Chapter Twenty #2
“Is that why you wear that scent? Your skin always carries a hint of roses. I assume it’s your soap or lotion.”
No other man had ever paid such close attention to details. Her ex-husband had given her a bottle of lilac perfume for her birthday one year, proclaiming he knew it was her favorite. She’d smiled and pretended to love it, but she’d never worn it…and he’d never noticed.
That should have been a huge red flag that their relationship was on shaky ground. She and Alex weren’t in a real relationship, but he knew she favored roses.
“It’s lotion. I prefer the scent to be subtle.
I have to be careful that it doesn’t overpower the guests or trigger any scent allergies.
I remember sitting on a bench beside my grandmother in her bedroom, watching her get ready for the day.
After she put on her makeup, she always finished with face powder and a spritz of perfume.
She’d powder my nose and forehead and give me my own dab of perfume. I felt so grown up.”
“You loved her.”
“I did. I do. She was strict in many ways, but she was the only one in my family who understood me or even tried. She gave me her time and attention. I never wanted to go into the family business and become a lawyer. I wanted to draw and paint and live at Ivy House forever.” She gave a self-conscious laugh and waved her words away. “The wishes of a child.”
“That doesn’t make them any less important.”
Her throat tightened and her eyes stung.
She grabbed her drink and took several sips.
When had her life taken such a wrong turn?
When she’d graduated high school, she’d been so full of dreams and plans.
She wanted to travel across Europe, study architecture, see wonders, wander galleries, try new foods, and experience life. Instead, her father had died.
Under the grief—not because she’d loved him, but because of what might have been that had been lost—she’d caved to Richard’s pressure and gone straight to college.
It had been for one year, to give her time to settle, or so he’d claimed.
After one year, he’d argued she could go to Europe after she finished her degree.
By then she was married and the trip become nothing but a faded fantasy.
“I’ve made you sad.”
She shook her head. “No, not you. I’ve let too much of my life slip away, allowing others to dictate what I should and shouldn’t do. That changes right now. I’m young. I have time to make some of my forgotten dreams come true.”
Maybe not all of them—a summer or year of travel were out of the question. But she could take a week or two if she planned carefully. Rosa would pick up the slack. And she could hire someone else part-time. Assuming Ivy House didn’t go under in the interim.
If she sold the property to Richard, she’d have the money to travel and nothing holding her back. It was tempting, for about five seconds. She loved Ivy House too much to ever allow it to be destroyed. Her teenage dreams were no longer realistic, but she could make new ones.
Rather than agree, Alex visibly withdrew. Oh, he was still sitting across from her—big and bold and handsome as ever—but the emotional retreat was unmistakable.
Talk about oversharing. While he was attentive, it didn’t mean he wanted to be regaled with her childhood regrets.
“Do you want coffee?” She jumped up from the table, done with trying to finish her meal. “I’m making tea. There are cookies, if you’d like some. I should have picked something up from the bakery.”
Before she could make her getaway, he caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “I told you once before, I believe you can do anything you set your mind to.”
His husky tone made her shiver. There was no way she should want him again. Not after the number of times they’d made love already today. Logic didn’t matter, not with him beside her, radiating sex appeal.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence.” It was easy to have lofty ambitions in the safety of her home with him beside her. Actually making herself take the necessary steps to see it through was quite another. But she was determined to fight for what she wanted.
“What are you going to do about the pressure to sell Ivy House?”
It was odd to bring that up now, but she supposed it was on his mind as it was on hers. “I’ll see my lawyer early next week. I’ll get her to send letters to both parties, warning I’ll fight if they take this to court. I need to determine what legal steps I can take if the harassment continues.”
It was a big step—a potentially expensive one—but necessary.
“Richard and Christopher both have ambitions. A lengthy public court case wouldn’t help either of them, which my lawyer will point out to them.
A developer won’t wait forever. Time is money.
I have the option to offer to sell them the land, minus the house and acreage it sits on.
If that’s not acceptable to them, they’d be better off cutting their losses and pivoting.
They could sell the land they’ve already acquired or develop it themselves.
It might not be on the grand scale they’d hoped for with an outside investor, but it could be profitable. ”
He started to say something but stopped. Given his family’s business and his own experience, he could likely give her sound advice, but when he didn’t offer she didn’t ask. He was knee-deep in her problems as it was without her dragging him deeper.
