Slowly, she began to stir, carefully opening one eye and smiling at me as she laid there. I chuckled, watching her struggle out of her slumber, looking so comfortable. Part of me wanted to say, screw it, and jump back into bed with her, but we had a good last day ahead of us.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Morning,” she whispered, pulling herself up in the bed and rubbing her hands through her hair.
“Are you hungry?”
“Oh,” she said, surprised, looking at the tray. “Starving, yes!”
I set the tray down on the bed and joined her on it, crossing my legs in front of me. During my time waiting for breakfast, I had found some brochures of local things to do and I was hoping she would be up for a slight change in plans. She looked over at me and tilted her head, seeing I was thinking about something.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Well,” I chuckled. “I was downstairs waiting for breakfast and I saw a pamphlet for a local kayaking rental. I thought maybe instead of hiking this morning, you might let me take you on a drive to the other side of the lake and then we go kayaking.”
“That sounds amazing,” she said.
“Good,” I said. “Because I already rented the kayaks.”
“You’re on top of it,” she laughed. “I haven’t been kayaking in forever.”
“Me either,” I said. “I even mapped out the perfect place for our picnic.”
“The man that thinks of it all,” she said, handing me a plate.
We sat there on the bed and ate breakfast. When we were done, she pulled herself out of the covers, groaning, and got dressed. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her the entire time.
“I’m going to head upstairs and get my things packed so that Miss Mary doesn’t have to wait on us.”
“Perfect idea,” I smiled. “Meet me downstairs when you’re done?”
“Yep,” she said, smiling as she left the room.
I shook my head in awe and grabbed my suitcase, filling it with my things and making one last sweep of the room before grabbing the tray and my luggage and heading downstairs. Miss Mary met me at the bottom of the stairs, taking the tray from me before I dropped it. The last thing I wanted was to break her beautiful dishes.
“Miss Mary,” I said, before she could walk away.
“Yes, dear,” she said.
“Would you mind if we put our luggage in this side room until this afternoon? We’re going to go kayaking before we have to leave,” I asked.
“Of course,” she smiled. “Just throw it in there. The inn is empty tonight, so there’s no rush for you to leave. I’ll be here until late, but go ahead and keep your key in case I’m in the back and lock the door for safety purposes.”
“Thank you,” I smiled.
I set my luggage in the parlor room, just out in the open enough for Tiffany to see that we were leaving it there. Then, I walked outside and took in a deep breath of the warm, almost spring air. It was an absolutely gorgeous day.
I went out to my car and put down the top, figuring that it would be an amazing drive with the warm wind blowing around us. As soon as I was done, I looked up at the porch and smiled, seeing Tiffany walk out in a cute pair of white shorts and a tight black T-shirt. She was wearing flip-flops and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked absolutely stunning.
She was carrying a couple of bags that looked like Miss Mary had put together for us. She walked over to me as I opened the trunk and took them from her. I peeked inside and there were some delicious foods for lunch.
“I had almost forgotten the food for our picnic,” I laughed. “So much for the man who thinks of everything.”
“You come up with the ideas, and I make sure they come together,” she said. “Teamwork.”
“We do make a good team,” I smiled, leaning down and kissing her lips.
I opened the passenger door for her and closed it, walking around and hopping into the driver’s seat. I looked over at her and smiled as I started the car and headed down the drive. Tiffany closed her eyes and let the wind blow over her face as we moved along. The sun sparkled on her cheeks and her ponytail blew around her. She was probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and she was all mine, at least for the afternoon.
The drive was beautiful, and we laughed and talked as we drove along the water. We pulled into the kayaking rental and I went inside as she pulled out the bags and waited for me. When I came back out, we loaded up the kayaks and headed out on the lake, rowing along happily. We made a couple of loops into the inlets, watching the ducks until the morning began to fade. I paddled up next to her then, and smiled.
“Follow me,” I said.
I pulled off and we paddled along until we reached a small island in the middle of the lake. We pulled up onto the sandy embankment and I jumped out, pulling my kayak up and then helping to do the same with hers. Tiffany’s eyes were huge, and she wandered up the beach to take in the scenery.
Meanwhile, I smiled and went to work, pulling out the bags of food, putting down the blanket in the perfect spot, and preparing our picnic lunch. Miss Mary had gone above and beyond with different cheeses, fruits, and pastries for us to enjoy. Everything was perfect, and I was pretty proud of myself for pulling it all off.
I sat down on the blanket and pulled out the bottle of wine and two glasses. I smiled as I turned to watch Tiffany exploring the island around us. She walked along the edges of the woods, running her fingers across the blooming flowers. I bet she knew every single name of every plant. It was amazing how much she knew about nature. She turned and walked out onto the beach, stopping and letting the sun shine down on her skin. I just watched her, unable to take my eyes off that beautiful face.
It was plain to see that I just wasn’t ready for the trip to end. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Tiffany and go back to the same day in, day out grin. I couldn’t let this trip end, not yet, so I pulled out my phone and the card from my pocket and texted the number that Miss Mary had given me.
