Page 11 of By Candlelight

She was frolickingin the snow. I’d never imagined using the word “frolic” before, but now, looking out the window at Mia, there was no other word for it.

She was frolicking and it was fucking adorable. And there I went again. Using the word “adorable.” This woman was bonkers for my vocabulary.

I made a pot of coffee and stood at the front window, drinking a cup and watching her play in the snow. And damn it if I wasn’t fighting the urge to go out there and join her. She looked so angelic, but so full of life.

Mia was a beautiful woman. Long dark hair, olive skin. Her big brown eyes were so filled with expression, I don’t think she could hide what she was thinking if her life depended on it. And those curves.

She was petite, barely coming up to my chin, but she had curves I’d kill to get my hands on. Not that I could see them at the moment. Covered in layers upon layers of clothing and snow, she was the Abominable Snow-Mia. And I was standing here pining over her instead of doing my own thing, or, god forbid, making a move.

But that was not in the cards. I hadn’t dated anyone in over a year, and it was for the best. I was too set in my ways to compromise on anything, and too much of an asshole to try. Plus, Mia was a tourist, just here for a vacation. It would be a mistake in a million ways. But that didn’t stop me from thinking about it.

Last night, the way she looked at me when I stepped out of the shower…it did things to me. The shock on her face, the fact that she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She liked it but she didn’t want to. And just thinking about that had me hard half the night.

The way she was so polite. The way her cheeks rounded when she smiled. And the way she smelled, like sugar and flowers at the same time. Fuck, this woman was a complication.

So why, after one last look at her jumping in a snowdrift, did I find myself heading back to the kitchen to make her breakfast? So that she could come inside to something warm and hearty after playing in the snow? Surely that was just what any stranger would do in this weird situation. It was friendly. It was kind.But I’m not kind.

Best not to think about it too much.

I grabbed a bowl and the mix from the cupboard and began making some pancakes. Then I threw some scrambled eggs together and fried up some bacon. She must have brought the bag of oranges on the counter, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to slice those up too.

Before I knew it, I’d made a damn feast for this woman I didn’t even know. And that fact almost pissed me off, but then I heard the door open and her carefree laughter floated through the cottage and sucker-punched me in the gut.

I turned the burners off and left the pancakes warming in the oven, then went to go help her out of her layers. When I turned the corner, that damn smile hit me again. I actually had to look away or I risked smiling back, and if I let myself do that, I was positive I would have looked like the Joker.

“That was incredible!” she squealed with delight, hopping on one foot while trying to get her boot off. As soon as I got close enough, I pointed to the stairs and she sat her butt down on them while I removed the boot. Her sock underneath was covered in matted snow too.

“You gotta learn the ropes up here or you’ll catch your death.”

“Oh don’t be such a spoilsport. It was so much fun! I can’t believe how hard it is to walk through, though.”

“Mmmhmm.” I was trying like hell to not come off like a fucking creep as I slowly peeled the sock down her shin and off her foot, to reveal…another sock. “Man, you were really serious about these layers, huh?”

“See, I wouldn’t have caught my death.” She leaned back against the stairs and closed her eyes, her face relaxed in a contented smile. I removed the other sock, and then repeated the process with the other foot. But then I reached up and unbuttoned her jeans and her eyes popped open.

I didn’t even think about why I was doing it. It just felt natural as anything. But other than her eyes, she didn’t move. So I unzipped the jeans. She lifted her ass up off the stair and I pulled them over her hips and down her legs. I knew she was wearing leggings underneath, but it didn’t seem to matter. As natural as it felt, it was also erotic as fuck.

And now I was hard again, kneeling before her and undressing her, but knowing it would go nowhere. I needed to get a grip.

I cleared my throat and stood, pulling her up by the hand. She had taken her parka off, but her sweater was wet on the bottom of her sleeves, so I motioned for her to lift her arms up. She did, and I lifted the wool up and over her head, leaving her in a skin-tight T-shirt and those leggings that were like a second skin.

I looked her body up and down. I couldn’t hide it and didn’t try to. This woman was affecting me in ways I couldn’t explain. But I wasn’t a weak man. So I took a deep breath and walked away.

“I made you breakfast,” I called over my shoulder.

eight

MIA

What was that?Drew basically just undressed me, ate me up with his eyes, and then walked away like it was nothing? And he made me breakfast? Oh and if he thought I didn’t notice the big problem in his pants, he was wrong. But I don’t think he would even care. He certainly hadn’t tried hiding it before.

This man didn’t seem to care if I knew he was hard because of me. But he also hadn’t tried to make a move? Men were confusing. Admittedly, I had little experience with them, but they were confusing nonetheless. Before Charles, I’d only had two real boyfriends.

Not for lack of interest, or trying. But I’d just accidentally fallen into relationships that became long-term things. And I knew they weren’t right. I never felt that zing people talk about. But they were comfortable, and the men weren’t doing me wrong, so I felt bad breaking things off.

At least I’d learned my lesson with Charles.Thatman did me wrong and I had no problem saying as much. But shoot, I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him. Okay, do-over.

I steadied myself and walked into the kitchen, which had miraculously turned into some sort of restaurant while I was out, because every breakfast food I could have ever wanted waited for me.

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