His mind drifted back to Lex. He knew it had been hard for Lex to tell him she had been divorced, but little did she know, it explained a whole lot about her character. Now Micah understood why Lex seemed so dismissive of him at times. Her ex had put her through a terrible marriage followed by a hellish divorce, and then taken things from her that she held dearly.
“Micah, are you ready to go?” Lex asked as she entered the kitchen wearing a smile that he couldn’t seem to get enough of. Her mom trailed closely behind her. It was obvious that Lex had gotten her natural beauty from her mother, although she favored both of her parents a great deal.
“I’m ready,” he said before turning back to Mr. Turner. “It was nice to meet you, sir, and I enjoyed our conversation.”
“It was nice to meet you, too,” Mr. Turner said shaking his hand. “Make sure you take care of my daughter in Arkansas.”
“I will.” After bidding goodbye to Mrs. Turner, Micah escorted Lex to the car. They plugged her address into the GPS and began the drive to her home. Glancing over at Lex, he smiled when he noticed the content look on her face. He didn’t know if it was the brooch or their conversation that made her seem more at ease. But he figured it was probably a combination of both. At every stoplight on their drive to the expressway, he couldn’t help but glance over at her.
“Any reason you keep staring at me,” she asked, turning from the window to look at him, trying to hide the smile on her face.
“No reason,” he said, looking from the road to her. He thought she would question him some more but she didn’t. She leaned her head against the seat and her eyes fluttered closed, another good sign that she was getting more comfortable around him.
Halfway through their drive, Lex’s breathing was even and peaceful as she slept. She wore a slight smile on her face that made him wonder if she was dreaming about the kiss they’d shared. He hadn’t planned on kissing her in her parents’ home, but when she had leaned toward him, he couldn’t help but capture her lips.
His personal cell phone rang and he briefly wondered if he should let the car pick up the call or answer on his Bluetooth. He chose his Bluetooth so he wouldn’t disturb Lex.
“Talk to me.”
“Hey, Micah. It’s Shawn.”
“What’s up, man?”
“I just heard from the Wellington brothers. We got their investment, but there are still a few minor things we have to do before they sign the contract. I already asked our lawyer to go over the termination clause and other details.”
“That’s great news. I’m meeting with Grant and Parker Inc. in Little Rock, Arkansas, next week. I think we’re pretty solid and can count on their investment, but of course I’ll update you after the meeting.”
“Sounds like a plan. Landing that account would be our biggest yet. Good luck in Arkansas.”
“Thanks, man,” Micah said before hanging up and glancing at Lex to make sure he hadn’t disturbed her sleep. He had been looking forward to their trip to Arkansas ever since Lex had agreed, but after tonight, he was even more anxious to see what the coming weeks would bring.
* * *
“Excuse me, Driver. How much longer before we get to Cranberry Heights?” Lex asked after seeing nothing but open fields for the past half hour.
“The welcome sign for Cranberry Heights is right up the road, mam,” the driver replied. “Then it’s about ten minutes until we get to the Madden manor.”
Just as the driver had stated, the welcome sign came into view. She stared out the window and admired a cluster of horses running in a meadow. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen so much outland. She had expected to be traveling with Micah to Arkansas, but last minute, she’d changed her flight and told him she would meet him a day after he arrived, claiming she had some last-minute work to finish. But in actuality, she had been overanalyzing what type of clothes to pack and gathering everything she would need for a two-week trip. Not to mention, most of her brain had been occupied with thoughts of Micah’s sweet kisses, wondering what it would feel like to have his mouth in other places.
A large banging noise distracted her from her thoughts. “They must be setting up for the winter festival, right?” she asked the driver.
“Most of the festival is already set up, but they are preparing for the kick-off parade tomorrow morning. All of Cranberry Heights comes out for that festival as well as a few neighboring towns.”
“Interesting,” Lex stated as she observed the men and women decorating the parade floats. She cracked her window to let a little air into the heated vehicle. The fifty-five degree Arkansas weather was a big relief from the eighteen degrees she’d left in Chicago, but the Arkansas residents appeared to be as bundled as Chicagoans. The town seemed quaint and festive. Lex’s family was big into the holidays, but she had a feeling she was in for a surprise here in Cranberry Heights. Already, she’d seen signs advertising a variety of winter activities.
As they passed through the part of town that she assumed was downtown, and turned on a long coiling road with houses in the distance, her mind became occupied with thoughts of Micah again. Her parents had enjoyed meeting Micah and although they’d promised not to mention their visit to other family members, she knew better. If I weren’t so attracted to him, I probably wouldn’t even care... But the fact that she was so attracted to him was exactly why she did care. Guaranteed she was a little clumsy by nature, but around Micah she oftentimes felt more awkward than usual, and instead of coming off as sexy, she came off as a klutz. Maybe I should just head back to Chicago? she thought when she remembered that Micah’s parents would be under the assumption that she was dating their son.
