The Woodsman

by Blake North

  “You're right. I know. I don't know why I feel it's any of my business anyway. I mean, this is probably only a fling. I'll leave next week, and I'll never see him again.”

  Emily was quiet for several long seconds. “You like him.”

  I sighed. “I do, but it could just be a crush. An infatuation. He is so different than Mark.”

  “Thank God,” she muttered.

  I laughed. “All right, thanks for chatting with me. I need to finish getting ready for our first date.”

  She snorted. “Only you would have sex with a man before the first date.”

  “Hey! I’m only borrowing a page from your book.”

  The sound of her giggling warmed my soul. I loved her like a sister and was so glad she was in my life.

  “Have fun, and I want to hear all the dirty details later.”

  “Bye,” I said and ended the call.

  The cell phone booster I’d picked up in town was worth the cost. I thought about leaving it behind when I left in case he did want to call me. I wanted to eliminate any excuses for why he couldn't text or call when I was in Florida and he was here all by himself.

  I heard the front door open and then the shower running. He was in the shower again after working up a sweat with all the chopping. I debated joining him but quickly scratched that thought. It had taken me too long to get dressed the first time. I went to the living room to wait for him.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  I looked up, and my heart melted. He was a walking fantasy. His jeans were snug, and the blue shirt he had tucked in was stretched tightly across his broad chest and shoulders. He hadn’t bothered shaving, which I really liked. I loved that dark shadow that gave him a dangerous yet sexy look.

  I stood and walked to him, kissing him on the lips with the help of my heeled boots. I barely had to stretch that far up.

  “You look nice,” he said, kissing me back.

  “Thank you. So do you.”

  “Let me start the truck.”

  He walked to the keys hanging on a hook near the door, pushed a button on the key fob and turned back to me.

  He read the look on my face and laughed. “Yes, we have remote start out here in the sticks. We aren't completely backwoods.”

  I laughed too. “I guess I assumed we would be jumping into some really old truck with windows you have to actually roll down.”

  He shook his head. “I do have one of those, but we’ll take my newer Ford. It's a bit more comfortable.”

  I nodded and waited for him to return to usher me out the door.

  After hanging out in the cabin for several minutes, he declared the truck warm enough, and we left. When I stepped out on the porch, I was very surprised to see the newer Ford he’d referenced.

  He lifted me into the truck after it became apparent my tight skirt was not going to make it easy for me to hike my foot up on the running board, so I could climb in on my own. Once inside, I sank into the leather seats that were already warm. Of course, he had heated seats.

  He jumped into the driver's seat, pushed a button engaging the four-wheel-drive and off we went. I felt completely safe with him at the wheel. He would know how to navigate these roads. Plus, the amount of steel surrounding us made me feel a lot better. If we hit a tree, I would think the tree would fall over rather than put up a fight like the one I had hit with that too-small car.

  The drive took about thirty minutes. When he pulled into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant, I smiled. I loved Italian.

  He helped me out of the truck and guided me into the restaurant with his large hand splayed across the small of my back.

  “Chase!” A middle-aged woman with black hair piled on her head greeted us as we walked through the door.

  “Hi, Carmen,” he said, hugging the woman.

  “Madison, this is Carmen. Carmen is my Aunt Liza's best friend.”

  “Her only friend,” Carmen said with a smile.

  Chase's smile faded a little. “You're probably right.”

  “I'm so glad you're here. Come, come, let me get you the best table in the house,” she said, grabbing a couple of menus as she walked by the hostess station.

  bodyA young girl with the same dark hair as Carmen watched as we went by. I saw her staring at Chase and knew right away the girl had a crush. She looked at me and glared. I smiled, but she wasn’t having it.

  We sat down, and I quickly reviewed the menu. I don't know why I bothered. I already knew I wanted lasagna. Chase agreed, and we both ordered lasagna and bread.

  Carmen brought us our plates and announced it was on the house.

  “Carmen, you don’t have to do that,” Chase argued.

  “No, no, I want to. I haven't seen you in so long. This is my welcome home gift to you,” she said with tears in her eyes.

  He looked at me, and I could tell he was uneasy. She left, and we devoured our food.

  “Oh my God. That was amazing,” I exclaimed, feeling full and very satisfied.

  “I better go say hi to Frank,” he said, pushing his chair back and standing. “I'll be right back.” He turned and headed into the kitchen.

  I sat there, alone, looking around the fairly empty restaurant.

  Carmen appeared out of nowhere and sat down in the seat Chase had vacated.

  “He looks so happy!” she said.

  I smiled. “Good. He seems happy.”

  “It's you. I haven't seen him this happy in years,” she said, reaching out to grab my hand.

  “Really? His mom's death must have been very hard on him.”

  She gave me a strange look. “He hasn't told you?”

  “Told me what? About his mom? He told me she passed away.”

  She pulled her hand back. “Oh.”

  “Oh, what? What should he have told me?” I asked, fighting back a feeling of unease.

  “Nothing, nothing. I've said too much. Just know you've brought a smile to his face that I haven't seen in a long time. I'm grateful he found someone like you to make him happy again.”

