He took another drag of the cigarette. Bullshit built their relationship and he deserved to lose her. He wasn’t hurt by their split. Pissed off, yes, but not hurt. Luckily she’d revealed her true colors before he’d given her the ring in his bag. A cynical laugh escaped him and echoed in the night. That could have been his wife in the closet instead of his girlfriend.
His nose tingled from the cold. He took one last drag of the cigarette when the curtains along the door leading to the bedroom twitched. Mikayla slid the dark blue fabric back. Her glare was fierce but not as fierce as the halo of her body in the lamplight from the room. His breathing hitched. She may not have Angelica’s exotic looks, but she more than made up for the lack of glamor with down home southern girl attraction. The curves he’d wondered about were on full display in her pajamas: thick thighs, round ass, small waist, and full breasts. He blew out a lungful of smoke and tugged on the front of his sweatpants.
The easiest way to forget a woman is between the legs of another. The thought whispered in his brain, but he dismissed it. Or tried to anyway. She seemed like a nice woman, so for once, he’d play the nice guy.
“I smelled smoke.” She said after sliding back the glass door.
“If the smoke bothers you I’ll put the cigarette out.” He leaned down to snuff the tip when she rushed over.
“Don’t.”
He straightened and watched her. Mikayla’s arms crossed full breasts to protect against the cold, and her hands ran frantically up and down her arms. The sleeveless pajama top was useless against the breeze, even with the purple flannel pants and matching slippers she wore. He’d never been around a woman in real lounging pajamas. Surprisingly, he liked the comfortable look more than the silks and satins he was accustomed to seeing. An overwhelming urge to reach out and pull her curvy body into his arms and protect against the chill made him shift his stance. Instead, he took another drag.
Her eyes followed his movements. He recognized the look of someone who hadn’t quite kicked the habit.
“I have another in my car.”
She shook her head. “I quit.”
“So did I,” he said with a lift of one shoulder.
He held out the cigarette. She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip before finally taking it from him. His gaze was glued to her as she inhaled. Mikayla’s eyes closed and lips curved into a sinful smile. She slowly exhaled and licked her lips. A steady drumbeat of desire started in his chest and ran down his body.
When her eyes opened, he couldn’t look away. Her lips parted, before she quickly pressed them together and lowered her lids.
She shoved the cigarette his way. “Thanks.”
“You can finish.”
She shook her head. “No, I really did quit.”
He wanted to put his lips on the filter and see if he could taste her. Badly. Which wasn’t what a good guy would do.
He shook his head “I’m finished.”
She stared at the smoldering tip, before crushing the cigarette in the ashtray and tossing it in the trash.
“It’s freezing out here.” Her voice trembled a little and, she rubbed her arms.
“I know.”
She glanced at him. “Well, goodnight.”
“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
In the cold Mikayla’s heavy exhale was just as visible as the cloud of cigarette smoke she blew earlier. “You didn’t make me cry.”
“Then I’m sorry for reminding you who did.”
She tightened the grip on her arms. “It’s not as if I can forget. It’s why we’re stranded here. Besides, I can’t blame you for what you thought. Most of the women Ryan dated forgave him easily. Believe me, I saw the tears of his previous girlfriends.”
She shivered. He stepped closer and ran his hands over her shoulders. Her soft skin was cold beneath his fingertips.
“You’re different. You’re stronger than I would have expected. In the middle of all the drama, you kept your head up and didn’t cause a scene. Since then, you’ve handled being forced to stay in a cabin with me with class. I shouldn’t have misjudged you.”
“I’m not that strong.”
Pleasure that she didn’t pull away pushed him to take a step closer. “You are. To walk away like you did…”
“Is what any other woman with a bit of sense would have done. Before that, I wanted to scratch his eyes out.” She shook her head before lowering her eyes. “I kneed him in the balls.”
He chuckled. Back at the estate she didn’t seem to possess a lot of fight, but Mikayla proved him wrong yet again. He liked a woman with a bit of fire. Time to rein in those types of thoughts. Liking her would be a mistake. Still, he didn’t take his hands off her shoulders. “Better you do that than me realign his esophagus.”
She raised her head and laughed. The soft sound was like a warm breeze in the cold night. “Maybe we should’ve acted the fool. I think they both could have used a good beat down.”
Moonlight shone one her hair, turning the brown tresses silver. Without thinking, his hand lifted to take a few strands between his fingers.
“We’ll tag team the next time,” he said.
Her body barely shifted forward, surrounding him with her sweet floral scent. “I like that idea.”
He continued to toy with her hair. The fine locks were like silk on his skin. He wanted to bury his fingers in it, pull her close, and see if her lips were just as soft as the rest of her. He pushed the strands behind her ear. Then trailed his fingers slowly down the side of her face. One taste, that’s all he wanted. The urge had nothing to do with revenge, and everything to do with a cold night, a beautiful woman, and one bed.
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. The cold air rushed around him when she stepped back, dousing his desire and bringing common sense back into play.
Her chest rose and fell with short quick breaths. She cleared her throat, “I’m gonna call it a night.”
