressed the back of his head, holding him where he was as the man gently fucked his mouth.

The feel of hot, wet flesh wrapped around his cock left Alejandro in a quandary. He wanted to fuck Cooper, but the man had such an incredible talent for

sucking dick that he found himself torn between what they were doing and what he wanted to do. Cooper's hands gripped his butt and held him tight, which made his intention clear. Cooper planned to make him come in his mouth. He closed his eyes and permitted the handsome park ranger to do what he evidently wanted to do. Alejandro surrendered that small amount of control to the man kneeling at his feet, permitting him a victory suited to a submissive: taking the man who'd mastered him to completion. Fire grew inside him, seething and churning as the need for release intensified to a fever pitch. His balls tightened and his grip on the back of Cooper's head forced him deep into the man's mouth as his body surrendered to Cooper's talented lips and tongue. He spilled inside Cooper with a low groan and a murmured “chulo lindo mio.” The firm wetness of a tongue swept over his softening cock to lap away the fluid he'd spilled. He sighed, relaxed, and felt strangely at peace for the first time in a very long while. Why he'd feel this way with a man he barely knew, Alejandro couldn't have said; he had no explanation, and really, it didn't matter. All that mattered was the moment and the fact he could find peace with the fair-haired park ranger. Granted, it would be a fleeting, ephemeral sort of peace, lost forever once they went their separate ways, now or after Cooper's vacation in Florida ended. I've accepted being gay, but why do I have to accept being alone? Is it so wrong for me to want more than a few stolen days with a handsome man? But so far fate hadn't given him more than a few short relationships, doomed to fall apart because he wasn't in any one place long enough for anything long term.

His mood soured then, and he stepped away from Cooper, wondering if he should get dressed and leave, forget about Cooper, and put foolish wants behind him. Looking down at the man's beautiful eyes, at the puzzled expression on the handsome face, stopped Alejandro where he stood. Something in Cooper's gaze…a hint, perhaps, of disappointment? Or was it something else? Sadness? The same lonely ache Alejandro felt every time a relationship, even a brief one, ended? Moved by the look, he took Cooper's hands in his and pulled the man to his feet. When Cooper was standing, he took the ranger into his arms, captured his mouth, and kissed him. His tongue delved inside and tasted his own seed in the man's mouth. Cooper shuddered in his hold, and he pulled Cooper even closer. Cooper's arms went around him, returning the tight embrace, their bodies pressed close, tongues slipped and slid. Cooper had given him something special, a moment of peace that was hard to come by anywhere. Alejandro wanted to show his appreciation even if he didn't explain himself to Cooper. He toed off his boots and stepped out of his pants. Still kissing Cooper, he backed his lover toward the bed. He wanted to enjoy more of the blond, and his cock ached to sink to the root within Cooper's tight heat. “I want you, Cooper,” he said, his voice roughened with desire. “Then what are you waiting for, Alejandro?” “Nothing,” he replied and quickly removed Cooper's pants and underwear. He tossed them aside and stared at Cooper for a moment, taking in the man's masculine beauty. Cooper really was beautiful, with broad shoulders, a deep chest, and well-defined abs. He wanted to take pictures of Cooper posed in some tropical setting, with the sun gleaming on his golden hair, the shadow of a palm tree painting shadows across his skin.

Alejandro wrapped his arms around Cooper and kissed him until they were both gasping for air; then he eased Cooper to the bed. Almost forgetting the other part of this agreement, he snatched his pants from the floor, pulled out the strip of condoms, and tore one off. The other two fell to the floor as he tried to open the package with hands that shook from emotion. Cooper took the packet from him, tore it open, removed the condom, and rolled it down the length of Alejandro's cock. The feel of Cooper's strong, sure hands on his throbbing dick sent a blaze of lust through Alejandro, and he claimed Cooper's mouth with his again. The two of them kissed as the condom was fitted, and then Alejandro pressed Cooper to the bed. He pushed his legs upward so they were almost bent double, then lifted them by the calves until Cooper's legs were over his shoulders. The tight pucker of Cooper's anus was easy for Alejandro to find at this angle, and he gently pressed the tip of the well-lubricated condom to the entrance of Cooper's body. “Don't tease,” Cooper hissed out with a gasp, his hands clutching at Alejandro's biceps. Alejandro nudged the head of his cock against the firmness of Cooper's behind again and asked, “You're sure you're ready?” “Hell yes! Now fuck me! Fuck me, please!” Cooper replied, the demand tempered by a pleading note in his voice. “Bossy little bottom, aren't you?” Cooper laughed, the sound low, sexy. “Sometimes. Do you mind?” Alejandro shifted his knees on the bed, edged closer to Cooper, and smiled. “Sometimes.” His answer drew another sultry chuckle from Cooper that drove a spike of lust right through Alejandro's mind and sent it straight to his groin. His cock thrummed with the need to be embraced within tight heat, and he pushed

slowly. The head of his cock pierced the tightness of Cooper's ass, and he closed his eyes as his cock went deeper, the tightness slid down, down, down, until he was fully seated inside Cooper. “Oh yeah, that's good,” Cooper groaned. “One thing, though.” Alejandro stopped and gazed at Cooper, wondering what was wrong. “Yes?” “I just wanted to point out I'm hardly a little bottom.” “You're my beautiful little boy. Now shut up and let me fuck you,” Alejandro said with a growl. Cooper smirked. “I'll indulge your fantasy.” “Yes, indulge me,” Alejandro replied as he started to move inside Cooper, each thrust slow and deep. “But you are still my beautiful boy. Don't try and convince me otherwise.” Cooper's chuckle rolled through Alejandro. Sunk deep into his lover's body, with laughter rich as caramel filling his ears, he found himself fighting for control when what he wanted to do was fuck Cooper hard and fast. He rode Cooper, the two of them rocking to the primal urges buried inside them both—urges composed of passion, the basic need for human contact, for sex. Alejandro picked up the pace. His hips moved faster, and as Cooper's hands gripped his shoulders, the man's blue eyes met and held his gaze. Alejandro watched as Cooper's face transformed under the lash of passion that filled him. He normally shut his eyes with his lovers, but with Cooper he found he wanted to observe as the fuckblush colored the blond's cheeks, as his mouth opened to take in gasping breaths. He lowered his head, captured Cooper's mouth, and kissed him, muffling Cooper's cries as his body shuddered.

He felt his balls tighten as the tension inside his body neared the peak. Alejandro considered stopping, considered trying to make it last, but decided against it. He wanted the release too much. Lightning blazed across his vision as the orgasm tore through him, his hips thrusting hard and rough into Cooper. He gripped Cooper's cock and stroked a counterpoint to his thrusts. Cooper shuddered and groaned into the kiss as something hot and wet spattered against Alejandro's belly and hand. Gasping for breath, Cooper twisted under him, rolling Alejandro off him without ending their breathless kiss. Cooper's tongue drove into his mouth, a conqueror come to take what he wanted, plundering Alejandro's mouth the way no one in a long time had tried. Cooper ended the kiss braced above Alejandro on his hands. “So you ready to be my boy?” Alejandro grinned, shook his head no, and took off the used condom. He tied it in a knot and tossed it into the trash can near the door. “I'm no one's boy,” he replied. He didn't dislike being fucked, but he'd discovered that with most men, keeping the dominant position kept some distance between them. But did he want that sort of distance with Cooper? That was the safe thing to do—keep his distance. Alejandro was getting tired of playing it safe, though he had to admit to himself now wouldn't be the best time to open up, especially not to a man who he'd see—maybe—for another week at most and then never again. But the desire to make the man his forever, to mark Cooper as Cooper had marked him in ways he was sure Cooper wasn't aware of… Cooper might ridicule him if he did find out just how much Alejandro needed and wanted him.

That wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. He'd become the alpha male, the dominant, so it would never happen again. Vulnerability was something he no longer showed to other men. It led to being hurt the same way visiting his sister led to emotional upheaval. But sex. Good, down-and-dirty sex, though emotionally unfulfilling, was safe. “Okay, you're no one's boy.” Cooper smiled at him. “You want to go another round as my top?” “I don't know. You keep saying you're not my boy,” Alejandro teased. He wrapped his arms around Cooper and returned the kiss, shocked to discover that Cooper's recently expended dick had begun to harden a second time. The feel of that hard flesh against his thigh, the impassioned kisses Cooper lavished on his mouth, his face, his shoulders, the teasing bites on his nipples, all served to revive Alejandro's cock too. Their legs were entwined, and mouths and hands caressed as Alejandro and Cooper explored one another's bodies. Cooper picked up the two condoms from the floor. Alejandro smiled and reached for one of them. Cooper shook his head, smiled wickedly, and rolled it onto Alejandro's cock. “I'm going to ride me a Latino stallion.” Alejandro couldn't help himself; he started laughing, and Cooper joined him. “Sounds like bad porn, doesn't it?” Cooper asked. “Yeah, it does,” Alejandro agreed as he gripped Cooper's hips. “So ride 'em, cowboy.” Laughing, Cooper straddled Alejandro. The hand he wrapped around Alejandro's cock was firm, confident, like Cooper himself.

Alejandro groaned as his cock slipped through the tight ring of muscle into Cooper's body. He gripped Cooper's hips as the hot blond rode his dick, bouncing up and down on him. Pleasure rocketed through his body, making him soar on a blaze of intense passion. He enjoyed doing the fucking, but the way Cooper rode him—hard and fast—sent his body into overdrive. His balls felt as if they were on fire, his dick in a vise of passion, and his mind spun and soared upward, his body driven onward by the firm pressure of Cooper's tight hole. “Son of a b—” But he couldn't finish what he'd started to say, the ability to form coherent words torn from him by a powerful orgasm that blanked out his mind in a brilliant flash, bright as a comet.