“Mam, we’re here,” the taxi driver said to Lex as they pulled up in front of Madden Manor. She rubbed her hands together, a sign that she was anxious, as she stared at the massive house, not yet ready to get out of the vehicle. The large white house was gorgeously decorated with an array of Christmas decorations. She could only imagine how amazing the house looked at night. Pine trees surrounded the right and left side of the home, and a rustic welcome sign was displayed on the front door. Lex was in awe of the entire decor and probably would have sat in the car gazing at the house even longer if the driver hadn’t tapped the window.
“Sorry! I was admiring the decorations,” she said as she finally got out of the vehicle. “How much do I owe you?”
“Mr. Madden already took care of it,” the driver replied as he began wheeling her bags up the gravel sidewalk.
“At least let me give you a tip,” she said after him, pushing the fifty-dollar bill back in her wallet and reaching for ten dollars instead.
“No need, mam,” the driver said with a smile when they reached the front porch. “Mr. Madden already took care of that, too. Enjoy your stay.”
After the driver left, she turned toward the front door and was just about to ring the doorbell when the door flew open.
“You must be Lexus,” said an older woman with soft brown hair, creamy mocha skin and kind eyes. Her facial features were warm and inviting and, immediately, Lex felt comfortable.
“I’m Cynthia Madden, Micah’s mother. My son has told us so much about you. Come in out that cold dear.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Madden,” Lex said when she stepped inside the foyer.
“Now, do you prefer Lexus or Lex? Micah mentioned both names to us.”
At least he had the decency not to mention LG or lingerie girl as one of my nicknames. “Lex is fine,” she replied, unbuttoning her winter coat. “You’re home is so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Cynthia replied as she took and hung up Lex’s coat. “My husband doesn’t always appreciate my interior decorating skills, but I always tell him that it’s important for our guests to feel as if they are in their home away from home.”
“I agree,” Lex repl
ied, following Cynthia into the living room. “What smells so delicious?”
“That would be my apple crumb pie,” Cynthia said with a smile as she led Lex to the living room. “How about I bring you a slice and a cup of coffee before I give you a tour?”
“That would be great,” Lex replied, her mouth already watering.
“Then, I’ll be right back. Please make yourself comfortable. Micah is getting firewood from the shed so he should be back shortly.”
After Cynthia left, Lex took the time to admire the decorations inside the home. The large pine tree was decked out in silver-and-gold ornaments while green vines wrapped around the staircase. Antique Christmas angels were delicately placed throughout the few rooms in the house that she could see from where she stood in the living room, and white lights outlined the top of the ceiling in every room.
The soft Christmas music playing in the background reminded her of her grandmother’s home during the holidays. Her grandfather still made sure the house was decorated for the holidays, but her grandmother Gamine had an extra special touch that the family had missed since she’d passed away.
Lex breathed in the earthy scent of pine and cedar as she walked over to the massive fireplace to admire the red velvet stockings hanging there and on the near wall. There had to be about twenty stockings in total. Why on earth are there so many? Her eyes grew bigger when she zoomed in on a stocking with the name Lexus written on it.
“That’s so sweet,” Lex said to herself.
“My mom is the sweetest person I know,” Micah said behind her before he placed an armful of wood in the black wrought iron log rack. Don’t watch him bend over, she reminded herself when she felt her eyes following his movements. She focused on a quilt placed over the side of the couch for distraction, admiring the unique patches and warm colors. Thank goodness we have separate rooms. Just being in the same vicinity as Micah now was hard enough. She couldn’t imagine how it would be if they had to spend the night in the same room.
“I’m glad to see you have arrived safely,” Micah said, coming to stand close to her. She turned to face him and immediately wished she’d focused on a spot behind him instead of on him directly. His striking stance demanded her undivided attention.
“You look good,” Micah said as his eyes traveled the length of her. Before she’d left for the airport this morning, she’d chosen to wear a pair of skinny jeans, a white blouse and brown boots. She didn’t want to seem as if she was trying hard to impress him, but in actuality, it had taken her almost an hour to pick out her outfit.
“You look good, too,” she said observing his loose-fitting jeans and beige button-up. “We complement each other.”
“I agree,” he said, his eyes dancing with laughter. “We look good together.”
Wait, I didn’t mean it like that. “I meant our outfits complement each other.”
“That, too,” Micah replied as he glanced at her lips. He took a step toward her and she wondered what he was going to do.
“Don’t worry,” he said as he reached out his arms to pull her closer to him. “I was just going to hug you,” he whispered in her ear. The mellow tone of his voice made her skin tingle with desire. She was slowly learning that everything Micah did was for a purpose. So the calculated way he pulled her into his embrace and the way his lips brushed against her ear were both things that he’d done on purpose...perhaps, just to rattle her.
“Yeah, I’m sure that was the only thing on your mind,” Lex responded with a slight laugh after he released her. He flashed her a smile showing off his deep dimples. Goodness he’s sexy. She really loved the curly Mohawk style he wore and he had a sort of rugged look about him today that added to his sex appeal.
“Well, I have to tell you, Lex,” Cynthia said, returning with a piece of pie and coffee, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen my son smile that way at a woman. You must be someone special.”
Lex glanced at Micah to see how he would respond and was intrigued to see that he was still smiling.
“Mrs. Madden, I noticed the stocking with my name on it,” Lex interjected, changing the subject. “Thanks so much for including me even though I won’t be here for Christmas.”
