Ford waited until his mom yelled for him to come down, like he knew she would. He couldn’t avoid the man forever. He was supposed to be playing host, and apart from that, Sawyer was still his boss. It was in Ford’s best interests to make sure he remained comfortable during his stay at his parents’ house. With your ass, a small voice mocked.
When Ford made it downstairs, everyone was already sitting at the table in their large kitchen, instead of the larger dining room table they’d had dinner at last night. Ford figured his mom felt more comfortable around Sawyer, so she was being less formal.
Ford greeted his mom and dad as he took his seat and mumbled a greeting to Sawyer.
The older man must have felt none of Ford’s embarrassment because Sawyer asked, “Did you sleep well, Ford? I slept like a baby.”
That had Ford glancing across at Sawyer from beneath lowered lashes, but when he met the man’s intent gaze, Ford’s heart leapt in his chest as he recalled the feeling of Sawyer’s lips against his, along the column of his throat, kissing his way down his chest. His whole body woke up just thinking about it. The boner he’d gotten rid of in the shower tried to come back, so Ford forced himself to think of disgusting images until it went away.
“Fine… I slept fine,” Ford mumbled, breaking the staring contest he and Sawyer seemed to be having.
But his body remembered every intimate caress and wanted more. He wondered how Sawyer would feel about the emerald green thong with red lace edges he was wearing today.
His cheeks flushed just thinking about Sawyer taking it off, with his teeth hopefully. Ford’s dirty thoughts were cut short by his mom. “Dad was telling Sawyer about the pond. He thought maybe you could bring out the old sleigh and go show him. I can pack a little hot cocoa and cookies,” his mom offered.
“Subtle, Mom,” Ford muttered.
“I would love to see the pond. I bet the land looks beautiful with the snow.” Sawyer gave him a knowing grin as if he was fully aware of some of his thoughts.
Ford just didn’t know how to behave around Sawyer now. Was he supposed to behave like Sawyer’s employee, or like someone Sawyer had almost seen naked? He just didn’t know anymore. And Ford didn’t like not knowing.
The worst part was he wasn’t even sure what he wanted. Did he want to go back to being just Mr. Erickson and Mr. Lancaster? Or did he want it to be more? He realized the only way to answer that question––crazy as it seemed––was to keep going. Let things play out. Instead of letting his head… heart... he wasn’t sure which, talk him out of it.
“I would love to show you the pond,” Ford blurted without finesse. Ignoring the voice that said, even if you make it work with this man, he will leave. He lives in… Ford couldn’t even say where Sawyer lived.
The man was constantly on the move for his different businesses that seemed to be spread out all over the United States.
His heart asked him, what if you fall in love with him, will you leave Amber Falls? His head chimed in, or maybe it was still his heart, asking again, what if you fall in love with him and he leaves and doesn’t ask you to follow?
Ford gave an inward quiver when he realized that maintaining any kind of distance from Sawyer over Christmas was pretty much impossible. As much as he hated to admit it, the man had him for… for as long as he wanted Ford.
10
Sawyer
Sawyer had woken up ready for the day… that was a lie, okay, not really a lie. He was ready for the day, but he always woke up ready for the day. The thing that was different about waking up today was that he was excited to see Ford.
When he’d woken up that morning, he’d taken a second to remind himself where he was. He’d looked around the room in the light of day and the only thing he felt was missing was Ford next to him in bed. As a man who spent most of his time in hotel rooms or barren apartments he used as nothing more than a place to lay his head… this was an unfamiliar, yet strangely welcome emotion, waking up with a sense of… home?
That couldn’t be it. He was being sentimental. This place couldn’t feel like home so quickly. It just wasn’t possible. But the lingering voice in his head asked when last he’d woken up feeling so at peace. Feeling so happy.
Not that he was sad, but there was a difference between not being sad and being happy... excited. Sawyer couldn’t remember the last time in his personal life he’d woken looking forward to something. Sure, he got a thrill when he acquired a new business or closed a deal he was pursuing, but that was more the high that being secure gave him.
