“Here we go!” Hal said, and she could hear the excitement in his voice as he took up her hand and led her over to the large vehicle.
Jesse followed, slightly nervous as he helped her into the helicopter. Inside, the pilot gave them both a smile as they settled into the back seat.
“Jesse,” Hal gestured to the pilot, “this is Phillip, a friend of Adam’s.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Jesse smiled over at him. “I’m Jesse.”
“A pleasure to meet you as well,” the man returned a pleasant smile.
“Are we ready for takeoff?” Hal asked as he settled in and buckled up next to Jesse.
“Yes sir,” the pilot responded, his eyes sweeping over his instrument panel for a second.
“Let’s got going then!” Hal said, his voice ringing with obvious excitement.
“You got it,” Phillip said. In a second, he had flipped a series of switches, and the helicopter came to life. It became difficult for Jesse to hear, and Hal handed her a set of headphones complete with a microphone.
“Jess?” Hal spoke into his headset, and Jesse could clearly hear him as he looked her over, taking stock of her state of being.
“I’m great!” Jesse said, and she really was. She was slightly nervous, especially as the helicopter started slowly lifting up off the rooftop. She reached over and tightly gripped Hal’s hand, and he wove his fingers between hers, gently running his thumb along the back of her hand.
Jesse turned to look out the window of the helicopter as they rose up into the sky and began to move over the city. Jesse had never been so fascinated with a view before. She was barely aware of the passing of time as Phillip flew them out, heading toward their destination. She was fascinated with the changing life beneath them, moving from the buildings of the city to the beautiful mountains covered in green.
It hardly seemed like any time had passed at all when they began to lower toward the earth and ended up on a large concrete landing pad in the middle of the woods.
“Here we are,” Hal smiled over at her, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips.
Jesse looked around with wide eyes. She allowed Hal to take the headset off her head and place it on the seat between them. Jesse kept her head ducked as Hal led her out of the helicopter.
Once they were on the landing pad, Hal lingered to speak with Phillip about something, and Jesse wandered toward the edges of the landing pad. The pad was situated on top of a building of some sort and it afforded her a somewhat elevated view of the landscape around her.
“Like what you see?” Hal asked from behind her. She felt him slip his arms around her waist, and he rested his chin on the top of her head.
“It’s beautiful,” Jesse said, her voice hushed. They were both silent, and Jesse could hear flowing water somewhere in the distance.
Jesse was finding it hard to believe that she was really standing here with Hal in this moment. For the first time, she didn’t feel stressed or paranoid while she was with him, and she was truly able to lean back into his body and relax.
“So,” Jesse spoke up. “What … what do we do now?”
Hal laughed and placed an affectionate kiss on the top of her head.
“Whatever you want,” Hal answered her, turning her to face him. Jesse looked up into his eyes, and her heart melted at the way the corners of his eyes crinkled.
“Why don’t we head down into the cabin for now?” he asked her. “You can unpack some of your things, and I can show you around a little.”
Jesse nodded, and Hal took her and led her across the landing pad, which Jesse realized was the roof of the cabin. Hal led her to a door, which in turn led to a well-lit staircase. Hal led her carefully down the stairs and then opened the door into what was an incredibly beautifully decorated cabin.
Jesse appreciated the fact that it still retained the integrity of a small cabin, with wooden logs as walls. At the same time, though, there was a very chic, modern feel to all the appliances in the cabin, which made it extremely comfortable to stay there.
“You designed this?” Jesse turned to ask him, her face lit up with awe.
“Well, I gave a lot of professionals my ideas.” Hal sighed. “And then I paid them to turn it into a reality. But I suppose the general idea was mine.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jesse said, still looking around.
“Why don’t I take you to your room?” Hal suggested. “Then we can look around a little more.”
Jesse blinked and stifled the pang of disappointment knowing that Hal was putting her in a separate room. A part of her had truly thought they would be spending their time there sleeping in the same bed. Still, she wasn’t going to let something as simple as that mess up the rest of her holiday with Hal.
Hal led her into the room, and Jesse took in a small breath. There was a large window fixed into one of the walls that looked out into the forest. She was struck by the beauty of the sunbeams filtering through the trees to land on the floor of the forest, so much so that she almost completely overlooked the furnishings of the room.
The bed was simple, with a minimalist frame and a queen-sized mattress. There was a set of drawers set out across from the bed and a nightstand complete with an alarm clock and a lamp.
Jesse set her things down on top of the dresser and smiled over at Hal.
“Oh, and there’s a full bathroom right in there,” Hal explained, pointing to one of the two doors in the room. “And there is the closet, in case you want to use it.”
Jesse nodded, taking in the information.
“I’ll just leave you for a while to unpack, and then we can decide what to do,” Hal suggested.
“Sounds great,” Jesse gave him a small smile, which Hal returned as he backed out of the room.
Jesse waited and made sure he was completely gone before she released a faint sigh. She silently sauntered over to the dresser and began to unpack all of her things and put them in the dresser in the room. Her eyes kept wandering over to the window, and she smiled as she saw a small bird alight on the window sill.
