“CJ…” she choked.
“It’s okay. Come on, baby.”
Her head fell back, eyes screwing shut.
“CJ!”
Everything fractured. There was nothing to hold onto. Annie felt like she was grasping at air. A scream tore from her throat. Then she felt like she was falling. Her back hit the mattress with CJ over her. The bed rocked with the force of their passion. Latticed tulle bucked and swayed overhead. Suddenly he froze, back bowed, muscles straining. The sound that came from his chest was both growl and groan. Spasms of pleasure rolled through her as he shuddered. Chest heaving, his weight slowly pressed her down into the pillow top. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on. He was the only thing anchoring her.
They stayed like that for several minutes, both struggling for breath. Finally, CJ rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. Head cradled in the crook of his shoulder, Annie’s mind tried to catalog everything that had just happened. Her limited priors didn’t compare to being with CJ, but this time had been fucking fantastic. Or was that fantastic fucking? A silly grin split her face. Whatever it was, she wanted to do it again. Lots.
“Damn,” she purred. “Remember when you offered to help me research? I don’t think I can afford you. That was so far beyond amazing.”
“I think we just stumbled onto your ideal position,” he said with a breathless chuckle. “My baby is a cowgirl.”
Annie rolled more up on his chest to kiss him. “Then aren’t I lucky I have a man from the Cowboy State?”
CJ’s other arm came around her, drawing her in for a slow, drugging kiss.
“I’m the lucky one, beautiful.”
“We could argue that point all day, but right now, I’m starving again.”
He lifted his arm to look at his watch before letting it fall back around her.
“Is there a good place for breakfast nearby?”
“If I can manage to stand up, I’m fairly certain that I have the makings for a sausage, mushroom omelet. That is if you won’t hold canned mushrooms against me, mighty gatherer.”
“Do I look like I’ve ever turned my nose up at food? Canned mushrooms are fine.”
Shifting into the crook of his arm again, Annie ran her hand affectionately over his belly. Red lines grabbed her eye and she leaned closer.
“I scratched you!”
CJ lifted his head to look before shrugging and dropping back to the pillow.
“I scratched your belly!” she said in horror.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“So that makes it okay?” she asked.
“Would you be this worried if the scratches were on my back?” he asked, humor lacing his tone.
Annie frowned. No. She probably wouldn’t. His grin was smug. Damn him for making sense.
“If it makes you feel any better you have finger prints on your pretty butt.”
She twisted, trying to look over her shoulder. CJ chuckled. What was worse than smug? She pinched his belly and he laughed harder.
“You’re all worried about a couple of tiny scratches and you pinch me?” he asked.
“You deserved it.”
“I can’t argue with that,” he said, eyes sparkling.
Planting a quick kiss near the marks on his skin, Annie rolled to the side of the bed. She rubbed her hands up and down her thighs. Small twitches in the muscles felt like fireworks. She could already feel it in her core too. The cowgirl position was a great workout. She grinned. It was a win-win.
Giant shards of ice piled up along the shore, pier, and around the base of the lighthouse, looking like blue glass under the afternoon sun. It was a spectacular sight. Other people dotted the beach, braving the bitter cold to witness Lake Michigan’s winter phenomenon.
“We have a lot of ice in Wyoming, but that is magnificent. I can’t believe how blue it is,” CJ said, resting his chin on top of Annie’s head.
“I don’t know all the details, but it has something to do with how thick and dense the ice is. Air bubbles normally give ice its white color, but when you don’t have the air bubbles mucking things up you get this pretty blue,” Annie said, snuggling back into his arms.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Then I’m glad it happened while you’re here. It’s nice to have a little beauty to show off in my home state after you shared Wyoming.”
