TIED: A Steamy Small Town Romance (Reckless Falls Book 3)
Page 22
Derek's raised eyebrows were the only indication of his feelings.
“She's pissed at me."
"No kidding," Derek deadpanned.
"I mean, she’s pissed now, but she wasn’t, uh... she wasn’t when we were....”
Derek cut me off. “Oh shit.”
I leaned back again. “Yeah."
“So why is she pissed? Did she find out you only came back to try to lowball her grandpa on that piece of property that’s been in their family for generations?"
I looked up sharply. "Who ever said anything about lowballing?"
Derek spread his hands. “Well? Isn't that what you guys do down there in your fancy offices in New York? You guys aren’t local, you don't know the history of that land or what it means to the town to have it stay undeveloped. All these people coming in and snatching up pieces of the lake, erecting barriers so the rest of us can’t enjoy the view that’s been ours since our ancestors first settled here. You guys just want to come in and carve it up for a profit.”
"What the hell, man? I grew up here just as much as you did."
"And you left as soon as you could."
"I had a scholarship! I went to college!”
"Yeah, I know. I was really proud of my little brother. First one our family to actually go and get that piece of paper. But I didn't think it would give you amnesia."
I turned back to my coffee, hurt and angry beyond anything I had expected to feel. “Fuck you, Derek,” I spat.
”And Merry Christmas to you too, Cole.”
Chapter Fourteen
Autumn
Four days later
He was parked at the far side of the lot, leaning against the hood of a rental car, looking out over the icebound lake. Little rivers of melt water ran underneath the surface of the ice, spreading out patterns that always reminded me of fireworks, fingers and tendrils that looked so beautiful, but carried a hidden danger underneath. There hadn’t been any deaths this year, or the year before that, but the year prior, Casey Langley's dad punched through the ice during a midnight ice-fishing run. Some said it must have been a suicide, why else would an experienced guy like Mike go out after a thaw like that, but Casey swore her dad would never do such a thing, leave her mom like that.
It was one of those mysteries that tugged at the seams of a community, little tragedies that made up the fabric of our town. Woven in sorrows and joys too. Like when I'd come down here to my Grandpa's property with Cole, the night we both graduated from high school. He’d spread my blanket out on the sandy shore — much like he'd done on Christmas Eve — and laid me down beneath him. It had been the first, and the last time we’d made love, right up until a few days ago. And I'd always remember the look on his face as moved above me, a mixture of pure animal rawness and almost reverent desire.
He’d looked at me that way Christmas Eve, too.
He hadn't seen me pull up yet, which gave me a moment to take in his long figure. His hands were tucked in the pockets of his peacoat and he had a gray scarf wrapped around his neck. It looked expensive. Like cashmere, or maybe silk. I couldn't tell, I couldn't afford those types of fabrics on my kindergarten teacher salary. I tried very, very hard not to get angry about that cashmere scarf, and instead chose to be angry at him again. And angry at myself for letting him in again. Eight years had gone by and I was still having to cut Cole out of my heart the way you slice a bruise off an otherwise good apple. How could he forget everything he came from? And worse, how could I keep making excuses for why that was all okay?
As I watched, he snatched the woolen cap off of his head and ran his fingers through his air. The weak sun filtering through the tree branches was enough to enliven the highlights of auburn that hid like secrets within his chestnut hair. My mother had crowed so much about that hair. “You and that boy," she’d said. “You’re gonna give me grandbabies with the most beautiful hair in the world." She’d said that as she played with her own ditch water blonde locks. "Sure as hell ain't fair for hair like that to be wasted on a man."
“Wrong, mama,” I whispered in my brain. “It's not wasted.”
I took a step forward, and as my boot crunched down, he slid off the hood of his car and turned to face me. With a start, I realized that I hadn't yet seen him out in full daylight. Our only meetings had been in the flickering fluorescent light of the convenience store, the dark shadows of Reese’s Pub, and then the flickering firelight as we made love. As we had sex, I mean. As we fucked.
Yes. That.
In the full light of the winter sun, he was beautiful. There is no other word to describe the way he looked. Even in his winter gear, with nearly every inch of his skin hidden, there was still no mistaking the power of the body underneath. I wavered for a moment, wondering if he looked better with or without clothes. It was a disturbing choice to have to make.
I opened my mouth to greet him, wish him a Happy New Year, get down to business with the real estate deal, be civil, be professional and all that...
But he beat me to the punch.
"I know why you’re pissed at me," he called across the lot.
I stopped short and nearly tripped over my own feet. It was shades of the convenience store all over again. Thank God I had no eggs in my hand. "Why?" I called, for lack of any better way to respond.
"I get it,” he said, striding towards me. The edges of his unbuttoned coat flared out like a cape behind him and I suddenly saw him as a superhero. Or super villain. I wasn’t even certain any more. “I understand,” he went on. “And I'm going to fix it.”
I stopped and waited for him to reach me. He came right up to me, only stopping short when I raised my palm and pressed it against his chest. I needed him to stay at arm’s length. It was the only way... “I’m not testing you,” I told him firmly.
