Her Canadian Dream

by May Raymond

  Aly felt as if she were in a dream as she followed Jan back into the hallway and toward the stairs.

  A small cloakroom was tucked away under the staircase and another door opened onto another small seating area, this one looking out over the front of the house and parking area. There was a smaller fireplace in this room with a couple of comfy recliner chairs on either side. Floor-to-ceiling shelves held thousands of books, and she could imagine a cold winter night curled up reading in the glow of the fire.

  It was everything Aly could have dreamed of. The furnishings were just what she would have chosen herself. It was almost spooky to think that, whoever this house belonged to, they had such similar taste.

  She was becoming more and more curious as to the owner but Jan still refused to say whose house this was.

  They mounted the stairs and Jan turned to the left at the top and went into a room on the right.

  “This would be yours I think.”

  Aly followed her in and gasped in awe. The room was double aspect. On the left, the window overlooked the gardens at the side of the house. Ahead, there were French doors, opening out to a balcony overlooking the lake. The balcony ran right along the full width of the house and obviously served all the bedrooms on this side.

  The room itself had a huge bed, covered in a beautifully handcrafted quilt, much like her own special possession. A large walk-in wardrobe had enough shelving to hold her clothes three times over. A comfortable-looking oversize armchair sat in the corner next to a small table topped with a reading lamp.

  All in all, it was a room that Aly had imagined herself having if she ever won the lottery.

  Jan looked at her and asked, “Well? What do you think? This house has been in the family for ages and the current owner has put his own mark on it. There is another bedroom the same size as this along the hall, as well as a bathroom and another smaller bedroom which is being used as an office I think. Do you think you could live here? Rent is negotiable and you have the use of the whole house as well as the garden and dock.”

  Aly was speechless. She could afford this! However, a sudden thought reared into her head and she gaped at her friend.

  His mark? A man owned this house? Who was it? She knew Jan would never let her live with someone she didn’t trust. Oh no!

  Chapter Eight

  “It’s Aiden’s house, isn’t it?”

  Jan reddened and ducked her head.

  “Jan! You know I can’t stay here!”

  She turned quickly and ran toward the stairs, Jan at her heels.

  “Wait! Aly! Why can’t you live here? It’s a lovely house. It’s in your price range and close enough to town for work. You’ll rarely see Aiden because you both work. There’s enough room in the house that you won’t be on top of each other and…to be honest…you won’t find anything half as nice within your budget.”

  She froze at the foot of the stairs.

  Jan was right. The house was beautiful. It was the kind of place she had always wanted to live in. So what if it was Aiden’s house? He worked long hours and she didn’t need to be around when he was home. There were two seating areas so she could give him his space and stay out of his way. Jan had pointed out that he had his own en suite bathroom so they didn’t need to share that. Maybe she could stay here? After all, it was only for four months. Then she would have to go home to the UK anyway.

  And Aiden is most definitely the best kind of eye candy!

  Pushing that rogue thought to the back of her mind, she walked back through to the main lounge area and stared out of the window. The lake water on this October day was gray and not very inviting, but in the distance she could see the far shore, and as views go it couldn’t be faulted.

  Bugger it! Why not?

  She took a deep breath and turned around as Jan came up behind her.

  “I don’t really have much choice, do I? But I can’t say it’s going to be a hardship, living in a house like this. It’s amazing.”

  Decision made, she felt a huge weight come off of her shoulders.

  She had a place to live. And what a place! And she could avoid Aiden if she was careful. She would be a fool to turn this opportunity down.

  They both went back out to the truck and started to unload the boxes and bags. Box by box, they hoisted her meagre possessions up the stairs and stacked them in the corner of the walk-in wardrobe. Her bags of clothes were laid on the bed ready for her to unpack and her laptop sat on the little table by the armchair.

  Jan rubbed her hands together.

  “Brrrr. It’s getting chilly. I’m going to shoot off now and do a bit of tidying up in the store. I won’t bother opening up now, it’s too late, so I’ll just take care of a few things and then maybe make Brett a special supper.”

  She grinned and picked her handbag up from the hall floor.

  “Keep hold of that key for now. You can get another spare cut tomorrow. I checked the freezer and fridge and there’s plenty of food. I’m sure you can find something you like. I’ll see you in the morning? Being the last weekend before Halloween I think we might have a busy day ahead of us.”

  Aly nodded as she replied, “I’ll be there at the usual time unless you want me to give you a hand now?”

  Jan shook her head. “No, hun. You get settled in and get yourself acquainted with Aiden. And don’t let him intimidate you! He’s just a big pussycat at heart.”

  Aly’s heart started to race as the reality of her situation started to sink in and she eyed Jan warily.

  “If you say so. I’ll just keep out of his way and he might not notice me.”

  Jan laughed.

  “You have got to be kidding, sweetie. He noticed you a long time ago. You just didn’t realise it.”

