Finding Pride (Pride Series) (15 page)

So, he pulled her out to the front porch. The weather had started to get warmer at nights, in a few weeks they would see spring. Still he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her. She quickly put her left arm through the sleeve that was too large for her. Her cast arm fit easily in the large sleeves. Todd pulled her down on the wicker swing and pulled her close, putting his arm around her shoulders.

Megan sighed and leaned her head back on his shoulder. The night was clear and the stars were bright.

She sighed again. “I like your sister. I like your whole family.” She turned her head to look into his eyes. Heat spread throughout her, causing her to feel like she was on fire. He was looking down at her and his eyes were burning. Why not? she asked herself and reached around with her hand, pulling his head down to hers.

The kiss started out soft. Her lips were warm and soft, she tasted like wine and Lacey’s famous red sauce. He rubbed his tongue lightly over her closed lips parting them slightly, so that he could gently play with her tongue and tasted the rich flavor. He cupped her face in his hands and took the kiss deeper. She tasted so good, he just had to have more. He pulled her closer. His hand moved to her hair and tilted her head back. His other hand moved over her body torturing them both.

He couldn’t seem to get close enough. He reached down and pulled the coat apart, sliding his hand up to the soft skin under her shirt. He would think about the fact that they were sitting outside on her front porch like a couple of teenagers later. For now, all he wanted to think about was her. He slid his hand up her ribs to play with the soft lacy fabric underneath. She was perfect. He molded his hand weighing her, playing with her until her nipple was in a tight peak under his fingers, then moved over and did the same to the other side.

She was drowning and thoroughly enjoying it. His hands were warm against her skin. She leaned into his palm as he played lightly with her. She could feel his arousal against the side of her thigh. She pressed lightly against him, causing a moan to escape from his mouth, a mouth that was wreaking havoc on hers.

She could feel the cold air seeping under her shirt, but his hands quickly warmed any exposed skin. Her hand played with the muscles in his shoulders, then moved up to his hair keeping his head to hers. She lightly nipped at his lips and then sucked on his bottom lip, pulling it into her mouth.

He knew he had to stop. His sister was on the couch in the next room, and it was the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. But, he pulled back slowly, giving her time to adjust. He pulled the coat back together closing the warm air in and leaving him out. He looked down at her upturned face, her eyes were still closed and her lips were swollen from his, but a smile played at the corners. He wanted to carry her upstairs and peel the clothes from her slowly, but now was not the time.

“
Mm, you taste good.” Megan hummed, “More?” she said leaning towards him.

“No.” The words were like ice water. She blinked and sat up, pulling herself from him. “Don’t,” he said when he felt her pull away. “It’s not that, it’s just, my God I want you so much.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms to please him. “Lacey is asleep on the couch, just inside that door. We have plenty of time to pursue this.”

Megan had never felt like this. She actually trusted this man whom she had only known for a few weeks. She felt something else stirring. Something she’d never felt for any other man, and if it wasn’t for the alcohol in her system she would have run away. But instead, she leaned back into him and relaxed. Her body felt soft and warm next to his, his jacket smelled of him, soap and a faint smell of cologne which was intoxicating her even further. “I want you too.” She sighed and fell asleep against his shoulder.

Todd sat there letting his mind wander with her body heating his own in so many ways, wanting her even more. When he felt Megan begin to stir, he quietly carried her up the stairs and laid her on the large bed, pulling the comforter over her. He gently pushed some of her hair from her forehead. When she sighed he knew he had lost it. All he wanted was to make sure that he never saw her eyes go wide from fright again, just to see a smile on her lips everyday.

When Sara had died, he’d gone through depression, then anger, then resentment. He was at a point in his life, where he wanted to live it to the fullest.

His life needed purpose, a wife, children. He’d really been looking forward to having a little one when Sara and the child had died. In all truth, he thinks he mourned more for the child than for Sara.

But now, as he drove himself home in Lacey’s car, a picture of Megan in his arm’s kept running through his brain, and his loins. It had been a long time since he has felt alive around someone. It was about time.

M
egan woke to a thousand pins sticking in her head. She vaguely heard someone banging around in the kitchen below. For a minute she believed she was back in Boston and Derek would walk in any moment demanding she get her lazy ass out of bed.

Then she heard the birds outside her window, she smelled Todd and relaxed. Sitting up in bed, she realized she was still fully clothed and still clinching Todd’s coat.

Taking a big breath she breathed him in and felt a stir in her stomach. How could a man do this to her just by his scent? She hadn’t come here wanting this, but she couldn’t deny what he did to her either. She felt something for him, that was for sure. Every time he was around, her palms got wet and her heart raced.

