Backroads Read online

  I’m still working on that apparently.

  “I won’t become a stranger again. You’re right—this week has brought up some good memories. I wish Alexis could be here to make new ones too.” A tear rolls down my cheek, and I quickly try to brush it away.

  “Oh dammit, get over here and give me a hug. I’ve been trying not to smother you with them, but you’re getting one right now.” She scoops me up in her arms and holds me close. Wrapping my own around her, I lay my head on her shoulder and breathe in her familiar scent, feeling her body mold to mine. I’ve missed having someone to hold me just because they’re happy to see me. Because they love me.

  Both wiping our eyes, we break apart with a soft laugh. “Why don’t you go catch a quick shower before supper. I’ve got this. I’ll finish making the lemonade, and when you come back you can help set the table.”

  One hug from her and I can’t help but think, “I don’t want to ever leave here.”

  The house seems alive when I return to the great room after my shower. My damp hair is up in a bun, and I’m wearing some comfy black leggings with a T-shirt I got at a concert ages ago. I wiggle my toes into my flip-flops to walk around the house in. This week I’ve noticed that I haven’t missed putting on makeup and styling my hair every day. It’s been years since I’ve gone natural for more than my Sunday lazy day.

  Guests are taking advantage of everything the lodge has to offer tonight. The big screen has some show on. The fireplace is blazing as the night cools off. Several people are surrounding the pool table, laughing and drinking. Couples are enjoying playing a card game at one of the tables. And the few kids staying have a board game strewn on the floor.

  It’s not loud like a bar would be, but it’s filled with healthy laughter. The atmosphere has a magnetic draw to it that I’ve never experienced before. It’s welcoming and comfortable. Linda sees me enter from across the room and motions for me to head to the kitchen.

  “Thank goodness. I was afraid I was going to have to carry all this out alone. Usually Chase tries to help when he knows we have this many guests, but I haven’t seen him yet,” she says as she flutters around putting the last touches on a few things.

  “The plates and silverware are stacked already. We can start carrying things out to the buffet table. I’ll make an announcement to them in a moment.” She scans the food one more time before picking up one of the big roasters filled with enticing entrees.

  I join her in picking up another one. The smell wafting up at me as I carry it has my mouth watering and stomach growling. After several trips back and forth, everything is set out. Linda walks over to an old-fashioned dinner bell and surprises me when she rings it. It’s loud and gets everyone’s attention immediately. I’ve seen it hanging just outside the kitchen door this whole time but thought it was just a decoration. To know she uses it amuses me.

  “Dinner is ready. I suggest eating now while it’s hot. The line starts here,” she says and points to where the dishes are stacked.

  All ten rooms booked are occupied with at least two to three guests. Taking in the group, I notice all are families with their kids, and three women that Linda had told me earlier were here for horseback riding. It’s a full house, and I am getting a firsthand look at why Linda enjoys this so much.

  The laughter is contagious, people introducing one another and bits and pieces of stories floating around. Linda’s laughter joins in while she sits next to them having supper.

  After making my own plate, I look around for a place to sit when I notice Chase is sticking his head out of the kitchen. I head in his direction, feeling my body light up as his eyes drink me in from head to toe. I do the same to him, taking note of the fact he’s showered and in clean clothes. The one thing that is screaming at me is he trimmed his unruly beard. He no longer resembles a wild mountain man growing an untamed beard. It’s trimmed short but looks like there’s enough left for me to grab a hold of.

  And good god, are those dimples? Did he just get sexier?

  When I’m within earshot, he says, “I missed helping out tonight. I’m sorry about that.” I bet trimming his beard took a while.

  Looking around the room, I see Linda is watching us. “It’s okay, we managed without you. You should grab something to eat though.”

  His slanted smirk with those newfound dimples has my mouth watering to taste his lips again. “Will you save me a seat next to you?”

