Page 8 of Prairie Nights

Whitney climbed off the bed and grabbed her shoe, throwing it at him playfully, the shoe hitting him square in the back as he exited the room. He peeked around the door frame, a devilish smile on his face. “Two doors down gorgeous!”

“Get out of here,” she giggled, charging the door, and closing it behind him.

CHAPTER 4

Whitney woke up warm and cozy in the big four-poster bed. The handmade quilt was so soft and comfortable she dared not move to disrupt her cocoon of warmth. Raising her head off her pillow, she glanced at her bedside clock, 10:36 a.m. She’d slept in. After such an impulsive departure, she knew her email was probably full of concerned messages responding to a group email she sent out yesterday morning as she quickly packed for this trip. Sending emails to her family, friends, and work colleagues, she couldn’t help but smile at the wonderful and supportive people she had in her life.

In the years she was with Paul, he’d slowly isolated her from everyone else. He didn’t like her friends, so many of her high school and college friends simply floated away. Then her younger brother joined the RCMP, met his wife and settled on the East Coast. Her father retired from a long career as a detective with the Toronto Police Service and her mother, a retired psychology professor from the University of Toronto, started enjoying their retirement down south in Arizona during the winter months. So, after her marriage finally ended, she was left with no one. Ever was one of the first female friends she had made since she left her marriage, and her friendship meant everything to Whitney.

Unraveling herself from the warm quilt, Whitney fished out her toiletry bag from her suitcase and padded into the bathroom. The bathroom was nicely renovated with a huge walk-in shower, a long counter with double sinks and plenty of space and a gorgeous free-standing tub. Deciding to take a shower, she stripped off her flannel pajamas and stepped inside, putting on the rain shower setting to help her relax. She stood under the shower for a long time, simply clearing her thoughts so she could start her day. Breathe in, breathe out, she let the warm water run over her as a sense of calm flowed through her and any tension in her body dissipated. Feeling sufficiently relaxed, she washed her hair and body, then wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. Entering the bedroom, she heaved a suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it, searching for something comfortable to wear. She chose a warm University of Toronto sweatshirt and her favorite pair of faded jeans, set them on the bed and dropped her towel. Glancing to the side at her reflection in the full-length mirror of the closet, she turned to face it, taking in her body. Standing five feet five, she was slender and toned from years of yoga. Her breasts were still perky and her backside firm and high. She liked the way she looked and thought she looked pretty good for a woman in her mid thirties. Dressing, she could feel her body sigh at the feel of her favorite clothes, and she closed her eyes a moment to take in the blissful feeling of comfort. Returning to the bathroom, she dried her hair, applied some moisturizer, and pulled back half her hair into a makeshift bun at the top of her head. Slipping into a pair of purple fuzzy slippers, she opened her bedroom door and glanced down the hallway now lit with natural light. The bathroom door to her left was open and Hayden’s bedroom door was closed. Stopping at his door, she listened, not hearing anything. Was he still asleep? Making her way slowly through the house, she curiously surveyed the pictures on the wall and books on the shelves, then entered the kitchen. On the island lay a note and a pink bakery box. The note said:

“Good morning, Whit! I’m just at Prairie Sky doing the morning chores for Ben. I’ll be back around noon. I picked up some of the Eazy Café’s famous cinnamon buns and made you some coffee. I hope you slept well.”

Feeling her stomach rumble, Whitney lifted the lid of the bakery box to the most glorious smell of fresh baked cinnamon buns smothered in cream cheese icing. She combed the cupboards for a plate and utensils, finding what she needed. Lifting one of the large decadent confections out of the box, she eagerly bit into it, the tender pastry, spicy cinnamon, brown sugar, rich cream cheese, and butter enveloping her senses. She closed her eyes, savoring that first perfect bite.

“Dear God, these are orgasmic.” she mumbled, opening her eyes, only to be met with a steely blue gaze staring at her from across the island.

“If I knew that was going to be your reaction, I would have got you these earlier.” Hayden commented, a look of pure amusement on his face.

Whitney felt her blush bloom and offered him a sheepish grin, her mouth still full of the delicious treat and a dollop of icing on the tip of her nose. He shook his head and rounded the island, sauntering up to her side and coming dangerously close to her face. Eyes never leaving hers, he drew his hand up and swiped the dollop of frosting off her nose with his index finger. Bringing the finger to his mouth, he sucked it in, then removed his digit with a pop.

