by Jenny Rose
“That explains the complete and utter lack of resemblance.” She was right. The two couldn’t look more unrelated if they’d tried and Easton chuckled and said,
“She’s far too beautiful to be related to a troll like me.” With a cunning glance, the aged cook raised her eyebrow and said,
“If I may be so bold as to say that if I were only twenty years younger, I’d chase you around the block and back and Miss Lauren doesn’t chase trolls, dear.” With a wink, she chuckled and Easton laughed.
“Well, I guess I can’t argue with that.” Tori was still trying not to blush over the comment about her being beautiful and sat quietly in her seat. Part of her wanted to drag him upstairs by his belt and the other half wanted him to go back to the city because they were definitely playing with fire.
“I suppose I’ll leave you two now and get started on these dishes,” Lauren stated as she stood up and cleared her spot.
“Would you take mine too, Lauren? Thank you, it was so delicious.” Tori handed her plate to the cheerful lady and with a smile, Lauren disappeared through the double doors that led to the back wing of the house. As soon as she was out of sight, Easton turned to Tori and asked,
“Just what are you thinking: Texting me and telling me that we can’t screw anymore, trying to keep me away from that sweet, honey between your thighs and making me drive all the way back here just to stick my tongue there? What kind of torture is that, woman?” He leaned over and kissed her so passionately that her hand automatically flew to the back of her neck as she moaned while gripping his dark hair. His hand massaged her breast through her shirt and gently squeezed her nipple, causing her to gasp in response to his touch.
“We can’t. Not here,” she said as she tried to compose herself, looking around to make sure that nobody had seen them.
“We can do whatever we want, wherever we want, whenever we want and that’s just one advantage to having more money than God.” There was that ego he’d developed over the years and she just laughed and asked,
“When did you become such a snob?”
Chapter Eight
Adamant that she meant what she said, Tori tried her best to keep her distance if she could but there was no further for her to run than her room. The knock on her door told her that Easton had no desire to simply let their encounter be something they could move past and forget. She knew that he’d bedded possibly hundreds of women so the fact that he flirted so vivaciously with her outside made her wonder what it was about her. There was no magnificent set of silicone breasts on her chest and she dressed in more of a business-modest fashion than the seductive and alluring garments that usually draped the women he accompanied. Tori considered herself pretty but when one thought of Easton Kaine, pretty just wasn’t enough. He was always adorned with glamorous and extravagant women with impeccable style, which fit his debonair, masculine charm.
Knowing that she couldn’t ignore him, she unlocked the brass knob and opened the large, oak door to find him standing in the hall with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“You prefer white, if I remember correctly.” His smile nearly knocked the breath from her lungs and though her mind was telling her to shut the door or risk breaking her mother’s heart to a million pieces, she stepped aside and allowed him entry. Leaving the door open, she turned to face him as he sat the glasses on top of the antique bureau on the far side of the room.
“I do,” she replied with a smile as she crossed her arms across her chest. The nervousness in her chest was amplified by the excitement in the pit of her stomach and the battle within Tori became so great that her cheeks began to blush. Turning his head over his shoulder, Easton said,
“When I got your message, I didn’t know how to reply so I just came back to talk a few things over with you.” He poured the wine and she took a slow breath in an attempt to slow her breathing and calm her thinking. “First of all, Tori, we are both adults and I doubt either of us will be running home to tell the folks what happened here this weekend. Secondly, it was just sex.” Extending his right hand, she accepted the glass that she’d been offered and gave him an embarrassed smile.
“Yes, Easton, I know that but you know as well as I do that my mother can sense anything that I’m trying to keep from her. All I need is for her to catch me looking at your arms, wishing they were around me, and knowing immediately. It’s just too risky and we never should have let it happen.” Taking a long stride towards her, Easton placed his free hand at the base of her neck and leaned down to deliver a slow, lingering kiss.