Jesse finished putting away her clothes and walked into the bathroom. She was grateful that she had brought all of her products from home and brushed on a layer of makeup and generally freshened up before she went back out to meet with Hal.
As Jesse applied a fresh layer of her deodorant, she decided that she ought to change into an outfit more suitable for the great outdoors. She had no idea what sort of things they might end up doing, but she wanted to be prepared.
Of course, she had no real, intentional hiking gear but had brought some things she had gathered over the years that she used for exercise, and they would have to suffice. She was sure that Hal would offer to buy her more appropriate clothes, but it would just make her uncomfortable to be wearing brand new clothes only to get them dirty by hiking in the woods.
Jesse appraised herself in the mirror, and she felt a flutter go through her stomach just from the thought of going back out and seeing him again. She felt slightly self-conscious as she took in her appearance but forced herself to remain calm. Hal had never been shallow before, and she doubted he would judge her for her appearance now.
Jesse sighed as she looked herself over in her mirror, getting ready to go back out and find Hal somewhere within the near-magical cabin.
Chapter 56
Hal
Hal waited in the living room for Jesse to come out of the guest bedroom. He had experienced mixed feelings about putting her in the guest room but ultimately decided that he didn’t want her to feel anxious or pressured into staying in the same room with him. Maybe their rooming situation would develop into something more later, but for now, he would be content with the way they were.
Hal heard Jesse coming down the hallway, and he immediately rose from his seat on the couch in the living room. His easily excited cock twitched a little as he saw Jesse approach in a tight fitting athletic shirt and a pair of tight yoga pants.
He took a deep breat
h through his nose to collect himself and calm his hardening cock.
“You look ready for a great adventure,” Hal appraised her, his eyes flitting up and down her body once again. He was rewarded by her blush.
“So do you,” Jesse noted, and he was sure that her eyes lingered at his crotch. He vaguely hoped his arousal wasn’t evident.
Hal had changed into a pair of hiking boots, some durable shorts, and a breathable button-up shirt. He had counted on them going hiking and was glad that Jesse had been thinking along the same vein.
“Well,” Hal clapped his hands together, “we may as well head out while there’s still daylight. Maybe we could go down to the river?”
“Sounds great!” Jesse said excitedly, and Hal smiled.
He held out his hand to her, and she took it, and he led her through the cabin to the door that led outside. Jesse took a sharp breath as she saw the pool and Jacuzzi that were protected by an awning not far from the door. Hal loved that particular feature of the cabin.
“It’s salt water,” he explained to her. “So it’s a lot healthier for your skin.”
“Wow,” Jesse said, nearly breathless.
“Maybe we can hop in after we get back,” Hal suggested with a smile.
“I’d like that,” Jesse replied with a smile of her own.
With that said, Hal led her further away from the house and toward a narrow trail that would eventually take them out to the river.
“So,” Hal spoke up, “do you go adventuring a lot on your own?”
“Not really,” Jesse answered, laughing. “Usually, the closest I get to the great outdoors is a rooftop garden.”
Hal couldn’t help laughing.
“Same here,” he said softly. “I spent so much time in the city all my life. The first time I actually saw anything like this was when I was shooting for a film in New Zealand. I just fell in love with being outside all the time, and I decided that I needed a place like this where I could get away if I wanted to.”
“Have you used it as much as you wanted to?” Jesse asked, looking up at him with innocently curious eyes.
“No,” Hal answered, shaking his head with a sigh. “Most of the time, I stay holed up in the city. It’s my own fault, really. I let myself get involved with this event and that dinner. And I mean I guess I was really focused on my film for a while.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re a pretty busy man,” Jesse laughed, and Hal frowned to himself, brooding a little.
For a while, he was silent, and Jesse turned to look up at him.
“Hey,” she said and took his hand up in hers. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Hal nodded, shaking his head a little. “Just thinking a few things over, you know.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jesse raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Hal shrugged. “Just … my life. I mean, honestly, I have everything I ever wanted, everything I ever dreamed. It just … you know, when I think about it, I thought I would end up happier.”
Jesse was quiet and seemed to be thinking. Hal felt her gently rub her fingertips along the back of his hand.
“Well,” she finally spoke up with a sigh, “maybe you just want something now that you just never thought of before.”
Hal blinked at Jesse’s words, and they struck a chord in him.
“I think …” Hal stopped walking and stepped in front of Jesse to look her in the face. “You may very well be right about that.”
Hal smiled slowly as Jesse blinked up at him and blushed.
“But …” he went on, lifting his hands to place them gently on her upper arms. “I’m starting to think of something … someone … I really want …”
Hal heard Jesse take in a sharp breath, and her eyelashes fluttered as she took in his words. He felt his heart surge with warmth as she looked up at him. For the first time since he was a much younger man, he really thought he had a chance at true happiness. A chance he thought he had long since forfeited.