Sawyer would like to say that last night was a fluke, but he would be lying to himself. He’d found Ford intriguing from the beginning. He had found the non-work conversations between them amusing as well as interesting. And he would have had to be dead not to notice the younger man’s looks. With his slightly curly blond hair and a face that would still look twenty-five when he was forty-five, Ford reminded Sawyer of the actor who played MacGyver in the remake.
Ford’s eyes were such a pure blue, a man could drown in them, and the freckles across his nose and cheeks were a temptation for Sawyer to kiss. And then Ford’s slightly too full, pouty lips were extremely kissable as the events of the night before had proven.
Sawyer hadn’t been able to resist kissing Ford, and the way the younger man had responded to him was a mighty fucking turn-on. He noted the slight redness on Ford’s chin from the scrape of his five o’clock shadow, and the evidence did something to him, made him want to mark him up even more.
Sawyer’s body was still aching, telling him very clearly he wanted to continue where the two of them had left off.
Fuck only knew how far things would have gone between them if Barb hadn’t interrupted. Sawyer should have been embarrassed by Ford’s mom catching them, or rather knowing they were together, but he was surprisingly okay with it. Not the catching part, but the part where she knew Sawyer was with her son––not in the physical sense–– but like they were together, and she seemed to approve.
It could be wishful thinking on his part, but it looked like Barb and Doug liked him. Liked him for their son. That was not something Sawyer thought about often, or even really with anyone he’d previously dated––not that he was dating Ford–– but he found in this case it mattered. It mattered to him a lot.
When Barb had brought up Ford showing him the pond on their property in a sleigh… a fucking sleigh, Sawyer had jumped at the chance to spend time with Ford outside his parents’ house. As much as he wanted to finish what they had started the night before, he also wanted to get to know Ford better.
What made him tick? What made his eyes light up, and his mouth lift in a smile? Hell, he wanted to know what Ford’s favorite food was. He wanted to hear about his life and what he saw in his future. He wanted to know Ford in a way he hadn’t wanted to know anyone in a long time… maybe ever.
Sawyer could admit to holding his breath while waiting to see what Ford would say to his mom’s prompting about the tour. He’d inwardly willed Ford to say yes—that was his story and he was sticking to it.
“So, what do you boys have planned today?” Doug asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Sawyer looked at Ford briefly, before answering, “Apart from the sleigh ride, which I am particularly looking forward to,” Sawyer said making sure Ford heard him, “I have some calls to make. Someone was expecting me in New York. I need to update him,” Sawyer finished. He picked up his phone to check the time.
“Who?” Ford blurted.
“I’ll leave you kids to this conversation.” Doug laughed and stood from the table.
Sawyer looked away from his phone and up at Ford, and he was gratified to see he wasn’t mistaken about the jealousy in Ford’s eyes. Usually that had him running for his life, ending things before the other party got the wrong idea, but he liked seeing it on Ford. He liked it very much. Ford sounded jealous, like maybe he thought Sawyer had someone in New York waiting for him.
He considered torturing Ford and le
tting him believe that was the case. But while he might be new to the whole relationship thing, even he knew lying was a no-no. Sawyer did a double take at the thought he’d just had. When did he start thinking of what was happening between him and Ford as a relationship? And why didn’t that scare him? And most of all, would Ford even be open to a relationship with him?
“My partner was expecting me,” Sawyer answered. At Ford’s gasp, he thought back to what he had said and realized partner sounded like his life partner.
“No, no… not partner like that. My business partner. You know the guy you’ve been sending emails to,” Sawyer explained.
“Oh, umm. Yeah… it’s none of my business,” Ford stammered, but Sawyer didn’t miss the unclamping of Ford’s fist. He would bet the man didn’t even know he’d done it.
“It’s your business if I tell you it is, isn’t it?” Sawyer said.