  I nod without even thinking as he steps toward the food. Sitting down at the table with the forgotten card game, I watch him move through the line. His T-shirt stretched tight across his well-defined back shows off how sculpted he is, and my hand trembles, wanting to touch him again.

  He turns and finds me watching him, the smile splayed across his face getting bigger with every step he takes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. This spread looks amazing. Did you help the girls cook?” he says, gathering his damp hair into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck.

  He so rarely pulls it back, instead choosing to let it hang loose. Tonight he seems so put together without his wild beard. My eyes are glued to him, waiting to see if he’s going to surprise me with anything else.

  He cuts into the roast beef, and his eyes twinkle as he takes a bite, then chews slowly. Even the way he is chewing turns me on. I have to blink to concentrate on eating my own food.

  “Ah, yes and no. I helped, but really they did all the heavy cooking. I’m ashamed to admit I’m not much help in the kitchen. Linda is determined to teach me though.” I follow his tongue licking his lips.

  “It’s delicious. I’m sure your help was appreciated. I’ve offered to help in the kitchen, but I was laughed out of there because of my size. Beth is so small she said she felt like I was Godzilla in there with her.” He chuckles at the memory while popping more food into his mouth.

  I could picture that. She mentioned earlier she felt like a dwarf around him. It’s amusing to imagine tiny Beth running him out of the kitchen.

  “You do have her in a few feet in height. It probably is intimidating for her.”

  “For her! I was chased out of there with my tail between my legs. She’s small but vicious. Like one of those small yappy dogs you have to watch out for.”

  I throw my head back, laughing with him.

  Our conversation continues throughout our meal. I ask about Charlie and Lee, and I’m surprised when he grumbles “idiot assholes.” I didn’t miss when his fists clenched on the table. I change the subject, hoping to get the easygoing Chase back with me.

  It doesn’t go unnoticed when his leg brushes up alongside mine under the table. I intake a sharp breath and glance at him. The smallest contact has my skin buzzing. He meets my gaze only to increase the pressure where they meet.

  Is he doing this on purpose? Does he feel this too?

  The sexual tension continues to build between us. His eyes glance to my lips, my neck, my breasts. It’s a slow seduction whether he is doing it on purpose or not. I’m flushed and I wonder how much of it shows on my face.

  I’m lost in our little bubble we’ve been in for the last half hour when I hear a throat clearing near us. Looking to see who it is, I find one of the ladies here for riding standing behind us.

  “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Mandy. Linda tells me you’ll be riding with us tomorrow.”

  Chase glances at the woman briefly and nods. “It would seem so, if that’s what she says. I’m not much of a guide or a rider, but I’ll do my best. I put your horses in separate stalls in the barn a little bit ago. I hope that’s okay.” He seems uneasy. Nervous maybe?

  “Thanks, sugar. We were told someone would take care of them for us. I’m sure they were nice and easy for a big guy like you.” Her voice is sultry, and you would have to be blind and deaf to miss her intentions about what would be “easy.”

  She straightens and lets her fingers caress his shoulders before she turns, returning to her friends, who are catcalling her as she sways her ass bac
k their way.

  I hope she trips or throws her hip out the way she is trying to get his attention.

  “Will you help me bring the dishes to the kitchen?” I was so focused watching the woman, Linda’s voice startles me.

  We both stand, but she puts her hand out to stop Chase. “Sit, sit, you’ve had a long day. Just relax for a while. I promise I’ll send Holly out in a bit.” She winks, to which we both get a little embarrassed.

  His eyes follow me as I go to and from the kitchen. Once the table is clear, I take a rag and cleaner to the table surfaces. I like knowing he’s watching me. I’m about to leave the kitchen and go talk to him some more when I find all three women have joined him near the fireplace. Leaning against the doorframe, I cross my arms and watch in irritation as they seem to have no problem pawing at him.

  I see red. The way they’re reaching out touching his arms or his chest, the sound of their forced fake laughter at each other’s jokes—I want to shove my way through the small circle and plaster my body to his side, daring them to come any closer.

