by Jo McNally
“Judging from all the talk about hotness and floor...you know...I think you should be thanking me for not driving up the mountain yesterday.”
Asher pulled himself away from watching Nora. “You’re right. Thanks, man.” He nodded to the minifridge in the back of the shop. “Soda?”
“Sure.” Dan gave Nora a smile, and she smiled back. Asher fought back a bubble of jealous anger. His best friend was being nice to his... He frowned. What was Nora, exactly? His neighbor? More than that. His friend? After yesterday, definitely more than that. His girlfriend? Good Lord, he was in his forties. He couldn’t have a girlfriend, could he? But if not that, what? Sex buddy didn’t feel right. What was the term the kids used? Friends with benefits? No, those were more than just benefits they’d shared...
“And he’s lost in his head again.” Nora laughed. “I’ll get your soda, Dan.” She grabbed one of the root beers Asher kept stocked for his friend.
“Thanks, Nora. I’ll leave you two to whatever fun thing you were doing when I came in.” Dan winked at Asher, who still hadn’t managed to speak. “I assume you don’t want me letting myself into your place at the end of shift tonight, right?” Dan raised his root beer in salute. “Be careful, you two, and remember to use protection.”
He was gone before Asher could react, but Nora’s laughter settled his jangled nerves. She patted him on the arm affectionately.
“We definitely need a better plan for how to keep this quiet. I’m going back to my shop before we provide anyone else with a show. Dinner at my place tonight?”
He swallowed hard. “What are we doing, exactly?”
“Sometimes dinner is just dinner, Ash. What happens after dinner is up to you.”
That evening, Asher was still trying to come up with a word or term for what he and Nora were doing. One thing he knew for certain was that Nora’s lemon chicken was the best he’d ever tasted. Actually, the entire experience of dinner with Nora was the best. It had been years since he’d had a nice glass of wine with a meal instead of a shot of bourbon.
Conversation was easy, as it always seemed to be with her. They debated favorite movies—his was anything Star Wars related, hers was The Notebook. They talked about music. With Adele and Alicia Keyes playing in the background, it wasn’t hard to figure out what Nora liked. But after dinner, as they moved to the sofa with their wine, Nora stopped by the iPod station and changed the playlist to Asher’s genre—blues guitar. She sat on the sofa, but not too close.
“Come here.” Her eyes went wide at his words, but she complied, sliding across the sofa until she was curled up with his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head. “You’ve been tiptoeing around me, playing hostess, and I want you to stop. I want you to be with me, not playing a role.”
“I’m very good at playing roles, Asher. It’s a tough habit to break.”
“Because of your husband?” She stiffened, but he kept going. “All I know about you is you’re from Atlanta, you’re Becky’s mom and your late husband was a politician.”
She glanced up at him through thick lashes. “I think you know a little more about me than that.”
He nodded, smiling at the memory of exploring every inch of her body in the glow of the fireplace. He definitely planned on doing more of that later, but first he wanted more of her.
“Tell me the real reason why you left Atlanta.”
She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, then nodded and settled back against him. She stared toward the windows, where the last blush of the sunset was nearly gone.
“Everyone loved Paul. He was a handsome, outgoing guy who always had a smile on his face. Bigger than life, you know? We had a whirlwind love affair in college, and when I got pregnant at twenty, he didn’t hesitate to propose, even though his mother hated me.”
“Why would she hate you?” How could anyone hate Nora, who must have been downright adorable at twenty, all curvy and golden eyed?
“I didn’t have any family connections she could use to reach her goal.”
“Which was?”
Nora shrugged. “Meredith Bradford dreamed big for her boys. Senator. Governor. President. But she came to tolerate me after she found out I could organize a campaign better than anyone she’d have to pay.”
That made sense, Asher thought. Nora was the most organized person he’d ever met.
“Meredith raised her precious boys to believe they could do anything they wanted, simply because they were Bradfords. The rules didn’t apply to them.”
“And which rules didn’t apply to your husband?”
She was quiet.
“Nora?”
Her voice was thick with anger and regret as she told him about the man who’d racked up so much in gambling debts that he emptied his daughter’s college fund and took out extra mortgages on their home. And he’d slept around, the bastard.
“How could you stay when he betrayed you like that?”
“I didn’t know about the money until he was gone. I knew he played poker, but I didn’t know how high the stakes were, and I had no idea how bad he was at it.” Nora looked out through the dark windows. “The few times I allowed myself to wonder about other women, I convinced myself it was just a phase. Just the pressure of the campaign.” She lifted a shoulder half-heartedly, defending him without putting much effort into it. “As his campaign organizer, I became the boss, telling him what to do all day long, and those women were there, all sweet and willing. I figured when the campaign was over, I’d find a way to save our family.”
He could picture Nora doing that. She’d have a grand plan for fixing their relationship, because that was what Nora did. She fixed things.
“But then one night he told me he wanted a divorce as soon as the election was over, win or lose. I’ve never told anyone that. Not even my cousins.”
