Lucy clutched his head, drawing out the strands of his hair every so often and sending warm shivers rushing through him. It was a delicious sensation—having someone play with his hair while he was aroused.
As she was doing it, he reached for her hand, turned his face, and kissed her palm. He pressed his lips in the center for the longest time, filling himself with their connection—with the wonder of her. It seemed no matter where he touched her, on her lips, on her hand, her earlobe, or the most intimate places on her body, he was overwhelmed with his feelings.
He lifted himself and moved up her body, planting his palms on either side of his beautiful lover’s face. He kissed her like his next breath could only be found on her lips.
Lucy took hold of him and guided him into her body. A wave of pleasure rolled through him. He pressed his eyes tight, swallowing hard to withstand his need to release. He drew a swift, clean breath through his nose and moved inside her.
When he opened his eyes, he found her looking at him, studying him with sweet adoration.
“So beautiful.”
He wondered if he had said that the last time. He didn’t want her to think it was a line. Something he was in the habit of saying when his body took over his brain. He meant it.
She lifted her feet and locked them around the small of his back. She was so lithe, so limber.
“Mmm.”
Just then he heard the door to the B&B open. Cal and Deena were back. He looked at Lucy to see her eyebrows lift as high as they’d go. Her face twinkled with mischief.
She raised her hand and toyed with her nipple to purposely drive him crazy now that their roommates had arrived. The idea that she would tease him nearly killed him.
John wasn’t sure how long he was going to last or how quiet he would be able to be. Lucy was having naughty fun baiting him. She rimmed her lips, wetting them with her tongue as she drew her fingertip around them.
She rocked her hips up against him, pumping so hard he nearly passed out with pleasure. Finally, he held her and looked her in the eye with pretend annoyance to call her bluff.
He picked up his pace and changed the position until he knew he had the angle that would drive her insane They were as quiet as they could be, biting their tongues instead of crying out, but there was nothing they could do about the headboard knocking against the wall.
Fortunately, Deena and Cal waited until after the ecstasy had crashed over John and Lucy before banging on the wall and ribbing them about the noise.
Chapter Sixteen
Lucy
Lucy was itching to get back to work. She’d walked out the other day and left things willy-nilly. That wasn’t like her. Nothing she’d done since John had pulled up in front of her house was status quo. Though he jokingly pointed out she didn’t have a cat or dog to get back to, she had nurtured and cared for her business like a living, breathing entity. Her job was her baby, and she’d neglected it.
She had to remind herself that he’d changed her life. It was yet to be seen if it was for the better. Work would have to wait another day because today she’d agreed to go to the Indian Springs Spa with him. How could she say no?
One thing was certain: she would enjoy the experience because she was tired of hearing others talk about how wonderful it was. She no longer had to live vicariously through their stories. This experience would be hers.
It was more than nice of John to foot the bill for everything, but now the impromptu detour had gone from an overnighter to a couple of days.
She had no idea how much the B&B, all the meals, or the new clothes cost. While she was curious, it seemed crass and disrespectful to pry. She had gone as far as finding the website for Eldora’s, but she left it at that. She told herself to enjoy the ride. It wasn’t often she ended up on the receiving end of something nice. The irony was that this something nice was the precursor to something awful.
Was this his way of easing the transition? Did he think a weekend away, a spa day, and new clothes would be the panacea to her heartbreak?
She considered the time they’d spent together. Lucy slept well in his arms—a surprise because she never liked sleeping with anyone. John was all hugs and wonderful to snuggle against. But now she was awake, and her brain was active and she didn’t like where her head kept taking her. What was his motivation for being so kind? Could it be as simple as him liking her?
Since she was up early, she checked her emails to see if any work had come in that would be a distraction.
She wrote a few pitches and sent them off, hoping they would garner her additional work. Having done something productive made her feel better.
She noticed that John didn’t seem to have work of any kind and wondered how much time selling the town required of him. If he had work obligations, he was fantastic at hiding them.
Caleb too. Though she wasn’t with Caleb all the time, his schedule seemed awfully flexible.
Lucy was glad she had a business to worry about. At the end of the day, they could take her office, but they couldn’t take her job. She could realistically work from anywhere. Realizing that felt good.
Her greatest joy that morning was checking her bank balance to find that Tommyknockers had deposited her winnings. She loved the digital age where everything could happen with an internet connection and the touch of a button.
Lucy had picked up twenty-five hundred dollars. It was a huge gamble because she wasn’t the only good pool player in Colorado. She was lucky she hadn’t had to play anyone like her.
Losing the buy-in money would have ruined the weekend and would have made her impossible to be with. She would have never spent one of the best nights in her life as she had last night with John Blackwood if she’d lost. It was so much fun, she was tempted to do it all again, from the pool game to the bed. She thought about Maya and how she used gambling and alcohol and wondered if she wasn’t any better using pool and John to ease her pain.