  The cougars are easily twenty years older than him and yet they are throwing themselves at him. His eyes meet mine across the room. I can’t look at him anymore either.

  Glaring at them one more time, I turn back into the kitchen, needing a moment to gather my thoughts and calm the jealousy I wasn’t prepared for.

  “Down, girl,” Linda says to me, smirking. “I was waiting for hissing noises to start coming out of your mouth. Or maybe a growl.”

  “Oh, shut it. Those women were all over him in there.” I stomp over to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

  “Honey, that’s nothing if you think they were all over him. I’ve seen other ladies do a lot worse trying to get his attention,” she says, humor in her voice. “Do you know how he reacts to them?”

  I shake my head, still confused over my anger.

  “He does exactly what you just witnessed. He becomes rigid and doesn’t say anything. Most times he escapes.” She props a hip on the counter and uses her fingers to run along the countertop, mimicking him running away. “Now you know why Beth and I are curious about how he acts around you. He seeks you out. Talks to you.”

  “He’s not like that with me. I just don’t know what I want. My last relationship... ended horribly. And watching them out there... well, it makes me think he will always have women vying for his attention. I don’t want to compete with anyone.”

  Linda is rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. Over the clanking of the noise, she says, “You’ll never know if you don’t let yourself find out. Maybe don’t think about things so seriously. Have some fun.” With her wet hands, she makes a circle with one hand and slides her index finger of her other hand in and out of it, wiggling her eyebrows. “And guessing by what I almost walked in on today, he wants to do the dirty deed with you. But I highly doubt that’s all he wants from you. Did you not see how he looked at you the entire time during dinner? It was causing me to have premature hot flashes across the room,” she says, fanning herself.

  “Well...”

  “Well what?” she deadpans.

  “Well, he asked me on a date.” I look at her shyly, not knowing what her reaction will be.

  “And?”

  “And I told him no. You know I don’t...”

  Linda waves her hand at me, cutting me off.

  “Honey, you need to ask yourself one question. Do you like Chase?” I open my mouth to answer, but she continues. “I don’t want you thinking about how long you could or won’t be here. I want you to think about if you really like him. You don’t need to answer that right now, or even to me. But if you like him, you deserve to go on a date with him. I don’t know what happened between you and your ex, but I don’t see you pining over him every day and night. Or hear him calling you begging you to come back. He’s in the past, and you need to look to your future. It might not be Chase, but you could sure find out if it’s not.”

  She winks while wiping her hands on a towel. “Don’t worry about those women. The way he stalks off so quickly is the reason I wondered if he batted for the other team. Now you in those damn cutoff shorts of yours—I’ve watched his eyes glued to your ass as though you are reeling him in.” She cackles at her joke.

  I scoff at her and blush. “Whatever.”

  “Please. You cut the damn things so short even I crane my neck sometimes to see if I can see your underwear. Don’t think I didn’t notice they got shorter almost every day this week.”

  “What?” I say, throwing my arms in the air to try and make my case convincing. “It’s hot here, and I’ve been a spoiled office girl for the last how many years, indulging in AC all day.”

  “Sure, and that’s the reason for the Daisy Duke shorts. You did that for him, and your face already told me so.” She shakes her head at me.

  I’m about to continue when Chase walks in from outside. He glances at Linda, then the floor, before slowly looking up and finding my eyes. “Hey.”

  “Oh, I forgot... that thing in the other room.,” Linda says, jumping away from the counter and beelining it to the other room, her eyes screaming at me silently as she hustles by.

  I don’t say anything as he slowly comes closer to me. His gaze heats with each step till he is mere inches from me. “I’m sorry.” His voice is deep. The bravado causes my nipples to harden and my skin to pepper with goose bumps.

  Speaking through my dry throat, I croak out, “For?”

