by Jeulia Hesse
“I remember,” he said, his voice a low murmur.
Not believing the instant effect he was having on her after only minutes of stepping into his bedroom, she stepped closer to him. She was close enough to feel the heat from his skin, which brushed her bare arms, making her nipples hard. They pushed up against the thin fabric of her t-shirt. She could feel his breath on her face and in her hair.
He reached out a large, calloused hand and placed it on her hip. His fingers pressed into her buttock, pulling her close. “Tell me you remember.”
He ground his nearly naked body into hers, pulling her even more closely with one steely, muscled arm. His breath covered her face, his lips inches from her own. “I... I remember.” She whispered as he took her mouth with his demanding lips.
The world swayed. She reached her arms up to place her hands on his muscular biceps, sliding them upward to clasp his broad shoulders. She leaned into the kiss as her mutinous body responded to him. He rumbled against her lips, as one hand released the towel it held, wrapping her in his arms. She melded into his body, which was now naked and hard against her shorts.
Ending the kiss, he ran his mouth over her ear and down her neck, biting and tasting as he went. The heat between them rose in a turbulent wave, undulating rapidly between them as they kissed again. He clasped her in his arms as his lips traced her neck down to the rise of her breasts. Her blood coursed through her veins, waking rapidly to his touch. A wanting rose inside of her with a terrifying need.
She pulled away from him as he grasped her behind. She ripped her t-shirt over her head and threw it on the floor, quickly disposing of her shorts in the same manner. She reached for her bra, and his hands stopped her.
“Let me,” he said. Again, his head dove for her breasts as he gathered her up in his arms. His teeth grazed the delicate skin of her breasts as he slipped the straps from her shoulders. He unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. As his hands caressed and cupped her breasts, he kissed and sucked her nipples. She arched her back, thrusting them further into his grasp.
She was on fire. Her skin burned at his touch, and she felt herself become drenched and ready for him. She shook with the immediacy of need.
He took her again in his arms, moving her back to the large inviting bed. He pushed her down on the edge as he pulled her panties off, and covered her with his mouth, incinerating her as she came hard and fast. He continued to tug and lick as she moaned and lurched on the bed, mindless in the intense pleasure he brought her.
She reached for him, pulling him to her as he reached to the bedside table to retrieve a foil packet. He was then on top of her, his hands everywhere as she moaned and responded to his touch, her skin burning and electrified. He kissed her deeply as he entered her, hot and boiling. Unable to hold himself back from her matching demand, he thrust into her as she cried out and orgasmed again. And then he followed her into the oblivion.
They lay joined together for several moments as their heartbeats slowed and they caught their breath. He gathered her in his arms, wrapping himself around her as they settled into the soft bed.
“What just happened?” she whispered.
He chuckled low in his throat, shaking his head. “I think you may have missed me.”
She smiled and smacked him weakly with her open hand, surprising herself as she snuggled into his arms, settling in. She closed her eyes, trying to get her bearings. What just happened was indescribable and so very out of character for her. She was not accustomed to taking to bed immediately with any man, much less someone who she had not seen or spoken to in years.
He was an ex., she thought as she tried to rationalize her behavior to herself. It was not like he was a complete stranger and she just ripped off her clothes and had sex with within minutes of being alone and in a bedroom together. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to determine her next steps. Should she leave? Stay? It was later in the afternoon by now, and she had wanted to discover what had been done with the cabins. She needed to piece together what the status of the inn was in order to develop her plans.
There wasn’t time for this – whatever this was. She wasn’t that kind of girl, whatever that meant.
“Just relax,” he whispered, laying his hand over her shoulders. “I can feel the tension rising up in you, while you try to figure out your next steps.”
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, lifting her head from his chest. God, he was gorgeous. She had forgotten how handsome he was. She had pushed his memory away, just like she’d pushed all the memories of Vermont away when she left. It had been suffocating to stay and wait for Annie to return. She had left to survive and move on. She had left him behind – simply walked away from this man that loved her.
They gazed into each other’s eyes. Emotions began to rise in her for this man as he held her in his arms. Her eyes began to well with unshed tears as the beginning edge of her feelings rose up from the depths of her soul, where she had kept them under lock and key.
Abruptly, he kissed her lightly, and turned over in the bed. His back was to her as he pulled the covers around him, leaving her unceremoniously uncovered in the middle of the bed. “I’m going to nap before I head back out on the trail. I have to be out there for a few days.”
He snuggled into the pillows, getting comfortable and settling down. Then he immediately addressed her. “See you around. Shut the door tight when you leave.” He settled in and closed his eyes while she sat stunned on the side of the bed.
Dumbfounded by his lack of overture and sudden indifference to their afternoon tryst, she quietly located her clothing. She grew more insulted and disgusted with herself as she pulled on each article, yanking up her shorts and shoving her feet into her sandals. Kevin began to snore, further pushing her over the edge.
