Inheriting Trouble (In Ashwood Book 1)

by Kinney Scott

  “How do you feel about finding a quiet spot in the dunes?” he whispered, desire blazing in his eyes. Natalie just nodded, as she was led to a secluded spot hidden behind a series of grass covered dunes.

  Warm sun baked their bare forms as they made a blanket of their clothes. He took his time making love to her here in the sun, the cool breeze tickling their bodies with a light dusting of sand.

  Returning to Driftwood Shores, Seth and Natalie rinsed off sand in rustic private outdoor showers. Emerging, her hair wrapped in a bright towel, Natalie wore her sporty bikini with boy shorts. She jogged back to her home. Still wrapped in his towel, slung low on his hips, Seth’s muscular v at his groin distracted Natalie, even after the orgasm Seth had pulled from her writhing body in the dunes.

  “Let me comb out your hair,” Seth directed her up the short steps to her lofted bedroom. She sat cross-legged on her bed. He straddled her hips with his knees. The red waves, darker when wet, had sunny highlights from so much time spent outdoors this summer.

  Combing out her hair, he used the towel to squeeze droplets of water pooling on the tips. Sweeping her hair to one side, inhaling her clean scent he lifted her snug sport bikini-top over her head. Bare, except for the boy shorts, Seth found her vanilla-orange lotion on the nightstand.

  “Lay on your stomach,” he commanded. Straddling her thighs, he worked the lotion into her skin. Beginning at the small of her back, he kneaded it up her spine, across her shoulders, and down her outstretched arms, out to the very tips of her fingers. Crawling down her frame, he began the path that started at her feet, then smoothed and massaged her calves, kissing the back of her knees as he progressed.

  Seth grasped the boy shorts and slid them off her body to devote time to the muscles of each thigh and the beautiful round globes of her butt. Her body was completely relaxed. Boneless before him, contrasting completely to his steel shaft.

  Natalie melted into the mattress, as his fingers kneaded closer and closer to her heat. Spreading her legs, Seth settled on his knees between them. Pink and glistening her arousal begged for a taste.

  Bending, he dipped the tip of his tongue in her channel, tasting her juices. “Sweet and hot for me,” he explored her depths. Natalie lifted her hips, begging for contact on her pulsing clit. Two fingers drifted forward, moist and slick to circle the bundle of nerves, at the same time he swirled his tongue around the rosebud of her back entrance. A low moan rumbled in her pleasured body. Quickening the pace, circles focused on each erogenous point, Seth plunged his thumb into her wet pussy.

  Riding the sensations, Natalie begged, “Inside me Seth, please.” Crazed with the onslaught, but needing to be filled completely. Quickly he pulled her to her knees, ass in the air, as he eased her shoulders to the mattress. Her exposed position begged for another dip from his tongue deep into her wet swollen pussy. “God, Seth, that feels amazing,” she moaned as he fucked her with his tongue.

  On his knees, he grasped her soft hips, lined the velvety head of his cock up with her channel and surged ahead in one strong stroke. In response to the deep invasion, Natalie exhaled a satisfied moan, overtaken by his powerful thrust. Seth pulled back only to drive forward pounding again and again, taking all that he needed from her.

  “Harder”, she begged, pressing her hips against him with each thrust. His balls drew up, and legs quaked as his release built at the base of his spine. Holding himself in check, Seth drew wet heat from her pussy, pulsing the pad of his thumb into her ass.

  “Mine” he growled, dipping into her back channel. Natalie bucked and screamed. Her release exploding with the intimate sensation. His cock shot a first hot stream. Overcome with a need to mark her, he pulled out fisting his shaft to milk his cum into white arcs painting her ass.

  Natalie’s orgasm continued to break in waves of pleasure. Seth slid two fingers inside her still pulsing body, massaging her g-spot, while another crest of pleasure rolled over her. Satisfied, her pliant body sank to the bed in a sex-drunk haze. Grabbing the towel still damp from her hair, Seth cleaned the white pearls of his cum from her ass and lower back. He sank down next to her, spooning his torso round her sated form.

