Chapter 12 #2
Plus, there were so many outdoor activities for Nora that were close to where he lived that she could do it all just for the fun of it instead of a job.
He hated the thought of her taking so many risks on a daily basis just for the sake of entertainment for the paying guests.
And she did mention wanting to cut back but didn’t know what to do.
Milo was fairly certain they could sit down and find something that appealed to her if they put their minds to it.
But it had to be organic, not like he was like, “Here! Let’s find you a new career, and this is what I think!”
That would be wrong.
“Milo?”
She could probably find a job at a resort that specialized in winter activities; that was the obvious choice. But if it wasn’t what she wanted to do, then what?
“Milo?”
Of course, he wouldn’t mind if she didn’t want to work at all. He’d just be happy to have her with him and to have someone to come home to every day. It was something he was getting used to, and the thought of being alone all the time was beyond unappealing.
“MILO!”
He jumped so hard that he nearly fell out of his chair. “What?”
Nora looked at him with amusement. “We’ve been trying to get your attention, but you were completely zoned out. You okay?”
“What? Um…yeah. Sorry. My mind definitely wandered.” He gently cleared his throat and straightened in his seat. “Sorry. So…what were we talking about?”
Walker said, “We want you to talk to us about what you worked on while in Seattle and what it all means for the amphitheater and the timeline for building it.”
And just like that, he put himself in work mode.
He’d put his thoughts and feelings about Nora aside until they were alone later.
“Okay, so my team in Seattle came up with an app…”
It was almost ten when they stepped into Milo’s cabin, and Nora was still floating on a cloud.
Running the activities and guides at the resort. That was the best of both worlds, right? She wouldn’t have to be the one doing all the physical stuff—she’d hire fully qualified people to do it—but she could jump in when she wanted to. Plus, she could live in Harbortown and put down some roots.
This was one of the greatest things that had ever happened to her.
Milo stepped around her and went to the refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of water for them. They’d been divvying up their time in each other’s cabins, but if she had to choose, she’d prefer to stay in his. It was roomier than hers, and his furniture was just a little more comfortable.
Except the beds.
They all had these ridiculously comfortable beds thanks to Walker and his obsession with being a bed snob. Even Milo’s bed back in Seattle wasn’t as comfortable.
Not that she was complaining, because it was still better than any bed she’d ever slept in before, so…
Wordlessly, he walked by her again and sat down on the couch, placing the water on the coffee table, and when she studied him, she knew something was on his mind.
Apparently, still on his mind.
After the whole thing earlier when he had zoned out, she wondered what he was thinking about.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Kicking off her shoes, she sat down beside him. “You’ve been kind of quiet tonight. Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know.”
That…wasn’t what she was expecting.
Tucking her legs under her, she got more comfortable. “Okay…let’s talk about it.”
When he turned his head and looked at her, he looked positively miserable, and her heart broke. Had she been so wrapped up in celebrating herself that she completely missed that something happened to him?
“Milo, whatever it is, we’ll get through it.” Caressing his jaw, she leaned in, resting her forehead against his. “Talk to me.”
In the time they’d known each other, she’d seen various ranges of emotions, but something about the way he’d been tonight told her this was something big. And when he shifted to put some space between them, she actually got worried.
He met her gaze with a soft sigh. “Earlier, at dinner, when Slater started talking about the way things were going to be here in the winter months, I got really angry.”
“Why?”
“Because it felt like he was completely eliminating you. That’s why I got so tense.”
“Oh my goodness,” she said softly. “You’re so sweet!” But when she went to caress his jaw, he reached up and stopped her, his grip firm on her wrist before gently placing her hand in her lap.
“Then I realized that I was kind of relieved,” he went on slowly, carefully. “Like…in my head, I had already imagined you coming to Seattle and living there with me, and then we’d come back here in the spring so you could go back to doing all the amazing things you do here.”
“Oh.”
“But then, when Slater announced to you and the whole damn group how he planned on you taking over for him and essentially running the activities division…” Sighing, he shook his head. “I didn’t exactly feel as celebratory as everyone else.”
Wow.
