“How’s everything?” he asked me.
“Everything is fine,” I reported. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Okay, that’s good. I was worried. I’ll see you in the morning. Call me if you need me. I have my cell phone with me,” he offered.
“Thanks, Brad. I’ll see you in the morning.”
We hung up and went to bed.
All night I tossed and turned with dreams of John finding me. Just before dawn, I dreamt he was in my bedroom, his hands wrapped around my throat, choking the life out of me.
Just before I passed out in my dream, I woke up in a cold sweat.
Brad
Friday morning, I woke up thinking of Angela, as was becoming the norm. I had a restless night’s sleep, though, worrying about her being alone last night. I didn’t like it, not one bit.
I wasn’t sure how to proceed with her situation. I couldn’t keep an eye on her twenty-four-seven. Or could I?
What if I asked her to move to the resort? At least for now, until we figured out who was driving the black car. Would she agree to that? How would my family feel about it? We had plenty of space for sure, but there were other things to be considered, such as what if it really was her ex looking for her, and that could mean danger for my own family.
The boys got up and got ready on their own, and we ate a quick breakfast. I was relieved when I saw Angela’s car pull up in front of the house.
“How is everything?” I asked her immediately upon opening the front door for her.
“Alright.” When she noticed the worried look on my face, she added, “I’m fine, I promise.” She looked tired. Apparently, she’d slept about as well as I had.
“Okay,” I said, letting it go for now. I didn't want the boys to overhear us. “I’ll see you guys for lunch today.” I gave Angela a reassuring look as I headed out the door.
I decided to talk to my mom about asking Angela to move to the resort. I found her in the kitchen, working on prep for lunch.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Good morning, Brad,” she replied, turning her head for a peck on the cheek. She looked at me, her smile disappearing. She knew something was wrong. “What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned. “It’s not the boys, is it?”
“No, Mom, the boys are fine. It’s Angela.”
“What’s wrong with Angela?” she asked, frowning.
“I think that she’s in trouble,” I confided in her, telling her the gist of the story.
“Oh, my,” Mom sympathized. “What do you think you should do?”
“I was thinking of asking her to stay at the resort for the time being.” I watched her face for her reaction.
Her face lit up. “That’s a great idea! She can stay in your old room at the house,” she offered.
“Are you sure? I mean, I don’t know exactly what’s going on, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or that you’re in any danger. Our family is my first priority,” I swore.
Mom shook her head and fixed me with her trademark determined gaze. “Brad, there are enough people around here to make sure we’re all safe. I hate the thought of that poor woman in town alone at night terrified. If we can help her, we will.”
“Okay, thanks, Mom,” I said. “I don’t know if she’ll feel comfortable staying at the house, so I’ll offer her a guest room as well. Let her choose.”
“That’s fine,” Mom agreed. “Of course, I want her to be comfortable. But I’d love the company at the house, you know. It’s such a big house with lots of space since you boys moved out,” she reminded me.
“I know, Mom. I’ll be sure to tell her you said that. I guess I’ll ask her later, over dinner,” I said. “Can you keep the boys for dinner tonight?”
“Sure, it’s not a problem at all,” Mom answered, turning back to her prep.
I poured a cup of coffee and went to my office to get some work done. When it was time for lunch, I was relieved to go and check on Angela and the boys. All was well when I got to the cabin, as I assumed it would be. The mood was light like it always was when Angela was around. I marveled at how she was able to hide the fact that a possible psycho was after her.
We had a good lunch, and I pulled Angela aside before I headed back down to the resort.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight? Here?” I asked her.
“Sure,” she answered. “That sounds nice.”
“Okay, good. Why don’t you come to my office when you’re done here today?” I suggested.
“I think the boys and I will already be down there. We’re having a session in the darkroom,” she answered.
“Okay. See you then,” I said and headed out the door.
* * *
I was nervous about asking Angela to move to the resort. I didn’t want her to think I was being too forward. I just wanted to keep her safe.
I asked Chef Michael to fix us a special dinner. I went to the dining room and put a reserved sign on one of the tables in the corner by the window. I found some fresh flowers in the common room and took a few to put in a vase, which I centered on the table. I looked at the table, satisfied in the personal, romantic touch I’d created.
I returned to my office to wait until two-thirty when Angela and the boys would come down to use the darkroom. Maybe I’d join them and learn a thing or two about developing pictures.
At precisely two-thirty, the boys came running into my office.
“Hi, Dad,” Reid said excitedly. “You wanna help us make some prints?”
“Sure.” I followed the boys to join Angela in the darkroom.
We had an awesome time developing the prints. The boys told me how they’d already developed the negatives the other day. Reid and Bryce walked me through the process, and I was impressed by how much they’d learned in such a short period of time. They were proud of the pictures they’d snapped while on a nature walk. I was amazed at the beauty of the photos and how the process worked overall.
We spent about an hour in the room before the boys announced the school day was over.
“Yep, the school day is definitely over,” Angela commented, smiling at them. “Good job today, boys.”
“Listen, guys, I’m having dinner with Angela tonight. Gram said for you guys to meet her at her house at six and you can eat with her. Okay?”
