Chapter Seven
Sebastian
Sundays were made for lovers, I think.
Lying in the fire’s warmth, Scout’s soft skin pressed against mine, I am happier than I have ever been. Learning about her diabetes scared me. I just found her, and I would be devastated to lose her. All night we talked about how she manages it, how it affects her, and that it was one reason she decided to come settle down for once here in Driftwood.
Between talking about her path to get here, we talked about mine. I told her about the long relationship I had before that was so different than this one. It had felt so desperate and so empty for most of the relationship. I was sad it had ended, yet I was never sure where it would have gone, anyway.
Scout explained most of her relationships were brief and her most intense were with women. It took me by surprise that she decided she I was someone she wanted to be with if most of her experience was with women. I am loud, big, dirty, and gruff, totally the opposite of the few women she dated.
“Truth or dare?”
“Hmm, truth,” Scout hums with a smirk as she stretches out beside me, tangling herself around me in this cute way I have noticed she does.
“Why did you give me your number that day?”
Scout sits up in all her glory, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. Tapping her fingers at her chin, she cocks her head thoughtfully. “For a long time, I took care of my mother. My friends. Whoever I was dating. It was what I wanted to do, what I am good at. I never felt...safe. I never felt taken care of. My mom was the last place I called home. Until you smiled at me. You were adorable and shy and....I felt as if you would take care of me. The way I needed to be taken care of.”
Sitting up, I lay her down gently, nodding my head. “I will take care of you, Scout. I wanted that the minute I saw you. You do not need me, I have no illusions that I you would not be just fine without me,” I start to go on, but she cuts me off.
“No, baby,” she hums softly. “I do need you. I want to take care of you. It is different with you. I am safe. I am home.”
Bending, I cover her pretty mouth with mine as we sigh together. This feels like home. Holding her, feeling her heartbeat thundering to match mine. I want to give her everything. All she could ever want. And I believe she will give me everything right back. We make love for hours by the fireplace, playing our game, until night falls. It is the best Sunday I can remember, and it is just our first one together.
The following morning, I head to the landing while she stays snuggled in bed. I promise to be back soon, and she promises to be there, waiting. All day I am in the best mood. I do not snap at my guys, I do not get frustrated when the bailer breaks down. I am whistling a fucking song as I fix it, and the guys are having a good laugh at my expense.
“Another one has fallen,” Jonas teases, chewing on his always present Twizzler stick. The kid loves sweets. It makes me think about my girl and how I have to be careful with sweets now.
“Indeed, he has. One of you fucks will be next,” I tease, winking at them before we get back to work.
We talk about romance and women all day. Turns out Gavin has a girl he has been pining for after spending one night with her. Jonas mentions he hasn’t tried to date since he was in the Marines. Abel gives little more than a grunt when we ask about his love life, so we let him be.
Talking about women and dating reminds me I never took my girl on a date. Hell, I never even called her after she gave me her number. I just hung out at the bar until neither of us could take it any longer. For the rest of the day, I plan out a perfect date that my girl will love.
“Honey, I am home,” I call several hours later as I shake the rain off me inside the cabin.
Seeing her sitting there on the couch, wearing my shirt and nothing else, just waiting for me, it makes my entire day fade away. I do not care about a broken bailer or the shit the guys gave me for falling so fast. Coming home to her, this is the best feeling in the world.
“Baby! My lumberjack is home,” Scout shouts, running towards me and leaping off her feet. I catch her with a grunt, laughing as we stumble back a few feet. Scout peppers kisses all over my face, pushing at my jacket, telling me to get naked. I almost do it. I almost strip us both down and take her to the ground to fuck her right there. But, no, I made plans for us.
“Made plans for us, honey. Taking you up to my favorite spot,” I tell her, climbing the stairs with her still clinging to me.
“You did? What sort of plans, sugar?”
Scout is all smiles as I set her on the bed, bending to kiss her softly. The greedy little thing pulls at me, trying to sidetrack me. It almost works. I almost lie her down and climb over her to claim her again. But there will be plenty of time for that later.
“Taking you out on a proper date, honey. We skipped that part.”
“Oh! I don’t know if I’ve ever had an actual date,” she exclaims, giving a little clap of her hands. I laugh and tell her we need to get changed, but there is no need to dress up.
Scout brought a bag of things up to my place earlier today. I can’t lie and say I don’t love seeing her shit scattered over my bathroom vanity and her panties tucked in a drawer with my boxers. After a quick shower that would have been quicker if she hadn’t joined me in it, we’re ready to go. Before we do, I tell her to just wait a minute.
Rushing outside, I wander through the wild growth surrounding my cabin. I let the wildflowers grow because I think they make the cabin pretty. Grabbing a handful, I walk back up the steps, clear my throat, and knock on my own damn door. Scout pulls it open with a frown before she smiles as I thrust the flowers at her and smile sheepishly.
“Here you go, honey. Said I wanted to do it properly.”
“You must be the most adorable lumberjack ever,” she teases, pushing up on her toes to grant me a soft kiss.