Chapter Seven Cooper gazed out the window, watching the patina of frost on the outside pane slowly melt in the warm light of the morning sun. Despite the narrowness of the bed they'd shared, Cooper felt a pang of sadness as Alejandro got up and began to dress. He'd relished sleeping in Alejandro's arms, sharing the closeness of lovers even if actual emotional attachment was impossible. A gulf lay between them, their lives on such vastly different roads that there could be nothing permanent between them. “I wish we could stay in bed all day,” Cooper remarked. “Me too, but the pictures won't take themselves, and I've got to get some better shots today. The weather won't hold forever,” Alejandro replied as he buttoned his shirt. “You sure you don't want to stay for breakfast?” Alejandro turned, smiled, and leaned down to give Cooper a quick kiss. “I'd love to stay, but I can't. Every minute I'm not out there is a potential shot I've lost, and with the days being so short this time of year, I can't afford to lose too much daylight. As it is I'm getting a later start than I should.” “Oh,” Cooper said, his disappointment seeping out of the word the way the cold seeped into the room through the window. He shivered from the tiny draft and

glanced out the window, watching as the gentle wind made the broad evergreens sway like hula dancers. That's Hawaii, not Florida. In Florida they'd be salsa dancers, and the wind would need to blow harder for that sort of dance. “I have to check on some folks; then I'll come by your camp and show you to a few of those places I told you about.” “That would be great,” Alejandro said as he put his boots on. “Say we meet there around one?” Cooper nodded. “That gives me time to get some work done, check on the last group of people here, and meet up with you.” Alejandro bent down again and gave him another kiss. “See you at one, then.” Cooper shoved the covers aside and got up, intending to catch Alejandro and give him another kiss, but before he could get out of bed, the Latino had left the room. The tap of his rapid footfalls echoed in the quiet ranger station as loud as Cooper's heartbeat. He would have followed Alejandro to the door, except for the concern that someone entering or leaving the park could pull up at any second. Being seen naked in the main room of the ranger station would get him fired instantly, something he didn't dare risk. He reached for his pants, but the sound of the front door closing made him give up the idea of chasing after Alejandro. Silly to think he felt abandoned, but he did. Get over it. There are no attachments here. -one. But the feeling wouldn't leave him. Shaking his head, he picked up his clothes and headed for the room the men shared and the closet where his clean clothes were kept. He'd shower, shave, get

some work done at the station, and head off to check on the skiers. They were leaving today—might already be gone—so he'd drop by and make sure their campsite was cleaned up. Christmas Eve already. Just a few more days until my vacation starts. The question is, should I spend it with Alejandro, or should I just go and have a few hot one-nighters and enjoy myself like usual? Cooper couldn't decide, but he still had time. I want to be with him, but it's just so fucking hopeless. He's not looking for more than a hard body to fuck. A pretty boy to have sex with, then discard. “Oh what the hell? Guess I'll enjoy the ride while it lasts.”

***** Showered and shaved, Cooper did the small amount of paperwork he had to do, checked the e-mails, had a look at the weather report, and headed out to check on the skiers. The drive to their camp filled Cooper with happiness. The snowdusted Rockies glittered in the winter sun, the sky a bright cerulean backdrop that filled him—as it always did—with a sense of wonderment and awe. Such beautiful country, and he lived there, worked there. But he couldn't wait to get away from it to bake himself on a tropical beach that fronted a line of art-deco architecture as beautiful, in its own way, as the mountains. The park's SUV climbed the road toward the campground where the skiers were, and Cooper slowed, then stopped to remove a branch from the roadway. When he arrived at the camp, he was genuinely surprised to see the skiers were still there. They had two vehicles with them, both SUVS. The hood was up on the black SUV, and Cooper realized why they were still at the campground: car trouble. Nothing worse than a breakdown so far from a service

station. A tow from here cost a small fortune. He parked behind the brown SUV, and several of the skiers came hurrying up. “Thank God you're here, Ranger Heywood! We were worried you'd left the park and we'd be stuck here for Christmas,” a slim blonde woman said as soon as he got out of his vehicle. A smudge of grease marked her cheek, and a few others on her face showed she'd been trying to help figure out what was wrong with the broken-down SUV. “Hi…” He mentally searched for the woman's name. “I'm Sarah.” “Right, sorry. I meet so many people, I forget names sometimes,” he admitted as he followed her to the dead SUV. “I was surprised to see you folks still here. I thought you'd be gone, but then I saw the hood up.” “We were going to leave early this morning, but Danny's SUV won't start, and we can't figure out why,” she explained. A tall, dark-haired man Cooper thought might be Danny stood in front of the SUV, peering under its hood. Cooper joined him, noting that all the belts were intact and tight. “What happens when you try to start it?” “Nothing.” “Is there a click or anything?” he questioned, trying to get to the bottom of the problem with his admittedly limited mechanic skills. “Nope. Nothing.” “Do the headlights work?' Danny shook his head. “Nothing works. We even tried to use the lighter to run an iPod and got nothing.” “Sounds like the battery. Do you have jumper cables?”

“What are those?” Danny asked. “They're used to recharge a dead battery. Wait here. I've got some in back of the park's vehicle.” He left Danny, Sarah, and the others standing around the dead SUV and dug around in the back of the park's, searching for the jumper cables. He found them, climbed into the vehicle, and drove it slowly up to the front of the black SUV. “Stand back,” he told everyone, and he connected the jumper cables to the battery of the skiers' vehicle before getting back into his and starting it up. “What's that going to do?” one of the other young women asked. “He's trying to charge the battery with the battery in his car,” another of the skiers—a short, red-haired woman—replied. “Oh,” the first woman said. “Will it work?” Sarah wanted to know. “Depends on how dead the battery is,” Cooper answered as he stepped out of the SUV. “We'll let it charge a few minutes, then give it a try.” Cooper listened as the group chatted about their holiday plans. I'm going to spend Christmas with Alejandro. I wonder if I should pull out the stops and make it romantic, or just leave well enough alone? Damn, this is hard. I want to be with him longer than the time we're going to have together. And at the same time I know what an empty dream that is. I live and work here in Colorado. He works all over the world and lives in South Florida. He was probably making more of the situation than he should. Sure, Alejandro had agreed to spend time with Cooper during his vacation in Florida, but that certainly didn't mean any sort of emotional involvement on Alejandro's part. They were fucking, nothing more.

Same old story. He'd always been attracted to Latino men, but none of them ever seemed to want what he wanted: a long-term relationship. And here he was once more, with another hot Latino man and no prospect of more than hot sex without commitment. Cooper found the entire situation depressing. Merry fucking Christmas. “Let's give it a try,” he said to Danny as he got into the park's vehicle. Danny climbed into his SUV and turned the key. The vehicle gave a weak verring sound but wouldn't crank. “It's not working,” Sarah remarked. “The battery must be pretty dead. Give it a while longer, and we'll see what happens,” Cooper said, and he revved the park's SUV, hoping the higher RPMs of the engine would help charge the dead battery faster. The skiers milled around, their conversation filled with concern. All of them couldn't fit into the one vehicle that still worked, and none of them wanted to stay at the park and wait for their friends to come back after the holiday with a new battery. Two of the girls started to argue, and Cooper sighed. He couldn't blame any of them for not wanting to stay. Each had holiday plans with his or her family, things they wanted to do other than sit in a park eating meals out of cans. “Try it again,” he called to Danny. Please let it start. The ignition made the same verr sound, tried to catch, and failed again. One of the girls started to cry. “Don't give up yet,” Cooper told them. “I think if we give it a little more time, it's going to work.” Please let it work. The last thing I want is to share the holiday with a bunch of moody college students stuck here for Christmas. He wanted them

gone as much as they wanted to be gone because, being a “nice guy,” Cooper knew he'd have to invite whoever was stuck there to Christmas dinner, and that would not be romantic at all. He sighed, glanced at the sky over the mountains, then at his watch. Almost one. I'm going to be late meeting Alejandro. The two girls already arguing were joined by one of the guys, their voices getting louder. Cooper got out of the SUV. “Just calm down, everyone. We'll figure something out so everyone gets home for Christmas.” Even if I have to drive Danny to town and find somewhere that's open so he can buy a new battery for their SUV. “Try it again,” he told Danny. The ignition verred for the third time, but this time it sounded robust. Even better, it caught and held. The group of skiers cheered and hurried to get into their vehicles as Cooper walked around to the driver's-side door to speak to Danny. The guy got out of the SUV and took Cooper's hand to shake it. “Thanks, you're a real lifesaver, Ranger Heywood. We'd be stuck here if it weren't for you.” “Just doing my job,” he replied. “My advice to you is to not stop anywhere until you hit an open store that sells batteries. Get a new one and install it, because sometimes charged batteries die if you shut the engine off.” “Will do, and seriously, thanks,” Danny said. He got back into the driver's seat of his SUV. Sarah bounced up to Cooper and offered him a big smile. “Thanks so much, Ranger Heywood,” she said and gave him a box with bright red wrapping and a gold bow. “Merry Christmas.” Cooper returned her smile and accepted the small gift. “Thanks, but you don't have to give me anything.”

“We'd planned to leave it for all of you at the ranger station,” Sarah explained. “But we're not going to stop there now since you're here already.” “Thanks. Merry Christmas to you too,” he said. She gave him a wink and hurried off to climb into the brown SUV. With shouts of “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year,” the group of skiers drove away. Cooper glanced around their camp and saw nothing to clean up, so he got into the park's SUV and followed the group of skiers all the way to the park exit to make sure their vehicle didn't cut out on them. By the time he turned around to head back to the station, it was going on two o'clock. A thick bank of clouds could be seen rolling in across the mountain range to the west. He turned on the weather-alert radio in the SUV and frowned when all he got was static. Sometimes atmospheric conditions interfered with the radios in the park vehicles. And the sort of atmospheric conditions that caused this particular type of radio breakup weren't good ones. Cooper frowned again and stepped on the gas. He headed toward the station to check the weather report on the computer. Not long before he reached the station, it began to snow.

