Chapter 3
I slammed my door to my apartment as I got in and leaned back against it, hating everything about that place for the moment. I needed something different. Something new. Something where I could only focus on the one thing I loved to do, because this was all bullshit.
I was treated so horribly and I hated it.
I closed my eyes and then slid down the door to sit on the floor, resting my arms on my legs.
“What I wouldn’t give to have a man hold me right now and tell me that there was nothing to worry about,” I muttered, feeling the weight of the phone in my hand.
I opened the thread with Christian and looked through the countless photos he had sent me of the woods surrounding his place, and the little lake beyond.
With a smile, I ran the tip of my nail over the water then grabbed my sketchpad and took a picture of what I was drawing.
I sent it to him, smiling as I texted.
I’m not sure it’s the same, but I had to send a picture.
“Get yourself up,” I told myself, glancing around. Slowly, I started to frown, wondering if it would be utterly insane to pack everything up, shove it in a storage unit, and call into work, saying I quit. Then take a long road trip to a cabin that’s nine hours away.
My phone vibrated in my hand and I jumped, glad to see who was calling me.
“Hey handsome, what are you doing?”
“I’m on my way back to the cabin, thought I’d call you rather than text. I like the picture. I’m not sure you could capture it any better if you were here.”
I twisted my lip, the praise making me blush, although he had been telling me how awesome I was since he saw everything three days ago.
“I doubt that,” I mumbled, making him laugh.
“I really don’t think so. Really, when you come up, you’ll see for yourself.”
I twisted my shirt for a second before standing up and making my way into my kitchen. I had lived in this same place for three years, but one wouldn’t guess it had been that long for the little items I had.
Sure, I had the couch, a tv, but really no pictures, and only a few plates, cups, and one pan. Even my bedroom was pretty empty. It’s as if some part of me knew I wouldn’t be here for long.
“You still there?”
“Sorry, just thinking,” I told him, and it was true. Because if he was serious, if he wanted me there, I could pack up everything right now and be on the road in just a little bit.
“About what?”
I heard him throw his flasher on and pictured him with his hand on the steering wheel, controlling it with his wrist while he talked to me.
“It was a really bad day at work today. I just want to leave and focus on my art, but that’s impossible.
I haven’t made enough off of that yet. I really don’t want to go back there tomorrow.
In fact, I stormed into my place, and I’ve been sitting on the floor.
Which is why I texted. I needed to get over this day. ”
“Well, I’m glad I called. Hopefully my voice is making you feel better.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe. In fact, it might just be the first time I smiled all day.”
“Now that’s a shame when you have such a beautiful smile.”
I blushed once more at that, never hearing that before.
“Hold on Janelle, I’m going to call you right back.”
“Sure.”
We hung up the call and thirty seconds later, I got an alert for a video call. I pushed my hair down and accepted, smiling at him as he appeared on the screen.
“Damn, you’re beautiful,” he told me, making me blush yet again. “Question?”
“Yes?”
“Does that blush go everywhere?”
“Uh, maybe?” I answered, feeling my face flame up yet again.
“Maybe you really should come here just so I can see.”
“You’re a flirt,” I told him, which made him chuckle.
“Maybe, but it’s true.”
I cocked a brow at him, deciding then and there, once this call was done, I was packing up and loading what I could, and heading out, letting a friend know what she could do with the rest of the stuff.
“You look tired,” Mason said, smacking my back, which earned him a glare.
“Maybe I am.”
“Someone keeping you awake?”
“Not like you think.”
I took a sip of my beer, my mind wandering to Janelle.
I had never made a video call, and wasn’t sure what I was thinking when I did it.
I just knew I had to see her face, to make her smile.
But when that blush appeared, yeah, all my blood headed south, and I had to struggle not to go into the nasty thoughts that wanted to slip out.
But talking to her was so easy. It was as if we had known each other for ages, not just the short time that we had. And I sat in my chair, on the phone with her outside, really wishing that she was in my lap.
A total first for me because I didn’t long for that.
However, with this one, I longed for a lot of things.
Like I longed to take the trip to town with her, my hand on her leg, or holding her hand.
I longed to show her my land, the lake, and all the woods surrounding it.
I longed to bring her to this bar and show her off, letting everyone know that I was taken and they needed to back the hell up.
Just like this one woman who kept making eyes at me.
“Someone wants you,” Mason said and I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, well, I don’t want her. I told you, this life isn’t interesting anymore. I’m over it.”
“This has nothing to do with Janelle, right?”
I gave him a look because he did know the truth about that. It did have something to do with it. Maybe we couldn’t say we were dating, but I felt like I belonged to her.
“I’m out of here,” I told him, standing up and throwing some bills on the counter.
“Hey Christian?”
“Yeah,” I said, turning around to glance at him.
“Invite me to the wedding.”
I flipped him off as I walked out of the bar and over to my truck. I loved this bar, it was the best of dive bars in my opinion, and it did cater to a lot of the men around these parts, so it was far more rustic.
But because of that, it also had a lot of loose women that came, hoping to shack up with one man or another.
And I was done with that, had been. Again, it’s why I joined Mountain Mates, and honestly, I didn’t have a problem with that.
I pulled up my drive, only slowing down as I saw a car parked a little further to the right of the cabin. Stopping right in front of the porch, I stared at the single woman who sat on the steps, her head lifting at the sound of the engine.
Her hair was down and surrounded her curvy face, a face I wanted to grab and kiss endlessly.
I licked my lips and took a deep breath before I turned the truck off and climbed out, walking to stand right in front of her. She stood up, barely reaching my shoulder and I had to smile at that.
“Hi,” I told her, making her laugh.
“Hi.”
“You came?”
“If you’ll have me,” she whispered, her eyes round as if she thought I would turn her away. I mean, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, because I told her the honest truth. I did want her here, in my domain, with me, day in and day out.
“It would be kind of rude for me to make you go home now, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“And it’s not like there are any hotels around here for you.”
“There wasn’t when I drove in.”
“There is something to say, though,” I started, lifting my hand up and cupping her cheek. “You’re a good girl for following directions so well.”
I leaned down, taking her gasp with my lips, savoring the feel and taste.
“Welcome to my cabin,” I whispered, enjoying the blush that appeared.