The bitter wind coming off the Great Lake buffeted them, burning skin and tugging at clothing. He wrapped his arms tighter around Annie, sheltering her and sharing his body heat. It was a good thing he’d taken her advice and pulled a thick hoodie on this morning. The leather coat was designed to look good, not keep out this kind of cold. He missed his Carhartt. Another gust of wind brought a sleet spray with it. Annie turned to hide her face against his chest.
“Okay. Mother Nature appreciated. Back to the Jeep,” she said, shivering.
Keeping her tight to his side, they trudged up the snow and ice-covered beach. He held the door for her before jogging around to the passenger side. Annie already had the Grand Cherokee running by the time he slid into his seat. She stamped her feet on the floorboards and tucked her hands between her thighs while she let the vehicle warm up. He grinned when she wiggled her butt into the heated leather seat.
“Am I going to have to get heated seats in my Wrangler to get you back to Wyoming?”
She pulled her red nose out of the collar of her coat and grinned.
“Nope, but it couldn’t hurt your case.”
He grinned. She was so damn cute.
“I don’t know if you’re hungry yet, but there’s a great coffee house nearby where we can warm up with steaming caffeine. They also have delicious soup and sandwiches.”
“That sounds great.”
Checking her mirrors and still looking over her shoulder, she backed out and eased the SUV back onto the road. A newer model Cherokee passed them and CJ frowned, looking around him. He hadn’t been paying too much attention this morning. His only thought when she’d lead him down to the parking garage had been a normal man’s relief that his woman had a new, reliable vehicle. Now that he was awake he realized it wasn’t new. The body style was early to mid-2000s. He leaned back to check the odometer and frowned again. That was insanely low miles for this model year.
“How long have you had this?”
Her eyes flickered to his before going back to the road.
“It was my dad’s. He’d just bought it a month before the accident. It was his first brand new vehicle. He was so excited. They took my mom’s Volvo that weekend because it got better gas mileage.”
He sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“No. I shouldn’t have pried.”
“It’s not prying. I should’ve expected the question with you being a Jeep guy and well, a guy’s guy,” Annie said, sparing him another glance and a small smile.
“It’s pristine,” he said softly.
“Thanks. I don’t drive a lot, but I make sure to take care of it. I have a guy that changes the oil and details it for me.”
“Your dad would be proud.”
That made the smile widen. “He would be. He joked when he bought it that it was going to have to last him the rest of his life at the price he paid. That didn’t end up being long, so I’m getting his money’s worth. Maybe that sounds morbid, but he would appreciate it. My dad had a warped sense of humor.”
“Like father, like daughter.”
“Exactly.”
A sudden burst of music startled them both. Annie slowed the Jeep, patting her coat pockets with one hand. The song got louder as she pulled her phone out. She frowned at the screen before tapping it and putting it up to her ear.
“Hello.”
Whatever was said on the other end earned an eye roll. CJ looked away, trying to focus on the scenery to give her at least the illusion of privacy.
“Over by the Lake … Despite what you think, I do leave the condo … Call bullshit
all you like. You’re there, and I’m not … Okay, your delivery man is there, and I’m not.”
He could practically hear another eye roll.
“We went over to the shore to see the blue ice … I’m not sure how else to describe it. It is ice that’s blue. It’s rare and really pretty … Google it … CJ is an outdoorsman. He found it interesting. Whatever. I’m not giving him your number.”
The Jeep slowed again and Annie hit the turn signal. A sign featuring a lighthouse with whitecap waves and a steaming cup of coffee seemed direct and to the point. The parking lot was three-quarters full, usually a good sign for a restaurant.
“Call your delivery guy back and tell him to leave them with the front desk. I’ll get them when I get home.”
Whipping into a parking spot, she put the vehicle in park and sighed.
“Who is going to steal that many copies of a romance novel? Just leave them with the front desk. I have to go.”
There was another pause as he assumed the other party didn’t take the hint.
“I’m hanging up now. Bye.”
Hearing her disconnect and sigh, he turned to look at her. She tapped her forehead with the phone and then stuffed it in her pocket. Rolling her head to the side, she gave him a wry smile.
