by Holly Jaymes
“Listen, I’ve got a guest area at my place. Why don’t you come home with me? We can arrange to get your car towed to a mechanic.”
She looked at me for a long moment, and I wondered if maybe hard feelings from nine years ago were still there. Or maybe she thought I might touch her again.
“You’ll have your own space,” I said. “I won’t make any moves.”
Duke barked from my truck, startling Hope.
I grinned. “That’s Duke. He’ll protect you too.”
Her expression appeared resigned, and I tried not to be offended that she seemed to wish anyone other than me had stopped to help her.
“Yes, thank you, Mitch.”
“Do you have a bag or something?”
She opened her truck, and I put her bags in the back of my SUV. “You moving to the woods?’ I asked, noting the amount of luggage she had.
“I’m supposed to stay for a month. I’m on a retreat of sorts.”
“Oh?” I opened the passenger side door for her. “Duke, get in the back.” I wiped the seat of any dog hair and then helped her in.
“I’m planning to finally start my design company.”
I smiled. “Awesome, Hope. That’s great.” I shut her door and then went to the driver’s side and got in. “I’d have thought you’d be in New York already.”
She shrugged. “I got sidelined.”
I knew she worked for her father, but I hadn’t kept close tabs on her. I always had this fear that if I asked Parker about her, he’d figure out that I had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
She was quiet the rest of the way until I pulled in front of my home. “Wow,” she said as he looked toward the house. “This is bigger than the lodge.”
“Not quite.” It was bigger than I needed, but I liked having lots of open space. I helped her out and then went to the back of the truck and pulled out her bags.
I unlocked and opened the front door. “Lights on,” I said. The great room lit up.
“Wow, a smart house?” she said, taking in the open space that made up the living area.
“Gabe’s idea,” I said.
She walked towards the back where full floor to ceiling windows held the view of the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge.
“That’s right. He had that home renovation show. What’s he doing now?” She asked, looking out the windows. It was dark, so there wasn’t much to see, so perhaps she was trying to avoid looking at me.
“He’s married and has a kid,” I said. I walked to the kitchen. “I have an extension off the kitchen you can stay in. It’s away from the rest of the house so you can have your space.” I hoped that might make her feel more comfortable.
The extension was actually like its own little cabin connected to the house by a long, enclosed breezeway. At one time, I thought I’d have a home office and start working again, but in the end, I turned it into a guest area even though I never had guests.
“I heard you sold your company,” she said as she followed me toward the guest area.
“Yep.” Her brother Parker, now a successful lawyer, had helped me broker the billion-dollar deal.
“You don’t get bored out here all by yourself?”
I laughed. “You sound like my mother.” I turned the lights on and put her bags down. “No. I’m quite content here.”
“This is more than a room,” she said, looking around. “It’s like a suite.”
“There’s a bedroom in there and a full bath. It’s never been used so you’ll need to tell me if it needs anything.”
She stood in the middle of the room, looking over the space, while I remained at the door.
When she turned toward me, I got my first real good look at her in the light since picking her up by the side of the road.
Christ, she was beautiful and even more so than I remembered. She was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty, but not in a fake way. She wore dark jeans and a white t-shirt with a light swath of lace along the collar. It was a basic outfit, and yet there was something about the style that made it pretty and stylish. That was Hope, I remembered. She was not flashy and yet always gorgeous and sexy. I worked to ignore how her jeans showed off the curve of her hips or how the scoop of her t-shirt showed tantalizing swells of her breasts.
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“A little actually. But I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s not a problem. I’ve got plenty of food. Why don’t you get settled in here and when you’re ready, just come back to the kitchen, and we’ll find something for you to eat.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Mitch. Really.”
“It’s my pleasure, Hope.” I left her to get settled and headed back to the kitchen. Duke was in one of his giant pillow beds strewn throughout the house. He looked up at me as I entered the kitchen. “It’s nice to have company, isn’t it?” I asked him.
He jumped up and trotted toward me. I patted him, then washed my hands and began to go through my fridge and cupboards to find something to serve Hope. As I did, I felt a lightness in me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Perhaps my mom was right and all this alone time wasn’t a good thing. It would be nice to catch up with Hope, and maybe we could become friends again. I’d just need to keep my libido in check because that was one thing that hadn’t changed around her.
Book 3: Chapter 3—I Think I’ll Stay
I Think I’ll Stay
Hope
The last thing I wanted was to stay the night at Mitch’s house. Well, not the last thing. Being with Mitch was better than sitting in my car all night. And it was better than hoping a stranger wasn’t a strangler. But it was extremely awkward to be around him again, after nine years.
The truth was, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Since that night I’d handed him my V-card, and then he’d humiliated me with his regret and disappointment, I’d avoided him. Occasionally, my brother would mention something about him because they remained friends, but for the most part, I didn’t know Mitch anymore. The last thing I remembered my brother telling me was years ago when he’d been planning to take his tech company public, and then all of a sudden, sold it instead. My brother said it had to do with one of his managers or maybe it was his fiancé betraying him. The end result was that he sold his company and moved to the woods.
