AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lance
Isla kicks me out of her room about half an hour after I got there. I want to believe it’s reluctantly. But I do have her personal cell number and a date to go with her apartment shopping next weekend. Pretty sure that’s test number two, in addition to the one about showing up.
I steal one last kiss before she shuts the door in my face. Then she’s pulling away. “Go get some sleep, Lance. You’ve had a bit of a shock. I’m not saying you didn’t deserve it, but I’m definitely not sleeping with you until you’ve had a chance to catch up.”
I sigh with disappointment, but I know she’s right. My blood is still coursing with desperation, panic at not being able to get to her when she was so close, and a bunch of other emotions I’m too wound up to identify. By the way, I really hate identifying emotions. They’re there, you feel them. Why do they need to have a fucking name? But that’s not Isla’s point, and she deserves more than a rush job if I ever really do get permission to fuck her, which I’m still finding hard to believe.
“Call me when you leave in the morning? And when you stop for gas? So I know you’re okay?”
Her smile is wider and brighter than I expected for such a simple request. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Go home, Lance.” She shuts the door, but I don’t hear the expected snick of the lock. I wait a long thirty seconds.
“Lock the door, baby,” I say softly. The bolt slides home slowly. “And go to sleep. I love you.” Then I walk away so she can hear that I’m not afraid to say it unconditionally. Not now.
I’m less amused when I get home to find my sister banging pots around my kitchen. “Why aren’t you at Dean’s? You two have a fight?” I ask abruptly, tossing my keys on the counter.
“Only about why I feel the need to wait for you in your kitchen. He said it could wait for the morning. Shows how little he knows about these things. Why are you home so early? Did it not go well? Do you need chocolate cake now?” She nods towards what I can now see are cooling cake pans on the stove.
I shake my head with a smile that then dims. “Hey, what do you know about my evening, anyway?”
She shrugs with a small smirk. “Heath called Dean, who told me. So was that a no to the cake or a no to it didn’t go well?”
“It went fine and no, I don’t need any cake. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but go home, Peas. I’m fine, and you can cut the worry.”
The last part comes out with a gasp because she’s rushed around the counter and is hugging my middle within an inch of my life. “Well, good,” she finally says with a sniff. “And I do worry. I’ll worry less if you find someone that makes you happy.”
I nod. “Working on it, Peas.”
She gives me a swift kiss on the cheek. “Then I’ll go. But I’ll be back in the morning to frost the cake. And you can give me all the details then.” She says it with such confidence that I shudder as she waves cheerily before shutting the kitchen door behind her. Dean must have been watching for her because he opens the door for her before she’s even halfway down the path betweenthe two houses. She gives a little bounce and reaches up to kiss his cheek too before disappearing into what I guess I have to refer to now as their house.
Isla
Can you actually be driving away from what you want most and heading towards it at the same time? Without going in a circle, of course. That’s what this feels like and I’m not given to such existential thinking ever usually, but definitely not first thing in the morning.
I confess I forgot all about texting Lance when I stopped for gas the first time, so I made up for it on the second, with a selfie included. He doesn’t respond with words — what I get back is a screenshot showing he’s made it his screensaver. I roll my eyes with a small grin and rearrange my snacks before pulling back onto the highway. It’s not that far a trip. I won’t need to stop for gas again and I should have the afternoon in the hotel to unkink all the stiff bits from driving.
Toby and I cruise into Sala Bay just a little after lunch. It’s bigger than Destiny Bay and closer to the big city, so it feels more metropolitan. Technically, Toby isn’t allowed because pets don’t really come up in a hotel only for employees that are in town temporarily or coming back from overseas. But everyone told me just to sneak him in and it wouldn’t be a problem. And by everyone, I mean at least three people in upper management, so I figure I have it covered. Still, when three guys stop me in the hall on the way to my room to ask me out, I’m a bit worried that my polite refusal will have repercussions. Until the fourth, a buddy of number three asks, “So what’s wrong with me, then?”
As sweetly as I can, I respond with a shrug, “You aren’t my boyfriend.” They go off with a good-natured chuckle. While I bitemy lip because that’s the first time I referred to Lance that way and it feels… like too tame a word to describe a growly alpha male like Lance.
When we’re situated and Toby has been out to potty after scarfing down his dinner, I call Lance to tell him that. “We’re here. No problems. But I don’t think the term boyfriend suits you.” I wait with an anticipatory grin.
“It doesn’t. Fiancé or husband are much better. Take your pick.”
“Hmmm. I can’t recall anyone asking and there’s definitely no ring on my hand, so people might question it.”
The growl I was expecting comes fast and furious. “Who’s been asking, and why were you thinking about terms?”
I shrug and look around the small hotel room like he’s actually here with me. “Oh, you know, people. Maybe a few guys asking me out to dinner.”
Lance goes quiet. I almost think he’s been disconnected, but then his voice comes over loud and strong. “Baby, I should be telling you to go check out the competition. To be sure of your choice, but I don’t have it in me. You’re mine. You were as soon as I saw that pink diary page of yours and realized how badly I screwed up. So go make sure that door is locked and tuck yourself in to bed and I’ll be down with a ring or two next weekend.”
I squeak. “Lance, I wasn’t trying to—”
He chuckles. “I know, but I don’t want any doubts. I didn’t exactly have the time to deal with that too last night, but I’m going to rectify it tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s Sunday,” I remind him. Destiny Bay doesn’t really run to Sunday shopping.
“And I know people. One more thing I need to know from you, Isla…” he hesitates.
