“Over there is where my parents told us we were adopting another sister, who turned out to be Liling.”
“By that park is where I got my first kiss.”
“Zane beat up a guy over there so bad, he got sent to the hospital.”
“Rick got arrested there. By the woman who helped him become a cop.”
Getting the tour like this felt incredibly personal, like I was getting a glimpse into the intimate details of the Wright family.
We stopped by a huge fire pit to warm our hands as Chuck continued to tell stories, some funny, and some more tragic. Throughout all of it, I just wanted more. More interactions with these people Chuck felt honored to call family. More Chuck.
“Don’t look now, but your ex just joined us across the fire.” Chuck’s whispered warning was accompanied by his hand gripping my hip tightly.
I reached down and tangled my fingers with his, glancing up through my eyelashes across the fire at Greg. He hadn’t noticed us, and part of me wanted to just take off running before he had the chance. The only thing keeping me from running away was the fact that Chuck was there with me, and I would’ve looked insane.
Greg pulled out his phone, and a moment later, my own started to ring.
I cursed under my breath as he looked across the fire and locked eyes with me.
Chuck’s grip on my hand tightened as Greg walked around to join us.
“Hey, Aub. Can we talk?” Greg shuffled his feet a little, in shoes entirely impractical for the weather. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever actually been skiing in his life, or if that was as big a lie as our relationship had been.
I purposely unclenched my jaw and looked up at Chuck. “Wait here for me? I’ll be back soon.”
“You got it. Take your time.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek, and it took everything not to just stay there in his arms.
Instead, I squeezed his hand again and turned to Greg. “There’s a coffee shop over there.”
Greg pressed his palm to my lower back, and I pulled away as we walked. “No. You don’t get to touch me anymore. We can talk, but you will not touch me like that.”
He frowned but didn’t say anything as he held the shop door open for me. “I’ll order you a drink. Why don’t you pick a table?”
The shop was nearly empty. I took the table near the window, smiling as I watched Chuck clap someone on the back in a friendly hug.
A few minutes later, Greg set down a mug in front of me.
I picked it up, just to set it back down again. The inch and a half of whipped cream turned my nose up. I kept it between my hands for the warmth but had no desire to drink what I could only assume was a sickly-sweet beverage. Turning my attention away from Chuck, I looked expectantly at Greg.
He sat across from me and stared at me as he sipped his coffee, his scowl obvious.
“Greg, what do you want to say?”
“Aub, I…” He sighed. “You know, we just need to put this whole thing behind us, so we can go back to New York. I know the wedding was overwhelming. We never should’ve let your mother plan the whole thing. Come home. We’ll find a little church, we’ll just invite a couple friends, our parents, and then we can take off somewhere tropical for our honeymoon.” He looked out the window and shook his head. “Who convinced you that Aspen was a good idea for a honeymoon?”
I shook my head as well, an exasperated sigh escaping my lips. “Is that all you have to say?” I stood. “I saw you, Greg. I know what you were doing with Mindi.”
His jaw dropped and he tensed up, gripping his coffee mug so tightly I worried it would break.
“I’m not going back to New York with you, Greg. We’re over. When I get home from the honeymoon that I planned, thinking that you would enjoy it, you need to be out of my house.” I glanced down at the drink. “And I fucking hate coffee drinks with whipped cream on them.”
“Aubrey.” He reached out and grabbed my arm, holding me in place. “Wait. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you saw. Please, sit down. I’ll get you another drink. Anything you want. No whip, I promise. I can’t live without you. You’re my fiancée. Please, come back with me to New York. We’ll get married, have the kids you know you want, and we can put this whole messy thing behind us. I didn’t mean to hurt you, baby. I was weak. She came on to me.”
I tugged his hand off my arm and shook my head. “Greg, I know this isn’t your town, but I still don’t want to make a scene. So why don’t you just go back to your hotel room, the one that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you’re sharing with Mindi, and tomorrow, go back to New York. Pack up all your shit and get the hell out of my house.”
