by Lauren Smith
“You two will be all right. Call if you need any help tomorrow. The airline will be in touch to file any claims you have.”
Alec thanked the officer before heading inside. Brie was already warming up and chatting with Mrs. Fellers.
It was going to be a hell of a night and he still had to call his mother to explain. She was expecting him home tonight, and he didn’t want her to worry.
He paused just in front of the kitchen, listening to their host put the kettle on while she talked to Brie. Hello mum, I almost died in a plane crash. Somehow, he didn’t think that would help. For now, a white lie would have to do.
He took a moment to text his mother and father that his flight was canceled due to the weather and he would be there first thing in the morning. Then he straightened his shoulders and entered the kitchen.
Brie watched Mrs. Fellers brew some tea. She’d welcomed Brie inside, tutting and fretting as she regaled Brie with how the entire village of Cottonvale had been calling each other for the last hour while the police collected passengers from the flight, and what a miracle it was that nobody was seriously hurt.
“It’s created quite the buzz, you know. It will be the talk of Cottonvale for weeks. We never get visitors, not this far from Manchester.” Mrs. Fellers turned to her with an empty teacup and set it down on the walnut wood kitchen table.
“Thank you,” Brie said as the woman continued fussing over her.
“What you need is some nice chamomile tea and a warm bed.” Mrs. Fellers added as Alec walked into the kitchen. “I’m sure your husband will be glad to rest.”
“Oh he’s…” She stopped abruptly and didn’t correct Mrs. Fellers. “Yes, I’m sure he will.”
“Welcome.” Mrs. Fellers handed him a cup of tea too. “Cream and sugar, dearie?” She asked him.
“A bit of cream, thank you.” He eased into a chair beside Brie. There was a look of weariness to his face that hadn’t been there before.
“Did you call your family?” she asked.
“I sent a text. I told them my flight was canceled and I would be arriving in the morning. If I told them what truly happened, my whole family would be searching the snowdrifts for me.”
“I should call my client,” she paused. “Do you think I should tell her the same thing? I wouldn’t want her to worry.”
“If you think they would, then yes. I believe a little white lie is sometimes necessary.” Alec glanced at her purse. “You need to borrow a phone? Roaming charges can be murder.”
“I have an international data plan, but thanks.” Brie looked at their host, who was putting some short bread cookies in a tin on the table. “Mrs. Fellers, I’m going to step into the hall to make a quick call. Thank you again for the tea.”
“Happy to help, my dear.” The woman turned to Alec, peppering him with questions about if they were hungry and wanted dinner.
Brie slipped into the hall and dialed the Countess of Merryvale’s cell which she still couldn’t believe she even had. But the countess had insisted on being easy to reach as they collaborated on the book together. Brie’s nerves jumped as she listened to the phone ring.
“Hello?” the Countess answered.
“Lady Merryvale, it’s Brie Honeyweather.”
“Honestly, dear, I insist you call me Julia.”
“Julia.” Despite her insistence, it felt wrong to address her so casually. “My flight got canceled. I have a place to stay that’s actually halfway between Manchester and Merryvale, all is good. I just won’t be in until tomorrow morning.”
“Text me your address and I’ll have the car sent to you first thing in the morning.”
“I think we’re still a couple hours away. That’s too far for someone to drive.”
“Nonsense. We have an SUV with four-wheel-drive that can get through the snow and our driver, Mr. Baines, will be able to get you by ten AM.”
“Yes, that would work. Thank you so much.”
“It seems a dozen flights have been canceled due to the weather. I was lucky one of my sons arrived early, but my other seems to be running late as well. I’m hoping you’ll be able to meet the whole family. Bridget and Simon are all settled and little Brendan loves Morgan, my younger son. You would never know they were seventeen years apart.”
Brie laughed. “Well, to be fair, Brendan is old for his age.”
“And Morgan is too young.” The countess chuckled. “Well, I should let you sleep. Call me if anything changes, and don’t forget to text me your address.”