A crow cawed. Alex’s hand tightened around hers. Cilla wondered if it was the same crow that had been hanging around lately. It had shown up around the same time as Alex. She frowned, wondering why she made the link between the two. It wasn’t as though he had any connection to the wild bird.
“What about your problem with your father? Was Sam able to offer any help?” It hadn’t escaped her that he hadn’t offered to share.
While he was more than willing to discuss her issues, he was closemouthed when it came to his own.
She’d hesitated to ask, but he knew so much about her life, it seemed only fair.
Alex shook his head. “Sam couldn’t shed any light on the situation, but I’m confident I’ll be ready to leave Redemption very soon.”
There wasn’t much left to say after that, was there? She offered him a tight smile. “I’m happy for you. I’ll be right back with coffee.”
She tugged on her hand, but he didn’t release her.
Instead, he pulled her down onto his lap.
Twilight had descended, but it was bright enough to see without turning on the outside lights.
Closing her eyes, she soaked in the closeness.
She’d miss this when he was gone. She hadn’t realized how much she’d craved basic physical contact.
Oh, she didn’t mean sex—although with Alex, that was the stuff of dreams. It was the quiet dinners, the holding hands, and the hug because he thought she needed one.
Alex was a special man. She was glad to have had him in her life for even a short time.
He’d reminded her of things she’d forgotten, given her courage, and reawakened the woman inside her. For that, she would always be grateful.
When he pressed a kiss against her temple, she tilted her head back and drank in the sight of him.
No matter how many times she saw his eyes, they captivated her.
Black as night, they were fringed by long lashes that in no way diminished his masculinity.
The knowledge of the world seemed to reside in their depths.
Right now, his dark brows were lowered, giving him a fierce expression.
“When are you leaving?” She hadn’t meant to ask, but there was no point in pretending he was staying when they both knew better.
He burrowed his fingers into her hair and removed the clip anchoring it. The heavy mass tumbled down around her shoulders. “Tomorrow.”
His blunt answer jolted her, even though she’d been expecting it. He’d been so insistent on staying with her up until now, but the sense of desperation to his lovemaking had warned her that the end was coming. As much as he’d tried to hide it, he’d been growing restless as the afternoon waned.
He started to say something else, but she covered his mouth with her hand.
“You don’t owe me any explanation. I understand the problem with your father is your priority.
” And she didn’t want to hear the tired platitude about how it wasn’t her, it was him and his situation.
He swallowed heavily, his throat rippling, and gave a curt nod.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked.
Alexiares Blackwell didn’t beat around the bush. She could nurse her hurt or she could make one more special night of memories. The choice was surprisingly easy. “I’ll stay.”
He briefly closed his eyes and huffed out a breath. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Probably not.” Her agreement made him laugh, but he quickly sobered.
“You’re too damn good for this world. It’s not fair what’s happening to you.”
She shrugged. “Fair has little to do with it.” It had everything to do with her brother and her ex.
And there was nothing more she could do about it for the time being.
“Let’s forget about tomorrow. It will arrive soon enough.
You’ll get back to your life. I’ll get back to mine. Until then, there’s tonight.”
Their lips collided, both of them already feeling the coming separation, determined to make the most of tonight.
Why couldn’t he stay? Her leaving Ivy House was impossible right now. Any other time, she’d be sorely tempted to go with him. Except he hadn’t asked. A knot grew in her stomach. Was she being a fool? Was she nothing more than a convenience?
Sensing her hesitation, he withdrew and stroked his fingers along her cheek. “We can stop. We don’t have to make love if you don’t want to or are too tired. Just let me hold you through the night one last time.”
Whatever demons he was fighting, he was hurting as much as she was. Pain and regret reflected in his eyes. A muscle jumped in his jaw.
“Let’s clean the kitchen and make an early night of it.” Like a balloon bursting, his tension vanished and he smiled.
“Let’s do that.”
After piling the tray high with dishes and uneaten food, she held the door while he carried it inside. A shiver raced down her spine.
She glanced over her shoulder. The garden, normally inviting and her private sanctuary, seemed menacing and unfamiliar. Cilla quickly stepped inside, closed the door, and locked it.