Before he could say another word, I turned on my heel and strode out while I still had some dignity left.
The night was even colder than when I’d gone into the coffee shop, and I stuffed my hands deep into my pockets as I hurried away from the shop as quickly as I could.
“Aubrey? Aubrey, wait,” a male voice called after me.
I hurried faster, almost running.
“Aubrey, slow down. It’s me, Chuck.”
Taking a deep breath, I stopped. “Oh, god, Chuck, I forgot you were waiting for me.” I put my head in my hands. “Can you take me back to the chalet?”
“Of course. Anything you need.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged, sniffing a little. “I just want to get out of here.”
22
Chuck
Aubrey sat next to me as I drove, but she might as well not have been there at all, for how stiff and distant she was. She said nothing as I parked in the driveway.
I wanted to remind her she wanted us to stay together for the rest of her stay. I’d cleared my calendar for the rest of her time here, wanting to spend as much of it with her as I could. But she was going through so much, I just couldn’t do it. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
She half-nodded and got out of the Jeep without even looking at me.
I watched as she walked into the chalet, closing the door behind her, and let the engine idle while my mind raced. I could’ve pummeled that jerk for hurting her, and for bringing it all right back up again tonight. I wanted to push my way into the chalet, to kiss her and hold her until she smiled again. Nothing felt right.
The door of the rental opened, and my heart leapt.
But Aubrey wasn’t running toward me, she wasn’t smiling or giving any indication that coming back out was her choice.
I got out of the Jeep and stayed by my open door. “What’s wrong?”
“The chalet’s freezing. I tried to turn up the heat, but nothing’s happening.”
I shut off the car and moved past her, ignoring my instincts to pull her into my arms and find a way to comfort her. I didn’t even get through the front door before I knew that it was more than just a faulty thermostat. It wasn’t just cold. I could see my breath.
“You can’t stay here, Aubrey. Come back to my cabin with me. I’ll sleep on the couch. You don’t even have to talk to me.” I didn’t want to turn around, but I did. My gaze met hers. “Please, come with me. I’ll fix it in the morning.” Of course, I’d be lucky if the pipes didn’t freeze.
Aubrey looked down at her shoes and sighed. “I’m sorry.” She reached for my hands, and I pulled her in close.
“You don’t have to apologize for anything. You didn’t break the furnace.”
“Not for that.” She looked up at me and leaned her head against my shoulder. “I’m sorry I walked past you at the firepit. I’m sorry I was so cold and distant. I’m—”
I silenced her with a kiss, cupping the back of her head as my mouth slanted over hers. “Whatever that dick said to you, he’s not worth it.”
She snuggled into me. “Don’t sleep on the couch tonight. Stay with me.”
I smiled softly and held her, happy to have her in my arms again and not completely shut down. “Let’s get you somewhere warm. We can talk about sleeping arrangements later.”
>
Aubrey leaned her cheek on my shoulder and sighed again. “I’m glad you were still here. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you’d left.”
“You would’ve called, and I would’ve turned right back around to get you.” I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. “Let’s get in the car. I can feel you shivering.”
I helped her into the passenger seat. I knew I should close the door, but instead I leaned in and pressed my mouth to hers. Aubrey melted into my kiss, leaning into me as my tongue slicked along hers. I tangled my fingers in her hair and groaned as I pulled away. “Okay, I’m driving us back to my house. And we’re going straight to bed.”
She traced her finger down my jaw, her eyes locked on my mouth. Her gaze flickered to mine. “Together?”
“Only if I get to strip you naked and kiss you all over.” I kissed her neck and turned away before I locked my lips to hers again. “Okay, driving.”
Aubrey laughed and shook her head. “If we’re going to get to your cabin, yes, you probably should.”
