“I can’t,” she shook her head, “I’m due to check out in five minutes and after last night I’m just too nervous to stay around here…”
“Did you not hear me, I own the hotel… and not only that, but those guys won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, and if they do, trust me, they’re not going to come looking for you.”
He reached across the table and lay his hand on top of hers. His touch was like fire, the heat coming from his skin was electric.
“Trust me…” he said again.
Laurie knew that after all she had been through, this was the last thing she should be doing, but it wasn’t every day she got asked out by a heroic billionaire who seemed genuinely desperate to spend time with her. She thought back to how she had spent the past year being degraded and treated badly. Her confidence had hit an all-time low and there she was with this brilliant, sexy man… and she was going to turn her back on him and walk away? She stared into his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. The warm blue of them was so endearing she knew there was no chance she could pull herself away. Definitely not today and maybe not ever.
“Lunch,” she said, doing her best to hedge. “I don’t want to be out too late.” She cocked her head and returned a playful wink of her own.
“As you wish,” Aiden bowed congenially.
“And nothing too fancy,” she smiled, “I didn’t exactly bring a huge string of outfits and you know what us girls are like…”
“No problem,” he squeezed her hand before signaling to the waitress for the check.
6.
Aiden walked her back to the hotel and spoke to someone behind reception. He arranged for her to stay another night free of charge and waived the fees for the previous evening as well. She was beyond grateful for his kindness. It was helping to take the edge of the previous day’s events, and then some.
When she got back to her room she couldn’t believe her eyes, there was a bouquet of flowers waiting on the dressing table. She walked over to them and touched them. The petals were like silk. Blood red roses. She picked one up and breathed in its lovely scent. There wasn’t a card, but she knew who they were from, of course. She smiled to herself. Twenty-four hours earlier and she had still been trapped in a horrific life with a man she had grown to hate. In such a short space of time so much had happened, she had met someone new and seemed to be in the process of being completely swept off her feet. Of course she didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself. She had to keep her head.
She turned to the wardrobe and pulled her bag out from the bottom so she could hang up her clothes. She was going to have to drag out the iron for sure if she was going to look anything near presentable.
She had told him nothing fancy, so she settled on a pair of denim cut off shorts, a bikini top with a white t-shirt over the top and a pair of sandals. It was a pretty small town after all, and there weren’t exactly any super fancy restaurants they could go to anyhow. She retouched her make-up and shook up her hair so it was bouncy and full of volume. She looked at the clock on the wall and realized she only had ten minutes before he was picking her up in reception. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
“Okay Laurie,” she said to herself, “Time for an adventure.”
7.
As she walked into the cool, sleek, modern reception, her eyes fell instantly on Aiden. He was leaning against a red leather arm chair, his dark hair falling delicately down around his eyes. Her heart pounded as she saw how incredible he looked. He wore a pair of scruffy jeans that hung low on his hips and a tight black t-shirt which showed off his huge, muscular arms and abs. The only thing giving him away as the billionaire she now knew he was, was the huge flashy Rolex adorning his wrist. She realized she had stopped to take him all in. Aiden raised his head and smiled at her from across the room.
He held out his arm like a gentleman as she walked over to greet him, wrapping her arm through his.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered as they walked towards the door of the hotel. “I’m glad you decided to stick around. Despite the circumstances I am very glad I got to meet you, you know.”
Laurie knew she was blushing and as they stepped out into the street she turned her face to meet his and said, “Thank you for the flowers.”
“You don’t have to say thank you,” he grinned, “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl. But, you know, it is not just your looks that I like. I mean, I do like them,” he laughed. “It’s just that I like the way I feel when I am with you.”
Her heart pounded as she got the feeling he was going to kiss her. She felt shy though, and turned her face away, concealing a broad smile on her face.
“Well, they were stunning flowers,” she said.
“And I find you to be a stunning woman,” Aiden squeezed her arm with his other hand.
“So where are you taking me?” Laurie said playfully.
“Well,” he slowed and pointed across the road, “I thought we could head out to the lake and go out on the boat.”
“Oh, that sounds perfect!” she said, “I’d love to.”
Aiden unhooked her arm and took hold of her hand, leading her across the road to his Red Z06 Corvette, which he had parked across the street. He opened the door for her and she slid in. When Aiden started the engine the car practically jumped to life.
“How did I not hear this coming last night?!” Laurie laughed over the sound of the 650 horsepower that issued from under the hood.
“I wasn’t in this last night,” he said mysteriously as he flashed her his amazing smile and pulled out into the slow trickle of traffic winding its way down Main Street.
