Felix
Iknow it’s not the best but when I glance over the indoor picnic I’ve set up, I’m happy with how it turned out.
I’m pretty sure the candles I found in the cupboard are from when Mom was alive.
The crocheted blankets piled on top of the quilt I spread out in front of the fireplace definitely are.
When I raided the cupboard in the office for something to lay on the floor, I found a number of blankets I’d forgotten about, all of them Mom’s handiwork.
They reminded me of watching Riley knit.
Made me wonder if she’d ever tried to crochet.
I was swamped with memories of Mom sitting in the armchair by the fire overlaid by images of Riley doing the same.
The longer I spent remembering and daydreaming, the more I knew I had to do something to keep Riley in my life.
Keep her as my wife.
I have no idea how to woo a woman, but I can’t imagine it’s harder than making sure she has everything she wants, taking care of her needs and desires. I’m smart enough to figure it out even if I have no experience doing it.
And Riley is always so grateful for anything I give or do for her, so easy to please, I’m sure I can make my own wants a reality.
Except she’s about to receive more money than either of us can fathom, plus a house, a home that’s hers and hers alone. What do I really have to offer her? This old cabin I never leave? A man who doesn’t drive? Won’t go into town?
Yeah, that’s not going to work. I already decided to go with her when she heads to Winter Lake with the paperwork that will grant her full access to her parents’ estate. Now, I’m determined to make it happen. I want to be with her every step of the way.
I want to support my wife.
If she’ll let me.
With a final glance, I determine our date is ready and walk over to my closed bedroom door. In an ideal world, I’d have a bunch of flowers in my hand. But I’m used to making do, and I think Riley is too. I’ll make sure to get her flowers another time.
Taking a deep breath, I stand tall and smile. This could be the first day of the rest of our lives together and I want to enjoy the moment. Enjoy my wife for as long as I can. Raising my hand, I tap my knuckles on the door. Three times.
The door opens before my hand connects for the last tap and in front of me is a beaming Riley.
How is it she looks more beautiful than she has all day? She hasn’t changed. There’s no added makeup on her face either. She’s all natural and for now, all mine.
“Riley, you take my breath away.”
Her cheeks flush a pretty shade of pink and her eyes sparkle. “Thank you. I could say the same about you. You put your hair up.”
I had. I’d worn it down for the wedding. I didn’t want people staring at my scars and I felt more comfortable with the layer of protection. “I did. It’s easier when I’m eating.”
“I like it down.” She steps closer and places a palm on my scarred face. “But I like this better. I get to see all of you.”
“They’re a lot.”
“No. They’re you. Part of your story, your life. I like knowing you feel safe enough to show them with me.”
Is that what it is? I trust Riley with my scars, my pain? “You’ve seen them before.”
“I have,” she says, her thumb stroking along the line gouged into my cheek. “But you were hiding them in the beginning. The first few days.”
“I didn’t want to scare you.”
“You don’t. You never could.” Pushing to her toes, she presses her lips to my jaw.
I freeze in place. Her mouth is so close to mine. I’d only have to move a fraction to meet those warm lips with my own. Before I can do something stupid like move that half inch, she drops back down and looks around me.
“Oh! Wow!” Skirting around me, she stops at my back. “Felix.”
The emotion in her voice has me spinning, ducking around in front of her. The tears in her eyes, on her cheeks, have me panicking. “What? What is it? What did I do?”
“It’s beautiful. I can’t believe…” Shaking her head, she meets my gaze. “Thank you. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me.”
“You’re happy?” I glance over at the picnic set up. See it for what it is. A half-assed job at best. “It’s not very good.”
“No, it’s not good, it’s fantastic!” She walks past me and over to the quilt, lowers herself to her knees. “This is the best date ever and I know it isn’t finished yet and I’ve not been on any to compare, but the fact you went to all this trouble, made tonight so special—”
She chokes back a sob and I’m moving before I think, kneeling beside her, gripping one of her hands in mine. “You deserve more than this. I’d give you more, better, if I could.”
“This is everything, Felix. You don’t need to give me more or better.”
I want to believe her but the tears on her face and in her eyes have me cautious. Optimistic, but cautious. “Should I serve dinner now or do you want to wait a bit longer?”
“Let’s wait.” Taking a deep breath, she slips back onto her butt and crosses her legs. “Tell me what you dreamed of doing when you were in high school.”
The change of subject has me jerking. Those dreams and years were so long ago, I’m not sure I remember them clearly. “I wanted to be a police officer.”
“Really?” She tilts her head and studies me. “Yeah, I can see that. Maybe you still can.”
“I kind of am.”
“What do you mean?”
“I work for a private security firm in their cyber division.”
“You police the internet?”
“You could say that.”
“That explains all the computers in your off—” She slaps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop in there, I was looking for a pen,” she says into her palm.
“It’s okay.” Reaching over, I pull her hand away. “But not many people know what I do. Most people think I’m a lumberjack.”
“Why would they think that?”
“Because I let them. And I sell firewood.” At her quirked eyebrow, I explain. “Uncle Granger and I buy logs from a local lumber yard and split them into pieces for firewood. We store it at his place and he sells it from there.”
“So you don’t spend every day locked in that room?”
“No. Spring through autumn, I’m outside chopping wood.”
“So much I don’t know…” she murmurs.
“I’ll answer anything you want to ask me.” I hope she’ll do the same.
She smiles at me. “I know.”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Nothing I can think of right now.” Her cheeks flush with color and her gaze drops to her lap.
“What? What was that?” Putting a finger under her chin, I lift her head until our eyes meet. “Don’t hide from me. Please.”
She takes a few seconds, her eyes flicking back and forth between mine before she tells me. “I want you to kiss me again.”
“Again?”
“Yes, you kissed me when we said our vows and I thought…maybe you didn’t like it because you haven’t done it again.”
“Oh, Riley. I’d love nothing more than to kiss you again but I’m not going to force myself on you—”
Her laughter cuts through the air. The sound and the joy on her face have me smiling in return. And I hope the reason she’s laughing is because she wants to kiss me as much as I want to kiss her.
“Do you want me to kiss you, Riley?”
She sucks in a breath. “Yes. More than anything.”
Leaning over slowly so she has time to move if she changes her mind, I place a hand on the floor by her hip and the other on the back of her neck. Holding her still, I meet her gaze and give her a final out. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. The surest I’ve ever been.”
Before I can eliminate the distance between us, she’s in my arms, hers wrapped around my neck like I’m the life preserver she needs to keep from drowning.
Except the minute our lips meet, I’m drowning. In lust so sharp and painful my cock is as hard as the logs I split. With a growl in my chest, I lean over, lower her to the floor, and follow, cage her in with my body over hers.