Page 30 of Forever By Morning
He nodded. “Caught the dining deck, huh?”
“Maybe.”
His gaze dropped to my mouth then lifted to meet my gaze. “The idea of you in my bed…”
His fingers dug into my hips and I couldn’t help but close the gap between our mouths. The kiss was as hot as a brushfire. My ankles crossed and locked at his lower back before I broke the kiss. “I want that so much.”
To a dizzying degree, if I was going to be honest with myself.
Distracting myself with the actual structure that Beckett had put his heart and soul into was one thing, but walking into it was quite another. Or being carried into it. Especially knowing that he didn’t roll women in and out of his bed made it all the more intense.
I could honestly say no one had been in my bed either, but that was more situational than due to Beckett’s reasoning.
He huffed out a laugh as he tipped his head back. “I really didn’t think this was how today was going to go.” He let me slowly slide down his body until my feet hit the ground, then he met my gaze again. “Now I can’t imagine it any other way.”
“Don’t be too long.” I stepped back and bumped into Storm who whinnied and snorted. I laughed and turned my face into the horse’s neck, giving him a hug. “Sorry, pal. Beckett will get you all situated. I can wait.”
I was pretty sure I could anyway.
“Follow the path there and up the stairs to the second floor. There’s a key under the green pot.”
“Okay.”
I hurried off before I did something stupid like ask him to take me into the stable and roll me in the hay like some cliché. Storm had performed heroically today and deserved some pampering.
The ginger cat lifted his head and gave me a sleepy look before putting its head back down to resume napping. I snuck a quick look at the sky again and was glad we’d headed back to his house instead of staying at the spring.
An intricate design of wind chimes clanged and danced in the increasing bluster as I got to the top of the stairs. I hurried to the door and found the small pot with a key stuck to the bottom. Letting myself in, I reached for lights, but they flickered on before I could find a switch.
The kitchen was all light woods and streamlined for ease of use. Edison pendant lights and black fixtures added a modern aspect to the endless wood cabinets and countertops. The real star of the kitchen was the massive window bisected by shelves and more plants.
I wouldn’t have pegged Beckett as a plant dad, but the greenery lent a fresh scent to the room. Then I realized all the plants were actually herbs with a few vining plants I recognized from photos in magazines.
Definitely not my parents’ house. Theirs was sterile and show worthy with perfectly curated antique furniture.
Beckett’s home was vintage, homey, and masculine. The kitchen flowed into a cozy living room with similar chairs and couches to his parents’ house. Unsurprisingly, there was also a massive television situated over an equally humongous fireplace.
I wandered in and was pretty sure I could actually step into the hearth. Old brick was stained from endless fires. I could imagine how comfortable it would be to sit by it on a stormy night. A smattering of photos on the mantel showed Beckett and his family in various candid shots as well as a woman with dark hair who had her cheek plastered to his, flashing a cheesy grin.
She was gorgeous and statuesque in a way I’d never be. Was this the type of woman he found appealing? How did we end up…doing what we were?
I set the photo back down and swallowed down the urge to compare the two of us any longer. He obviously had a past, and it wasn’t any of my business why he’d have a woman on his shelf and not in his life romantically.
At least I was pretty sure he was single.
He wouldn’t…
No.
“Stop it,” I ordered myself.
I was so bad at this one night stand stuff. We both were unencumbered and that was all I needed to know. Not if she was an ex or a friend or maybe she was even a cousin. Just because I hadn’t met her at the wedding didn’t mean anything.
I spotted the stairs to the next floor and followed them up to the top floor. I was expecting a hallway and a few bedrooms, instead it was one massive room with windows from floor to ceiling on two sides.
The view was breathtaking as I entered. The ceiling was vaulted with a series of beams and skylights reminiscent of a greenhouse. A trio of fans spun lazily above, keeping the room pleasantly cool.
A gas fireplace stood dormant on the wall as I walked in. The floor was dark hardwood save for large area rugs scattered around the expansive room. One huge one framed out the king-sized bed that stood against the one wall without any glass.