Winter Wanderlust: A Romantic Anthology

by Gina Drayer

  Melinda paused and noticed the strap across his chest and the guitar neck peaking past his legs. “You wrote a song tonight?”

  Daryl shook his head. “I wrote part of a song.” He slipped the strap over his head and settled the instrument against the wall. He grabbed her hands and sat on the edge of her bed. “You’re used to people who let you down. I get that. I’m not going to do that.”

  Melinda goggled at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  He gave that big boisterous laugh as he pulled on her hands until she took a few steps towards him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and peered up at her with those bright eyes. “I don’t know if you read this anywhere, but I’m kind of impulsive.” He kissed her stomach through her shirt, sending shivers up her spine. “And you gave me an idea for a song.” He pulled her into his lap. “For now, for as long as I can imagine as of tonight, I want to be with you.” He kissed her neck and his soft lips were very warm.

  She wanted to stand up, but her knees refused to co-operate. “This is-”

  “Crazy?” His eyes twinkled in the firelight.

  “Yes. Completely crazy.”

  He smirked at her. “Weren’t you the one complaining about having to live for your father’s career? Can you imagine the looks when you introduce them to me?”

  She laughed. “You’re appealing to sixteen year old me.”

  “Aren’t you the one sleeping in my old band’s t-shirt?” His hands ran along her stomach and she thanked god she was already sitting as her knees trembled. “But seriously, Melinda, I lived my whole life by doing what felt right. The smart thing would have been to make music that sounded like everybody else or to stay with a famous, successful band, but I did what made me happy. Yeah, I made some mistakes along the way following that philosophy, but overall, I have no regrets. Can you say the same?”

  Tears welled up and she shook her head. She had too many regrets to count, too many things unsaid and wasted years.

  He pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder. “We may crash and burn somewhere down the road, but right here and now, I can’t imagine just walking away. I can’t promise it’ll last forever, but for now, you’ll be the first thing I think about. And to prove I mean it, when I’m writing you’re welcome to join me.”

  “I am?” Her voice came out wispy but she couldn’t find it in her to care.

  “For now,” he laughed and nuzzled her neck. “Unless you turn out to be a big distraction, then I’ll have to ask you to leave. But I’ll only be a closed door away.”

  Melinda shifted until she could wrap her arms around his neck. His arms tightened around her and she considered the offer. Someone dedicated to her and her happiness was strangely daunting prospect.

  She stood, backed up a few steps, and studied him. There was no tension, no hidden agenda in his body language.

  “Daryl, if you need to be alone to write I understand, I do. Just tell me. And… and…” She took a few steps and crashed into him, sending them both flying onto the massive bed. “And I don’t want you to go either.”

  A few giggly and spine tingling moments later, they were tangled up in the sheets, blankets, and each other, but comfortable. She pressed her lips against his. The kiss was sweet, but not urgent, and his eyes didn’t open when it was over. Melinda smiled and pulled him closer, before drifting off to sleep.

  Kate Whitaker normally writes paranormal fantasy. The mother of three isn’t afraid of the challenge of trying to write something without werewolves or vampires though. She lives in Pennsylvania and constantly complains about it.

  Author’s page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00I55R16I

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Meet Me Half Way

  by Miranda Miller

  Part 1:

  Stewart Richins grin could be seen from a mile away. He couldn’t help himself, the view of Lacey’s intense green eyes boring back at him as she advanced down the aisle was mesmerizing. The other hundred guests in the room faded away as he took in her off-the-shoulder white gown and bouquet of wild flowers. An angel, she must have been an angel in another life. The afternoon sun came through the stained glass windows of the old church, lighting up her curly golden hair that had been carefully pulled to one side. Her father’s tight grip on her arm and steely stare didn’t obstruct her smile one bit.

  He wondered how he had gotten so lucky. He wasn’t looking for love in particular when they met. He had been more interested in finding himself when he took that service mission trip to Guatemala. She had caught his eye the moment she stepped off the bus, her cut-off jeans and dirty t-shirt couldn’t hide her natural beauty. But it wasn’t just that, it could not hide her adventurous spirit. He had never met anyone with such a hunger for life. And here she was pulsing toward him, each step matching the strong beat of his heart.

  Their vows were simple, Christian and traditional, I do’s, till death do us part. The kiss was sweet, not overdone and polite clapping sent the two out the back door of the church. Stewart had his own car waiting outside and drove them to the reception. He glanced over at his new bride and sighed in relief, glad her father had sat quietly by when asked if anyone objected.

  “How was Glen this morning?” He asked. He could see her lips purse before she turned toward him to answer. He knew she would never admit how much her father didn’t like him.

  “Oh, you know, not wanting to see his only daughter leave the nest. He hugged me so tight I wondered if he hadn’t planned to lock me in my room and keep me ten years old forever.” She smiled and carefully straightened out the lacey overlay of the dress in the cramped front seat.

  “I was so worried he was going to object,” he half laughed.

  “He likes you Stu. He just wanted me to go to college, live a little, before I got married.”

  Not wanting to alter the mood on such a happy day, Stewart didn’t say anything more on the subject.