“Sorry.”
“No problem.” He slid his hand between her and the seat and massaged her neck. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine. I just have a shit-ton more books to autograph. It’s a promotional thing to get people to pre-order the book and create buzz.” Leaning into his touch, Annie’s eyes drifted shut. Her hand fluttered in the air in front of her as she rambled. “I thought I was done, but more orders came in than they’d figured on. So they need me to sign some more as a safety net. They tried to deliver the boxes to me today, and I’m not there. The one day in the last I don’t know how many that I’m not there. I mean other than the wedding.”
“You know, Hunter spilled your secret last night.”
Her head turned and tiny slits of hazel regarded him.
“He said it’s not a fear of the world that keeps you in your ivory tower, but the stupid people in it.”
Her shoulders shook in amusement.
“He’s not wrong, but leave it to Hunter to extract the bullshit and lay it on the line.”
She reached up to fiddle with one of the vents on the dashboard. CJ kept rubbing her neck, using his thumb to ease the tension at the base of her skull.
“First of all, what most people don’t get is that those that suffer from Agoraphobia aren’t always shut-ins. That’s the Hollywood stereotype you see in sitcoms and rom-coms. There are different degrees and triggers. It’s mostly a fear of places where they don’t feel in control. Secondly, I’ve never been diagnosed with anything. People just like to toss labels around and snicker about the reclusive author. The truth is, I don’t care for crowds, but most of the time I can get through them. Traveling sucks because I’m at the mercy of other people and their schedules, but I do it. What I really hate is being the center of attention. When all eyes are on me, I have trouble breathing. I’ve learned to control it most of the time, but the ultimate fear is that I won’t be able to and I’ll have a panic attack in public. That’s the ultimate loss of control.”
CJ nodded. What she said made sense. The woman he’d spent the last week and a half with had dealt with a stressed-out bride, an obnoxious family, and a million tiny details with grace and humor. While she wasn’t real fond of cold, she’d relished getting out of the lodge and viewing Mother Nature. It wasn’t until she’d been forced to travel, and step into the spotlight, that he’d seen the strong, easy-going façade show cracks.
“Going to the pageants to support Crystal had to be hard.”
Annie shook her head, the wry smile returning.
“Actually, they aren’t, weren’t, bad at all. I’m invisible in that world. I could wear an ‘I’m a NYT Bestselling Author’ t-shirt when I’m with her and no one would notice.”
“That’s not true.”
“Have you ever been to one? I wasn’t fishing for compliments. The focus there is completely on the queens. Family, friends, even the stylists, they’re all invisible, as long as their contestant is doing her thing. I enjoyed that aspect about as much as Crys loves spending no make-up, pajama weekends at my condo. No pressure.”
“How did you handle gymnastics? I know it’s a team sport, but you compete one at a time in the spotlight, right?”
She played with her keys still dangling from the ignition.
“I focused on my dad. As long as he was there, I knew if something humiliating happened, I wouldn’t be alone. He would protect me,” she finally said, chewing on her bottom lip. “I feel like that when you’re around.”
The confession was soft, heartfelt. She didn’t look at him. Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her to him for a kiss.
“That’s a pretty big compliment, beautiful. I’m in good company. I hope you know, I would do anything to keep you safe,” he said, silently vowing not to stand idle next time someone blindsided her like her aunt had at the lodge. That sounded like permission to him. “Let’s get something warm in your belly.”
Getting inside, they found a vacant table that was just being cleaned off. He wondered if business was always this brisk, or if people had been down to the shore to check out the ice. Ordering coffee, croissant sandwiches, and cups of cheesy broccoli soup, they peeled off their coats and got comfortable.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I take it whoever was on the phone didn’t see the wonder in blue ice?”
Annie rolled her eyes, stuffing her scarf in the sleeve of her coat.
