Chapter 2
I stared at my phone then glanced at the calendar. It had been two days since we last talked and I was debating if I would look desperate if I reached out. Then again, it was a dating site for mail order brides, it was desperate anyway, right?
With a sigh, I sat back on my couch, taking the phone with me and pressed the call button on the text thread. We had moved to texting the other day and only had one brief exchange to say good night.
And let me tell you, when I say that’s a voice that I would love to hear over and over, for it commanded me, I mean it.
Just hearing him saying ‘beautiful’ and ‘goodnight’ with that deep, husky tone almost made me come. And I didn’t think he’d want that so early on.
“Well, hello beautiful.”
Ugh, see what I mean? He had that whole panty melting voice and it wasn’t fair.
“Hello. What are you up to? I wasn’t bothering you, was I?”
“Are you kidding? I was just sitting outside again. I soak up every ounce of sun I can because when the snow and cold hit, sitting outside is almost impossible.”
“Oh, I can bet. And being that far up, I’m sure you run into a lot of cold spells. But I’m also sure it’s lonely.”
“It is. I have my buddies, a few other men around who enjoy the peace. And there’s a bar not too far away. The town isn’t big, but it’s quaint.”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a town called that before. Must be pretty small?”
I could hear him sigh a little and I had to smile. It wasn’t that the question annoyed him. I think he just forgets that he’s out in the middle of nowhere.
“It is. But it’s home. I’ve done the big city and hated it. I think the nearest one is about two hours away. So, when I shop, I have to make it an all-day production because I can’t do those trips ten and twelve times a month.”
“I can see that. A small price to pay for the peace and solitude of the location.”
“A fair trade, sure. Are you tired of the city life?”
“I’ve been tired, Christian. It’s loud, and rude, and dangerous.”
I heard him shift, almost as if he was sitting up, and it made me frown. Did I say something that threw him off?
“That’s part of why I left. The danger and the loudness. Here, I wake up to the sound of birds or rain, or bad winds. But certainly not to sirens blaring or people screaming.”
“I can’t imagine the quietness. I mean, even out here, quiet isn’t quiet. I mean, I’m the type that sleeps with a fan on while the heater is going.”
“For the noise?” he asked and I had to chuckle.
“Yup, I’m the type that needs that background noise. But not all this from the city. I am over it. My place isn’t huge either, so packing up isn’t something big for me.”
“Janelle?”
“Yeah, Christian?”
He paused and I held my breath, wondering what in the world he was thinking. Because it was evident he was thinking something and whatever was going on in that mind of his had him worried.
“Just spit it out already. What are you wanting? Because you want something.”
“You’d leaving everything behind?” he quietly asked and I struggled to hear him.
“Leave everything?”
“Yeah, you’d leave the city?”
“Sure. I have no family. I was an only child, and my dad died a few years back. Nothing is keeping me here.”
“So, you said you’d like my place, that it was something you could settle down in.”
“I did, yes. It’s beautiful. I’d love to see it.”
“How about you moving here? Would you want to do that?”
I didn’t pause, didn’t even think. Just said the first thing that came to mind.
“Yes, Christian, I’d like to move there.”
And there was no doubt about those words. They were honest and true, and I couldn’t wait to pack my bags and head out.
Even though I might not know him, I did sign up for this, and everything he was offering was everything I wanted, cabin in a wooded area included.
I’m not sure what I thought she would say but yes wasn’t quite it. Though, by the bubbling of hope in my chest, I’m going to assume that I had wished she said that. And now, I might be freaking out a bit because I wasn’t sure how I felt about someone entering my domain.
I hadn’t had anyone short of a friend come to my place. Any one-night stand bullshit was spent at theirs, never mine. Because I never wanted to taint my home like this.
This was my sanctuary, my comfort, and I never wanted to tarnish it.
And yet, I was okay with her coming. With sharing my space.
Which led me to believe that I liked her a whole lot more than I thought. And now, I would have to choke on the words of telling Mason he was right.
That was some bullshit.
“You okay?” she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Yes, sorry. I don't think we've ever talked about your job. Would you be giving it up?”
“Sure. But I have a nice savings, and I make character art for authors in my free time. It's a passion I have so now this will force me into doing it more. And that can be done from anywhere so long as I have Internet.”
“You can draw?”
“Yeah, and paint. Though my drawing is much better.” She laughed for a few moments before going on. “Oddly enough, my talent comes from pencil and paper. I can make all kinds of things and they look good. But when I'm before a canvas, my drawings turn to crap.”
“That’s interesting. I’d love to see something you've done.”
“Oh, sure. Hold on.”
She pulled the phone away and started hitting a few buttons, so I put the phone on speaker and then waited.
I heard the ding come through a second later and opened the link.
It sent me to her website where the first image was of a naked couple against a tree.
The woman was leaning back, and the man was between her legs.
“Is this from your mind?” I finally got out after clearing my throat. I thumbed through some of her other photos, seeing the talent there.
“Some are. But most are character art I've been commissioned to draw. I enjoy doing it.”
I stopped on one that just caught my eye. It was a bigger woman being held up by a bigger guy, muscles on full display. His legs were braced apart but he held her with ease. The woman's head was tossed back while his dick was buried deeply in her.
“Which would be ones you created?” I didn't need to really ask, though, as there were ones of bigger ladies sprinkled throughout her site. “Fuck, Janelle, you made me hard.”
Her light chuckle made me even harder because it was so innocent. Yet with drawings like this, I absolutely refused to believe she was. Nope, there was a naughty girl buried underneath all those layers and I felt far too compelled to pull it out.
To want to see it and taste it all for myself.
And I have never wanted to lay a claim to a woman before.
What was so different about this woman to make me want to do that when I barely knew her and hadn't even seen her in person?
I didn’t want to be scared over that thought, but I had to be honest, it kind of was, because it was an unknown world. Not that I didn’t want it, but still, different for me.
“I didn’t mean to make you hard,” she finally whispered and I had to smile to myself, because she probably had no idea all the thoughts these images created. Or just how badly I wanted to do them.
“I have a confession,” I finally said, clearing my throat.
“And what’s that?”
I glanced back through some of the photos, picturing far too many of them with her in this very same area.
“I would really love for you to move out here too.”