B10 - His Desire

by Love, Annabelle

  One thing I couldn’t doubt was that she was still mad at me. Remembering the anger and the disapproval in her eyes, she had no intention of forgiving me either.

  Did that matter though? No. Not anymore. Now, we were a memory. A thing of the past.

  Still, that past was much too recent. My pain was fresh. In essence, I would have to relive every agonizing moment of my breakup with her. Worse still, I would be forced to do that on a happy occasion like Jake’s birthday. How in the hell was I going to celebrate anything with Stacy in the same room? I couldn’t. That was just beyond my power. What I could do was pretend. I would wear a fake smile, wish my friend a happy birthday, put on a brave face for an hour or two and leave.

  Unlike that fateful day, the skies were clear, thousands of stars casting their light over the mountain. With a heavy heart, I arrived at my friend’s estate. I knew that he wouldn’t appreciate the sadness on my face, but there was nothing I could do about it. I found Jake on his driveway, having just headed out of the cabin to meet me.

  “Thanks for coming, man,” Jake said, with a radiant smile. “I know it wasn’t easy.”

  “Your present’s in the backseat of my car,” I informed, walking to the entrance alongside him. “I wanted to bring it in and have it be a surprise, but the packaging would have given it away.”

  “It’s a guitar, isn’t it?” He nodded assent. “You’re so predictable.”

  “It’s not just any guitar,” I emphasized. “It’s a Taylor 714CE.”

  “Thank you. I’ve read online reviews on that model. It’s a beautiful instrument,” he commented. “I can’t wait to play it. By the way, I’ve got a present for you, too.”

  “You do?” I squinted in surprise.

  “Yep. It’s up on the roof,” he claimed. “It took some effort to carry it up there, but the echoes made it worthwhile.”

  “Echoes?” I cocked an eyebrow, even more baffled. In an instant, I understood what he was talking about. He was referring to my old drum kit. It had been stashed away in his basement, ever since he decided to replace me with computer software. I ran up the stairs, glad that I had found an excuse to stay away from the celebration. Stacy wasn’t here yet, but she wouldn’t miss this…

  ***

  Stacy

  “Jake’s birthday is a great chance for us to catch up. Come on, girl. We’ve only been seeing each other at the office, and we’re so busy that we barely exchange ten words all day.”

  Michelle might have found a good reason to convince me to attend her husband’s birthday party, but, for more than two hours, all we had done was prepare food and discuss recipes. Other than that, we hadn’t mentioned anything about our personal lives. She didn’t have to; she was married to a wonderful man.

  As for me?

  Well, I would bring up my hurt and seek her advice, in the hope that she would suggest something different than ‘forgive him’.

  Having heard enough tips on how to cook pasta, I left her alone in the kitchen and went up to the roof. She had been rambling on about the view, and I hadn’t had the chance to see for myself what made it so spectacular. As I stepped outside however, what I came across wasn’t an empty, open space. A drum kit was just a few yards to the right, and close to the edge, the man who had broken my heart, his back to me.

  “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” His question came before I could think of my next course of action.

  “Yes, it is.” I agreed, sauntering past the drum kit. “I take it that’s yours.”

  “Yep,” he affirmed. “Jake brought it up here because he thought I’d enjoy the echoes. I would play a little, but…” he paused, “I just don’t feel up to it.”

  “Why?” I asked, catching a glimpse of the sparkling town lights in the distance.

  “For the same reason you broke up with me,” he explained, his voice weaker than usual. “I mean, a grown man banging drums alone on a rooftop? That sounds childish, doesn’t it?”

  “What you did in Vermont far exceeded the boundaries of immaturity, David,” I put some force in my voice, halting behind him. “It was downright suicidal.”

  “Yeah, it was,” he admitted, craning his neck to look at me. “I went up against a couple of psychos. I went in unarmed, too. I was lucky I didn’t get killed. But, you seem to forget my emotional state, Stacy. I was mourning my mother. I’m still mourning my mother. Hasn’t heartache messed with your ability to assess a situation? Ever?”

  “It has, but…”

  “No ‘but’, darling,” he interrupted. “That’s what happened to me. You know that.”

  I parted my lips, willing to respond to him, but just then, the sound of synthesizer notes came from speakers downstairs, accompanied by a slow, rhythmic beat that drew my attention. A few seconds were enough for me to identify the owner of a sensual, male voice. Lenny Kravitz…

  “I swear… I had nothing to do with that,” David declared. “Anyway, let me tell you something before I leave. After you and I met, I kept listening to that song for days. It was on repeat in my car, at the office, at home… Everywhere. I even woke up to it for a couple of weeks. I’d open my eyes, grab a chair and pretend I was dancing it with you. I felt like I was enchanted by some spell. And when we finally got together…” He paused and bit his lower lip. “Screw it. There’s no point in telling you this. I’ll go.”