Leading her out to the truck, I help her in before I climb in beside her. Scout tucks the flowers into a cup holder, and I smile as she beams over at me. Taking her hand in mine, I kiss her knuckles and let her tune the radio to whatever station she wants.
“Where are we going?” Scout wonders after we leave the mountain and pass most of Driftwood.
“It’s a surprise. You will like it,” I tell her as I aim the truck for the highway.
We sit in a comfortable silence beside her, humming along with the radio. Every few songs, she switches the dial, bouncing between old country and new pop. It just gives me a little more insight into her. As we near the state border, she seems to grow anxious.
“We’re almost there, honey,” I tell her with a squeeze of her hand.
Moments later, I see the turnoff I am headed for. We take the dark turn that winds through thick forests to a secluded pond. It’s a place I found by mistake a few years ago. It’s surrounded by mature fringe trees, full of thick white flowering branches. It could be a place out of a fantasy, it’s so pretty. I have come here a few times to just sit and be, and I wanted to share the place with Scout.
“Oh wow,” she breathes as it all comes into view. “This is magical!”
Smiling proudly, I nod in agreement. Parking on the thick grass, I lead her to the water’s edge. Going back to the truck, I grab the blanket and picnic basket I tucked there earlier. When I come back, she is waiting, giving me a look of approval.
“Very nice, lumberjack,” she teases with a grin as we set the picnic up.
“I found this place by accident. I thought of the best place to take you on a proper date. This was the first place I thought of. I figured you might appreciate it the way I do.”
Settling back against the tree, I pull her down to sit between my outstretched legs. Kicking off her shoes, she sits, snuggling back against my chest and pulling my arms closed around her front. Dipping my head, I kiss her throat, her shoulder, and her jaw. Then we just sit there in the moment, taking the beauty in.
“This place is stunning,” she whispers softly, brushing her fingers through the thick grass. “Sometimes on my trips, I would just find a place to sit and be quiet. To remind myself that even if I felt all alone out there, I wasn’t. We’re never alone. Even if I was lonely, if I believed I was out there on my own, I wasn’t. Because you were out there, my mom is up there, I just had to do a few things on my own. Now I don’t have to.”
“I told myself I was never lonely before,” I whisper gruffly. “It was a lie I had to believe to get by. To get through another day. I thought I had no one, but I chose that. I never let the guys at the landing in. I wasn’t alone, why did I need them? But you were out there and now you’re here. Now I realize how lonely I was before.”
“Well, we don’t have to be anymore, do we, baby?”
“No, we don’t. Not just because I have you,” I admit, dropping another kiss to her shoulder. “I want to let those guys in. They’re all good guys. Hell, what if one of them is alone the way I was? I’m just making it harder for no damn reason.”
“That is called personal growth. I stayed on the road for a long time, because if I kept moving, I could forget I lost my mom. If I didn’t take too long to look at my blood sugar or any of that, it meant I was beating it. Staying here means I have to face it and manage it, but I am ready.”
“Besides, you got me. I will learn all I can about it. To help manage it. Truth or dare, honey?”
Scout laughs, tilting a look my way. “Truth.”
“Driftwood is your home now, ain’t it? I’m your home, right?”
Scout turns to kneel between my legs, cupping my face in her hands. Nodding, she doesn’t speak. Lowering her head, she just kisses me. It is all the truth I need. Cradling her close, I kiss her back, getting lost in the sweetness that has driven me mad from the very first taste.
Not letting her get me off track, I lay out the picnic spread I put together for us. Besides a tray of veggies I picked from my garden at the cabin, there are olives, meats, and some crackers. All of it is low carb and raw, both things good for her blood sugar. I spent all day putting it together after lots of research.
We eat and drink the fresh lemonade I let her know I made with raw sugar. Our game of truth or dare that started that night at the bar picks up, as it often does. Only as the night darkens and the skies twinkle with stars, do I feel something is not right.
“Truth or dare, honey,” I repeat the question I’ve asked a dozen times.
Sitting up, Scout pulls at some grass, weaving it through her fingers. There is obvious tension in her posture. I want to fix whatever has gone wrong, but I am clueless. Glancing at me, she hits me with it.
“Truth. I will just give you some truth,” she cuts me off before I can even think of a question. “I have diabetes, but I am not...I am not sick . I am not frail or unwell. I can live a full life because I manage it well. I do not need...no one has to cater to my illness.”
Blinking at her in surprise, I sit up too. Taking her hands as she twists the grass over and over, I hold them both in my hand. Tipping her jaw up, I cradle her face in my hands. It feels as if my chest cracks when I see tears in her beautiful eyes.
“Honey, I know you can take care of yourself. When you’re with someone, when you want to stick it out, when you want it to be good and last, you take care of each other. It is just natural for me to take care of you.”
Nodding, she swipes at her tears as they fall. “I am just...I am not looking to be fixed or feel as if there is something wrong with me.”
“I am not looking to fix what is not broken, Scout.”
Those turn out to be words I will regret.