32 Cate
Cate
“Unfortunately, I’m too sore to make paddleboard yoga this morning,” I tease, gently breaking the news to him. “The class will have to go on without me.”
With his head stuck in the fridge, Shane starts chuckling.
He retrieves a bowl of berries and a container of Greek yogurt, knowing the way to my heart, and sets them on the counter.
“That’s too bad. For me.” He winks and then taps my pouty bottom lip.
“I was looking forward to seeing your ass in the air.”
“I can save us both the trouble and show it to you now.”
“Naked?”
I hate dashing his hopes, especially when he looks so cute from even the thought of me stripping off my clothes right here in the kitchen.
“Ehh.” I sidle up to him at the island. “I think I need a few hours to recover. Silver lining, we’ve burned a lot of calories over the past twelve hours.
” I run my hand under his shirt and casually count the defined muscles of his abdomen so I can make a proper plan of licking them later, or maybe in a few minutes if he lets me.
“So no need to burn more with things that are just a distraction from us having sex.”
With a raised eyebrow, he asks, “Have I created a monster?” And then he waggles his brow in the cutest dang way.
I just want to pinch his ass cheek or hump his face. It could go either way with how horny he makes me. “Not a monster per se but an addict.”
“It’s not like you haven’t had sex before. Though there’s no fucking way I want to hear about some other guy—fuck. Let’s not even go there.”
I’m leaning toward the face humping when I see the way his jaw ticks.
He’s just so freaking gorgeous I almost can’t stand to look at him.
It’s like staring into an eclipse—fiery sun rays and darkness shadowing his other half.
I’d burn my retinas for him. “The past is the past. Your past is a no-go for me as well just to be clear.” Resting my butt against the countertop, I ask, “Is it only us that feels like we were made for each other, our bodies fitting together so perfectly that I’m missing a piece of myself when we’re apart? ”
His arm comes around my neck, locking it under his chin and bending to kiss it. “I’ve never felt this way either.” Simple and direct, sharing our hearts without worrying about what’s next. “As for burning calories together, I’m happy to give you a good workout anytime you want.”
Holding his arm, I giggle, but then I remember how he’s gone so much. “I need you all the time, but what happens when you’re on the road?”
“Shhh.” He presses his lips to the top of my head, then rests his chin there instead.
“No reality this weekend. I just want this for a few days. Normal. Quiet. Us and no one else. No screaming fans. No paparazzi. No demands being made of me. Unless it’s you, of course, and then I’m here reporting for duty. ”
I know he’s trying to be funny, but he still speaks the truth about his life. And it worries me. I won’t ever be someone who loves the spotlight or even shines it. I’m good with my low-key life. How will we balance the two?
A calm has soothed his storms, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s only temporary. Will the thunder return when we go back to LA?
I agree with him. I don’t want the outside world to invade this little piece of heaven-on-earth perfection we’ve found.
“The beauty of this weekend is that we can do whatever we want—stay up late or sleep in, avoid certain topics and talk all night about others.” Spinning in his arms, I fist his shirt and lift on my toes, but I can’t reach his mouth unless I jump.
I pull him to me. “It’s glorious really. Now kiss me, you giant.”
He does not disappoint, but I knew he wouldn’t here in Deer Lake or back in Los Angeles.
He’s rid his life of a lot of the demons he had, bad habits that were dragging him down, and flipped his mood like a light switch.
Open and honest. I love seeing him this free, this happy.
I love seeing him in love. And I’m the lucky one who gets to love him.
“This is a good transition to talk about the itinerary.”
Releasing me, which makes me feel cold and desolate without him wrapped around me, he opens the container of berries and plops a raspberry in his mouth. “What about it?”
“It’s the sweetest that you went to so much trouble for me, buuuuut I was thinking we could go into town today. What do you say?”
He feeds me a blueberry, then kisses the tip of my nose. “I thought we decided to keep the real world at bay for a few days?”
“We did, but I need to pick up something in town.”
“Cryptic.”
I reach over and grab a berry from the container. “A prescription.” I don’t know why I suddenly feel weird talking about this. I also don’t like that it feels like I’m keeping secrets from him. “I had the prescription transferred up here.”
“Should I be worried?”
“No. It’s all taken care of.”
