Trails of Love

by Melissa Foster

  “What do you think, sunshine?”

  He stepped closer, bringing a whiff of his spicy cologne. The potent scent reminded her of their airplane tryst, and her pulse quickened. She still couldn’t believe they’d done that, but she wanted to experience everything with Graham. The thought was as exciting as it was nerve-racking, because in two days they’d be apart again. Every minute apart was too long.

  She inhaled a shaky breath, went up in her toes, and touched her lips to his. “I think I’m really glad I’m here with you.”

  “Me too,” he said as a motorcycle roared up the hill and came to a stop beside their car. “There’s Knox.”

  Knox killed the engine and climbed off the bike. He took off his shiny helmet and raked a hand through his thick black hair. “Graham, my man.”

  He set the helmet on the bike and pulled Graham into a manly embrace. Then he opened his arms to Morgyn. He was tall like Graham, with the quintessential good looks of a movie star—manicured scruff, expensive-looking button-down, and a watch that probably cost more than her entire house. But his eyes were warm and his smile was friendly.

  “I never thought I’d see the day a woman wore Graham’s MIT hat.” He shifted his eyes to Graham and lifted his brows in a this-is-the-real-deal look that would be hard to miss.

  “Knox Bentley,” Graham said, “Morgyn Montgomery. Morgyn, this is my partner in crime.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who’s got my buddy’s shorts in a knot.” He embraced her.

  She laughed and said, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “I’m still getting over the idea that you caught him with his pecker in his hand and didn’t run the other way.” Knox chuckled, and Graham shook his head.

  “I took one look at his…” She gazed up at Graham and said, “Dimples and I was done for.” The guys laughed and she added, “But that python he’s packing is a definite bonus.”

  Knox choked and coughed out a laugh. “Damn, girl. Hey, Graham, does she have a sister?”

  “Yeah,” Graham said with a cocky grin. “A bunch of them, but none stupid enough to go out with you. What you really need is to let Taylor be your wingman.”

  “Who’s Taylor?” Morgyn asked.

  “His virtual assistant of the past several years. The guy’s like a clone of Knox.”

  “He literally runs my life. I’d be lost without him, but I don’t need a wingman, thank you very much,” Knox said firmly.

  “Whatever you say, Knox, but you’re looking pretty single over there. Well, other than that chick you hook up with at those charity events.” Graham arched a brow. “Something you want to share about her?”

  Knox scoffed. “Let’s check out the property before you annoy me so much I tell Morgyn all your dirty secrets.”

  “Oh, I like dirty secrets,” Morgyn said. “But I prefer if Graham and I make our own.”

  “I like her,” Knox said.

  “Don’t even…” The warning in Graham’s voice shouldn’t have been a turn-on, but it was. He slung an arm over Knox’s shoulder and said, “Come on, let’s focus on the issue at hand. We can worry about your love life later.”

  As the guys talked about acreage, zoning laws, and other things, Morgyn’s thoughts drifted back to John. She knew about the country’s homeless crisis, but it was so far removed from her life, it hadn’t felt real. What if her grandfather hadn’t left her family that land? What if she’d never been able to negotiate a price she could afford on the retail space she’d had for the past few years? Would her business have taken off at all? Would she have ended up working for someone else and then lost her job and had to live with her parents or siblings? What if they lost their jobs? It was a stretch to take herself there, but what if the universe hadn’t guided her down the right path and she’d ended up in a similar situation?

  There had to be a better way. She knew she couldn’t save the world, but as she looked around at the property, she wondered if Graham and Knox could make it a little easier for a whole lot of people.

  “A sustainable community,” she said before she had a chance to think it through.

  Graham and Knox turned, curiosity brimming in their eyes.

  “What, sunshine?”

  “You’re thinking of putting up an environmentally friendly hotel, right?”

  “That’s the plan,” Graham said.