"You are," he said casually. Like that was a normal state of affairs. "And that's okay."
I blinked, and my hand fell away. “Because you're going to fix it?"
"Exactly."
I sighed in exasperation. "Honestly Cole? Why bother?”
My words seemed to cut him more deeply than I meant them to. "Why bother?" he echoed. "Because you promised me."
"Promised you what?"
"That we were starting over." There was a haunted look in his eyes that hadn't been there a second ago.
I took a deep breath in, held it, clenching my fists and then released it like I'd learned in yoga class. "Cole. Baby. I was in the middle of having an orgasm. I would've promised anything. I didn't even know what I was saying."
"But you said it. And you meant it. And I meant it too.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not interested in a long-distance relationship with the guy who's coming to poach my grandpa's land,” I lashed out in a sudden outburst that caught me by surprise. So much for being calm and professional. "I'm not looking to renew a relationship with a man who’s forgotten what happened down on the beach and what it should mean to him."
"It means everything to me. And I am telling you that I will buy your grandpa’s land. Me. Not my firm.”
“What?"
"This has been a long time coming, but I've only just realized that now. My board, they don't know what they're doing. I'm tired of having to justify the kinds of deals that are actually going to make the kind of long-term, sustainable growth I’m after. So I’m going it alone. As of today.”
“Cole, I don’t understand any of this.”
He took my hand and raised it to his lips. ”Autumn, I’m ready to buy. That is, if you're still selling."
"Won’t your company hate you?"
"I put in my notice this morning."
"You did what?”
He kissed my hand again. "I sent my driver home to his family and got this rental until I can buy my brother's truck. I also arranged with a realtor to sell my apartment. Housing is so cheap here. I’ve been on the phone all week, and I just found the perfect place to sublet for the season. Once the sale of my apartment goes throu
gh, I can buy my own place right in town. Or even up in the hills, with lots of land, and lots of room for guests.”
I felt like my brain had turned to mush. "You're coming back?"
He nodded and there wasn’t a hint of joking in his eyes. ”I was serious when I said I was starting over. My Christmas present was finding you again. Being with you would be the best possible start to the new year. What do you say, Autumn?"
"What do you want to do with my grandfather's land?” I whispered.
He nodded and started ticking things off on his fingers one by one. “Open space. A gazebo, a pier for fishing. Playground for the kids. A town park with just a small parcel off over there,” he pointed, "for cafes and gift shops. That row of shops will be the flagship building for the start of Granger Development."
“Holy shit.”
He took my hand again. “You said you wouldn’t sell to someone who didn’t remember the meaning of this land. I want to make it available to everyone. Does that satisfy your conditions for selling?”
My mouth was completely dry. ”I think so, yeah."
"Good. I’ll have my lawyer draw up the paperwork and we can go tell your grandpa together. It'll be nice to see the old guy. I wonder, does even remember me?"
My powers of speech recovered slightly. I smiled and reached up to run my fingers through his hair. It really was just as silky as I remembered. ”Of course he remembers you,” I said. “Everyone does. It's a small freaking town, Cole. There are no secrets here.”
"Then I'm going to start spreading the word. ‘Autumn and Cole are back together again.’ I figure everyone will probably know within a day or so, right?"
I smiled and snuggled up to him. “It's cold, people are staying in their houses more. Give it two days at least."
He kissed the top of my head. "Two days then,” he repeated. "Happy New Year babe. I'm so excited for it to start."
Epilogue
Autumn
Of all the men standing there on the shore in their rolled up shirtsleeves, Cole looked the most at home holding a shovel.
He also looked adorably ridiculous in his ill-fitting hard-hat, but I decided not to tease him about that too badly. At least not today. Today was his day, after all.
A makeshift podium was set up in the gravel parking lot above my grandfather's marina. Strung with garlands and gussied up with a slapped on decal of the new town logo that had just been approved, it was waiting for Cole to step up and make his prepared remarks. He'd been practicing them all this past week, standing in the living room of the rambling old Victorian farmhouse he'd bought for us. It was a good speech, full of love for the town he was raised in and the people who made it what it was. I wasn't nervous for him in the slightest. He had this.
A warm breeze wafted in from the south, bringing with it the smells of mulch and the machine oil from the waiting heavy machinery ready to reclaim the first parcel of land for the Town Park. It was the first part of a very long process. Nothing moves quickly in Reckless Falls. That's part of its charm, I suppose, and I tried to explain that to Cole as he sat tearing his beautiful hair in frustration as he filled out yet another permit application.
There were still permits to be acquired and demolition to undergo. The rusted shell of my grandfather's marina lurked ominously in the background down at the water's edge, but up here at the groundbreaking, everyone was all smiles.
And Cole's smile was the widest.
"On the count of three!" the camera man instructed, Cole bent his knees at the ready, and I felt my cheeks stretching into a grin even before he and the mayor and the Town Planning Officer all dug in and scooped up their ceremonial dirt clods. I raised my phone over the head of the official photographer and snapped my own photo of Cole's big day, then looked down at the screen to see he was smiling right at me.
