“Get the marshmallow issue all figured out?” Gabby laughed.
“It was a tough one,” I teased, sinking the veggie into some dip.
We carried the food upstairs and played endless matches, until the New Year almost slipped by us. We almost missed the countdown until fireworks outside started going off, and we all hurried down the stairs and outside as the loud explosions on the mountain began soaring through the sky.
“Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven…” Everyone shouted and Ayden didn’t even wait. He pulled me into him, his mouth crashing onto mine to welcome the New Year. My mouth tingled as our kiss continued long after the stroke of midnight; it only ended when Mason kept blowing a horn in his brother’s ear.
“Happy New Year, babe,” Ayden murmured, his eyes locked on mine, and I pressed my lips to his once more, ignoring Mason and the rest of the world.
Waking up in Ayden’s arms was a beautiful thing. It was our last morning in Utah. I looked around the bedroom as my mind raced with thoughts from the last couple of nights. The tenderness of Ayden’s kisses and the loving way he looked at me, continued to take my breath away. Ayden’s breathing changed slightly as he pulled me into him, and I couldn’t help but giggle as his whiskers scraped along my cheek.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered.
“Good morning,” I said, snuggling into him.
We were back at the condo, but he was no longer in the bunkroom. Sammie was glad to chase him out, and I was glad to welcome him in. It was hard to believe so much had transpired on our trip to Utah, but I never would change a thing about it.
“Ready to go back to Seattle?” Ayden asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “My flight goes to Portland.”
“Not anymore. I thought since you wanted to see my fight in a few days, it only made sense to have you fly in with me, hang out…”
I didn’t say anything as his words settled over me. What would we do once this was all over, him in Seattle, me in Portland?
“They’re open tickets, so I can change them back if you want. I can come to Portland…”
Not realizing what my silence implied, I flipped over and looked into his worried eyes. “I’m beyond excited to fly into Seattle with you. I just got sidetracked…thinking about where we both live and…”
“One step at a time, baby. Things always work out the way they’re supposed to.” He nipped at my ear, and I started laughing as my body immediately responded to his.
“So I thought you could make yourself at home while I prepared for the fight.”
I nodded and traced my fingers along his mouth, imagining what it would be like to hang out with him on his turf.
A loud knock on our door interrupted my next idea, and I just started laughing.
“Maybe we should just have you come to Portland,” I teased.
“If we want to get a decent meal before the flight, we’ve gotta get going,” Brandy called through the door.
“Which is code for get your ass out of bed,” I teased.
I heard Brandy’s laughter through the door as she walked back down the hall. I shoved off the covers and groaned. Ayden’s fingers traced along my arm and I smiled.
I was in a camisole and boxers, not exactly winter pajamas, but being wrapped in so much goose down and Ayden more than made up for it. I glanced at Ayden as he sat up, his blonde hair in complete disarray and blue eyes still a little sleepy.
“What?” he asked, pushing his hand through his hair.
Of course, he was shirtless, but he was wearing a pair of boxers and my gaze fell to his abdomen.
“Nothing,” I laughed, as he pulled me into him. “Not fair. I don’t want to get in trouble with Brandy.”
Ayden pulled me on top of him and pulled my hand to his, kissing the knuckles softly.
“Did I ever mention how that drives me insane?” I teased.
“I don’t think you did. No.” He pulled my hand to his lips once more. “When did that start?”
“At the launch party,” I confessed.
“I had no idea,” he laughed, as I crawled off him.
“Yup. You’ve had me for a long time, Mr. Rhodes. You just didn’t know it, and neither did I.”
I walked into the bathroom and began brushing my teeth as I turned on the shower. Ayden followed and grabbed a razor.
“Just one more day?” I mumbled, in between toothpaste spits.
“One more day what?” he asked.
“With the whiskers,” I laughed.
“Whatever you say.” He beamed, tossing the shaver on the counter and trading it for a toothbrush.
I walked into the bedroom and picked out a pair of navy yoga pants and a white hoodie and brought them back into the bathroom. I felt the suds about to escape into my mouth and hurried to the sink as Ayden grabbed two towels and placed them next to the shower.
He quickly stripped, and even though I’d spent more time with him naked than clothed in the last couple of days, I couldn’t help but be impressed as he climbed in the shower. I watched through the glass as he let the water trickle over his hair and lathered up his face and body. But instead of pure enjoyment, fear crept in as I thought about what it was that gave him this exquisite body, the fighting. I wanted to see him fight. I really did, but every day that got us closer to the date made my nerves work overtime. He ran his fingers through his wet hair, and I reprimanded myself for getting worked up. He knew what he was doing and I couldn’t doubt him or I’d be doubting his ability.
I wriggled out of my boxers and pulled the camisole over my head, dropping them on the floor.
“Room for one more?” I asked, pushing away the fear.
“Always,” he laughed, rinsing the soap out of his hair.
I stepped into the steamy shower, and he quickly began sliding soap along my body as I let the water run over my hair. Ayden poured shampoo over my hair, and I began massaging it into my scalp when I felt his hands glide up my thighs. My breath caught as he pressed me against the tile, his fingers circling inside me. The water was pelting me as I watched his gaze steady on mine bringing me to the end, my body shuddering into his.
