Needless to say, I had plenty of opportunities to mention my past. However, I didn’t, for the same reason I didn’t talk about Laura and his son. And it was that painful fact that didn’t let me enjoy our time together as much as I could. I was riddled with guilt. How couldn’t I? I was living with this gorgeous, amazing man. The ugliness of what I had experienced back in Cleveland made my stomach churn. Sharing all that with Ivan would cost me more than my job. It would cost me him, too. So, I preferred to keep it to myself, and tell him about it when I left. Leaving him would be easier if I ruined his image for me…
Scarlet
The morning found me in Ivan’s living room, having a hot cup of tea with him, while discussing Christmas celebrations in Adams. It was a big deal up there. The whole square would be lit on Christmas Eve. People from all over town would gather around, exchange wishes and light up fireworks. It sounded authentic and real. It definitely wasn’t anything like Cleveland or New York City, where celebrities paraded every single year. Nevertheless, after a few minutes, it occurred to me that there was something missing from the house. Nothing even remotely suggested that Christmas was just three weeks away. There were no streamers, ornaments, Christmas lights, or a Christmas tree for that matter. Guessing why was rather easy. Ivan was still mourning. Decorating the house was probably the last thing on his mind. However, I couldn’t tolerate this. I wasn’t going to tell him to forget his lost loved ones, I had no right to do that, but he needed a change. At any rate, I had to be careful. I was still his guest. Subtlety was very important, particularly to a man who was still hurting.
With a red mug of tea in my grasp, I sauntered along the far wall, scanning its smooth surface. I dragged my gaze from it and turned my attention to the wall behind me, shaking my head in disapproval. Other than their length, nothing else could tell them apart. They were both crystal-white, spotless and filled with portraits of his ancestors.
“Okay, what’s on your mind, city girl?” Ivan asked, bringing a cunning smile to my face. My plan had worked like a charm. I had triggered his curiosity.
“I like the way the celebrations in Adams sound, but, um…” I paused, turning to him. “What about your place? It’s nice and all, but don’t you think it’s a little empty? After all, Christmas is just around the corner.”
“If you’re referring to decorations, I suggest you forget about it.” He stated, assuming a stiff tone. “I’ve never decorated, anyway. Laura used to take care of that.”
“Please, Ivan.” I made my voice sound sweeter, taking a few, quick steps towards him. “We can do it together, or you can let me do it myself, I don’t mind. I think a Christmas tree will liven up this place, plus it will make you a whole lot better. You’ll see.” I added, wearing my brightest smile. “What do you say?”
“You know it’s hard to resist you when you talk to me like that.” He softened his voice, gazing down deep into my eyes. “Alright. Give me a minute. I’m going to go get the ornaments from my cabin.”
“Yes!” I cheered, putting my hands together. I rewarded him with a short kiss on his lips, delighted that I had convinced him. At that point, I wondered what I was happier about: The fact that we were going to decorate or the little effort it took for me to change his mind? I had power over him. That much was clear to me. Whatever it was, I was going to do my best to transform his dull living room into a bright, festive place. When Ivan got back from his cabin, he had two, massive boxes in his arms, and dozens of snowflakes tangled in his messy hair. He eased them down near the upper left corner of his living room first and then fished into the one on top.
“Here we go.” He said, pulling a tall, Christmas tree out. “Check out the other box and tell me if you need anything else. I’m okay with decorating in here, but we don’t decorate outside until the blizzard is over. It’s letting up, by the way.”
“It was due.” I chuckled, sitting down on my knees. I pried the box open with the eagerness of a child. The contents made my heart leap for joy. Sparkling red, blue, purple and silver streamers were on top, neatly placed in their individual boxes. Dozens of Christmas ornaments of almost all colors and shapes were right below them. They were enough to decorate at least two trees, not just one.
“Oh, this is too good to be true!” I exclaimed, picking up a red ball and a golden bell with glitter sprinkled all over it.
