Groaning, I clench a hand to my stomach. “Donuts are my downfall.”
Chuckling, Geary leads me into the large store; my eyes not knowing were to look first. There is so much on display on the wooden shelves, but the jelly holds my gaze. Tightening my hand in Geary’s, I tug him over. “My cousins and I with our grandma would take over the kitchen on the first of December every year and make jelly. We’d give them to the men and women who lived in the assisted living facility in Lexington along with homemade cookies.” I smile fondly at the memory. “I haven’t thought about that in a long time.” I squeeze his arm. “She’d make us all get dressed up in our Sunday best to deliver the goods. We’d have to sing some Christmas carols for them. The boys as they got older had to be bribed.” Chuckling, I admit, “Grandma knew, but I don’t think she ever mentioned it. Dad used to say Grandma has eyes in the back of her head, and hearing like a bat.”
“You have a large family. They scare me.” He shudders.
So I tease, “You only need to be scared of Alexander. He’s my brother and bossy.” I cuddle into Geary and smile up at him.
“Should I be very scared?”
“I’m teasing. My family will welcome you with open arms.”
“I hope so.” Geary presses me against him before letting me go. “So, I’m thinking we have to go the apple cider route with all purchases, right?”
Rolling my eyes, I laugh. “Let me grab a basket.” Still laughing, I grab a cart instead of a basket and find Geary shaking his head when he sees me.
“You do remember we have to fly out of here on the twenty-sixth, right?” Geary turns back to the jelly, reading the labels on the jars.
“Of course I remember.” My smile slips at the thought of us going our separate ways after Christmas. I keep my face hidden until I’m composed. Small jars of jelly go into the cart along with biscuits, cheese and of course the cider donuts that apparently are famous around here.
Geary sneaks a kiss while eating a donut he’s pinched from the bag. His lips are coated in the sugary sweetness and I moan. His eyes darken and his hand pauses close to his mouth when he’s about to take another bite. He steps in close. “You can’t be making sounds like that when I can’t do anything about it.”
My face lights with mischief while I make sure I’m pressed in tightly to Geary, especially the throb he has going on in his pants. “I’ll make sure you’re taken care of later.” I smirk. “In the meantime,” he groans while I continue, “we are going to pay for our purchases and then go and find some homemade hot chocolate to drink with the donuts. Not sure I fancy cider just after breakfast.”
“Mmm,” he brushes my lips with his, “I totally agree with everything you’ve just said.” He kisses me quickly, wraps an arm around my waist and leads me to the check out.
The moment we’re outside and the purchases are stored in the back of the rental, Geary takes me into his arms and covers my mouth. Its freezing cold outside and snow has started to fall, but right now, I don’t care about any of that. I want to stay in Geary’s arms forever.
His breathing becomes deep as he leaves my lips and rests his forehead against mine, his eyes searching. I don’t hide from him and watch as his gaze darkens. He’s one special man and he has my heart.
Fumbling at the side of me, Geary opens the car door and I’m suddenly lifted into the passenger seat. “Next stop. Hot chocolate.”
He’s careful as he makes his way around the car to join me. “I’m not sure about being out in this weather,” he mutters, starting the engine.
“Perhaps we should head back to the hotel?” I suggest. Although I would have liked a hot chocolate to go with my cider donut, I’m all for snuggling up to Geary back in our room.
“We’ll see how the car drives.” He pauses and pulls out onto the road. “There’s another plough up ahead. That’s the second one I’ve seen.”
I don’t comment and watch the snowflakes as they become thicker. Following the plough means we’re driving along freshly cleared roads so when Geary comes to a stop outside of the homemade chocolate store, I’m excited and the worry about the weather has left me.
The hot chocolate is thick and tastes darker rather than milky so I ask for more cream on the top.
Taking a drink, Geary laughs. “You have a cream-tash.” Reaching up he swipes his thumb over my top lip. I let him see the desire in my eyes that was instant the moment he touched me.