“Sure, Dad,” Bryce answered.
“We’re going down to the river and hang out in our new fishing shack,” Reid added. “You guys should come see it sometime.”
“I’d love to,” Angela answered as they ran off. She looked at me, amused. “Um, I’m not sure they meant it.”
“Oh they did,” I said with a laugh. “They’re just too busy to stand around.”
Because we had some time to kill before dinner, I asked Angela if she wanted to go for a walk. The resort had so many nice trails we maintained for the guests to use for hiking and observing nature.
Angela was already in her sneakers, so we headed for a trail. We followed an easy to navigate path that overlooked the Blue River and the mountains beyond. I looked down to see if we could see the boys’ hut, but I couldn’t. I’d have to make plans to walk down there to check it out soon.
As we walked, I grabbed her hand. I’d missed holding Angela’s hand. It felt small and soft in my own. Walking hand and hand, we marveled over the beauty of the wildflowers growing near the trail. We stopped at an overlook and gazed at the majestic view of the mountain ridges and the river valley below. This particular trail ended in a big meadow we used for various activities, like capture the flag and snowman building in the winter.
Even though we kept the grass trimmed, the surrounding grasses grew tall, and wheat and spring wildflowers grew abundantly.
“Oh, it’s so beautiful here,” Angela exclaimed happily.
We picked some flowers to take back to the resort, barely speaking because of the serenity around us.
“Do you want to go back to the bar and have a drink before dinner?” I asked. “I had the chef
prepare a meal for us, which will be ready at about six-thirty.”
“A drink sounds good right about now,” Angela replied, smelling her bouquet of wildflowers.
We walked back to the resort, hand in hand, and I led her to the bar. I told her to have a seat and that I’d find a vase for the flowers. Within a minute, I returned with a vase of water, and we arranged the bouquet and placed it on the bar.
“You can take the flowers home with you,” I told her.
“Thanks,” she responded, smiling. “They’re so beautiful, just like everything is here.”
I poured her a glass of Chardonnay. I opened a bottle of beer for myself. We sat on the stools and made small talk for the next half an hour, waiting for dinner. At six-thirty, I poured another glass of wine for Angela and opened myself another beer. Handing her the wine, I led her to the table I had reserved for us.
She looked out of the big picture window. “Wow, look at the view from up here!” she exclaimed. The snow-covered mountain tops loomed in the distance, and the Blue River sparkled a blue green below in the valley.
“The river is almost the same color as your eyes,” I told her. “Absolutely stunning.”
Angela blushed. “Thank you,” she said, her cheeks tinting a deep pink. In awe, she stated out the window again. “The entire scene is so picturesque.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” I agreed, following her gaze. “No matter how many times I see it, I remember how lucky I am to live here.”
“Yes, you are really lucky,” she agreed, still smiling.
After we were seated, Michael brought out several covered dishes which he set in the center of the table. He also set a salad in front of each of us, a loaf of homemade bread, and a bottle of homemade dressing.
“Do you need anything else, sir?” he asked me as he uncovered the dishes.
“No thanks, Michael. This is perfect,” I replied, and he returned to the kitchen.
I placed a T-bone steak with mushrooms in a wine sauce on each of our plates. Then I added a side of asparagus parmesan and a scoop of creamy risotto to each of our plates.
“Wow, this looks so good,” Angela exclaimed, digging in. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
We ate our dinners and enjoyed light conversation. When we finished eating, one of the wait staff came over and cleared our empty plates.
“Margaret, can you please bring us both a piece of pie?” I asked her.
“Sure, Mr. Hunter. Be right back with it,” she replied, smiling.
Less than a minute later, Margaret served us each a piece of homemade blueberry pie.
“Oh, I love blueberry pie,” Angela remarked. “Thanks for a great dinner. It was really tasty.”
“Sure, no problem,” I said, deciding that now was as good a time as any to talk to her about moving.
She took a few bites of her dessert, then gave me a puzzled look when she saw that I wasn’t eating my own. “Is everything ok?”
I nodded quickly and cleared my throat. “Yes, everything’s fine. I’ve just been thinking…”
She put her fork down and placed her hands in her lap. “Oh, ok, I get it,” she said, looking down at the table.
“Get what?” I asked, confused.
“You want to let me down easy. Feed me a nice dinner before telling me you’re letting me go. I don’t blame you,” she rushed to say when I attempted to speak. “I wouldn’t want me and my past around my business or my kids either.” She sounded utterly defeated.
I reached across the table and lifted her chin so she looked at me. “No, that’s not it at all,” I said softly.
Her eyebrows lifted. “It’s not?”
I shook my head. “No. Just the opposite, actually. I wanted to ask you to stay here for a while. At the resort, I mean.” I put my hand up when she started to object. “Angela, there’s plenty of space here. You can stay in one of the guest rooms in the main building, or my mom said you’re welcomed to stay at the house with her in my old room. She’s got four unoccupied bedrooms, and she’d like the company.”
“I can’t impose like that,” she said.