“I will,” Brie promised and hung up. She returned to the kitchen where Mrs. Fellers was toiling over a large pot on the stove and cutting up some potatoes and leeks.
“I know it’s late, but you both must eat. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, if you want to settle in upstairs.”
Alec handed Brie the tea Mrs Fellers had made for her. It was smooth and she tasted a hint of honey.
“Thank you, Mrs. Fellers. We’ll be back down shortly.” Alec nodded for Brie to go back into the hall. “If you take my briefcase, I’ll carry the suitcases,” he offered.
“Sure.” She would have carried her own luggage, but she wasn’t about to refuse the help. Her body still felt off, and part of her was still trembling from the whole ordeal.
She picked up her purse and backpack, along with Alec’s briefcase as she watched Alec heft the two large suitcases and carry them upstairs ahead of her. She had to admit the rear view of the jeans he wore was mouthwatering. He gave her all sorts of wicked thoughts, ones she would feel bad about later. After everything she’d been through tonight, she deserved a little mental self-indulgence.
Alec navigated the narrow hall with ease despite the bulk of the suitcases, but he paused at the top, glancing in one room and another before he looked back at her in confusion.
“What’s the matter?”
“Well…there’s only one bedroom. This other room,” he jerked his head to the room behind him. “Is the water closet.”
“But there are two beds, right?”
He shook his head.
“One bed?” She clarified as he carried the suitcases into the bedroom. When she followed him inside, she saw there was indeed one bed, cleaned by the looks of it.
“Hoo boy. Maybe she has a couch. One of us could…”
“No couch. I saw her living room. It had only a couple of armchairs.”
Brie stared at the bed. “Okay, so we’re both adults. We can share a bed. Without things…you know…”
“We can,” Alec agreed, but she heard a distinct note of uncertainty in his voice.
“Which side would you like?” she asked. Brie did her best to act casual, but her heart was pounding at the thought of sharing a bed with this gorgeous man.
“By the door, but I can sleep on either side.”
“That works for me.” She set her purse down and he pushed his briefcase under the bed to give them room. The quilted coverlet and the rustic furnishings made the room feel warm and inviting, though perhaps a little too inviting.
They rejoined Mrs. Fellers in the kitchen, where two bowls of homemade potato and leek soup were waiting for them. The creamy hot soup was full of flavor and just eating it made Brie feel a lot calmer after everything that had happened.
“Now, you’ll be wanting a hot shower or bath. There’s a bath in the room upstairs. Towels are in the cupboards. If you think of anything else you need, just let me know. My room is down here on the first floor.”
Once they were finished, Mrs. Fellers bid them good night and headed off to bed. Brie found the dishwasher and Alec cleaned the bowls and spoons. Once everything was loaded, she glanced at Alec.
“Do you mind if I have the first shower?”
“Not at all. I showered at my apartment between flights.”
She retrieved her shower kit and a fresh change of clothes from her suitcase before heading into the bathroom. It was bigger than she expected, with a tub that had shower doors. She closed the door to the ha
ll, stripped out of her clothes, and cranked the hot water on.
It took a moment for the water to heat, so she stood shivering and bare, with one hand beneath the cool spray testing for warmth. By the time she got inside, she was nearly shaking, but it wasn’t at all from the cold. She tried to wash her hair and face and not think about the crash now that she was alone…but it was all she could see.
The look on Alec’s face. The masks dropping down. The sound of the plane grinding against the ground. She’d been unable to breathe as she waited for it to explode. As she waited for them to die. Then Alec… He’d covered her body with his and held her tight. He'd protected her.
He’d thought of someone other than himself. And when the plane crashed, she’d been so shellshocked she hadn’t been able to help anyone at first. She’d been frozen, barely able to breathe, but he’d been helping others right from the start.
Brie crumpled to the floor of the shower, curling up under the hot spray and staying like that long after the water started to cool.