He chokes and tugs me outside where he gently pushes me into a wooden chair at a small table. I raise a brow. “Isn’t it a bit cold for sitting out here?”
“I’ll warm you up soon.” He wiggles his brows and pulls a brown bag from his jacket. “I have donuts, we have hot chocolate, and most of all, we have each other.” He smiles softly. “Eat up and we’ll head back and get warm.”
“Hmm,” I mumble around the donut and small sip of the chocolate.
Stowe is a beautiful town here in Vermont and with the snow coming down it’s picturesque. The white church in the distance, which appears on more photographs and postcards than any church I’ve ever seen, looks so pretty. The hardware store that sells everything you can think of across the road looks closed today. It’s difficult to see with how thick the flakes are as they flutter to the ground. Further up the street the tourist office has a steady flow of visitors.
“I wish we could stay here forever,” I whisper, knowing that I can’t look at Geary because the tears are close to the surface.
24
Geary
Olivia sleeps soundly in the bed behind me while I stand naked at the window watching more large flakes fall from the sky. It’s past two in the morning and I should be asleep wrapped around the woman I love. Instead I can’t settle knowing I’m going to have to say goodbye to her in two days.
I hadn’t known exactly what loneliness was until I’d spent time with Olivia only to watch her head back to the city. My life hasn’t been much in the way of family. Derek and Madison are the closest family I’ve ever had. But since meeting Olivia, I want a family of my own, with her. I don’t want to be alone anymore, however, I’m not selfish enough to force her to give her life up for me. I’m not a city guy, someone who would be happy living in a high rise. I need the open space of rolling hills, and I want my children to grow up having the kind of home I never had as a child. The home I currently have is pretty close to where I’d like to raise a family. Except the woman I want to raise the family with lives miles away in Lexington.
Rubbing my forehead, I move toward Olivia and admiring her curves, I lift my hand and slowly caress her ankle, calf and thigh before moving over the curve of her hip. A moan leaves her mouth and I press a kiss on her hipbone. She becomes restless so I take the opportunity to move her over to her back, settling between her legs. I gather her against my warmth and nuzzle into her neck, my lips leaving a trail of heat as I move and capture a cherry nipple between my teeth.
Olivia shivers and gives me a very sleepy but welcoming smile. Her eyes follow my every move while I enjoy the sensation of her smooth skin against my body and mouth. Just one taste of her is usually enough to make me hard and ready for her, so it’s no wonder I’m fighting really hard not to enter her swollen pussy and come. My cock throbs against her thigh and with every restless movement of her legs, I rub against the hard nub of her clit.
I hiss and grunt when Olivia grabs my ass and digs her nails into the flesh. My cock goes solid and jerks.
Afraid I’m going to come before I get inside of her warm body, I hold her gaze and slide inside.
“I’ve never felt anything like this before, Olivia.” I reach up and cupping her face, I place my lips over hers. The kiss starts gentle but soon becomes heated, and no matter how much I want to slow it down, I can’t stop devouring her mouth and plump lips.
Olivia pulls her mouth away gasping for breath, her heart racing against my chest. I grip each of her hands and hold them above her head while my body slowly starts to move. Her slender legs wr
ap around my hips, her feet dropping between my thighs, making her vagina snugger around my cock.
Her mouth opens as she gasps and lust shoots through my body at the sight. The image suddenly in my head is of her lips wrapped around my thick shaft. Breathing becomes difficult as all sensation is in my groin and the brush of her nipples against my chest set off an explosion I’m not sure I’m going to be able to recover from.
The first squirt of release shoots from my dick and Olivia freezes before she jerks in my arms, her pussy pulsating, shooting my orgasm into exploding proportions. Her body jerks, clinging to mine in everyway. Every small sigh and convulsion from Olivia tugs more semen from my flesh, massaging every last drop of pleasure from me.
