Page 25 of A Lifetime of Afters
Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I nestled closer, “Yes. We can do that for now.”
He rewarded me with a tight squeeze, then slapped me on the ass. The sudden movement startled Bruce who leapt up, dug his tiny claws into the pillow, and sailed over Hawk like a flying squirrel.
“Ahh,” he screamed as he tumbled off the bed onto his knees. He looked at me, eyes wide, face disgruntled. “Fuck, he’s weird!”
Unable to stifle my grin, I stretched, arching my back and drawing his attention to my chest. “Well, that proves it. Two mornings in a row? Youareafraid of my pussy.”
Growling, he came at me, but I rolled out the other side. Wild laughter ensued as he chased me into the shower and dispelled any notion I had about his ‘pussy phobia’.
Early that afternoon, I sprawled on my chosen chair. A plaid, fleece blanket covered my legs, but not my feet. Those hung over the arm, the fire Hawk built keeping them toasty warm. Bruce lay along the back of the chair, his tail twitching whenever something at the window caught his attention. I stared unseeing at the pages of my book, my mind churning with all I did not know.
“What do you do?”
He looked up from his book, bemused by my sudden question. “For work?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. After going to school for a decade, I figure you must have a big, cushy job somewhere,” I teased.
He wagged his eyebrows. “I do have a big, cushy job right here at home.”
“You work from home?” This surprised me. A strong leader and a naturally charismatic guy, I always pictured him surrounded by an energetic team.
“I do. I did the corporate thing for a while, but my heart wasn’t in it. I opened my own consulting company where I overhaul antiquated networking systems for large companies like hotel chains, then offer training and support. And I do have a team, but they’re online, and their primary job is customer support.”
“Wow,” I stared at him. “I had no idea. Your mom just said you work in customer service for the hotel industry.”
He laughed. “I don’t doubt that’s what she said. I’ve explained what I do a million times and she boils it down to exactly that every time.” His face split wide in a grin. “She’s not wrong.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Your system is installed at the Resort?” Sage Ridge Resort, Hawk’s family’s business, sprawled at the foot of Sage Ridge, the mountain for which it and the town were named. Being the first in town to establish a resort, they were able to avail themselves of the town name.
Nodding, he confirmed, “I perfected my system at Sage Ridge. And I have an office there, kick in whenever and wherever I’m needed.”
“You still a good pool boy?” I teased.
He raised one haughty eyebrow. “I’ll have you know I’m the best pool boy. I can still take out the trash like a champ and all the rest of the busboys only wish they had my talents.”
Grinning, I responded, “I can’t even count the hours I spent working at your parent’s place. Every summer. Weekends. Special events. We all did.”
So many memories, things I’d forgotten, others I’d purposefully pushed out of my mind. I realized my lips were curved in a happy smile. It had been a long time since thoughts of home had made me happy. Thinking about my childhood. Somehow, the triple tragedy of losing Hawk, then Hunter, then my sweet mother, overshadowed everything good that came before. Being there now, with Hawk, the clouds were parting.
“Do you remember the creek? How full it got in the spring?” He got a smug look on his handsome face.
I studied him, something niggling at the back of my brain, and I gasped, “My boobs!”
He laughed then grimaced, “I could have done without seeing Harley skinny-dipping, but it was well worth it to get a look at you, Noelle. Put that in my spank bank and kept it there for years.” He smirked. “It’s still there.”
“Well, good!” I exclaimed, gratified. I cupped my breasts and ran my thumbs over my nipples.
His gaze sharpened on my hands, so I did it again just to see the heat flare in his eyes. “I have fabulous breasts. They deserve to be in everybody’s spank bank,” I teased.
His eyes came back to my face. Dark. Possessive. “Not everyone’s, Noelle. Just mine.”
I shrugged nonchalantly, my heart skipping in anticipation. “Oh, well, you waited so long to claim me, a girl can’t just let all this goodness go to waste.”
Tossing his book down, he swung his legs to the floor and barreled toward me.
At his sudden movement, Bruce flew off the back of my chair, sailed over my shoulder, and skidded across the floor as his nails failed to find purchase on the shiny hardwood.
I flailed, laughing, as I attempted to disentangle myself from the blanket so I could run. This worked to his advantage as he scooped me up and tossed me over his shoulder.