He sucked in a lungful of frigid night air, wishing it would cool the hot thoughts in his head.
“I think that’s a good idea.” He hoped the roads would be clear tomorrow. He couldn’t do this another night.
“Good night, Andre.” She slipped back into the bedroom.
Andre watched the doors close. Fought the ridiculous need to knock on the glass. Sure he could explore the spark between them, but what good would it do to follow her? He would not sleep with his cousin’s ex-girlfriend. Would not make this a pissing match between him and Ryan. You weren’t thinking about Ryan when you touched her. True. But getting involved with Mikayla was a bad idea. He wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t forgive Ryan. No, he needed to ignore this attraction and drive her home first thing in the morning.
*
Andre jerked up to a sitting position. Bright morning sunlight dragged away the remnants of sleep and reflected off the snow covered trees through the balcony’s glass doors. Squinting he held up a hand and blocked his eyes. Pushing back the blanket Mikayla tossed to him the night before, he surveyed the room. The door to the bedroom was closed. The kitchen appeared undisturbed and the only sound was the faint humming of the refrigerator. But something woke him.
The front door cracked open as Mikayla slipped inside. Still in pajamas, her hair hidden behind a bright orange scarf, and dark red slippers on her feet. One of her hands pressed tightly against her chest as if protecting something as she quietly shut the door. When she turned and caught his eye, she froze.
She shuffled, biting her lower lip. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“What were you doing outside? Looks like more snow fell. It has to be freezing.”
She avoided his eyes but dragged her feet along the floor to cross the room to him. When she stood at the back of the couch, she uncurled her hand and held it out.
He shook his head and chuckled. “I thought you quit.”
“I did!” She came around the couch, he moved his legs so she could sit on the edge. “This is c
razy. I haven’t smoked in over a year and after one terrible afternoon I’m craving a cigarette as bad as I did in college.”
“Because of what happened?”
She threw the cigarette on the table and rubbed her eyes with the balls of her hands. “I shouldn’t let this get to me. I shouldn’t be so surprised that Ryan did what he did.” Her head fell back on the sofa and she frowned up at the ceiling. “I’m mad at myself, more than I am at him.” She said softly.
He peered at the cigarette on the coffee table, then back at Mikayla. He could either let her get her thoughts out or remain distant and watch her fall back into the habit she was trying to fight. The urge for a cigarette gnawed at his insides. Even now, he wanted one.
His mouth dried up at the thought of confiding in her. He glanced at Mikayla’s stooped shoulders and pensive frown and something tugged in his chest. A new, almost uncomfortable sensation. Having a let’s talk conversation wasn’t high on his priority lists. Dealing with the problem head on without examining his feelings was more his style. Her unease made him want to soothe the discomfort. What the hell. He could continue to pretend to be a good guy. Indulging her for a few minutes would, hopefully, bring a smile to her face, and then they’d go their separate ways.
“I understand how you feel,” he said. “I knew things with Angelica weren’t…ideal, but I let myself believe marrying her would be okay.”
Slowly, Mikayla’s head turned to face him. He watched the same conflict in her eyes that he’d battled with. Open up with the person who was connected to his enemy or keep the churning emotions bottled up inside.
“You were going to marry her. I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. I’m lucky to have seen her true colors before proposing.”
“But, you must hurt more than me. I wasn’t in love with Ryan. If you were thinking of marrying Angelica, then you were just betrayed by the person you loved.”
He shifted to avoid the empathy in her eyes. His stomach churned. He couldn’t tell her that he was only marrying Angelica to improve the company image. He didn’t want to witness the disgust in her eyes when she realized he’d let lust and Caldwell pride chose his bride.
“I’m better off.” He turned back to her. “And so are you.”
Her soft tempting lips curved up into a small smile. She didn’t have the tension around her eyes and shoulders like she’d had the day before. No tightness to flatten her full lips, and no stiffness in her speech. All of which made her infinitely more desirable than she’d previously been.
“My dad would agree with you. He never liked Ryan.”
“Smart man.”
She shook her head and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. “About a lot of things.” Her chest rose and fell with a deep inhale and release of air. Andre zeroed in on her nipples, hardened by the cold which added inches to his morning erection.
“Being with Ryan was…something I thought I wanted.” Her voice jerked him out of his thoughts. “Maybe too much. I wasn’t so ordinary with him.”
“I wouldn’t call you ordinary.”
Surprise and pleasure danced in her soft brown eyes. “Believe me, I am.” She brought her knees up on the couch and wrapped her arms around them. “I used to think I was less than ordinary. I felt plain and forgettable. I don’t want to be that anymore.”
Ordinary was the last thing he would have used to describe Mikayla. Even now, hair wrapped in an orange scarf, and wearing pajamas, she was sexy. Though she had been hurt, she’d proven herself emotionally strong, practical, but not afraid to admit to her flaws. A good woman. How had Ryan snagged her?
“I think Ryan had someone extraordinary, and didn’t realize it.”
Her tongue darted across her bottom lip and they parted with a silent sigh. The air thickened around them and he held her gaze.
