Chapter 11
Rowan
I woke up slowly. It was warm under the blanket, and Hattie's ass was pressed against my dick. I shifted slightly away from her, not sure how she'd feel about being greeted that way.
She'd probably wake up with more than a few regrets.
Last night, I had a feeling she was running from the things that she'd shared with me, but I wasn't a strong enough man to turn her down.
I'd wanted her for years, and everything about last night felt organic.
She'd confided in me and then took things to the next level.
I wasn't naive about how this morning would go.
She might want to create more distance between us.
At this point, I was prepared for anything.
And nothing she told me last night made me want to run.
The things she'd shared about her father and how she'd dealt with him only made me feel closer to her.
I wished I could have been there for her when she was going through it. I was positive my family would have been the support system she needed. But I couldn't change the past. I could only be here for her now.
I brushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed it.
I'd never get rid of the memory of her on her knees between my legs or the way she'd looked spread over my couch when I returned with the condom. She trusted me with her body, and that was a start. She probably thought she was running from something, but I suspected she was moving toward me.
She was all mixed up inside, not trusting her feelings or instincts. But I'd be there to guide her until things became clear.
The air was cool, and the fire had gone out at some point.
I should have got up and built a new one, but I didn't want to move.
I had a naked Hattie cuddled against me, warm and pliant.
When she woke up, her brain would start turning, and she'd be thinking about all the ways this thing between us could go sideways.
My dick had a few other ideas about how I could spend the morning, buried deep inside her. But I wasn't sure if she'd be on board with that idea.
I hoped the generator at the brewery was working. Otherwise, we'd need to figure something out.
Hattie finally shifted in my arms, her hair tickling my jaw. Then she turned so that she was lying on her back in front of me.
She reached up to cup my jaw. "Are you really here?"
"I am." My chest filled with tenderness for her.
She blinked. "I thought it was a dream."
"The power went out last night, and we slept on the couch," I said, my voice still rough from sleep.
Her lips twitched. "We did more than sleep."
"You have any regrets?" I turned my head to kiss her palm. I wouldn't be surprised if she did.
"It was a bad idea?" she said as if it was a question.
"But?" I asked, needing to know where she was at and what she was thinking.
"I kind of want to do it again," she said with more confidence.
Every muscle in my body tightened. "Are you sure about that?"
She pursed her lips. "I'm not sure about anything anymore."
She was being honest, and I appreciated it. "That's okay."
"I know this was supposed to be fake—"
"We can change the arrangement at any time. There are no rules for this kind of thing." Actually, I was fairly sure there probably should have been. But I wasn't a stickler for the rules when Hattie was naked in my arms, insinuating that she wanted a second round with my cock.
She smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."
I carefully shifted so that she was underneath me and the blankets were draped over us. I should build a new fire in the fireplace, but I was more interested in the one brewing between us. My cock immediately sought her entrance, and I groaned at the sensations.
She was soft while I was hard. "I need you inside me."
I almost groaned again when I realized that I needed a condom. Thankfully, I'd grabbed more than one last night. It would be useful now. I reached around on the floor until I encountered a wrapper.
I ripped the wrapper and smoothed the rubber over my aching dick. Then I lifted her, palming her ass. "I should prepare you."
Her breath hitched. "I'm already wet for you."
My dick nudged her entrance and slid inside. We both gasped at the intrusion. It felt even better this morning when I was fully awake with the light filtering through the curtains. This wasn't a dream. It was real. We couldn't dismiss it as pretend.
Hattie wanted me.
I'd dreamed of this for so long and wasn't even sure she'd ever talk to me again, much less let me into her body. So this was a good morning.
I began to move, setting a pace that was faster than last night. I wanted her to feel me everywhere for the rest of the day. She wouldn't be able to pretend that this hadn't happened. Or that it had all been a dream.
A part of me wished that she was really mine, and this wasn't temporary. But I couldn't get ahead of myself. I was lucky that I'd gotten this far with Hattie.
She was closed off and afraid of getting hurt. The fact that she'd let me in was something to be grateful for. I had no idea how this would turn out, but I wasn't strong enough to stop it now.
I probably should have been worried that this was more of a distraction from the brewery opening. But I couldn't bring myself to care about the brewery or what Malcolm thought.
Hattie had finally come back into my life, and I wasn't going to push her away now. Not when everything I'd ever wanted was almost within my grasp.
I grabbed her leg and pressed it higher, searching for that angle that would drive her wild. When she bit her lip and sweat beaded on her forehead, I knew I'd found it. I was on a mission to make her feel good.
I wanted her to be overwhelmed with sensations. To make her forget about any other man and to ruin her for anyone else. I wanted her to see me and nobody else.
I wished she'd let me be there for her in every way that mattered, but this had to be enough for now. We were busy with our respective businesses, and this arrangement had started out fake. It wasn't a good start to a real relationship.
