I Want It That Way - Aguirre Ann - Страница 47

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“If I didn’t want this, we wouldn’t be in the car.”

“Then thank you. I brought warm clothes like you said. But you should know, I’m not a very good skier.”

“We’ll work on it. But there’s also sledding, snowmobiling and an ice-skating pond. Pretty much the whole winter wonderland.”

Suddenly, the art pencils I’d gotten him didn’t seem like enough, and to cover my sense that our footing had shifted, I asked, “How was your Christmas?”

“I spent the night with my parents, so they could be there when Sam opened all of his presents. He loves their house because my mom goes all out. It’s like a holiday store exploded and my dad spends two full days decorating outside.”

“The power bill must be insane.”

“No shit, he builds it into the budget annually, that leap in wattage.”

“It sounds fun. Did your sisters come?”

“Valerie’s here, spoiling Sam rotten. Sarah couldn’t make it.” When he talked about them like this, it made me feel like I knew them, too.

“I was wondering...does Sam ever see Diana’s parents?” Her leaving didn’t change the fact that they were his grandparents, too.

“Two or three times a year. They live in Arizona, and they don’t get here very often. Her dad is in a wheelchair, and it’s rough on him to travel.”

“Oh.”

“But they Skype with him and send presents. They’re still looking for her,” he added quietly. “Talking about hiring a private detective, last I heard.”

Wow. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. “Sorry if that was—”

“No, it’s okay. The worst thing about it is, they don’t blame me for putting her in this situation. They blame her for ‘running away.’” With a determined air, he changed the subject. “Hey, how were finals?”

Gratitude rippled through me. By now, I should know better than to ask anything about Diana. The answers always made me sad. “I lived. Pretty sure I scored well enough to hang in for another semester.”

“If I know you at all, you did way better than that.” Ty glanced at me, smiling, and the softness of his eyes, his mouth, seemed light-years away from the tense, angry guy I’d met back in late August. In fact, even talking about Diana didn’t dent his mood as much as it did before.

Four months. I’ve known him four months.

“I aced my teaching practicum.” Saying it out loud sounded so much like bragging, but the words sent a happy thrill through me.

“That’s fantastic.” As we drove, I told him about the first failed idea and the all-nighter that resulted in the second one.

Ty nodded. “I heard you pacing. Some nights it’s tough, knowing you’re right upstairs.”

The darkness and the rhythmic rush of the road beneath the tires made it easier to admit, “For me, too. Sometimes I do have a terrible day and you’d make it better. Even being tired, broke, whatever, none of it would seem as bad with you.”

His breath caught, and then he wrapped his fingers around mine and carried my hand to his mouth. “You take another little piece of me every time you open your mouth. You know that, right?”

“I’m not trying to.”

“Nadia. You don’t have to try.” Months later, I still got that little flutter at the way his voice deepened around my name, like the syllables tasted different on his tongue.

I turned the music on then, trying to cover the way my hands trembled. It wasn’t right that he could move me this much. I had no defense against his honesty. Ty was everything real and raw, a brightness that superimposed upon me long after I looked away, and he had no fucking idea that for me, this was so much more than sex or friendship. It was a need that hammered in my heart, etched into the secret underside of my skin and tapped away at my bones.

For the rest of the drive, we sang along with the radio, and I let my feelings settle to a low simmer. Otherwise, I probably would’ve cried all over my sleeve. But my first glimpse of the resort stole my breath, shoving other concerns to the back of my mind. As promised, it was a winter wonderland with a chalet-style lodge and glimmering lights along the trails. Wisps of smoke swirled heavenward from cabins farther into the woods, and more lights ringed the ice-skating pond, where graceful figures twirled and spun, lending the place an enchanted air.

Ty drove us past the icy marvels and parked, then he got our bags out of the trunk. “Let’s get checked in. I don’t know about you but tonight, I just want some room service. We can hit the ground running tomorrow.”

“Sounds fantastic.”

“Did I mention the suite has a spa tub?” Though his tone sounded innocent, his eyes were not.

“Somehow, no.”

Outside, the lodge was impressive. Inside, it offered rustic elegance by way of polished stone and wood beams. A roaring fireplace dominated the lobby, and across the way, five or six people were drinking at the bar. The receptionist was quick and efficient, giving him forms to sign and explaining the amenities succinctly.

Once she processed the reservation and handed Ty the key, she asked, “Do you need help with your bags?”

“No, we’ve got it. Thanks.” Then he turned to me. “We’re on the third floor. Elevator’s this way. Come on, sweetness.” He didn’t hug me but he might as well have as he took charge of the luggage again.

The other guests were older, and I wondered how we looked to them. Maybe I just felt weird because I’d never done anything like this before. Nobody paid us any attention as we crossed the lobby and went to check out our room. Which was gorgeous. A king-size bed piled high with satiny pillows caught my eye right away. The oatmeal carpet was plush beneath my feet when I kicked off my boots, and the bathroom was bigger than the one Lauren and I shared.

Yeah, that tub’s definitely big enough for two.

“It’s beautiful,” I said aloud.

“I’ve never been here but Bill loves it. Of course, he’s fifty-eight. So I’m guessing it’ll be mostly his age bracket and maybe a few families.”

“I’m not necessarily looking to make new friends,” I said.

“That’s a relief. Because I feel pretty antisocial.”

“Should I leave you alone?”

“Not you. Just the rest of the world.” His words hinted that he needed only me, and his gaze confirmed. “Are you hungry?”

I nodded.

“Then let’s find the room service menu.”

We ordered bowls of stew and salad, and when it came, the waiter pushed a linen-covered cart into the room and set the small table up as if we were in a restaurant. He even lit a candle between us, so my amazement was overflowing when he shut the door. Ty sat down like this was no big deal, but I had the feeling we were getting VIP treatment.

“Getaway package,” he explained as he uncovered the food.

As we ate, he told me about his week. “Things have slowed down at work. With the ground frozen, there’s a limit on what we can do. No new sites until March or so, which means we’re limited to renovations.”

“Because the crew can work inside?”

“Yeah, but Bill hates reno jobs, calls it nickel-and-dime bullshit, but those little jobs keep us in the black until we can take bigger projects in the spring.”

“Does that mean less work for you? Is it easier to manage?”

“Somewhat. This is the laid-back part of the year.”

After we finished, Ty tidied up the table and carried the dishes to the cart, then pushed it back into the hall. A warm flush went through me when he put the DO NOT DISTURB tag on the door and flipped the lock. It seemed like much longer than two months since we’d been naked in the same room.

“You look...determined,” I whispered.

“I told myself I’d be cool, but I don’t think that’s possible between us. I want you so much, and it’s been a million years since I touched you. Is it... Are you—”

“Yes,” I said.

Ten seconds later, I was in his arms, and he was pulling my shirt over my head. I unbuttoned his with shaky fingers and smoothed my palms up his chest. With a ragged breath, he kissed me, and I tangled my arms around his neck. My whole body ached for him, and he drew me in with delicious heat and the slow delight of his mouth moving on mine, his tongue, mine, rasp of teeth and the demanding press of his hands.

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