“Because then I wouldn’t go to Seattle with you?”
“Because I know how you feel about cutting back on jobs like this. And I get it, as the director, you don’t have to be the one out doing everything. It’s kind of the perfect solution for you. But selfishly…”
And that’s when it hit her.
He was thinking about the future.
Their future.
Her heart kicked hard in her chest, and she let out a shaky breath.
“Let’s talk about that,” she began. “Why do you think it’s selfish?”
“We haven’t talked about the future, Nora. I’ve never been in a relationship where I even wanted to. But you and I tend to live heavily in the present. I’m non-confrontational. I’d never want to throw a topic out there that was going to freak you out or make you…you know…want to leave.”
This man…
This time, she reached for his hand, and he didn’t pull away.
“One of the things that I love about our relationship is how much we talk. I guess I never realized we weren’t talking about anything beyond the here and now.
Not really. I mean, we did in a fairly generic sense, but not with any purpose. And certainly not with a plan.”
“Like I said, I didn’t want to say the wrong thing and ruin what we had.”
“But we need to talk if something’s weighing this heavily on you. And everything Slater said to me tonight—the whole offer to take over—that was brand new information to me and, in the moment, it seemed like the answer to a prayer.”
“I know. And I really am happy for you,” he said, but he didn’t sound that way. “At least I’m trying to be.”
“Milo…”
Twisting more so he could face her, he wrapped her hand in his. “All I want is for you to be happy and to have everything you want. And if this is it, then I’ll get over whatever nonsense I was thinking of in my head. I never should have let myself go there without talking to you first.”
“Okay, for the record, what you’re thinking isn’t nonsense,” she told him. “Personally, I kind of love that you want me to go back to Seattle with you.”
“Really?”
Smiling, she nodded. “Well…yeah. I don’t know where I’d work—and I would have to work because I pay my own way, no matter what. Or…I guess I should say that I prefer to pay my own way because clearly you paid for everything when we went to Seattle last week.”
“You were my guest and you were taking time off from your job, so it only seemed right.”
There really wasn’t anything to say to that because it was incredibly sweet of him, and even though she prided herself on her independence, she was smart enough to realize that sometimes it was okay for someone else to pay for things.
But all of this also had her thinking about Slater’s offer.
It was amazing and it would be so easy to just make that transition, but…
where would that leave her and Milo? His life was back in Seattle, and nothing was going to change that.
Sure, they could do the long-distance thing, but how long would it last?
“You’re frowning,” he said quietly.
Her nervous laugh was out before she could stop it. “That’s because a few minutes ago I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and now…” Pausing, she shook her head. “Now I’m not so sure.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.”
They sat in relative silence for several long moments before Milo gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Then maybe you need some time alone to think.”
“Okay, but…what am I thinking about exactly? What is the option if I don’t take Slater up on the position?
” And God, she hated to have to ask this next question.
“What are we doing, Milo? Where do you see us going? Do you want me to go to Seattle where I’ll be sitting around while you work twelve hours a day, or are you thinking of changing that up?
Are we moving forward or staying in the present because it’s comfortable? ”
He looked mildly panicked, and she didn’t take it as a good sign.
And then, when he didn’t respond, she took that as her cue to leave.
“You know what? Maybe we both need time alone to think.” Standing, she clumsily slid her shoes back on and grabbed her purse. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Reaching for the doorknob, Nora jumped when Milo’s hand slammed on the door just above her shoulder. Her heart beat madly, and every inch of her tingled with awareness. It was like this every time he was close to her.
But she didn’t turn around. And she didn’t say a word. She waited.
Slowly, he moved in closer until they were barely touching from head to toe. He nuzzled her hair and breathed in deeply. “Don’t go.”
She was torn. The last thing she wanted was for him to ask her to stay out of some sense of obligation or because he hated confrontation and thought they could smooth things over with sex.
But when she shifted slightly and felt his body behind her—so hard and strong and warm—she did her best to stifle a moan.
Because…making love with Milo was so damn good, and she found that he typically let his guard down afterwards, not that she wanted to use that to her advantage. Right now, she just wanted him.