I couldn't work out the details of how this should work. Not when I was deep inside her, and the orgasm was building at the base of my spine.
Her body arched, and she cried out my name. "Row."
My name on her lips spurred me on, urging me to go deeper, harder. To make her remember me forever. She might not let me into her heart, but she'd let me into her body.
I thrust one more time, pressing deep. I lowered her leg, letting go. When I came to, I kissed her softly, then moved out of the blankets.
She reached for me.
"I need to take care of the condom and start the fire."
She nodded, and I moved away. I didn't want to leave, but there were a few things to take care of. As soon as the fire was going again, I sat next to her. She was sitting up now, her hair rumpled from sleep and sex.
"I'll cook us breakfast."
She sighed. "Okay."
She was getting better about letting me take care of her. And after last night, that was exactly what I wanted to do. For as long as she'd let me.
I tugged on my sweats and went into the kitchen. She followed me, wrapping the blanket around her naked body.
She moved around the counter, and I pulled her into my arms. "Pancakes or eggs?"
"Pancakes," she said, and I moved away to grab the mix, milk, and eggs. She pulled out the bowl, and we worked together to make the batter. Then I poured it into the pan.
"We'll have to wait for coffee until the power comes back on," I said.
"I can wait."
"Are you going to work today?" I asked her as I kept one eye on the pancakes.
"I'll probably head out when the roads are clear. Snow is always good for business."
"I wish you didn't have to go out when the roads are questionable." I'd prefer she worked on the property like I did. Then I wouldn't have to worry about her. And I had a feeling she'd prefer to work in one place, not using a truck as her business.
"That's the business I'm in. I drive a truck after all," she said brightly.
"Have you thought about setting something up at the inn? You could offer hot chocolate in the afternoons. I bet it would do well."
Hattie's brow furrowed. "That's not something you just do. I'd have to work something out with the owner."
I smiled and pulled her into my side. "Then you're in luck because I am the owner."
She rolled her eyes. "You own the brewery."
"The family owns the inn and restaurant. I'm sure there's something we can work out. Besides, you're practically family."
She patted my chest. "It's pretend, remember? This isn't real."
"My dick in your pussy felt pretty real."
She gave me an exasperated look. "Don't be crass."
I patted her butt. "I think it's called dirty talk, and you seemed to like it last night."
I liked this back-and-forth. The morning after great sex.
We were having a hearty breakfast, and then maybe I could convince her to take a shower with me.
I wasn't willing to let her go. I had a feeling that as soon as she was alone, she'd start thinking about the logistics of our relationship and decide to pull away.
I didn't want that to happen. I wanted to convince her that we were right for each other "I have to feed you so I can have my way with you again."
Her lips curved. "You're insatiable."
When it came to her, I was afraid I was. The key was not to overwhelm her. I needed to convince her that this thing between us was good but, at the same time, not push her too hard. I knew she'd run eventually. It was only a matter of time before something triggered her.
A memory from her childhood, thoughts that she wasn't good enough for me, or that she didn't need me in her life. I liked to think I'd be prepared for whatever she had to throw at me, but I wasn't so sure about that. Her life experiences were different from mine.
I needed to slow down and take one day at a time.
We ate our pancakes at the counter. Hattie convinced me to add chocolate chips on top when I wanted to cut up strawberries. We finally agreed to do both, and the combination was delicious.
Afterward, we showered together in my bathroom, which was larger. We didn't have sex this time. I just washed her with soap and helped her lather her hair. I'd never done anything like that before with a woman.
I wanted to take my time with Hattie, show her how a relationship should feel. I wanted her to be supported and cared for. I wanted her to learn to trust someone to be there for her. I just hoped I'd be able to make a difference.
After we got dressed, I checked my phone.
Malcolm: Do you know if the brewery has power?
Rowan: My house is out, but the brewery has a generator.
We'd never tested it before though. Was it working?
Malcolm: Shouldn't you be at the brewery then?
I wasn't the electric company. There wasn't much I could do besides check that the generator was operational. I didn't like that he was constantly checking up on me. That he somehow knew that I was distracted and called me out.
Rowan: I'll be there in a few.
Malcolm: I hope you aren't distracted.
Everyone knew that Hattie was living with me now because of her apartment. And no one else thought it was a problem. I wished Malcolm would find something or someone else to worry about and leave me alone.
I found Hattie in the living room, watching the snow come down. "I'll clear the snow, then walk to work."
"Thanks for doing that."
I leaned down to kiss her. "I'll see you later?"
"I'll be here after I close up for the day."
"Don't work too late and—"
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Call you if I need you. I got it."
"I just wanted to make sure you knew that I'd be there if you needed me."
"I'm getting that," she said with a soft smile.
The last twenty-four hours were almost too good to be true. It was only a matter of time before she freaked out about being too close to me. But in the meantime, I'd enjoy every minute.