John was also an early riser, and a welcome sight as she sat on the sofa and looked up from her phone. He was bare-chested and wearing a pair of pajama pants she didn’t recall seeing. Lucy felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him filling the hallway door. Her whole body felt like it smiled. He had a full grin for her too.
His appearance was perfect timing. She’d done everything she wanted to do work-wise and now she could devote herself to him completely. She could even treat for breakfast with her winnings.
“Can I take you to breakfast?” she asked hopefully. “We could eat and then hit the spa.”
He made a funny face like she had said something strange.
“I got this trip.”
“Why?” She was taken aback. “Did you forget I won big last night? Come on, let me at least buy breakfast.”
He seemed to debate the merits of her offer. “Okay.” Though the words came out, they weren’t happy but hesitant.
“John Blackwood, are you uncomfortable with me spending money on you?”
“I know I’m in trouble when you use my first and last name, or at least I used to be when my mother did. If you weren’t already showered and dressed, I’d ask you to join me.”
“You tempt me, but don’t change the subject.”
He paused awkwardly and then said, “Okay, you buy breakfast. I’ll be back in a sec.”
“Take your time.” Her voice sounded light and happy.
He showered and dressed and led her outside.
She was surprised when they took his car instead of walking, as they had been doing.
“We’re not walking? I have my new kicks on.” She pointed to her white sneakers. “You mean I could have worn my impractical heels?”
“Are those not fitting well?”
“They’re perfect,” she assured him. “It’s why I was wondering why we were taking the car.”
She had a feeling that if she’d said they weren’t exactly perfect, he’d buy her ten different shoes to replace them. Besides yoga, where she was generally barefoot,
or when she ran, or jumped rope, Lucy almost always wore heels. It was partly because she was so short, but also because it had become her hallmark. Her long hair and heels were the things people could kind of count on about her, at least superficially. She knew she was more than the sum of those two things.
“The spa is close but not a thing to walk to, especially afterward. You’re going to want to ride back.” He opened the door and helped her inside. “It’s relaxing, but it takes a lot out of you.”
They drove to a breakfast spot. Lucy had never been so excited about the prospect of paying for something in all her life.
“Remember this is my treat.”
“That’s fine by me.”
“Good.” Pride made her heart swell.
“I have a question for you.” He cocked his head to the side. “You asked me if I was uncomfortable letting you buy. Are you uncomfortable about the fact I have money?”
“You mean like that you’re rich?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think of you as a rich guy. I think of you as a regular guy. Even regular guys pay for things. I have some money and it would be my pleasure. Kind of evens the field a tad.”
“It’s not a competition, baby,” he reminded her. “We’re used to paying. Everyone expects it, including us. I’m sure Deena has no problem with Cal paying, and she has money.”
John could have slapped her face with his words, though she knew well that they came out fast and wrong. He rushed to her with soft touches and a look of regret. At the same time, he argued why she should accept his generosity, he indicted her friend for it.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know, I know.” She tried not to be hurt.
“What I meant was we can also take turns a different way. I get this trip and you get the next. That kind of thing.”
“It’s okay, John. You’re right. It’s not a competition—so relax.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Her grin spread from ear to ear because his statement meant he wanted to see her in the future.
“If I’m on the hook for the next trip, we might have to vacation at my house.”
She mentioned her house without intending to bring up business. Her words were like stepping on something sharp. Her insides jerked, and the pain ransacked her being. They both regarded each other wide-eyed. He touched her hand.
“We’ll work something out about your house.” A look of guilt shrouded his face.
“Really?” She perked up excitedly.
She knew he meant with the severance payment and all, but part of her heard what she wanted to hear, and that was he might let her keep the house. Part of her fantasized that he had softened on his stance because they’d become romantic.
“We will. I’ll figure it out.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him again.
“Are you saying there’s a possibility I can keep my place?” She needed clarification. “Because it feels like that. Nothing has changed, right?”
He took hold of her and looked her right in the eye.
“I’m only promising that we’ll work something out.” He gave her a sweet peck on the lips. “That can mean a lot of things. I’m only one Blackwood of Blackwood Corporation, but I will go to bat for you.”
She calmed down and took a deep breath. That wasn’t as good as promising her house would be spared in the sale, but she wasn’t far off the mark. It felt like he’d been thinking things over and she didn’t want to push him any further.
“Okay. I get it.”
“I have to sit down with the others when we get back. Lots of meetings and stuff. Cal and I have to report on people’s reactions.”
“I’m sorry for continuing to bring it up, but I think you’re considering giving me a break.”
“I can’t make any promises, but I have to say I didn’t like that house last night. I loved the view, but not the house. I have some ideas, but I don’t want to talk about them without running it by my family first. In fact, I’m legally bound to confer with them first.”
“Okay, enough of this talk,” she said with a secret hope. She had not been expecting this development.
He drew her in to him, said nothing, but hugged her. When it came time to order, she noticed that he asked for something super light. The Blackwood brothers weren’t big eaters, or rather they were judicious clean eaters, but she wondered if he was eating small because she was buying.
