11. James
James
Sitting in front of the fireplace with Alex wrapped in the robe I picked out is pure torture, even with her trying to cover her body in that fluffy blanket.
I can see her at war with herself. Her eyes keep darting to me and back down to her drink.
That’s okay. I’m a patient man. I have the time, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t help her figure out what she wants.
Me. I mean what else are we going to do while we’re stuck in this cozy cabin together?
The snow is raging outside in a storm escalating to an effect they haven’t seen in decades.
At least that’s what the news broadcast said when I tried to leave in my truck.
The tree coverage around this place blocks a lot of wind and snow, and we are still getting dumped on.
I can’t imagine what it’s like on the open road.
Alex leans closer to pick up another muffin.
I latch onto her eyes like it’s the last time we will ever see each other.
“So, why the cabin in the woods? I don’t see you as the outdoorsy type.
There had to be other no-wifi places, or you could just turn off your phone.
” I say, knowing damn well I don’t do any of the shit I’m preaching.
The only way to keep me from working is by making it impossible for me to actually do the work.
The red creeping up her neck and coloring her cheeks does something to me. I want to see it every day.
“Well, I’m not.” She looks down, picking at the wrapper around the muffin before continuing.
“I liked the isolated aspect. No one to reach out to me, spotty cell service…” Her shoulders drop and she lets out a breath.
“I quit everything in my life, and I need to see if I can dig myself out of it. But I can’t do that with all the noise of the world.
So, your posting was just what I needed. ”
I nod, taking her in. The pain reflecting in her eyes vanishes as she puts a wall back up.
It makes sense. Whatever she’s searching for, and I want her to find it.
Maybe I could help in some way. My wheels start turning, picturing all the people I know and the opportunities I could present to her.
But I would need to find a way to do it anonymously.
I don’t like people knowing what I have and what I do. I’ve been burned too many times.
“Why do you rent this place? Just so it doesn’t stay empty seems like a cop-out. You obviously have money, from whatever you do for the Edward Corporation. Couldn’t you and your cousins just use it?”
Smart. She’s smart. This is trouble. It’s making me like her even more, if that’s possible.
I take a long drink before answering her. I didn’t think we’d get here yet, but I’m also not going to lie to her. “You’re right.” I run a hand through my hair. “Look, not many people know about this, so I’d love it if you kept it to yourself.”
Alex leans forward but keeps her lips tightly sealed.
“This is…” I pause, trying to gather how to say this to someone who didn’t know him.
“ Was my dad’s favorite place. His parents passed it to him, and he would bring me here as a child as much as he could.
He couldn’t come as much as he wanted towards the end.
” I blink away the memories trying to take over.
“I like to allow others to experience it, since he can’t. ”
I stop. I can’t keep talking about him to someone who didn’t know him. Or that I don’t know as well. I like Alex. I can see a future with her if she’s open to it eventually. Maybe then I’ll tell her all about my dad.
I jump when I feel her gentle touch on my arm. I didn’t even notice her crossing over to the couch I’m sitting on. I look up into her deep brown eyes, and I’m home.
“I’m so sorry. This place really is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
I brush a piece of hair behind her ear. I can’t stop myself.
It’s like an out-of-body experience, but she doesn’t pull away.
She stays. A soft sigh leaves her lips, those lips I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since that night at the club.
It feels like ages ago, but here she is rooting herself into my life without even trying.
It feels as if she’s always been mine. Time has finally caught up and showed her to me, and now … Now I can’t let her go.
My hand slides around to the back of her neck.
Before I can stop myself I’m pulling her towards me.
Her sweet inhale and fluttering eyelids are all I need before my lips crash to hers.
I almost groan at the taste of her, chocolate with the hint of blueberry, but then her own unique vanilla overloading my senses as I sweep my tongue past her lips.
Her hands grip my sweater, pulling me closer still.
I gently lean her against the couch as I explore her beautiful mouth.
My hands stay on her neck and hip, not pushing this further, even with every strain against my zipper.
I pull back, taking in her sparkling brown eyes, red cheeks, and plump lips. Her whine of protest has me chuckling.
“What’s so funny?” Her lust filled voice does things to me. I want nothing more than to slowly peel that fluffy robe from her body, but I don’t want her to feel forced into this situation since I shouldn’t be here to begin with.
I run my thumb over her bottom lip, and her mouth opens for me. Damn. That mouth alone could bring me to my knees. “Nothing. Nothing at all. You’re perfect.” I lay my head back and watch her.
She huffs and sits up, curling her legs beneath her. She hums. “Well, if I’m so perfect, then why did you stop?”
I take her hand in mine, kissing her palm. “Baby, I don’t ever want to stop, but that isn’t what your vacation is about. I’m not going to hijack that from you. I just couldn’t resist tasting you again with you so close to me.”
Alex’s cheeks flush at my comment, her eyes darting from her hand and back to me. “But…” She blinks. “ Baby? What is happening?”
