by S. E. Rose
“Not what you expected in an old gatehouse, eh?” He laughs and plants a light kiss on my lips. I am speechless as he moves around the kitchen grabbing bits and pieces. He motions to a stool at a breakfast bar in front of the counter he is working at and I slowly take a seat.
Before I can protest that I don’t need food, I smell food and suddenly I am ravenous.
“I can help,” I offer.
“I’m fine, thank you,” he says and works on making us both an omelet. He pulls bits of herbs off of the plants that are in a small greenhouse-style window by the sink and he works with such ease, I assume he has had practice in a professional kitchen, but I’m still too stunned to ask. Eventually, he hands me a cup of tea and then after another minute he hands me my breakfast and sits another plate next to mine. He finishes off by bringing over a pitcher of fresh-squeezed orange juice.
“A little Americana for you,” he says with a smile and pours me a glass. “Courtesy of my brief stint of education in New York.”
I smile and thank him before biting into my breakfast. “This is amazingly good. Where did you learn to cook?” I ask.
“Here and there,” he replies, giving nothing away as usual. I must give him one of my looks because he shakes his head and grins. “What?”
“Oh nothing,” I sigh and I finish my food in silence. “Can you take me back now? I really do need to feed my cat, or he’ll never talk to me again.”
He laughs. “Is Hagrid really that good of company?”
“Yes!” I say emphatically, feigning shock.
“Well, alright then, I guess we need to get you home,” he says, playing along. “We wouldn’t want to have Hagrid up in arms, now would we?”
“Damn right we wouldn’t, he knows where I sleep,” I say with a wink and he chuckles at me.
He cleans up, refusing my help, and then we make our way back down the dark corridor. I can’t help but wonder what rooms lie beyond this hallway. If the kitchen was that amazing, what does the rest of this house look like? I try to push the thought aside half-thinking that if this continues I’m bound to find out sooner rather than later. I grab my bag and then open the door.
“Don’t forget this,” he says, handing me my notes.
“Thanks,” I say, but shockingly I actually remember my thoughts from this morning. A true mystery since I have horrible short-term memory following the accident.
“Your chariot awaits,” he says, taking my hand to help me in the car before shutting my door. I smile as he makes his way around to his side. Prince Charming, I think to myself and sigh.
We drive in silence except for Coldplay’s “The Scientist” streaming through the speakers in the car. I watch the countryside go by and then look up at the clouds through the moonroof.
“Thanks,” I say as we pull up to the cottage. “For everything.” I have trouble looking into his eyes as I have suddenly come down with a terrible case of shyness. I can feel the heat flush across my cheeks. He lifts my chin so my eyes meet his and leans in slowly, his lips tracing mine before he plants a soft kiss on them.
“You are most welcome,” he breathes against my cheek. Before I can unbuckle my seatbelt, he is around the car opening my door.
“Well, glad to see chivalry is not dead over here in the motherland,” I joke. He winks at me and doubles over into a bow before taking my hand and planting a kiss on it, his eyes looking up through lashes at me. I can’t help laughing. He walks me to my front door and sees me inside. I stop as I pass the threshold and turn to him. He sets my bag down inside and Hagrid runs to us rubbing against my legs and meowing at me.
“He is quite demanding,” Jack says, rubbing Hagrid’s head.
“Yes, very,” I agree, picking him up and planting a kiss on his head. “Off you go, stinker. I’ll feed you in a minute.”
I look back at Jack and feel a blush creep back across my cheeks. He steps forward, puts his arms around my waist pulling me closer. “Beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips as his tongue prods my mouth open. After a minute or two, I muster my strength and pull back.
“Really, I do need to write,” I say with persistence in my voice.
“Understood,” he says with a salute. “I promise to stay out of your hair until you call me and tell me you are finished for the day.”
“The day?” I question.
“Yes, the day,” he says, drawing out the last syllable. “Then I’m coming to collect you.”
“To collect me?” I restate with a question.