Wrapping Olivia back up in my arms, I hold her tightly while moving us onto our sides. One of Olivia’s legs rests over my hip but I fear she’s as wiped out as I am.
A brush of her lips against my shoulder causes a shudder to ripple through me, but before I have time to start all over again, Olivia cuddles into my body. I feel her breath against my neck as she mumbles, “I love you, Geary.”
My heart stutters before it beats rapidly.
I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing. My eyes sting for the first time since I was a child. I want to keep this woman in my life forever. I want to go to sleep with her in my arms every night and wake up the same way. She’s everything to me and I honestly don’t know what to do to make that happen. I can’t see how it can happen. We both have our lives in separate States.
Having been unable to sleep, I’m dressed at four-thirty in the morning with my bag packed. Olivia is going to hate me for doing this to her, but I can’t stay. I’m running away. I’m well aware of this, but I can’t stop myself. I can’t spend any more time with her, making love with her, knowing that we have to go our separate ways in another day.
I can’t say goodbye to her.
The letter I wrote sits on my pillow and I close my eyes while I’m hit with the urge to stay and talk to her. To tell Olivia exactly how I feel about her, and tell her what I want. I’ve never shied away from truths in the past so now makes no sense to me, although I’ve never loved a woman the way I love Olivia. It is what it is.
With a heavy sigh, I clench the strap of my travel bag and quietly leave the room. My heart pounds the further away from Olivia I move. It takes less than five minutes to arrange transport for Olivia back to the airport in Boston when she’s ready and then I’m on my way.
The roads are barely passable, which holds my concentration but as soon as I drop the hire car off and take my seat on the plane, all I can see is Olivia’s face when she realizes I’ve left her.
What have I done?
Panicking, knowing I’ve made the wrong decision, I unclip my seat belt and stand, only to have the stewardess tell me to sit as the plane starts moving down the runway.
I do as she says, and place my face in my hands.
I’m an asshole.
The moment I land in Montana, I’m heading straight back to Olivia.
I’ll make the move.
I can’t live in a city it will drive me crazy, but Lexington has lots of rolling hills. I’m sure we can find a house with an easy commute for Olivia, and maybe I can find a job on a horse farm.
Lexington is after all, horse country.
25
Olivia
When I reach out for Geary in the large bed and find the space beside me empty and cold, I know he’s gone. There had been something in his eyes as he made love to me during the night, but I’d been too tired to really see what he’d been telling me.
Now I knew that he’d been saying goodbye to me in the only way he knew how.
Tears slip down my face while I try and accept that he left me on Christmas day. Why would he do this? I know he loves me because it was written on his face when he made love to me. I’d whispered to him that I loved him, words I haven’t spoken to another man who I wasn’t related to. He still left me. Why wouldn’t he give us this day together before we had to go our separate ways?
Curling in to my pillow, I notice a sheet of hotel notepaper on his pillow. My heart kicks in my chest with fear. I don’t know why because he’s already left. However, for my own peace of mind, I need to know his reasoning for letting me wake up alone on Christmas day. For leaving me after I told him I love him. I cover my mouth with a hand as more tears pour from my eyes and down my cheeks.
My hand trembles as I reach out and retrieve the note. It’s folded with my name written in a beautiful script.
Olivia,
I love you.
I know it may not seem that way now you’ve woken to an empty bed, however I do—very much so. In fact, I love you to the point that I had no idea how I was supposed to watch you walk out of my life after Christmas.
You’re city and I’m country.
In the long run I’m trying to make this easier for you… That’s a lie. I’m making it easier for me because I have a pain in my chest when I look at you. You’re beautiful in every way and you captured my heart the first time I saw you.
I love you and want you to have the life you’ve worked hard for. I can’t be the one responsible for you giving all that up.
Be happy Olivia.
Love you always,
Geary.
I don’t know whether to be angry or sad at Geary’s words. I think I’m a bit of both. Angry that he’s making decisions for me, and sad that he thinks he comes second to the life I have.
