He stood up and kicked his boots and jeans off, leaving him in only his boxers. One moment she was mesmerized by the show of him taking the rest of his clothes off, and the next she was in his arms when he picked her up like she weighed nothing at all, her legs wrapping around his narrow waist. He stopped by the back of the couch.
“Condom in the pocket of my jacket, baby,” he told her, and she leaned to grab the foil square out, opening it while he walked them to his room.
Reaching his bed, he dropped her on the soft mattress, his body falling to the side of hers, his hands all over her.
Touching.
Roaming.
Exploring.
She was almost sure he was memorizing every inch of her. In turn, his touch was seared into her skin and she couldn’t think. She could hardly breathe. He was driving her crazy. She writhed below him as his fingers played her like a delicate instrument. An instrument he mastered as he made her sing, taking her to the brink, making her beg and plead for more. Thankfully, he didn’t torture her for long and she fell into the oblivion of beautiful ecstasy.
Coming out of the beautiful fog he put her in, she felt his mouth start to roam, kissing the top of her navel, then peppering a trail of sweet kisses up the center of her chest until his mouth was on hers.
“This okay?” he asked, his voice deep and gruff, his body perfectly lined over hers. She hitched a leg over his hip to pull him closer, enjoying the groan he made, sending delicious slivers of pleasure down her spine.
“Perfect,” she whispered as his mouth moved to that spot below her ear.
“Love you, Carrie.”
“Love you, Joel,” she whispered as her hands in his hair clenched, tugging slightly as he filled her, stretching her so much she couldn’t keep her eyes open. With a whimper, her body held still and he did the same, giving her a moment to adjust, and when she was ready, she opened her eyes only to see him staring down at her. His dark, warm eyes locked with hers as he kissed her softly. Tenderly. So beautifully it brought tears to her eyes as he moved in and out of her body.
“We fit,” she whimpered against his lips and felt his smile as she held on.
“Yeah, we do. We fit perfectly,” he groaned, picking up speed, and she opened for him.
She let herself get lost in the tidal wave of sensations he brought out of her. The only sounds in the room were of their heavy breathing and their bodies connecting, becoming one as they made love all night long.
***
She opened her eyes and took in the bright light streaming through the window before she turned around and reached for Joel only to find a red rose and a note on his side of the bed. Sitting up, bringing the sheet to cover herself, she picked up the pretty flower that had not started to open yet and smiled. Reading the note, she couldn’t help but beam so much it was a surprise her face didn’t hurt.
My beautiful girl.
I didn’t have the heart to wake you up when you looked like a fallen angel in my bed. Get dressed and meet me outside.
Love,
J
P.S. Layer up. We got more snow last night.
Quickly, she rolled out of bed and got dressed, throwing her hair up in a messy bun and wrapping herself up in the coat he had let her borrow before she rushed outside to look for him.
When she stepped out of the back door from the kitchen, she smiled at the beautiful sight. White fluffy snow covered everything and adorned the tress around them like frosting on cupcakes.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, and she looked to her right and opened her mouth to say good morning, but all words froze as she looked past him and what he had done. “Like it?” he asked. She could only stupidly nod. He had set up a table by his fire pit, a bright red metal tea kettle hanging over it, a tray of donuts, two matching red mugs and freshly cut fruit to the side, and had cozy flannel blanket over a bench close to the fire. It was like a dream. He was a dream.
“I love it,” she told him softly as she walked to him, resting her hand on his chest before she stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him. “Good morning,” she mumbled against his lips after slightly pulling away.
Taking her hand, he led them to the bench seat and had her sit on his lap, where he wrapped them up in the plaid blanket. The colors of the blanket and the red kettle and matching mugs stood out brighter than normal because of the snow that surrounded them.
They sipped coffee and ate breakfast, chatting about what they could do that day, both agreeing they weren’t ready to head back to the reality of Los Angeles just yet. They traded flirtatious glances and sweet kisses between bites and sips. She couldn’t believe this was her reality. They meshed perfectly together, and as crazy as it was to be head over heels in love with him, she knew she was. It wasn’t lust or a crush. It was love. She almost wanted to giggle at the fact that she, Miss Plan-It-All, had gone off over the deep end in love with him after one date.
After their morning picnic, he took them for a walk. Between the fresh, crisp mountain air and their beautiful, picturesque surroundings, she felt reenergized and happier than ever. She even started a snowball fight. He won, grabbing her in his arms, kissing her hard, demandingly, and amazingly. Afterwards, they’d made snow angels, both dropping backwards into the soft snow, then flapping their arms. The minutes turned into hours, but she didn’t feel the time pass by; she didn’t even let the cold weather bother her.
Hand in hand they returned to the cabin, smiles playing over their faces, and she made him take a selfie with her. Snapping a couple of shots, she kissed him before stepping into the warm home.
“Are you having fun?” he asked her as she shook off the jacket and hung it up on a hook he had over the wall.
“The best. I love it here.”
“Good, baby. I’m glad.” He caged her against the wall. She grinned, hoping she knew exactly where this was about to go.