“Yes, are you suddenly having trouble understanding my accent?” he asks with a wink.
I glare at him and put my hands on my hips. “Seriously, Jack, I really need to write.”
“And you will,” he says gently pulling me back toward him. “But you can’t possibly write twenty-four hours a day. I imagine at some point you will finish for the day, and when you do, you’ll call me.”
“But I don’t have—” I start.
“My number,” he finishes. He reaches into my pocket retrieving my phone and presses a button on my phone and presses my thumb to it to unlock it. Then scans down my contacts list to Jack Ross and presses his name. His phone rings and he holds it up so I can see my name light up on his screen. “But…I…how…” I am again speechless.
“I may have programmed it in your phone this morning,” he says. “Let’s just say some of us wake up earlier than others.” I frown remembering him asleep next to me. I look at him for answers, but he just shakes his head and gives me a quick kiss before letting me go.
“Text me,” he calls as he saunters back to his car. “My number’s also in the kitchen next to Nigel’s.” I had forgotten that, typical, damn brain damage.
I shut my door and turn around sinking to the floor with my back to the door. Hagrid cries at me. I look at him and sigh again. “OK, I’m on it,” I groan.
Chapter 11
Laura’s Playlist: “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure
I get to work and work I do. Ideas start flowing from me. I double back a few chapters and start adding details. I manage to write fifty pages by mid-afternoon. I stop for a drink and a snack but then hop right back to it. I’m on a roll. By 6:00 p.m. I have nearly eighty pages written. I stop and decide it’s time to send some to my editor, Kathy. Kathy is going to be pleased. I hit send and then check on FaceTime to see if my kids are available. It’s a ritual I try to do daily when we aren’t at home together.
“Hey, Mom!” Lily says, her face popping up on my screen.
“Hey, sweetie,” I reply. “How’s your internship?”
“Fine,” she says. “How’s the book coming?”
“Great,” I say. “Hagrid says hi.” I move the camera so she can see Hagrid stretching out on my bed.
“Hey there, Mr. Stinkypants.” She waves at him and he barely bats an eye at her in typical cat fashion.
“How’s Nicky?” I ask. “I tried him too, but he didn’t pick up.”
“He’s fine,” she says. “He’s just been busy with a new project at work and I think his crazy, ridiculous-level calculus class is killing him. I can’t believe he signed up for a summer class.” She smirks with that “I told him so” look. I try to stymie my smile as I need to put my diplomatic mom look on so she won’t go telling him I said his class was too hard.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll manage,” I say. I hear commotion in the background.
“Gotta run, Mom! Maya and Eva are here and we are grabbing lunch before class this afternoon.” She waves a goodbye and blows me a kiss and I return it before we disconnect. I close my laptop and jump as my phone buzzes. I look down and see a text from Jack.
Jack: Done yet? I’m missing you.
I swipe and reply.
Laura: Just finished. Dinner?
The reply is instantaneous.
Jack: Yes. B there in a minute.
Oh shit, OK. I look through my clothes and pull on a lightweight cotton skirt that skims my legs mid-calf and matching tank top and then
decide on a cardigan for extra measure. No getting cold tonight. Although the thought of Jack wrapping his arms around me makes me want to chuck the cardigan back down, but I refrain. I frown at my clothes. I may need to run into a clothes store when I am in town. I highly underestimated my love life when I packed for this trip. My drawers are filled with capris, yoga pants, jeans, and only a few skirts and two dresses.
I put on flip-flop-style sandals trying to be a bit casual. I brush my hair and throw on a little powder, eye liner and lip gloss. I look decent.
I pace in the living room, trying to cool my nerves. Why do I still feel like a teenager waiting for a blind date? I shake my head at myself and go sit by Hagrid who has repositioned himself on the sofa. I’ve been a bit neglectful of my furry friend. I rub his head and scratch behind his ears. His eyes close again and his purring is loud. He places a paw on my leg and then lets his head crash down on it while stretching his hind legs out behind him. I gently run my hand over his soft belly, stroking it lovingly. His squinty eyes are giving me the “I love you, woman” look. I smile at him and call him pet names and he rubs his head against my hand before laying it back down on his leg. I’m so entranced in petting Hagrid that I hardly notice that Jack is standing in my doorway watching me in silence. The movement of his arm startles me and I jump.