“It was Cami. She was in full blown publicist mode, wanting those books autographed yesterday. But no, she did not think that dragging you off to look at ice shards sounded like a fun date.”
“I can’t think of much that isn’t fun as long as I’m with you.”
“Aww! How much did you pay him to say that?”
Wrapped in a bright red dress coat with a slick of lipstick to match and fur-trimmed hat and gloves, Annie’s cousin didn’t look like she was out for a Saturday morning drive. The nasty retort died on his tongue when CJ saw the cameraman behind her. Was that thing on?
“Breaking news, Angie?” Annie asked, her voice friendly, but he could see the knotted muscle in her jaw where her teeth were clenched.
“The station sent me over here to do a piece on the blue ice. It’s going to be on the Sunday morning show,” Angie said smugly. “What about you? Didn’t want to be seen in your regular haunts with the boy toy?”
The slumming comment she’d made at the party kicked CJ in the gut at her new insinuation.
“We’re here to see the ice, the same as most people.”
“Perfect! Then you won’t mind if I get your comments on camera?”
“Actually, I do. We’ll pass.”
“Oh, I get it. Of course. You’re trying to keep everything under wraps. I’m surprised you invited him to the party last night. You know there were a lot of cameras and someone’s going to gossip, cousin.”
“Nothing is being kept under wraps. I know you don’t believe this, but no one is interested in who, or if, I’m dating. If a legitimate reporter actually asks, I’ll be honest.”
“So naïve,” Angie cooed, patting her cousin’s cheek. “We’re public figures. Of course they care.”
Annie flinched away from the touch, her lip curling. CJ saw her flashing eyes flicker to the cameraman before her lips pressed into a thin line. Angie leaned down, her painted clown smile inches from Annie’s ear. Her hiss was still clear.
“You know, you’re not getting any younger. Pretty soon even your money won’t be enough to enough to attract a decent husband.”
CJ ground his teeth.
“Maybe you’re too close to her, or just jealous, but your cousin is a smart, funny woman who only gets more beautiful the more you get to know her,” he said slowly, pinnin
g Angie with a pointed look. “And that’s not something that can be said of a lot of women.”
Angie’s face flushed an ugly shade of crimson. Bullseye.
“I know a thing or two about you. Family talks. Don’t think that our uncle is going to be as easy to con as naïve little Annie.”
The venom in her voice lifted the short hairs at his nape. What in the hell was she talking about?
“You know I really appreciate everyone talking about me like I’m an imbecile, but I’m a grown woman that makes my own decisions,” Annie snapped and flagged down the waitress, her expression, and tone immediately changing. “I’m sorry. Something came up. Could you please change our order to go? Thank you.”
“Did I strike a nerve? Sometimes the truth hurts, cousin.”
Angie’s syrupy words fanned Annie’s anger again and she stood up.
“Screw you. You wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you in your scrawny Spank-clad ass,” she whispered, then turned her glittering gaze on the cameraman. “And if one frame of this gets out anywhere, I’ll shove that camera so far up your ass, you’ll be able to do your own colonoscopy.”
Snatching her coat off the back of the chair, she started past them. CJ caught her elbow lightly.
“Let’s just eat our lunch and enjoy the day,” he said, lips brushing her ear.
She didn’t pull away but didn’t relax either. There was a thread of sadness in her soft answer.
“I think it’s time I get back to my bell tower. I’ve had enough stupidity.”
The drive back to Grand Rapids was strained. Their lunch got cold in the backseat. Annie didn’t ask for hers and he’d lost his appetite. Maybe she had too. He had no idea what she was thinking. Bits and pieces of conversations bounced around in his head. Words like ‘arm candy’, ‘slumming’, and ‘con’ joined forces with mentions of staying, relocating, and cities. His stomach rolled. Coming here was looking more and more like a mistake. Things had seemed simpler in Wyoming.
Why not Wyoming? (Wyoming Wilds Series Book 1) Page 16