by E. L. Todd
“That’s what I thought.”
He gripped his hair in frustration. “So it’s official. You never loved me? You’ve been using me this entire time?”
Danielle’s eyes sagged. “No, absolutely not.”
He shook his head.
“Blaise, I love you. We should get back together. I’m sorry that I’ve been a nuisance to you, but I can change. We already live together. Let’s make it work.”
“I’m not going to love the one I’m with,” he snapped.
“If you pursue anyone else, it’s just going to be complicated.”
“No it won’t,” he said. “I’ll figure out a way to move on while protecting you at the same time.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you have any ideas?”
“Yes. I could just tell her the truth and she would understand. If she loved me, she’d work it out with me.”
“Well, I don’t want anyone to know. It’s my life on the line. I can’t trust someone I don’t know.”
“Then you can meet her,” he said.
She glared at him. “I have no interest in meeting one of your bimbos.”
“She’s not a bimbo! She’s an amazing girl.”
“Danielle rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Blaise. But I won’t change my mind.”
“I’ll just throw you out, then.”
She walked back into her bedroom. “I’m calling your bluff, Blaise.” She shut the door.
Blaise punched the wall again. “Fuck.” He walked into his bedroom then lay on the bed, thinking of Alexandra.
At least she wanted to keep their relationship a secret. That made things a lot easier for him. If Lana knew they were dating, she would tell Alexandra everything about him, how he knocked up Danielle and asked her to move in. Everyone in town thought they were still together. He definitely didn’t want Alexandra to think that.
He never wanted to kiss someone so much before. And when she leaned in to kiss him, his breath left his lungs. They burned from her loving kiss. The softness of her lips made him want to devour her. He never felt so hot for someone else. He was just as infatuated with her beauty as her heart. She was beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. He was a little disappointed to listen to the story about her ex, but she was here to stay. And he would claim her as his own. As far as he was concerned, she was his. He already lost his temper when he proved it to Gabe.
There was a loud knock on his door, and he groaned when he heard it. He got out of bed then opened the front door. Cole was on the other side, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Why are you here so late?” Blaise blurted.
“John’s been bugging me to visit you.”
He rolled his eyes. “I told you not to talk to him.”
“Well, when he follows me everywhere I go, I can only do so much.” He walked inside then looked at his brother. “I think you should do the deal.”
“Well, I’m not going to. This can’t be negotiated.”
“Do you have any idea how much money is involved?”
“Who gives a damn?” Blaise said. “We have plenty of money. We don’t need any more.”
“More money wouldn’t be the worse thing in the world.”
Danielle came down the hall, wearing a nightshirt. Her thighs were showing. “What are you arguing about?”
“Leave us,” Blaise snapped.
She rolled her eyes and walked away.
“When’s the wedding?” Cole asked with a smile.
“Shut the fuck up,” he snapped.
Cole put his hands in his pockets. “So, are you going to do it?”
“What?”
“The deal,” he said.
“I just said no,” he snapped.
“Come on, man.”
Blaise felt himself explode. “I only have you as a partner on paper because I pity you, but you don’t contribute anything to this company—at all. You have no weight to make business decisions. That’s final.”
“Well, that isn’t fair.”
“Really?” Blaise said. “Start carrying your own weight and I’ll consider it. Right now, you get free money every month.”
“I’m just trying to help.”
“You’re just trying to stuff more money into your wallet,” Blaise said. “Believe me, money doesn’t mean everything.”
“Whatever.” He sighed.
“Can you get the fuck out of my house now?”
“Is Danielle not putting out or something?”
“I haven’t fucked her in months,” Blaise said. “And that’s beside the point. I’m pissed at you right now.”
Cole turned toward the door. “Call me when you aren’t being such an asshole.”
“Then don’t expect me to call at all.”
Cole slammed the door behind him.
Blaise went back to bed, angrier than he was minutes ago. His beautiful night with Alexandra had been ruined. He hoped tomorrow would be a better day, not one tainted by his ex or his family drama. Just one beautiful day was all he wanted.
18
Alexandra slept in the next morning and got ready for their date. She found a yellow dress and kept her hair down, trying to look pretty for him. She didn’t spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, but she made an effort today.
When she walked outside, Blaise was waiting for her.
He stared at her, approval in his eyes. “I like it. You remind me of a spring flower.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She came to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He immediately picked her up, smiling. Her happiness controlled her actions, and she leaned in and kissed him gently. Blaise squeezed her as he returned her affection.
He lowered her to the ground. “That was a wonderful start to our date.” He grabbed her hand and helped her get into the passenger seat.
When they drove out to the road, Blaise rested his hand on her thigh. Alexandra covered it with her palm, caressing his knuckles with her fingers.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“It’s a surprise,” he said with a smile.
She looked out the back window, seeing his dog stand in the tailgate. “Did Bane help you plan this?”
“It was his idea. He’s the mastermind behind everything.”
