“I love mystery and comedy.” She smiled. “This food smells wonderful.” He bent over, turned on the set, and put the movie in the old VCR.
“I hope this works. It looks like this hasn’t been used since the eighties.” He grabbed the remotes and his own tray then sat next to her.
“I feel like a kid. Eating dinner and watching movies in bed.” He smiled over at her. “Oh!” he said, pushing off from the bed. “I almost forgot.” He walked over and took the champagne and two glasses from the table. Pouring some in each glass, he handed her one.
“I’ve never had this before. What is it?” She asked after taking a sip.
“Champagne. It’s for special occasions. I found a couple bottles in the pantry. Here.” He held up his glass. She held up hers the same way and he clinked them together. “To old movies, great food, and great sex.” He smiled.
By the time the movie had started, her plate was half empty and she’d gone through her first glass of champagne.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning the sun and birds woke her from a deep sleep. She was snuggled against something very warm and hot breath was on her neck, causing her to almost sweat. Trying to move, she realized she was being pinned down by Mitchell’s weight.
“Mitch?” She tried to push him aside, only to have his arms snag around her waist. Pushing harder, she laughed as he buried his face in her hair. She knew what he’d see if he opened his eyes. Her hair was probably standing in spikes around her face. She desperately wanted to run to the bathroom to straighten herself up and brush her teeth.
Finally, she freed herself from his arms by pushing herself away from him, only to land on the carpet by the bed. Looking up, she saw him leaning over the edge of the bed, his chin resting in his hands as he smiled down at her.
“Going somewhere?”
She raised her chin and started to stand. “Yes, I was heading to the restroom so I wouldn’t knock you out with my morning breath. But since you’ve made it difficult, maybe you deserve my dragon breath.” She started to move towards him, only to end up back on the bed with him hovering over her.
“Hmmm. I doubt you have dragon breath, let’s see.” He dipped his head and tasted her lips. “Nope, you taste like champagne bubbles. Sweet.” He licked her lips and she lost her will to fight when his tongue darted out and played with hers. Her hands went into his hair and she realized she could spend the whole day in bed with him. She no longer felt shy when he pulled her shirt up and over her head. His eyes traveled over her bare skin and she felt the heat spreading throughout her entire body.
He’d slept with just his shorts on and she enjoyed running her hands over the smoothness of him. When he leaned down and took her mouth, the light covering of hair on his chest brushed up against her and she felt a new sensation. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she pressed herself to him and marveled in the feel of him hardening. She rubbed herself against him, loving the way his hips pumped against her. When she reached around to pull him closer, he pulled back and quickly shed his shorts, then in one quick swipe, removed her clothes. She started laughing, then seeing his face, she stopped and almost moaned. Desire and passion flooded his green eyes, making them almost shimmer.
Slowly he reached over and took the foil package off the nightstand. He opened it and showed her the small see-through disk, then rolled it on himself slowly, allowing her to see exactly what he was doing. She found it both interesting and exciting to watch his movements. He moved back onto the bed and smiled down at her.
“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”
She shook her head and closed her eyes as he slowly entered her. He ran kisses up and down her neck, causing goose bumps over every inch of her skin.
“Wrap your legs around me again and hold on.” He held himself above her and she did what he asked until he was thrusting faster and she found it hard to catch her breath between the want.
“Come with me.” He whispered in her ear as he thrust one final time and they both exploded together.
Mitch sat on the beach watching Sandi paint with her new watercolors. He’d brought along a book that he had found in the house, but found it boring and uninteresting. Instead he spent his time watching her. Her movements were swift and sure as she used the brushes on the large canvas they had purchased. He knew she could easily spend the whole day painting without a break, but the dark clouds heading their way told him they had another hour before they would end up getting wet. It was just past lunchtime when he heard the first thunder and finally walked over to her, and they packed up her supplies. They walked in the back door five minutes before the rain started.
The whole house seemed darker once the clouds loomed overhead. They turned on the lights, but the false lighting gave the house a different atmosphere. The place was meant for natural light. They found a few older games in a cupboard and since Sandi had never played Monopoly before, he spent a half an hour teaching her, only to have her kick his butt in the game. She ended up with more houses and hotels then he’d ever had playing the game.
“I guess I have a mind for numbers. I noticed it when I got my first paycheck, the very first money that I had earned on my own.” She smiled. “It was invigorating knowing that I could support myself.” She sat cross-legged on the ugly yet comfortable couch in the large living room. The rain continued to pelt down while the thunder crashed. At one point he thought they might lose power, but it flashed on and off a few times then remained steadily on.
“We never did get to login to your bank and check your accounts.”
“That’s okay, I don’t think they could get their hands on it. There are passwords even they couldn’t break. Besides, they would have to know my bank and account numbers. I didn’t have them written down anywhere. I do all my banking online and make sure everything is secure, something Ethan taught me before he left.”