My life is work and more work. It’s lonely and Geary has changed all that. I don’t care where I live as long as I’m close to him. I can cut down on my workload and split my time between home with Geary and my office in Lexington. It can be worked out, and just as soon as I pull myself together the man is going to be told that no one makes decisions for Olivia McKenzie.
Freezing my butt off curbside at Boston Logan, I can’t decide where my destination is going to be—Lexington or Montana.
Do I go after what I want? Or should I go home and nurse my wounds?
In the end it was an easy decision to make and the one my heart desired. Geary Tyler is about to find out that I will go after what I want, and that I’ve no intention of walking away from him. He’s going to get stuck with me.
Smiling, I clutch my ticket in hand and head for security.
Controlled and organized Olivia is no more.
Spontaneous Olivia is going getting her man.
26
Geary
Lucky for me the snow had kept off until I’d arrived at the cabin I call home. My SUV is parked at the back so that Madison and Derek won’t see it if they happen to glance over in this direction from their house. The last thing I want is for Madison to come over here demanding to know why I’m not with Olivia nor do I want her to drag me over to their house to join them. It’s their first Christmas together as a married couple and I want them to have that time before they leave to visit Tanner and Charlotte in Lexington on the twenty-seventh.
Sighing heavily, I poke the fire and suddenly laugh. A true sign that I’m home will be the smoke blowing from the chimney.
Groaning, I sit down in my favorite chair by the fire and not for the first time, I wish I had a dog curled up by my feet. Perhaps I’ll get a rescue dog to keep me company as I’ve probably blown it with Olivia.
All the way home I thought of nothing else but the woman I’d left behind. I couldn’t stop imagining her waking up alone in the hotel room and seeing my note waiting for her. I’d managed to talk myself out of turning straight around at the airport and heading back. Chances were she’d taken a flight home to Lexington, and I couldn’t get there from here, as there were no flights heading in that direction until the morning.
Rubbing at my brows, I settle back into the chair and let the heat lull me into sleep.
Slowly coming awake, I realize I’m no longer alone in my cabin. I don’t know why I get this feeling, but its as though I’m being watched. I strain to catch
a sound. My eyes are still closed and I’ve kept my breathing even but…there! Another sound in the room, subtle but it’s there followed by a heavy sigh.
My eyes snap open and I’m staring straight at Olivia. I blink a few times wondering if I’m dreaming. She’s sitting in the far corner of my sofa looking so damn good that my hands clench on the arm of the chair so I don’t pounce. After leaving her the way I did, I’m not sure she’d appreciate that.
I swallow hard before finding my voice. “You really are here?”
She tilts her head and when her eyes narrow a loud sigh escapes her lips. “Believe it or not, Geary, I’m capable of making my own decisions.”
“You have every right to be angry with me, but why did you follow me?” I ask and see the hurt she’s trying to hide.
No longer looking at me, she suddenly moves and grabs up her jacket, shoving her arms inside. “I should have known this was a mistake. You don’t want me. You just said what you did in your letter for whatever reason known only to you.”
By the times she’s at the front door, I finally get moving and before she can open the door, I have her pressed up against it. “I meant every word, and those three words more than the others. I love you, Olivia McKenzie.”
Keeping her pinned, I tug her jacket off and groan at how her bottom looks in the tight jeans. “Why’d you have to wear jeans,” I groan, reaching for the zipper and tearing into them. “I know we need to talk,” I whisper, desperately trying to get to her flesh, “but first, I want to make you scream my name in pleasure, before you might scream it in anger.”
I hear a chuckle leave her lips before a loud groan when I bite her butt as I tug the jeans down her legs. They get stuck on her boots. “Fuck!”
“Leave the jeans and get inside of me. I ache for you.”
McKenzie Cousins Box Set Three: Books Seven, Eight, Nine Page 11
