Chapter 3
Noah
Our family farm was only a few minutes away from LFD. I was still numb with shock by the time Lewis steered his car down the narrow lane to the cottage on the edge of my parents’ property.
I averted my eyes when he drove past the main house.
I don’t even want to know who lives in my childhood home.
The main house had never been charming, but it looked downright hostile under the blanket of clouds heavy with rain.
They clung to the sides of the small mountains behind the main house like the survivors of a shipwreck to a cliff and gave the small valley a suffocating feel.
I wanted to ask Lew to take me back to the distillery.
But then again, I’d always been self-reliant to a fault and I wasn’t a child anymore.
I had no idea what I’d expected.
Not this, though.
I didn’t need a welcome committee or special treatment but this was just depressing. Ollie had barely spoken with me in the car and had chosen to work from his phone instead. I mean, I got it. I was obsessed with my job and was the last person to judge someone for it. And yet ….
We hadn’t seen each other in three years. That had been the last time I’d come back for Hogmanay. It had been the saddest holiday season of my life. I had spent the evening crying in my childhood bedroom. After that, I’d decided I’d rather not spend money on that again.
If I had a choice—and my own car—I would have turned around and gone straight back to the airport. But I was stuck, literally and figuratively, for a while.
Let’s just make the best of it, Bright.
Lewis parked his truck in front of the cottage.
It had been difficult to see in the gloomy afternoon, but the closer I got the more I wanted to stay in his truck and hide from the world. I took a few steadying breaths before I got out.
My parents can’t be serious.
The place hadn’t seen any repairs in the last couple of years.
“Coming?” Lewis’ voice was weirdly gentle again. A hug would make me feel better, but I hated myself a little for wanting to lean in and let him comfort me.
“Yeah.” My mouth was dry when I got out of the car and tried to find the right key.
Damn it, I had forgotten how gloomy Scotland got in autumn.
I dreaded setting foot into the cottage that didn’t really deserve to be called that, if I was being honest. Calling it a ‘shack’ or a ‘hovel’ would have been more accurate.
Here goes.
Ollie had told the truth. Our parents had emptied it out and, unless the two or three boxes I had left in here were hidden away in a closet, they had got rid of my stuff, too.
I’d kept a few bits and pieces from my youth.
I was glad I’d decided to bring my stuffed orange cat Mr Pickles to Bali with me last time I’d visited.
Having the boxes of clothes to go through would have been great and saved me some money, but they probably wouldn’t have fit me anymore.
You’re just trying to sugarcoat everything. They donated all your stuff without asking you first.
Okay, I had to compartmentalise my feelings or I’d start crying, and I didn’t want to cry in front of Lewis.
When I took a few more steps into the living room with its open stone fireplace, Lewis followed me inside. He carried my bags into the bedroom and was gone without a word. I found his behaviour towards me a little odd. Why was he so nice to me when he’d only ever ignored me after our kiss?
Maybe he doesn’t hate me after all?
I found it difficult to nurse any animosity towards him after all this time. I’d thought of him occasionally but hadn’t really kept up with his social media accounts. Maybe I should have.
He was so hot in his torn jeans, which revealed a hint of powerful furry thigh, and the faded shirt he wore effortlessly. Its sleeves hugged his huge biceps, barely able to contain all of his beef.
I had a thing for thick, hairy guys, even though I’d never dated one.
Perhaps, and my brother didn’t need to know, he’d be interested in a casual thing while I was here. I could do with some rebound sex after David had broken up with me a month ago.
Okay no, let’s not go there right now. Compartmentalise, Bright.
My eyes hung on Lewis’ plushy tail when he left the shack to grab my other bag. I’d forgotten to bring it inside and felt bad for treating him like a lackey. I had to make sure to thank him. Maybe I could get on my knees for him? Suck him for old time’s sake?
I snorted at my unhinged inner monologue.
Lewis is at least one striped silver lining in this whole stupid affair.
The hulking Tigris entered the room as if he’d heard me thinking about him.
For the second time today, I stopped in my tracks and stared at the man. The contrast of the black stripes on his fluffy white fur was fascinating. He watched me calmly, his eyes like two large aquamarines, and arms folded over his enormous chest.
What the hell am I supposed to do now?
Having to stay outside of Indonesia until my visas would be renewed meant I’d had to give up most of my possessions there. Not that I’d collected much, but I’d moved into a room at a villa, sleek and modern, with a pool and everything. Things had started to pile up.