He gave me one last kiss before he stepped out of the shower, and I was left to rinse off by myself, still completely lost in the world Ayden had created for me.
We all said our goodbyes at SeaTac Airport as we climbed into our separate vehicles. I gave Sammie an extra long hug and thanked her for everything. She looked even cuter than usual because she found out Mario was going to be arriving in less than an hour to surprise her. He had gotten everything handled ahead of schedule and would be able to stay in the states now.
Ayden linked his hand with mine as we each pulled our carry-ons toward his Audi. Brandy and Aaron offered to drop Mason off since he rode with Ayden to the airport, which allowed for Ayden and I to go straight to his house. I’d actually never been there before. I’d seen pictures from when he’d bought it, but I’d never had a reason to go over there. Now I was full of them.
We walked over to his car, and he popped the trunk, placing both of our bags inside. I quickly sat in the passenger seat and let out a deep breath as he was just ducking inside.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“More than ever,” I said. “I just can’t believe this is how the trip ended.”
“Pretty incredible.” He smiled, glancing over at me.
“Insanely incredible.”
“Beyond insanely incredible,” he laughed.
“Pretty beyond insanely incredible.” I grinned.
He started the car, and we circled out of the parking garage, finally hitting the highway. The airport garage was like a maze. One wrong turn and a person had to start all over again. The traffic was pretty nonexistent since it was a Sunday, but we also weren’t going directly into the city. Ayden bought a house toward the Cascade Foothills, which was close to the city if needed, but it felt worlds away. I’d stayed at a Spa there during a girls’ weekend and loved t
he area. It was very peaceful. I think it was close to one of the wineries that Gabby’s parents had hosted functions.
Ayden placed his hand on my knee, and the intense sensations ran through me once again. I glanced at him and wondered if I had the same effect on him so I slid my hand along his thigh. A huge grin gave me my answer as I sank into the seat.
“I’ve got a gym at the house that I’ll be doing my workouts in so I’ll still be around.”
“I wasn’t worried. Do what you need to do to make sure you knock the guy out,” I laughed.
“Yes, ma’am,” he teased. “I had no idea you had this streak in you.”
“Neither did I,” I laughed.
We pulled off the highway and onto a road that wandered through thick Douglas firs and cedars as I admired the many sprawling homes that sat back from the road. I loved the amount of property that was attached to the homes out here. I wondered if Ayden’s home had property too.
He turned onto a long, gravel drive and my heart began to beat quickly and I had no idea why. As we followed the road, trees spotted the grounds, along with huge rhododendrons and holly bushes.
“Is this all your property?”
“It is. It backs up to Wolf Creek,” he said, pointing in front of us.
The drive bent and that was when I saw Ayden’s home. It was a large timbered home with stone facing along the garage. It didn’t resemble the pictures I had seen in any way.
“You’ve done a ton of work on the house,” I said. “It’s beautiful.”
“I did a lot of it on my own, but of course, my brother and dad have helped,” Ayden said. “So you like it?”
“I love it.”
I caught a smile of satisfaction touch his lips as he opened the garage and we pulled in. There was an old Ford Truck sitting one stall over. It looked to be refurbished and extremely cute. Although, cute might not be what Ayden was going for.
I got out of the car and walked to the back where Ayden was pulling out our suitcases. I rolled mine along, following him to the door that led into the house. He pushed the button on the wall, and the garage door closed quietly behind us as we stepped into his house. He quickly punched in a code on the alarm system and grabbed my suitcase from me. We were standing in a mudroom that had built-ins along the wall and a place to hang jackets.
He motioned for me to follow him into the kitchen, which was enormous. He set the suitcases down on the tile floors and took my hands.
“I’ll show you around so you can make yourself at home. And then I’ve gotta get training.”
“Totally.”
The kitchen opened into the family room, and then from there, we walked down a long hall, which was where the master bedroom was. It was beautifully decorated and had windows overlooking Wolf Creek. The king-size bed was in the center of the room, and there was a sitting area next to the windows. He led me into the bathroom and my jaw dropped open.
It was huge and the tub twice the size as the one at the lodge. He caught my gaze and started laughing.
“I know… Just imagine…” he murmured. “I’m gonna change real quick.”
I took a seat and looked out the windows as the rain began to fall. It was so relaxing out here. I could see why he liked living in this area, away from the city. He went into his closet and within minutes came back out in a pair of sweats and a shirt.
He led me back out of the room, down the hall, and up the stairs to his gym. It was awesome and filled with tons of equipment. I saw why he had no need to have a gym membership. He walked me past the many guest bedrooms, all decorated wonderfully, until we hit the door at the end of the hall.
“This is one of my favorite places in the house,” he said, opening the door.
He flipped on the lights to reveal a huge media room. I spotted the PS4 and started laughing.
“I’m totally going to kick your ass,” I said.
“In your dreams.” He bent down and gave me a quick kiss. “Mind if I get started on my workout?”