Ford met Sawyer’s eyes, then looked away for a moment, before looking back at him and nodding.
“I usually spend the holidays with them, not all, but most. I mean Mark and his wife always invite me,” Sawyer added, unprompted by Ford, but he wanted to tell him. “Some years I go, some years I feel like I’m intruding, and I stay away. But I would have loved to make it this year because of my goddaughters,” Sawyer told Ford proudly.
“You have a goddaughter?” Ford queried, surprise coloring his tone.
“Two,” Sawyer grinned thinking about them. “Twins, Sienna and Sophie.”
“I love those names so much. And twins. That is so cute,” Ford gushed.
Sawyer debated for a second and thought fuck it. “Would you like to see pictures? Theresa sends them to me a lot. I think maybe she hopes it will make me want some of my own.”
“Do you?” Ford asked.
“Do I what?”
“Want some of your own…” Ford replied.
“Kids… Can’t say it ever crossed my mind,” Sawyer admitted. Ford looked away, and Sawyer noticed his shoulders sag. Like the answer disappointed him or something.
Sawyer didn’t like that. “But… I never met anyone who made me think about it… although that may have changed,” Sawyer added, and as he said it he knew it was the truth.
Ford raised his head and met Sawyer’s eyes, he stared into them as if he was looking for something, and must have seen it, because he replied, “Yes, I would love to see some pictures of your goddaughters.”
11
Ford
Ford was pretty sure Sawyer was flirting with him. A little more than flirting if he was being honest. Or maybe he was reading more into things than was actually there. Like when Sawyer had said, “But… I never met anyone who made me think about it… although that may have changed,” Ford's heart had skipped a beat. But now he was going over the whole conversation, wondering if maybe he was reading more into it than had actually been said.
Maybe it was the season, maybe it was making him fanciful, but Ford refused to pretend everything was normal. He wasn’t quite ready to go back to being called Mr. Erickson, not just yet. And he was glad Sawyer seemed to feel the same way, because his boss had volunteered to go out into the freezing cold to help Douglas put up the Christmas lights.
It looked like Sawyer was enjoying all Ford’s parents’ over the top holiday traditions. From the incessant playing of Christmas music, to the gingerbread houses Ford made every year with his mom since he could remember. After Sawyer showed him the pictures of his two beautiful goddaughters, they’d gone their separate ways. Sawyer had gone back to his room for a little while to make some phone calls, while Ford went to check on the sleigh. The more he thought about it, the more excited he got about the upcoming ride.
The sleigh wasn’t one of those new fancy ones, it was an old school type. It had been in his family longer than his dad had been alive, but it was well kept. The seats had been reupholstered many times, and the paint, stripped, sanded, and freshened when it peeled too badly.
It was an original Portland cutter. The seats were plush burgundy velvet. It had this gorgeous gold pinstriping and, of course, shafts for the horses. They didn’t have as many horses as they used to, but they still had three, his mom’s, his dad’s and his own.
When he got to the horse barn, his dad was already there. He’d brought out the sleigh from the stall they stored it in, taken off the waterproof covering they used and was already cleaning it out for Ford and Sawyer.
“Thanks, Dad,” Ford said, walking up to where his dad was wiping down the sleigh.
“For what, son? Your mom and I are so happy to see you with someone who makes you smile,” Ford’s dad said, his eyes lit up with happiness, like the thought of Ford finally meeting someone brought him joy.
Ford moved away from where he was standing opposite his dad, running his fingers over the wood of the sleigh, and went to pet his horse. “Trying to get rid of me already, Dad?” Ford teased.
“Never, son,” his dad said seriously stopping what he was doing. “But as a parent, all you want for your child is everything good in life. You just want to see them happy. I don’t think you’ve noticed, but since you got this job you’ve had nothing but good things to say about Sawyer.”
“He’s a good boss,” Ford reasoned.