Alejandro glanced at the sky and frowned. He was losing the light. A thick layer of clouds made it impossible to get any good shots. The semitwilight of heavy cloud cover made photography all but impossible. “Crap,” he muttered, and he turned to see if he could get another photo of the small half-frozen waterfall he'd been photographing. But it was no use; the light had gone.

He considered his options, shot a few pictures of the puffy gray clouds rolling in over the mountains, and headed for his camp. I'll just check that weather-alert radio thing and see what's coming in. Hopefully it's going to make enough snow for me to get good pictures tomorrow, because there hasn't been much snow. Without snow, you can't really call the book Let It Snow. Maybe a good snowfall will give me a batch of good wintry photos I can use. Wouldn't it be great if I could leave at the same time Cooper heads for South Beach? Maybe we can get a flight together. I'd like that, flying beside someone I already know. He tramped along the path that led toward his camp, pausing to take a picture here and there as he went. He could see the snow coming and stopped to take a picture of a tall spruce with the lowering clouds as the backdrop. He adjusted the focus, took a step to the left to get the best angle, and snapped the picture as the first flakes of snow crossed into the image. That's going to be a keeper…so long as there was enough light. He glanced up, the soft flakes of snow drifting down to caress his face like feathers made of ice. Smiling, Alejandro started the long walk to his camp, the sound of his steps muted as the snow fell harder. Concerned that he might lose his way, he stepped up his pace to a slow jog through the trees. The path was being covered, and the trail he followed began to vanish beneath the increasingly heavy snowfall. He came to a spot where the path branched, and he paused to search for something familiar in the dimmed light. He spotted a tree he'd photographed earlier and hurried on, scared for the first time in a long while. If he couldn't find his

camp, he could get turned around, become lost, and die of hypothermia in a few short hours. His breath steamed in the air, and his nose tingled from the cold. Alejandro noticed his lips were beginning to numb. The temperature had dropped with the same rapid speed as the snow falling from the sky. He pulled a scarf out of his pocket and put it over his face. Chilled, he hurried on, pausing to get his bearings anytime he grew uncertain of the direction he should go. He took the GPS out of his pocket, hoping it would help, but the device had gotten too cold. The LED screen remained black, frozen solid and useless. “Shit, I thought it would be okay in my pocket,” he muttered and stopped again. He turned in a slow circle, attempting to spot anything familiar to help him find his way. Bright red berries on a bush caught his gaze amid the whiteness. Those are the berries where I got that bird picture. He closed his eyes and tried to envision the direction he had to take in order to reach safety. Alejandro struck out toward the place he prayed his camp and SUV were. He wove between some evergreens, his gaze focused ahead of him, his eyes searching frantically for any sign of his tent or the SUV. If he could find his camp, he'd be fine. He had a tent with a camp heater, and the stove would give him lifesaving shelter and warmth. Alejandro's foot hit something under the snow. The white ground hit him, the impact softened by the thick layer of snow. He got to his feet and looked around, the fear deepening as he realized he couldn't see more than a few trees in front of him, and he didn't recognize any of them. They all appeared the same now, with white coats of snow covering their branches. I thought I was prepared for stuff like this! How could I get lost so fast?

But he knew the answer; he'd relied on the GPS device to guide him. With the LED screen frozen, it was no use to him, which left him lost in an actual Rocky Mountain-style blizzard. If he were lucky, they'd find his body before the animals found it in the spring. Please God, don't let me die out here. Please. Alejandro stopped walking again and paused to try and get his bearings. He couldn't be far from his camp, and he was sure he'd been walking in the right direction, but the snow was falling so hard that he couldn't see more than a few steps ahead of where he stood. He moved closer to an evergreen tree to use it as a makeshift shelter against the falling snow. He glanced around, then set out in the direction he'd been going. At least he thought it was the same direction. After walking about a dozen steps, he lost his confidence in the direction he'd chosen and stopped again. This is how people die in blizzards. They get turned around and lose their way, or they go the right way but miss their camp in the whiteout. What am I going to do? He followed the clustered evergreens, but as he stepped forward, he realized he couldn't see any of the dark forms of the trees ahead of him anymore. He walked carefully forward, the hard snowfall making it difficult to see; it had gotten significantly darker. He paused, crouched down, and felt around with his hands. When he didn't feel anything, he crept forward, still using his hands in an effort to figure out where he might be. He could tell he was in a clearing, and his camp had been set up in a small clearing not far off the road.

Alejandro crawled along a few more feet, hand sweeping out ahead of him. Nothing. He kept trying, kept going. The cold seeped into him through the warm clothes he wore. They were supposed to keep the wearer warm until the temperature hit ten below zero. He shivered and got to his feet, then took a few careful steps forward. His foot hit something, and he lost his balance for the second time, falling to the snowy ground. Alejandro grabbed the thing that had caught around his ankle and got his foot out of it. When he pulled it close to see what had tripped him, relief flooded through his veins. The thing he'd tripped over happened to be one of his own camp chairs. Moving slowly, crawling along, he found the edge of the campfire, then used it to direct his creeping progress to the tent. He hurried inside, zipped the double door shut, turned on the heater, and cranked it up as high as he dared. Warmth flooded the tent, and he closed his eyes. With the end of fear, weariness folded over him like a blanket, which sent another blast of adrenaline through him. If he fell asleep and the camp heater died, he'd freeze to death and not even wake up before it happened. I need my cell phone. -o, I bet it won't work with this storm. I need help. Help. Maybe Cooper's out there looking for me, as lost as I was. He left the tent and, using it to gain his bearings, crawled through the deepening snow to the side of his SUV. He followed it to the front and reached out to see if the park's SUV was parked in front of it. He found no sign of it there, so he went to the back of his vehicle and searched for any sign that Cooper was out there looking for him. But there wasn't any park SUV there either. He'll find a way to come and get me. I'll just wait in the tent.

Careful not to drift in the wrong direction as he shuffled through the snow, Alejandro returned to the tent and went inside. He lit the lantern, hoping the glow would carry far enough to help Cooper find him. Then the waiting began.

Chapter Eight Cooper bolted out of the ranger station, not even bothering to lock the door. He jumped into the SUV, jammed the key into the ignition, and…nothing happened. “Oh God, please, not now.” The weather report that had shown nothing earlier had changed; a fast-moving Canadian low had shifted direction because of a sudden change in the flow of the jet stream. Instead of crossing the country north of Colorado, it had shifted south. All of Colorado was now under a blizzard watch, and from the way the snow was already falling, that watch would soon become a warning. Cooper closed his eyes, said a silent prayer, and tried the key. It gave a forlorn click, but the engine didn't crank. He got out, slammed the door, and ran toward his own car. He stopped abruptly, skidding in the snow and almost falling. No way could his car make it up to Alejandro's camp. Even with snow chains, the low-riding import would never make it there in time. He ran inside the ranger station to get the keys to the snowcat, a tracked vehicle they used for search-and-rescue missions after avalanches. He ran to the front desk, hopped over the counter, and rummaged through the drawer where they kept the keys for just about everything at the station that needed one.

He found the snowcat's key still attached to the small snow-leopard key fob. Cooper grabbed it as the weather-alert radio went off, blaring the alert sound. He searched the drawer again and snatched up the shed key, then bolted for the door as the blizzard watch became an official blizzard warning. He vaulted the counter as the radio announced, “…with eighteen to thirty-six inches of snow expected in the higher elevations of the Rockies.” “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Cooper swore as he slammed the ranger-station door and ran around back to the storage shed where they kept the snowcat. His hands shook as he struggled to get the key into the lock on the door. The lock popped, and Cooper had to use every bit of strength he possessed to get the doors open against the building snow that covered the ground. He put his back and legs into his effort and got both doors open far enough to drive the cat through. Then he hurried inside, silently thanking Mark's foresight. The old ranger had prepared the vehicle for use way back in October, so all Cooper had to do was get in and start it up. Unlike the park's SUV, when Cooper turned the key in the ignition, the tracked vehicle started up with the low roar of its powerful diesel engine. He stepped on the clutch and put the cat into gear, then rolled it out of the shed. The falling blizzard snow instantly hit the windscreen, blotting out the world, and Cooper switched on the wipers. The snowcat had a special military-grade GPS navigation system, and Cooper activated it as he swung the vehicle around the shed and onto the road. He headed the cat up the snow-coated road toward Alejandro's camp at the best speed the vehicle could hit: about twenty miles per hour. It wasn't fast, but being a tracked vehicle, it could traverse almost any terrain. He clicked on the heat inside the cab, the warm air helping to keep the cat's windshield from frosting over.