She got up from the bed with a grunt; her head spun, and then the world righted itself. She almost felt human again after; taking two aspirin, a quick bath, brushing her teeth, pulling on a pair of sweats and another of Matt’s shirts. She ran a comb through her wet hair and headed down stairs.

She had expected to see Lacey in the kitchen banging the pots and pans. Instead Lacey was sitting at the table face down, moaning. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and a glass with reddish-orange liquid in the other.

Megan looked over at the stove and stopped. Todd stood there in her lacy white apron with a spatula in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. “Thought you girls might need a little pick-me-up today. How does blueberry pancakes sounds?” When Lacey moaned loudly, he chuckled.

“
Actually, that sounds great.” Megan said walking over to the table as Todd set the mug down in front of her. The coffee was hot and strong, just the way she liked it. “You know, I think I could get spoiled. Since I’ve been here, I’ve only had to fend for myself for about three meals.” She gave Todd a smile and sipped her coffee.

The sun was shinning, the birds were singing and she ate homemade blueberry pancakes for the first time since she was nine. Not to mention sitting at a table and actually feeling like she was part of a family, something no matter how hard Matt had ever tried she hadn’t felt in a long time.

They sat eating pancakes and talking about the work that had been done and still needed to be done on the cabins.

The walls were completed on the farthest cabin, she called it the honeymoon cabin. It was farther from the main house, in a more private secluded area surrounded by trees. She had picked out furnishings that were very romantic in nature. She even found some lace window coverings that let plenty of light in.

She had set aside some of Allison’s water colors to hang up throughout the other cabins. She had statues and some bowls picked out from Allison’s store, knowing they would look very nice.

One of the other cabins, was going to be decorated after one of Allison’s paintings, the dancing fairies. She’d picked a forest green for the window coverings, and had painted the walls a darker cream, in the rooms she had used neutral darker colors as well. She wanted the paintings to make the statements, not the walls. She needed to finish painting in that cabin today, the plumber should be there already working on the sinks and toilet.

The larger items, including her new hot tub would be delivered the day after tomorrow. The furniture in storage would be delivered the next day.

She was excited to see what furniture Matt had picked out and whether they would go along with the themes she had chosen. If they didn’t she could always swap out what she had at the main house to accommodate.

She had told Iian yesterday that she had decided on advertising on the menus at the restaurant. He told her they would go to print and should be ready in less than a week.

She also had an ad ready for the Portland newspaper; and was working with an old colleague about getting an ad online. There was a possibility of working with a travel agency, she’d done some marketing for a couple of years back as well.

Matt had a separate phone line installed in his office that she could use to answer for the rentals. She would still need a computer program to help her with the rentals, and there was a matter of taxes.

“How are taxes paid for small business in Pride?” she asked Todd while they were cleaning away the table.

“There are some forms that need to be filled out, I think Matt had already completed them, we can have a look,” he said. “They would be in his office somewhere. Think you can handle the rest of the dishes, Lacey?”

“Sure, go have fun. I have to go home and get ready for work tonight anyway.” She gave Megan a hug,  “I would love to help you finish shopping, you know to fill in the holes here and there, don’t forget to let me know when you’re ready to spend a day hitting the stores with me.”

“That sounds great, I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

The next hour Todd and Megan spent with their heads bent over the computer and paperwork Matt had filled out. He’d taken care of not only the taxes but the business registration. He also had obtained a website and had hired a local company to design the site. When Todd had called the company they informed him that they were just waiting for pictures of the cabins and surrounding areas before the site could be live. Megan needed to buy a digital camera.

“We could drive into Portland to get you one.” Todd wanted her to say yes, he knew it was childish but he wanted to spend the day alone with her.

“Well, I did need to finish painting both bedrooms in the second cabin.” Megan chewed her bottom lip. “But, I guess if I could stop by my friend’s art gallery while I’m there…”

“Art gallery?” Todd asked.

“Oh, I know the owner of this art gallery in Portland. I wanted to see about the possibility of putting some of Allison Adams artwork in his gallery.”

“Well, if you know where the gallery is, I can get online and find out where the nearest camera store is.”

Megan pulled up the address, in her day timer and gave it to him. “I’ll just go change,” she said looking down at the sweats she had pulled on this morning.

When she headed upstairs she could hear Todd clicking away at the keyboard. It was nice to have someone to work with. Of course it didn’t hurt that he was a hunk and made her heart flutter. It would be nice spending the day in Portland; she was used to large cities and kind of missed the bustle.

Half an hour later, armed with four of Allison’s smaller paintings and directions to both the art gallery and a couple of camera stores nearby, Todd and Megan headed out. They decided to take the Jeep so the paintings could easily fit in the back.

With Todd behind the wheel the drive was very nice, Megan felt like she was seeing the country side for the first time. The drive from the airport had been a fast one filled with maps and rain. Today the sun was out and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. She could see for miles.