I closed her door and headed around to the driver’s seat. I wanted so badly to just drag her back into the chalet and kiss her and touch her until she forgot about Mindi and Greg, and everything they’d put her through. But we couldn’t very well stay in a freezing chalet again, not when there wasn’t even residual heat.
I drove quickly to the cabin, my hand high on her thigh. Every chance I got, I stole a look at her, and at red lights, I couldn’t help but kiss her.
“I’m sorry I left you to talk to Greg.” Aubrey looked down at her lap and clenched her hands together.
I reached over and took her hand, encouraging her to relax a little. “You needed closure. You needed the chance to hear what he had to say.” I frowned, not really wanting to ask. But I had to know. “What did he say?”
Aubrey looked over at me, her mouth hanging open slightly. “You want to know?”
“Yes, of course.” I didn’t want to know. I wanted to find the guy, punch him, and put him on a plane back to New York, or maybe somewhere like Africa and get him out of her life permanently. But that’s not how this stuff worked. “Okay, maybe not. I don’t know. What did he say?”
She looked at me with her lips pursed for a moment, and then she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that he’s an asshole and I don’t ever want to see him again.”
I pulled into my driveway and kissed her softly before parking in the garage. “Good. I’ve only seen him three times, and I really want to punch him in his smarmy mouth.”
Aubrey laughed and squeezed my hand. “You know what, if that’s what your gut says, then by all means, don’t hold back on my account. It might be good for him.”
I leaned over and kissed her again. “You’re so sexy. You know that?”
She blushed. “It never hurts to say so.”
We headed inside, and I was about to offer to open a bottle of wine and set our dessert out, but Aubrey grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the bedroom.
She pushed me onto the bed and straddled me, kissing me hungrily as her hands slid under the bottom of my fleece pullover and my t-shirt. Her fingernails scraped over my skin as she worked her way higher, pushing the fabric up and out of her way. Her tongue slicked over mine, dancing playfully in and out of my mouth as I followed her, letting her take the lead.
Aubrey pulled back to yank my shirts off over my head, and then she trailed her nails down my chest. “Chuck, can I ask you a question?”
I leaned back, pulling her down onto the soft mattress with me, and gripped her ass as I kissed along her jawline and neck. “Anything.”
“Why are you here with me?”
I paused and looked up into her green eyes, taken aback by the question. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, why are you with me? Why aren’t you with someone like Mindi, or Vanessa? I’m not as pretty as Mindi, and I’m certainly not a model like Vanessa. I don’t even live here. I’m not bold or brash. But you’re in bed with me.”
I rolled her off of me, and then sat up to look at her. “Aubrey, I’d have to be blind to not see how incredible you are. You’re fearless. You’re smart and kind. And you’re crazy if you think Mindi or Vanessa hold a candle to you. You’re gorgeous. And no, you’re not perfect. No one is. You got snooty with me when you thought I was a maintenance man. You jump to conclusions without much evidence than what’s going on in front of your face. But I jump into things with two feet. I’m too compulsive. My father hates that about me, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m a lot like him. But it’s really simple, Aubrey. I’m here with you because I like you. Because when you collided with me on the slopes, there was something about you. You’re definitely sexy as hell, but there was this loneliness in your eyes. Something I recognized in myself. I’m really glad you rented out my chalet.”
She bit her lip and reached for my hand. “Can I tell you something? Even when I thought you were the maintenance man, even when I’d just gotten to Aspen and had no intention of doing what we’ve been doing, I wanted you. It scared me, because you are everything that I was sure I didn’t need, that I didn’t want. You still scare me, Chuck. I don’t know what’s going to happen. You’re unpredictable. You’re nothing I was supposed to want.”
I pulled her over into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. “I don’t know what’s going to happen either. I didn’t expect to find you. And I know that in a couple days, you’re going to get on a plane and go back to New York, to a life where you were engaged to a man who puts on a suit every day. I don’t know what that means for everything we’ve done here, for everything we’ve built. But I do know that I have you in my bed, in my arms, right now. And for now, that’s enough.”