  “What good will that do for the community? The area is full of hotels just forty minutes away, and at the bottom of this hill is an adorable small town. Maybe it’ll help with tourism, but what if you could build something the whole community could get behind? There’s so much land here, so many possibilities.”

  “One hundred and sixty acres,” Knox said.

  “Holy smokes. That’s a lot. Couldn’t you put up a sustainable tiny house community where they grow their own food and work together for solutions that help them as a group rather than one neighbor’s goal squashing the other’s? And if you’re worried about investments or profits, you could make half of it rentable. Green living is on the rise everywhere. More and more people are environmentally conscious. You could build a sustainable community where people could come spend a week at a time, or a month, and they could learn skills to bring back to their hometowns so they could help others do the same. You could employ people like John, with years of gardening experience. He needs a community, a goal, an extended family to help and count on. I’m not saying employ every homeless person, but maybe fewer people would find themselves on the streets if there were places like this where they could buy a house cheaply and cut down on utility bills because you could build passive houses and use solar energy, and—”

  “I don’t know that we can do a total sustainable community,” Knox said. “You’re talking about schools, jobs…”

  “But you don’t have to do it all. Maybe I used the wrong terminology, but you could offer inexpensive living, with community projects like gardens, a community kitchen for meals, and I don’t know…I’m winging it, but it seems like the seeds of a great idea.” The more Morgyn talked about it, the more excited she became, but she realized these guys were big-time investors, and she was, as she’d said, winging it. “Sorry. I just can’t help but think you’ve got a chance to do something bigger and more meaningful than just a hotel. Not that your environmentally friendly hotel isn’t special. It’s just…”

  “Not doing enough.” Graham put his arm around her and said to Knox, “Sunshine connected with a homeless man today, and her heart is still trying to recover.”

  “Sage would get a kick out of her,” Knox said.

  “Who’s Sage?”

  “Sage Remington. He’s an artist who runs HTC, Hydration Through Creation,” Graham explained. “HTC’s a nonprofit that holds auctions for artwork, then donates the money toward installing wells in developing nations and villages. We’ve invested in a number of their projects.”

  “We’re in talks with them now about a project just like what you’re suggesting,” Knox said. “Bringing tiny homes to a small village in Belize, where Sage and his wife, Kate, first came up with the concept for HTC. They already have gardens and schools, but their housing situation is deplorable.”

  “Why wouldn’t you do that?” It seemed like a no-brainer to her.

  “There’s a lot that goes into making these decisions, sunshine,” Graham said tightly.

  “You know what?” Knox said. “I bet Kate would love Morgyn, too.”

  Knox’s quick subject change didn’t go unnoticed, but their business decisions were way out of Morgyn’s league, and she assumed he was saving Graham from getting mired down with explanations.

  “They have the cutest little girl, Sadie, with big blue eyes that could make a villain change his ways.” Graham reached for Morgyn’s hand.

  “Oh man, here we go again.” Knox hiked a thumb toward Graham. “You know he wants a dozen kids, right?”

  “A dozen?” she said. “As one of seven, I can tell you that you’re crazy.�
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  “He’s just giving you a hard time,” Graham reassured her. “Three or four is good. But I know where you stand on the whole marriage issue.”

  “I don’t,” Knox said, eyeing Morgyn.

  “I’m not big on it. I have no issues with commitment, but I don’t need a legal document to make it real,” she said, wondering why it felt strange to say what she’d believed wholeheartedly for ages.

  “Sorry.” Knox’s smile faded, and he shot a look at Graham. “I thought you two were serious.”

  “We are,” Graham said emphatically, then a little lighter he added, “Someone recently pointed out that you don’t need to be married to stay together or to have children.”

  Knox held his hands up and said, “Whoa. I’m not touching this conversation with a ten-foot pole.”

  “Good plan. Let’s get back to Morgyn’s idea of a community that works together and teaches others how to do the same. I’d like to do some research on that in general and for this area, check out the profitability, zoning, run the numbers…”

  “Really? You guys will consider it?” She looked at Knox, who shrugged one shoulder. She squealed and threw her arms around Graham’s neck.

