Chapter 7

Linking her hand through his arm, she ignored the comment and propelled him forward. "We were just about to have dessert, but if you are hungry, I would be more than happy to fix you a plate."

He avoided looking at Ellie, but Cathy had noticed immediately the tension that had sprung up as soon as he stepped into the room. A thoughtful expression came over her face as she stared at them.

"If Ellie has finished with us, we could leave her alone with Axel. I am sure she has some more questions for him."

"And you could show Ellie around the garden. The floodlights are on, and the flowers are in full bloom." Cathy hid a smile when she realized that her mother had caught on quickly.

"I am not hungry." He said abruptly, feeling cornered. He had walked in and saw the very woman he had been unable to get off his mind and almost turned and walked back out.

His mother had called and asked him to come over, but she had neglected to tell him that Ellie Logan was here. And looking incredibly beautiful – the dress settling over her curves, much like the jogging outfit she had been wearing the last time he saw her.

She was standing next to her chair, giving him a delightful view of every delectable curve. The knee-high leather boots highlighted her long legs and had him thinking about them wrapped around his waist. He felt the blood gathering inside his lower body.

Pushing back her chair, Cathy rose, touching his arm lightly, as she moved past him. "I have some papers to grade."

"And I have some phone calls to make and to finish planning for the bonfire." Rising on her toes, his mother brushed her lips on his jaw. "Come say goodnight before you leave."

They both walked out of the room and left the two people staring at each other.

"I suppose…"

"I didn't…"

They realized they were both speaking at the same time and stopped.

"You first," he said curtly.

"I didn't know you were going to be here." Ellie wet her lip nervously bringing his attention to the fullness of it and sending lust surging through his body, making him angry.

"So, you did not engineer this meeting to get me to pour my heart out?"

She gave him a sizzling look, dark brown eyes flashing. "What the hell is your problem?"

You! He wanted to shout. You are under my damn skin, and I don't like it.

Instead, he gestured towards the double glass doors. "My mother wants me to show you the garden and I need the air. Shall we?"

She wanted to tell him to piss off but decided against it. Heading for the doors without responding. Walking down the steps, they stepped into what she immediately thought of the loveliest gardens she had ever seen.

Different scents assailed her nostrils. In the middle, there was a fountain with water churning over the marble sides of the basin. In the middle, there was a cherubic looking sculptor that did not look at all creepy.

"My mother loves to dig in the dirt."

Turning her head, she glanced at the man who shortened his steps so that she could get the full effect of the place.

"I have never seen anything so lovely." She breathed. On her left, there were benches and a few wrought iron tables.

"I doubt I would be able to identify most of these plants."

"I got quite an education myself." He smiled slightly and pointed to a clump of purple petals. "Azaleas."

"And those?" she pointed to the flowering red, purple and red blossoms.

"Zinnia. Those are Hyacinths."

"I know over in this section are orchids. I could never get mine to grow," she admitted. The tension that had been evident when he entered the patio had dissipated as if the wind blowing through the trees had gotten rid of it.

They were approaching a quaint looking gazebo, with wisteria and snapdragons trailing all over the surface. The sound of water mingled with squirrels scampering up the trunks of trees surrounding the entire area.

"A brook?"

"Something like that." He nodded off to the right. With a cry of surprised delight, she rushed towards the body of water flowing gently along a winding path.

River Glades got its name because it was at one time exclusively a fishing town."

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "What happened."

"Pollution, an oil leak years ago and the demand for fish winding down. All those components changed things. But it still managed to cling to its charms." Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he stared out at the enchanting view.

He felt a peace stealing over him as usual. "She made something remarkable out of the ordinary. This place is the talk of the town."

"It's spectacular." She turned towards him. This was the first time since their meeting that he sounded remotely approachable. He was wearing all black, the cashmere sweater hugged his impressively muscled chest and shoulders, and the denims sat well on his long legs. His coffee brown hair was tousled, giving him an endearing look.

"You and your family. You are very close."

His amber eyes switched to her face, the piercing look sending shivers up and down her spine. "Has the interview officially started?"

"Something like that. Only I am not recording the conversation." She tilted her head as she stared at him. "Just making an observation."

He shrugged. "She is a sweet woman, kind and unspoiled. It was the same way when we didn't have two nickels to knock together. She always had a smile on her face." A smile tugged at his lips and Ellie felt the increase in her blood pressure.

"She made everything into an adventure. When I was eight, she came home and declared that we should celebrate. It wasn't anyone's birthday, but she would do things like that."

She turned fully around, a fascinated look on her face. "What was the occasion?"

"That's just it." He laughed softly. "It was just an ordinary fall day, and she was tired after holding down three jobs. She said we should celebrate life. The leaves were just changing colors, and we had a few in our yard.

She made us put warm clothes on and trudge outside to study the different colors of the leaves. She said she wanted us to appreciate the beauty of nature and reminded us that no matter what happens, we have a lot to give thanks for.

Frankly, I didn't think so at that time. We were always hungry; she was working too hard and there was never enough to feed all three of us. Anyway, she made hot cocoa for us when we went back inside, and it made things bearable."

"She sounds like a remarkable woman."

Tilting his head down, he stared at her. "She is. And very difficult to replicate. She is one in a million."

His eyes on her face had the breath backing up inside her throat and heat permeating every inch of her body. The atmosphere became charged and for a few seconds, neither of them moved. Even the birds had stopped singing and the squirrels had ceased their scampering. Everything was still and quiet, except their breathing.