The cat crawled along on its broad treads as Cooper guided it using the GPS and his memory to locate Alejandro's camp. He's got to be okay. He just has to be. He barely knew Alejandro, yet the thought of the handsome Latino suffering hypothermia because he couldn't keep warm—or worse, of his being lost out in the storm—scared Cooper in ways few things ever had. Worry pierced his mind sharp as a bite. He couldn't afford to be distracted in such dangerous weather, so he clamped down on his fear and focused on the road. The trees were merely dark shapes that could barely be seen in the swirling whiteness. Though it was daylight—thank God—he could hardly see anything beyond the nose of the cat. He slowed, keeping the cat close to the dark form of the rock wall near the side of the road that didn't drop off into a dangerous slope. He glanced at his watch. He'd been on the road only fifteen minutes, but it seemed like forever between the tension of driving in such a storm and the fear that something could happen to Alejandro before he arrived. A glance at the dashboard of the cat gave him a reading of the outside temperature: zero degrees. The light wind outside would make it feel close to minus ten degrees for anyone without adequate shelter. A person could easily freeze if caught in the open—cold-weather gear or not—and if the heater Alejandro had in his tent failed, that would be the end of Alejandro. He'd lose so much body heat, he'd die in under an hour. Cooper steered the cat around the familiar curve the road took up to the campsite Alejandro had chosen. Less than a quarter mile to go. The cat's treads churned through the snow. Alejandro would be fine. He'd get there, and his lover of two days would be safe and warm inside the tent, or maybe in his rented SUV.

Still, the heater that Alejandro had couldn't stand up to the kind of sudden freak storm that had come in over the Rockies. Even if he were safe, Cooper would have come to get him. A tent was no place to be in such bad weather. He peered into the deepening gloom, sure he could see some sort of glow ahead. It can't be a campfire, because the snow's too heavy for a fire to stay lit. Must be a lantern inside Alejandro's tent. Smart man; he gave me a guide. Cooper brought the snowcat to a stop behind the snow-covered lump he identified as the photographer's SUV. He left the cat running and got out. The light wind coupled with the swirling snow hit Cooper with the power of an icy fist after the warmth of the snowcat's cab. He shivered despite his warm clothes and trudged through the snow, which came to midcalf on Cooper's legs. He cast a glance at the clouds, wondering how long the storm would last. They could very well be snowed in for days if the storm dumped so much snow that it closed down all the mountain passes. And snowplows wouldn't begin working until the blizzard was over. He slogged through the snow toward the dim glow of the lantern. When the dome of the tent became visible as a curved white lump, Cooper called out, “Alejandro, are you okay?” “Cooper, is that you?” The tent shook and snow slid off the sides as the door was unzipped. Alejandro's scarf-wrapped face appeared close to the ground as a spot of color in the whiteness. “Thank God! I thought I was going to freeze to death.” “You're safe,” he assured Alejandro as he trudged closer to the tent. “Turn off the lantern and your camp heater, and let's get the hell out of this blizzard.” “How did you get up here?” Alejandro asked as he vanished into the tent.

Cooper crouched down by the open door of the tent. Faint warmth seeped out, but the wind and snow rapidly carried it away. He would have frozen to death before this storm let up. The lantern went out, and Alejandro scrambled out of the tent, his arms then encircling Cooper. “I'm so glad to see you.” Cooper hadn't expected such an enthusiastic greeting, and it knocked him backward. Snow slipped down the neck of his coat, and he yelped and shivered from its icy touch. He opened his mouth to say something harsh but stopped himself. He could see how scared the normally self-confident Alejandro had been. He could feel it in the tightness of the arms around him. “It's okay,” he said as he pushed against Alejandro's chest with both hands. “But we need to get out of this cold and into the snowcat. I think this blizzard is getting worse.” Alejandro rose to his feet, and with his hand closed around Cooper's wrist, the Latino helped Cooper to his feet. “What is that thing over there?” Alejandro questioned. The headlights of the snowcat lit up the swirling snow, but the tracked vehicle itself was little more than an indefinable hulk obscured by the weather conditions. “It's the park's snowcat. We use it for rescue work.” “You can drive it through this kind of snow?” “The snowcat has tracks, like a tank, instead of tires. It will go over stuff that would stop even a military-style SUV.” Cooper started toward the cat with Alejandro at his side. He shivered because the wind seemed to be picking up. Either that or the temperature had begun to drop again. Either way, they needed to get into the cat fast or risk some body part being frozen.

“Oh,” Alejandro replied. “I should get my stuff from the SUV.” “We should get somewhere warm before the blizzard freezes us,” Cooper countered. “But my stuff will freeze. I'll lose the photos I took.” “Where are they?” “In the SUV. There's a cooler I've been putting small chemical heaters in to keep the stuff from freezing.” “Okay, if we can get the doors of the SUV open, we'll get your stuff. If not, we're outta here,” Cooper conceded. He could understand Alejandro's not wanting to lose all the hard work he'd already done. But Cooper wasn't going to put either of their lives at risk if they couldn't simply grab the cooler and run. Besides, the cat was parked right behind the SUV, so they weren't really going out of their way to retrieve the cooler. They hadn't gone far before Alejandro tripped on something and almost fell. Cooper grabbed him, putting an arm around his lover's waist and helping him to the SUV. “Give me the keys,” Cooper said. Alejandro handed them over, and Cooper tried to put them in the lock. At first they wouldn't go in, but Cooper pushed a little harder, and the tiny flap over the lock moved aside. He turned the key and stepped back as he opened the door. A miniavalanche of snow fell from the vehicle. “Where is the cooler?” “It should be right behind the passenger's seat.” Cooper ducked his head to look inside. There was a very small cooler right inside the door, pushed up against the back of the passenger's seat. He grabbed it and showed it to Alejandro. “This it?” he asked.

“Yes,” Alejandro replied. Cooper pushed the button on the SUV's door to lock it, then shut the door. More snow fell off the SUV. “Let's get going,” Cooper said, finding he had to speak louder to be heard over the rising wind and the loud ssshhhhhh sound of the falling snow.

“I didn't know blizzards were so noisy,” Alejandro remarked as they headed toward the snowcat. The snow had gotten deeper since he'd made it to the tent. Instead of it being a couple of inches, it was about a foot deep. He was sure it had become deeper in the few minutes since Cooper arrived. “The sound takes most people by surprise, but this is nothing compared to some of the storms I've seen. Sometimes the wind howls so loud, even inside a building you can hardly have a conversation without the need to shout.” Alejandro frowned. While they weren't inside a building right now, they were almost shouting to be heard over the hiss of the snow and the sound of the wind through the clustered evergreens. Visibility had gotten worse too. “Are you going to be able to get us to the ranger station?” “Yeah, I should be able to get us back using the GPS in the cat,” Cooper informed him as they reached the passenger's side of the big vehicle. Cooper pulled the door open. “Step there to get to cab level and get in,” Cooper instructed. Alejandro put his foot onto the snow-clogged step. He grabbed a hand bar on the frame of the snowcat and pulled himself upward. A broad hand on his ass pushed him up, giving him a boost he didn't really need but appreciated all the same. Despite the shortness of the walk from the tent to the snowcat, the cold had seeped into Alejandro through his clothes, and he found himself grateful for the

warmth inside the snowcat. As soon as he was inside and seated, Cooper handed him the cooler and closed the door. Alejandro didn't know why, but as soon as the door closed, he took out the camera he'd put in the cooler and removed the lens cover. He lifted the camera and snapped a shot as the park ranger crossed in front of the snowcat. The image showed Cooper in the headlights' glow. The blowing snow around him gave the momentary appearance of a dark-clothed angel with feathery wings. The image would be amazing if it came out, and one he'd be sure to use in the book if Cooper would permit it. I guess he's been my guardian angel today, Alejandro mused as he snapped a second shot of the blizzard through the windscreen of the snowcat. If it weren't for Cooper, I would probably have died alone out here from the bitter cold. He put the camera back inside the cooler as Cooper climbed into the snowcat. Cooper glanced at something on the dashboard—there were so many gauges and dials and other things that Alejandro couldn't identify most of them—and said, “The temperature's dropping. It was zero when I left the station; it's minus five right now. With the wind picking up, the windchill factor makes it feel like minus twenty or so.” “No wonder I felt so cold. My gear isn't rated for cold like this.” “Next time you come out for winter pictures, bring stuff rated for an arctic winter. It gets bitterly cold here when a front like this comes through.” “That's what I don't understand. I checked the weather report this morning, and it didn't say anything about a storm like this,” Alejandro explained. “If it had, I would have stayed in camp or come down to the station rather than going out to shoot pictures.” “This morning the front we're dealing with was expected to stay well to the north, but the jet stream shifted unexpectedly, and the storm came our way instead.

I didn't know it until I got back to the station and heard the weather-alert radio go off.” Cooper put the cat in reverse and backed it away from the snow-covered SUV. He did something to the gears and clutch that allowed him to turn the snowcat around in place. “You were out shooting pictures when this started?” Cooper asked as he sent the snowcat forward and down the road. Alejandro set the cooler down on the floor. “Yes. I barely found my camp, it was snowing so hard.” He reached over to squeeze Cooper's firm thigh. “Thanks for the rescue.” Cooper didn't speak. He turned and gazed at Alejandro, his expression full of worry—and something else that made Alejandro's breath catch in his throat. A powerful emotion Alejandro didn't dare set a name to, but one he thought he knew. And yet he didn't believe what he thought he'd seen. Perhaps it was a trick of the odd light, a shadow and nothing more. Cooper did something else, and the speed of the snowcat stepped up a bit, the thing lumbering along like a sleepy bear. He let go of the steering mechanism with one hand and patted Alejandro's arm. “I'm just glad you're alive.” “So am I,” was all Alejandro could say, and he gave Cooper's thigh a second squeeze. “I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I'm not going to be much for conversation right now. Driving this thing in weather this bad takes all my concentration. If I veer off track, I could accidentally get too close to the side of the road and crash us into the rock face or send us rolling down the steep slope on the other side of the road.”