I laugh again. I can’t help it. She’s literally a dream and she can’t even see it.
“Yes, because however much time it takes, I don’t care how long.
You will be mine. It’s inevitable. We are inevitable.
I’ve known since that night in the club.
” She stares at me, and I throw another smirk her way, knowing she loves to hate it.
“I’m a patient man. I know what I want when I see it, and you are everything I’ve ever wanted.
I just didn’t know you yet. Now that I do, there’s no going back for me. ”
“This is crazy.” She shakes her head, but she doesn’t pull away. Alex snuggles closer into the couch, her body still inches from mine. She picks at her nails. “If you already know I’m yours then why wait?”
It’s my turn to let out an exhale because sometimes being a good guy is torture, but at least I’m just torturing myself.
“As much as I want you. Trust me . You could have me whenever you want. I want to make sure you’re in the right headspace.
You’ve been through a lot in a short time.
I don’t want to rush this for you. I’d rather move at your pace, learn more about each other. ”
“Okay. Fine. I agree to your terms.” She reaches over my lap to the table, grazing me with her breasts. She grabs her mug and settles back, batting her eyes at me like she doesn’t know what she just did.
Alright , this is going to be fun. My little minx. “You first.”
Alex crosses one leg over the other, causing her robe to fall open.
I take the opportunity to slide my hand onto her thigh, right above her knee.
I draw slow circles on her soft skin. “Where are you from?” I ask her.
I know most of the public knowledge about her.
After Alester met Alex he couldn’t help but do a deep dive without me having to ask.
He sent it to me right after he collected it, but what he can’t find is the why she did the things she did, the personal reasoning behind things.
Why does a person move or stay in a location?
Did they have a good upbringing? They can track everything on social media, but for those people like Alex who don’t post personal information, I can’t learn as much.
Her eyes are glued to my hand, so I slide it a little further.
Still a respectable distance, but it does the trick and causes her to squirm in her seat.
I squeeze her thigh a little to get her attention back to me.
“Right,” she says as she clenches her legs together.
“I’m, uh, from here. Well, not this far north, but near Shadowbrook, just a smaller town. ”
I grunt. “This isn’t going to be helpful, if you don’t open up to me.” She looks down again, so I squeeze her leg. “I want to know everything, Alex. The good and the bad. Why’d you leave your home town? What do you want in life? ”
Sucking her bottom lip into her mouth she stares at her lap.
“I left because I wasn’t going to be able to live in that environment any longer.
I knew the best option for my health and longevity would be to get out.
Experience something new, meet new people.
Work on my art. I went to school for art and marketing while working a job I didn’t love because my parents didn’t agree with my life choices.
I haven’t had extra money to do anything other than pay for my schooling and additional classes to try to make it in life.
” Alex finally lifts her eyes to me. She looks as if a weight has been lifted.
“Being in the city is like a fresh start. It’s not too far from my sister who is going to school at the university an hour from me, but it’s not embedded in my old memories.
My mom goes to all of her events here, and my dad is, well, off reinventing himself, so who knows where exactly.
Shadowbrook has more opportunities, and my friends are here.
They’re my family.” She twirls a strand of hair while I take in everything she’s telling me.
“When did you meet Ashlyn and Jaz?”
Now she smiles. “Well, Ashlyn used to live in my building. Before she bought a fixer upper that Jaz has adopted herself onto for free rent while she’s in school.
” She laughs. “She saw my sister and I dragging my few boxes up the stairs to the third floor and offered to help in her ridiculous shoes. She almost fell down the stairs at one point, but I was behind her and pushed against her with a box in my arms. Ash is the kind of person you just gravitate towards. She’s a hyper ball of energy, but she’s been through the ringer.
The things she’s been through make her extreme with who she allows in her space.
Jaz, we found her in our favorite coffee shop.
She was carrying a huge stack of textbooks looking for a table.
Of course it was packed, so Ash being Ash stole a chair from a table full of frat-bros and called her over.
We’ve been stuck with each other ever since. ”
I love listening to her talk. I could just lay here all night, while she tells me every tale of her life. “I love that, I’m glad you found the family that you needed. I’m sorry you had to find it the hard way, but sometimes those relationships last longer than the ones we are born into.”
“Okay. My turn. Have you always lived here? I’ve never seen you at Club X before that night.” Alex crosses her arms and stares me down. It’s probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Tough question. I grew up in Faith, Minnesota, but I went to college in New York.” I run my hand through my hair. “I came to Shadowbrook for business…and to see if I want to stay.” That line hangs in the air. An opening to see if this is something she may want to give a chance to or not.
“From New York to this little city.” Alex chuckles. “You seem to have all of the resources to travel the world and live anywhere, yet you’re thinking of choosing this place?”
“I need to make more time for what’s left of my family, or at least try. But a certain someone is making the decision to stay easier every day.”