“Not at all. I’ve had a mystery I’ve been trying to read all week but kept getting interrupted,” I teased.
“I’ll be done in a few hours. If you need anything just come on in.” His eyes focused on mine, and I swiped a quick kiss along his lips.
“Maybe I’ll join you at the end?”
“I’d love it.”
He walked into the gym and turned on the stereo and began lifting. The way his eyes locked on mine, as he caught me watching, told me there was no way I could go in there while he was working out. He needed to concentrate on training and I’d only be a distraction. I grinned, feeling completely satisfied as I walked down the hall and stairs, but as I heard each thump from his footsteps above, my worry began to take over. The thought of him getting hurt, or worse, was beginning to force its way back into my head. I needed an escape.
I grabbed my book out of the suitcase, and a pulse of excitement ran through my body as I thought about how my life was turning out. That was what I needed to focus on. I quickly walked into Ayden’s bedroom and flipped on the flat screen television as I heard the rhythm of his music pounding through the walls. I smiled, knowing there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
Feeling like my vacation was far from over, I crawled into Ayden’s bed and cracked open my mystery, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
We pulled up to the large warehouse, the parking lot already full. I spotted Mason, and my nerves immediately went into high gear as he gave Ayden a quick wave before seeing me in the passenger’s seat. And that was when his expression fell.
That was nice!
Mason jogged over to the car as Ayden turned off the engine and opened the door.
“Dude, what’s she doing here,” Mason’s voice low.
“She’s part of my life now, and this is part of my life. Plus, she’s my good luck charm,” Ayden said, getting out of the car. “Chill out.”
Mason walked to the front of the car and ran his fingers through his hair. I glanced at him and waved, hoping he would loosen up some.
“What’s the problem?” I asked, stepping out of the car.
“Nothing,” Mason said, his gaze darting between his brother and the warehouse. “Better get inside. It’s a full house tonight.”
“Isn’t it every night?” Ayden asked.
I was wearing a pair of jeans and a huge pink sweatshirt with an oversized neck. The chill in the air caused me to shiver, which Ayden picked up on.
Mason nodded and Ayden slid his arm around my waist, keeping my body shielded from the breeze. We walked down what seemed like an endless row of cars, and my heart began sputtering out of control with what I was about to witness. I thought I was okay with seeing him fight, but now I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. Nothing in this world was ever a sure thing.
As if sensing my unease, Ayden leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be okay, babe,” he murmured. “I’ve got this.”
Not wanting him to think I doubted him in any way because I really didn’t, I nodded. “I know you do. I can’t wait to watch you lay the guy out on the ground.”
“That’s my girl,” Ayden laughed, as Mason opened the rusty metal door.
The inside of the warehouse was freezing. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I guess I assumed the place would have heat. In hindsight, that was obviously not the case since everything was meant to be impromptu and untraceable. I shivered as I walked into the small entry that could pose as an office if needed. The window on the back wall of the office overlooked the larger warehouse space where the crowd was assembling.
Mason motioned for us to follow him up the stairs that were directly to the left. Ayden let me go and jogged up the stairs behind Mason, and I followed them both. The upstairs hallway smelled musty, like the warehouse had been vacant for a very long time, and that only added to my concern. The beige carpet was torn, and the paint peeling from the walls. I got a sinking feeling as I followed them both to an emp
ty room overlooking the warehouse from above.
“You can stay up here if you want,” Mason offered. “It’ll give you a good vantage point.”
I shook my head and glanced at Ayden. “I’d rather be down by the ring, if that’s okay.”
“Fine with me,” Ayden said. “In fact, I’d prefer it. These things can get out of hand sometimes.”
My stomach tightened, but I did nothing to expose the amount of fear that was threatening to swallow me whole. I also didn’t ask what he meant.
“We’ve got forty minutes ‘till fight time,” Mason replied “I’m gonna go see how collections are going.”
Mason dropped a duffel bag on the floor, and I glanced at Ayden who nodded at Mason. Ayden leaned against an old metal desk that was shoved in the corner and crossed his arms.
“What’ll we do until then?” I asked after Mason left the room.
“I’ve got a few ideas,” Ayden said, his gaze boring into me, igniting a longing that I forced back. Now was not the time.
“That’s bad to do before a fight. All the great fighters know that,” I teased, glancing at the gathering crowd down below.
“That’s a myth.”
“How can you be so sure?” I asked, scowling.
“I can’t be sure, but I’d be willing to test out the theory.” He pushed himself off the desk and walked slowly toward me, his gaze following down the length of my body, which created a thrilling sensation as I thought about all the people down below having no idea what we were doing up above.
“Didn’t you say this one should officially pay off…”
I couldn’t finish my sentence as his gaze devoured me. His fingers gently followed the curves of my body, and my breath caught as he pushed his hips into me. I felt his hardness against me and prayed I’d have the self-control to say no.
“We can’t,” I whispered.
“Oh, but we can,” he moaned, bringing his lips to my exposed shoulders.
The feeling of power that pulsed through me, knowing that I created this inside of him, made it almost impossible for me to think straight.
Beyond Reason (Beyond Love Series #3) Page 21