Catch Me (The Winters Family Series: Book 1) (7 page)

"White or red?" Drew was holding up two bottles of wine.

Putting her finger to her chin like she was thinking, "Hmmmmm... tonight... red." Isabel sat down at the kitchen table.  She had cleaned the flour off her face, and threw on a clean cotton tee.

Drew walked to the kitchen table and filled Isabel's glass with a Pinot Noir.  He was standing behind her, bent down and whispered in her ear, "You are amazing!"  He sat the bottle of wine on the table, then sat in the chair opposite her.  He looked at everything on the table, then back at her.  With a gleam in his eyes he said, "Thank you for making dinner."

She had placed the chicken salad in bowl with a spoon, sliced several pieces of bread, and placed them on a plate.  A few condiments, sliced cheese, and a bowl of pickles and olives were also available.

She felt heat radiating from the top of her head, all the way to the tips of her toes, and especially in her most intimate spot.  She slowly raised her head and looked into his eyes.  Isabel cleared her throat and tried to clear her head, smiling she asked, "Do you like to cook?"

Laughing, he said, "If boiling pasta, and throwing in a can of marinara sauce counts."

Isabel put her hands on her face, shook her head while laughing, "Ummmmm... no!"

Drew just looked at her and with a low, seductive voice, "Well, good thing I met you then, right?"

Isabel saw the look in Drew's eyes, that look of passion.  What was happening?  They seemed so comfortable together, like they had known each other for years.  Yet she just met him a little over a week ago.  If Drew kept up this delicious flirting, she was going to need something stronger than wine soon.

A few hours later, after they both embarrassed themselves by eating too much,  they were walking hand-in-hand on the beach.

Drew wasn't for sure what happened, but in the last 36 hours Isabel had broken through every one of his defenses.  He really didn't want to go back to the reality of work.  All he wanted was to continue holding, touching, and kissing her continuously.  There was so much more to Isabel, she was honest, intelligent, and sexy as Hell.  Plus, to top it all off, she was an amazing cook.  What he was trying to reason with in his head was, do I tell her how much she means to me? Is it too soon? Would being honest just scare her away?  To be safe he decided to wait to say anything to her.  Instead he turned to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Drew snuggled her close, "This has been a wonderful weekend."

Isabel smiled, "You say that like this is the end?  Like we will never see each other again?"

Still holding her, Drew loosened his hold some, "What?  No, no, no."

Isabel let out a soft laugh, touched her hand to his chest, "Relax.  I am just teasing you." She turned out of his embrace, and put her arm behind his back, and started walking.  "Growing up, when we were visiting family on a vacation, my Mom would always start saying, like two days before the trip was over, 'Well, it is almost over!'  Like we would never see that family member again.  AND we all couldn't figure out why it was ending in her eyes two days earlier."

Isabel just laughed softly, "We tease her about it still today.  You might even hear her say it when she comes this weekend."  Stopping suddenly, "Did I even tell you they were coming here for a visit this weekend?"

Drew was enjoying her story, the night, the walk, then she stopped and startled him.  Looking at her with concern, "Yes you did."  Softening his look, and smiling, "I believe you said in a week. How long will they be here?"

Isabel took in a sigh of relief, "Whew, I totally forgot if I told you."  Playfully punching him, "you have kept me so distracted this weekend."

With a look of shock, Drew said innocently, "I have kept YOU distracted?  Hmmmm... you're the one who keeps making delicious food, looking delicious, and smiling just like that."  Moving in closer, he moved his finger across her bottom lip.

Isabel took Drew's finger in her mouth, and sucked lightly, looking up with a slight smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.  Her vibrant green eyes quickly changed to a look of desire.

Isabel was breathing a little faster, leaned up on her tip toes.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.  Then with only the sound of the ocean, and their heavy breathing, she kissed him passionately.

Drew loved the passion in Isabel, her ability to surprise.  Isabel came up for air for just a moment, "Let's stay at your cottage tonight."  She traced kisses down his jawline, behind his ear, and down his neck.  Then she smiled and snuggled her face into his neck.

Isabel leaned back, then wiggled out of his embrace.  She started running towards the cottage giggling.  Drew was fast on her heels, loving the sound of her laugh.  He finally caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist.

Isabel let out a squeal, and held on to his arms for balance.  She turned and jumped into his arms.  She started tracing soft kisses on his eyes, nose, jawline, and that sweet spot behind his ear.

Drew was walking up the steps to his cottage holding Isabel tightly in his arms.  She was lightly combing her fingers through his hair.  Then with the tips of her fingers, lightly touching his neck.  All the while, she continued to kiss and gently nip at his earlobe.  Drew was going out of his mind.

They both started laughing softly as he fumbled for his keys.  Isabel whispered in his ear, "See why I keep my door unlocked?  Easier access!"

He got the door unlocked, both of them went inside, and the door immediately locked again behind them. He turned and pushed her up against the door.  Drew was feeling hungry for Isabel.  He kissed her so fiercely, passionately.

Isabel was loving messing with Drew as he carried her back to the cottage.  She could feel his body tense every time she nipped and sucked on his earlobe, the moment she put her fingers lightly down his neck.  She felt ripples of shivers shoot through him.  His emotions were driving her crazy.  Then he pushed open the door and pressed her up against it.  At that moment Isabel lost all control.

Several hours later, Isabel awoke, looking up into radiant blue eyes looking down at her.  She touched the side of his face, "You can't sleep?"

Pulling her into him and kissing her lightly, "Just enjoying this moment, the sound of your breathing."

Isabel smiled and stretched, put her hands on his chest, "How does a late night snack sound?  What do you have to eat?"

Laughing, "Hmmmmm... I think I am sensing a pattern with you that I could get used to."