“You’re cute.” Ivan commented, smiling down at me. Right after that, I went into a decorating frenzy. First, I sorted out the ornaments, which turned out to be more difficult than I had imagined because they varied in size. Before starting to work on the tree, I asked Ivan to bring me a ladder, so that I could hang the streamers on the walls and the windows. If I was happy before, I was ecstatic now. From Ivan’s broad smile, he was enjoying this, too. He helped me by holding the ladder in place, and barely said a word. I wasn’t surprised. This was a girl’s job.
The Christmas tree was a whole different matter. Ivan wanted to be involved. He had an opinion about where each and every ornament should go. I knew a few women like my best friend Stacy who would hate the idea of a man speaking his mind about such a thing. Nevertheless, I wasn’t like that. Neither would I ask him to stop or complain to him for meddling with the ornaments. It was rare seeing him in such a festive mood, doing something else other than ordering his drivers around. It took us more than two hours to decorate the tree, but once we were done, neither of us could stop smiling.
“Now it feels like Christmas in here.” I remarked, standing beside him.
“Actually, it feels like Christmas since you and I got together.” He said, blocking my view. “Okay, you were right about this, but I didn’t really need it to feel better. I’ve been seeing this beautiful, smart, porcelain doll. What more could I ask?”
“P-porcelain doll?” I stuttered, unable to believe my ears.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard that before.” He urged, circling his arms around my waist.
“No!” I replied, my breath short. “Never.”
“Now you’re even cuter.” He whispered, holding me close. Bringing his lips down, he claimed my mouth. I let out a short whimper, my heartbeat escalating. Ivan urged our hips together, before his left hand traveled up my back. Cradling my head, he slid his right one down my body. He grunted into my mouth as he cupped my ass through my skirt. Splaying his fingers over my cheek, he squeezed, sending shivers of delight down my spine. I felt the heat of him, hardening already. He gathered my hair in his fist, his manly scent flowing through my nostrils. Pressing my palms against his chest, I sensed his cut muscles flexing under his shirt.
I had a very good idea about what was going to follow. Ivan would try to dominate me, one way or another. And although I loved how he used to make me cry out with pleasure, this time, I wasn’t going to let him do it before I did. With his hard length pulsing against the fabric of my skirt, I reached down. He nipped my upper lip, tracing the inside with his tongue. I sighed in his mouth, the moment I cupped his cock through his pants. Straight away, I began to explore it. The soft sound he let out encouraged me to continue. Lowering myself to my knees, I grabbed his belt and unbuckled the strap. I drew down the zipper, looking right up at him. I needed to revel in that hungry look in his eyes.
Ivan hissed as I reached inside and wrapped my hand around him. Pre-cum had already soaked the head of his cock. He rolled his pants down his legs, exposing his large, stiff manhood. I pulled the foreskin back slowly, my whimper revealing my anticipation. A thick drop of pre-cum fell off the tip and landed on the floor. Placing one hand on his thigh for balance, I snaked my tongue out and tasted him. His shoulders tensed, his thick length twitching.
“Oh, you sexy little thing!” He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as I pressed my mouth onto the head. Parting my lips, I took him in a slow slide. Ivan reached forward and tangled his fingers in my hair. His thighs shook under my touch. I pulled back, my tongue swirling around the tiny hole. A wave of heat raced through me. Wetness was gathering
between my legs. He was at my mercy, and I was going to show him just how much I loved that. Pumping his rock-hard shaft, I dragged my tongue along his cock, moaning at the same time. Ivan tightened his grip on my hair, gently bucking his hips, seeking more of that friction that was sending him over the edge. I bobbed my head up and down, struggling to fight off the urge to touch myself. I kissed and licked the swollen head, opening my eyes. Surges of warmth rushed into my core at the sight of his tense face and his quivering lips.