  She stood up and quickly left the table. I sat there, feeling as if the world had tilted a little. I knew he had been hiding something, and now I had confirmation.

  What, though? What was his big secret?

  When he returned, I stood. I wanted to get back to the cabin.

  “Did you want dessert?” he asked.

  I smiled and shook my head. “No, thank you. I am so full, I don't think I could eat another bite.”

  He took my hand in his, and we walked out of the restaurant together. The truck was already running and warm. The ride back to the cabin was quiet, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I couldn't stop thinking about what Carmen had said.

  Chase Nichols had a past. Big deal, so did everyone. But something told me his past was a little more unusual than most. I needed to decide how far I wanted to push the issue.

  When we arrived at the cabin, he escorted me inside. Without saying a word, I headed for the bedroom to change. I was exhausted, and the bed looked far too inviting to ignore. I lay down, planning to rest my eyes for a minute before joining him in the living room.

  My full belly, the comfortable bed, and the exhaustion were too much to fight, however, and before I knew it, I was sound asleep.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Chase

  It was early, and since I had slept on the couch the night before, I didn't have to worry about waking Madison when I got up. The fire was still burning low, so I added a few logs to keep it going. Madison had gone to bed without a word the night before and I couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened at dinner that had bothered her. She had seemed fine, if not a little quiet, on the ride back from town, but when she hadn’t come back out of the bedroom, I thought maybe something was up. Maybe she was starting to regret her time with me.

  I wanted to make her breakfast, but we were out of bacon. I knew she liked bacon, and I wanted to make her happy. Madison made me want to take care of her, spoil her an
d show her she was special. I knew the woman loved food. I figured that was as good a place as any to start. I quietly dressed in the bathroom and headed out the door. It didn't take long to reach the small convenience store at the bottom of the mountain.

  I got home and quickly got to work in the kitchen. I was hoping to surprise her with breakfast in bed, but my plans were ruined when she came into the kitchen bleary-eyed but smiling.

  “Sorry I bailed on you last night,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and looking damned adorable.

  I shrugged, trying to play it off. “No worries,” I said casually.

  “I was just so full and tired, I went to lay down for just a few minutes and I passed out completely until I had to pee this morning,” she said, shaking her head.

  I hated the whoosh of relief that flooded my body. She hadn’t been angry or upset, just full and tired. Jesus, what the fuck was happening to me? I had never been inclined to get all worked up over what a woman thought of me. There was something about this particular woman though, that was very different.

  “Coffee?” she asked.

  “In the pot on the stove.”

  She looked at the kitchen stove where I was standing. “No, the woodstove. I like to percolate it when I have time.”

  “Oh,” she said, walking to the stove with a cup in her hand. “This is old school. My dad used to make it like this when we went camping. I never tried it back then, but he said it was one of his favorite things about camping. That and all the stars you could see.”

  “Definitely two of the best parts about camping, which is why I live where I do. I get that every day of the year if I want,” I said with a smile.

  She blew on her full cup and took a sip. “Wow, there is a difference. That is really good.”

  I nodded and continued to cook.

  We sat and ate our breakfast together and then enjoyed a leisurely cup of coffee in front of the fire. I was really enjoying spending time with her. I knew that, in all likelihood, she would leave and go back to Florida, and the thought hit me like a fist in the gut.

  “I'm going to call Mark today,” she said out of nowhere, startling me from my thoughts.

  “Oh, yeah? And what are you going to say?” I asked, trying to hide the anxiousness in my voice.

  “I'm going to let him know we’re through. I can't be with him. He hasn’t been what I want in a really long time.”

  I nodded, excited, but not wanting to let her know how thrilled I was to hear the news.

  “What made you come to that conclusion?” I asked.

  She looked at me, tilted her head to the side. “I had to clear my head and figure out what I wanted. I mean, I guess it is kind of you because you showed me what it's like to be treated like you matter.”

  “You do matter, and he's an idiot if he can’t see that.”

  “Thank you.”

  “What about when you go home?” I asked, knowing she may feel differently once she saw him again, and I was nothing but a memory.

  “I'll give him his ring, pack up the few things he has at my place, and send it all back to him. I know he isn't going to be heartbroken. I don't know why I waited so long to do this. We've been over for a long time. I guess I didn't like the idea of failing at yet another relationship,” she explained.

  I shrugged. “No one likes to fail at anything, but it happens. Learn from those mistakes, pick yourself up, and move on.”

  She smiled. “You seem to be speaking from experience.”

  “Maybe,” I said, not wanting to get into that conversation. If all I had with her was another week, then I wanted to use it to enjoy one another, and not ever have to see the look of disappointment on her face when she learned my secret.

  “I'm dreading this but looking forward to it at the same time if that makes any sense,” she moaned, running a hand through her long hair.

  “It does. I'll be here if you need me.”

  She smiled. “I'll be fine. Trust me. This is going to be a short conversation, assuming he even answers the phone.”

  “Okay, I'll give you some privacy. I'm going to get some wood and bring it on the porch.”