“Miss Mary,” I texted. “This is Rob. I couldn’t help but remember that you said the inn was empty for the night. Would you be willing to rent the entire thing to me again? I’m just not ready to leave yet.”
I sat there with my phone in my lap, hoping she answered before Tiffany returned. The phone started buzzing after only a couple of minutes and the same number popped up on the screen. I glanced over at Tiffany, who was still looking out over the scenery.
“Of course,” she texted. “I would love to have you for another night.”
“Perfect,” I replied. “We will see you soon.”
I turned the screen to lock and shoved the phone back in my pocket just as Tiffany walked over at sat down. I opened the bottle of wine and poured her a glass, handing it to her with a grin. She put her feet out in front of her and kicked off her flip flops, letting out a deep breath. We both sat looking out over the water, seeing the boats peppering the horizon.
“It is really beautiful here,” I said. “The kind of place you just don’t want to leave.”
“I know,” she groaned.
“So, let’s not,” I said. “At least not today.”
“What?” she chuckled.
“I rented the inn for another night and I would love it if you would stay with me,” I said.
She smiled and looked at me with hazy eyes, shaking her head yes. I grinned and lifted my glass to hers. She clinked hers against mine and took a sip. I could feel the excitement running through me and I just wanted to kiss her. I looked over as she leaned back on her elbows and relaxed, feeling the ease of not having to face reality for one more day. The breeze blew over us and I melted into the warm wind. This was going to be an awesome night.
Chapter Thirteen
Tiffany
That next morning, when the sun had risen, and the birds began to chirp, I slowly woke from my perfect slumber. The night had been amazing, talking, getting to know one another, and cuddling in hi
s arms for just one more night in paradise. I stretched my arms over my head and smiled, not opening my eyes just yet. I knew that when I did, the magic would start to fade, and I wanted just a few more moments. When I did finally open them, I looked over next to me and realized that I was alone in the bed.
My face fell slightly, and I pushed my hands into the bed and pulled myself upright. I leaned back against the cool headboard and rubbed my eyes. I looked around the room for Rob, but he wasn’t there. I glanced over at the dresser where his suitcase was, and it too was gone. Rob was gone. He had left, and I was there in the inn room all by myself. I shuddered slightly as a cloud moved over the sun, casting a cold shadow into the room. I brought my arms up and wrapped them around me, turning and putting my feet on the floor.
The only sound in the whole place were the birds whistling wildly outside. I couldn’t believe that he had just left like that, and part of me thought that maybe I was still asleep and dreaming. I turned my body around and looked at the table by the window, seeing a vase of roses and a note next to it. I got up from the bed and grabbed the robe that was on the chair and pulled it around me. I walked over to the table and leaned down, taking in a deep breath of the floral scent. They were beautiful, but I was still disappointed that they were Rob’s replacement.
I reached down and picked up the folded note, staring at my name written handsomely on the outside. I sat down in the chair and opened up the letter.
“Tiffany,” he wrote. “I’m sorry I had to leave so early. Enjoy your morning and drive safely back to the city. Please call me when you get back.”
At the bottom of the letter, he had written his phone number and signed his name. I read the letter one more time and then closed it and pulled it to my chest. I stared out the window at the trees blowing in the breeze, large clouds floating over the sun. I took in a deep breath and let it out, feeling the excitement of the weekend starting to wear off. I didn’t want that feeling to leave; I didn’t want to end up back in the city at the job I hated, in a life that just wasn’t mine. The weekend had been perfect but now it was over.
I sat there at the table for several minutes, trying to get my emotions under control, trying to push out the dread. Finally, I got up and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. The room still smelled like Rob’s cologne and a small tingle of excitement fluttered in my chest. I climbed in and took a good long, hot shower, enjoying the last moments of my trip. When it was done I got dressed, re-packed my things, and prepared myself for the long road back to reality that I was facing head on.
I dragged my suitcase out of the room, the roses in one arm, and the note carefully packed in the front of my bag.
“Good morning,” Miss Mary greeted me. “Well, those roses are absolutely beautiful.”
“I actually brought them down for you,” I said. “There’s no real way to transport them, so I figured they would fare better here with you.”
“Oh, that’s so thoughtful of you,” she said, taking them from me. “Thank you. You made my day.”
“You always make my day,” I smiled. “Now, all I have to do is get settled up with you, and then it’s back home for me.”
“No need,” she said, waving her hand.
“What?” I said.
“Rob covered the entire bill for the whole weekend, so you don’t owe me a thing,” she smiled.
“Oh,” I said, taken aback. “Wow.”
“I know,” she giggled. “He sure seems like an amazing man, don’t you think?”
“I, uh.” I chuckled nervously, not really knowing what to say. “He sure does seem that way.”
He’d gone out of his way to pay for the entire bill, which meant I could use the money I had allotted for the trip toward my future goals. Not only had he shown me the weekend of a lifetime, but he had made sure to take care of every detail. I couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Well, I guess that’s it, then,” I smiled. “Thank you so much.”
