Chapter 4
Emily
“Wake up, Em,” came from my left as a hand shook my leg. With a yawn and my arms stretching in front of me, I opened my eyes to a white winter wonderland.
“Oh my gosh,” I said in awe, fully awake now. I leaned forward, bracing a hand on the dash, as I took in pines and trees surrounding us. Rory was still driving but had slowed as we climbed what I assumed was the mountain side. “It’s so pretty.”
Rory chuckled from the driver’s seat, taking his hand off of me. Immediately, I missed the contact. “I figured you’d want to see some of it before we got to the cabin. We’re about a mile out.”
“Did you know,” I asked, still in amazement as I looked out the windows, “I haven’t actually ever stepped foot in the snow? My entire family is in southern California and my parents never had any desire to travel north.” My voice did little to hide my awe at the sight surrounding us.
“I did not know, no,” he answered, both hands on the wheel as he glanced over at me. “Happy I could do this for you then.”
The remainder of the drive was done in silence as I took in the snow around us.
It was absolutely beautiful. Snow in trees, snow on the cabins.
There were cabins with Christmas lights strung and smoke puffing from chimneys.
We hadn’t even made it to ours, and already I wished we had more than a night here.
With the click of his truck’s blinker, Rory turned into a small drive, heading toward the cabin that was ours for the night. Like some of the others, this one was decked out with white lights. I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face if I tried.
“I’m so excited,” I whispered, sitting up straight in my seat. Rory laughed lightly beside me, putting the truck into park.
“Time to relax, Emily girl,” he said, turning the key out of the ignition. He quickly jumped out of the truck and rounded to my side, opening my door before I had a chance to break from my stupefied state and unbuckle. He reached for my hand and helped me down.
“Before we go inside,” he started, his hand in mine but not pulling me into him, “I do not expect anything tonight. I just wanted you to relax away from home.”
Two years ago, and I would have thought that was a line. But now I knew Rory better, or rather, Rory had changed and I knew without a doubt he was speaking the truth. Besides, what was the difference between us cuddling in my bed, versus in a romantic secluded cabin in the woods?
He may not be expecting anything to come of this little side trip, but I most definitely was. Call it his Christmas present…
“Thank you,” I said, smiling up at him as I thought of my plans. I straightened my legs just enough to bring my lips up to his, brushing them over his lightly. “Let’s see this place.”
Rory really had this entire night planned.
About an hour ago, a catered dinner arrived to the front porch, left only with a knock. Before Rory could open the door to retrieve it, the delivery person was roaring back down the drive.
In the few hours since we arrived, Rory and I built a snowman and drank hot chocolate on the wrap around porch, wrapped in warm clothes and a single giant blanket that huddled us close. And that was just outside, the first hour we were here.
Inside, he had built us a fire and we currently rested on the over-sized couch, Rory lying back with me between his legs and against his chest. My ponytail loosened from using him as a pillow, but I didn’t care enough to fix it.
Everything was comfortable and sweet, but I knew more than anything that I wanted more.
I was sure that Rory wasn’t going to make the next move but I was more than prepared for it.
I didn’t have any fancy gifts for him, nothing that could even compare to a romantic hideaway cabin in the snowy woods, but I had a feeling that what I planned to give him tonight would more than make up for it.
I just had to be certain I knew where he was standing first.
“Are you happy with Arizona?” I asked, breaking the silence around us. I kept my gaze fixed on the fire, listening for the crackles at the same time as listening to Rory’s even breathing below me.
His arms tightened around me. “Couldn’t be happier.”
“You made friends quickly so I’m sure that helps.”
His arms stayed tight around me and he rubbed his perma-stubbled chin over my temple lightly. “Only friend I need, right here.”
I laughed to myself lightly, shaking my head but still burrowing back into him. “Sure, Rory.”
He turned his lips in and while he didn’t dispute the comment, I did feel his lips turn up into a grin as he pressed them over the spot his chin was.
“Surely you miss your family though, right?” I mean, heck, I missed them.
This time he pulled his face away from mine so he could crook his head to look at me. “What are you getting at, Em?”
I shrugged a shoulder, shifting against him so I could angle my body and look at him.
“I just wanted to be sure that your rash decision to move to Arizona was…going the direction you wanted it to.” He more than proved himself to me, but I just didn’t understand why he didn’t try and pursue a sexual relationship with me.
Was he interested in another woman? I didn’t think so, not really, but when a guy and girl were living together, sleeping together, one would just assume other things would be happening in that bed other than fully clothed cuddling.
His green eyes stayed locked with mine, but the stare down didn’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest. After a grand pause, he finally said through a serious face, “I would do it again.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He stared me down again and with his eyes looking so intently in mine and his hands locked over my hip, I knew without a doubt he spoke the truth.
But it still didn’t sit right with me, the fact he hadn’t made any advances sexually.
With as hard as he pursued me before, one would think that surely he’d find a green light in there somewhere.
I needed to know why.
I pushed myself up, hearing him grunt when I elbowed his stomach in the process, and blurted, “Then why won’t you sleep with me?”
Rory pushed himself up to a sit, one leg falling over the side of the couch. “What do you propose I’ve been doing in your bed every night, Em?”
He could be so frustrating.
I crossed my arms over my chest, a mix of hurt and pissed off that I wasn’t aware I was feeling. “Don’t be a smartass, Rory. Why won’t you fuck me? Is that better?”