“Okay. But if she doesn’t want your ugly mug, you just send her in my direction. Haven’t found a bird yet that didn’t fall at my feet, mate,” Ethan teased.
“Bugger off! She’s mine, Madden,” Alek growled at his best friend before disconnecting the call. He could have sworn he heard Ethan laughing in the background.
Alek knew that his friend was teasing him, but it hit a sore spot. He hadn’t had to work to get a woman in a very long time. Corie was a challenge, but that wasn’t the reason he was so interested. Or at least he didn’t hope it was. She was not only such a good and caring person, but she treated him like he was an everyday kind of guy. That was part of what attracted him to her, but not all. He wanted a regular life, but it wasn’t just that either. She was beautiful, funny, and led a successful life without him. A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He had finished one of her books and was surprised at the sex scenes in them. No wonder women read these things all the time. He was very interested to know the woman behind those because he was sure she was dynamite in bed. Why guys didn’t read more of these books, he didn’t know. They were certainly full of sex, and what guy didn’t like that?
“Alek?” he heard her call out for him.
He got up and opened the door. “Yes?”
“Dinner’s ready in five minutes.”
“I’ll be right down,” he called out.
His phone stayed on the dresser where he put it after talking to Ethan. He’d answer the other messages later, plus it was too late to call his mum. It was time for dinner with the woman who was controlling all of his thoughts. Maybe, he’d be able to sneak another kiss in. She allowed kissing and that he needed to take better advantage of that ran through his head as he came down the stairs.
Yes, he was definitely going to try more kissing with her.
It was after dinner, and even though the heat was back on in the house, Alek lit the fire. He had filled up the wood bin while Corie cleaned up the kitchen. His offer to help wash the dishes was turned down, so he made himself useful and started a romantic fire.
The living room had just a couple of lights turned on and the fire burning when Corie entered the room. If she didn’t know better, the room had the feeling of romance written all over it. Alek was sitting on the sofa with his jean clad legs outstretched, just staring off into the flames.
He smiled up at her when she walked over to him and held out a hand to her. When Corie put her hand in his, he pulled her down next to him and put his arm around her shoulder. “Dinner was great, but now’s time for relaxing, Luv.”
Alek could tell that she was a bit surprised. “You didn’t get enough of the fireplace these last few days?” she asked.
“When it was trying to keep us warm, hell yeah I did, but this one is for pure enjoyment. My fireplaces at home are gas, and I’m finding I like watching the wood burn down. I may just have to convert mine back to wood burning.”
“Do you want to turn the TV on or anything?” she asked.
Alek could see the wariness on her face wondering what he was up to. He was a man with a plan to win her over. “No, I’m fine just like this if you are? I thought we could just sit and relax or read if you like. I noticed you like to read.”
“All writers love to read, but do you really want to? Won’t you be bored?”
“I was never big into books, plus I really don’t have time to, but I realized that I enjoy reading your books. I’ve finished one already and am in the middle of another. They’re quite good,” he admitted. “I can’t believe you wrote all those books.” He was proud of her. It’s not easy to get published, and she had done it over and over again.
Corie giggled at him.
“What?”
“I bet I know why you like these books,” she smiled.
“Why’s that?”
“Cause you are such a guy! It’s the sex in it, isn’t it?” Corie saw a slightly wicked smirk appear on his face. “I knew it! You guys are so predictable.”
“That we are, but I like reading your idea of sex most of all,” he whispered before lightly kissing the side of her head.
He knew he had her flustered since she wouldn’t look at him. He wanted her to start thinking about him and sex. He knew she wanted it, but she was holding back. Alek hoped to get her to realize that he wasn’t looking for a fling before heading home. He was ready for a real relationship.
Alek had his book next to him on the side table ready to go. Corie was a quiet night type of girl, and that’s what he wanted to give her. “I put the book that you were reading on the coffee table for you,” he told her as he grabbed his and opened it.
Corie picked up her book and looked warily at Alek. “This is what you want to do tonight?”
“Sure, why not? Unless you have something else in mind.” He wanted to show her that he could have the type of night that he thought she enjoyed. Plus, after living the rock and roll lifestyle for so long, he was more than happy for another quiet evening, especially with her.
“No, this is great. I just haven’t met a lot of men that enjoy just hanging out and reading,” she told him.
“I’m not like most men, Corie,” he whispered into her ear.
“No, you aren’t,” she admitted. “And this will be lovely, but we need more light. The low lights make it too hard to read in.” Corie moved to the edge of the sofa to get up to turn on other lights around the room but turned to him first. “Are you trying to romance me?”
Alek flashed her that sexy smile of his that Corie found always made her heart start to race. “I’m here with a beautiful woman whose company I am completely enjoying. Someday I hope you will take the next step with me, but for now, I’m content to enjoy this quiet evening with you. When I romance you…you will definitely know it.”
Corie just stared at him, and Alek knew she was trying to figure him out. “Good luck with that,” he thought to himself. “I’m still trying to figure me out.” He watched her finally get up and turn on a few more lamps before returning to sit next to him.