I turned on the spot in the rundown cottage. My parents hadn’t invested any money in it, and it had fallen into disrepair. And all I had was a suitcase full of summer clothes and a backpack with my work gear.
Splendid.
I knew my parents weren’t around, but they hadn’t even organised for the cottage to be cleaned. Ever since Ollie and I had moved out it was as if we didn’t exist to our parents anymore. They were usually on vacation or in their various clubs and organisations.
It was great for them, but it would have been nice to come back home to an aired out, swept cottage with fresh sheets.
I supposed it would make sense to go to the shops, grab some food and drinks, and maybe a few jumpers I could bundle up in.
If only I wasn’t strapped for cash.
But first I needed some fresh air to get rid of the musty smell in here. Lewis caught on immediately when I flung open the first window, and moved on to the ones on the other side of the room.
He looked angry, probably at having to babysit me. As if I wanted that. I wanted him to push me on the bed and tear off my clothes. I wanted to lick every square inch of his hairy body and for him to mount me.
Outside of a few hookups I’d only been in two relationships in Bali that I considered serious. My first boyfriend Lin, a Chinese dragon and digital artist, and I had realised we weren’t a great fit and were still friends. He’d moved to Portugal a couple of years ago.
My last partner, David, an Austrian digital nomad, had made it clear that he wouldn’t wait for me or come along to Scotland about a month ago. That was when I had realised he’d never even bothered to book his flight even though we’d agreed to go together.
It hadn’t been that long since I’d last had sex, yet being around Lewis had my whole body screaming that I needed to be fucked properly. I was desperate for someone to destroy me and take me out of my monkey mind.
I did a quick inventory of my things to see what was missing and turned away to adjust myself stealthily.
Meet Noah Bright: severely underfucked and perpetually horny.
As if I’d said it aloud Lewis looked around at me, eyes narrowed. My face heated.
“Shall we get to the shops? I bet you’re exhausted and want some peace and quiet soon,” he said in a steady voice. I could have kissed him for not commenting on my flushed face.
“Yeah, I’m knackered, it’s been quite a trip. I just want to check what I need. Won’t take long.”
“Sure.” Lewis made his way around the cottage and slid the windows shut, and cranked up the heat again. A couple minutes later I followed him back to his car. He took one look at me shivering in the cool evening air and bent into the backseat.
Holy shit.
His arse was on display, and I salivated a little over the two firm globes moving under his thick tail.
Lewis grabbed a massive hoodie from the depths of his car and handed it to me.
“You put this on, it’ll keep you warm. You’ll catch a cold otherwise.” It wasn’t a suggestion.
“Yes, Daddy,” I sighed in exasperation without thinking. There was a moment of stony silence, then Lewis snorted.
He shook his huge head, opened the door for me, and waited until I’d put on the extra large hoodie. It had ‘Train like a beast’ printed in an arch across the back. Then I clambered into my seat.
The hoodie dwarfed me and promised warm hugs. It smelled like sex—of musky male and soft bodies in the dark.
Drool.
Damn, the front of my boxers sported a wet spot already, and I got harder every time the tip of my dick rubbed over it.
“So, you live in Bali?” he asked over the noise of his car once we were back on the road, eyes flitting over to where I sat.
“Yeah, I moved there a couple of years ago. I stayed in Thailand for a while after I left Scotland, but I’d always wanted to live in Bali, so….” My voice trailed off.
Stop oversharing, Bright!
“Must be nice there.” Lewis’s tone wasn’t snarky. It was curious, as if he was actually interested in what I had to say. For a moment, I wanted to lie, but I’d never been great at it.
“Well, to be honest, it’s getting a bit old.”
Lew snorted, and he palmed the wheel with his huge hands in a way that had me even harder. I groaned and fidgeted a little on the passenger seat. “The ocean, sandy beaches and palm trees not to your liking?”
I dragged my horny brain away from thoughts of what Lew could do to me. He was so much stronger and bigger; he could easily hold me down and take what he wanted.
Fuck.
I wanted that so badly.
“Uh.” I forced my brain to ignore Lewis’ sex scent that filled my nostrils. “It’s great but ... I don’t know, it’s ….”
“So you’re not going back?”
“Well, I suppose I will. I built my life there.” Lie. “I have friends there and everything.” Another lie. Maybe I’m getting the hang of it.
I had no idea where I was going from here. True, I’d requested a visa for Bali again, but would I actually get on the plane come February?
“Your partner?” he asked bluntly.
“Uh no,” I muttered, feeling heat creep up my neck.