  Hesitantly, he places his hands on either side of me on the counter, dipping his head to breathe deeply at the nape of my neck. “For those women interrupting our night. I was enjoying spending time with you.” His lips barely ghost a kiss along my hairline behind my ear, making me tremble. My body is already reacting to his closeness.

  “Oh.” I can’t form words with him so close.

  “I was hoping you were having a good time too. I have an addiction to hearing your laughter,” he says, trailing small feathery kisses down my neck. His short beard rubbing along my jawline has me tipping my head back and fighting a moan.

  “Will you say yes to more of that?” he asks, pulling back to look into my half-lidded eyes.

  Fisting his shirt, I yank him closer, and he steps one leg between mine. “Yes, I want more of that.”

  His dimpled smirk only lasts for a second before the object I desire is on me—his lips. Hot, molten desire licks at my body. The way our mouths tangle together so perfectly has me moaning into his. His tongue dives into my mouth at the invitation, controlling the increase in tempo.

  Picking me up, he sets me on the counter and pulls me flush to him, the contact of our bodies making both of us moan. I trail my hands up his shirt to greedily feel the tight, hard muscles I’ve been admiring.

  “God, you’re so beautiful, Holly,” he pants out, grinding his growing hardness into my center.

  “Oh god.” My whisper is jagged.

  My sexual frustration from earlier returns more intensely the more he kisses me. With nothing on but my thin leggings, I feel as though I’m naked and rubbing on him. The friction is exactly what I need. Growling into our kiss, I feel his strong hands grabbing my ass and pulling me tighter to him.

  “Yes. So good,” I moan into his mouth.

  His hand sneaks under my shirt and palms my breast over my bra. He finds my nipple rock hard and rolls it between his fingers through the thin material of my bra. The pleasure shoots straight to my clit, and with each slight twist I feel the burn inside of me building. I feel his growl grow deep within him just before he stops. He pulls his lips from mine and slowly withdraws his hand from under my shirt.

  “Don’t stop,” I plead with him as he shakes his head. I wiggle my hips against him, wanting him to continue.

  He grabs my hips, stilling me on the counter. “I want the first time you come not to be here where Linda might walk in... again. I’d rather have you in my bed.”

  “So close.” My head is resting on his chest as w
e both catch our breath.

  I feel his quiet laughter as his body shakes. Pushing away from him, I say, “Don’t laugh at me.”

  He pulls me back so I’m flush against him once more, and I’m forced to look up at him. “I’m not laughing at you, Princess, I’m laughing with you. I almost came in my pants moments ago. I’m still in danger of losing it, and I don’t want to embarrass myself quite this soon.”

  The heated flush in his face tells me he’s telling me the truth.

  “I think we should say good night.” He kisses me on the nose before pecking me quickly on the lips.

  “What?” I was expecting him to ask me to his bed. My bed. I’m so turned on right now I’ve left an evident wet spot on his jeans from my arousal.

  “This isn’t happening tonight, Holly. Not until I show you...” He closes his eyes, searching for the right words. “Not until I show you I’m better than anyone who came before me.”

  His words have my heart dancing in my chest and butterflies in my stomach. No man I know would be able to stop for the chance to prove something to me. Not once, but twice.

  “You can’t leave me like this again,” I plead to him, ashamed I am actually begging him.

  “Like what?” The smirk on his face says he knows what. I hate those dimples now.

  I push him away from me. “Never mind. I can finish it.”

  He grabs my arm and pulls me back to him, forcing me to look at him. “Hearing you say that makes me wish I could watch. One day I will.” Kissing me one last time before releasing me, he says, “Think of me when you come,” before he reaches into his jeans to adjust himself.

  Irritated and annoyed at being denied, I storm toward the exit.

  “Oh, and Holly, don’t forget—6:00 a.m. I’ll be coming to get you. Sleep well, Princess,” he says as I push through the door and make my way to my room, avoiding everyone still mingling around the great room.

  I slam the door closed and lean against it, breathing heavily.

  “I cannot believe he denied me again!” I whisper shout to myself.