The next few hours they spent quietly together. Corie ended up lying down with her head on his leg. Anyone looking in the window would have thought they were a happily married couple relaxing at home, instead of two people who just met a few days ago.
Alek finished reading his book and put it on the table beside him. The fire had burned down to embers because he didn’t want Corie to have to move if he got up to tend to it. He loved having her lying on him. He was happy she was that comfortable with him.
“Finished?” she asked.
“Yes. The guy got the girl.”
“The guy always gets the girl. That’s what romance novels are all about,” she laughed as she sat up. Corie stretched as she looked at the clock on the fireplace mantel. “It’s getting late. I’m going to head up to bed.”
“I think I’ll go up, too,” Alek told her.
Together they turned off the lights, and Corie checked the fire to make sure it was good to leave unattended. Alek followed her up the stairs enjoying the view of her walking ahead of him. Corie stopped outside of her room and turned to Alek. His door was a few more feet down the hall.
They were sleeping alone tonight, and they both felt the pull to be together. “Goodnight,” she told him with a sad smile. This was all her doing, and she knew it, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t having a hard time with it.
Alek stepped closer, so he was mere inches from her. He tipped her chin up with his finger, so she was staring up at him. “Goodnight,” he said softly. “I’ll miss you.” Then he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Lightly at first, but then when she didn’t pull back, he added more pressure. His tongue encouraged her to open her mouth for him, and when she did, he felt her arms go around his neck. Minutes went by as they kissed in the hallway until Corie finally stepped back touching her swollen lips.
Without a word she went into her bedroom and closed her door softly. Alek stared at the door for a long moment bef
ore heading down to his room. There he sat on the end of his bed. He was getting to her, he knew it. All Corie had to do was realize she belonged with him and all would be right in their worlds. He just hoped it wouldn’t take too long. He needed her more than she would ever know.
Chapter 11
A couple days had passed with Corie and Alek settling into somewhat of a routine. She worked in her office between breakfast and lunch writing. The book she was currently in the middle of was pushed to the backburner as the story that Alek inspired flowed from her imagination to the keyboard faster than she had ever written before.
Meanwhile, Alek had been in contact with everyone that had been worried about him including his mother. Everyone knew he was alive and well. His tour manager and bandmate, Tony were surprised to hear a lightness in his voice that had been absent for many months. He apologized for taking off like he did but explained he desperately needed time away from it all. It was easy to see that Alek, or Laz as they knew him, was turning back to being his old self.
His mornings were spent surfing the internet, reading, and occasionally he would pick up his guitar to play. He jotted down song ideas in an old notebook he carried that he would eventually work on.
Each afternoon, the two of them would go outside to try to get some work done, but it wasn’t easy with the melting snow quickly turned the yard into a quagmire of mud and slush. Alek wore the boots that Corie had gotten him. He found out how much he needed them as he trudged through the messy wet yard multiple times each day.
Corie was fixing a piece of the loose wire fencing that surrounded the chicken coop when she heard Alek talking to the birds as he went inside to collect their eggs. She knew she could have easily done it, but she was having too much fun watching him try. Her handsome British guest was very much afraid of the chickens, but he faithfully gathered their eggs for her.
“How are you beautiful birds doing today?” she heard him ask her hens. A smile appeared in the corner of her mouth as she worked to staple the wire in place. “Do you know that a bird where I come from is slang for a beautiful woman? Just take it as I think you are all beautiful even though you are staring at me with those little beady eyes. Just let me slip my hand in here to get those eggs and then I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your day doing whatever chickens do. You know I am a city boy, right? Grew up on the streets of Tottenham and the only chickens I knew were in the market.”
She started to giggle as the bird’s squawking increased. “No, I don’t mean you lovely ladies will end up there so stop flapping those wings. I was just explaining that you are first real chickens I ever saw. So please take it easy on me. I’m trying to impress Corie, even though you do scare me a little bit. So can we get this done nice and easy, ladies?”
“Do you like music? How about I sing a little? I’m not as good as Ethan, but I can hold my own. Here give me a chance.” Corie leaned in to try to hear him sing to her hens. It was adorable how he talked to them, and now he was doing his best to calm them by singing. She couldn’t make out the words, but she could hear a soft melody coming from the coop. From what she could hear, his voice was pretty good, and surprisingly, he was calming the chickens down.
“Thank you girls, for letting me gather those eggs. It is much appreciated. Now, I just have Matilda here that I need to reach under, but you are not looking as friendly as your friends here, are you?” Corie knew exactly which bird he was talking about. Apparently, he had named her largest and most aggressive hen Matilda. She still carried a few scars on her hand from the chicken from being pecked at early on. They had found an uneasy truce, but could Alek?
“Did you know Matilda is a good name?” Alek said continuing his conversation with the bird. Corie didn’t know if he realized she could hear him, but he was simply adorable the way he was talking to her chickens. “My secondary school teacher was Mrs. Matilda Soarpus. She was a big strong woman, just like you are a big chicken. She didn’t take any crap from us kids, but I know you’ll be gentle with me, Right, Matilda?”