“Maybe I should go on a date with him.”
He laughed. “I’d be extremely jealous.”
“He is pretty cute.”
“Hey,” he said. “I’ll have to beat him up.”
“I got my money on Bane.”
He squeezed her fingers. “You’re adorable, Alexandra.”
She blushed.
They drove down a deserted road then moved into the trees of the forest. The trees blocked the heat of the summer sun. Blaise stopped the truck and killed the engine.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“I think you’ll like it.” Blaise got out of the truck and opened the tailgate. He grabbed a blanket and backpack. Bane jumped out and started to sniff the area.
“I can carry the blanket.”
“I’m good,” he said quickly. “This way.”
She walked alongside him as they walked a few feet into the forest. He moved to the left until he reached an open field. Wildflowers grew from the dirt. The trees surrounded the clearing, giving them a few patches of shade. “Wow,” she said. “This is so cool.”
He smiled then set everything down. He opened his backpack and dispersed the food on the blanket.
“You made lunch?” she asked.
“I can do more than plant cotton.”
“Apparently.” She grabbed a sandwich and dug in.
Blaise put a few tennis balls on the blanket. Bane nudged one with his nose, begging Blaise to throw it.
“That is so cute,” Alexandra said. She grabbed the ball and threw it across the clearing. Bane chased after it.
“Don’t say that,” Blaise said. “It’ll go to his head.”
“I’m sure it already has.
”
Blaise finished his sandwich then looked at Alexandra. “Did you like your food?”
“It was wonderful.”
“There’s more if you’re still hungry.”
“No thank you.”
He lay back and looked into the canopy of the tree. She lay beside him and studied the leaves of the trees. The glade was peaceful and quiet. The sound of the rustling leaves flittered to their ears. Bane chewed on his ball while he lay beside the blanket.
Blaise grabbed her hand and held it on his stomach.
Alexandra noticed how hard it was, like a concrete wall.
“My dad and I used to come here to shoot.”
She turned to him. “You used to hunt?”
“No,” he said quickly. “Just target practice. It was something just my dad and I shared. My brother never wanted to come.”
“I’m honored you took me here,” she said quietly.
“It’s like your loft. I come here to hide.”
“Are you trying to hide right now?”
“Yes,” he said. “I like hiding with you.”
She turned on her side and hugged his waist, pressing her face close to his. His breathing picked up as she touched him. “I like hiding with you too.”
He glided his fingers through her hair, feeling the soft strands. “You’re so beautiful,” he blurted.
She blushed. “I think you’re beautiful too.”
He smiled. “There’s no comparison, Alexandra.”
“You’re the only person who calls me that,” she whispered.
“And I’ll be the only one who ever does,” he said with confidence.
When he stared into her eyes, she felt like she was home. Everything else in the world didn’t matter. It was just the two of them. She knew Blaise wouldn’t just be another person that left her life as quickly as he came. He was special, someone who was already in her heart. And if she wanted to keep him there, she had to give it all to him. “My first year working as a nurse, I came onto the nightshift like any other day.”
He stared at her while she spoke, realizing she was opening up to him.
“The patient was a drug seeker. He’d been in the emergency room ten times that year, trying to get his prescription of pain medication. Everyone knew why he was there and what he wanted. As soon as I walked in, he said he was in pain, writhing on the bed. I assumed it was all an act. I walked out and ignored him, attending to the patients who legitimately needed help. But he kept crying and moaning, delirious with pain. I walked in and looked at his catheter bag. It was full of blood.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, remembering the incident clearly. “The nurse from the previous shift inserted the catheter incorrectly. She enlarged the bladder balloon when it was still in his urethra. As a result, it completely destroyed the organ, making him bleed internally. By the time I realized what happened, it was too late. He died in surgery.” She felt the tears bubble under her eyes. “It was all my fault. If I had just listened to him, I would have caught it.”
He leaned over her and cupped her face. Blaise stared at her then kissed the moisture around her eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Alexandra.”
“He died because I didn’t do my job right.”
“It was an honest mistake,” he whispered. “And you didn’t put the catheter in. You didn’t do the killing blow.”
“But if I—”
“Alexandra,” he said gently “It wasn’t your fault. You behaved just as anyone else would. It’s a typical the boy who cried wolf story. If he hadn’t lied and said he was in pain so many times, you would have taken him seriously.”
“That doesn’t mean he deserved to die.” She tried to control her tears but they continued to fall.
“No, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean you’re responsible for his death.”
“Then why do I feel so horrible?” She sniffed.
“Because you’re compassionate, caring, and amazing. You care. Most people don’t.”
She pulled him into a hug and held him tightly. His body felt protective when it lay on top of hers. She closed her eyes and tried to control her racing heart.
“You shouldn’t let this ruin your career, Alexandra. You’re a good nurse.”
She shook her head. “I don’t trust myself.”
“You just saved someone’s life the other day.”
“That doesn’t vindicate my earlier mistake.”