“You are not imposing,” I promised her. “We have plenty of space here,” I repeated. “And Mom said she would love to have your company. She’s all alone up there in that big house. You would have use of the kitchen up there and your own bathroom,” I tempted, grinning. “That’s probably better than staying in a room, as you won’t have a private kitchen to use.”
“Thank you, Brad. But I need to think about this. I just don’t know.”
“Okay, but we can move you in over the weekend,” I said, pressing probably more than I should. “You would be safer here. There’s always someone around. No way anyone comes up here and harasses you,” I said matter-of-factly.
“True,” she reasoned. “But I still feel like I’m imposing. What would the boys think? What about your brothers?”
“I’ll think of something to tell the boys. They would love to have you here, I’m sure. And, my brothers will understand,” I assured her.
“Living here would make it easy to come to work every day,” she mused, her resolve cracking.
“Yep,” I agreed quickly. “So, what do you say? You don’t have to give up your house. It’s just until you feel safe again. Maybe Sheriff Andrews will run into that black car and figure out if it’s anything you need to be worried about. But for now, at least, you’ll feel safe here, and I’ll have peace of mind.”
“Okay, I’ll stay here for a while. But I’m paying rent,” she informed me.
“No need for that,” I told her.
“No free rides,” she insisted. “I can at least help Mary Beth around here during my free time.”
“She’d like that.”
“Are you sure about this?” she asked me again, shaking her head.
“I’ve never been so sure about anything,” I promised her. “You’re the best thing that has happened to the boys in a while. They love having you here. And I don’t mind it either,” I added, smiling.
Angela blushed at my comment. “I kind of like being around too.”
We sat and talked for another hour or so, and slowly the dining room cleared out. The wait staff cleaned up around us, and then they went home as well.
“Looks like we’re the last ones left,” Angela observed.
“Yeah, I think we are. Time always goes so fast when I’m with you,” I said, smiling. “Do you want a tour of the place? If you’re going to stay here, you should know your way around.”
“Sure, that would be nice,” she agreed. I led Angela out of the restaurant and into the common area.
“Well, of course, you know about the common area,” I remarked, allowing myself to reminisce. “And, the stone fireplace my father built, all by himself, I might add. This is the first room he really worked on.”
“Wow,” Angela said. “Your father was very gifted.”
“Yeah, I miss him. He taught us a lot. Cole takes after him the most,” I told her. “In fact, Cole is the spitting image of my dad.”
Angela nodded. “It’s amazing.”
We passed the front reception desk. Clark, an older man with grey hair who worked for us as the nighttime receptionist, was sitting in the small office behind the desk, watching TV.
“He doesn’t have much to do at night, especially during the slow period. But we like having someone staffed twenty-four-seven just in case the guests need something.”
We went back to the offices, and I let her peek inside them. “I’m the only one who uses mine on a regular basis, so I got the biggest one.”
Then, we headed down the short hallway. There was a door leading out back to a small patio and walkway. “The laundry room is back there in a separate outhouse. And a storage shed,” I told her. Angela stopped to gaze out the glass double doors.
We continued into the kitchen through the side door. “And, this is the kitchen, of course.”
“Wow, this is a big kitchen,” Angela re
marked when I flipped on the lights.
“Yeah, we designed it this way. My mom wanted it to be big, and I’m glad we listened to her. It’s nice to have all of this space to prepare food, especially for big events.”
I led her through yet another door into a large pantry. “This is the pantry,” I said. “And that other door over there goes back out to behind the bar. We keep a supply of liquor over there, along with a couple of kegs. And all the dry food and kitchen supplies are right here, of course.”
I looked at Angela, and she was smiling at me.
“What?” I asked, returning her smile.
“Nothing. I like watching you talk about this place. Your whole face lights up when you do. It’s quite adorable,” she told me, her cheeks turning pink.
“Adorable?” I asked, feigning a frown.
“Ok, it’s hot,” she admitted with a big grin, waving her hand in her face as if she were sweating.
“That’s better,” I said. I grabbed Angela by the waist and pulled her to me. I put my lips to hers, pressing hard, kissing her passionately.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back. There was a large, wooden supply crate behind us, and I picked her up and set her on it. She wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me close.
When I leaned against Angela’s body, my cock jumped in response. I wanted her badly, and right then.
I reached under her dress and moved my hands up her soft thighs. Angela moaned, and I stepped back to pull off her silk panties. She opened her legs, and my fingers found her throbbing pussy. I pushed two fingers inside her wetness, and my thumb found her clit. I circled the bundle of nerves and listened to Angela moan with pleasure. She leaned back on her hands and writhed under my touch. My dick was so hard I thought it might explode.
I moved her dress up over her hips and pushed her legs even further apart so my broad, muscular shoulders could fit between her thighs. I knelt in front of her, made a trail of kisses up her inner thigh, and moved to lick her heated center.
My mouth found her wet mound, and I licked her swollen pussy. I tugged on each lip with my teeth and sucked them into my mouth. Angela cried out her pleasure, and I let go only to force open her pussy with my tongue and pushed it inside, flicking it in and out.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 10