At the time, I’d imagined a tiny rustic cabin or even a cave. But this house was incredible. I wasn’t joking when I said it was like the lodge. Walking through the door, I noticed that the living area was huge, with ceilings up to the second level. There was a hall across the living area, but it was too dark to see how far it went back.
He walked me through the kitchen which had appliances that looked restaurant-grade to me. Did he like to cook?
The room he showed me was like a suite in a fancy hotel, with a living area, a bedroom with a king-sized bed, and a full bath. Why did he need this? Especially since he said it hadn’t been used yet.
I put the bag with my grooming case on the couch and opened it up. I pulled the case out and went to the bathroom. It had a large walk-in shower with the rain showerhead and a deep oval garden tub with jets. Looking at it made my body want to climb in for a soak. I looked in the mirror and sighed. I was vain enough to wish I’d made a better impression on him if only to make him regret what he could have had.
My hair was tangled, and my eyes looked tired. I pulled out my brush and brushed away the tangles and then put my hair up into a ponytail. I washed my face, pinching my cheeks to give them color. I wasn’t about to redo my makeup now. I wasn’t quite that vain.
Feeling a little more presentable, I wandered back through the enclosed breezeway to the kitchen. Halfway through, I could smell bacon and onions cooking. My stomach growled.
I entered the kitchen area where Mitch was at his stove, cooking something. It was the first time I could get a good look at him. He wore dark jeans and a t-shirt pulled tight around his shoulders. I’d thought he was pretty buff nine years ago, but he looked stronger and bi
gger than I’d remembered. Perhaps he worked out more with all his free time.
His head turned, and he smiled at me. “I hope you didn’t become a vegetarian. I mostly have meat and dairy.”
His face looked older now like he’d finally grown from young man to full-fledged man. He was still handsome, but the lightheartedness and spark in him was gone. I wondered what that was about. I wished I could remember what my brother had told me about Mitch being betrayed. Had that been what took the fire from his eyes and sent him to the woods?
“I like meat and dairy.” I moved closer to see what he was cooking.
“Omelet and bacon. Is that okay?”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
He served the omelet with a couple of pieces of bacon on a plate and handed it to me. “There’s a table there,” he said nodding to the other side of the island that had the stove. “Do you want anything to drink? I’ve got water, orange juice, wine, and beer. In the other room, I have a bar if you want something stronger.”
I thought I should order water, but I wanted wine. Hell, I wanted something stronger. I decided to settle for the wine. “I’d love a glass of wine.”
“Coming right up.”
I noted that he didn't have anything to eat. “You won’t be eating too?”
“I ate at my mom’s place. I’ll have a beer with you, though.”
I took a bite of my omelet as he got my wine. I was unable to hold back the groan at how delicious it was.
“You like it.” He smiled as he handed me the wine.
“Are you a chef?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I have a lot of time, and I fill it learning stuff. Cooking was one of the first things I learned, grilling actually.”
Sitting across from me, he stared at me for a moment and then looked down, as if he was uncomfortable too.
“How are your parents?” I asked.
“My mom is good. My father died about three years ago.”
My stomach dropped. Had Parker told me that? “Oh God, Mitch, I’m sorry I didn’t know.”
He looked at me for a moment. “Parker didn’t tell you?”
I shrugged, “I don't remember if he did.” That sounded horrible. “I’m so sorry. I know you were close to him. All you Sloane boys were.”
He played with the condensation on his beer bottle. “Yes. It was…unexpected.” He swallowed, and I realized the loss still got to him. Well, of course, it would. I couldn’t imagine getting over the loss of my parents either. Doing the math, I also realized that his selling of the company would have been around that time too.
He rolled his shoulders like he was pushing the melancholy away. “Mom is doing great, though. We have dinner with her every Sunday. I was on the way back when I saw you on the road.”
“Don’t remind me. Thank goodness you came by. I couldn’t decide what to do, and my phone didn’t work.” I took a bite of bacon and sighed contently. The three best foods in the world were chocolate, wine, and bacon.
“No, cell service is bad in some places. It’s good here though if you need to call anyone, Parker, your parents, or…whoever.”
I looked up from my eggs, wondering if he was fishing for information on whether or not there was a whoever in my life.
“I’ll text them and let them know I’m okay.” I decided not to clarify if there was someone besides my family in my life. It was none of his business. If he thought there was, that would ensure that he wouldn't think he could have a repeat of our time at the lake. Not that he’d given any indication that he’d like a repeat.
Goodness, Hope, you overthink. I took a breath. “So, Gabe married Sam after all.” I’d remembered hearing that they’d dated one summer, and then a few years ago, before Gabe ended his home rehabilitation show, he’d fixed up her home. I guessed that’s what brought them together.
“Yep. No surprise there. They have a baby now. Annabelle.” His smile was filled with genuine happiness. “She’s got all of us wrapped around her finger.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. “Congratulations, uncle. What about Nate and Will? They were real ladies’ men if I remember correctly.”