“Delicious.” he said low and deep, mere inches from her face. Then, with a wicked grin, he turned and strode off towards the bedroom, leaving Whitney speechless.

Whitney’s eyes followed him till he was out of sight, and she shook her head, trying to get her wits about her. Hayden is all your desires personified and now I am living with him in his home. What on earth was I thinking?

Shifting her attention to the smell of brewed coffee, she poured herself a cup, inhaling the bitter aroma and took a sip. Letting the heat warm her insides, she let out a big sigh. If she was going to live in this house with him for the next few weeks, she needed to set some ground rules with him. Maybe write them down? She shook her head. There is no rule book for this! All she knew was she needed to keep him at arm’s length so she wouldn’t be tempted and give into his overtures. Even if her heart wanted to throw out the rule book.

* * *

Hayden grabbed a new pair of jeans and a Henley and threw them onto the bed, choosing something comfortable for a casual Sunday. With the hardware store closed on Sundays, he always enjoyed a quiet day free from responsibility. He would turn on a movie or a hockey game, whatever was on and now, whatever Whitney wanted to watch. Having her in his home was strange but nice, her simple presence changing the air in the house and making his home feel more complete. A feeling he had not felt since his parents passed.

Losing his parents was by far one of the most difficult things he had ever gone through. Being extremely close to them both, especially his mother, not seeing them every day left a huge void in his life. Having worked with his father at their family hardware store since he was a teen, he was suddenly faced with the challenge of running a business, choosing to keep the store as a legacy to his parents. He was grateful everyday for Ben’s business savvy in managing the finances for his business. Not having attended college or university, all he knew was the store, so the thought of running his parents' store into bankruptcy was a real worry for him. Together they were able to keep it going and thriving, Ben the business guru and Hayden the expert in product and customer service.

Slipping into the bathroom, he took a quick shower, washing the barn smell from his hair and body and wrapping a towel securely around his waist. Leaving the bathroom, a cloud of steam wafted into the hallway as he turned only to walk right into Whitney. Her hands came up instinctively, bracing herself on his bare chest, and his hands naturally reached for her waist. Her brown eyes were wide with surprise, they slowly drifted up to meet his. I could take a swim in those eyes. They were the most beautiful rich brown, like milk chocolate. Delicious. His eyes twinkled in amusement as his lips turned up in a playful grin.

Boldly, her eyes grazed over his muscular chest and down to his six-pack just above the towel, before shaking her head and pushing herself away from him, breaking his hold on her waist.

“Sorry.” she apologized, that all too familiar rosy blush settling on her cheeks.

Their eyes locked. He ached to touch her face and feel the heat under his hands. She was so cute when she got flustered and he knew it didn’t take much to get her there. She diverted her eyes from his, tucked a strand of hair that escaped her bun behind her ear, and shuffled past him, disappearing into her room, and locking the door behind him. He frowned, unsure of how to respond, yet knowing the last thing he wanted to do was make living with him uncomfortable. If he had a fighting chance with Whitney, he needed to be the gentleman he promised he would be.

* * *

Whitney closed the door to her room and flipped the lock, resting her back against the door, her breaths coming out staccato as her mind drifted to the impossibly sexy man on the other side of the door. She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breaths, but when she did, flashbacks of their hot and steamy night floated into her consciousness. Letting out a frustrated growl, she glanced around the room, needing a distraction. Locating her phone on the bedside table, she grabbed it and climbed onto the bed, crossing her legs.Opening her phone, notification after notification popped up. Ned, several of her colleagues, a few friends, her parents and one from Ever. What was Ever doing, messaging me on her honeymoon? Opening her text, it read.

Ever: “Hey Whitney! Ben just informed me that you’re in Primrose. Is everything okay? Call me as soon as you get this.”

Against her better judgement, Whitney dialed Ever’s number.

“Hello!”

“Hey Ever! How’s Hawaii?”

“Gorgeous!” she exclaimed, immediately turning the tables. “I’ll tell you all about it later! Why are you in Primrose? Did something happen?”

Whitney lay back on the pillows and sighed. “It’s a long story, but in a nutshell, Ned is retiring, the agency is closing, my ex resurfaced, and I’m considering moving to Manitoba.”

“Oh wow! That’s a lot of change. Ben said you’re staying with Hayden.”

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