“So, I guess that shouldn’t have happened, either?” He smiled at her and took a sip of his wine. “Relax, Christmas is months away and I’m sure you’ll hate me by then.” Cocking her head to the side and placing her hand on his hard bicep, she smiled and said,
“I could never hate you, Easton.” Finishing off the last of his glass, he quickly poured himself another and took a sip.
“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not but I can be kind of an asshole.” Tori shook her head and said,
“Not that I’ve seen. Poor Lauren was scared to death that you were going to rip her head off earlier but you treated her like any other person and not just the help. That was quite admirable, Easton.” He laughed and poured the remaining wine into his mouth, swallowed and turned to her with a menacing glare.
“Admirable? The only admirable thing I’ve ever done was get out of everyone’s hair. I’m no good for anyone and you know it. Hell, remember all the nights I left the folks to worry about whether I was dead or in jail? Don’t even let me get started about business. I don’t even want to think about all the cutthroat shit I’ve done just to make a deal.” Shaking his head as he began to pace, Tori wondered what was really bothering Easton and why he was so upset.
“Let’s just sit down and talk for a minute,” she said as she plopped down on the queen- sized bed and patted the space to her left. Continuing pacing, Easton continued to prattle on about things that were making no sense to her, no matter how hard she tried to take the pieces of information and put them together. Listening was something that Tori had always done well, so she let him talk as much as he needed to calm himself. He must have been under a tremendous amount of stress and her heart went out to him as she watched himself pour another glass of wine. She wondered why he even bothered with a glass at all. After he’d walked off his small rant, he took a seat on the end of the bed and turned his head to look at Tori.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is I needed a drink.” Tori laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner but as soon as their eyes locked, she knew any attempt to dissuade him would be futile. Her loins ached for his touch and she didn’t hesitate a moment when he leaned in for a kiss. She took him into her arms and the two fell onto the bed in a writhing, moaning frenzy.
The taste of wine lingered on his lips and Tori’s tongue savored the sweet flavor of France’s finest as his hands roamed underneath her shirt.
“Wait, just wait a second.” She placed her index finger on his lips as she stared into her eyes with a silent promise stating that she would quickly return. Walking to the door, she pushed it shut and slowly engaged the lock. With a coy smile, she slowly turned around as she removed her shirt and tossed it aside before joining him on the bed once more.
After spending most of the day in bed, Easton and Tori finally fell asleep in one another’s arms but when she awoke, he was gone. She threw on a robe and walked into the hall to see if she could find him but the house was silent and she didn’t know where to start a search. A rumble in her stomach sent her to the kitchen where she found ice cream and chocolate syrup. As she searched for a bowl, Tori tried to be quiet but one of the cabinet doors held three large, metal spoons used for stirring large pots and one of them fell off the hook and clattered to the floor. A light from the end of the kitchen illuminated the formerly dark corner and Lauren appeared in a long gown.
“I’m so sorry, Lauren, I was just look
ing for a bowl.” The woman smiled and nodded, saying,
“It’s quite alright, child. I don’t sleep much anyway and when I do, I’m only reminded that I’m getting older.” Opening the cabinet two doors down from where Tori had been searching, Lauren reached in and pulled out two bowls. “Mind if I join you?” Tori shook her head with a smile and said,
“Please, do.” She would assume that Lauren would get lonely with no full-time family in the home and welcomed the opportunity to spend some time with the kindly lady. Lauren scooped the sweet treat into the two bowls and Tori returned the carton to the safety of the freezer while the cook grabbed two spoons.
They sat in the staff kitchen, which held the stoves, dishwashers and other appliances along with a table and four chairs in the corner. The two women chatted like old friends and Tori asked if Lauren knew Easton’s whereabouts.
“Mr. Kaine left for the city about an hour ago, miss. He said you were sleeping and to leave you be.” Tori noticed that despite the kind treatment from earlier, Lauren seemed uneasy to talk about her new employer. It was probably nothing more than professional courtesy and she thought no more of it until they began to speak of Lauren’s family.