  “No promises about our final decision, sunshine, but Knox and I already agreed we’re buying this land to keep it out of the hands of the wrong people. We have time to look into it and see if it’s a viable solution.”

  “Remember when I said you couldn’t get any hotter? I lied.” Filled with hope and happiness, and thankful to have met a man who cared as deeply about others as she did, she touched her lips to his.

  “Man,” Knox said. “I’ve got to start hanging out at festivals.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  AS PROMISED, AFTER they met with Knox, Graham and Morgyn explored the streets of Seattle, window-shopping and getting ice cream from a cute little parlor. Street noises sounded magnified against the hustle and bustle of people hurrying along sidewalks like they were on important missions and couldn’t afford to slow down. Even in the stores the undercurrent of rushing was palpable. Graham kept a firm hold on Morgyn as they meandered through busy shops, taking it all in. She loved how he pulled her closer when they encountered crowds, and his stolen kisses made their day even more wonderful. She got so swept up in the energy of the city—and in the sparks between them—she stopped comparing the area to her quiet hometown. After a while, even the hustle and bustle no longer felt strange.

  When they jumped in a cab for what Graham called their next expedition, she was still buzzing. “What about our rental car?”

  “Time for a change.” He lifted his MIT hat from her head and put it on his. She made a pouty face and he laughed. “Trust me, sunshine. You’re going to love this.”

  He handed a piece of paper to the driver and then he pulled Morgyn closer. They sat like that for a long while, watching the city pass by. Morgyn couldn’t remember a happier time in her life. It didn’t matter what they were doing; everything was better with Graham by her side.

  “Blindfold or eyes closed,” Graham whispered out of the blue.

  “Is this a sex game? Because I’m up for just about anything with you, but not with an audience.” She glanced at the driver.

  Graham drew her face toward his with a gentle hand on her chin, but there was nothing gentle about the serious look in his eyes. “If you think I’d let anyone see us do anything more than kiss, you don’t know me the way I thought you did.” He lowered his face until his lips were a breath away from hers and whispered, “Blindfold or eyes closed, sunshine?”

  Her pulse skyrocketed at the heat in his voice. She put her hand on his thigh, feeling his muscles flex, and said, “If it’s only us, then blindfold. But if you’re talking about being somewhere we might get caught, eyes closed.”

  He tucked her hair behind her ear as a slow grin brought out his dimples. “I’ve gotten to you. You’re thinking ahead.”

  “I’m thinking of a head,” she said playfully. “How about you? Blindfold or eyes closed?”

  “With you, eyes open all the way.”

  Their mouths came together hungrily, and he threaded his fingers into her hair, holding her possessively. Would she ever get used to the heat their kisses sparked? The desperate longing their happiness stirred? The rest of the world faded away, and soon she wasn’t thinking at all. She could only feel his body reaching for hers as she straddled his lap, pouring all of herself into their connection. He rocked beneath her, his hard length creating the most exquisite friction. She moaned into their kisses, earning a greedy, masculine noise that drilled into her, making her entire body pulse with desire. She met every rock of his hips with a grind of her own as their kisses intensified. She felt herself go damp and desperately wanted to unzip his pants and take him inside her.

  “Morgyn…” he growled against her lips.

  He grabbed her thighs, squeezing so tight she knew he was struggling to hold back just as badly as she was. He’d just told her he would never let anyone watch them, but could the driver see anything other than them kissing? They were seated directly behind him. Her heart raced as their mouths crashed together again and Graham’s hips began their torturous movements. She didn’t want to get caught having sex, but his hand was hot on her skin, his mouth was wreaking havoc with her mind, and she wanted to be dangerous with him.

  But not too dangerous.

  Oh God! He was making her think.

  And feel.

  And love.

