Chapter 40
Downstairs, I take a seat at the round table. “Something smells awesome. What did you make?”
“Just grilled cheese and soup.” He puts our plates and bowls down and takes a seat beside me. “Did you get settled in up there?”
“I did.” I spoon up some tomato soup. “I can’t believe you own a cabin.”
West takes a bite of the sandwich. “It was my mom’s idea. When I first started making money, she recommended I invest in real estate. Of course, she and Dad wanted a cabin in the mountains, so I pretty much bought it for the family.”
Jake barks, snapping my attention to the door. “Want me to let him in?”
“Sure.”
I open the door, and he trots over to say hi to West, then proceeds to plop under the table at our feet.
We finish our food, West talking the whole time about a trip he and Simon took to Bermuda. Frankly, I barely hear a word as sidetracked as I am by the fact that I’m here. Alone. With West. For the weekend.
Where does he expect things to go tonight? Where do I? How do I tell him I’m still a little scared? I’m still not sure about everything. How do I—
West pushes his bowl away. “Think I’ll take the buggy out and see the property. We’ve got a couple of hours before the sun sets. Interested?”
I give him a relieved smile. Relieved at what? I’m not sure. Maybe just getting out of this enclosed space into a wider area. Buggying around will give us something to do other than sit here and stare at each other. It’ll give my brain something to do other than spiral with thoughts.
But what am I worried about? That he’s going to sweep me up to bed?
“Besides, this place is vibrating with your stress. I have no expectations about this weekend except to enjoy spending time with my sweetie. Okay? Relax, Eve, I’m not going to attack you.”
I breathe out. He’s right. I need to relax. And “sweetie”? Okay, that’s just about the best thing ever.
We spend the next couple of hours rolling over his property, stopping here and there and doing some hiking. He keeps the conversation going, making me laugh at silly things. It really is so easy to be around West.
When we get back, it’s dark out and the temperature’s dropped. West makes a fire that Jake immediately sprawls in front of. Its crackle and glow fill the cabin with warmth and flickering light. Outside, a few tree limbs fall, and their hollow popping echoes through the valley.
From the wine rack, West gets a bottle and opens it. “I’m not a wine drinker, but it seems appropriate.” He holds up the bottle. “You like cabernet?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Never had any.”
West fills two glasses and hands me one. I take a hesitant sip, like it, and take another.
“Wait! We’re supposed to toast.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
He leads me over to the couch. “Here’s to Jake. May his years be filled with no ticks and fleas.”
We clink glasses, and I take another sip.
“Do you like it?” he asks.
“Mm.”
“I’m glad you’re not wearing your ballcap. I love looking at you.”
“I love looking at you, too,” I shyly admit.
“Oh, Eve.” He reaches for me.
I hold up my hand. “Will you do me a favor while we’re here?”
“Anything.”
“Let’s enjoy the here and now and try not to think about other things.”
West ponders that. “Well, a thank you is in order.”
“For?”
“For being honest with that request. That’s all I ever want from you. You know that, right? Honesty and trust.”
Guilt squeezes my guts. Honesty and trust—two things I have yet to completely give him. “I’ll do my best. I promise.”
“Do one better. It’s clear I’m absolutely in like with you.”
His words warm me. “I’m in like with you, too.” Of course, I am.
“Then do one better and always talk to me. Whatever it is, just talk. If I say or do anything that makes you nervous, please tell me. I can’t read your mind, but I can read your body language, and I can tell that I make you uneasy sometimes. I don’t want to ever scare you, okay?”
“You don’t scare me.” But he does. In a good way.
“Just make sure you tell me if I do.”
My anxiousness kicks back in, and I will my nerves to settle. Why am I so edgy?
“Don’t worry,” he says, reading my body language. “I get nervous with you, too.”
A little homework assignment, Anne’s words float across my brain.
West reaches across the couch cushion that separates him from me and toys with my fingers. “What are you thinking about?”
My homework assignment from Anne, but I answer, “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” he teases, setting our glasses aside.
I study the flickering shadows across his jaw, more than aware of everything about him.
West turns to me, scooting a little closer, visually tracing every one of my features. “You’re very beautiful.”
Gently, he places a feather kiss on each tip of my fingers, then he runs his hand along the back of my neck and pulls me forward.
He gives a lingering kiss to my right cheek before slowly brushing down to my mouth.
Lightly, he rubs his lips back and forth across mine, then moves over to my left cheek and presses a kiss there, too.
West slides back down to my lips, and this time I open. Our tongues tentatively touch. He tastes of wine. I open my mouth a little more, and he circles my tongue with his own, sucking it in and pulsing it back out in a seductive rhythm.
He’s never kissed me like that before. With a moan, I pull him closer.
He slips his arm around my back and slides me down to the couch. Stretching out on top of me, he trails his lips across my cheek to my neck, and then nibbles a path to my collarbone.
“You smell so good,” he murmurs.
A shiver dances down my spine, and I pull him even closer and open my legs. With a groan, he presses into me.
Homework assignment.
My pulse kicks in. He’s always the one initiating the kissing, the touching, the hugging.
I like it all, but he never takes it too far.
Like he’s afraid to push me beyond my comfort zone.
I don’t mind the pushing, though. He knows how to read me, how to do it where my hesitancy quickly becomes wanting.
I’m ready for things to go a little further.
I’m not sure how much further. But there’s no reason why I can’t make the first move, why I can’t experiment.
There’s nothing wrong with that at all. I draw in a breath of courage and give his chest a gentle push.
He stops kissing me. “You okay?”
I nod. “I have a homework assignment.”