“Understood,” Alejandro replied and fell silent. He watched Cooper, though, studied the man as he drove. The intensity on Cooper's face as he guided the snowcat through the increasingly bad weather somehow added to his handsomeness. Despite the danger they were in—and Alejandro knew they were not out of danger yet—he found himself fantasizing about the things he wanted to do to Cooper to show his thanks. He envisioned a warm Florida night, Cooper naked on the sand, the sound of the rising tide, and a sliver of moonlight showing him the sight of Cooper, hard and eager to be fucked right there in the waves. He'd pull Cooper into deeper water and fuck him until he cried out with pleasure. Then they'd— The snowcat bumped over something and snapped Alejandro out of the wonderful fantasy. A fantasy Alejandro could make come true if Cooper dared to have sex on the beach once he arrived in Florida. With this delay from the storm, he might get to Florida before I do, because I don't have nearly enough pictures to fill a book. He turned his head to look at Cooper. Cooper was so busy trying to keep the snowcat on the road, and the visibility had gotten so bad, a glance away could be dangerous; he didn't even notice Alejandro's gaze. The snowcat shook and shimmied over something else, and this time Alejandro had to say something. “Are we off the road now?” “No. There are downed trees. Happens sometimes in bad storms. Weak trees can't stand the weight of the snow and come down across the road.” Alejandro resumed his silence to let Cooper drive. The distance—so easily driven by car in good weather—seemed to take forever in the crawling snowcat, though Alejandro was sure the blinding snow had to be why Cooper wasn't trying to go any faster.

After a few minutes, Cooper made a sharp right turn and slowed the vehicle to walking speed. Out of the whiteness a shape loomed. Alejandro leaned forward, trying to figure out what he was seeing. A wide smile spread across his face. “Is that the station?” “Yes. I'm trying not to hit the park's SUV. It's broken down in the driveway. Just as well. In it, I might have gotten up to where you were, but we certainly couldn't have made it back in either of the SUVs.” Cooper stopped the cat and shut it down. “Wait here. I'll come around and help you down.” Alejandro almost protested that he didn't need help, but then thought twice about it. Cooper was a nice guy, and he was just trying to help. Besides, getting out of the cat with the cooler might not be as easy as it seemed in his head. Not with visibility so bad and who knew how much snow on the ground. The door opened, and he handed Cooper the cooler, then grabbed the hand bar bolted to the frame of the snowcat. He turned, stuffed his foot into the snow clogging the step, and eased himself down. Cooper put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. When his feet hit the ground, he found the snow was now knee-deep, and walking through the heavy mass made for slow going. Side by side, he walked with Cooper, who steadied him all the way to the station door. How Cooper even found the door amid the whiteout Alejandro couldn't imagine. Perhaps the man had an infallible sense of direction. Glancing at Cooper from the corner of his eye, Alejandro wondered if that might be the case. Cooper shoved open the door, and a wash of light and welcoming heat wrapped around them. The door closed behind them, and Alejandro discovered his

body shook with the sudden sense of safety that closed around him. His legs felt weak and wobbly, and he stumbled. Cooper's strength held him up, and he guided him to the old-fashioned rocking chair by the fireplace. “Sit, get warm. It's all over now,” Cooper said to him. Cooper picked up a quilt from the back of a nearby love seat and put it over Alejandro's legs. “Stay right there. You might be in shock. I'm going to get the fire going, and then I'm going to make us some hot cocoa.” “That sounds like a great idea,” Alejandro said. He sighed and leaned into the chair. He hadn't realized it until he walked in here, but even in the snowcat he'd still been cold. His eyes drifted closed, and he started awake, wondering if he could die from the shock his system had taken today. Alejandro decided to play it safe and stay awake, forcing his eyes to remain open. He watched Cooper get the fire going using the kind of lighter people used for gas grills. Cooper placed the long nose of the lighter underneath a pile of wood in the wrought-iron holder in the fireplace. He could see smaller bits of stuff under the bigger pieces. They caught and began to burn, the fire quickly spreading. “You stay here and rest. I'll be back with some dry clothes and that cocoa,” Cooper stated. He patted him on the shoulder, shook his head, and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Alejandro's mouth. Alejandro closed his eyes, hooked his gloved hand behind Cooper's neck, and held Cooper there while he deepened the kiss. More than any other gesture or spoken words, that kiss was a token of Alejandro's appreciation for the rescue…and it was something else. It showed his growing attachment to Cooper. An attachment that couldn't go anywhere, but one that Alejandro wished could turn into something greater. Something called love.

Chapter Nine Cooper pressed a mug of cocoa into Alejandro's hands. “Drink some of that; then we'll get you out of your wet clothes.” “Are they wet?” Alejandro asked from the edge of shock. “We were in the blizzard. At least the outer layer is probably wet from melted snow.” “Oh,” Alejandro replied. He took a sip of cocoa and then set the mug on the small table by the rocker. He pushed the quilt aside and stood, Cooper automatically reaching out to steady him. “You okay?” Alejandro nodded. “Yeah. I just got a little scared when the snow started coming down so heavy. I was afraid I'd get lost and never find my camp.” Cooper hugged Alejandro. “But you did find your way back, and you're here with me, and you're fine.” Alejandro gave Cooper a weak smile. “Thank you.” “Now let's see about getting you out of these clothes. I want to check for frostbite on your hands and feet too.” Cooper helped Alejandro take off his gloves and checked his hands carefully for any grayness of skin that would indicate frostbite. Thankfully he found no trace of it. He got Alejandro out of his winter coat, removed his boots—his feet were dry at least—and then helped him out of the thermal pants and jeans, which left

Alejandro in a pair of long thermal underwear. At least he had the sense to wear several layers, and he's pretty dry except for some sweat—probably more from being afraid than from being too hot. He helped Alejandro out of his flannel shirt but left the thermal undershirt on him. Then he sat Alejandro down in the rocker and wrapped the quilt around him. He checked under his socks for any sign of frostbite. Both of Alejandro's feet were fine. “Drink your cocoa and relax, get warm. Would you like some popcorn to nibble while I get dinner started?” Alejandro turned a blank stare on him. “It's Christmas Eve, isn't it?” Cooper smile. “Yes, it is.” “Do you want some help?” “No, I'll take care of it. You just rest here by the fire. Now, do you want some popcorn?” Alejandro shook his head. “Maybe later, after dinner.” “All right. You rest, then, and I'll be back soon.” “I'll be here,” Alejandro said and glanced out the window where the blizzard continued, showing no sign of easing up. If anything, the storm had worsened since their arrival at the station. Cooper glanced in the direction of Alejandro's gaze and noticed how the snowstorm raged outside the window. “Well, looks like we're going to be snowed in here for a few days at least,” he remarked. “We've got plenty of food, and if the power goes out, I can start up the generator.” “We could lose power?” Alejandro asked, sounding slightly alarmed. “It's happened on numerous occasions, but we've got a backup generator and lots of firewood, so we've got nothing to worry about,” Cooper reassured

Alejandro. I bet he's never been in any sort of life-and-death situation before. The first time always rattles your nerves really bad. “Thanks for telling me,” Alejandro said. “And, well, thanks for coming to get me.” Cooper gave Alejandro a kiss, which was returned with no small quantity of passion. “You rest. I'll be in the kitchen getting some dinner started for us. If you need anything, holler.” “I will,” Alejandro replied. Cooper picked up Alejandro's clothes and took them with him so he could hang up the coat and pants. The shirt and jeans could be washed later. In the meantime, Alejandro could wear some of his clothes. The pants would be a little big, and Alejandro would have to wear one of his sweaters because his buttondown shirts would be too tight in the shoulders. He washed his hands, set the oven for three hundred and fifty degrees, took the turkey breast he'd bought for tonight out of the fridge, and removed it from the wrapper. He put it in the roasting pan, went to check on Alejandro—he was staring at the fire and sipping the cocoa—then put the turkey into the oven to heat. The rest of the meal would be easy—just some water to heat, broccoli to thaw, and cheese to melt. Done with the preparation for dinner, Cooper joined Alejandro in the main room of the station. “Sorry about the delay on our Christmas Eve dinner. I sort of had to do some rescues today. It should be ready in about an hour,” Cooper informed Alejandro as he sat down on the love seat across from him. “Would you mind if I took a shower to get warm?” “Of course not,” Cooper replied and got to his feet. He helped Alejandro up and took the quilt from him. “You go on, and I'll meet you in the bathroom,”

Cooper said as he guided Alejandro behind the counter. He motioned Alejandro toward the narrow hall that led to the bathroom. “You know where the bathroom is. I'll get you a towel out of the closet.” “Thanks,” Alejandro said. Too bad the shower's so small. We could have had some real fun in there, if Alejandro wanted to, Cooper mused as he returned to give Alejandro the fluffy towel he'd promised. Cooper liked sex in a nice hot shower. “Yell if you need anything,” he said and started out of the narrow confines of the bathroom. “I'll be fine,” Alejandro assured him as Cooper left. He pushed the door shut most of the way, leaving it open a crack in case Alejandro wound up calling for help; then he headed for the kitchen to work on the cheese sauce. The sound of Alejandro in the shower made Cooper think about how close the Latino man had come to losing his life today. He suspected Alejandro was thinking about the same thing. Brushes with death could change a person. Cooper knew that firsthand. He'd come close to dying his first year as a ranger when he'd gone on a drive up to a campsite to warn some people that the weather was going to turn nasty. He was with another ranger, and the two of them had almost died when the park's SUV had been swept off the road by an avalanche of snow and rock. They'd both survived but had been trapped for five hours in the vehicle, wondering if anyone was coming to get them. It had been an eye-opening experience for both of them. Cooper had become more determined to help people, and the other ranger left the forest service to work at a safe office job. Cooper hoped Alejandro would be okay after being shaken up so badly. But only time would tell how the aftermath of the situation would affect Alejandro.