Running his hand at the curve of my waist, he smiles as if he’s been given a secret. Nodding, he replies, “We can go after breakfast.”
“Thanks.”
We eat breakfast down by the lake. Finding the wineglass and beer bottle left as evidence from last night’s prelude to sex makes my typically prudish side smile regarding the spontaneity.
Sitting in the same chairs as last night, I can imagine they’d be the ones we always chose until we’re old and gray. I smile just thinking about it.
“What’s got you smiling like that?”
I roll my neck to face him. “Nothing. I’m happy to be here.”
Bridging the divide, he reaches over to hold my hand. “Me too.”
I return my gaze to the lake, soaking in the beautiful scenery and fresh air. My head feels clearer because of this trip, so I need to take advantage of all it has to offer. But there is still a mystery to be solved. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the marriage.”
“Our marriage?”
“No. The cheating scandal rocking the Danish royal family.” I laugh because I think I’m pretty funny. “Yes, our marriage.”
“Are you going to divorce me when we return?” He chuckles, but no humor is found in its sound.
The question hits me sideways. I’ve never had the intention of staying married.
Dating shouldn’t change the plan. But then I look at how far we’ve come—from our attorney’s office to falling in love.
We’re proof that anything is possible. “I’m not looking to rush and change the status quo.
It’s something we’ll talk about another time.
Lay everything out on the table and figure it out from there.
But that’s not the aspect of marriage I was talking about.
I want to solve the mystery of how we got married in the first place. ”
“It would be good to know.” He sits forward, resting his arms on the tops of his legs. “Where do we start?”
“I have a yearbook somewhere in my apartment. I didn’t keep much over the years, but I kept that. Maybe it will lead us in the right direction.”
“Who said we were going in the wrong one?”
I’m not sure if I detect a hint of annoyance or if it’s a genuine question. “You know what I mean.”
His gaze redirects to the lake and distances off the choppy waters. “Yeah. I know.” Standing, he offers his hand. “You ready to head into town?”
I slip my hand into his, and he pulls me to my feet. “Ready as I’ll ever be—No. Scratch that. I need to change first.”
“Get ready for an adventure.”
I didn’t really understand his comment about an adventure, but I do now. Big dually trucks covered in mud, a few with logging trailers, plaid on everyone we’ve seen, and beards for days. The Deer Lake sign came with a distinctive feature. “I’ve never seen a statue that big before. Impressive deer.”
“It’s a stag,” Shane says, his eyes glued to the winding road.
“It’s a deer, right?”
“A male deer. A buck. A stag.”
“It’s weird they can’t just be called deer. Seems someone was overcompensating when carving that thing.”
Reaching over, he covers my leg with his hand. “We’re not in LA anymore. It’s a way of life for slower, hard-working people. Friendly but also love to gossip.”
“So how does a family of celebrities fit in?”
“I hate being called a celebrity.” There’s no anger or frustration. His tone is altogether indifferent as if he gave up fighting that battle a long time ago, which is worse. “Makes me sound like a talentless hack. Famous for famous sake.”
The word “celebrity” is tossed around LA all the time, a part of the culture of being near Hollywood. So I hadn’t thought twice about using the word as if it encapsulates him that easily within it.
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize.” He glances over and gives me a reassuring smile. “It’s just a pet peeve of mine, but I’m used to it.”
“No, I agree with you.” Covering his hand with mine, I give it a squeeze. “I’ve never thought twice about it because I never had to. You’re more than a celebrity. And you’re everything to me.”
“Look at you charming me.” I playfully shrug like it’s no big deal when it’s the opposite.
“And to answer your question, we don’t, but most of the locals don’t care about fame or .
. .” He laughs. “Celebrities. Plenty pass through. The tourists in high season are the ones who tend to steal the peace.”
A set of stores appears around a bend and just after a dense line of trees. I squint to make out the signs. “There.” Just like I saw in an online photo, the word Pharmacy sits solidly in green under a big sign that reads Grocer. “There it is.”
He hasn’t asked me anything other than if I’m okay, though I’m sure he has questions. His concern for my well-being is his top priority. I’ve never been someone’s top priority before. It feels good, better than good. It feels fulfilling.
He shifts his Ferrari that stands out like a sore thumb into park. Out of the car and coming around before I have a chance to unbuckle my seat belt, he opens the door and offers a hand.