“Really? Why would he do that?”
She took a deep breath. “Because the night he came and rescued me, he hacked into my father’s accounts and stole my dowry. He moved every penny of it into a secure account. For me.” She looked off into the window, not really seeing the darkness of the day. “It’s something he told me about once we’d made it to the boat. He told me my family had ten times that amount and after the hell they’d put me through, I deserved it.” She smiled and looked at him. “I didn’t know they would have to pay it all back.” Her smile fell away.
“Sandi, it’s not your fault. Like I said, as far as I can tell your family is no worse off than before you left.”
She nodded. “I don’t doubt it. I haven’t even touched that money. To be honest, I don’t know if I ever will. I’ve made a good living off my paintings. Enough that I could live comfortably and still give a good chunk to any charity of my choosing. If my family had come to me and asked me for the money back, I would have given it to them freely.”
He moved closer to her and kissed her forehead, running his hands through her hair. How could someone be so generous? After all her family did to her, she was still willing to be kind to them. She amazed him. He’d never known anyone so selfless.
“I have a few other games I can teach you to play.” He smiled against her mouth, walking her backwards towards the stairs. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. In one move she was in his arms as he carried her up the stairs.
Later he made a fire in the downstairs fireplace. There was enough wood stacked up by the back door that he didn’t have to venture out to the larger pile that was getting wet in the downpour. The storm was gaining strength and the wind was blowing pretty hard, chilling the large place. Sandi was snuggled up on the couch, tucked beneath a large blanket wearing her jacket, a hot cup of coffee in her hands.
“The first winter that I lived in New York, I thought I’d freeze. I’d never been anywhere where it snowed before. I remember when I was younger, one winter it actually got below ten degrees Celsius and I thought that was cold. But that first winter her
e, I think it hit five degrees. The snow was so much fun that first year. I can remember walking out and seeing it for the first time.” She closed her hands over her coffee cup, trying to warm them. “I didn’t own any winter clothes, so naturally I was grossly under-dressed, but I didn’t mind. I walked to the park and played with a few children, throwing snow balls until I couldn’t feel my fingers. Then I went home and took a hot bath.” She sighed. “I still can’t get used to the cold, but I don’t mind it. It’s such a nice change.”
“Wait until you see the fall colors up here.” He thought about it. “You know, in the next few days I bet we see the leaves start to change. I could take you on a drive, show you some beautiful places I know. There’s this church I know of. I bet you’d love to paint it.”
“Oh!” She sat up a little, “That sounds wonderful. I’ve seen some photos of this part of the country, I’ve always wanted to paint up here.”
He smiled. “How about we take a drive tomorrow, if the weather holds?”
“I’d like that.” She was smiling at him as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. He was standing with his back to the window, but when her face showed signs of horror, he spun around and scanned the darkness behind him.
“What?” He rushed towards her.
“Mitch, there’s someone out there by the woodpile.” She sunk back into the couch, trying to make herself smaller.
He spun towards the windows, looking into the darkness. He waited for another flash of light, but the sky was dark. Walking towards the back door, he grabbed his jacket.
“Wait!” She jumped off the couch. “You can’t go out there!” She grabbed his arm.
“Why not? Sandi, we don’t know if it’s your family. It could be a neighbor, or someone lost. I’m just going to take a look.” He walked to the kitchen cupboard and grabbed the flashlight he’d seen earlier. Checking to make sure it worked, he walked to the door. “Lock this behind me.”
She nodded and he walked out into the darkness.
Sandi watched Mitch walk out. She wanted to scream. Why would he go out there? What could he do? She stood by the back door, looking at the beam of light coming from the flashlight as he looked around the yard. She could see him head to the woodpile where she’d seen the dark figure minutes before.
She craned her neck trying to get a better view, and he disappeared around the large pile. The flashlight beam disappeared for minutes and she held her breath, listening for any sounds as the rain pelted against the door. Rushing over to the window, she hoped to see the light, but the yard was dark and she started panicking even more. What could she do? Should she run out there? She knew the phones weren't working in the large house, so calling for help was out of the question.
Just when she thought of running and opening the back door, yelling for Mitch, she saw the beam of light off to the left, by the car.
Rushing to that side of the house, she watched the light follow the pathway around the house. Each time she ran to another window to watch Mitch searching the yard.
It took him almost twenty minutes to complete a sweep of the yard. When he walked up to the back door, she was there to unlock it. Questions pouring from her.
“Hang on,” he said, shaking the water from his hair. He scraped the mud off his shoes and tossed them on the tile floor, where they sat dripping with mud and water. He hung his jacket on the hook by the backdoor and rubbed his hands together. “I could use some coffee.”