Then I looked up and laughed. "What are you doing over here?" I giggled and then whooped as he caught me up in his arms. "Oh my god!" I laughed as he whirled us in crazy circles around the gravel lot. "You're making me dizzy!"
"You're making me dizzy," he retorted with that cocky little dimple flashing and I was only pretending to beat my fists against his chest when he caught me up in that kiss. I really didn't mind it at all.
Breathlessly I broke away and looked at him. "Don't you have hands to shake? Palms to grease and all that?"
"Nah," he shrugged. "I'm too excited. Come on over to the car, I want to show you something."
"Ooh, did the permits clear for the storefront?" I asked, eagerly following him over to the massive country-boy pick-up he'd recently acquired. He yanked open the door for me and held out a chivalrous hand to help me climb in.
Then looked over his shoulder really quickly before he leaped in after me.
"Ah!" I squeaked as he landed on me. The squeak of feedback from the microphone echoed across the lot, and I heard the mayor clearing his throat. "Your speech!"
"Can't think about that now. Something I have to do first," he murmured, yanking up the long maxi skirt I'd chosen for the occasion.
"Cole, I...oh..." His warm mouth was already on me, teasing my suddenly aching clit through the thin fabric of my panties. "What's gotten into you?"
"You Autumn. It's always been you."
I inhaled sharply. "They're going to be looking for you."
"Then you'd better come quickly," he rumbled against my thigh. "Or we're going to get caught."
I squeezed my eyes shut and suddenly I was transported back over eight years ago, to the parking lot of our high school and the afternoon he told me he'd be leaving. Everything had worked out the way I'd planned after all. Even if it had taken longer to get there than I wanted.
The memory of that afternoon was so clear that in my mind I could almost hear the clack of Mrs. Collis's shoes as she stalked past us to her car.
Then I opened my eyes and realized that wasn't a memory at all.
"Cole!" I hissed as I stared out the window on to the top of the real estate broker's head. "It's Fiona! She's looking for you!"
"I'm busy," Cole murmured, yanking aside my panties. "Got some things I need to do right now."
"Oh Jesus," I moaned, sliding down as his tongue found my center. Instantly I dissolved into a puddle of mindless mush, as everything fell away except for Cole's expert mouth.
Who else but Cole could have me panting in an instant? Who else but Cole could have me mindless and quivering for him even as people looked for him five feet away? Who else but Cole could bring me to the very brink and all the while keep smiling up at me with that dimple blazing? Who else but Cole could do any of these things? The answer was no one. Which was why my left hand finally, finally sported his ring.
"Oh fuck," I panted as the white hot coil snaked around my belly. I squeezed my eyes shut and arched upward into his tongue, grinding myself against him. He hummed something profane against my clit and then slipped that perfect finger inside of me, driving me right over the edge. I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood as I stifled a scream, just as Fiona called Cole's name from just outside the pick-up door.
Cole bounced up from between my legs and slammed his lips into mine. His dimple glistened ever so slightly as he pulled back and smiled. "Thanks for helping me find my notecards, future-Mrs. Granger."
I gaped at him as he yanked my skirt back down and opened the door. "Hey Fifi," he called out, charming as always. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, I left my speech in the truck." He looked back over his shoulder. "Luckily my fiancée knew where I put it."
Fiona was smiling, dazzled by Cole, just like everyone was. Just like I was. I gave a small wave and watched as she led him over to the podium.
Then I took a deep breath, checked my makeup in the rearview mirror and slid down out of the truck, careful to hold on to the door lest I collapse in a boneless puddle on the ground.
"Autumn Melton!" a strangely familiar voice called. "How lovely to see you again!"
I swallowed, opened my mouth, cleared my throat and
then swallowed again as the burning blush ignited my cheeks. How? How was she here? How was she right outside the door again?
Then I choked down a hysterical laugh and smiled hugely. "Hi Mrs. Collis," I grinned. "Are you here for Cole's speech? I'm so proud of him." I couldn't help but raise my chin. "Aren't you?" I needled her.
She pressed her lips together. "It's lovely what he's doing for the town. I guess he made good after all. Eventually."
I looked down at my left hand. "Eventually," I repeated, nodding firmly. Then I headed over to the podium to listen to my fiancé speak.
THE END
BOOKS BY VIVIAN LUX:
Sons of Steel Motorcycle Club:
Steel My Heart
Steel Me Away
Steel My Love
Steel My Soul
Rockstar Romance
JAX: A Rockstar Stepbrother Romance
RANE: A Rockstar Stepbrother Romance
WILDER: A Rockstar Romance
LOW: A Rockstar Romance
TRUE: A Rockstar Romance
The Reckless Falls Series:
KEPT: A Small Town Second Chance Novella
WRECKED: A Small Town Bad Boy Romance
TWICE: A Small Town Menage Romance
TIED: A Small Town Bad Boy Romance (March 2017)
CRAVE: A Small Town Menage Romance (April 2017)
PLAYED: A Small Town Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (May 2017)
Sports Romance
FORCE: A Bad Boy Sports Romance
IMPACT: A Secret Baby Sports Romance
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TWICE:
A Small Town Menage Romance