“Cooper!” Cooper turned off the stove and left the kitchen at a run, concerned that Alejandro needed help. He barely knew Alejandro, but he felt a surge of worry, of a desire to help stronger than any he'd ever felt for another human being. He shoved the bathroom door open to find Alejandro standing there stark naked. Beads of water rolled down his chest, over his shoulders, along his abdomen. They glistened in the dark curls around Alejandro's cock. Cooper's mouth went dry, and his cock instantly sprang to life as desire rampaged through him. A force as great as the storm outside, and one just as relentless, sent Cooper to Alejandro. Their mouths met, the kiss rough, needy. Alejandro demanding his surrender, Cooper's lips parted under the assault of passion, and Alejandro's tongue invaded without a trace of mercy. Cooper retreated, pushed backward by Alejandro, who led him out of the bathroom and down the hall to the bedroom and twin bed they'd had sex in the night before. Cooper didn't resist. Alejandro needed something to prove to himself he was alive, that he'd survived the ordeal of a blizzard, and Cooper didn't intend to deny Alejandro anything he needed. The kiss continued as Cooper was pushed to the bed. Their lips remained locked as Alejandro got Cooper out of his shirt, boots, and pants. Once Cooper lay naked on the bed, Alejandro ended the kiss. Alejandro gazed down at him, his dark eyes warm with desire so intense, Cooper felt as if Alejandro were staring into the depths of his very soul. “You came, and you saved me. I knew you would come. I didn't know how, I just…knew you wouldn't leave me up there to die,” Alejandro stated. He caressed Cooper's cheek, his hand then moving downward to glide over Cooper's chest,

along his belly, then to wrap around his jutting cock. Cooper groaned at the feel of Alejandro's firm grip, the feel of warm flesh encircling his dick. Cooper reached for Alejandro and pulled him down for a kiss. Their tongues touched, sparred in a lover's battle until Cooper had to break the kiss in order to gasp a breath. Alejandro's firm grip continued to tease Cooper's cock, the movements of his hand slow, meant to inflame. Cooper felt as if his entire body would ignite, the lust burning through him with such intensity that he could do nothing but lie there. Even his ability to think coherently had all but vanished. “I want to fuck you,” Alejandro said. “Then what are you waiting for?” “I don't know where you put the condom we had left last night.” Cooper reached under the pillow and tore the packet open. He rolled it over Alejandro's cock, eager to have the stiff rod shoved into him as far as it could go. “Fuck me, Alejandro.”

“Fuck me, Alejandro.” The demand, spoken with desire, choking Cooper's voice, sent a jolt of pure need through Alejandro to do exactly what Cooper wanted. He lifted Cooper's legs high, got himself into position, and entered Cooper with a quick thrust. Cooper cried out and gripped the bedcovers with his hands, his head flung back, a gasp coming from him that spoke of sudden pleasure. Alejandro smiled, withdrew from the clenching heat of Cooper's body, then thrust slowly inward. Cooper's groan sent a thrill of power and a deeper emotion, one that Alejandro knew could go nowhere, and yet he couldn't deny what he felt for Cooper. Not to himself. He wanted Cooper, not just for a few more stolen days of pleasure, but to be with him as lovers. Maybe as something more, given time.

Why am I doing this to myself? It can't work. Long-distance relationships never work. He pushed the negative thoughts aside and focused on the moment. On the feel of his cock clasped by the tight heat of Cooper's body. On the feel of Cooper's tight ring of muscle spreading and tightening around him as he moved in and out. On the blaze of white-light pleasure building inside his own flesh, filling his balls with the tense desire for release that coiled tighter and tighter with each thrust, each slow withdrawal. And it felt so good. Cooper and he fit together well. Their needs meshed so well. He wanted to lightly dominate his lovers; Cooper wanted to submit. Alejandro leaned down and pressed his mouth to Cooper's. Cooper opened to him, and he thrust his tongue inside, felt Cooper's tongue touch his gently, then circled his tongue, the two sparring together in a slow dance. Alejandro changed the rhythm of his hips and the angle of his thrusts, drawing a low moan from Cooper. His lover's hands clasped his biceps and held on tight. They moved together, and Alejandro groaned as the intensity of their need grew together as well. He watched Cooper's face flush and his body shudder as he got close to orgasm. Alejandro knew what Cooper needed now. He shifted his balance and wrapped his hand firmly around Cooper's cock. His thumb brushed across the head, smearing the crystal droplets of precum that had slicked the flesh there. He pressed down on the tiny hole, drawing a sharper cry of need from Cooper. He heard a second cry when he gave a rough thrust coupled with another sweep of his thumb over Cooper's cock. Alejandro smiled and increased the pace of his thrusts inside Cooper while his hand moved hard along the length of Cooper's cock.

Alejandro's release was close, but he wanted to make sure Cooper came with him. He quickened the pace of his hand, stroking faster as he drove Cooper toward release. Cooper cried out with each thrust, each grasp and pull on his cock until the sound turned into a scream, “Alejandro!” He'd had lovers cry out his name before, but never with such passion. The sound of Cooper's sent Alejandro over the edge, and with a deep groan he called out, “Cooper,” as his vision went as white as the blizzard that raged outside. Cooper kissed him, held him, and caressed him, and Alejandro smiled. It felt good to be touched, to be held and caressed after sex. It sent his mind trailing down the path of wondering what it would be like to have Cooper as his lover for more than the all-too-short time they could have during Cooper's vacation. He didn't know how he could work it out, but he knew there had to be some way. If only Cooper felt the same way for him as he felt for the sexy, handsome blond park ranger who had stolen his heart.

***** Alejandro showered for the second time, then joined Cooper in the kitchen, where their Christmas Eve meal awaited. Cooper placed a bowl filled with broccoli in a cheese sauce down on the table and greeted him with a kiss. The oven mitts he'd carried the bowl with were warm on Alejandro's back as Cooper's arms encircled him in a brief hug that was over as fast as the kiss. “The turkey's done. I just need to get it out of the oven.” “Can we eat in front of the fire?”

Cooper stared at him for a second, as if wondering why he hadn't thought of that, then nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, I like the sound of that, actually. Sitting near the tree by a nice warm fire with our dinner sure beats sitting in here.” “It's a nice kitchen, but I'd like to sit by the fire,” Alejandro remarked. They quickly served themselves helpings of food and headed into the small lobby of the station. They both sat on the love seat with their plates and cups of eggnog set on the small coffee table. Alejandro glanced at the window as the snow continued to come down. Though the ferocity of the initial blizzard had abated, the snowfall remained heavy, the flakes hissing against the big window. While Alejandro watched the snow, Cooper added a few more pieces of wood to the fire, turned on the CD player, which started to play a classic Christmas song, and then returned to sit beside Alejandro. “Merry Christmas,” Cooper said and leaned close to give Alejandro a kiss. Alejandro returned the kiss, capturing the back of Cooper's head with his hand. He deepened the kiss before letting Cooper go. “Merry Christmas,” he replied. “Let's eat.” Alejandro smiled. “Yes, let's eat while it's still hot.” The food was some of the best Alejandro had ever eaten—not because of the skill of the cook, but because of the company of the person who prepared it. Minute by minute, hour by hour, his attachment to Cooper grew. In the end he knew it could only lead to a broken heart, but he couldn't stop what was happening any more than he could stop the snow. “I could help you make dinner tomorrow if you want.” Alejandro suggested as he set his empty plate aside.

Cooper grinned. “Sure, I'd like that,” he said as he picked up their plates. “You wait here. I'm going to take these back to the kitchen, put the food away, and get us some pie and coffee.” “I'll go with you.” Alejandro picked up their eggnog cups and followed Cooper into the kitchen. Cooper set the plates into the sink, and Alejandro rinsed them and the cups off while Cooper started the coffee. Tomorrow was Christmas Day, and the only thing Alejandro had to give Cooper as a present was himself. Which, when he thought about it, wasn't a bad idea. He smiled. “So what are your plans for your vacation? Was there something you wanted to see or somewhere you wanted to go other than South Beach?” Alejandro asked as he turned to help Cooper put away the rest of the food. “I usually just laze away the time on the beach,” Cooper said. “But if there's somewhere you think would be fun to go, I'm willing.” “Well, there's the Miami Seaquarium. Or we could take a trip down to Key West.” At the mention of Key West, Cooper smiled. “I've never been to Key West. I keep meaning to go, but then I wind up booking my vacation in South Beach instead.” “Well, I've got a car, so we could go down for a couple of days, do some snorkeling, hang out on the beach, go to a couple of bars. You know, do the tourist thing.” “Call it a date, then,” Cooper said as he put the remnants of the food into the refrigerator. “Okay, it's a date.” He wrapped his arms around Cooper and gave him a lingering kiss as he stroked his lover's behind. He'd have two weeks to convince

Cooper they could share their lives together. Two weeks to convince him they didn't ever need to be lonely, so long as they had one another. “We're going to need a crate of condoms while you're visiting.” Cooper actually blushed, which brought a surprised smile to Alejandro's lips. “Unless you've got other plans, of course,” Alejandro remarked as he gazed at Cooper. “Uh…no, I don't have other plans. At least, none that don't include you.” Alejandro's breath caught in his throat. I wonder if that means he's gotten attached to me? Please let him want me the way I want him—as my lover, not a fuck buddy for a few nights who I'll never see again.