Mitch rolled his eyes as he took a drink of his beer. “Will is a master at it.”
“Are you jealous?”
Mitch’s eyes went dark for a moment, “No.”
“What about Nate?” I asked, wanting to get past whatever I’d said to make him go cold.
“Nate is married.” Mitch shook his head. “Surprised the hell out of all of us, except maybe Gabe. Still, one minute he was playing the field, and the next minute, he was married. Her name is Hallie. She’s really smart and sweet. She’s good for him.”
“I bought some of his stock when he went public,” I admitted.
Mitch grinned. “Is that funding your month-long retreat in the woods?”
“That and good saving strategies.”
“Last I heard from Parker, your folks were well, but you were thinking of making a move. I guess this is it?” Mitch asked.
I studied him, wondering what Parker had told him. It didn’t sound like he’d mentioned my dad’s business troubles. Well, I wasn’t going to tell him either.
“Yes. I’m ready to make a change.”
The silence in the room was broken when his dog came up to him. “Hey there, Duke.” Mitch patted him.
“Do you worry about becoming a cliché living in the woods with your dog?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It beats the cliché of the insufferable marriage.”
I flinched at his bitterness. He turned away for a minute. When he turned back, he’d put a smile in place. “Is your room alright?”
I nodded. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe no one has come to stay in it.”
“It was recently finished.” He took a chew toy his dog brought him and tossed it toward the living area. His dog immediately trotted after it. “Listen, Hope, I was thinking. The chances of your getting a room at the lodge or any hotel in the area this week is going to be pretty slim. Two big events are happening this week.”
My heart dropped, and I looked down at my empty plate. “I can’t believe my reservation was messed up. I guess I’ll be heading home tomorrow.” I could probably leave now. It’s not like it was a long way.
“If you’d like to have your retreat here, you can.”
My head snapped up. “What?”
His dog returned with the toy, which Mitch took and threw again. “I know this is important to you, and I want to help. The guest room is yours if you want it. You won’t be bothered. I’m generally busy, and when I’m not, I’m quiet. This place offers everything the lodge does without the expense.”
“Do you have a spa?”
I meant it as a joke, but Mitch held up his hands. “I’ve been known to give a good massage.”
My brain flitted back to the night he’s touched me with those large hands. I felt heat in my cheeks and hoped I wasn’t blushing.
“Do you do mani-pedi’s too?”
He laughed, and his face was the most relaxed I’d seen it since he’d picked up. “No. You’ll have to go to town for that. But I do cook, and there are great walking trails right out the backdoor if you need to be in nature.”
My mind was telling me I shouldn’t stay here, but I couldn’t think of a good reason not to. Yes, he’d seen me naked and then regretted it, but it was years ago. I’d been so young and naïve. Now we were both thirty, and not a slave to our desires. Not that any desire was happening. We could be rational adults.
He finished his bottle. “You can think about it. If you decide to stay and there’s anything you need, let me know.” He stood. “Duke. Bedtime.”
His dog took off down the other hall off of the living space. Mitch reached over and took my plate.
“I can do that,” I said.
He ignored me and brought the plate into the kitchen.
I sat at the table alone. Mitch was giving me the opportunity to fulfill the whole reason I wa
s in the mountains. I didn’t want to go home where I’d been feeling stifled and crowded.
“I’m heading to bed unless there’s anything you need,” he said as he came back around to this side of the kitchen island.
I stood. “I think I’d like to stay.”
He cocked his head like he was surprised, but then he smiled. “Good. Then I’ll see you in the morning.”
Book 3: Chapter 4—Setting the Record Straight
Setting the Record Straight
Mitch
I lay in bed that night feeling strange. I couldn’t pinpoint the actual emotions I was feeling. It had been nine years since I’d seen Hope, which in some ways was a lifetime. It was, in fact, nearly one-third of my life. But that time on the river was fresh in my mind like it was yesterday. I could remember the flirty sweetness of her smile, the lushness of her body as she went into the river, and the way her skin sparkled in the moonlight when she’d emerged from the water. And then there was how she felt in my arms. Her skin had been soft, her lips sweet, and her pussy was so tight, a part of me wondered if she’d been a virgin.
God, I hoped not. It was bad enough that my guilt made me not handle the situation right. If she’d been a virgin too, I’d deserve to go to hell.
Over the years, I didn’t see her, and I couldn’t help but think that was on purpose on her part. I couldn’t blame her. I’d hurt her, and I hated myself for it. She’d deserved better. A part of me wished I could have done better. I would have enjoyed dating her, but Parker would have probably kicked my ass.
But I never forgot that night. Even as I moved on, and met other women, there were times I thought of Hope. Heaven help me, but the night I asked Gwen to marry me on the beach in the Outer Banks, and later when we made love, Hope’s face was the vision in my head when I came. Guilt about killed me then too. I’d chalked it up to being along the water. Then again, maybe it was fate telling me to get as far away from Gwen, as fast as I could. I wished I had.