“Didn’t Micah tell you?” Cynthia asked as she placed a cup of coffee and slice of pie on a nearby coffee table.
“Tell me what?” Lex asked, looking from Micah to his mother.
Cynthia gave Micah an incredulous look before explaining. “Next week, we are having an early Christmas celebration with our guests who are residing in the B and B this month.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Lex responded, picking up the pie to take a bite. That would explain all the stockings. “Sounds fun! I’m looking forward to that. And this pie is wonderful, Mrs. Madden.”
“Thank you, dear,” Mrs. Madden said with a smile.
“Is the B and B nearby?” Lex asked, taking a sip of the coffee.
Cynthia glanced at her son again. “Madden Manor is also a B and B. It’s actually the only one in town. We currently have all of our rooms occupied except the room that you and Micah will be sharing together.”
Chapter 9
Sharing together? Lex thought, almost choking on her coffee and spitting it all over the living room. Oh, heck no, she must have heard her wrong. “Micah and I are sharing a room?” Lex asked after she quickly placed the coffee back on the table and cleared her throat.
“Of course you two are. My husband and I weren’t born yesterday. You’re both adults and we’re filled to capacity because of the festival.”
“Well, um, right. Adults. That’s us,” Lex said with a nervous laugh. “We are adults. That we are. Two adults who are dating and sharing a room together. That’s normal.” She sounded confused even to her own ears. And she couldn’t stop laughing or talking in between laughs.
“Yes, it is,” Mrs. Madden said as she drew her eyes together in concern. “Are you okay, dear? You seem a little nervous about something.”
“Me? Nervous? Not at all. Never nervous. Not me.” Pull yourself together Lex! And please stop this awkward laugh lingo! Lex told herself as she cast her eyes to the ceiling. You sound like a crazy lady.
“I just can’t wait to see how big this manor is,” Lex exclaimed, waving her hands for implication and spinning around in a circle. When she stopped her 360-degree spin, she was finally able to keep her mouth closed. She knew her face looked flushed and her cheeks were puffed out in annoyance, but she couldn’t help it. Micah had guaranteed her that they would have separate rooms, and she wasn’t prepared for Mrs. Madden’s news.
“Are you sure you’re okay, cupcake,” Micah said, stepping in front of Lex and rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “You do seem nervous, but you have nothing to be nervous about. I’ll take great care of you while you’re here.” He then lowered his voice and glanced over to his mom and explained that she was nervous about country living. Cupcake? Country living? She could deal with the pet names and staying in Cranberry Heights, but playing house with Micah every night was not in her plans.
Lex put on her best award-winning smile and willed her hands to stay by her side, and not react on instinct and push Micah away. Micah’s back was now to his mom so Cynthia couldn’t see the spec of challenge in his eyes that dared Lex to declare their relationship as false. Well, she had news for him. Now that she had committed to this charade, she was going to put the couple of late-night theater classes she’d taken in college to good use.
“I know you’ll take good care of me love muffin,” Lex exclaimed pinching Micah’s right cheek. When he smiled even harder, she pinched his cheek harder.
“Ouch,” Micah finally said, pushing her hand away and releasing his hold on her. “Save your spunkiness for later, baby,” he said with a wink.
Oh, I can’t stand him. “Mrs. Madden, how about that tour?”
<
br /> Cynthia looked inquisitively from Lex to Micah before clasping her hands together. “Okay, then. Why don’t you sit down and finish your pie and coffee. I’m going to wash a few dishes, then we can start the tour.”
“I’ll help you, Mom,” Micah said, not giving Lex time to question him without his mother present.
Two things came to mind as Lex stole a glance at Micah and his mom when they walked out of the living room. One, she never had a choice where she was staying since her only options had been Micah’s parents’ place and the town’s B and B, which turned out to be the same place. Two, she barely trusted herself around Micah when they weren’t residing in the same living quarters. She had absolutely no idea how she could control her hormones with him sleeping right beside her in bed.
* * *
She’s so nervous, she can barely concentrate on the tour, Micah thought as they made their way from the library to the east wing of the manor where several of the bedrooms were.
Madden Manor was one of the first homes built in Cranberry Heights so it had a lot of history. When his parents had moved there when he was in high school, he hadn’t appreciated the home or the town. Now that he was older, he valued both a great deal.
“Here is the bedroom you both will be staying in,” his mother stated as they arrived at the end of the hallway. Micah was glad that they’d gotten the most secluded guest bedroom in the house. It was also one of three bedrooms with a connecting bathroom.
“It’s beautiful,” Lex stated as she browsed around the room, her eyes briefly stopping on the massive wooden canopy bed before moving to the French antique furniture.
“It smells amazing in here,” she stated as she glanced at his mother.
“That’s my special ginger and cinnamon holiday blend in the oil burner on the nightstand. There is a burner in every bedroom. I started creating special oils when my husband and I decided to turn our home into a B and B. There used to be another B and B in town, but it burned down a few years ago and the owner decided not to rebuild it. The only option guests have is to reside here or a neighboring town.”
Red Velvet Kisses Page 8