“Until next time,” she said, coming around and hugging me.
“Until next time,” I replied.
I pulled my suitcase out to my car and set my luggage in the front seat. I closed the door and stood there in the parking lot for a moment, looking out over the view. Thoughts of Rob popped into my head, sending butterflies into my chest. I shook my head and sighed, knowing I had to face reality; the weekend was over.
I turned and walked around, getting into the driver’s seat. I reached back and grabbed my phone and turned it on. It occurred to me to send him a message, thanking him for everything from the flowers, to the picnic, to him taking care of the bill and everything else. I knew I should say something, but the words just weren’t coming to me, so sighed and put the phone in my bag, deciding that if I couldn’t find the right words, it might be better to wait.
I turned on the car and glanced one last time at the inn before pulling out and heading down the drive. The entire drive back to the city, my mind blew through everything that had happened during the weekend. How I had gone there to clear my head, to get out of the city and to be alone, but alone was the last thing I’d ended up being. Rob had come out of nowhere and I had enjoyed every single moment of my time with him. I didn’t want the weekend to end, and still had the hopes of a Hail Mary pass before I ended up back within the city limits.
Everything had become so confusing, the feelings, the excitement, the unexpected romance. I wanted to talk to someone about it, to get their perspective on everything. I needed some advice on what to do or think at that moment. I could call my parents, or Posey, but I figured that might be a disaster. The last thing I wanted was for Posey and my parents to get excited about everything. I didn’t want to let any of them down, and everything at this point was up in the air. I didn’t even know if I would ever talk to Rob again, much less have anything more to do with him.
One thing I knew very well was the kind of stress that New York City put on people. It was like a weight that attached itself to your shoulders and just wouldn’t fall off. From the traffic, the people, and the buildings, to the constant noise and overwhelming responsibilities, the city had a way of changing people. I just wasn’t sure if I was up for anything serious, especially with a man that I barely knew. Sure, I had talked to him every day in the bar for the last five years, but that didn’t give a good impression of who someone was.
I pulled the car over to the side of the road, feeling the strain of it all beating down on me again. I took off my sunglasses and rolled down the window, rubbing my face. I was very confused about all of the feelings that I was having and what to do with them. I had never fallen for someone so fast, nor I was sure that I was even capable of continuing something like that.
I put my hands down on the steering wheel and shook my head, looking at the road ahead and the road behind. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to continue it, maybe I was supposed to enjoy it for what it was and move forward. The weekend had been perfect in every way imaginable, a real fairytale for a girl that usually stayed pretty grounded. However, with everything going on in life, and the fact that I wasn’t sure I was ready for something so intense, I figured that it might just have to stay the weekend, something I could look back at with fondness, but that was it.
When I got back to the city, I could immediately feel that weight bearing down on me. I pulled up in front of my apartment and parked, lugging my suitcase out of the back and up the stairs. I pulled out my keys and groaned as I kicked open the door and walked inside. Setting my bag down right inside, I grabbed my phone out of the front pocket. I locked the door and dragged my body across the room and over to the couch, where I plopped down and threw my head back. I sat there for a moment, adjusting to my new surroundings before sitting up and pulling a blanket over my lap.
I looked down at my phone and shook my head, seeing the barrage of texts that Posey had sent me. I had told her last minute that I was leaving town for upstate, but hadn’t let her know that I was staying an extra night.
“
I hope you’re having a great weekend,” she started out her texts.
“Hey, I hope that a bear hasn’t gotten you,” she said next.
“Seriously, you were supposed to be back. You’re not thinking about my feelings,” she continued.
“Okay, I’m about to send out a search and rescue to find the bear that has you in his stomach, along with some license plates … wait, that’s jaws,” she texted.
“Mr. Bear, if you are getting this, I don’t appreciate you eating my best friend. Please send her remains in a box to my address. Message will follow upon your receipt of this text,” she said in her last missive.
I sent her back a quick message letting her know I had returned from the depths of the bear’s stomach. and tossed my phone to the side. I got up from the couch and walked over to the calendar on the wall, looking over my work schedule for the week. Maybe Rob would show up like he usually did. I knew that if he did, it would be a sign to me that he was interested in more than just the weekend. At the same time, I knew that if he didn’t show up, that would answer my inquiries as well, and it would suck, big time. I could already see me trying to get through a day of work, completely destroyed because he didn’t show up.
The thought of being let down brought my mood down instantly. It had been a very long time since a man had that kind of emotional control over me and I had to say, I didn’t like it in the least. I turned and made my way down to the bedroom, deciding that going to bed, even though it was early, was the best thing I could do for myself.
I pulled the covers over me, surprised at how exhausted I really was, and lay there, trying to drift off to sleep. I really hoped that he showed up, no matter how confused I was about my feelings. I’d rather be confused than heartbroken.
The Art of Seduction Page 7