As they drove around the quiet country roads, Laurie found herself recognizing some familiar spots from her childhood visits. There was Larson’s Grocery on the corner, just as it had always been there. The familiarity and good feelings she had once associated with the place were beginning to come back, and she began to relax even more. The sun was shining brightly overhead and the shadows from the trees cast patterns across her skin. She couldn’t take her eyes off Aiden and his strong hands gripping the wheel. She thought about what it would feel like to have them gripping her. It had been such a long time since she had been with a good man, or even with any many with such strength. Even before she had gotten together with Brad, she hadn’t been with anyone for a couple of years. She had become so disillusioned by men that she had simply lost interest in them all together for a time. Until Aiden had burst into her life and made her think about sex again, she had assumed another sexual ice age was upon her. She bit her lip as her eyes ran down his torso to the bulge in his jeans. She felt her heart flutter and a heat beginning to build underneath her own jeans.
“Just around this corner,” he smiled, turning to her. Even in the shadows cast overhead by the trees his eyes still shone brightly blue.
They pulled off the road and into a clearing in the forest. Laurie could see the lake ahead and recognized it instantly. She had definitely been there before.
“I know this place,” she said, looking up to Aiden. “I’m sure this is where I stayed when I was younger.”
“Really?” he smiled. “Well my place is on the other side of the lake but my boat is moored here.” He pointed into the distance and she could just make out the tip of a boat’s nose sticking out from behind the corner of a large group of trees.
They walked to the water’s edge hand in hand as Laurie took in the incredible view. It was a stunning lake.
“Wow,” she smiled. “I forgot how nice it is to be out in nature, I’ve lived in the city all my life and it’s been so long since I’ve felt free like this.”
“Me too,” he said.
“So you don’t live here?” Laurie asked, confused.
“No, not full time anyway. I have the house here and maybe once or twice a year I get out here to relax. I discovered I have a need to be out in the woods from time to time though. I used to try to fight it, but now I embrace it.” he said
enigmatically.
“Oh,” Laurie said, embarrassed, “I guess I ruined that for you this time. I mean the relaxing part.”
“I’d hardly say you’ve ruined it,” Aiden smiled, “Actually you have been the highlight. You’ve definitely made it a lot more interesting.”
She felt butterflies for the first time in years.
“Come on,” he said, easily jumping across the gap onto the side of the boat. She had not realized how graceful his movements were, especially for such a big man. He held out his hand and she took it. He pulled her up to meet him and they were pressed right against each other again. Laurie’s heart pounded and she knew that this time she couldn’t and wouldn’t look away. Aiden leaned in and kissed her, dipping her back and wrapping her up inside his big, strong arms. She felt like she could melt. This man was like no one she had ever known. Everything about him was different from anyone before. Even his skin was filled with an intense heat that made her feel alive when he touched her. It was like he was just more alive than other men, if that made any sense. They kissed on the side of the boat and Laurie felt a tingle between her legs. God did she want him to take her right there and then. Of course she couldn’t just throw away all of her morals. Or maybe she could, she thought. He was a good man. She felt it. His lips skimmed hers and he kissed her slowly one more time before wrapping his hand into her hair and smiling.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since the second I saw you,” he whispered.
Laurie smiled and kissed him again.
She lay back on the front of the boat as Aiden started the engine, cast off the lines from the dock and got it going. She had never been on a speed boat before and was surprised at how powerful it was, just like him. He drove them around the lake, spinning, making waves and pulling her to him as he wrapped his arms around her and planted kisses on her cheek and neck. She felt like she was in a dream. This was her ultimate fantasy and she was living it. She was so happy she had decided to stick around in Blakestone Ridge for at least a few more days, rather than running away again. She still had to figure out what she was going to do about work, but she could call in later, she thought absently. She wasn’t on the schedule this week. She might not even go back. She really hadn’t thought about it yet. Coming back to the moment, she realized Aiden had made all the stress and bad experiences worthwhile, because they had led her to him. The Lord works in mysterious ways, she thought.
“Oh my god,” she said, sitting bolt upright and pointing across the water. “That’s it! That’s where I stayed when I was younger!” she could see the lovely little cabin sticking out between the trees. It had a little blue door and even though the wood looked a little worn and battered since the last time she had been there, it was definitely the place.
“I wonder if our paths crossed then,” Aiden smiled. “My family has been coming here for years too.”
“No, I don’t think so” she smiled, “I’d know if I’d met you before.”
Aiden took hold of her hand and kissed it, before pulling the boat up to the shore.
“Come on,” he said, “Let’s go for a walk,” he pulled a basket out from beneath the deck and Laurie could see it had champagne, strawberries and chocolate in it, along with other assorted delicacies.
“Wow,” she laughed, “You’re really going all out with the romance.”
“You might leave tomorrow,” he grinned, “I’m determined to make a lasting impression.”
They sat up on the shore and looked out at the cabin. Even though it was far from over, so far this had been one of the most perfect days of Laurie’s life. She sipped champagne and the two chinked glasses. She hardly knew anything about this guy, but there was something about his solid confidence that she found irresistible. She might not know who he was, but he sure did. Despite her conviction that he was a good man, she felt like there was something he was hiding, although she couldn’t imagine what it might be. It had something to do with those eyes though. As the afternoon passed by and they finished the bottle he lay on his back as she cuddled against him. They watched the clouds drift overhead, just as she had done when she was younger. The lake was deserted, even though it was the weekend. They were the only two there. Birds sung in the trees above them and the sun glistened on the water. Laurie felt warm inside and was a little tipsy from the champagne. She didn’t want the day to end but she looked out and knew that dusk was coming. She felt safe with Aiden but she still didn’t want to be out in the wilderness after dark, not after the events of the previous evening.