“Thank you.” She sat up, broke eye contact, and cleared her throat. “More snow did fall last night. I’m not sure if the roads are clear.”
The part of him thrumming with attraction hoped they weren’t. The sensible part of him prayed they were.
“Let’s see if there’s anything on the news.”
He flipped on the television and checked channels until they came across the weather report. Two more inches snow and a half inch of ice. Travel not recommended until all roads are cleared, highway travel unlikely with the rock slide.
“Well, at least they think the detour roads will be open tomorrow,” Mikayla said.
“It means another night together.”
“If they let us keep the cabin.”
They cast a long glance at the cigarette on the coffee table. The thought of the relief that would come from taking a drag clouded his brain. Maybe she felt the same. An uncomfortable silence filled the space. He wanted to fill it, keep her talking, and learn more about what made Mikayla fall for Ryan of all people. He wasn’t much better than Ryan. But her smile, the tiny bit of trust she had to feel in order to open up with him was nice. He liked the feeling.
He stood, lifted his hands over his head and stretched. “We can walk down to the main office together.”
She didn’t immediately answer. Her widened gaze focused on the front of his sweatpants and his erection. Masculine pride and slight embarrassment heated his insides. He pulled on the waistband of his pants to try and diminish the effect. Not easy knowing she’d sized him up.
She covered her face and turned her head. “I’m sorry, what did you say. I’m still a bit…groggy.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Walk with me to the main office to see if we can keep the cabin for another night.”
“Good idea.”
She jumped up and at the same time he took a step forward. They bumped into each other. Her warm body sent a rush of excitement over his skin. He reached out to steady her, get another feel of her, but she backed away quickly. Her eyes avoiding his.
“You can shower first,” she said.
“Do I smell?” he teased.
Her gaze flew to his. He smiled and she chuckled.
“No, just being nice,” she said.
“That’s good to know. Once we get the cabin situated, we’ll figure out what to do for the rest of the day.”
He could think of several things he’d like to do for the remainder of the day. A few of them involved keeping warm with her. As if she read his thoughts, desire sparked in her eyes. The need to reach out and kiss her was overwhelming. He jerked his gaze away.
With a gasp, she uncrossed her arms and turned away. “Go shower, and we’ll figure out how to get through the day. We’ll need something to eat and a distraction from…the urge to smoke.”
Nicotine wasn’t what his body craved. He grabbed his bag off the floor, put it on the couch, and pulled out some clothes. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
He quickly got the rest of his things and went into the bathroom, before he gave into his craving for a taste of Mikayla.
CHAPTER 5
They secured the cabin for another night. Once they took care of the second night, again Andre insisted on paying for, they searched for food. With the roads blocked, they were limited to the breakfast options in the rental office and the Chinese Restaurant he’d found half a mile from the resort which didn’t open until later. They grabbed doughnuts, granola bars, and coffee from the office before walking back up the hill toward the cabin.
“Want to walk the trail, instead of going back inside?” Andre asked.
Mikayla eyed the paved trail circling the perimeter of the Huggie Bear property. The rental agent mentioned that many of their visitors came to their resort for the passive recreation. Hiking wasn’t on her short list of favorite activities. Too many memories of trekking through the woods with her dad, followed by teasing from the popular girls for her scratched arms and knees when she returned to school.
She took one last sip of coffee then pulled up the collar of her grey wool coat. “It’s freezing. Besides, I’m not really a hiker.”
<
br /> “Once you start walking you’ll warm up.” When she gave him a skeptical look, his lips spread into a smile that would melt the ice in Antarctica. “I’m going to walk. Maybe it’ll help clear my head.”
“I’ll wait for you inside.”
The corners of his smile dipped and some of the light left his eyes. She could go inside and watch television alone, or hike a trail that appeared wonderfully absent of briars with a handsome man who seemed to want her company.
“Come on,” he said. “Better than sitting in there alone.” He held out this hand.
She stared at his hand. Taking his hand wouldn’t be that big a deal in a normal situation. Except this wasn’t a normal situation and the warmth spreading beneath her skin from the small gesture wasn’t a normal reaction to a guy, she shouldn’t be attracted to.
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
She tossed the coffee cup in the trash and slid her hand into Andre’s. He led her to the section of trail near their cabin. The resort staff had spent the morning shoveling snow from the paved trail. She and Andre were the only two taking advantage. Wooden signs marked various detours that lead from the regular paved trail onto more rugged hiking areas.
Even bundled in jeans, boots, coat, and gloves, the coldness seeped into her bones. Not surprising, she’d picked this outfit with Renee because it was cute not hardy. A strong gust of wind made her shiver and she moved closer to Andre. He noticed and shifted to walk in front of her, blocking the wind with his body. She lowered her head and smiled at the kindness. Slowly, she warmed as they tracked up the hill. He didn’t talk much as they walked. Occasionally he’d stop and study their surroundings while she ducked the wind.
She kept her head down avoiding the cold and looked for patches of ice that would have her falling on her rump. He stopped suddenly and she bumped into his back. A strong hand kept her from falling over.
Show Me How to Love (Caldwell Family Book 1) Page 4