She leaned her cheek against my shoulder. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”
I smiled and rubbed her back. “I certainly don’t mind hearing it. And coming from a woman as incredible as you are, I take it as the highest compliment.”
Aubrey brushed her lips against mine in an almost feather-soft touch. Her arms wrapped around my neck, holding me tightly to her. I let the gentle kiss simmer in a slow, breathtaking way. Her lips moved over mine like time had stopped, and we could stay like this forever.
Gently, I rolled us back onto the bed, nestling between her spread thighs. I fit against her perfectly, and although I kept our kisses soft and tender, Aubrey’s hips pressed up against mine, grinding against me in time to our kissing.
“Chuck, I want you.” Aubrey reached between us and undid my belt, and then my pants.
I kissed along her jaw as I pulled her sweater up, taking my time to stroke and caress as I slowly stripped her naked beneath me. “You have no idea how incredibly gorgeous you are, Aubrey. How perfect.”
I discarded my clothing and went right back to her. She licked her lips as I reached down and cupped her breasts, massaging the soft globes as I skimmed my thumbs over her taut nipples. Aubrey grabbed my ass, pulling me closer to her core.
As my dick slid through her soaking wet folds, I groaned. “Jesus, Aubrey, you’re so wet.”
“I want you, Chuck. I want you to fill me up with your big cock.” She reached between us and positioned my throbbing head at her hole.
Slowly, I pushed forward, sinking into her wet heat with a groan.
Aubrey took all of me deep, clenching around me as I bottomed out inside her. She let out a husky moan as she wrapped her legs around my waist, keeping me close.
I kissed her slowly, barely moving inside her as we touched and explored each other. I’d never felt this connected to a woman, never let sex be more than just getting off with another person, but with Aubrey, like this, it felt like so much more than just fucking. I felt possessed by her, filled by her need, her want, as much as my own, and each touch, each caress, pushed my desire for her higher.
She clung to me, her pussy holding me inside her as tightly as her embrace. Aubrey’s body felt molded to mine, almost like we h
ad become one person in this moment, completely separate from the rest of the world. “Chuck, you feel so incredible inside me.”
“Like I’m right where I belong, gorgeous.” I thrust a little harder, filling her deep with every move of my hips, and smiled down at her. “Your pussy’s so tight around me. You like my cock inside you?”
“So much.” She reached up and tangled her fingers in my hair before she kissed me again, more forcefully than before. Her hips rocked against my own, pushing me to move faster, rougher.
I obliged, keeping my movements slow, but thrusting harder and deeper as I gripped her hips and changed the angle. “I don’t want this to end, Aubrey.” I wasn’t entirely sure if I meant the sex, or her being here, but in that moment, I didn’t see any difference in the two.
Aubrey kissed me softly and tangled her fingers in my hair again. “We could stay like this forever.”
I chuckled against her lips and thrust a little harder. “Gorgeous, I’m going to come soon. Your pussy’s squeezing me so tight.”
She moaned and kissed me again, more hungrily, as she rocked her hips harder and faster against mine. I could feel her clenching around me tighter, and I knew she was about to come right along with me. I thrust again, and soon I felt her clamp down on me as she screamed in my mouth. Her body went rigid as she came hard.
I followed her over, filling her deep before I emptied into her.
As we came down from our orgasms, I stayed pressed against her, kissing and touching her. Even though my cock was spent, I couldn’t seem to get enough of Aubrey, and she made no effort to pull away either.
We drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, tangled together completely.
23
Aubrey
Chuck was over at the chalet so often over the next couple of days, it almost felt like we were living together. During the day, he worked on the house, fixing the heater and a few other things as they came up. I stayed close, reading the book he lent me or talking to him as he worked. And when the work was done, Chuck and I stripped each other naked and rolled around in both beds in the chalet, made use of the shower and the couch, and even the kitchen island.
Seducing the Runaway Bride (The Wrights Book 1) Page 14