  “Thank you.”

  I walked out and left her alone. I had only managed to split a few logs before I felt her behind me. I turned, ax hanging at my side and saw her looking like her world had crumbled.

  I dropped the ax. “What happened?” I said, wrapping my arms around her, and immediately feeling protective.

  She was out here in the chilly air with nothing more than a T-shirt and jeans on and a pair of tennis shoes. She shivered violently against me, and I opened my jacket and bundled her into me.

  She buried her face in my chest. After a few minutes, she pushed away from me. “Sorry. I don't know why I did that. Cry, I mean. I should be elated. I think they’re happy tears. Maybe a little sadness over losing what I thought I had.”

  “What'd he say?” I asked.

  Her eyes narrowed. “That he’s been cheating on me for months.”

  “What a dick,” I offered, wanting to show her I was completely on her side in this.

  She threw her head back and laughed. “He really is,” she said, swiping at the tears that had stained her cheeks.

  “I'm sorry,” I said, though I wanted to say so much more. I wanted to tell her he was the biggest idiot in the world if he hadn’t seen in years what had only taken me a week to see. I wanted to tell her she didn’t have to go back to Florida, that she could stay with me and we could be happy. But I didn’t. I didn’t think she needed to hear that right now.

  “Don't be. I'm really relieved. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I can't wait to tell Emily,” she said, her eyes lighting up.

  “Emily?” I asked.

  “My best friend. She’s been encouraging me to dump him for quite a while now. She’ll be very happy to hear I finally did it. But right now, I want to enjoy this moment with you. I have to admit, I felt a little guilty after the other night, but not anymore.”

  When I opened my mouth to apologize, she stopped me.

  “It wasn't your fault. I wanted it. I practically begged for it. In my heart, I knew it was over with Mark, but what we did didn't sit well with my conscience. I want you to know I'm not like that. I don't meet a man and sleep with him when I have a boyfriend back home,” she said nervously.

  I nodded. “Good to know. I’m sorry if you felt pressured. I shouldn't have asked you to stay I suppose.”

  “No!” she said so loud I took a step back. “No, no, no. Don't you dare think this had anything to do with you. I came here with the sole purpose of finding a way to break up with Mark. You were a bonus,” she said with a cheesy grin.

  I stepped close to her again. “A bonus?”

  Her arms came around my waist. “A very big bonus.”

  “You're cold. You have to start wearing a coat when you come outside. This isn't Florida,” I lectured.

  “I know you'll keep me warm,” she whispered.

  I pulled her in close, and she looked up at me with expectation. One of my hands came up to brush a strand of hair from her face.

  She closed her eyes in a blatant invitation that I wasn't about to turn down. My lips crushed down on hers, and my body responded in ways I had never experienced before. It felt like all cylinders firing. I went from zero to hard and horny in a split second. There was no guilt. No hesitation. I could do as I wished without worrying about some yahoo back in Florida.

  Her mouth opened under mine, and I swiped my tongue over hers. I swallowed a moan from her and was lost. I had to have her. I lifted my mouth from hers, grabbed her hand and practically dragged her back inside the cabin where I planned to fuck her long and hard. I wanted to make her come more times than she could count. We had all day. There was no one around to answer to. I could take my fill of her, and I planned to enjoy every second I had with this woman.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Madison

  I ha
d to run to keep up with him as he pulled me up the porch and into the cabin. Once inside, his need for me was palpable. He turned to me, yanking clothes every which way in a feverish effort to get naked. I felt his need, and it was feeding my own. My hands felt clumsy. I wanted to feel his skin against my own. I craved the feeling of those curly little hairs on his chest pushed against my nipples.

  He managed to get me mostly naked within seconds of kicking the front door closed, but he was still wearing his jeans. We made our way to the bedroom, our mouths and hands frantic. He pushed me toward the bed, unbuttoning his jeans as he walked. I watched with anticipation as he stepped out of his boxers and jeans. Seeing his massive cock in the bright light of day sent a shiver of excitement through my body.

  The first time had been good, but I could tell by the passion in his eyes that this time he was going to make me scream with pleasure. I welcomed it. Hell, I fucking wanted it as much as he did.

  “Lie down,” he ordered.

  I crawled on the bed and lay flat on my back in the center, my body completely exposed to him. He stared at me before moving forward, his eyes hot with desire as he took in the sight of me from top to toe.

  He crawled on the bed and began to lazily kiss my breasts, nipping at my nipples and causing me to cry out in ecstasy. His mouth traveled over my belly and stopped just above the small landing strip of hair covering my pussy.

  “This is fucking hot,” he breathed out, the breath floating across my exposed skin like butterfly wings.

  He ran a finger down my slit before diving in with his tongue. He used one hand to spread my legs. His broad shoulders had me spreading them wider as his tongue deftly moved up and in my pussy, his teeth nibbling and pulling at my lips, making me wetter than I had ever been. I could feel my juices pooling beneath me, but I couldn't come. He was doing it on purpose, bringing me to the brink and then pulling his tongue away.

  “Chase,” I moaned. “Please. I need it.”