Chapter Ten Cooper opened his eyes to see snow falling against the window and to feel the arms of a wonderful lover wrapped around him. A glance at the clock near the bed startled him. It was almost three in the afternoon. He smiled. Not that it mattered. He'd chatted the night away with Alejandro, who'd been unable to sleep despite the ordeal he'd been through in the blizzard. Or perhaps because of it. They'd talked about their jobs and families, Alejandro admitting he was estranged from his only relative in the US, his sister, and that he seldom spoke to his parents in Puerto Rico. Cooper didn't even remember what time it had been when they'd come into the bedroom to sleep. Alejandro had asked him to sleep in the same bed with him, despite the fact they'd be crowded together for a second night, which was less than comfortable. For some reason, Cooper found the invitation endearing. Alejandro came off as so macho, so masculine, but the blizzard had really rattled his confidence. Or had Alejandro been trying to tell him something that he couldn't express with words? Cooper wasn't sure, and he didn't want to make the mistake of reading too much into it. He also didn't want to put any emotional attachment into Alejandro's invitation to visit him during his vacation. It might mean nothing, or it could mean something he wouldn't let himself think about. But the way Alejandro held him so close during the night left him wondering exactly what Alejandro wanted from him.

Alejandro murmured in his sleep and wiggled a little as if he was trying to get closer to Cooper, who lay against the wall. “You awake?” Cooper whispered. “I'm not sure. I might be awake, or I could be dreaming that I'm in bed with a hot park ranger.” Cooper chuckled. “No, that part's no dream.” “Yeah, you're right. If I were dreaming, this bed would be much bigger.” Cooper put his arms around Alejandro, bringing him closer. “I know that's got to be true.” Alejandro patted his arm. “Now that I'm awake, I need to get up.” “Me too,” Cooper agreed, his bladder tight as a drum. “Go ahead.” Alejandro rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Cooper watched him go, taking a long, appreciative look at Alejandro's bare ass. -ice. So very nice. Too bad I can't see that sight every morning for the rest of my life. Cooper swung his legs out of bed, slipped on a pair of pants, and headed for the station office to check on the current weather conditions. The blizzard warning was still in effect, though the report said it should be lifted by five that afternoon. He checked the Internet and discovered the storm had dumped close to three feet of snow in the higher elevations, which meant their part of the Rockies and all across the mountainous areas of Colorado. Denver reported eighteen inches of accumulation and a closed airport with dozens of delayed and canceled flights, putting a huge crimp in air travel. Alejandro joined him. “Sounds bad.” “Yeah, it does. I hope those skiers who left here made it to a hotel if they didn't make it home.”

“They got out the blizzard started, didn't they? They probably made it somewhere safe.” Cooper frowned. “Yeah, they got out before it started. I can only hope they did make it to Fort Collins or somewhere else safe.” He'd feel really terrible if something happened to them. “How about I start getting stuff ready for dinner while you go take care of business?” Alejandro suggested. “Sounds good. I won't be long,” Cooper said. He gave Alejandro a kiss and headed for the bathroom. When he got back, Alejandro had the ham out and had begun covering it with the canned pineapple Cooper had bought just for that purpose. A half hour of work had their dinner started, which left them time to kill while they waited for it to be ready. Cooper put the popcorn in the microwave, and Alejandro sat down at the kitchen table. “I found some extra Christmas decorations the other day. Do you want to add them to the tree, eat popcorn, and drink some cocoa while we're waiting for dinner?” “Okay,” Alejandro agreed. Cooper got the box of ornaments and set them on the kitchen table, and then he used the electric kettle to heat water for the cocoa. With cocoa, ornaments, and a bowl filled with popcorn, the two of them went into the lobby of the station. Cooper turned on the holiday CD, and they started to decorate the tree. He'd just put a plastic Santa on the tree when Alejandro caught him in a sudden embrace. “Merry Christmas, Cooper,” Alejandro murmured. His lips captured Cooper's, the kiss gentle at first, but quickly becoming passionate, hungry. Alejandro pulled

him close and held him tight. Cooper could feel the hard rod of Alejandro's cock pressed to his thigh, and his own cock, just as hard, ached to be touched. That fast—with one kiss and the feel of Alejandro's cock against him—and he wanted Alejandro. Needed him like he needed air or water. He'd had his share of lovers, some longer term than others, but none of them had instilled in Cooper this kind of intense, instantaneous desire. Cooper gasped for breath when Alejandro finally ended their kiss. “Dinner won't be ready for another hour at least,” Alejandro reminded him. Cooper smiled. “You have an appetizer in mind?” Alejandro laughed. “I'm planning to have a tasty helping of pretty boy. Does that sound like something you'll let me have?” Cooper pulled Alejandro close and whispered into his ear. “Sounds like a wonderful plan to me.” He kissed the edge of Alejandro's ear, blew gently, and chuckled when he felt Alejandro shiver in his embrace. “Bed. Now,” Alejandro ordered, his voice a rough, needy growl. Cooper didn't waste any time. He headed for the bedroom with Alejandro right on his heels. He'd barely gotten into the room when Alejandro grabbed him. His clothes were stripped from him with amazing speed. But that didn't last long. He was pushed to the bed, and Alejandro began kissing him, nipping the small buds of his nipples, and lavishing hot kisses down his body. Alejandro grinned and took the full length of Cooper's cock into his mouth, sucking with such focused intensity that Cooper's vision went white, and he cried out as a blast of pleasure rocketed through him. The sensation was so intense, he almost came. Cooper sucked in one gasping breath after another as Alejandro continued to lave his cock. He wanted it to go on forever, but the intensity of Alejandro's hot

mouth on his dick was becoming too much. If it didn't stop soon, he'd come, and he wasn't sure his body could go a second time without a few hours to recuperate. “Alejandro, please, I want to be fucked.” “Do we have any condoms?” Cooper's heart felt as if it had frozen. He didn't know if he had any condoms left. “Let me look,” he said and bolted from the bed to his own room. A quick search of his stuff and he located a small package of condoms. He hurried back to Alejandro to find his lover lying flat on his back on the bed, cock stiff, droplets of clear fluid beading the tip. Cooper tore open one of the packages and reached for Alejandro's cock. “No, chulo lindo mio,” Alejandro murmured. “I think you should perhaps fuck me.” Cooper's mouth went totally dry. “You…mean it?” “Of course. It is the only Christmas present I can give you.” Hands shaking, Cooper rolled the condom over his own rigid cock. He looked from the hard flesh between his own thighs to Alejandro's smiling face. He'd never imagined Alejandro would give him such a special gift. Found it hard to believe. Alejandro was dominant, and he, essentially, submissive. Alejandro sat up and reached for him. “Cooper, I want to give this to you. It's all I have to show you my appreciation of how you came to save me.” “You don't need to thank me this way, Alejandro. I never expected you to let me take you.” Alejandro took his hand, kissed it, then pulled Cooper close and kissed him. “Please, Cooper, just this once, I want to give this to you.”

“All right, Alejandro.” He kissed Alejandro gently. “How do you want to do this? Face-to-face or on your knees?” “Fuck me however you like, Cooper. It's your present.” Cooper grinned. “Okay, get on your knees.” Alejandro turned over and rose to his hands and knees. Cooper stared at the firm ass presented to him with such trust. Such willingness. He'd never had any man he'd submitted to make such an amazing offer. But he was learning no one else was anything like Alejandro, which drove home how special Alejandro could become—or rather, had already become—to him. Cooper sank his cock into Alejandro. He went easy, took it slow, not sure if Alejandro could take him, but surprised when he did. Cooper thrust deep, pulled out, repeated the motion, and watched as Alejandro gripped the sheets and lowered his upper body to give Cooper even-better access. Cooper reached around Alejandro, grasped his balls, and caressed them, pleased to hear a gasp from Alejandro. He set a slow pace as he moved inside Alejandro. The tightness of Alejandro's anal muscles showed he'd not given himself to many men—if any—and Cooper closed his eyes for a moment to focus on the powerful pleasure that coursed through him, a combination of physical and emotional elements. Joy that Alejandro had chosen to give this special gift to him for Christmas. The thrusting of his hips sped up, and he moved his hand from Alejandro's balls to his cock to stroke the rigid flesh. Alejandro rocked with him, his butt pressed into Cooper's erection as they both got closer and closer to release. The tension built, filling Cooper's balls and groin with the need for release. When it finally happened, Cooper cried out to Alejandro as his hand was spattered with Alejandro's semen.

Gasping, they sank into the bed together, and Cooper lay there, spent, satiated, and wishing it weren't over. “Thank you,” he murmured, and he kissed Alejandro's shoulders with gentle, featherlight touches of his lips. “Merry Christmas, Cooper.” “Merry Christmas, Alejandro.”

***** Showered and dressed, Alejandro stood in front of the big window in the main room of the station. He held a cup of hot cocoa in his hand, and he watched the constant fall of snow drift to the ground. It had eased up considerably, the blizzard finally over. Night had descended, the continued cloud cover assuring that the end of the day came early. “Dinner's ready,” Cooper called from the kitchen. Alejandro joined him, setting the empty cocoa cup in the sink. They filled their plates with ham, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and some reheated leftover turkey, and took their food and eggnog into the lobby of the station. They sat down together on the love seat. Cooper's thigh pressed against his, a companionable touch that he enjoyed. “I hope we aren't stuck up here until New Year's,” Cooper remarked. “Could that happen?” Cooper nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. Depending on the condition of the passes between here and the main roads, we could be stuck for several days.” “Oh.” Alejandro glanced at the window. “Is there enough food?” “Yes, absolutely. We've got several meals' worth of leftovers. Plus with the bad-weather supplies in the cabinets, we could make it for three or four weeks.

