“I’m not rich, my dad is,” he reiterates.
“You never told me.”
“Does it matter?”
“No. But now I feel weird because you live in a resort, and I feel so poor compared to it. You probably used to date blue-blooded guys, not men like me.” Suddenly, I feel self-conscious.
He pulls up out the front of this mansion that is made to resemble a cabin if it were on steroids, then he turns to me. “My parents’ success isn’t mine. I don’t own any of this. I don’t own anything. Yes, I do have a trust fund, but I have never used it. Do my parents help me out financially, since my accident, yes, but I’m kind of done letting them look after me. I’m ready to stand on two legs again, well, one and a steel pole, but you know.” He winks, breaking the tension. “You are a hell of a lot more successful than me, Derrick Jones. And I don’t feel good enough to be on your arm because I’m a guy in his late twenties who still lives at home.”
“A nice home.” I smirk.
“Yeah. It’s a fricken nice home.” He chuckles. “We grew up here. Mom was from these parts and met Dad at college. She isn’t much of a city girl, her heart is set in the country, but she does play the charity host well. Come on, let me show you around.” He grins, leaning over and popping a kiss on my cheek as he jumps out, and rushes around to open the truck door for me. He then reaches into the cab and hauls me out into his strong arms, letting me slide down his hard, oh so hard body. Iwrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. Not a peck, a full-on kiss, one that I have been dreaming about since Hawaii.
“Guess, you’re happy to see me.” Charlie chuckles. I love that he is taller than me and I have to look up at him.
“I’ve missed you. So yeah, I’m pretty happy to see you.” My dick is hard as steel. “Come, show me around.”
Charlie’s phone beeps, and he groans as he pulls it out. He looks down at the screen and sighs, oh no, what is it.
“We’ve been invited to the Midnight Moose for dinner tonight with my sisters, I asked for one night with you alone, but …”
“What’s a Midnight Moose?”
Charlie chuckles. “It’s the bar in town.”
“That sounds like fun. Come on, we have a couple of hours together before dinner, I’m sure there are plenty of things you can do to me before then. I specifically remember something about assless chaps,” I muse, biting my bottom lip.
“Fuck, yeah,” he growls, making my skin goosebump as he nuzzles into my neck. “Let me show you around first.”
Charlie’s home is insane, it’s this towering log cabin, beautifully decorated in Western chic, with large stone fireplaces, antlers as chandeliers, leather sofas, and cowhide rugs.
“My room’s upstairs.” Charlie grins as we ascend the large wooden log staircase to the next level. We walk along the long corridor till we stop at a wooden door. Charlie opens it, and we walk in. I’m stunned. The room is unexpected but also not, it’s all dark, moody, oh so masculine with the black bed and gray bedspread. There are furry pillows mixed in with animal hide ones. The feature wall is wood paneled, there’s a fluffy rugon the floor and leather armchairs, and western-themed black and white photos on his wall with antlers. There is a huge window that spans the entire side of his room with gray and white checkered curtains, and a balcony that looks out over the mountains.
“Charlie,” I gasp.
“What?” he asks, nervously nibbling his lip.
“This is gorgeous.”
“You like it?” he seems relieved.
“Like it? I love it. This is so sexy.” I smirk, running my hand over the leather bench at the end of the bed. “So, you.”
He quirks a brow at me. “You think I’m sexy.” He slowly walks toward me.
“The sexiest.” I meet him in the middle, then wrap my arms around his neck.
“I think you’re pretty sexy too.” He nuzzles his prickly skin against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “And I’m glad you like what you’ve seen so far because …” He bites his lip again as if he’s said too much.
“Because why?”
His brows knit together. I watch him hesitate, but then he gives himself a shake. “Because I would hope that you might continue to come out here and see me.”
“Were you worried that I would hate it?” He nods. Oh, this precious man. “Why?”
“Because your life is in LA. Not much fashion out here in Midnight Falls.”
“You don’t think my boutique would fit in your town?” I smirk. He shakes his head. “Ye of little faith, I can get behind cowboy chic, I’m sure I could fall in love with rhinestones and flannel.”