She took a long, shuddering breath. “While I was busy pretending everything would work out fine, Paul graduated from random hookups to having a full-on affair. He fell in love. He expected me to be the smiling political wife out on the campaign trail, then quietly divorce him when it was over so he’d be free to marry this woman.”
She looked up at Asher. “He died in a plane crash a few days after he told me. The news stories said he was headed to a fund-raiser, but like everything else, it was a lie. He was going to see her.”
Asher didn’t say a word, just ran his fingers through her silky hair and listened. She’d had to sell her home to cover the debts. There was a life insurance policy and a lawsuit settlement as a result of the crash, but she barely kept her head above water the first few years. That was when she became a superplanner, watching every penny so Becky wouldn’t know the harsh reality of their situation.
She’d picked up freelance jobs writing grants and even managed a few local political campaigns. She created an elaborate mythology around her late husband’s memory, making sure people—Becky, in particular—knew only about his charitable and environmental work. She covered up the ugly rumors and thought they were buried forever until some political hack tried to take the secrets public. That was why she’d left Georgia and ended up in Gallant Lake. What a mess.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just tell Becky the truth?” The girl had no idea what sacrifices her mother had made to keep the legend of Paul Bradford alive. Nora shook her head.
“Everyone asks me that, but I don’t want to take her memories of her father away from her.” She sat up and gave him a shaky smile. He was more than a little in awe of Nora Bradford.
“You got tough after he died.” Adversity had tempered her and made her strong.
“I had to get tough. For Becky’s sake.” She hesitated, and her mouth twitched. “Speaking of my daughter who’s pregnant with your son’s baby...what are we going to do about them? And us?” She gestured between them. “You and I are probably a
really bad idea. People will talk...”
Asher didn’t want to think about their kids. He definitely didn’t want to think about having a grandchild. And he didn’t give a damn what other people talked about. There was only one way to stop this conversation.
He kissed her.
* * *
NORA WASN’T PREPARED for the kiss, but she went with it. She knew he was kissing her to shut her up. That was okay for now—she’d talked enough for one night. So she slid her arms around him and kissed him back. He grunted and pulled her onto his lap until she was straddling him. She kissed him as though she’d die if she didn’t. Her tongue pushed into his mouth, making his fingers curl into her butt cheeks so tightly she knew there’d be bruises. And she didn’t care.
She kissed him some more, barely registering that he was pulling her sweater up. When his fingers touched her bra, he pulled his head back and looked at the black lace that pushed her breasts higher.
“You wore that for me.” He wasn’t asking, but she nodded anyway. He dropped his mouth to her left breast and kissed it right through the lace. Then he took her nipple into his mouth and ran his tongue over the lacy covering, sending Nora’s pulse jumping. She gasped his name, and he buried his head between her breasts, inhaling deeply.
“I swear to God you’re killing me, Nora. You’re so damned beautiful, and you’re here in my arms, and I’m dying.” He took a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder to the windows, growing briefly practical. “I think we’d have more privacy upstairs. And I definitely want privacy for what I’m going to do to you.” He flashed another smile that turned her insides to molten lava. “I want you in a bed this time.”
Sure, she could have told him she’d have to pull the blinds for privacy no matter where they ended up in the wide-open loft. But he wanted her in a bed, and she suddenly wanted to be in that bed with him more than anything in the world. On the way up the metal stairs, she hit the wall switch that drew the blinds closed with a soft whir of motors, silently thanking Amanda for suggesting the automated system.
They both started peeling off clothing as soon as they hit the top of the stairs, landing on the bed naked together, laughing. It was laughter that came from the almost childlike glee of “can you believe we’re doing this?” She squealed and giggled when Asher tugged on her ankles to bring her lower in bed so he could trace his lips up the inside of her thigh.
Her laughter stopped when his mouth settled on her and her hips rose to meet him. She was gone almost immediately, shattering with a cry. Before she could catch her breath, he was over her, kissing her and entering her all at once. She hadn’t even noticed him putting on protection, but he had and he was there inside her. He was everywhere, and she still couldn’t breathe.
Her body was moving with his as if she’d been this powerful, sensuous woman all her life. She gasped his name against his mouth, but he didn’t respond. He was gone, pushing harder and faster until she felt the fire building inside her again. She wasn’t sure she could survive another orgasm, but she couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it. Asher bit her skin lightly at the base of her neck and came with a loud, long groan of release. She dug her nails into his back as the sensation rolled through her and colors exploded behind her tightly closed eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she was sure everything would look different. Perhaps the sky would be green now, and the grass purple. Her bedroom would turn into a fanciful sailing ship and her apartment into a palace. Because nothing could possibly be the same after that. She’d never be the same. She’d fallen in love with Asher Peyton.
He’d joked about a scandal earlier, but it was no joke. People were going to whisper and point, and it would affect her daughter and his son. Those relationships were already tenuous, and now she was in love with the man. What were they supposed to do—have a double wedding? This wasn’t going to work. It was just sex. A little affair. No, she couldn’t even sell that story to herself. This was way more than sex.
