Page 34 of Take Me Slowly: part 2
"I think it's a great idea," I said. "I'm surprised someone isn't doing that already. I'd be the first to sign up." I might need a bit of help getting up, especially on a bad day, but I could sit on the back of a horse while it walked through the forest. Right? As long as the horse was very slow and very tame. I liked some of the wilder activities I'd done with the guys, but a horse had a mind of its own. They might decide to buck me off if it felt like it. Since I hadn't been on the back of one for years, starting slowly and carefully seemed like the better option.
"Your boyfriends might organise it for you." He turned away to add sweetener to the coffees and stir them quickly. His back was stiff again, defensive. Like he'd spilled his deepest darkest secret to me and then immediately regretted doing it. As if every time he opened a window a crack, he had to close a door with a hard slam and lock it tight.
Except, every time he opened up to me, I felt like I was teasing at his walls, pulling them down bit by bit.
"I think they have enough on their plates." I walked over to take my coffee from his hand and nodded my thanks. "But you never know, that might be something they plan to do someday. Maybe you and I could go for a ride sometime." I watched him over the rim of my cup, seeing him processing my innuendo.
He snorted, sending steam sideways. "Sweet cheeks, you wouldn't be able to handle me."
"You have no idea what I can handle," I said.
Would he believe me if I told him I fucked three guys last night? I wasn't sure if I believed it myself. I hadn't mentioned Brooks to him yet. I would, but so far I hadn't managed to work him into the conversation. How did I approach that anyway? 'By the way, I'm also fucking my stepbrother. You're okay with that, right? And by the way, they want you to join.' Yeah, that was definitely something that had to wait for the right moment.
"You might be right there." He stepped past me and peered out the window. "We might even find out."
"What do you—" I followed his gaze. The snow was falling heavier now. Thicker. Settling on the ground where it lay.
"You wanted that coffee," Josiah pointed out.
Yes I did, but I didn't plan on getting stuck up here.
15
LEAH
"It's really coming down out there."Josiah and I sat on separate armchairs, watching the snow continue to fall through a wide window.
"Next time you pay someone an unwanted visit, check the forecast first." He uncrossed his legs and crossed them the other way.
"It's not supposed to fall this heavily for weeks," I protested. It hadn't crossed my mind to check again.
"Are you sure?" He looked over at me. "You might have looked at the forecast and come here anyway."
"You think I wanted to get stuck here with you on purpose?" I asked. "Wow, you have an ego after all."
"I never said I didn't." He looked back out at the snow. "It'll settle down in an hour or two."
"Then what?" I asked. I could think of worse ways to spend my afternoon than sitting in front of a warm fire, watching the snow fall, a metre or two from an attractive man.
"Then we wait for it to thaw," he said with a smirk.
I raised my eyebrows at him.
He shrugged. "I thought the plan was for you to stay here until spring."
"As long as you have Wi-Fi." I matched his tone.
"Depends on the weather," he said. "Sometimes we do. Sometimes we don't. If I don't, then the lodge will."
"The lodge, right."
"What will your boyfriends think if you spend the winter with me?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.
"They'd probably assume we spent most of it in bed," I said lightly. "What else is there to do up here?"
"Not much else." He looked away again. "Keep the fire going. Cook food once in a while."
"Fire, food and fucking." I could definitely think of worse.