“Fuck!” Ivan growled, his leg muscles stilling. Pulling him out, I jerked him hard, licking my lips. He leaned forward, a moment before his climax hit him. His deep groans grew louder as his juices stained the floor behind me. I smiled to myself, swelling with pride. But, I wanted more. Much, much more. I stood up, releasing his cock. Ivan’s quick, strong embrace and his fiery kiss told me he wanted the exact same thing. In a split second, he pushed me up. I curved my legs around his waist, putting my hands on his chest. I couldn’t wait to be in his bedroom. I couldn’t wait to be his over and over again…
Ivan
Two weeks later, the blizzard had become a nasty memory to my drivers, but a wonderful memory to me. I could repeat that sentence a million times, and I would still struggle to believe it. Yet, it was true. The bad weather had prevented Scarlet from leaving, even for a couple of days as she had claimed. Ever since that night, she and I were a new, happy couple. Of course, it was too early for me to announce it to the rest of my fellow compatriots. For the moment, we kept our relationship to ourselves. She didn’t mind telling everybody, but I still had my doubts over it. I had spent years avoiding their daughters. They would get mad at me for dating an outsider. I didn’t care what they said behind my back, but one thing was certain: Very soon, they would start showing up on my doorstep, demanding an explanation. I wasn’t afraid of confrontations, but this was the busiest time of the year. I didn’t have the will or the energy to bother with them. I saved that energy for the one who had danced into my life: My porcelain doll. She deserved every ounce of it.
On a cold, rainy morning, the two of us were in my office, once again going back and forth over logistics. Scarlet tried to print out the next day’s deliveries, but the annoying noise from my printer made me hang my head low in disappointment. It was out of ink. It wasn’t a catastrophe, but it would be good for my drivers to have them beforehand. Otherwise, they would have to come back tonight or early tomorrow morning to get them. In other words, it was guaranteed that a handful of them would be knocking on my door at 5am.
“Damn…” I puffed air out of my cheeks, running my hand through my hair. “I need to head out to the store.”
“I’ll do it.” Scarlet said, rising out of her chair. “Besides, I have to go see my landlord. I’ve put that off for far too long.”
“Girl, it’s pouring out there.” I emphasized, pointing up at the window over my desk. “I’ll go. You can go see your landlord tomorrow.”
“Actually, I need to go buy some clothes, too.” She informed, closing the gap between us. “You don’t want to be seen buying a blouse, do you?” She raised an eyebrow, a cunning smile forming on her lips.
“I guess not.” I murmured. Lifting my hands up to her neck, I gently pulled her in. I laid a soft kiss on her mouth, stroking her silky skin. “Be safe, okay?”
“I will.” Scarlet assured with a whisper. My gaze followed her as she strolled out of the office. Watching her sway her hips without worrying about getting caught was an amazing feeling.
After she had left, I decided to go over to my log cabin. My drivers had made up for lost time, but with Christmas just a week away, the workload was insane. I had to coordinate them, and make sure that no one made the same old mistake of taking someone else’s truck. We could all do without that setback…
Scarlet
A sense of bitterness struck me as I laid my eyes on my old apartment building. It reminded me of the weeks of uncertainty I had spent in Adams. I could still recall my disappointment at night, when I would crawl back to my tiny studio loft, with little or no prospect of landing a job. More often or not, I was so tense that I spent hours staring up at the ceiling, wondering if going up there was a mistake. But, meeting Ivan changed my fate. His smiling image soon turned my bitterness into sheer joy. This was the last time I would ever walk through that door. In a matter of minutes, I was going to put my stay in that building behind me. Holding my red umbrella over my head, I pressed Myrtle Jenkins’s apartment buzzer.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, Mrs. Jenkins. It’s me, Scarlet. Can I see you for a sec?”
“Morning, Scarlet. I’ll be right down. Wait for me in the lobby.”
I folded my umbrella as she buzzed me in. The familiar, stale smell crept into my nostrils when I stepped inside. The flaking walls and the moth-eaten counter on the left with the torn-off “Reception” sign over it made me cringe as usual. The first thing that came to mind when I first got there was:
“Even a rat would prefer dying in a more decent place than this.”