Now, though, he knew that his hope for a life filled with love had been revived. And he knew that Jesse was his chance at a life that he thought he would never have, a life full of happiness and love.
For now, though, he knew he had to reign himself in. Even for him, this was all unfolding very quickly, and the last thing he wanted to do was frighten Jesse away before they had a chance to grow into their own relationship together.
“All I want right now, though,” Hal spoke softly, “is to spend time here with you. Still want to see the river?”
Jesse seemed to take in his words slowly, and she blinked before nodding and smiling.
“Definitely,” she said, and Hal took her hand and led her further along the trail to where he knew they would soon meet the river.
Hal had to admit that he hadn’t felt so peaceful in a very long time.
Chapter 57
Jesse
Jesse felt more free and happy than she had in a long time. For years, she had felt oppressed by her own ambitions. She had been either searching for jobs, near to starvation on the streets or working for an employer who took advantage of her and didn’t allow her to stretch her wings.
Even recently, she was worried that she would never find a job as stable as the one she had just left at The Edge.
For now, though, she felt liberated of all her worries as she stood knee deep in a river with the man she was slowly falling in love with. Yes, she was definitely falling deeply in love with Hal Roberts.
She had been reluctant to admit that to herself for quite some time, in spite of what her heart was telling her. For so much of her young adult life, she had been fearful of not being good enough, and that was still the case.
In spite of everything that Hal said to her and did for her, she was still fighting her fears of being dismissed. She knew that if she really invested herself in her relationship with Hal, and he merely tossed her aside in the end, she would be absolutely broken-hearted.
The more time she spent with him, the more she was willing to let herself believe that she was worthy of something more than she ever thought. Little by little, she was starting to believe him when he said she was beautiful. She had even quit her job simply based on his opinion that she was worth more than what Elaine was allowing her to be.
So, she really felt that it was about time that she stopped letting her brain rule over the rest of her entire being, and for once let herself experience love at its fullest.
Jesse knew that to do this, she had to tell him.
The problem with that was that she didn’t really know how.
As they played around in the river, occasionally splashing each other and laughing as a soft breeze whirled around them, Jesse couldn’t help taking in just how incredibly handsome Hal looked. His shorts were nearly completely soaked from the water of the river lapping at his knees. His hair was not slicked back in its usual well-groomed look and seemed to be getting a little long, as it often fell into his face, leading him to toss his head like a horse to get it out of his face.
Jesse’s eyes seemed to be permanently affixed to him, and more often than not, he seemed to be looking at her as well. Sometimes, the mood seemed to shift from one of playfulness to something darker and needier.
Whenever the mood shifted that way, Jesse could feel heat brewing deep in her stomach. She could feel her heart pound a little faster, and her blood run a little thicker in her veins. She could not dispute the effect he had on her, and it seemed that he was aware of it as well.
Jesse felt completely exposed to him and a part of her delighted in it.
Jesse had no idea how much time had passed before Hal finally stood close to her and wrapped his arm about her waist, pulling her close to his side.
“It’s going to get dark soon,” he said softly. “Want to head back to the cabin?”
“Okay,” Jesse answered, looking up at him with a smile. Hal smiled softly back at her and offered his hand, which she gladly took.
Jesse
allowed Hal to help her up out of the river, making sure she did not slip on the wet rocks that lined the bank. They both sat down on the dry dirt of the bank where they had left their shoes. They were quiet as they put their shoes and socks back on, and then they returned to the narrow trail that would lead them to the cabin.
It was not long before the trees began to subside and the beautiful cabin was revealed to them. True to Hal’s word, the sun had sunk low on the horizon and a set of automatic lights came on just as they began to approach the cabin, including the set of lights set into the awning over the pool.
Jesse thoughtlessly headed for the door of the cabin, but she was diverted from her path when she felt Hal take a grip on her hips and pull her back against his chest. She released a soft gasp at the hard planes of his body pressed against her, and she felt a sudden and acute pang of desire shoot through her body.
“Would you care for a swim?” Hal asked her softly, his breath tickling against the shell of her ear.
“I- I …” Jesse stammered as she searched for an appropriate response. “I didn’t wear a bathing suit under this.”
From behind her, Hal released a soft laugh.
“Neither did I,” he all but purred into her ear.
Jesse swallowed drily at the implication of his words, and she turned to face Hal as he slowly stepped back from her.
Jesse could only watch in awe as Hal began to slowly strip in front of her. She felt her breath catch as he took a grip on the hemline of his shirt. She bit her lip subconsciously as he revealed his muscular torso, then carelessly tossed his shirt onto a chair by the side of the pool.
As Hal proceeded to kick off his shoes and socks, Jesse could already feel her body responding to him as she saw him partially undressed for the first time. Well, for the first time in person, anyway. She had seen him shirtless in movies before and on a few magazines. In person, however, in spite of their past intimate encounters, she had never seen him in a state of undress.
Bedroom Rodeo: A Billionaire Romance Page 60