“Brie?” Alec’s voice came from the other side of the door.
She snapped out of it, scrambling up and turning the water off. “Just a sec!” Quickly, she stepped out, wrapped a towel around her body, and hastily combed her wet hair with her fingers before she cracked the door open. Alec peered down at her through the slit of the door frame.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes dark with worry. “You’ve been in there for over half an hour.”
“Yeah, totally fine,” she lied.
His gaze narrowed. “You’ve been crying.”
“What? No, I haven’t.” She rushed to the counter to peer at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red. Had she been crying and didn’t even realize it?
Alec shouldered his way into the bathroom. “Brie…”
She spun to face him. “No, I’m okay. I’m really okay.” She held up a hand, but he caught it and pulled her close. Her eyes closed and she surrendered to the feel of being near him. She felt safe here. She didn’t know how that was possible. They were basically strangers, yet she felt like as long as he held her, she didn’t have to be afraid.
“How come you aren’t falling apart?” she muttered miserably as he held her.
“I did that on the plane after the plane stopped sliding in the snow.” He cupped the back of her head, massaging her scalp through the wet tendrils. “Men process adrenaline faster than women.”
“What? That’s BS.” She burrowed closer to him.
“No, it’s true. We have an immediate adrenaline rush to get through a battle, for example. Women have the same amount of adrenaline, but it doesn’t kick in until much later and it lasts far longer. Women tend to react more calmly. They maintain strength and speed to collect the food and children before they escape to safety. But when you come down from the adrenaline, it’s a lot harder than men do. My hands were shaking the second after the plane stopped. I just about fell over trying to walk down the aisle. I was already peaking from hormones and started coming down right as your rush started.”
“You know, that sounds really sexist.” Brie almost smiled with her words.
“It’s science. It’s actually sexist against men if you think about it. You have the advantage to get through something dangerous for a longer period of time than I do. We’re treated like cannon fodder. Besides, I think you are handling the situation rather well. But you need to relax. Rest. It’s the best way to get over this anxiety you’re feeling.” He nodded at her clothes. “Change and then let’s sleep, all right?”
“Okay.” Brie stepped back before Alec turned to leave her alone in the bathroom. She changed into her pajamas, dried her eyes and her hair as best she could.
Alec was already lounging in the bed wearing just a pair of flannel gray pajama pants when she came into the bedroom. He had his iPad out and was staring at the screen. He looked up from his tablet as he said, “Sorry, I didn’t have a spare shirt, and I don’t usually wear one to sleep. Does it bother you?”
His long, graceful fingers moved elegantly as he typed whatever he was working on. After a second, he closed the device and focused on her. God, all those sleek muscles and raw power. Even just sitting there he looked impressive. His suit had looked so good on him, but what lay beneath the clothes was so much better. She let out a little sigh and then realized he’d been talking.
“Hmmm?” She inwardly winced. “Sorry, what did you say?”
He chuckled. “I’ll take that as a no.” His laugh sent a delicious, intimate thrill through her. It was the sort of laugh that only a lover of this man would hear, a sound reserved for the bedroom. Brie responded instantly and had to fold her arms over her chest to hide her nipples hardening.
Alec set his iPad on the nightstand and pulled back the quilt and sheet. While she climbed into her side of the bed, he turned off the overhead light. Except for the dim light from the small lamp on the nightstand, darkness surrounded them. With a quick crank of the little switch on the lamp by his strong hands, that light died as well. It was nearly pitch black and incredibly quiet. All she heard was the wind whistling against the pair of windows opposite the bed.
Brie trembled, a chill filling her as she remembered the moment the plane had crashed in that field. Only now, in her mind, nothing was left but cold, snow-covered corpses. Fresh panic flared inside her and she let out a shaky sigh.
Alec rolled over to face her. “What’s wrong?” His features were shadowy, like a dark prince from a realm of dreams.