Looking up with innocent eyes and shoving him playfully, "What might that be Mr. Smarty Pants?"

Leaning in and kissing her softly, "How you love coffee." Kissing her again softly, "How you love creating amazing recipes." Kissing her again softly, "How often you think about food, especially after sex." Kissing her again softly, "It makes me kinda crazy..."  kissing her more deeply, and with his lips touching hers, in a husky voice, "for you."

Isabel slowly walked into the kitchen with her back to Drew's front.  He had his arms wrapped around her, and was peppering light kisses down her neck.

She opened the refrigerator and noticed bread, cheese, and a tomato.  She bent slightly to grab the ingredients, and Drew sucked in a breath.  Smiling, she then straightened, and sat the ingredients on the counter.  She turned into his embrace and continued to try to ignore his advances.  Tracing the edges of his lips, "Where is your skillet? I want to make a grilled cheese sandwich."

"A grilled cheese, huh?" He turned her so her back was against him again.  Walking her slowly toward a cupboard, he bent down with her to grab the pan.  Isabel let out a shaky laugh.

She carefully made him walk with her to the stove.  This whole being connected thing was going to make cooking a challenge.  She prepared the grilled cheese.  It took longer to make, of course.  Since Drew continued to pepper kisses down her neck, and on her shoulder.  When the grilled cheese was off the burner, she grabbed the plate and started backing up and pushed him into a kitchen chair.  She sat the grilled cheese on the table.  Then sat sideways on his lap.  They both just started laughing softly.  Drew was looking into her eyes, "I don't think making grilled cheese will ever be this exciting again."

The last bite of grilled cheese was sitting on the plate.  Isabel looked at Drew, smiled, and snatched up the last bite.

Looking stunned, "Hey, now, how is that fair?"

Smiling, Isabel said, "Well I did make it, so I have dibs on the last bite. Isn't that how your family did things growing up?"

Drew just laughed a full belly laugh. "Not with three other brothers.  You had to fight for everything in our house."

Isabel laughed, and jokingly grabbed his head and stroked him like she was calming him. "Awwww, I am sorry baby."

Drew had a look in his eyes, he was up to something.  With Isabel still on his lap.  He grabbed both of her hands, brought them in front of her, and tipped her back.  They both were laughing now.

Isabel had never felt so comfortable, so at ease.  There was definitely something happening between them.  She really loved when he laughed.  His laughter was full of happiness, it came from his heart.

When they both finally stopped laughing, they got up and walked arm in arm back to the bedroom.  Drew stopped by his bed and turned to look at Isabel.  Without words they both laid down together.  They were both on their sides facing one another, with their heads resting a pillow.

Isabel reached her hand up and brushed her fingers down the side of his face.  She then traced her fingers down the bridge of his nose, and around the edges of his mouth.  They both laid there silent looking at each other for what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes.

Drew spoke first, "Are you happy here Isabel, so far away from your family and friends?"

Isabel had a look in her eyes he couldn't quite read, and at that moment she felt like she was million miles away.  She was looking at him, then he noticed her eyes move to something just beyond his shoulder.  With concern, Drew asked, "What is it, Isabel?"

She brought her eyes back and looked directly into Drew's eyes.  She let out a sigh, "it's a bit complicated."

"Try me," Drew said.  "I have been told I am a good listener."

"Things are wonderful with my parents and my brother of course.  My family has always been close.  We love traveling together, eating big meals together.  My extended family is pretty small, but we are all very close."  She looked down for moment, then back into Drew's eyes.

"I have always struggled with myself, who I am, what I look like."   She could see concern in Drew's eyes, and immediately said "Not because of my family.  I was with a man for a few years. We met at the station where I was working in Philly.  He seemed okay in the beginning.  Then out of the blue my mom asked if I was really happy with him.  I thought that was odd.  She said I had lost my glow."

Drew just smiled, "You do have this glow about you.  When I am with you, I feel happy."

Isabel was lost for words, "Um... thank you..."

"Don't start feeling all shy now.  How did you get your glow back?"

She felt herself flush, and took in a deep breath, smiled and shook her head lightly.

"After my mom talked to me, I started really paying attention.  Watching how he acted towards me, how we were together.  How I felt when I was with him in bed.  What really pissed me off was the fact that I was blind to everything.  I honestly thought we were okay, that our relationship was totally normal.  I have never had that perfect body, or the perfect look.  In school, people were unkind to me like most people experience in most schools.  So that never alarmed me.  What woke me up was, I realized we were living a life he dreamed up.  We went to the gym, or ran outside.  We had a special diet we were on.  Everything to help make sure I did not gain weight, and to keep my body fit and healthy.  When my mom mentioned that I lost my glow, I took myself out of the normal, and really watched myself.  I realized I hated who I had become, or actually who Chad had created.  When I decided to leave him, he was confused, and claimed he loved me."

Drew looked shocked, and mad, "Did you find yourself?"

"Hell, yeah!  I discovered I freaking hate running.  I like eating healthy, but not every single day and every single moment.  I love my body, plus size and all.  I am beautiful, and I really love to laugh... loudly!"  She also wanted to add that she quite possibly was falling in love with Drew, but she held back for now, it was not the time to share those feelings.

Drew laughed, "I love running, but can totally understand why you hate it.  I also think you are truly amazing, Isabel.  Who you are, what you are, everything, simply amazing!"  He then leaned in and lightly kissed her, then he traced his tongue along her bottom lip.

Isabel felt herself moan softly, and smiled.  Their mouths were touching, "Amazing, huh?"

"Honestly, Chad is an idiot for what he did, and his loss, is now my gain."  He then wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him.  "From what I can see, your body is perfect.  You drive me crazy with just your smile."