Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Isla
After ordering takeout at a local pizza place, Arden gave me an official grand tour of his cabin, the best part being the finished basement. Not only did he have a decked-out minibar with string lights, complete with a mini fridge and barstools but the hot tub did not disappoint.
It was large, a four-seater with plenty of space in the middle and several jet spouts around it. You could heat the water and relax for hours, with the flat screen TV on the opposite wall and endless margaritas.
“Okay, this is better than any hotel or Airbnb,” I said as I took it all in. “You did well for yourself, Arden. Real good.”
“Thank you. It took a lot of hard work and many years. This cabin needed a ton of work done when I first moved in ten years ago.”
I cocked my head sideways and studied him for a moment. I wanted to know everything about this man, inside and out. “Is that when you were done with the military?”
“Yes. I served my time, adopted Fred, and came home to Lovesbury, where I grew up. A month later, I bought this cabin.”
“You grew up here? So you must have family in the area, then?”
Arden looked away for a moment, and when his gaze returned to mine, tears welled in his eyes. My heart lurched.
“Sadly, no. I don’t.”
“Please, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” I rushed to say. “I enjoy getting to know you is all.”
Arden took my small hands in his large, rough ones and ran his thumb over the back of one before letting go.
“Why do I feel like I can tell you anything?” He took my face between his hands once more, and I leaned into one and reached up to wrap my hands around his strong forearms. “Love hurts, Isla. It’s caused me nothing but pain in my life.
But you…fuck,” he grumbled. I could tell he was having trouble getting it off his chest. I kissed the palm of his hand, and he continued.
“You make it all better. You’re a soothing balm to my existing pain, and my gut tells me again and again you won’t cause me any.
But I’m scared.” A single tear fell down one cheek and disappeared into his beard.
“I know. Life is scary. My feelings for you are scary. I’ve never felt something this intense before. And how we met only hours ago…it shouldn’t make sense, but for some reason, it does.”
“What happens at the end of the weekend? You’ll go back to Vermont and—”
“I don’t have to go back to Vermont.” I cut him off.
“But your business, your home, your friends…”
“My business goes where I go. I can run it anywhere as long as I have internet and access to a post office. And the rest? I’d give it up for you.”
“Isla…you can’t possibly…No, I can’t ask you something like that.”
“Can you just shut up and kiss me again?”
Arden covered my mouth with his and swept me into a mind-altering kiss, shattering the earth around me as I knew it. There was no way I could leave this man. I was already addicted.
“Let’s enjoy our weekend and figure this out later,” I said.
Arden nodded, kissed me once more, then led me to the bar where he mixed us a pitcher of margaritas. Our food delivery arrived a while later, a feast of delicious pizza, and I couldn’t wait to dig in, my stomach growling. I unpacked the bag, and we ate at the bar, while Fred ate beside us.
Afterward, we moved my bags out of the guest room and into his room. We changed into our bathing suits, him in the bathroom and me in the bedroom, before meeting back in the hallway.
As soon as I saw his naked torso, I could barely contain my excitement, my eyes traveling down his body and taking in his muscles, ink, and abs. I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Can I…can I touch it?” My cheeks flushed, warmth creeping up my neck.
Arden laughed. “Touch what?”
“Your abs. They don’t look real.”
“Go ahead.”
My fingers reached out and ran over his muscles, the grooves and ridges as hard as a rock. I was so turned on I could barely keep still. My nipples, also hard as rocks, rubbed against my bathing suit top, and I wanted to free them. To put his hands on them, his mouth, his teeth…
“Let’s get downstairs before we don’t make it there at all,” Arden said, his voice deep and husky. His eyes burned with a blazing heat.
Arden took me by the hand, and we walked downstairs, Fred following.
We slipped into the hot tub, and the water felt soothing as I sank beneath the surface.
Arden leaned up against the side of the hot tub and pulled me into his lap, pressing my back against his front.
He hit a button, and the jets started, the water bubbling around us.
“This is so relaxing.”
“I know. I almost dozed off once.”
“That’s scary. I could see it happening, though, relaxing in here alone.”
“Yes, good thing we have Fred. He licked my hand, and my head snapped up before it hit the water.”
“Wow. He’s an amazing dog, isn’t he? I bet he’s seen some stuff in the war.”
“Yeah, I went through some trauma therapy with him. They have it for dogs and humans, so we both benefited.”
“The military isn’t easy. I remember hearing my father talk to my mother about it when they thought I was sleeping.”
“Yeah, there are a lot of rough things you go through. But life can be pretty damn rough, too. At least the military has a purpose. You serve your country. And there’s no greater honor than that.”
“You remind me of my father.”
“I’m sorry to hear he died in combat. I had a couple of friends who did as well.”
“I’m sorry, Arden.”
“Thank you. But you know what’s worse?” He traced his fingers along my shoulders and down my arms, causing goose bumps to scatter across my skin. “Coming home to find out your whole family is dead.”
I froze on the spot despite the heat of the water. I turned to face him and looked him in the eyes, seeing his pain there. He was telling the truth. Of course he was.
“I’m so sorry, Arden.” I hugged him close, wrapping my whole body around his.
He told me they had all passed in a bad car accident, a week before he was due to come home.
“I’m so, so sorry,” I said again.
And then we both cried. Together.