“Jack!” I half yell. “I didn’t hear you,” I say as I bring a hand to my heart.
“Clearly,” he replies, his eyes steely as they watch me. “Laura, you really need to keep your doors locked.” I sigh. Seriously, I’ve traveled to seven continents, over forty countries, and sometimes on my own. I live in a suburb that seems a metropolis next to this small village. I am one hundred percent sure I am fine with or without a lock on the door. “Promise me, you’ll lock it.”
“Fine,” I mutter in a petulant adolescent way, giving my attention back to Hagrid who is being much more affectionate as he paws at my leg signaling to me that I am not allowed to stop petting him. “So demanding, little buddy,” I say as I lean down and kiss his head.
“Are you ready? Or am I getting stood up for a cat?” Jack says with a smirk.
“Well, Hagrid is much less of a smart-ass than you, so…,” I trail off giving him my “two can play at this game” look.
“I’m the smart-ass?” he replies and suddenly reaches down and grabs hold of my arms and I am standing before I know it. He leans down, his eyes on mine and his breath against my lips. “I have a cure for that.” And with that he presses his lips to mine in a forceful kiss, his tongue claiming my mouth as his. And then just as rapidly, he pulls back and looks at me.
“What?” I ask.
“You are beautiful,” he says. And I know the color is creeping into my cheeks. I’m not used to compliments. Especially from sexy men and especially from sexy men with sexy accents who have had sex with me. “Don’t question it, love, just own it.”
I give him my best salute and a sarcastic, “Aye, aye, Captain!” which catches him completely off guard and makes him laugh. He takes my hand and asks if I need anything before we go and then leads me out to the car. Of course, not before making sure my door is locked.
“Where to?” I ask as he slides into the driver’s seat.
“Hmmmmm…I know a little place,” he says with a smile and he pulls into the lane. Of course, he “knows” a little place. I laugh to myself.
We drive for a few minutes and then he pulls off onto another side road. Not far down the lane there is an intersection with another country road and a small house or what used to be a house on the left. I can see a sign out front that reads “Horse and Carriage” and it is written on a piece of wood cut out in the shape of, you guessed it, a horse and carriage. We take a seat by the fireplace and a young woman comes over to offer us drinks. Jack orders a scotch and I order an Archer’s lemonade. He raises an eyebrow. “Archer’s lemonade huh? No Snakebite tonight?”
“I’m changing things up a bit,” I state with an air of defiance.
“Are you now?” he replies, a glint of humor in his eyes.
“Yes,” I say even more defiantly, not letting him get the best of me. His knee brushes against mine and it sends a shiver down my spine and goose bumps spread across my skin. How can I want a man this much? It’s electric between us; so much so I feel as though I could see sparks if I looked closely, like when you peel apart clothes fresh from the dryer.
The young woman scurries over with our drinks and asks us if we’d like to order food. Jack nods and then looks at me. “May I?” he asks and I nod. He orders us two plates of salmon and another round of drinks.
“Keeping me liquored up are you?” I smirk.
“No, not at all.” He smiles innocently. “I just don’t want to waste valuable time ordering more drinks later.”
“Valuable time, eh?” I ask, just as innocently. He just looks at me as if he hasn’t a clue and proceeds to take a slow swig of his scotch. His eyes don’t leave mine and I can see that they are darker now, his mind clearly not on the dinner we are about to eat, but what will follow dinner.
He asks about my kids and then we slip into a deep conversation about the best drinks we’ve ever had as the waitress brings our second round with our food. We continue a lively debate about our favorite meals of all time and our favorite foods. I tell him that he has to have a Philly cheesesteak or Maryland crab cakes. He insists that nothing is better than a good chicken pot pie. I laugh and say except for crab cakes. He chuckles at my sass. I put the last bite of salmon in my mouth and push my plate back leaning into my chair.
