ELDEN
Chapter Two
I sit in my Jeep with the engine on, warming up the seat and turn the radio on. The local station is having a competition to find the best holiday song and they’re playing a classic, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love.
The soundtrack is uncannily appropriate. I can’t believe it. The girl who drove me crazy in high school has just waltzed back into my life again.
Well, not waltzed. Shivered.
Outside the snow is falling faster, Neva is stamping her feet to keep warm and she’s texting someone on her phone.
When I walked towards her at the station, from a distance all I could see was tumbling, shiny hair and a lusciously curvy body. She wasn’t dressed for this cold weather, wearing a flimsy jacket, and her nipples were poking through the thin material of her sweater. Then I came closer.
It was Neva.
She haunted my teenage fantasies - and my adult ones too.
But I could never forgive her for standing me up for that other guy.
I wanted her all to myself. She tried to talk to me and I walked away - I hate drama and I won’t accept being second best. Then she went away to college and I went to work on the rig.
I’ll admit it - I kept thinking about her. Even after all this time.
I’m not leaving Neva out there in the cold, even if I have to pick her up and put her in my car.
I get out and walk over. She looks up at me and I have the impulse to sweep her into my arms, wrap my warm coat around her and press those beautiful curves against me.
She raises her eyebrows with a worried expression: “I’m glad you came back. My sister can’t get the car started. No Ubers in Snowflake Falls, I guess?”
I look back at her steadily. She doesn’t have a choice. “You’re coming with me.”
Her lips curl into the sweetest smile. I have the urge to smile back but instead I just walk back towards the Jeep.
Inside the car she seems happy to be out of the cold and on a warm seat.
Being so close to her lets me appreciate the lovely vanilla scent of her hair and admire how long it is, trailing over her back and arms in soft curls.
She smiles at me again and I want to lift her out of the seat and place her firmly on my lap, running my hands from her waist up to her generous breasts.
I snap out of my daydream and start the engine.
Putting my arm around the back of her seat as I reverse out of the lot, her eyes widen slightly. The snowy roads around Snowflake Falls don’t give these big tyres and engine too much trouble, and she leans back in her seat and visibly relaxes once we’re on our way.
I’m not going to let her off that easy though.
There was a time when all I could think of was how she stood me up on our third date.
That was after we’d had a spectacular kissing and heavy petting session on the second date - one that ended up with us both red-cheeked and out of breath.
She was young and I was stupid - I see that now.
But her leaving me standing all those years ago was part of what made me leave Snowflake.
“So Elden where have you been? I know you weren’t around Snowflake for a while, but neither was I so…” she runs out of words and her cheeks flush again.
“I went to work on oil rigs, ended up in management and then decided to work back closer to home when Mom got sick. She’s better now.” I see Neva’s paying close attention.
“Yes, I heard your Mom was real bad for a while. I’m so glad she’s improving now. Bette mentioned you and Tannen had been great looking after her, but I didn’t know you were living back at home.” She looks over at me again.
“Yeah, it was helpful for her to have one of us around the house, and since Tannen has a new baby he has a lot on his plate right now. How about you?” I glance at her. She’s even more beautiful than I remember.
Fuck. I am in big trouble.
“Well, I’m not sure what I’m going to do now I’m not visual merchandising any more. You know I studied fashion design at college? Maybe I’ll make clothes and see if I can sell them online.” She studies the falling snow through the window.
Her profile is outlined in the street lights and I want to reach over, hold her chin and kiss those perfect red lips.
And do a whole lot more. I’m not concentrating and the weather is getting worse.
Thankfully I know these roads like the back of my hand and it’s not long before we pull up in her driveway.
Every light in the house appears to be on and the warm glow of the Bells’ fire is radiating from the picture window.
I unload Neva’s bag from the trunk as she gets out of the Jeep. It’s quite a jump for her to get down to the ground but she makes it. I wish she’d waited for me to help her out so I could have held onto her waist and have an excuse to be near her for a second.
Neva has a serious expression on her face. It makes me want to grab her and make her smile, but I’m silent.
“Elden, I know we didn’t part on the best of terms all those years ago, but we’re living next door to each other now, so it would just be too awkward to be enemies.”
She’s waiting for me to say something but I don’t reckon that’s much of an apology for what happened in the past. I look back at her steadily.
She shrugs her shoulders. “Elden, come on now - can we be friends?”
“I’ll think about it.” That came out like a growl.
Shit, now I’ve probably scared her off forever.
“Okay then. Thanks for the ride.” She grabs her bag and marches down the path to her house, as I stand still as she navigates her way through the deepening snow. Her ass is spectacular and I want to grip her curvy hips as she bends over and grind against her.
I’m annoyed, confused and - most of all - horny as hell.
What am I going to do about it?