  Rather than settle Aly’s mind, the words just served to make her nerves worse. She had only met the man once and he had terrified her. Her reaction to his touch had shocked her. No man had ever made her feel that way before. It had taken the rest of the day before her nerves had settled down and by then all she had felt was guilt at having feelings for another man whilst still with Sean.

  * * * *

  To calm herself down, once her friend had left, she took stock of her situation. She had a roof over her head until she had to leave the country. She still had her job and could now keep her car, which was a major bonus. As much as possible, she wanted to enjoy what little time she had left here to explore the surrounding countryside.

  Walking back up the stairs she unpacked her two suitcases and hung her clothes in the cavernous wardrobe. To make herself feel more at home, she decided to go down to see whether Aiden kept tea in the house. If not, she would have to go to the store because she couldn’t live without her regular cuppa.

  The massive kitchen was starting to darken as rainclouds were rolling in across the lake. She found teabags in the cupboard and milk in the fridge so set about making her drink.

  In search of something for supper, she opened the freezer in the utility room and found a bag of minced beef. The vegetable rack held onions and potatoes so she decided to make a simple cottage pie. As a thank you to Aiden for coming to her rescue she proceeded to make enough for two. She could eat hers before he got home so that she didn’t need to disturb his evening. His portion would be easy to keep warm or reheat if necessary.

  As the sky darkened and the lake grew ever grayer, she switched on the light and got on with preparing the meal. For the first time in ages she realised that she was actually enjoying cooking. Sean had been home to eat so rarely that she had got out of the habit. Most of her meals were simple ready meals which she would heat in the microwave and eat off a tray in front of the TV.

  Checking the clock, she saw that it was almost five o’clock. Jan had told her that the guys usually worked until around six when the weather permitted. Once winter set in they were forced to work on indoor projects until the snows cleared and they could once again work safely outside.

  Cottage pie in the oven, she quickly clean
ed the kitchen and prepared some broccoli and carrots which she had found in the fridge drawer. Once everything was ready she reckoned on having about half an hour in which she could eat and escape to her room before Aiden came in.

  Humming to herself, she made another cup of tea and walked through to the small lounge. Walking along the edge of the room she looked at the collection of books which filled the shelves. There were all sorts. Thrillers, horrors, and popular fiction, along with reference books on almost every subject under the sun.

  Aly would never have thought of someone like Aiden to be a great reader but it seemed that appearances could be deceptive. Her eye caught a book that she had seen in the local bookstore, a book chronicling the history of the area. Pulling it down from the shelf, she curled up in one of the recliners and started to skim through it. Sipping her tea, she marvelled at the beautiful photographs, all of the Huntsville area. She was soon lost and was only brought back to earth by the sound of a key turning in the front door lock.

  Chapter Nine

  Aiden switched off the engine and stared at the house. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d arrived home to lights on in the house and he had mixed feelings now. What an idiot! He should have said no to Jan. And Brett was no better.

  I’m fucked!

  How the hell was he supposed to live in the same house as the woman who made him hard just by looking at him? Every time he thought about her he couldn’t help but imagine what he would do with that luscious body if it was his to play with.

  Bracing himself, he climbed out of his truck and headed toward the house.

  Opening the door, the first thing that assailed him was the wonderful smell of something cooking. He headed for the kitchen, hanging up his jacket on the way through.

  The sight that greeted him there knocked him sideways. Aly was bent over the oven, pulling a dish from its depths. Her softly rounded behind was encased in tight blue jeans and as she stood and turned, her face was flushed from the heat of the oven.

  Definitely fucked! Just like her if he had his way!

  To hide his immediate and rock-hard erection he made his way to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. Opening it and taking a slug he turned back, his libido slightly more under control.

  “Something smells good.”

  He smiled and Aly’s face grew even redder than before. She turned back to the cooker and started to dish up the meal.

  “I’m sorry. I was going to eat before you came home but I got lost in a book and didn’t realise the time.”

  Aiden walked up behind her and, taking her by the arm, gently pulled her back round.

  “Hey. I didn’t expect you to cook for me. I can’t remember the last time I had a proper home-cooked meal. And as long as you’re here you need to treat this as your home. No eating alone unless you choose to or I’m out late.”

  Her arm tingled where he held her and a bolt of lightning zinged down to her clit.

  His soft voice cut into her suddenly blank mind.

  “Breathe, Aly.”

  She hadn’t realised until he spoke that she had been holding her breath, but did as she was told and inhaled deeply.

  Her startled gaze rose and quickly fell again as he stood before her, hand still holding her arm, thumb stroking her skin through the thin fabric of her sweater.

  Quickly grabbing the plates she placed them, one on each end of the large table, and took her seat. Her hands shook as she picked up her fork and started to eat, not daring to look up at the man at the other end of the kitchen.

  “Look at me, Aly.” Again his soft voice interrupted her thoughts.

  Aly swallowed hard but kept her eyes down on her meal.

  “Look. At. Me.”

  Aiden’s voice deepened and her eyes flew up to meet his intense gaze.