“Have a side of bacon, for goodness sake,” she said, suddenly anxious her treat was falling flat. “Don’t rain on my parade.”
“We’re going to have massages in a bit. We’ll steam in sulfur springs. You don’t want to eat a big meal. I mean seriously, we should have a slice of toast now or just oatmeal and then do a big meal later.”
It didn’t feel like he was being condescending, but part of her wondered. She took his advice and had a single piece of rye toast. He had one cup of coffee, half decaf and half regular. Was he being legit and not just trying to keep the bill low?
“The spa process takes it out of you. You don’t want to be full and toss your cookies at the smell of the sulfur.”
As she paid for breakfast and they walked out to the car, John surprised her with a hug and a kiss. She loved his affectionate nature. The people of her cozy town were her friends, and it did feel like an extended family when she was among them, but after all the hugs and touches she’d enjoyed with this man in the past couple of days, Lucy realized how long she’d gone without physical contact, let alone affection. John reminded her she was a passionate woman.
He enveloped her with his huge arms and his luscious cozy chest. His natural warmth surrounded her.
“Thank you for breakfast.”
She looked up at him, squinting in the crisp Colorado morning sun.
“Lucy Shoemaker.” He spoke using her full name.
“Yes, John Blackwood?” she said, feeling so completely comfortable.
“I like you,” he declared, and kissed her.
They were alone, so they lingered, making out like teenagers in the parking lot. Moments later, they slipped into his sports car and hit the road. Lucy still couldn’t get used to how compact her tall love interest was in the sleek Italian design.
“So, tell me, Hollywood …”
He cut his eyes to her, satisfying her greatly with a pushed button response.
“You don’t get to call me Hollywood anymore. It doesn’t come across as a term of endearment. Have we got an agreement?”
“We do, but please call me baby because if I haven’t said so, I like that.”
“Deal.”
She looked around the interior. “Is this your only car? As a person of means, do you have more than one?”
He glanced around the fully loaded vehicle. “Doesn’t seem practical, does it?”
“It’s just that you need to have someone build you an extension. I would figure you more for an SUV type. This is like a can wrapped around your body.”
“I have SUVs.”
“SUVs, as in plural? Like more than one?”
“Yes.” His cheeks blushed with embarrassment.
“I’m not shaming you for having things. I apologize if that’s the way it sounds. I’m intensely practical, that’s all. Having more than one of anything seems overkill.”
That sank in for her. They came from opposite ends of the wealth spectrum and yet they both seemed sensitive about their financial status. She had to remember that.
“I know. You impress the hell out of me. What you’ve done with my parents’ place, your work, and your ideas. I’m eager to get the nonprofit thing rolling and get involved. I want to make something too—to feel like I’m contributing to something bigger than my bank account.”
“That’s nice.”
“Would you like to be a part of that?” His voice lowered with each word. Was he embarrassed to ask or regretful that the words came out?
“Charity?”
“I think Blackwood
Corporation or whatever it morphs into could use a creative force like you. I’m spitballing.”
Lucy could not resist the prospect of a new project and his thoughts lit her up. She liked the idea.
“Ooh, I love it when you talk ideas with me,” she purred. “Gets me all worked up.”
“Baby,” he scolded lightly. “Don’t talk sexy while I’m driving a touchy car on a mountain road. It’s dangerous.”
He turned onto the road that led to the spa. Indian Springs’ exterior was about as rustic as rustic got. Its only glamour was the fleck of pink and purple that the Rocky Mountain bee plant brought. It was like the business went out of its way to be unassuming. Not like every other hospitality business in Colorado with refurbished mining antiques and themes, this exterior had the basics, like a place to park and electricity.
It was a spa built around the sulfur springs bubbling up from caves in the Rockies. The structure that Lucy and John walked into led them down reinforced cave tunnels whose chambers were used as spa rooms. A mild smell of sulfur greeted them as they entered.
“Rotten eggs.” John covered his nose.
“It’s not too bad.” She grimaced and breathed through her mouth. “Amazing how things are acceptable given context.”
“Yeah, because if the car smelled like this, it wouldn’t go over big.”
“Well,” she teased. “If the car smelled like this, it wouldn’t be me.”
“Hey,” he responded with threats to tickle as she let go a short, sharp laugh.
Despite its ironic no-frills impression, Lucy knew the spa to be a popular spot, so it probably made gobs of money. Even the humblest citizen of Blackwood trekked to the springs because they were believed to have curative properties.
One thing Lucy didn’t expect upon arrival was the reception she got walking in with John. It was quite the experience to arrive at Indian Springs with a known Blackwood. They treated the two like royalty.
He felt like a regular person to her, but in layers and pieces, the reality and the enormity of his wealth showed itself.
“They’re complete suck-ups.”
What If: A Small Town Big Love Novel Page 12