Heading out the door, she shoved it closed, making a loud bang as it closed against her efforts. She was mad now. She had not wanted him to pursue her, and yet she had thrown herself at him the minute they were alone. As she was thinking of a way to gracefully leave and act as though the afternoon hadn’t happened, he had just pushed her aside and asked her to close the door on her way out!
She stalked back to the inn, covering the path at double the speed she had coming over, her feet crunching loudly in the gravel. Jim had moved from his afternoon siesta, but she failed to notice.
She yanked open the back door to the inn and let it close behind her with a bang. “Hey!” yelled a chorus from the kitchen as she stomped her way up the back stairs to the third floor. She charged into her room, where she slammed the door closed behind her.
She ripped off her clothes, throwing them where they fell and stepped into a scalding shower. She immediately poured bodywash all over her skin to remove the scent of him.
Then the sobs came, silent and wracking at first. They grew into hearty cries as she wept, releasing the feelings that had been kept under her strong façade for so long. Long moments passed as she sobbed and sobbed. Her tears streamed down, washing away in the stream from the shower. Over and over, she gasped and moaned, letting the grief and sorrow leave her.
After a long time, with her fingers wrinkled and her gut sore from her sobs, she turned off the water. She wrapped herself in a soft bath towel and flopped down on the bed exhausted and strangely relieved.
She wrapped herself, still damp, in her bedclothes and closed her eyes. She was drained.
Because maybe, just maybe, she had wanted Kevin to want her.
Chapter 14
The past few days had been quiet after the break-in with her car and her encounter with Kevin. His absence had given her the space she needed to think things through and explore her feelings toward him more. It was clear that she still had a strong attraction to the man – the sexual connection to him was visceral. He had been her first love after all, and much of their relationship had revolved around getting away to be alone together.
The potential of their relationship had been stymied by Annie’s sudden disappe
arance. Her feelings of guilt and worry about Annie had clouded the last year of their time together. Kevin had been supportive, since he had similar feelings about Annie, but he couldn’t fully understand the depth and misgivings that she had felt. She had pushed him away, and eventually left him and her aunt behind. Their relationship did not survive the distance, and admittedly, she didn’t even try to make it work. At the time, she had needed to put space between herself and this place. The distance had lessened the heartache over her missing cousin.
Now, she felt grateful for this time, where she could sort out her feelings without Kevin around. She knew, based on his nonchalant response to her, that he did not harbor any depth of emotion for her. She had just been a convenient option presented in his bedroom the other day when he was naked. She had clearly only been affected by the environment and her memories of him.
Today, she dove into the inn’s business records and had made significant headway in creating a business plan as she reacquainted herself with the overall operations of the inn. Gina had offered further insight and guidance into the potential for the restaurant. She was grateful to have included her on this trip – not only was she an easy guest and travel companion, but she also offered endless depths of information on restaurant management. She truly brought enthusiasm and vision for expanding the dining area.
At the advice of Victor’s attorney, she had opened a new business account, and was forming a new corporation to manage the inn, instead of using what had been established and long used by Ada. This move untangled her from any dubious transactions that could have occurred when her aunt was ill. Apparently, the attorney had uncovered irregularities regarding the inn operations and was digging into it more deeply under Victor’s direction. They had both advised her to not worry about it and told her she should start fresh with a new account and funding.
She planned to follow their direction, but instinctually, felt that something was amiss, simply due to the diversion from Victor. Telling her ‘not to worry’ was an invitation to be concerned from her perspective. He knew she would inquire about the irregularities, but she also knew her stepfather kept information close to his chest before he would divulge his conclusions. She respected that about him. He was not one for gossip or rumors, particularly in business, where there were reputations at stake.
Victor had transferred a substantial sum to the new business accounts, and Christina had been mortified at her inexperience in terms of what was needed for start-up funds. She quickly realized that her expertise was in the overall operations, not in the start-up activities. Victor had assured her that he was considering it an investment, and that he knew she would pay him back eventually, regardless of whether she sold the inn or if she continued to run the business. Her drive for independence was ingrained, and she fervently wished that she didn’t need to be subsidized by family. She was Victor’s only child – even though he was only her stepfather – and she knew he supported her out of love, but she did not want to rely on his money. She needed to continue to establish herself as a strong, independent woman.
Victor’s money would support operations for several months as she made decisions, and either got the inn running or sold. This infusion of cash really helped her to focus on making a good business decision, instead of being influenced by the need to make immediate money. She was unsure about the need for renovations, and should she decide to keep the inn, wondered how that work would be funded. She would like to avoid debt if possible, and since the profit margins would be narrow for the first years, seeking alternatives would be the best strategy to consider.
Last night, she and Gina had a call with the operators of The Inn at Stowe that had been referred by the attorney. It had been enlightening conversation in that there were many opportunities to have the inn run in a similar fashion with seasonal outdoor activities and special events such as weddings and formal parties. The owner of The Inn at Stowe happened to be on her way back from a long weekend on Cape Cod and promised to stop by that afternoon on her way home. She had been excited that Christina had contacted her, as she had not ever been inside the Stone House Inn and was eager to see the historic building.