  “David, wait,” I urged, his confession making my heart flutter in my chest. “What were you going to say?”

  “I got a taste of what love is,” he said, his voice a whisper. “And boy, was it sweet… And now, it’s bitter. I keep asking myself when it’s going to stop being so bitter, and I can’t come up with an answer.”

  A tear toppled over the edge of his eye at the end of his confession.

  David attempted to move around me; yet, I couldn’t allow him to leave like that. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist, gazing up into his teary eyes, my heart pounding against my chest.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice wobbly. “I’m so sorry. I was so cruel to you… Will you forgive me?”

  “Only if you forgive me first,” he said, a faint smile appearing on his face. I didn’t think twice. I threw my arms around him and pulled him close, tears rising up in my eyes. I kissed him on the cheek and squeezed him in my embrace, a crisp breeze tossing my hair about.

  “I love you, Stacy,” he said in a gentle whisper, snaking his long arms around my waist. “You’re my first and only love.”

  “I love you, too, you fool,” I confessed, easing back. “Promise me you’ll never do anything that reckless again.”

  “I’ll go up against a whole gang of thugs if they kidnap you,” he teased, laying a soft kiss on the tip of my nose. “Just kidding. I promise I’ll never do anything that stupid again. Cross my heart.”

  I angled my face, seeking one more of his tender kisses. I pressed myself into him, Lenny Kravitz’s song still in the air. David might have acted like a mindless creature, whose only concern was some sort of revenge for his mother. Nonetheless, I had to admit that he had a point. Still grieving, he couldn’t think straight, and he almost paid the ultimate price for his recklessness.

  In any case, I couldn’t let him go.

  I couldn’t let our flame die out.

  It had been forged under the most unlikely circumstances. He had persisted, despite my constant rejections. He had been a gentleman to me when all I wanted from him was a good time. After that, I got to see more of the real David. The man who spoiled me in bed, the man who made me laugh, and the guy who went away with me per my request. He put aside his grief because he thought that trip would help me feel better. That action alone had ‘I love you’ written all over it.

  I had no idea what the future had in store for us. What I did know was that we were part of something special, something that could—and should—last. I would do my best to be the caring woman he had known and loved. And deep down, I hoped that he would continue to be the wacky man who had stormed int
o my life and refused to give up on me.

  That’s who David was—a tenacious man who didn’t care if I rejected his advances five, ten or even fifty times. A loving man with only love in his heart for me. The man I hoped would father my children someday. My other half… My true love.

  The End

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  If you don’t already know Jake and Michelle’s story then find out in His Muse - continue on to read a preview included in this copy.

  More By Annabelle Love

  His Muse: A Mountain Man Romantic Suspense (Continue reading for a sneak peek!)

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  Needing Her: A BDSM Secret Baby Romance

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  Continue on to read an excerpt of my release, His Muse!

  His Muse

  My world is dominated by mountains, forests, beautiful horizons and the music I write.

  I’ve managed to keep my identity secret, and I like it that way.

  I lost faith in people a long time ago. I don’t need them ruining this world with their greed and their lies.

  I chose this life of solitude.

  A storm and an on-the-hunt pack of wolves bring a hiker into my cabin.

  She’s nothing like other hikers I’ve met before.

  She’s nothing like other musicians I’ve worked with before either.

  She’s my muse I never saw coming.

  She’s fiery, courageous and plucks at my heartstrings.

  She makes me rethink the life I’ve chosen.

  And just when I realize she might be worth the risk…

  All of a sudden there’s a target on our backs.

  Someone’s out to get us, or maybe more precisely me?

  With danger lurking around every corner, now my world is completely shaken.

  I chose a life of solitude, and now I choose her.

  My muse.

  And I’m going to keep her safe, even if I have to risk my own life to do so.

  ***His Muse is a stand-alone read with no cheating, no cliffhangers, steamy scenes, and a guaranteed HEA.***

  Chapter 1

  Jake

  The mountain peak broke through the thick mist, dominating the cloudy sky in awesome magnificence. I had spent years and years in Slide Mountain; I had born witness to this beautiful scene more times than I could count. Still, I couldn’t get enough of it. The brilliant colors of the sunset in the winter sky had ever been a wonderful source of inspiration. I savored every moment of this spectacle, in the hope that I would get to see it again soon.

  Life close to the summit of the highest peak in the Catskills Mountains was no picnic.

  First of all, I was at the mercy of the elements. Thunderstorms and blizzards often plagued this part of the world. Apex predators called this rugged terrain ‘home’. Wolves, black bears, and coyotes. Nevertheless, I wasn’t afraid of beasts. They were guided by instinct alone. They cared about food, drink and the continuation of their bloodline.

  In my opinion, I should be wary of men.

  People were guided by lust, passion, and greed.