“Joel,” she whispered, her heart beating furiously in her chest. She loved him and he loved her, and when they got back home, she would find a job. Her life was beautiful, like she had only ever let herself dream of when she was younger.
Chapter Sixteen
Joel
He groaned when his phone rang. He wanted to take her to bed and get lost in her body.
“Your phone,” she grinned, and he stroked the apples of her cheeks before peppering kisses across her jaw.
“I can ignore it,” he mumbled, the ringing not ending.
“What if it’s important?” she asked, a small moan coaxing his body to harden when his mouth touched that sensitive spot on her neck.
“You’re important.” She laughed and shook her head.
“Check, make sure,” she pushed. He sighed as he took his phone out of his pocket and frowned, “I need to—“
“Go ahead. I’ll make us lunch.” When she smiled at him, he fell deeper in love with her. So many images played out in his mind as he looked at her. All of them were about their future and the great life they would build together.
“You sure you can handle that?” he teased, his phone still ringing.
“I can make us sandwiches and a fruit salad.” She winked before she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Okay, baby, I’ll be fast.”
“Take your time,” she murmured, giving him one last peck before leaving him wanting so much more, but he had to shelf that idea for now. His boss was calling, and knowing Nick Riley, this could only mean one of two things: either extremes of good or bad news.
“Vega, how can I help you?”
“Joel, I need you to get your ass back to LA.” Shit.
“Nick—”
“I know you have the vacation time, but trust me, you are going to want to come back home.”
“Why is that?”
“We got the deal with the Tokyo investors.”
“What?” Damn! That was great news.
“You heard me, man.”
“That’s fantastic.” He chuckled
, beyond belief happy that his software sold. He believed in that program and its potential. “How much?
“It sold for six.” Six. Six fucking million dollars? He started to laugh, pumping his hands in the air.
“That’s great damn news!”
“Now you see why I need you home? You need to pack. Wanda is getting your itinerary ready, making sure to book you all of your—“
“Wait…wait…”
“Accommodations and shit. Do you have a preference in car?“
“Nick!”
“What?”
“What itinerary?”
“Oh, fuck, man, they want you out there. You would be the front man for this. Setting up and testing would go in at their prestigious schools first. Mostly private academies, that kind of thing. I have all the—“
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long will that take?”
“I don’t know. A year probably. Why?”
“A year?”
“Give or take, yeah. Joel, man, you knew this. It was in the contracts we sent. We reviewed it all.“
“No. I mean, I know you’re right. I just—“ He looked inside the kitchen, and from where he stood he could see his girl swaying her hips to some pop song playing from her phone. “This isn’t the right time for a trip like that, man,” he whispered
“Whoa, whoa, whoa… What do you mean, this isn’t the right time, Joel?”
“Carrie and—“
“Man, you two just met, what, like a couple months ago?”
“Yeah… but—“
“One getaway, hell, it’s your guys’ first date, right? And you think you should let go of a deal like this?”
“You don’t get it.” And he wouldn’t.
Nick Riley was a cautious man when it came to the opposite sex. Hell, he had seen it with his own eyes as Nick’s ex-assistant pined away for their boss, head over heels in love with him, and the man never made a move. He had gambled there would always be more time. That she would wait for him to be ready. But he had gambled she would wait for that magical time when he woke up and realized he was ready for all she had to offer and ended up losing her. Could he ever risk that with Carrie?
“Wanda is booking your flight for Monday. And I do get it, Joel. I’m not a complete idiot.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I lost her, because I didn’t see what was in front of me.”
“I’m gonna lose her,” Joel groaned, for the first time really understanding what fear felt like.
“Do you see what you have with her going the distance?” his friend and boss asked and scowled.
“Of course, I do.”
“Then ask her to go with you.”
“Ask her to go with me?” he asked out loud.
“Yeah. Why not?”
“She wouldn’t—“
“Why not? Look, man, what do you have to lose by asking her? You told me yourself, she got laid off. She’s working at Tess’ bakery.”
“And?”
“Japan has schools, Joel.” They could go to Japan together. He would talk her into it. It could be an adventure. A stepping stone to their future.
“When do I fly out?” he asked wondering how the hell he was ever going to talk her into this. He had no idea, but he would. He had to.
“Monday night from LAX. Wanda will email you with all the details.“
“Okay.”
“Joel.”
“Yeah?
“Congrats, man,” Nick muttered before ending the call. and Joel knew he was congratulating him on more than selling his software for six million.
***
He didn’t say anything to her when he walked into the kitchen. He didn’t say anything during lunch as they ate sandwiches and a fruit salad she’d chopped up and put together. He couldn’t. He didn’t know how to tell her about this. This was huge and he knew she would be excited for him, just as he knew that the moment she heard he would be gone for a year to Japan, she would be out the door. She loves you, though, a voice reminded him and his hand held hers tighter as he felt her eyes on his. They were back in Hope Falls walking around on Main Street.
