Page 25 of A Little More Forgiveness

“Gabe,” he murmured, the sound low and needy.

I leaned in closer until his breath brushed over my face, my thumb performing a final trace of his lower lip. Another moan as my lips gently touched his and the low heat in my belly burst into flames, burning me from the inside out.

Not rushing, I grazed my lips along his a couple of times, before lightly following up with my tongue. His shudder ramped up my need and I teased my way into his mouth, connecting us. He tasted so sweet, so innocent, it wouldn’t take anything at all to get me addicted. He swayed closer and I deepened the kiss, his body yielding to mine, and fuck, what a turn-on. My fingers slid along his jaw, the stubble as soft as I hoped, as they curled around his neck and into his thick dirty blond hair.

The loud bark from one of the dogs shocked me, and we guiltily jumped apart, like we’d been caught doing something we shouldn’t have, which was ridiculous, as we weren’t doing anything wrong. Neither of us had anybody. Well, I didn’t for sure, and Leo didn’t seem the type of guy who’d cheat. I might be wrong and had nothing to base my feeling on except gut instinct, which had never let me down in the past, so I wasn’t going to question my intuition now.

Chuck or Norris, I hadn’t worked out how to tell them apart yet, pushed between us, head up, tail wagging, looking for affection.

“You think you’re missing out, huh?” I asked him, stroking the top of his head and chuckling at the blissed-out expression he returned. He was such a sucker for a head rub. I glanced up at Leo, his eyes glazed, his lips red and slightly puffy from our kiss. “You want me to scratch behind your ears too?” I asked him. He laughed, relaxed and easy, putting us on steadier ground.

“It does sound appealing, but I think I’ll take a rain check.”

I chuckled. “You have no idea what you’re missing.”

He grinned. “My loss.”

I returned his smile but responded deadly serious. “No, I think it’s mine.”

His hot gaze sent tingles straight to my groin, my cock twitching in my baggy jeans. What the guy did to me was something else. Not even with them, had I reacted the way I did with Leo. I’d thought it’d be hot to get him in my bed, fuck him a few times and move on to the next piece of ass, as usual. The potential for anything more hadn’t even registered, but Leo having such an effect on my body and my mind had not been part of the plan. Especially after Karl and David, who’d permanently tarnished relationships for me. Their scheming on how to cut me out of their lives, showed me exactly how manipulative people I cared about, and who supposedly cared about me, could be.

Nah, I wasn’t interested in more than a quick hookup and the sooner my fluttering heart got the message, the better off I’d be.

Straightening, I gave the dog a final pat, earning me a disgruntled snuffle, then dropping my gaze, I skirted around Leo to the coatrack.

“Okay if I borrow your coat?” I had mine, but the expensive brand felt too formal, too businesslike, for the cabin. For some reason, I didn’t want to give off an impression of wealth or corporate status while stuck here, much preferring to blend in with the men inhabiting my surroundings.

“Sure.”

I pulled his jacket on, cursing at how the size swamped me. Was I really so much fucking smaller than them? They might have been taller than me, but still, I don’t have a skinny frame. I exercised a minimum four days a week, for crying out loud. I wasn’t boasting when I professed to having a damn good body, as I’d worked extremely hard to achieve one. Yet, putting on Mitch’s clothes and Leo’s jacket made me feel like a scrawny kid, and irritated the hell out of me at exactly how much fucking bigger both these guys were.

Leo had returned to staring out the window, making me feel uneasy, how quiet he’d gotten again. Reluctantly, I decided it’s probably for the best if we keep our distance from now on, as in reality, starting anything while we were here would be fraught with complications. I’d bide my time until we got back to town, where we’d be free to drive to his place without any pressure. Then I could fuck him out of my system and be done.

“I’ll see ya later.”

“Okay,” he replied absently, lost in his head. After a couple of pats on his arm for reassurance, I left him to his worrying.

The sun had returned this morning, turning the sky a dazzling azure blue, almost blinding me after the darker interior of the cabin. Bitterly cold, as the air hadn’t had a chance to heat up at all in the last couple of hours, I zipped up Leo’s jacket, which didn’t help much to keep me snug, I turned my face to the sun and let its rays warm my bones. The snow, piled up high around the edges of the yard, meant Mitch must have been busy when he left us earlier. Perhaps he was trying to dig his own way out of here and escape. Can’t say I’d blame the guy.

I wandered over to the stables, stumbling around as I tried to get used to the too large boots I’d been given. Mitch was nowhere to be found. There were a couple more barns to check, but they were more run-down than the stables, so I didn’t think he’d be in either of those. I vaguely remembered there were some cabins somewhere. I racked my brains, trying to recall the details of the layout of the place. The lake. They were down by the lake.

A footpath alongside the cabin meandered into the distance, before disappearing into the forest. The recently disturbed snow showed molded footprints, so I took a chance and followed them. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, after cresting a small hill, the lake appeared as a shimmering expanse in front of me, fringed by a ring of ice. Nestled between the trees, a couple of cabins sat at the edge of a small rocky beach. Stopping for a minute, I took in the views, marveling at the sparkles dancing on the water. Rocks and pebbles lined the edges; a wooden dock extended into deeper water, perfect to fish from or as a jumping off point into the water on a hot summer’s day.

As I walked carefully down the slope, I noted the sun catching the brilliant white, making the top glitter like a million diamonds scattered across the surface. Add in the tall pines, branches heavy with snow, their distinctive scent floating on the air, and the place was stunningly beautiful. So calm and peaceful, it would make an ideal setting for Mason to build his resort.

I understood Mitch’s reluctance to sell. If I owned this piece of paradise, I’d do everything in my power to keep it too. My step faltered and my stomach tumbled as I remembered I did own half…well, our company did, anyway, and the knowledge was both surreal and incredibly humbling at the same time. Despite what I’d said to Leo about keeping hold of the land as a long-term investment, my throwaway comment had been more of a cover for how badly I’d fucked up when trying to persuade Mitch to sell. For the first time since I arrived, I began to question my motives and reasons for buying the cabins and land and possibly spoiling such a breathtaking vista to make a few extra bucks.

On the flip side, was I being selfish not letting others experience what Mitch saw every day? What I saw? Did either of us have the right to keep all this beauty to ourselves when, if done ethically, the landscape could be enjoyed by so many more like-minded people?

A complex conundrum I had no idea how to resolve…yet.

Once at the lake, I walked over to the nearest cabin and hearing the hammering coming from inside, I knew I’d tracked down our resident grump. Bracing against the hostile reception awaiting me, I went straight in through the entrance. Mitch was in the middle of framing an internal wall, so I stood behind him and waited. His body stilled and his shoulders tensed at the exact moment he sensed my presence. The glare he shot my way when he turned had me fighting back a smile.

When did his glare become so cute?

“Need any help?”

He gave me a critical once-over, obviously deciding I’d be extremely unlikely to offer him the kind of help he needed. “Nope.”

---