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By the time they reached the cash register, the cart was full. And Maddie was munching on a snack box of animal crackers. Freya was silent, chewing over everything in the cart. But when she glanced at her kid, her face visibly softened.
He wanted more of that. Freya’s defenses lowered—just like when he’d held her in his arms.
And that knowledge rocked him to his core.
5
Oh my god!
Freya stared at the wood and stone two-story cabin. A term she used lightly to describe his mountain residence. The cinnamon-shaded wood blended with the tan stone walls, set amidst the backdrop of the mountains. The evergreens surrounding the property turned it into a secluded oasis at the end of the road. The closest neighbor was a good quarter of a mile away.
She couldn’t believe they got to live here. Free of charge, with a car stuffed to the brim with food and plenty of diapers for Maddie…and oh, holy shit!
Freya emerged from the Porsche, proud of herself for keeping her jaw from dropping open. There was a pool in the backyard. The blue waters glistened in the late afternoon sun. She wanted to strip down and dive into the inviting waters.
Cue internal screaming.
They’re living in a house with a pool.
She’d jump up and down later, preferably where her new fiancé couldn’t see her lose her mind. Today had gone off the rails.
When she woke up this morning, she hadn’t known how she was going to pay rent or provide for her daughter. And now, she had plenty of food to feed her kid, a boatload of diapers, and a beautiful place to stay. She even had real fruit. She couldn’t wait to watch Maddie eat the fresh peaches. And he’d even grabbed a seedless watermelon. She’d give Maddie some in the morning and see if she liked it. Don’t even get her started on all the snacks he’d picked up for her kid.
And they were going to live here in this stunning home.
The drive took about ninety minutes after leaving the grocery store, mainly because of the two-lane mountain roads. His place was secluded and off the beaten path. Never in a million years would Ian think of looking for her some place like this. It was too highbrow.
She hid her excitement the best she could from Jasper.
Being near him had serious implications because she hadn’t been able to forget that kiss. The one that never should have happened. The one that rocked her to her core. Because the moment their lips had touched, she’d been blind to everything but his mouth on hers.
If Maddie hadn’t interrupted them, she didn’t know if she would have put an end to it. She might have had sex with him right there at his desk.
It was something she needed to remember. Freya couldn’t afford to get tangled up in him. All she had to do was make it a year. A year of living in places like this where her every need was cared for. And then she’d walk away with the deed to a house of her choosing and twenty million dollars.
Sleeping with Jasper would be a bad idea, no matter how good it might feel. There was far too much on the line. And it would muddy the waters.
“This is your cabin?” She used the term loosely, because it was more like a starter mansion for the well-to-do.
“Aye. Bought it right after I emigrated to the States. There are only four bedrooms, but it should be enough room for the three of us.”
Only four bedrooms? Was that all? For shame. “It’s nice.”
“Thanks. I like it. Why don’t we get Maddie inside with the playpen? And then we can work on everything else.”
Freya knew her daughter’s moods. She had been cooped up for most of the day. Even now, as she opened the door to get her out of the car seat, she noticed Maddie squirming, ready to get down, run around, and explore. “She’s going to be antsy, especially after being in the car seat for so long.”
“How does she feel about tv? I’ve got all the channels. I’m sure we could find something for her to watch on one of the kid’s channels.”
Freya relaxed some. The television at the motel hadn’t always been reliable. The cable often went out. But her girl loved a few shows, and it would be the distraction they needed to cart everything inside. “That should do it. Especially if we can find some Sesame Street or Bluey.”
“You get her, and I’ll get the playpen.”
Once Maddie was happily watching Bluey from her playpen with some raisins and animal crackers, they worked together and hauled everything inside. Then he gave her a quick tour of the place. To say it was nice was like saying the sun was hot. Because it didn’t describe the richness of the golden hardwood floors, how lush the throw rugs were, or the artwork displayed on the interior tan stone walls. The house was fully furnished with heavy, expensive furniture, the kind she had only seen in the pages of a magazine.
On the second floor, he pointed to a heavy wooden door at the end of the hall. “That’s my room. Until we’re more comfortable with each other, you can pick whatever room you’d like to use from the other three.”
Freya chose the room at the opposite end of the hall from his, needing the space and distance. He was right. They needed to acclimate to one another before they started sleeping in the same room. And she was thankful he was providing her with the space needed to get to know him better before they did something as intimate as sleeping in the same bed.