  And they had failed me, a long time ago.

  Which is why I had almost no friends at all in the nearby town of Adams, a mile-and-a-half east of my cabin. Whenever I needed any supplies, I just drove up to the closest supermarket and bought them. I hardly spoke to anybody; a simple ‘hello’ and ‘bye’ were more than enough.

  To my frustration, I drew a lot of attention. More often or not, I had to tolerate Penny Barnard’s advances, daughter of Charlie Barnard, the supermarket owner. Most men I knew wouldn’t pass up the chance of dating that gorgeous, 25-year old blonde, but that was not the case with me. I had no interest in making new friends. They could—and would—distract me. Distractions like her could unravel my solitary life.

  The life I had chosen for myself.

  With daylight fading away, I loaded up the remainder of the wood I chopped this afternoon into the sled, and grabbed my shotgun and slung it across my shoulder. With a heave, I started hauling the wood uphill towards my cabin. I couldn’t wait to sit by the fire, strum some of my favorite tunes and take yet another trip down memory lane. Just another 10 minutes or so and I’d be there.

  Just as I turned the corner around a patch of balsam fir trees something drew my attention. A trail of blood on the snow.

  Gazing out across the slope, I saw five wolves hurtling towards the forest, their tails swishing out behind them.

  No surprises there.

  The woods were one of the wolves’ favorite hunting grounds. However, the cry for help that ripped through the silence told me that they were not after their usual prey. A subsequent scream of agony pierced my ears, tightening the back of my neck.

  Having no time to waste I sped off down the slope, leaving my sled. In a matter of seconds, my legs were knee-deep in the snow.

  I could feel the cold driving into my bones.

  My frozen breath was chugging in front of my face like steam from a locomotive.

  Lightning sizzled and flashed, just before a crack of thunder rumbled across the mountain.

  Under any other circumstances, I wouldn’t appreciate being out during a storm. In this case, however, the light helped me peek into the forest. The five beasts were hot on the tail of someone in red pants and a yellow coat as they staggered forwards.

  Running in the snow required a lot of effort. I found myself short of my breath while I closed the gap between us. Despite that, I wasn’t going to stop.

  The stranger’s image was getting closer and closer by the second. By then, I could even hear yips and snarls. Crossing the forest border, I shortened my strides, the wolves less than ten yards away from them.

  I gripped the handle of my shotgun and pointed it to the sky, shot after shot of adrenaline rushing through my veins. The powerful blast echoed in the wilderness. To my relief, the bang spooked the beasts. Almost at the same time, they all flipped around and started loping away from the woman.

  Nonetheless, I had to make sure that they stayed away from me. In my experience, the chances of them attacking me were rather slim. Wolves don’t prey on the healthy, but I couldn’t afford to rely on theory. So, I lowered my shotgun and pointed it at them. My hunch turned out to be correct. None of them even glanced at me. Instead, they preferred to gallop to the right and out of the woods.

  I strapped my weapon around my neck, my breath still coming out in pants. Staring down at the woman, I shuffled off towards her. She was lying on the snowy forest floor, facing in my direction. Stopping in front of her, I pulled my flashlight out of the pocket of my coat. As I pointed the light at her, I realized that fear was still written across her face.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, her quick breath filling my ears.

  “My knee.” She groaned, her face twisting into an expression of pain.

  I moved the flashlight d
own her body, searching for other wounds as well. Not finding any, I discovered that she was telling me the truth. Her pants were shredded at the left knee. Blood was trickling out of a deep gash across her kneecap.

  My first instinct was to help her up. Yet, I discarded that notion in a heartbeat. The wolves couldn’t be far. Their return was just a matter of time. Therefore, I kept my mouth shut and bent down, reaching towards her. I put my hands under her armpits and flexed my arm muscles. Another moan of agony left her lips as I began to lift and move her.

  “Sorry, girl,” I uttered, my voice but a whisper, snowflakes dropping off her curly, brown hair and her coat. “It’s the only way. Keep your voice down.”

  Chapter 2

  Jake

  Slamming my front door shut behind me, I eased the brunette down on the couch and dragged the small table closer. Placing her battered leg up on it, I went to the kitchen and grabbed my first aid kit. I stole a glance at her face and then sat on my knees beside her, my gaze on her injury.

  “Hikers…” I said on an exhale. “You never cease to disappoint me.”

  “Thank you.” She spoke in a barely audible voice while I cleaned up her wound with gauze.

  “Yeah, I’m a hiker. My name’s Michelle. Michelle Miles.”

  “Jake Donovan.” I introduced myself, a hint of anger in my tone. “There’s no need to thank me. Your coat saved you. If it was brown or black, I wouldn’t have been able to make it out.”

  “Bright clothing is essential in hiking.” She claimed. “It helps your friends track you down. I made a mistake, though. I came up here alone.”