“I’ll pack everything up,” Aiden smiled as he kissed her once more. He stood and started to collect their things and Laurie looked back at the log cabin where she had spent her childhood.
“I’m just going to take a closer look,” she called to him as she walked towards the forest. She could hear him behind her as he waded into the water and started to load things into the boat.
The darkness of the forest came suddenly as she got close to the cabin. The trees blocked out what was left of the sunlight and for the first time that day she felt a chill. She wrapped her arms around herself and was about to turn and make her way back to Aiden when she had the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck and she squinted to try and see in the bushes and trees ahead. She was sure she could see something moving. Her heart started to pound. She was surely just being paranoid. She looked back over her shoulder but she had gone too far into the forest and Aiden was out of sight. She couldn’t see him and he couldn’t see her. She swallowed and looked back into the trees behind the cabin and her heart almost stopped as she realized with complete horror that she wasn’t alone.
Ahead of her, taking long slow steps in her direction, Brad emerged from the trees. His face was still and angry and he held a gun in his hand. She knew instantly he had somehow tracked her here. It could have been by a million clues. This couldn’t be happening, she thought. He didn’t say a word as he lifted the gun towards her. Laurie let out a blood curdling scream as he pulled the trigger.
8.
The bullet powered into the ground at her feet and he shot again. Laurie jumped back in terror. The dirt sprayed around her in a cloud and she fell back onto the forest floor shielding her face.
“I knew you were fucking around behind my back,” Brad spat as he laughed and moved quickly towards her. “I’d been saying it for months and all you did was lie.” He raised the gun and pointed it at her chest again. “And now you have the nerve to run out on me in the middle of the night. Did you honestly think that I wouldn’t find you?” He laughed like a maniac and in his eyes there was something more than sinister. He wasn’t messing around.
“You followed me?” she said.
“I didn’t have to follow you Laurie,” he shook his head in disbelief, “You used to talk about this place incessantly, and sure enough your albums, you know the ones with all the summer postcards in them? Yeah, those. The address was right there. I knew where you would come. I just had to be a little patient. Truth be told I did start to think maybe you weren’t coming after all. But here you are. You see, you’re not that clever, did you really think I was just going to let you leave?” His eyes were wild.
She closed her eyes as she heard footsteps behind her. Aiden. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought it was going to burst out of her ribcage.
“Oh here he is,” Brad laughed, “The man who stole her heart.”
“Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong,” Aiden said calmly. “She hasn’t been cheating on you. We just met.”
“I don’t need your fucking lies,” Brad spat, he alternated pointing the gun between them. He pointed it frantically at Aiden and then at Laurie, his eyes popping out of his head.
“Put the gun down,” Aiden said calmly, as if this situation was nothing to be concerned about. And then his tone changed, “Now.”
“You think you’re going to tell me what to do?” Brad screamed, “I’ve got news
for you douche bag, I’m the one holding the gun! I decide what’s going to happen here! Understood?”
A smile crept across Aiden’s face before he curled it up into a sneer.
“No,” Aiden growled, “That’s actually not how it works at all.”
Suddenly Aiden’s body heaved and buckled, his muscles ripping through his clothes as his voice turned to snarls and growls. At the same time his limbs shortened and his torso grew long as he fell to all fours. Everything about him was changing before their eyes, as he continued to issue a ferocious howl. His tanned skin turned even darker before a coat of luscious thick fur burst forth. His big hands pulled in as they morphed into paws with sharp claws and his gorgeous face morphed into the handsome features of a wolf. A magnificent, and enormous wolf. One with beautiful fierce blue eyes. Laurie blinked, breathless and struck dumb all at once. She couldn’t believe her eyes. What the fuck is happening? She thought.
Within seconds the beast had spanned the distance between himself and Brad, who had mere seconds to stand there in utter disbelief and shock before the giant creature had clamped his jaws on Brad’s throat. Laurie didn’t want to watch but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Carried by momentum the wolf knocked Brad maybe ten feet back, even as it shook its head, tearing his throat out. Before she could comprehend what was happening the wolf, or whatever it was, dragged him off into the trees. The only evidence left of them was the gun lying on the ground in front of her. And then there was the blood.
Aiden was a shifter. Holy shit. Her heart pounded even harder as everything suddenly came into focus. That explained everything. His icy blue eyes, the way his skin felt like it was on fire, the power that ran through him… and of course the creature that had saved her. It had saved her. It was him. It was him all along. No wonder he felt so different to anyone she had ever met before, she had never met a shifter before…Of course she had heard the stories, but never believed any of it. How could she know such creatures actually existed?
DECKER: MC ROMANCE (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 9) Page 52