AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I will,” I warned her. “But I’m a guy who understands the importance of foreplay.”
She laughed, and it was a carefree, happy sound that made my damn chest ache.
Jade pulled back and looked at my face, her hand stroking over my jaw as she answered, “Then I think I’m a very lucky woman.”
I grinned back at her. “I’m not exactly complaining, either.”
Hell, the soft, curvy woman who was naked in my arms had just rocked my entire world.
And I was pretty damn happy about it at the moment.
Screw my control!
Nothing else mattered but her as I slammed the shower off, picked up the female who had turned my life upside down, and carried her to bed.
CHAPTER 13
JADE
When I woke up early the next morning, I finally realized exactly what Eli had meant when he’d said that he had us both covered.
When I opened the suitcases that were just inside the door, I found an enormous amount of hiking gear, jeans, sweatshirts, jackets, and anything else I could ever need to face the Montana wilderness in the beginning of October.
I’d taken my time to poke around the two-bedroom tent, which was honestly more like a luxury cabin, marveling over some of the furniture that had obviously been hand carved. It was beautifully done, but it still gave the place a rustic feel.
When I’d discovered a brochure, I was surprised by just how many activities were offered. We were obviously close to some kind of civilization if they had white-water rafting, horseback riding, fishing, and a multitude of other outdoor offerings.
I’d found Charlie, who must have arrived later last night, lying on a fluffy rug near the door. He’d been asleep while I’d been surfing through the clothing, but he was wide awake as soon as he heard my voice.
“Hey, buddy,” I crooned to the canine as he rose and came to me, his tail wagging happily as he accepted the affection like it was his right to get it. “Did you get shut out of the bedroom? I wondered why you didn’t come with us.”
“He had a spa appointment,” Eli said from the bedroom door. “He really loves to go there, so my jet brought him here after he was done.”
I looked at Eli to see if he was joking, but I saw no evidence that he wasn’t telling me the truth.
I lifted an eyebrow. “A spa appointment?”
Eli shrugged. “Charlie was in pretty bad shape when he came into the animal shelter. He’d suffered a lot of abuse. He didn’t really like people very much, but he loved to go to grooming. I think it has something to do with the treats he gets. But he seemed to like the people, too.”
All right, dammit. The way that Eli cared about his previously maltreated dog really did get to me. How many billionaires made the time to care this much about a pet?
“Good morning,” he said as he came over and gave me a kiss.
I stopped fussing over Charlie and wrapped my arms around Eli’s neck. “Good morning to you, too.”
I had wondered whether things would be awkward with him today, but they weren’t. It was kind of like we’d broken through some of the tension between us. So everything felt pretty natural.
I savored his masculine scent as he held me close, a possessive arm around my waist.
Last night had been an amazing experience for me, and I didn’t regret shoving my reservations aside one bit.
Maybe I was still a little scared, but I could live with some trepidation if last night was my reward for overcoming it.
Finally, I stepped back. “Coffee,” I said. “Must have coffee. I won’t be fully functional until I do.”
He shot me a wicked grin before he let me go. “Does that mean I can take advantage of your befuddled state?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m thoroughly addicted to caffeine. I’m single-minded until I’ve had at least two cups.”
“I bet I could change that,” he grumbled as he started to set up the coffeemaker.
I bet you could, too.
I had to force myself to stop looking at his godlike body that was only wrapped in a towel, probably the one he’d dropped when he’d taken us both to bed.
It would be so easy to strip Eli of his towel and beg him to fuck me. But things were so good between us right now that I wanted to savor the emotions. There was no way I wanted this to end. Not yet.
I’d pulled on the smaller robe in the bedroom closet. I was completely covered, so I didn’t mind getting down on the floor to cuddle Charlie. I hated the thought that anybody had even tried to break his intrepid spirit.
Charlie took love and gave it back. I wished the whole world could be as straightforward as Eli’s dog.
“You smell good,” I told Charlie as I scratched his belly, which caused him to wriggle his solid body like there was no greater pleasure in his world.
“That’s one perk of letting him finish his grooming before he got here,” Eli said as he handed me down my coffee. “He doesn’t stink.”
One Splenda and lots of cream!
I knew he’d gotten it right the moment I took my first sip.
Eli Stone was definitely a detail guy.
I’d always wondered if he’d had his assistant arrange our outings, but I was beginning to think that he played a significant role in planning everything.
“You’re pretty lucky,” Eli observed as he sat down half-naked on the sofa with his coffee. “There are very few people that Charlie really likes.”
“I guess I have a way with animals,” I told him as I stood up. “They know I love them, so they usually love me back. And I feel honored that Charlie gives me love. It’s really hard for any creature that has been abused to trust a human again. Really, animals are amazing that way.”
“Yet you don’t have a pet of your own,” Eli commented.
“I had a hamster when I was a kid,” I said with mock defensiveness. “And we couldn’t afford to feed a dog. My brothers were working too hard just to keep us together. But I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. I’m just not sure where I’ll end up working. If I take a job in the field, I could end up somewhere a dog doesn’t really want to be, like a sweltering hot jungle. So I’m waiting to see what happens first.”
“I don’t think you should be anywhere dangerous,” he rumbled.
“Now you sound like one of my brothers,” I teased.
“I like your brothers.”
“I love them,” I admitted. “But they can be a little too protective sometimes.”
“I noticed,” he answered. “They grilled me pretty thoroughly in the café.”
“I guess I was too busy talking to Skye to notice anything except their inquisition at the end. I’m sorry. They’ve made invading my privacy into an art form.”
“I don’t mind,” he remarked. “I could tell that their questions were coming from a good place. They love you, too. They don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“But I’d really like them to see that I’m all grown up. It’s not that I don’t need them anymore, but it would be nice if they could see me as a responsible adult.”
“That’s never going to happen, Butterfly. You didn’t grow up together. They raised you, and I’m willing to bet that they feel more of a parental responsibility toward you.” He handed me another small brochure. “Check this out and let me know what’s on the agenda for today.”