She turned her head and bumped into Asher’s. His body lay heavily on hers, face down in the pillows. Was he asleep? Passed out? Affection welled up inside her, pushing the fear aside for now, and she kissed the top of his ear, eliciting a low groan.
“Leave me alone and let me die.” His voice was muffled by the bedding. “I said you were killing me earlier, but I’m actually dying now, and it’s okay, because that’s definitely the way every man wants to go. Death by sex.”
She put her hand against the front of his shoulder and pushed.
“If you don’t move pretty soon, we’ll both be dead. You from sex and me from asphyxiation.”
He grunted an apology and rolled off, pulling her into him. She had no objection. His lips pressed against her temple, and he spoke into her skin so softly she strained to hear him.
“I don’t know what that was, but we’re definitely doing it again. First, I just need to lie here and hold you, okay?” She nodded. He did a quick shuffle to grab a tissue and dispose of his condom, somehow managing not to leave her side. She snuggled against his warmth and he wrapped both arms around her. “I just need to hold you, sweetheart.” And he was asleep, his deep breaths blowing across the top of her head.
He’d called her sweetheart. It was a common enough endearment, but she suspected Asher rarely used endearments of any kind. Could he be falling in love, too? Would that be better or worse? It was too much to think they could really be together. It was not like they’d go double dating with their own children. He moaned softly and pulled her even closer. But they were together for now. She closed her eyes and soaked in his warmth.
Together for now would have to be enough.
CHAPTER TWENTY
THE WEATHER WAS a lot nicer the next time Nora was at the mountain house. After endless days of rain, the sun had returned.
She was dressed more appropriately this time, too, with sturdy walking shoes and several loose layers of clothing, including a lightweight jacket that was already off and tied around her waist. What would the Junior League ladies in Atlanta think if they saw her now? She tucked her hair behind her ear and turned to Asher, who was climbing the trail behind her.
“I look like a walking advertisement for L.L.Bean.”
“You look perfect.”
Her heart flipped and jumped, the way it did every time he came out with those random compliments. They were so unlike his usual serious conversation. They signaled an Asher she was seeing more frequently these days. One who smiled more easily, showed affection more openly and came up with crazy ideas like climbing Gallant Mountain. She liked to think this was her Asher, and she treasured the moments when she caught a glimpse of him this way.
“You’re only saying that because you’re looking at my butt.”
“Well, your butt is pretty perfect. But that’s not why I said it. You look great in hiking clothes. We need to get you a whole wardrobe of them.”
She’d started walking again and was glad he couldn’t see her smile. She liked it when he said “we” like that. As if there was a future that included the two of them together. She was so distracted by that thought she didn’t pay attention to where she was stepping, and her foot slid off a damp tree root that stretched across the path. She landed on one knee, and Asher’s hands were helping her up before she could react.
“Nora, be careful!” He steadied her, worry clouding his eyes. “Are you getting tired? If this hike is too much for you, we can go back and do it another day.”
“No, I’m fine.” Her calves and thighs were screaming in protest, but she’d never let him know that. The hours she spent on her feet in the coffee shop hadn’t been quite enough to prepare her for this steep climb. At least there was a clear trail to follow, and Asher insisted on staying behind her in case she fell, so she wouldn’t roll all the way down the side of the mountain. She smiled brightly at him and tried n
ot to think about that possibility.
“As long as we don’t have another five hours of this, I’ll be okay.”
He frowned, looking into the dense woods around them. “We’re not going much farther, but you’d do a lot better with a walking stick. Stay here.”
She leaned against the uphill side of a tree and watched as he strode through the woods, looking like he was born to be here. Born to be part of this mountain, strong and everlasting. He looked relaxed and at peace. His long legs covered the pine needle–covered forest bed quickly, his eyes scanning the ground. He stopped to pick up a long, straight stick. It was taller than he was, but he stepped on it and broke it off so it was just a little shorter than Nora. Looking very pleased with himself, he headed back toward her.
He stepped through a gap between two trees and recoiled abruptly. He grimaced and frantically wiped something from his face, brushing his clothing at the same time.
“Is it on me? Son of a bitch...” He was spinning in place now, his hands sweeping down his chest. “Damn it!”
Nora couldn’t hold it any longer and started laughing. Asher glanced up, as if he’d forgotten he had an audience for his little dance. His face reddened. He had forgotten. That made her laugh even harder, wiping tears from her eyes when she spoke.
“Are you okay over there, mountain man?”
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, missy. I walked into a damned spiderweb!” He said that as if it was a perfectly logical explanation for the dance routine he’d just finished. Her laughter grew as he continued brushing his clothing and searching himself. Cathy had told her Asher was afraid of spiders, and he’d mentioned it, too, but Nora had no idea it was this bad. Her laughter started to fade.
Once he’d decided there was no spider on him, he walked back to her, frowning at her expression.
“What?”
“You’re this afraid of spiders and you still saved me from that creature in my utility room.”