The ding of the elevator rang in my ears, snapping me out of my thoughts. Its door slid open sideways, revealing the elderly lady and two, large men on her flanks. The one on her right had graying, blond hair, whereas the other was much younger than him.
“There she is.” Myrtle said, throwing a quick glance over at me. “See? I told you that your daughter was staying here.”
“His w…” The shockwaves that shot through my body didn’t allow me to finish my sentence. My father was long gone. The two men jumped out of the elevator and sprinted across the lobby, their gaze fixed on me. Before I knew it, they had grabbed me by the wrists and were yanking my arms behind my back. “Myrtle!” I cried out, my voice cracking, tears blurring my vision. “This is all a terrible misunderstanding! These men are not related to me!”
“Easy, little girl.” I heard a gruff voice behind me. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.”
“Myrtle, please!” I begged, struggling to pull my right arm out of their grasp. “Don’t let them take me away! Call 911!”
I was dying for her to open her mouth or do something to help me. Yet, she just gave me a hollow look and turned her back on me.
“Let’s go.” The same voice suggested. Dragging me across the floor, they led me away from the lobby. The man holding my arm released me, but his partner was quick to grasp it. He twisted my wrist, forcing a painful moan from me. Just as they pushed me out the door, I whipped my head around, only to discover that one of the strangers was handing a thick wad of cash over to Myrtle.
“Just as promised. For your troubles.” He winked at her.
“Let me go, you son of bitch!” I growled, thrashing in his clutches. “Let me go!”
All of a sudden though, he thrust his arm up and pressed his hand to my mouth. His accomplice rushed by me and climbed down the small staircase, heading towards the black van on the side of the road. I didn’t let up. I continued to thrash my legs, hoping he would slip. Still, even if I did manage to get rid of him and cry for help, I doubted if someone could hear me. The building was on the edge of town. The nearest house was more than two hundred yards away.
Raindrops flowed down my cheeks as the younger of the two thugs yanked the rear door of the van open. My captor shoved me into the vehicle. Unable to stay in balance, I dropped down, slamming my forehead against the deck.
“Flip her over and check her pockets.” The gruff voice filled my ears once more. I sensed two, strong hands on my hips. A deep groan escaped me as I found myself lying on my back.
“Hey, missy.” The young man smirked, bending down over me. “How’s it going?” He went on as his partner pulled the van door shut. “My name’s Shane. He’s Tim.” He continued, gesturing towards his accomplice beside him.
“Who are you?” I gasped, my chest heaving, just before he shoved his hands into my pockets.
“Oh, come on, girl!” Tim exclaimed, sitting down next to
me. “Don’t tell me you don’t know who sent us.”
“L-Livingston…?” I stuttered, a tear streaming down my cheek.
“That’s right.” Tim affirmed with a nod. “You borrowed money from Dwight Livingston, honey. Did you really think you could get out of that debt?”
“I was going to pay him off!” I claimed, while Shane bound my hands with duct tape. “I swear to God I was going to pay him off!”
“When?” Tim shrugged, a smirk spreading across his face. “It’s been almost four months since you borrowed that money. And Mr. Livingston doesn’t like delays.”
“Go to hell, you hear me?” I snarled, glaring up at him. “Go to hell!”
At that, his smirk vanished. In the blink of an eye, I felt a huge amount of pressure on my temple. My body was thrown back across the cab. The world around me darkened, the moment I hit the floor again. I let out a grunt as their voices faded away…
Ivan
Darkness spread over the town, and with it, came a stabbing fear that plunged into my heart. Scarlet had yet to return. I had been calling her hours, and her phone was always going straight to voicemail. Pacing up and down my front yard, I racked my brain to guess where she was. But, speculating was going to drive me crazy. It was better to reach out to a store owner, preferably the man who owned the supermarket. After all, I knew him well. So, I found Clayton Marshall’s number on my contacts list and put the phone up to my ear.
Trapped with the Mountain Man Page 8