Christina was inspired by the possibilities she had seen offered at The Inn at Stowe. Even if she opted to sell the property, there were other potential opportunities for the property that would make it appealing to anyone that was interested in running it as an inn.
This morning, Jeremy was going to bring by the developer who was interested in buying the land surrounding the inn. Back in her youth, Christina had not visualized the full expanse of the property that her aunt owned. The overall acreage was surrounded by national forest, except for the few farms along the road into town. The expanse of land was impressive to someone that was used to living in the close quarters of New York City.
As she knew from all her years with Kevin, land took attention and maintenance with trees and hazard avoidance. Not to mention, expansive property came with high taxes and liability, which concerned Christina. Right now, the land around the inn was not posted, and was open for hunting and other outdoor activities. She needed to have a conversation with the attorney and insurance company to determine if there needed to be any action taken, or if there were any risks if she decided to expand amenities and offer outdoor activities. When she opened her mind to the possibilities of risk with the land ownership, the prospect of selling became more enticing.
A low growl from the dog under her feet indicated Jeremy was approaching the office as footsteps sounded in the hallway. The recently named Chipper had become her constant companion since he had found the two women on the trail in the woods. So far, no one had claimed him as their missing dog, although his picture was all over Facebook and the Sheriff’s website. She had grown fond of the animal who was determined to not leave her side. Maude and Jim had adopted him as well. She caught Maude in the act of feeding him some choice table scraps last night, so she wasn’t alone in liking the mangy mutt.
Jeremy knocked on the open door. “Hi there. Aren’t we looking productive?” he commented, his eyes taking in the newly neat and orderly office. “The developers are just behind me and should be arriving shortly. Do you want to meet in the front room? It’s more private.”
“Let’s go into the dining room,” she offered. “There is a bit more space to spread out.”
A shadow passed over Jeremy’s face and was gone as quickly as it had arrived. He placed an overly cheery smile on his lips, but the fake smile did not reach his eyes. “It’s a bit open, don’t you think?” he asked.
“Its fine. I’ve nothing to hide,” she added, gathering a notepad and pen, and heading out of the tiny office toward the dining area.
The small office seemed to be made more confining with Jeremy’s arrival. She found herself uncomfortable when she was close to him, and the confines of her Aunt’s old office exacerbated the feeling.
Maude was in the dining room, brushing a feather duster over the windowsills that looked out onto the patio and stone walls just beyond. The morning sun shone brightly through the gleaming windows. “We’re going to have a meeting in here shortly,” Christina advised Maude, “Is there any coffee left or maybe muffins? Really anything of the sort would be great.”
Maude turned and smiled at Christina, ignoring Jeremy completely. “Sure thing, Hon. I’ll bring some in.”
Jeremy’s face changed to a snide expression, but he failed to make further comment. It was clear from the set of his shoulders and his stiff expression that he was displeased with Christina’s setup for the meeting. He refrained from commenting, and Christina chose to ignore the derisive look he gave her.
He was getting more difficult to be around, and her patience with him rapidly degenerated at every turn. Clearly, he was dismayed at the loss of control he was experiencing as Christina took over the inn and sifted through the business records to make an informed decision to keep or sell the inn. As they settled into their seats at the large dining table, Jere
my looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but then quickly looked away, all while rubbing his hands on his thighs.
Christina noted a sheen of perspiration on his forehead and the dark circles under his eyes. He kept quiet while they waited, for which she was thankful. She was not feeling generous to share her business plans with him or to ask further questions of him. It was apparent that he was aware of her change in demeanor toward him. Undoubtedly, he still held out hope that she would still engage him in the overall business and there would be a role for him in the plans.
They both heard the heavy front door of the inn closing and Jeremy leapt to his feet to quickly attend to the expected visitors. Christina pledged to herself to keep an open mind to the discussion they were about to have, as she followed Jeremy to greet the team from the development group.
Much later, after several cups of coffee and a few freshly baked cookies conjured by Maude; Christina’s mind hummed as she studied the large map of the property that the group had left behind with her. They presented a professionally put together presentation, along with prototype sketches of the proposed buildings, which would house the condos they were planning to build if she accepted the deal. It was all a bit mind-boggling to absorb, especially with the enormous offer they had provided to buy the property from her.
She was dumfounded at the amount they were willing to pay for something that she did nothing to own. From her own assessment, she knew that sum would be more than substantial to support the inn into the future and provide a nice living for her. The developers were not interested in the inn itself or the immediately surrounding property. The tract of land that they were interested in would set them close to the ski area toward the east, therefore attracting more buyers and renters for their condos than the property immediately alongside the inn. Therefore, the overall tranquility of the inn would not be impacted directly, per their explanation.