He pulled away then kissed her tears. “Forgive yourself, Alexandra. You’re too young to carry such grief.”
Alexandra took a deep breath and tried to calm her mind.
“I’m very honored that you shared that with me.”
“You’re my best friend,” she whispered.
He smiled. “You’re my best friend too.” He pulled her to his chest and snuggled beside her, his hand running through her hair to calm her.
“I couldn’t live there anymore,” she said quietly. “Everything was too much. I wanted to get away from Paul, from what I did. I just ran without looking back.”
“Does everyone know where you are?”
“Only my sister.”
“You didn’t tell anyone where you went?”
She shook her head.
“You should tell them, Alexandra. I’m sure they are all worried, especially Paul.”
“If I tell him where I am, he’ll come after me. And I texted him the other day and said I was safe. That’s all I can do.”
He stared at her face, still running his fingers through her hair. “I don’t think you should have ran away from your life in New York. But I’m really glad you came here.”
She smiled through her tears. “I am too.”
“And you’ve become my favorite apprentice.”
She laughed. “I’m the worst farmer ever.”
“No you aren’t. You’re learning.”
“Very slowly.”
“That’s okay,” he said with a smile. “Your motivation is admirable.”
“Well, Martha is my family.”
“And that’s one of the reasons why I fell for you.”
“What are the other reasons?” She ran her hand down his chest, feeling his strength.
“Well, the first reason is I think you’re really cute, extremely gorgeous. Call me superficial, but that’s the first thing I noticed.” She didn’t judge him for the comment. She thought the same thing. “The second reason was because of your humbleness. You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, but you’re ignorant to your looks. You’re smart—too smart for your own good. You’re compassionate, putting everyone before yourself. And that smile—it kills me every time.”
“I wasn’t sure if you even liked me.”
“Believe me, I did.”
“Then why were you so distant?”
The light in his eyes disappeared. “It just wasn’t the right time.” He averted his gaze. She thought there was more to this story but she didn’t press him. He never pressured her to spill her secrets and she would do the same for him.
She stared at him while they lay under the trees, letting the slight breeze take their stress away. When he looked at her, he held her gaze, love and adoration in his eyes. The world became silent as they stared at each other.
Blaise kept glancing at her lips, appraising them.
Alexandra wanted him to kiss her. She made the move last time, so it was his turn.
Blaise looked conflicted. He sighed. “Fuck it.” He grabbed her face and pressed his mouth against hers.
The passion in his touch burned her lips. His lips caressed hers, stealing her breath away. His hand cupped her cheek, deepening his kiss. She was still winded by the immediate fire that sparked into life. His tongue slipped into her mouth, lightly touching hers. She moaned when she felt him, never feeling a passionate kiss like that.
Blaise moved on top of her, his hand moving up her leg. His lips moved with precision, making love to her mouth with perfect touches. He made her moan and gasp over and over. She
wasn’t ashamed by her obvious enthusiasm. He blew her mind and she wanted him to know that. He pulled away and rubbed his nose against hers, giving her a second to recover from the electricity coursing through her veins.
She grabbed his face and kissed him again, her leg wrapped around his. Her hands explored his body, feeling the shoulders she admired so much. They were broad and strong, defined from the years working in the fields. When she moved down his back, she felt the lines of muscle. He was strong and powerful, sculpted from solid stone. She and Paul had a strong sexual attraction but it was nothing compared to this. She was burning from the inside out. She wanted more, but he already gave her everything he had. When he moved against her, she felt the bulge in the front of his pants. She was astounded by his obvious size. She was already hot for him, but her infatuation only grew.
Alexandra rolled on top him, leaning over him. When she looked down at him, she saw the desire in his eyes. He ran his fingers through her hair then he pulled it away, revealing her face. She leaned down and kissed him again, taking the lead.
Blaise trembled underneath her touch. His hands moved into her hair wildly then down her slender back, feeling her petite frame. He moved to her hips and grabbed them, holding her to him.
She pulled away then rubbed her nose against his, teasing him.
“Mmm,” he said. “You’re an amazing kisser.”
“I was going to say the same about you.”
“I’m not even done.” He rolled her to the ground and moved on top of her, dominating her. His mouth sealed over hers, his tongue touching hers. When he moved his kisses to her neck, she dug her fingers into his hair, moaning quietly. He moved between her legs then leaned over her, taking the lead. “I could kiss you all day.”
“It looks like we have a common hobby.”
He grabbed her face and kissed her again. The sun set over the horizon, making the forest turn dark. Alexandra didn’t want their make out session to end, but she knew they should leave soon.
Blaise stayed on top of her when he broke their kiss. “I should take you home.”
“Let’s go to the loft,” she blurted.
He rubbed his nose against hers. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“Let’s go.”
He moved off her then kept his gaze averted so he wouldn’t see up her dress. They packed everything and threw it in the back of the truck. Bane jumped inside before they shut the tailgate.
