Personal Adventures (8 page)

He took a deep breath. There was so much to say, and he needed to articulate it the right way. He found it hard to speak around the bundle of anger and fear in his throat.

“No one knew where you went. I’ve been worried.” He uncrossed his arms, forcing himself to relax. She was already tense enough for both of them.

“Well, I’m fine. Go away and leave me alone.” She spun away from him, blinking at the kitchen as if she were surprised to find herself there.

“You ran out on me. I’m not going to disappear just because you tell me to.” He crossed to the breakfast bar, clenching the edge with both hands. “Talk to me, damn it. Tell me why you left.” He wanted to hear it from her lips. He’d put the pieces together, but he wanted to hear her say it.

She turned to face him, one fist planted on her hip. “Why? Because, anything you want—you get. You don’t have to work for shit.” She gestured wildly with her hands. “Adventures is some damn toy to you. When you’re done playing with it, when you’ve broken it, you’ll leave and go play with something else. I’m not going to wait around so you can screw everything up.”

He ground his teeth together. Being prepared for the tirade didn’t make it better. For a long moment they glared at each other.

“Are you finished?” he snapped.

“Are you leaving?”

“No. No, I’m not leaving because you don’t understand shit. For the record, all the money you think I have? I earned it. I worked my ass off after college, and I hated every minute of that god damned job. I care about Adventures, I thought you saw that. You, of all people I expected would understand.”

Her eyes widened but her chin still stuck out in the familiar stubborn jut.

“And about Adventures, you never told anyone you wanted to buy it. I had to drag it out of Allen. Hell, your roommates didn’t even know! Why didn’t you ever say anything? If you’re pissed that I bought it, I’m sorry. Allen told me he couldn’t cover some expenses and I went over the books with him. He told me how tough things have been for him. He was talking about shutting down. Not selling, not waiting for you to buy it. Closing shop. I was in a spot to help him and keep Adventures open. I thought that would have made you happy. You love that place as much as I do.”

He licked his lips, looking for some sign that he was getting through to her. “Damn it, Elly. If it’s all about Adventures, I’ll sell it to you.”

She turned away from him and looked out the grimy kitchen window, her shoulders falling. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

“I didn’t say you had to pay what I paid for it. Hell, I’ll give it to you. I don’t care. I wanted to keep it open.” He stepped around the bar. She didn’t seem to notice him as he edged closer. “I love it, just like you. Buy it from me. Take it from me. I don’t care, but I’m not going to let you walk away from it like this.”

“I’m not taking it from you and I can’t afford it.” She wrapped her arms around herself. The old floorboards squeaked underfoot and the linoleum crackled.

Allen had told him stories of a little girl whose parents fought, leaving her with relatives too often. A little girl born of two worlds, who didn’t fit in anywhere except on the river or in the mountains. Elise had never told him about her childhood, and he understood why. They’d both turned to the same thing to forget their past and they’d found each other.

Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her against his chest. He was still angry with her; it stung that she didn’t talk to him about her dreams, but it didn’t change the fact that he loved her. He’d just been waiting for the right moment to tell her.

“Okay, so what if you bought into it?” This was his ace. She was too proud to accept a gift of the company or to pay less than what she thought it was worth, but there was another option.

Her body jerked against his hold and she sniffed. “What do you mean?”

His heart broke for her. She sounded like the lost little girl she’d probably felt like when he’d taken her dream from her. Squeezing her, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I mean, what if we were partners? Equal shareholders. You own half and I own half. We make all decisions together.” He tucked her head under his chin and prayed.

For several moments they stood like that, her back to his chest, his arms wrapped over hers, neither saying a word.

“I don’t think I can do it,” she said softly.

His heart plummeted. “What do you mean?

She shrugged out of his hold and he reluctantly let her go. Turning to face him, she wiped at the tear tracks on her cheeks. “It’s too complicated with you. This,” she waved at the space between them, “it’s too messed up.”

This he could fix. Hope swelled in his chest.

He leaned into her, putting his hands on the counter on either side of her hips. She sniffled and another tear stole down her cheek as she stared at his chest. He hated seeing her cry, but at least she felt something. He could work with that.

Bumping her chin with a knuckle, he brought the other hand up to stroke her back when she didn’t run away.

“What about ‘us’ is complicated?” Could he make her go first? He hadn’t been certain that she cared for him. Before he’d had his doubts, but not anymore.

“Us. This. I—” She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “We shouldn’t have slept together. I can’t work with you and-and…” She shook her head. “I just can’t.”

“Why?” He dropped his hands to the counter.

She finally met his gaze, defiance flashing in her eyes. “Because, now things have changed. I always cared about you, but now it’s different.”

“How is it different, Elise?”

“Because,” she yelled. “Because, I love you, you asshole!”

Carey’s lips crashed down on hers, hard. He didn’t give her a choice. He took. He pinned her body against the counter and cradled her face with his hands. He might have tossed her up on the counter to celebrate but Elise bit his bottom lip, hard.

Pulling back, he licked the sting.

“What the—?” she sputtered.

“Fuck it. I love you, Elise. I love how damn stubborn you are and your pride. I love you so much, it scared the shit out of me that no one knew where you were. Anything could have happened to you and I wouldn’t have known. I love you, and I’m pissed at you, and I can’t believe you never told me you were putting money together to buy Adventures.”

Her hands fisted his t-shirt.

“You never asked,” she said weakly.

“It never came up,” he countered, brushing stray strands of hair away from her dazed face. “Did you hear what I told you? I love you, and I’m not going to let you give up on your dream, just like I’m not going to give up on you.”