  The reception hall was a sight to be seen. The electric blue up-lights on soft white linens that lined the walls made the hall look like a winter fairytale. At each table was an ice sculpture with a lily frozen inside, a blue light underneath the ice lit the piece with a soft glow. Stewart leaned over to an excited Lacey, who was seeing it for the first time as well. “Your parents really pulled out all the stops didn’t they?”

  She pointed to herself as if to remind him. “Only daughter,” she laughed.

  The uptight feeling at the ceremony was in stark contrast to the relaxed nature of the reception. Everyone laughed and danced the night away. They cheered the couple on as they gently fed each other a piece of white wedding cake and some may have been a bit disappointed that no cake smashing was done. Stewart heard someone say that the cake wasn’t the only “vanilla” in the room. He wasn’t sure what that meant.

  As the evening went on Lacey’s hair had been let down to hang freely down her back and Stewart had taken his tux jacket off. The DJ announced it was time to retrieve the garter. With a gratuitous flick of her leg Lacey sat expectantly while the song, “She’s my cherry pie” played on. Stewart nearly choked on the chocolate dipped strawberry he’d been eating as he realized the task at hand. His college buddies would be expecting him to put on a show, but with his and Lacey’s parents watching, Stewart simply reached for the garter and pulled it quickly off Lacey’s silky leg. He felt his face flush with embarrassment.

  Lacey lined her girlfriends up and tossed the bouquet of bright wildflowers into the rustling pile of women. Stewart sat somewhere at the back and just watched her. She threw her head back when she laughed and a row of bright white teeth revealed themselves. Stewart thought about the first time he really heard her laugh. They were in Guatemala and he had taken a walk with her when he slipped and fell into the muddy river below. When he reached the surface her infectious laugh met him. He couldn’t help but laugh in return. He had fallen as helplessly in love as he had fallen into the murky water.

  As quickly as it had started, the recepti
on wound to a close. A few close family members remained to send the newlyweds off. Lacey and her mother stepped away so she could change out of her dress. Stewart waited with Glen, Lacey’s father, as the limo pulled up to take them away.

  “Stewart,” He said as he stood next to him, “I want you to be gentle tonight. Lacey has saved herself for marriage as you know. Be kind and take your time if you need to. Don’t rush her.”

  Stewart nodded but he felt like crawling out of his skin. Having Lacey’s father remind him that she was a virgin and to “be gentle” was about the last thing he ever wanted to hear her father say to him. A simple, “I approve, have a long and happy life,” was really all he wanted to hear him say. It meant a lot to him to have his wife’s father’s approval. But so far, Glen had only been distant.

  Lacey emerged in an elegant white pantsuit to rescue Stewart from the awkward conversation. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it as the limo driver opened the door for them. They walked swiftly through a shower of bubbles and on to their forever. As the door shut Stewart felt the tension tighten around his throat. The rest of the night it would be just the two of them. He looked over at the lithe creature casually sitting next to him. Her face wasn’t as bright as it had been earlier. He worried that she was apprehensive as well.

  “What’s wrong honey?” He asked as he took her hand again.

  She forced a smile, “Oh, nothing. It was just something my mother said to me in the dressing room before we left.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She just… wanted to give me some advice. It’s nothing.” She smiled a more relaxed smile then, “Let’s not worry about anything else right now. We’re married and that’s all that matters in the world to me.” She leaned in and placed a soft, slow kiss on his lips. He felt electricity throughout his whole body.

  Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so awful.

  ***

  The sleek black limo pulled up to the brightly lit Liberty Springs Lodge. The snow capped roof tops each housing a different section of the sprawling resort. Skiing was close by, they had hot springs, a spa, and in the summer there was hiking and horseback riding. Lacey had picked the place they would spend three days honeymooning. She gasped a little seeing it for the first time in real life. Stewart had been reluctant at first, wanting to do something closer to home, but she saw his excited face and knew it was the perfect choice. They both loved the outdoors and even though it was winter, they were both eager to ski for the first time.

  Lacey had to admit she was also eager about tonight. She knew Stewart was the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life and being with him in every sense was possible in this beautiful lodge. She couldn’t wait to get up to their room and experience true love with her other half. She looked over at him and it was as if he knew what she was thinking, and he looked a little sick.

  “Stu, what’s wrong honey?” She asked with concern.

  “Nothing, it’s just… I shouldn’t have been looking out at the trees so much. I’m feeling a little car sick.” He looked embarrassed. She stroked his square jaw and realized he was sweating.

  “You look really pale.”

  She hoped it would pass quickly. The driver opened the door and Stewart practically jumped out into the cold night air. He leaned over and began to breathe deeply. Lacey helped the driver grab their bags and then turned to her new husband.

  “Do you need a minute or should I check in?”

  He waved her on without him and she reluctantly followed the driver into the lobby of the lodge. The inside was as beautiful as the outside with a large foyer and chandelier lights in the high ceilings. She could see the entrance to the restaurant down the hall and the bar to her right. In the middle of the room oversized leather couches sat in front of a blazing fireplace. It felt so cozy despite its grand size. She made her way to the large check-in desk where a woman was waiting to help her.