“You okay?” she asked, looking up at him with so much trust in her eyes the words lodged in his throat felt like they were suffocating him.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” He gave her a smile that he hoped was genuine, but from the look on her face he knew he wasn’t convincing. His stared ahead, his eyes landing on Two Scoops’ store front, and he knew he had to bite the bullet.
“Do you like ice cream?”
“Do bears sleep in the woods?” she sassed, making him smile.
“Let’s get a cone.” When he lifted his chin toward the shop, she narrowed her eyes on him suspiciously.
“There’s snow on the ground,” she pointed out with a cute raised eyebrow.
“There is.”
“That means it’s freezing outside, literally.”
“It is.”
“And you want to have ice cream, right now?
“Best time to have ice cream if you ask me.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, we can take our time and it’s not going to melt.” She giggled against his chest. The feeling was so amazing he didn’t want to let her go. Literally and figuratively. As he stared at her, the sun shining, the crisp, cold air around them, her eyes glittering on his, he knew he would always remember this moment. He just prayed that it wasn’t the beginning of the end of them as he pulled her into the shop.
A bell chimed over their heads and even though he had been there quite a bit growing up, he had not returned recently and was glad to see it was still the same old fashioned ice cream parlor it used to be.
“You two are a sight for sore eyes.” An older woman smiled kindly behind the register. “I didn’t think we would see much business today.”
“I was just telling him ice cream is best in cold weather,” Carrie spoke, a smile clear in her voice, and he started to laugh at her taking his words as her own.
“Ice cream is a year-round treat.” The woman winked at them. “What will it be?”
“I’ll have a single scoop of cookies and cream.”
“Good choice. Cup or cone, honey?”
“Cone.”
“What about you, handsome?”
“I’ll take a scoop of vanilla,” he answered knowing Carrie was studying him.
After he paid, they stepped out into the cold air hand in hand. Silently, they walked to his truck he had parked by the bookstore. He unlocked it and opened her door. She slipped past him, and he knew he had to tell her. He opened his mouth, unsure of how to say what needed to be said, but she looked at him.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice soft with a trace of vulnerability.
“What do you mean?” Joel asked. She gave him a sad smile, her free hand holding his face.
“You’ve been quiet since your call. Was it bad news?” she asked him with unguarded eyes and open to whatever he had to share. Thankful he’d grabbed his ice cream in a cup, he took her cone and mushed into it, settling it on the dash, then stood between her legs, glad her body was shielded by the interior of the cab.
“It was a good and bad call. My boss—“
“Nick Riley.”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat as his nerves were getting the best of him, hoping this somehow wouldn’t blow up in his face. “You know the software your class was testing?”
“Kidoodles?” she asked, and he nodded as he watched her smile. “Of course, I know it.”
“Well, it sold,” he shared and kept watching as her face transformed into a smile so bright it almost hurt his eyes.
“That’s great!” she squealed and leaned forward, giving him a light kiss. Her giggles were swallowed by his mouth, while her hand rested on his chest. He savored the moment. The calm before the storm before she pulled away. “Oh my God, Joel! That’s fantastic!”
“Yeah.”
&n
bsp; “Yeah?” Her brows went high as she tilted her face. “Just yeah? That’s all you can say? This is a good thing, right? I mean, you wanted to sell it, right?”
“I did. We did. This is great for me, my team as well as for Riley Tech, the best.”
“So why the long face? We should celebrate! I don’t understand. Anyone else would be—“
“I have to go to Japan,” he blurted. Not your smoothest move, Vega.
“Oh.” She stilled. Every emotion on her face blanked. He couldn’t read her. “Japan. Like to sign off or…?“ she asked, her voice softening with every word until she stopped talking completely.
“For that and to set the program up, kind of the way I did for Monarchs Academy…”
“Okay, so what, like a week or two?” The hope in her voice made him wince.
“Nick thinks it will be for about a year and then—“
“A year?” Her eyes widened, giving away her surprise. Her hand slid off his chest. “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
“When do you leave?” she asked, her face now guarded. He hated that.
“Monday night.”
“Monday?” she gasped. “Wow.” She looked away from him but kept talking, “You leave in two days.”
“Yeah,” he stupidly repeated and caught her shiver. “Baby, you’re cold, let’s get back home and—“
“Pack. Yeah, I think you’re right, we need to get a move—”
“What?” Pack? No. He didn’t want their time to be done. Not yet. He wasn’t ready.
“We should pack,” she told him, and as much as it hurt to hear her say it, he wasn’t surprised. She was going to start hiding from him. He didn’t want that.
“Why?”
“You need to get back and get your things together. You’re leaving to Japan for a year, Joel.”
“I know, but—“
“That takes a lot of work.”
“Not really…”
“It’s cold. Can we get going?” He stood there staring at her for a long moment, but she didn’t budge.
With a knot in his throat, he nodded on a sigh and stepped away from her so she could sit correctly in the passenger seat before he grabbed the cup of ice cream and tossed it in the trashcan on the sidewalk. Then he walked around the truck so they could get back to the cabin. After he opened and shut the driver’s door, he started the truck and looked at her.
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