We've got enough fuel for the generator too. I'm actually surprised we didn't lose power. That usually happens during a bad snowstorm like this one.” “We were lucky, then,” Alejandro said as he started to eat. “Very. But we could still lose power if a tree comes down somewhere,” Cooper warned. “Not that it's a crisis if it does. I'll just tramp out and start up the generator.” “We can get out of here?” “Yeah, the doors open inward. Might need to clean up some snow, as it tends to fall into the building, which is why we go out the back instead of the front.” “Makes sense,” Alejandro said. They finished their food and sat in companionable silence watching the fire. Cooper leaned against him, and Alejandro wrapped his arm around him, holding Cooper close. The CD player continued to pour out the holiday songs, and finally Alejandro pulled Cooper closer to him and kissed him. Cooper returned his kiss, and his hand moved under Alejandro's sweater to caress his chest. “Bedroom?” Cooper asked. “Floor in front of the fireplace,” Alejandro replied. Cooper grinned at him and nodded. Together they cleared a spot on the floor by moving the coffee table and the rocker, then lay down the quilt. Cooper got a pillow from his bed, another blanket, and the condoms, and then they lay together by the fire. Alejandro undressed Cooper as Cooper undressed him. He kissed Cooper as he exposed the man's body to his appreciative gaze. He touched Cooper's chest, then leaned in to kiss the warm flesh and tease the nipples with his lips and teeth.

As Cooper's hands explored his body, finding all the places that gave him pleasure, he did the same to Cooper. This time Alejandro wasn't having sex; he'd decided to make love to Cooper and hope Cooper would understand what he wanted. If not, he'd have the time during Cooper's vacation to make what he wanted clear. He tossed Cooper's pants aside. “I want you to fuck me, Alejandro.” “I plan on it, Cooper. But not just yet,” he replied as he continued to kiss and stroke Cooper's wonderful body. “You really are beautiful. And I like looking at you.” Cooper smiled. “You're very striking, Alejandro. Very masculine. I like touching you, kissing you, holding you…making love with you. And I like it when you get all possessive and dominate me. It's a real thrill.” Alejandro leaned down and set his lips to Cooper's for a slow, lingering kiss. Cooper put his arms around Alejandro, returning the kiss. For a while the only things that could be heard were the pop of the fire and the soft sounds of their breath as they kissed. When Alejandro couldn't take it any longer, he reached for the condoms and opened the pack. Cooper took it from him, kissed the head of Alejandro's dick, then unrolled the condom down Alejandro's erection, his grip firm. “My beautiful boy is so very wicked,” Alejandro murmured into Cooper's ear. He lowered his head and kissed the point where Cooper's neck and shoulder joined, then clamped down and sucked gently. Cooper moaned and held on to Alejandro tight as he marked his lover for the first time, trying, yet again, to show his intent without making a fool of himself and saying something Cooper might not want to hear, like those three words that seemed to upset many men: I love you.

He didn't want to push Cooper, but he didn't have a whole lot of time to try and make Cooper understand either. And time was ticking away, minute by minute. Soon it could be too late. Don't pressure him. I've got the rest of the time we're stuck up here and that vacation he's taking. He also had more pictures to take, but he was pretty sure he'd be able to get them tomorrow. What better images could there be to convey the power of winter than those of the snowcat and the buildings covered in snow from a blizzard? Alejandro put aside thoughts of the book and ways to get Cooper to see how much he meant to him and concentrated on the man himself. The best way to show Cooper how he felt was to demonstrate. He kissed his way all over Cooper's body, touching him, and Cooper caressed him in return as Alejandro worked on building up the need until it raged as hot as the fire. Cooper gasped and moaned, then whispered, “Please, Alejandro. I want to be fucked.” But Alejandro wasn't ready to give Cooper what he wanted. Not yet. He turned Cooper over and ran his hands over his broad shoulders, down his firm torso to his tight butt, over his thighs, and down his solid calves to his feet. “Alejandro, I can't take this much longer. I need to be fucked, or I'm going to lose it and come from what you're doing to me.” Alejandro laughed softly and rolled Cooper onto his back. “All right, Cooper. No more torture.” He lifted Cooper's legs and positioned himself at the entrance to Cooper's body. He slid his erection slowly into Cooper's tight hole and rocked back and forth to get deeper and deeper until his cock was sunk to the root in Cooper's body.

Cooper wiggled beneath him, trying for friction, for the motion that would give him the pleasure he needed to get off. But Alejandro wasn't ready for that yet. He kept his thrusts shallow, meant to torment rather than give Cooper what he wanted. This time he planned to make it last, intended to take Cooper the way a lover did—slow enough to last, good enough to leave Cooper dazed. He rocked back and forth, keeping Cooper's legs well elevated to give him maximum control on the depth of each stroke. Slow and gentle, he fucked Cooper as Cooper lay beneath him, gasping and moaning. “Please, Alejandro. Please let me come.” “Are you my boy?” Alejandro asked, his hope that Cooper would understand his question went beyond the moment. Went beyond this one fuck. Whether it sank in or not, Alejandro didn't know. Not yet anyway. But there was still time. What he didn't have was the ability to continue to tease Cooper anymore. He could tell by the blush on Cooper's face, the glazed look in his eyes, that he wouldn't last much longer. Alejandro wrapped his hand around Cooper's cock, taking the hot rod of flesh into his fist. He stroked it fast and hard, mercilessly taking Cooper higher and higher as the pleasure burned through them both. He picked up the pace, rocked harder and harder as he drove his cock into Cooper with the need that raged inside his own body. He couldn't wait anymore either. Cooper's semen burst across his hand to spatter Cooper's belly as Alejandro cried out, “Cooper!” and spilled himself inside Cooper's body. Spent, he eased Cooper's legs down and collapsed on top of him. Cooper lay beneath him, his hands caressing Alejandro's shoulders. For a time they didn't move, didn't say anything.

After a while Alejandro sat up and gazed down at Cooper. Cooper smiled up at him, turned his head, and glanced at the window. “It's snowing again.” “Let it snow. I'm in no hurry to leave,” Alejandro said as he took Cooper into his arms and held him close.

Epilogue Cooper watched the full moon over the sparkling ocean from the balcony of Alejandro's condominium. The warm tropical air, scented with the tang of the sea, fluttered the sheer curtains covering the sliding glass door. His vacation was nearly over, his time with Alejandro coming to an end. Neither of them wanted to say good-bye, but the brutal reality of their lives sat there between them. He had his job as a park ranger hundreds of miles away from the semitropical world of South Beach, and Alejandro, by his own admission, was almost never there anyway. The sound of bare feet on carpet told him Alejandro had joined him on the balcony. His lover enfolded him in a powerful embrace, drawing him closer. Warm, searching lips moved along the nape of his neck, along the arch of his shoulder. “Why so sad?” Alejandro asked. “I leave in two days.” “Oh.” Alejandro's arms tightened around him as if he'd never let go. A lump formed in Cooper's throat. He dreaded leaving. Didn't want to go. But…he also couldn't stay. Besides, he hadn't been asked to stay. Hadn't been invited to remain and share in Alejandro's life, his world.

He'd known going into this that there was no future to their relationship, but he'd been a fool and gotten attached anyway. He wanted to keep what they had together, but he knew it wasn't possible. They lived too far apart, had such different lives. Too bad dreams don't become reality. “I've been thinking,” Alejandro murmured as his lips brushed along Cooper's shoulder. His hands pressed Cooper's belly as if he could sense Cooper's pain, the knots in his guts at the thought of never seeing Alejandro again. “About what?” he asked, forcing words out through the tightness in his throat. “Colorado's a beautiful place.” “Yes, it is,” Cooper admitted, not sure where the conversation might be going. His heart started to beat faster, and the knots in his belly were joined by a swarm of butterflies. Is he saying what I hope he's saying? “The condo's mine, and we both like Florida.” Cooper's breath caught in his throat. For a moment he felt like he was drowning. Alejandro couldn't be saying what Cooper thought he was saying. Alejandro wasn't interested in anything long-term. Wouldn't want to change his life in order to be with him, to live with him in Colorado. It wasn't possible, yet… “What are you saying, Alejandro?” he asked, his voice tense with barely restrained emotion. “Chulo lindo mio, I'm saying these few weeks I've been with you have probably been the happiest weeks of my life,” Alejandro whispered into his ear. “I'm saying I'll do whatever it takes to make this work, even if it means moving to Colorado to be near you.”

Cooper froze, unable to draw breath. He wondered if he should pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. “I…uh…” He struggled to find words, to wrap his brain around what the handsome Latino had offered him. A life together. Could it be? “Isn't that what you want, Cooper?” Alejandro asked, his lips brushing the edge of Cooper's ear, his breath warm and scented with cinnamon from the toothpaste he used. When he didn't answer, Alejandro let him go. Cooper spun around, reached for Alejandro, and caught him in his embrace. He held Alejandro tight. “Yes, it's what I want. I want to be with you, and I don't care where we are. Here, Colorado, somewhere else—it doesn't matter. I want to be with you.” Alejandro smiled. “And I want to be with you too. Do you know why?” he asked, his fingers brushing a stray lock of Cooper's hair from his eyes. Cooper swallowed, then gazed into Alejandro's dark eyes. He saw something there, something he hadn't believed in before. “Yes,” he said. “It's because I love you, Cooper.” Cooper's smile was so wide, his face hurt as he replied, “I love you too, Alejandro.” Still smiling, Alejandro took him by the hand and led him inside. With love, Cooper knew they could work anything out—even who got to top when they had sex. They made love with the sounds of the soft tropical wind and the sea to remind them that even the coldest winter could be warmed with love.

Loose Id(R) Titles by Michael Barnette

Dominion High Country Let It Snow! Queen of Carnage

Michael Barnette Michael Barnette has been nominated three times for the Gaylactic Spectrum Award, the first time in 2003 for his short story Zoner, which was the first piece of erotica he ever wrote. Zoner was featured in the Lambda Award Finalist anthology Wired Hard #3 from Circlet Press. Once a resident of Coconut Grove ad South Beach in Florida, Michael relocated to Georgia, where there were fewer gunshots and yard-to-yard searches for suspects to disturb the writing muses. He has since moved on and now lives in a very small town in the Midwest.