  Confused for a moment, Seth woke in the loft. Darkness was broken by filtered light coming from the strings of small Edison bulbs that looped round the walkways of the community. The orange illumination created an atmosphere of another era, when time was simpler and slower. Natalie no longer lay curled by his side, and he could not see her in the living area of her home. Then he spotted her through the half size door that led to the rooftop deck.

  Fingers wrapped around a large white mug, snug in an oversized sweatshirt and yoga pants, she sat at the little bistro table. “Grab a mug if you want cocoa, I brought a carafe up here.” Seth came back, with a mug. “I must have been dead to the world, if you made cocoa and snuck up here without waking me.”

  “You might have been snoring just a little.” She laughed.

  “Did I wake you up?”

  “No, I dozed for a bit, but needed a sugar fix.” She poured cocoa into his mug; it steamed in the damp night air. Natalie gazed out into the complete darkness that overtook the dunes. “It’s so mild. I wonder if it will ever freeze this winter.”

  “Perhaps not, but I have seen pictures of snow on the beach.” He added, still sleepy.

  The light conversation was comforting somehow, after the intensity of their sexual connection earlier. It had left her a little off balance at first, but she was gaining her emotional equilibrium again.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. She seemed a little distant.

  “I’m good. Just wondering how I will settle in here. New job, new home, new people. It’s normal to be nervous, right? Still, I’m excited.”

  “Nervous, that’s expected, absolutely. But Natalie,” he paused, and she waited. “You know you have a home in Ashwood.” He couldn’t keep from hoping.

  “Yeah, I can see myself having a life in Ashwood. After all the effort, all the planning, if I didn’t see it through I’d wonder if I could do this on my own.”

  “I’m proud of you. I admire you Natalie.”

  She smiled, “thank you, I think you’re pretty terrific too.” The moon appeared from a gap between the clouds, “look you can see the white foam of the surf from up here. I have a million dollar ocean view!”

  “How about that.” They sat in silence, finishing the cocoa, as the moon illuminated the ocean in a black and white, iridescent glow.

  ***

  Early in the morning, Seth opened the door to find a small dead rodent on the doorstep. “I think the little orange cat left you a housewarming gift.” As Natalie stepped forward, she spotted Bramble warming himself in the sand, tail flicking like a snake.

  “Thank you, Bramble. Seth, what am I supposed to do with this?” She asked. Her confused smile had him laughing.

  “I’ve got it.” He scooped up the carcass in a little shovel he had stowed in an outdoor storage hatch. “Sorry little guy,” Seth said as he scooped up the mouse, and wandered off to the dunes to bury it away from the house.

  Faye pulled a wagon full of boxes to Natalie’s doorstep. Today she wore a skirt that looked somewhat like a patchwork quilt. “Your supplies have been arriving all week. This is most of it. One box is in the walk in refrigerator of the community building.”

  “That’s great! I’ll be able to open my coffee shop on Monday! Seth, would you mind bringing the rest of the boxes over? I will start opening these.”

  “Sure, happy too.”

  He walked off with Faye, she pointed out where the recycle bins, garbage cans, and compost bins were located while they walked. Seth just nodded as she talked enthusiastically about adding more coffee grounds to her compost.

  Beans from a small roaster outside of Seattle, tea, syrups, and three different flavors of biscotti took their place in her commercial kitchen. Seth brought over the perishable milk and milk alternatives so many preferred.

  For now, her baked goo
ds would come from a supplier in Portland, but Natalie planned to find a local bakery. Among the parcels, was an unexpected surprise, a box of cookies from Elsa, with a note wishing her the best of luck.

  Seth popped open his laptop, while Natalie organized her kitchen. While he answered a few emails, he watched her from the living room. His eyes peeked over the screen, loving how she moved around the space he designed.

  Around her waist, she had a little red apron. Why did he find that bow at the back, tied above her heart shaped butt so sexy? E-mails, answer your emails, he convinced himself. His cargo shorts tightened every time she bent over to put supplies on lower shelves. Just when he began to gain a little focus, she stretched to stow a sleeve of paper cups in a high cabinet. Seth stood quickly, took the cups from her hand and stuffed them into the shelf for her, “enough woman.” He growled.