“I’m sure he is, son. But that’s not it. You light up when you talk about him. You’ve told us about all the things he does for charity, how he gave Anna the day off when her daughter got sick and she couldn’t get anyone to pick her up. You may not have noticed, but we did.”
“Oh, I… well, he’s a good boss,” Ford sputtered.
“You already said that,” Douglas chuckled.
“I can’t fall for him,” Ford blurted.
“Why not? Because he’s your boss? Sorry to break it to you, but you won’t be the first, or the last, person to fall for their boss.”
“It’s not just that, Dad, but he’s leaving. The resort will get built and then he’ll be gone. You said I told you about him. Did I also tell you what the magazines say? That he breezes in and out making his acquisitions successful, then once that happens, he moves on to the next thing…” Ford looked away from his dad, petting his horse, Duchess, while trying to get his emotions in order.
“Talk to me, Ford. What’s the problem?” his dad asked.
“What if he leaves…? What if I fall for him and he leaves Amber Falls?” Ford whispered.
But Douglas heard him. “Well, son, if you’re in love with him, I figure you’ll follow,” he said simply.
“It’s that simple?” Ford asked. “But you guys are here, my life is here.”
“Oh, Ford,” Douglas said, walking towards him, “We’ll always be here, as long as the good Lord says so, but you can’t stay here just because of us. And Amber Falls isn’t going nowhere. If you love him—”
“I didn’t say anything about love,” Ford interrupted.
“Right, of course,” his dad mocked. “If it’s right with someone, anyone, it doesn’t matter where they go, you follow because they become your home. I would have left Amber Falls, my family, this land for your mama. Because she was… and still is everything.”
“I don’t know why we are talking about this. It’s just one sleigh ride,” Ford said. He moved towards the exit to the barn.
“Sure. Whatever you need to tell yourself. But I like him. He seems like a good man,” his dad called as he walked out.
12
Sawyer
The more time Sawyer spent around Ford, the more he realized whatever this thing was between them, it wasn’t just physical. And he should know. All he’d done the past ten or so years was physical. Sawyer couldn’t remember a time he’d shared anything about his life with anyone but Mark. And that was more because he’d known Sawyer at the time in his life when things changed.
But here in this house, Sawyer felt like Ford was taking a wrecking ball to the walls he’d built around himself. Although Sawyer realized it had started more subtly than that. All these months working togethe
r, somehow Ford had managed to get under his skin. Sawyer realized instead of making him want to run in the opposite direction, it made him feel like he wasn’t standing alone at the top of a mountain screaming for help. Finally, it felt like someone heard him and had come and wrapped their arms around him.
When did you become so fanciful? Sawyer mocked himself.
After his phone call with Mark ended, Sawyer made his way downstairs. He’d promised Doug he would help him with the lights he wanted to put up outside. Apparently, Ford usually helped Doug, but it wasn’t his favorite thing to do. When Sawyer volunteered, Ford had called out to his dad, loudly, telling him Sawyer would be the one helping him this year.
When he came downstairs, instead of going in search of Doug, he made his way to the kitchen, following the wonderful smell of baked goods. In the kitchen, Barb was singing along perfectly to “White Christmas.”
“You have a beautiful voice,” Sawyer said.
Barb started at the sound of his voice. “Oh, goodness!”
Sawyer immediately felt bad for startling her. “I’m so sorry, Barb. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Oh stop, I was just momentarily surprised. I didn’t hear you come in,” Barb said.
“You were busy. I shouldn’t have disturbed you,” Sawyer insisted.
“Stop that now. I’m glad to have you. Did you change your mind and decide to bake with me in the warm, cozy kitchen instead of helping Doug with the lights? I don’t know why he still bothers. He’s not as young as he was, and the decorations inside are just fine,” Barb lamented. “I think it’s because it’s something he started when we had Ford. You know, before that, we didn’t celebrate Christmas much. It was just the two of us and well, we didn’t see it being worth the trouble of putting up decorations when there were no kids around.”
Stranded With His Boss Page 5