“My father was raised in Russia and my mother was from New Jersey. They met when my father came to America when he was fifteen but my mother wanted nothing to do with him.” Lauren laughed as she recalled her family memories and Tori spooned a taste of vanilla into her mouth as she listened.
“You see, my mother came from a wealthy family and in her mind, a boy who barely spoke English was not the ideal match. My father worked very hard in his father’s shoe store and after time, he managed to make her fall in love with him and they were married. His father died and left him the shoe store but my father had bigger plans and sold the store so that he could pursue his dream.” Tori smiled at the idea of throwing caution to the wind and following your heart. “My father hates that I work as a domestic but I, too, am doing what I love. Besides, this is a pretty good set-up for a gal from Jersey with an insane love of cooking. Mrs. Cunningham always threw the grandest of parties and it was such a thrill to see the love I put into my work being appreciated. I keep waiting for master Kaine to throw a gala but the time hasn’t come, yet.”
Tori knew it was pushy to ask why she didn’t have a home or family of her own and left the conversation on a cheerful note as she decided to explore the grounds. Excusing herself and wishing Lauren a good night, Tori returned to her room and threw on some clothes. If she remembered correctly, there was a side exit to the bottom of the stairs down the hallway to the right. Checking the time, she noted that it was nearly eight o’clock and realized that she had slept for almost three hours. Giving a slight chuckle, she reminded herself that Easton had given her quite a workout and her body must have needed more rest than she realized.
The side exit was exactly where she hoped it would be and she walked outside to the cobblestone pathway leading to the east garden. Humming to herself, Tori admired the scenery and breathed in the fresh mountain air filled with the scent of freesias. Following the path to the back of the property, Tori walked towards the rear patio where she and Lauren had eaten earlier in the day and looked towards the wilderness that lay beyond the manicured lawn. Living in the city was exciting and fun but there was a gentle peace that came with being away from it all and getting back to nature. Granted, she would have never guessed a mansion in the Catskills was the appropriate place to feel like a woodsman but it would have to work for the time being. She thought of walking off the grounds and into the tree line but she’d not even brought a light. With a sigh, she stared up at the full moon and inhaled slowly. As she lowered her head, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye and she turned her head. Searching the darkness, Tori tried to find the light that she’d seen and as she blinked, she saw it again. In the distance was the unmistakable beam of a flashlight running away from the house.
Chapter Nine
Tori spent the remainder of the night pacing her room, looking out the windows and checking her phone. She wasn’t sure who was in the woods but she was pretty sure that whoever it was had no business being there. Hoping that Easton would call, she tossed her phone on the bed once again and sighed as she returned to the window. Considering that it was past midnight, she knew the chances that anyone would be trying to contact her were low. Tori knew it would appear needy and childish if she were to call her stepbrother to tell him that she thought she saw something outside. Shaking off the idea and trying to convince herself that it was a reflection of the moonlight or a neighbor, Tori took a deep breath and drew the heavy drapes to shut out the darkness of night.
Sleep eluded the petite blonde all night and as the sun shone through the tall pines of the mountain, Tori stumbled out of bed and walked into the adjoining bathroom. After her shower, she dressed and made her way down the stairs to find Lauren and Carl enjoying their breakfast in the staff kitchen. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, Tori smiled over her shoulder and wished them a good morning, to which they did the same.