“Sorry.” She felt ridiculous for letting what hadn’t happened upset her. “I’m just still…freaked out. I keep seeing us crash over and over.”
Alec pressed closer. The heat of his body seeped into hers. When he draped a large arm over her, she couldn’t deny how much she liked the feeling of him holding her. This intimacy was one of the things she missed about marriage. So much time had passed since she let herself feel like this. Would it really be so bad to let this man hold her and make her feel protected, even just for a night?
“You don’t need to be afraid. You’re safe tonight, all right?” His tone was soft and soothing.
She gently pressed her palm against his cheek. A faint scruff met her skin. He must have showered early, because a beard was already coming in. That barely-there beard on a man’s face always got to her in the best way. Their gazes met as he slowly turned to kiss her palm. A pang of arousal hit her so hard she had to clamp her thighs together.
And just like that they both knew what could happen…what they both wanted to happen. Fire raced between them as he kissed the inside of her wrist. Now was the time to stop, to put a stop to this, but she didn’t want to.
“Alec,” she spoke his name in a whisper. “If we do this, it’s a one-time thing, right? I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Neither am I,” he murmured. “But I think we both need this.”
“Okay.” She leaned in, but a new reality crashed down on her. “Shit. Do you have a condom?”
“Fuck. No, I don’t usually carry them.”
He started to pull away, but she curled an arm around the back of his neck. “I have an IUD and I’m clean.”
Alec blew out a soft breath. “I’m clean as well. Last checkup was a month ago and I haven’t had sex since then.”
“So…we’re good?” She was done with talking, done worrying. She just needed him.
“We’re good.” He rolled over, pressing her into the soft mattress. It creaked slightly as his weight settled. She’d forgotten how good it felt to have a hard-male body on top of her like this. His warm lips coasted down her neck in light playful caresses.
Alec pinned her palms on either side of her head as he kissed her, taking his time to settle between her thighs. She wore only a pair of panties under polka dot pink and black silk boxers with a button up nightshirt, but the way he was kissing her, she felt naked… Naked and desperate for what the hard length of him promised.
The lust she’d bee
n fighting to ignore ever since they’d met was fast becoming a devouring obsession. Even the simple act of him kissing her while gently restraining her was thrilling beyond words. She was wet and aching by the time he flicked his tongue against hers and released her wrists. He slid down her body, pulling her shorts and panties off before tossing them out of reach.
“Unbutton your shirt.” His voice gruff and sexy, but the command was quiet so as not to wake their host downstairs.
She frantically pulled at the buttons, her chest heaving with excitement as she parted the shirt. He nudged her legs apart and kissed his way up one of her calves before reaching her mound.
“Touch yourself while I taste you,” he order.
Brie reached for one breast. Her face flooded with heat as she rolled her nipple. The second his warm breath fanned over her sensitive mound she whimpered with desperate desire. When he licked her slit, she almost screamed at the explosion of sensations.
“Oh, my Go—”
Alec covered her mouth with one of his hands and kissed a path back up her body.
“You have to be quiet, or else I can’t do terribly bad, wicked things to you. Nod if you understand,”
She nodded. Boy, did she nod.
“Good girl,” he said and moved his hand from her lips.
She could see the shadowy outline of his smirk from the sliver of moonlight coming in from the windows. He bent his head to nuzzle her chest and sucked the tip of one of her nipples into his mouth. He tugged on the peak until she was biting her lip and squirming. Taking that as a sign, he moved back down between her legs, only this time she was ready when he flicked his tongue against her wet folds. She swallowed the cry of excitement that tried to escape as he devoured her. Her legs were shaking violently as her climax came closer, so close she could feel it just out of her reach.
He slid up her body, his muscled form slipping between her parted legs and used one hand to position himself before he eased inside of her.
“Fuck, you’re so tight…” he groaned. “Almost too tight…” He claimed her, inch by inch, until he was so deep that their hips collided. The feeling of fullness, almost to the point of discomfort, was overwhelming.