  “Before we go any further, let’s get one thing straight. As long as you are here in my house you will treat it as your home. I don’t know what Jan told you the rent was…but I will only accept your share of food and utilities…”

  He raised a finger as she started to speak.

  “I repeat, I do not want rent. You need to save what you have for when you get back home. This house was my grandparents’, which means I don’t have a mortgage. We can share supermarket bills and you could give me something toward electricity, gas, and so on, but that’s it. If you’re cooking for yourself I would appreciate sharing, because this meal is amazing, but it’s not part of our agreement. I have a cleaner come in once a week to do the important stuff and I usually go to the supermarket once a month to stock up.

  “If you need anything done in the house, such as bringing in logs for the fires, you will ask me. I do not expect you to carry them in, and I will make up a fire each night ready for you to light should you be in before me in the evening.”

  His words were forceful, brooking no argument, and she nodded.

  As they finished eating, she rose to start clearing the table. He watched her as she moved around the kitchen, his dick never letting him forget just how much he’d like to grab her and throw her over the table and fuck her until she screamed.

  Her movements were economical as she loaded the dishwasher and wiped down the worktops.

  “Coffee?” she asked softly as she finally turned to face him. As she watched his gaze drop to her full bust, her breath hitched. Her nipples peaked and her face flamed at the knowledge that he could see how he was affecting her.

  He got up from the table and walked toward her. She froze, back against the worktop, as he got near.

  “Aly…”

  She gripped the edge of the worktop as he leaned into her and whispered, “I don’t bite. Well, only when invited to.” He grinned. “I won’t deny I find you very attractive, but I also know you only just broke up with…um…that other guy, and probably need some space at the moment.”

  Her eyes widened as she took in his words.

  He found her attractive? Wow!

  “Let’s just settle in with one another and see where things lead. I’ll make coffee. Why don’t you go through to the lounge and put a match to the fire. I know the heating is on but I like to sit with a fire on a cold night like tonight.”

  Her heart slowed as she relaxed a little, gave him a shy smile and said, “I don’t drink coffee. Could I have tea, please. White, no sugar.”

  He turned to make the drinks, quipping, “Of course. I forgot you Brits have no taste.”

  She giggled, a sound that shot straight to his dick, which he only just got under control from the sight of her bending over the oven earlier.

  As she left the room he filled the kettle and put coffee into the cafetiere he used when he was alone. The box of teabags he kept for visitors had been brought to the front of the cupboard and he extracted one and dropped it into a mug. Once the water was hot enough for coffee he filled the coffee maker and then switched the kettle back on to boil for the tea. The mundane tasks settled his libido a little and he added milk to the drinks and then carried them through to the lounge.

  Aly was curled up at one end of the sofa, feet tucked under her, looking slightly tense but utterly adorable.

  He placed the mugs on the coffee table and sat opposite her on the other sofa.

  The fire had caught and was sending licks of flame up the chimney, warming the room and giving it a cosy atmosphere.

  They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Aly picked up her tea and sipped. It was strong, just how she liked it.

  As the events of the day caught up with her and the warmth in the room surrounded her, surprisingly, for the first time in ages she felt safe. Her eyelids drooped as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Aiden watched as her lids dropped and breathing became regular. He grabbed a soft fleece blanket from the back of the sofa and covered her with it. Resisting the urge to drop a kiss onto her sweet lips, he tucked the edges around her and went back to his own seat.

  As he watched her
sleeping, he ran the last hour back in his head. There was no denying the attraction between them. The way she’d responded to his touch had proved that. She had also responded positively to his Dom voice when he wanted her to look at him at the table. But he knew he’d have to take things slowly, if at all. She was vulnerable at the moment and he wasn’t in the business of taking advantage of women in that position.

  She was only here for another four months. Why that should worry him he didn’t know, but it did. The thought of her leaving Canada for good didn’t sit well with him. There was no getting away from it though. The government rarely extended visas without good reason, one of which was marriage which, up until yesterday, she had been looking forward to.

  Shaking his head at the way his thoughts were heading, he glanced at the clock. Nine o’clock. If she wanted to get a good night’s sleep tonight he was going to need to wake her soon.

  * * * *

  Aly woke to the sound of a deep voice whispering her name and her arm being gently shaken.

  Sean?

  Reality came back to her as she heard Aiden call her again.

  “Come on, sweetheart. You need to go up to bed and sleep properly.”

  Sweetheart?

  Confused, she opened heavy lids and found herself staring into Aiden’s big, chocolate-brown eyes.

  Despite all his misgivings, he was unable to resist leaning down and brushing his lips against hers. Her small gasp had him pressing further in and deepening the kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth and she opened to him with a moan, her arms lifting to circle his neck and bring him closer.

  She tasted as good as he had hoped. Sweet, but hot, endearingly tentative in her submission to his probing tongue. His grip on her arms tightened and she moaned again, the sound vibrating through him and heading straight to his cock, which once again was rock hard.