  She drew back, meeting his lustful gaze, and then she framed his handsome face with her hands. Feeling naughty, excited, and so damn in love with him she ached with it, she whispered, “Eyes open all the way,” and then she guided his hand between her legs.

  His jaw clenched as his fingers swept over her damp panties. The struggle in his eyes was as real as the love between them. She leaned up and forward, putting her mouth beside his ear, and said, “He can’t see us, and I need to feel you touching me.”

  Graham’s eyes shot over her shoulder, and then he put his hand on the base of her neck, drawing her into another passionate kiss as his fingers pushed eagerly into her, expertly finding the place she needed him most. She moaned, and he clutched her hair as he said, “Shh,” against her lips.

  Her hips bucked and writhed as his thick fingers worked their magic, turning her body into a pulsing, throbbing mess of live wires. His thumb pressed down at the cleft of her neediness, sending the world careening away. He swallowed her lustful sounds, holding her at the peak for so long she thought she’d explode into a million pieces. When he finally relented, she tore her mouth from his, panting through gritted teeth as she buried her face in his neck, her body jerking with aftershocks.

  When he withdrew his fingers, she made a needy noise she couldn’t have stopped if her life depended on it. “I’ll pay you back doubly as good,” she promised.

  He sucked his fingers clean and then he kissed her slow and deep. She didn’t care that he tasted like her because there was no more him and her. There was only them.

  “No paybacks in this relationship, sunshine.” He kissed her softly and said, “What I do for you, I do for us. Your pleasure is mine, and when we do more later, which we will,” he said cockily, “anything you do won’t be reciprocation. It’ll be pure, unstoppable desire.”

  The cab slowed at a light, and Graham said, “Blindfold or eyes closed for your surprise? You have about ten seconds to decide.”

  “My surprise? When did you have time to set up a surprise?”

  “A gentleman never tells,” he said coyly.

  She looked around, but it was getting dark, and she had no idea where they were. It wouldn’t matter if he took her to a fancy restaurant or to a back road where they could stargaze, she wanted to have her eyes open. But since that would ruin whatever he’d so thoughtfully set up, she said, “Eyes closed.”

  He kissed her again and said, “Close them, sunshine. I’ll save the blindfold for later.”

  MORGYN COUL
D IDENTIFY the sounds of a train idling in her sleep—the constant whoosh reminded her of a never-ending compressed air leak, the underlying hum and rumble of a monstrous machine holding still, and the secret whispers of her grandfather’s voice reminding her never to play on the tracks following a little train lore. But as Graham guided her up a high step, her eyes closed tightly just as he’d requested, it was the smell of cold steel, oil, and fond memories that brought tears to her eyes.

  “That’s it. I’ve got you,” Graham said, one arm around her lower back, the other holding her hand. “Don’t peek.”

  “Cracker,” she said shakily as he guided her along a vibrating path and helped her sit down. She tried not to let her happy tears fall as he settled in beside her. Eyes still closed, she felt the wall beside her, her fingers trailing along cold glass. “What have you done?”

  “Open your eyes, sunshine.”

  They were alone on a train. “Where are we going? Why are we alone? How did you find this train?”

  He laughed. “I will never tire of seeing that excited look in your eyes.” He kissed her tenderly and said, “I know you weren’t crazy about the hotel or the congestion of the city, so I thought we’d have a little adventure. I rented the train to take us near a waterfall I found, because what fun is a car when you can ride a vintage train like your grandfather used to? When we get there, we’ll cook under the stars and sleep serenaded by the sounds of nature. I had our stuff shipped up to a lodge and arranged for camping gear. We aren’t allowed to camp in the park near the falls, so we’ll be staying on the grounds of the lodge with a view of the falls, and I reserved a room in case it rains—”

  “Oh my gosh! Thank you!” She threw her arms around his neck, feeling like she did a lot of that lately, and she had a feeling that being with Graham, who paid attention to the most meaningful things she said, meant she’d be doing it a lot more. “What about the hotel? You already paid for it. I’ll pay you back.”