“Did you enjoy your walk last night?” Lauren’s question brought back the mysterious light in the woods and Tori shuddered as she faced her and replied,
“I did, thank you. It was the strangest thing though.” With a pause, she blew into her cup before taking a tiny sip and continued, “I thought I saw someone in the forest.” Carl and Lauren looked at each other then back to Tori before Lauren replied,
“The woods can play tricks on us.” It was possible that her mind had interpreted something differently than what was but she didn’t think so. Carl finished up his coffee and as he stood, he looked to Tori and said,
“It may have been me, miss. I had to go set the traps late last night and I wander all through these woods. Wouldn’t want a bear wandering onto the property, now, would we?” Tori shook her head and smiled as she replied,
“No, I suppose we wouldn’t.” It could have very well been Carl and with her body on high alert, her mind took what limited information it had and ran with it. Chuckling to herself as she took another sip of coffee, she silently thanked her rational side for not calling Easton and frantically telling him that his groundskeeper had been wandering the property at night. With her mind slightly at-ease, Tori decided that it was a good morning for a jog and went to her room to grab her phone and a pair of earbuds. Making her way down the grand staircase, she scrolled through her playlists until she found the one labeled “Monster Workout” and pressed play. Heading down the pebble driveway, she soon got into a steady rhythm with the rock song blaring in her ears but soon stopped dead in her tracks as she faced a car rumbling up the driveway. Recognizing the driver as Easton, she smiled and removed the small speakers from her ears as the white Range Rover skidded to a stop inches in front of her. Easton watched her round ass as she walked past his front bumper on her way to his window.
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” she stated as she wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Motioning for her to lean into the window with his finger, Easton smiled and tilted his head in her direction. Looking over her shoulder, Tori assured herself that there were no onlookers and she leaned in for a kiss.
“Hop in. I want to show you something.” Easton stared into her eyes and she smiled as she placed her elbows on the door frame and replied,
“I’m kind of in the middle of something,” as she motioned to her workout attire.
“Your ass is perfect and nothing on you jiggles so get in the damn Rover.” His smile burned right through her and she happily did as he asked. The cool leather kissed her shoulders as she leaned into her seat and inhaled the unmistakable scent of a new vehicle. Easton released the brake and pressed his foot to the gas as they headed back toward the house but instead of parking, he circled and headed back down the driveway.
“Where are we going?” Tori didn’t really care where they were headed as long as they were together. She couldn’t fight the attraction that she had for he
r stepbrother and knew that she couldn’t have him as her own but there was no listening to reason by this point. Once she’d had his touch against her skin, Tori knew that she had feel his body against hers again. Each time they were together they seemed to gravitate to each other like magnets and she only hoped that she would be able to hide her affections for her stepbrother from her family. The only time they were all together was on the holidays and Easton was notorious for not showing up at all, so the chances of exposure were slim. She smiled when he placed his hand on her thigh, gave it a squeeze then traced the inside of her leg until he reached the hem of her shorts.
“If I told you, that would ruin the surprise and the only reason I’m doing this is because I want to see that sparkle in your eye that you get when you’re happy.” He tossed her one of his charming smiles, adjusted his Armani sunglasses then placed both hands on the wheel. Turning off the main mountain road to a glorified ATV trail, Easton steered the Rover over the rugged terrain that now lay before them and Tori giggled as she held on to the door handle next to her as she bounced in her seat. They soon reached a clearing and Easton parked the vehicle and Tori followed closely behind Easton as he led her to the edge of a cliff. Watching her face as she discovered the natural beauty of the river that ran below and the waterfall to their right that fed it, he whispered,
“There it is.” She turned her head and he stared into her eyes for a moment before the two of them fell into each other’s arms in a passionate embrace. Moaning and writhing against one another, Easton hoisted her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around him as he lowered them to the ground. From his sitting position, Easton ran his hands underneath her tight top, removing it as she raised her arms and returned to his kiss. The fabric of his button-up shirt was cool against her bare skin but she needed to feel his flesh against hers. With a light growl, she playfully ripped his shirt open and he quickly shucked it off and tossed it aside. Easton wrapped Tori in his strong arms and pulled her close to him as he ground his growing erection into her wet mound. Pushing him backwards with a bite of her lip, Tori ran her hands down his rippled chest to his waistband and he looked at her and slyly said,