It was quiet for a few moments as Corie held her breath. Could he sweet talk her crotchety hen? Suddenly, the air was filled with loud curses that caused Corie to burst out laughing. Apparently, Matilda was having none of his attempt to charm her.
She stepped back slightly out of his view as he quickly jumped out of the hen house. “You are just as mean as she was, you ugly fucking bird. That’s why we called her Mrs. Sourpuss behind her back. I look forward to having you for dinner one night, you evil chicken! I bet your eggs taste like shit anyway!”
The second Alek closed the coop’s door, Corie couldn’t hold her laughter in any longer. Alek stood there glaring at her as tears ran down her face. “Fucking brilliant. I have to take abuse from you too? That damn bird almost took off my hand, and you’re laughing at me?”
“Oh stop. I’m laughing at how you thought you could charm a chicken. Matilda, as you call her, is simply a bitch and hates for us to take her eggs. Chase her off the nest next time, that way you don’t get pecked.”
“You could have bloody well told me this before I went in there. Look what she did to me?” he whined showing her his bleeding hand. Corie looked at the injury and saw she had gotten him good at least three times.
Now she felt bad for him. “I’m sorry, Alek. Come on inside, and I’ll clean the wounds before bandaging them.”
Corie had Alek stand at the kitchen sink while she washed the blood off his hand. Then she applied some antibiotic ointment before wrapping a bandage around it. “I’m sorry she did that to you,” Corie apologized. “Look at this,” she said showing him her right hand. “She’s gotten me too, but not in a while.”
Alek looked at her hand, with the scars on it and took it in his. He pulled it up to his lips and placed a long, gentle kiss on it. Corie just stood there transfixed watching his lips on her hand. When he lifted his eyes to meet hers, they both felt the attraction they had for each other ignite. Instinctively, they both took a step toward the other as Alek leaned down to now press a kiss onto her eager lips.
How could something as amazing as this kiss be so damn perfect, yet scare her to death at the same time? How could she stay “just friends” when everything about him made her want so much more? His lips started out soft and gentle on hers before he pressed harder and encouraged her to open her mouth to him. His tongue instantly met hers, and they danced together. Corie’s arms went around Alek’s neck as he pulled her against him.
Their bodies were tightly pressed together, and even though Alek kept his hands entangled in her long hair, she could tell how much he wanted her from the hard bulge that was pressing into her. She wanted him too, and her willpower to resist him was quickly dwindling. With her desire for him skyrocketing and overruling her tentative heart, Corie barely heard the phone ring. Once she registered that it was ringing, she pulled back from Alek out of breath.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she stepped back from the kiss. Corie tried to get her breathing under control as she walked away from him to pick up her landline. Her cell phone was rarely used at home.
Alek growled under his breath and walked out of the room. She didn’t know if he was mad or frustrated, most likely both.
“Hello,” she said answering the call.
“Hey you sound out of breath, did I catch you at a bad time?”
Kelsey. Her best friend had both the worst and best timing. Corie was ready to let the kissing take her wherever it went, but she knew her heart may live to regret it. “Hi, Kels. No, I’m fine. How are you doing? Survive the blizzard?”
Their conversation went on for a little while until Kelsey reminded Corie of their monthly dinner. “Tonight? Damn, I forgot all about it. What about next week?” she suggested. She wasn’t ready to leave Alek. She just enjoyed his company too much, but then again he was also way too tempting. Maybe she should go.
“Please Corie, what else are you doing? Plus, I need that camera of yours. We haven’t talked in days,” K
elsey reminded her.
“I don’t know.” What would she tell Alek? Maybe she should just bring him along. Getting out of the house would be good.
“Please!”
“Okay, but I am going to bring a friend with me. I just have to ask him first,” Corie told her.
“Him? You have a ‘him’ there? Who is he? Why don’t I know about him? Is he a just a friend or is it more? Spill! Now!” Kelsey’s surprise easily came over the phone.
Corie laughed before explaining to Kelsey the story of how Alek came into her life. She just left the parts out about how he made her feel. And his kisses. How she loved his kisses.
“So you saved his life in the middle of the blizzard? How cool is that! Is he cute? Why is he still there?” Kelsey asked, peppering her with more questions. “Is this the guy that George was talking about? In his thirties with a British accent? Just the accent makes him hot!”
“Yes, that’s Alek. George cut his hair the other day. He’s just staying for a while so we can hang out together. So far he isn’t in any hurry to leave.” Nor was Corie ready for him to go either. Alek was becoming a bigger part of her life every day.
“Oh my God, you are sleeping with him, aren’t you? I bet he is so hot! You have to bring him. But, Corie…” Kelsey said but hesitated. “Are you sure he’s okay? Could he be after your money or something like that?
Corie knew that her best friend was only looking after her welfare and she appreciated it. “No, he has plenty of his own money that I can tell, and no, I am not sleeping with him.”
“Why do I want to add the word…‘yet’ to what you just said? Is he ugly or what? I bet he has the hots for you. How can he not? You’re gorgeous. So, why aren’t you sleeping with him?”
Pieces of Me (Midnight Steel Trilogy Book 1) Page 13