  “What?” she laughed.

  Seth pulled her hips forward, she gasped at the hard length he pressed to her belly. “Watching you move around this kitchen. Porn, baby, pure porn.” His searing kiss put an end to all of her work, as they tumbled back up to the sleeping loft.

  ***

  “Thank you for planning a night out to celebrate.” Natalie said as she had Seth zip up her favorite green dress. The color contrasted beautifully with her red hair. No need for any makeup beyond mascara. Her cheeks were flushed pink from a windy walk on the beach earlier in the day.

  “You look beautiful,” he said as he tucked her into his truck.

  “It’s nice to have a reason to dress up.” Natalie admired Seth, he wore dark jeans and a sweater that pulled snug across his shoulders and biceps.

  They arrived a bit early and walked past decorated shop windows in town. Her high heel boots, clicked on the sidewalk as they arrived at a local seafood restaurant.

  Seated at a private table near a window the candlelight reflected gold in the glasses of white wine. “These past three days have seemed like a vacation with you, Seth. Our getaway here at the beach, each moment has been completely perfect.”

  A little tear reflected in the candlelight. Seth reached across the small intimate table and stroked her lips with the pad of his thumb. Her tear escaped the rim of her eye, as it found a path down her cheek where he caught it. “Don’t cry, sweetness. Natalie, I’m happy you want to keep seeing me. It might be difficult with the distance, but what we’ve started is worth the effort.”

  “Yes, Seth I want that too. So much. Thank you for helping me make a new start. There were times this summer that I wondered if I should continue with my plan. You helped make everything possible.”

  As timing would have it, the server chose that moment to bring the salmon they had ordered. Seth picked up the bottle to pour a little more wine for both of them. Once they were alone again, he reached into his jacket pocket. “I want to give you something to celebrate your new beginning.”

  “Oh, you didn’t need to do that, but I’m so happy you did.” She opened the square flat box, to find a silver chain necklace with tiny flowers dotted midst the links. Hanging from this chain, a delicate silver hummingbird hung in mid-flight. “Seth, I love it. This is just like our hummingbirds on the deck this summer.”

  He stood behind her, placed the jewelry around her neck, and clasped it as she lifted her hair, giving him access. His warm lips gently pressed a kiss to the sway of her neck, a shiver trilling down her body. He whispered close to her nape, “beautiful, Natalie, you are so beautiful.”

  Hoping the night would never end, they wandered aimlessly along a boardwalk that ran parallel to the beach. Illuminated by antique brass lights she worried, “three weeks seems like such a long time.”

  “We haven’t been apart for even a day since we met,” He agreed.

  “I know the time will fly, with the coffee business starting. Ben will be visiting in two weeks. Maybe I won’t have time to feel lonely.” She smiled, attempting to reassure them both that this separation would be tolerable.

  “Wade asked if I would help him with an Octoberfest event in Boise Idaho. He is trying to branch into that market, and needs another driver.”

  “Wow, fantastic! Hopefully, you will find time for a bit of fun. I never knew how much work went into those events.”

  “So three weeks, maybe four tops? That will put us almost to Halloween. I guess summer really is over.” His heart sank, he had grown accustom to having her close. A sense of loss, far deeper than he could have anticipated sank like a dull ache into his gut. They hardly spoke on the ride back. She sat close on the drive home, her hand covering his as it rested on her thigh.

  The small cozy retreat closed snugly around them as they spent a final evening together. Savoring each kiss, he made love to her tonight, slow and deliberate, memorizing every curve. Seth dove deep and she received him, imprinting his unspoken love. Natalie shared herself completely. Exposed and vulnerable, her heart did not break. But, sealed a bit of his soul within hers for safekeeping, until they could be together again. This could not possibly be goodbye.