She rushed to the coffee pot, and poured him a full cup. She realized her hands were shaking as she handed it to him as he sat at the table. She sat next to him, watching his face, waiting for news.
“I couldn’t see anything. No footprints in the mud, no tire tracks along the driveway. I walked around the whole place and found no signs that there was anyone out there. Are you sure you saw someone?”
She nodded and felt like crying. Maybe she was losing it? Closing her eyes she rested her head on the table. A memory flashed in her mind and she could clearly see the dark image standing by the wood pile. “Someone was there. I know it.”
“Okay, I believe you. Well, whoever it was, we must have scared them off. It could have been some kids or maybe a neighbor checking out the lights from the house. The place has been empty for years, then all of a sudden we have every light in the place on and smoke coming from the chimney. Someone was bound to notice and be curious about it.”
It sounded reasonable. After all, if it had been her family, she doubted they’d be hiding out in the rain in the dark. It just didn’t seem like their style. Her cousin took action, and her father... She closed her eyes and sighed. She missed her father and still hoped he wouldn’t have been part of something like this.
Mitchell’s hand touched hers, and she realized how cold it was. “Sandi? Why don’t we head upstairs? I’d like to take a hot shower to warm up.”
“Oh, you must be chilled. Your hands are like ice cubes.” She took them in hers and rubbed them to bring some warmth into them. He smiled at her.
“I know a few tricks to getting warmer faster.”
She smiled at him. “I know a few as well.”
He got up quickly and made sure the back door was locked, then walked in and shut the glass doors on the fireplace. Taking her hand, they walked up the long stairway together.
When they entered the bathroom, he started peeling his wet clothes off, dropping them on the tile floor. When he was naked, he turned to her. She’d been watching his striptease, enjoying the play of his muscles as he moved. His skin glowed in the light and when she placed her hand on his chest, she realized the contrast between their skin colors.
Her hand was dark and small on his chest. He stood very still as she ran it down his tight stomach, past a very tight six-pack of muscles that played across his belly. She moved and walked around him, running her hand over his ribs, around to his back, lightly touching him. He rolled his head back and moaned. She continued her circle of him, running her hands lower across his perfect butt. She gripped each cheek and lightly dug her nails into them, knowing he’d enjoy the feeling. Then she was back around to his front and her hands were on his hips, her eyes on his face. Desire so strong flashed in his green eyes, she almost took a step back.
“You bewitch me.” His voice was husky and laced with passion. She stepped back and slowly started peeling her own clothes off. He stood there, naked, his hands by his sides, watching every movement until she stood before him as naked as he was. Then he walked to her and set his hands on her until they were both moaning. When he backed them into the large shower, they both jumped at the cold water that streamed from the shower head. But as the water heated, so did their desires, and by the time the water was toasty, they were both gasping for air.
“How can you do this to me?” He lay his forehead on hers, closing his eyes. His arms were wrapped around her, holding tight. Her skin, slick and scented, pressed up against his.
She wanted him again, would always want him. “Mitch? Take me to bed.” The shower was too small for them to do anything but touch each other. Not that it wasn’t pleasant, but she needed him. All of him.
He looked into her eyes and shut off the water. Then he took his time drying her skin as she stood under the heat lamp in the bathroom. He kissed his way across her skin until she finally grabbed his hand and walked him into the next room.
The floor was cold and they rushed across the hardwood until finally they both jumped on the bed, laughing.
“I guess I could light a fire up here.”
“No, don’t.” She didn’t want him to leave her side, so she ran her hands over every inch of him until their warmth heated the entire room.
“I want you so bad. Please, Mitch.” He smiled down at her, and she knew she’d already lost her heart as he slowly entered her. Their mixed groans were a sound she’d never forget. His smooth skin under her hands felt wonderful. His kisses branded her across every pore.
Knowing words would never be enough, she poured all h
er passion into each kiss until they were both on the verge. Then she pulled his head down her hers and looking him directly in the eyes, told him how she felt.
Chapter Fifteen
Mitch lay very still listening to his heartbeat settle. His eyes were closed as she ran her hands over his back, down to his butt. There would be marks there tomorrow where her nails had dug into his skin. He smiled.
He didn’t know if he’d been hallucinating or not. He could have sworn that Sandi had said that she loved him. His smile disappeared. Pulling back, he looked down at her. Her hair was fanned out on the white sheets. Her dark skin glowed with the aftermath of their passions. He had never intended to let things go this far. How could he trust again after Suzanne? Then Sandi opened her eyes and he knew that he did trust her. He trusted her more than anyone else in his life. He could never imagine her betraying him, or anyone else in her life. It was rare in life to find people that honest and kindhearted. They just didn’t come along very often. But with her, he could see that she would never do anything to hurt him. It just wasn’t in her nature.
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