  She smiled warmly and noted the name on the ID Lacey handed her, “Ah, the newlyweds.” She looked from Lacey to the limo driver and back.

  “Oh, no, this isn’t my husband. This is the limo driver.” She said as clarity splashed across the woman’s face. “My husband is outside still. He wasn’t feeling well from the winding drive up here.”

  “I see,” she said as she began to type with record speed. “Well, we have you in the honeymoon suite for two nights, in the morning the concierge will be on duty. His name is Leonard and he can accommodate any activity that you would like to do during your stay. We have two ski resorts that we can shuttle to, and he can also make dinner reservations for any of the many restaurants that are close by. Be advised though, we do have a storm warning for tomorrow afternoon. Quite often winter storms shut this narrow pass down.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I guess we’ll just have to stay in if that happens,” Lacey said nonchalantly.

  “I’m sure you and your husband will be fine with that,” she winked.

  Lacey was a bit taken aback by her bold choice of words but smiled politely in return. She wasn’t used to anyone in her world hinting at any such thing. Her parents had always treated sex like it was some kind of secret. And it only made Lacey more curious to see what it was all about. With new determination, she sent the bags to the room with a bell hop and headed back outside.

  Stewart was sitting with his head between his knees on a bench just outside the door when Lacey found him. He looked up at her approach and it seemed he had regained some of his color.

  “Hello my lovely wife,” he said weakly as she sat next to him. He was beginning to shiver in the frigid air.

  “C’mon my husband,” Lacey grabbed his icy hand, “Let’s go check out our room.”

  “Alright, I think I can make it without puking now.”

  She led him inside where the woman at the counter winked again as the two passed by, arm in arm. They entered the elevator and Stewart began to turn greener with each rising floor number. By the time they reached the double doors to the suite his face was gleaming with sweat again. Lacey feared they wouldn’t make it, but they reached the bathroom just as Stewart began to throw up.

  With the assurance that he would feel better in a moment Lacey closed the door behind her and left him alone in the shiny bathroom. She could finally take in the four poster bed and large fireplace in the room. The bed had been sprinkled with pink rose petals and the dim lighting didn’t deter from the elegant lines of the towering ceiling. A skylight let her see what a clear starry night it was outside and French doors led to a small balcony. If he hadn’t been so miserable Lacey knew Stewart would be marveling at the view from the room as well. Outside the bright snow lit the horizon in a blue glow. She felt reminiscent of the reception. The trees went on endlessly and she could see the lights of the ski resort miles away. She found it hard to believe that a storm could be coming from such a clear, quiet night.

  She sighed as the time passed. Having put on a simple white cotton nightgown, she climbed into the king size bed. Stewart had come out only to grab a glass of water and a pillow and retired to the bathroom alone. She knocked lightly to check on him but didn’t receive a response.

  This was not how she had pictured her first night of her honeymoon going. Though she was sympathetic to Stewart’s upset stomach, something her mother had said wore on her restless mind.

  They had been changing in the bridal suite at the reception and carefully tucking each layer of lace from her gown back into the bag when her mother touched her arm.

  “Lacey, I want to give you a little advice from one woman to another.” Her mother’s eyes had almost pleaded as she stared into her daughter’s. Usually her father had been the one with the advice.

  “Sure mom, I’d love some advice.” Lacey had hoped that for once her mother was going to address the looming first night. Maybe she had something important to tell her about intimacy?

  “Lacey, I see how Stewart is. I’m surprised that your father doesn’t like him since they are so much al
ike. He is rigid, and regulated. Every aspect of his life is planned to the minute and he won’t budge from his preconceived notions of what life should be like.”

  Lacey went to retort but her mother put a hand up to stop her, “Please just let me get this out. Lace, I love you so much. Your free spirit is something I used to possess many years ago, but your father…” She paused as she closed her eyes. “Don’t let him smother out your fire, Lace.”

  When she opened her eyes tears began to fall down her cheeks. Lacey hugged her mother tightly. She felt bad for her all these years as she had seen her father put his foot down on many ideas that her mother had had. After years of his clipping her wings, her mother had quit trying to fly.

  Lacey sat in the empty bed and reflected on her mother’s words. She hadn’t ever felt like Stewart had tried to control her. He was structured, but he had to be. He was going to medical school to become a pediatrician and that took patience and discipline. In fact, it had been one of the things that she loved about him. He was the Yin to her Yang, the balance to her chaos. But here, alone in her honeymoon suite, doubts began to creep into her mind.

  Part 2:

  Stewart woke chipper the next morning. All nausea seemingly gone, he showered, shaved, and dressed for the day. He entered the room that he hadn’t really seen the night before, the king sized canopy bed was now a heap of blankets and blond hair. Stewart cringed a little at the haphazard way Lacey had flung the extra pillows on the floor beneath her. Surely she had heard of bed bugs? He began to gather the pillows up and place them on the overstuffed furniture when he heard her stirring.

  “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” he said.

  She reached for the bedside clock and groaned. “Honey, it’s only seven thirty… why don’t you come to bed for awhile?”