  ***

  Before first light, she woke to prepare her kitchen for coffee service. A cheerful sandwich board sat outside, listing featured selections. A permanent menu opened up, part of the large counter where she welcomed customers.

  Seth packed his small duffle, and peeked down into the kitchen, smiling. She looked so charming in her little skirt, apron, and ruffled top. “Do you need help opening the service window?” He asked.

  “In a minute. I’m not quite ready. She pulled him close. “I want to steal a kiss from you, a proper kiss.” Up on tiptoe in her little white canvas sneakers, she grasped his neck.

  Seth wrapped one arm around her small waist, and grasped her round bottom. Stealing her senses with a thorough kiss, she lingered in his embrace. “God woman, I’m going to miss you.” A moment passed, and then he pulled away slowly. “If you plan to serve coffee at all today, we better open that window. Then I will get on the road, and leave you to it.”

  Natalie wanted to tell Seth she loved him. Raw fear of future unknowns strangled the words she needed to say, and longed to hear.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Seth left the coast. His desire to turn the truck around bit into him on a physical level. Each mile ate into his gut bringing a bitter metallic taste to his mouth. Still, he knew he could not bring himself to chase a woman again, to become an afterthought in her plans. That scar he would not reopen.

  He could not forget how miserable he became after following Chelsea to Portland. Later the divorce transformed him into a hollow, bitter version of himself. It took months to recover.

  Perhaps, it was selfish to hope that Natalie would return to him. That was precisely the reason he did not tell her he loved her. He would never make her stay in Ashwood, or attempt to alter the path she seemed determined to follow.

  Each mile ticked by, Portland came and went. Finally, after a four and a half hour drive, he snuck into town. Working at Whitewater Homes should have been a priority, but he just could not drag himself in. Not yet. His crew probably wondered how long it would take him to get his shit together and finally make progress on the latest projects. Late tonight he would head over there alone, to assess each plan.

  ***

  Natalie watched Seth’s truck leave, driving east into the bright morning light. She held her breath and stood in the road until she could no longer see him. Unable to turn away until the dust kicked up behind his truck settled back to earth. God, I am pathetic. Get it together, you’ve got at least one customer to think about.

  Standing at the window, waiting patiently, Faye perused the possibilities. “Any suggestions Natalie? Should I choose what a have when I treat myself to something at a coffee shop?

  “What do you usually prefer?”

  “I get a green chai tea with some kind of milk alternative. You wouldn’t happen to have hemp milk would you?”

  “You bet. That was catching on in Seattle, so I decided to stock it here.”

  �
��And to go with it, a flax seed apple muffin.” As Natalie worked on her tea, Faye asked, “I saw Seth leave early this morning. I hope you find time to see him. He seems like a remarkable man. He has a nice way about him.”

  “He does. We met this summer, while he built my tiny house, but I feel like I’ve known him so much longer.”

  “Maybe in a past life?” Faye added, “You never know.”

  “True.” Natalie smiled, she connected with Seth quickly, and some things were beyond explanation, as far as she was concerned. “Here you go. One green chai tea with hemp milk and a warm apple flax muffin.”

  By now, another resident of her new community had wandered up to the counter, asking questions about the menu. Before long, several gathered round while Nate prepped orders. Her house-business combo was a bit of a curiosity. She answered questions about the plans, promising to give tours later that evening.

  Driftwood Shores was adjacent to a public beach access road. This location brought a trickle of unexpected clients to her doorstep, keeping her busy well into the afternoon. A free moment gave her time to peek at her phone, smiling as she opened a text.

  Seth: Made it back to Ashwood. Traffic in Portland was the usual slow crawl.

  Natalie: Glad you’re home. Had more customers than I could count this morning. I think some of the locals just wanted a closer look at the home you built.

  Seth: Or a closer look at the beautiful girl living in it.

  Natalie: I promised to give tours of my house tonight to a couple from New Mexico.

  Seth: Be careful about letting strangers into your place.

  Natalie: Don’t worry. Faye keeps a close eye on her residents.

  Seth: With help from her attack cat.

  Natalie: No one messes with Bramble.