She sucked in her bottom lip, her almond-shaped eyes wide. He felt the beat of her heart pounding against his ribs. He wanted to squeeze her tight until their bodies merged and they became one person, one soul.

“Do you mean it?” Her voice was soft.

“I mean everything I say, I promise.”

“You said that before.”

“What?”

“That you mean what you say.”

“It’s the truth, Elly.” He squeezed, a thrill running through him when her arms unbent to wrap around his shoulders.

She groaned. “Shit, and I said—”

“Shh.” He kissed her quickly. “You were angry. I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other, but I want to spend time doing it. Getting to know everything about you. Even the parts you don’t like.”

Elise winced. “Allen told you about…”

He kissed her forehead. “He said a lot of things he shouldn’t have, but it’s my fault. I made him. I was scared. Where did you go?”

“Camping, and staying at a hunting lodge on the rez.”

“Figures.” He chuckled.

She looked up at him, and in her face he could see the little girl she’d been, left alone. She might not have faith in commitment like he did, but he could show her. Hoisting her up, he set her on the counter and pushed her knees open, stepping between them and wrapping his arms around her.

“Hell, I might as well go all the way.” He would make a believer of her.

“Carey?”

“Elise, you’ve been my best friend for two years. I don’t know when I fell in love with you, but it happened a long time ago. I was too stupid and uncertain to wait, but I don’t want to make that mistake again. I want you to marry me, when you’re comfortable with it. I want to share ownership of Adventures with you, and I want us to make our own adventures. Together.”

Silent tears chased each other down her cheeks. He wiped them away, his gut clenching. Elise could always say no and mean it. She was a strong woman who didn’t need him, but he wanted her to want him in her life.

She dropped her hands to the counter, gripping it so tightly he saw the tendons stand out in her arms.

“Can I move in with you?”

Stunned, he stared at her.

“I like the girls, but I hate living here,” she said in a rush. “I’d like— Really I—”

He kissed her, answering with his whole body. To wake up every morning with her next to him was everything he wanted.

She reared back, her breath coming in pants. “Should I take that as a yes?”

He grinned, cupping her ass and tugging her firmly against him. “Hell, yes.”

She averted her gaze, studying his chest. “I’m sorry. About everything.”

“We’ll work it out.” He cupped the back of her head but she didn’t lean into the kiss willingly. “What is it?”

Chewing her lip, she wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her back. “Does this mean we get to have make-up sex?”

“Bedroom,” he growled. The details they could fix, so long as they wanted to be together, and they did.

She pointed the way. He carried her through the house and into a room that had little bits of her everywhere. The faded Adventures flag hung on the wall, bandanas were draped over pegs next to the door and a few piles of discarded gear littered the floor.

He let her feet drop, and the moment she was standing he yanked her shirt up over her head. The worn fabric ripped as he pulled it off her arms. They froze, looking at one another, and broke out laughing. She tossed the shirt away and reached for his. While she discarded his shirt, he toed his sneakers off. They tore each other out of their clothes until they were both naked. He took a moment to appreciate her in all her natural beauty.

With a growl, he tackled her and they fell in a tangle of limbs and laughter onto the bed. He rolled until he had her pinned her under him. Her hands clenched his arms and her legs wrapped around his waist. He kissed up the column of her neck, scraping her with his stubble as he went. She writhed and shivered against him.

“Carey.” She tugged her arms from his grasp and framed his face with her hands. She didn’t try to dissuade him from his path, but her fingers stroked over his jaw and cheeks.

One hand was partially balled into a fist. He pulled it back and peered at what she held in her grasp. He grinned when he recognized one of the condoms from his wallet in her hot little hands.

“Put it on me.” He pushed up to his knees and sat back. His cock bobbed toward her, a drop of precum smeared on his skin.

Elise sat up and ripped the package open. She didn’t have to try to be sexy. The confident way she grasped his stiff flesh and rolled the condom on was sexy. She cupped the back of his neck and kissed him. Wrapping an arm around her, he slowly lowered her back to the bed. They’d do this right between them.

He parted her folds, taking time to slowly slide his fingers across her tender skin. She lifted her hips and he dipped his fingers into her channel.

“I still turn you on. That’s hot.”

“Fuck me already.” He curled his fingers, seeking the hidden spot that made her come undone. She shuddered around him and thrust her breasts up. Must have found the spot.

“I thought this was make-up sex.”

“Mm, I’m sorry.” Her hands roved over his arms and shoulders. One cupped his face and tugged him closer for a kiss.

“I’m sorry too.”

“I’m sorrier.”

He chuckled and withdrew his fingers. He guided his cock to her and paused long enough to interlace their fingers. Sliding into her felt right. This was where he belonged, with Elise. She fit him like a missing piece.

Her legs wrapped around his hips, her body cradling his in the perfect way nature intended. He held still, wanting to drag out this moment, the way she held him, the look in her eye. This was the beginning of something.

Impatient, Elise rolled her hips, the clenching of her muscles on his cock enough to roll his eyes back in his head.

“Damn,” he growled. “I fucking love you.” A bubble burst in his chest. He could say that now, to her face.

She squeezed his hands tighter and repeated the action with her hips. “I love you too, Carey.”

He withdrew and thrust, both of them gasping at the way their bodies fit together. The drag of flesh on flesh. She way her body clenched and hugged his, he’d never get tired of it.

“Say it again.”

The headboard banged against the wall as he thrust again. The mattress squeaked, and he had a passing fear that they might break it.