“All done?” he asks. “Dessert?” He draws out the word in his best American accent. But his face is pleading with me to say no. I decide that I have to play with him because this is too fun.
“Yes, please,” I say and watch him try to hide a frown of disappointment. Meanwhile, I try to hide a smile. The server comes back over and Jack asks about dessert. They have a caramel and chocolate brownie sundae. I nod and she heads back towards the kitchen.
“I know what you’re doing,” he says, leaning towards me and running a hand up my leg under the table. I squirm and blink up at him innocently. “You’re incorrigible,” he says, licking his bottom lip.
“I’m craving something sweet, what can I say?” I smile, looking up at him from beneath my lashes.
“So am I,” he growls and grips my knee, making me jump a bit in my chair and I can see the look of satisfaction in his eyes. He knows exactly the affect he has on me.
The server returns with the sundae and two forks. I decide to up my game and take a small piece of brownie with caramel and chocolate dripping from it and slowly slide it between my lips. I let a little dribble down my chin and then take my finger and wipe it away, sticking my finger slowly and seductively into my mouth. “Delicious,” I say as I watch his mouth fall open. I can tell I’ve shocked him a bit with my sudden brazenness.
His eyes are now burning through me and I can tell I’ve set him off. He takes a bite. And I am now licking caramel off my fork from my second bite. He chews slowly watching me under hooded eyes. I see him glance away and nod and a moment later a bill is on the table. He throws down a wad of money and abruptly gets up and walks over to me. He reaches out for my hand and places it within his, pulling me to my feet. I follow him back to his car and he barely waits for me to buckle my belt before he presses down on the gas.
“Hurried?” I ask. “Where’s the fire?”
He looks at me but doesn’t answer. Instead, his hand is on my knee squeezing and then he moves it up farther beneath my skirt, but stops just an inch or two from where I really want to feel him. He’s teasing me. We reach the turnoff for my cottage and he pulls down the lane. He’s parked and is around the car before I even have time to remove my seatbelt. Gosh, he is fast, I think to myself. He nearly lurches me out of the seat and straight into his arms.
“Key,” he demands as he thrusts out his hand and I comply laying the skeleton key in his palm. The key seems much smal
ler in his giant palm than it does in my hand. Before I can say a word, he reaches down and grasps me, lifting me up so that my legs wrap around his waist. He is so large that even though I don’t feel particularly petite, I feel dwarfed in his presence. He brings me up so our faces are aligned and he leans his head down planting kisses along my neck. He is slow and resolute in his actions. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his face to mine, crushing my lips against his. He slows our kiss. He is clearly going to take his time worshipping me tonight. I can tell we’ve reached my door and he fiddles with the key and pushes the door open before closing and locking it.
He carries me to my bedroom. Hagrid is on the bed, so he gently lifts a leg and pushes him before leaning me back until I am lying on my bed looking up at him. He pulls off my cardigan and then reaches for the hem of my tank top. He slowly lifts it up over my head as he sinks between my legs that dangle off the side of the bed. He trails kisses across my belly and through the fabric of my bra as he pulls the shirt over my eyes. I don’t see him for a moment, only feel him as he lifts my left breast out of the bra and gently runs his tongue over my nipple. I let out a soft cry and then the fabric is being pulled up and I can see again as my top is tossed onto a nearby chair. His hands are unclasping my bra and that is suddenly gone as well. Then he has me pulled up and standing again. My sex is pressed against his face through the fabric of my skirt and sexy lace underwear. He breathes in deeply and then pulls down my skirt until it pools on the floor at my feet. He slides his finger along the edge of my panties and leans forward planting a soft kiss on my sex through the fabric and I moan. He pulls my panties down and pushes me back onto the bed. I try to sit up to remove his shirt, but he shakes his head.