In slow motion and as if he was watching outside his body, he found himself reaching for her. She didn't resist him, instead, she met him halfway, her hands lifting to spread over his chest. The warmth of his skin scorched her fingers and sent her into a dizzy spin. His large hands spanned her narrow waist as he pulled her against him.

"This is a lousy idea."

"And yet here we are!" Her voice was husky, fingers curling into the soft material of his sweater.

"I am not open for a relationship." He could feel the warmth of her skin through the material of her dress.

"Neither am I." Her hands slid upwards to wrap around his neck. She was wearing boots with heels, but only came up to his shoulders and had to tilt her head back to look at him.

His hands wandered upwards, beneath her jacket until they came to rest at the small of her back. Easing her towards him slowly, he bent his head towards hers. She could feel his breath on her lips, and it was making her feel faint. "Is this what you do?" He whispered against her mouth.

"What?" Her eyes flew open.

"Do you make out with every guy you interview?"

Her eyes flashed and she started to push against him, but he held fast. "Is that a, no?"

"Let go of me."

"It was just a simple question."

"What the hell do you take me for?"

"A beautiful woman who knows that she is."

"Go to hell." She pushed at him again, but his head swooped down to capture her lips. She stopped struggling, her body melting as his tongue toyed with the seams of her lips. She went weak, her fingers digging into his shoulders and then his back.

His hands traveled up to cup the back of her head as he angled her for a better fit. With a hoarse groan, he deepened the kiss, his lips mashing against hers with a hunger that shocked him.

He crushed her against him and felt his heart rate increasing, his body primed and hot, the heat blazing through like and kindling until he felt as if he was being swallowed by the flames. He wanted to gulp her, ravish her, and devour her completely.

His fingers gripped the thick strands of her hair as he kept her steady, his mouth moving over hers with increasing ardor.

Ellie felt as if she was drowning in liquid ecstasy if there was such a term. Her core was tight and aching, her nipples a painful reminder that she was a woman with incredible needs. A moan escaped her as she drew nearer to him, her gasp swallowed by him when she felt the evidence of his desire.

Axel's fingers kneaded the back of her neck slowly, caressing the satiny skin. He was rock hard and painful. The lust was coursing through his body with the speed of lightening, and he was in his mother's garden. Not that there was any fear of them being interrupted, but still…

Dragging his mouth from hers, he cradled her neck as he fought to control his breathing.

"Christ!" He whispered thickly, eyes swirling with emotions he could not quite place. Or did not want to.

Leaning into him, she placed her head on his wide chest and struggled to get her breath back. The setting was wonderful. They were surrounded by incredible beauty. Her heart was thumping out of control, and she wanted this man like she had never wanted one before.

For a few pulsing moments, nothing was said. He held her against him, chin propped on top of her head, a frown touching his brow. He could invite her back to his place and finish what they had started. In fact, which was what they should do.

What they needed to do. His body was pulsing with a need so strong; he had no idea how he was still standing. But he had to weigh the damn cost. He had told her he did not want a relationship and that was a fact.

He was still reeling from the last one. But something was happening here, something significant and beyond his scope of comprehension. His senses were heightened, the desire he was feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Her slender body against his felt more than right and he was desperate to feel her naked body under his.

Lifting his head, he eased her away from him and studied her face. He felt a jolt as he stared at the parted lips, made moist by his avid attention.

He should put her away from him and get the hell out of here. But his body was warring with his commonsense and damn if it wasn't winning.

"Do you have a guy?"

"You know I don't."

"Yes." He was still trying to think up ways why he shouldn't be doing this. "Why the hell not?"

"You want to discuss my lack of social life right now? This minute?" Her eyes were smoldering as she stared at him.

"I want to…"

"We are attracted to each other, and we are both adults. You said you do not want a relationship…"

"I don't."

"Then we are good. We understand each other."

He stared at her for a few ticking seconds before taking her hand. "I walked here."

"My place or …"

"Yours." He bit out.

*****

Caitlin stood just at the side of the window and moved the rich ivory drape, just a few inches so that she would not be detected. She had made up an excuse to leave the two together and knew Cathy had done the same. The east window of her bedroom overlooked that part of the garden and gave her an unrestricted view of the couple.

She should have moved away when they started kissing, but she had found herself staring in delighted fascination. She wanted her son to be happy and something told her that Ellie Logan was going to be the woman to take him out of his slump. She was a beautiful young woman, intelligent and very sensitive.

She was not greedy and manipulative like that woman Axel had been involved with. And clearly, the two of them were drawn to each other. What she was witnessing in the garden proved it.

She wanted to clap her hands in glee, but she was being cautiously optimistic. She knew her son and he had told her repeatedly that he was not interested in a relationship. But she was hoping that Ellie would change his mind. Oh, she was desperately hoping that this was going to be the break they all needed.

Her hands flew to her mouth, and she felt the tears gathering at the back of her eyes. He was holding her so tight, even though they had stopped kissing.

"Mom! What are you doing?"

She jumped reflexively and turned to face her daughter, a guilty and sheepish look on her face.

"You are spying on them." Cathy hurried over to see what was happening and found herself captivated by the scene. Her brother was holding Ellie as if he would not let her go. Cathy continued to watch as he moved away slightly to take her hand.

"They are leaving."

"Together?"

Cathy parted the curtain enough for her to see as well.

"They are leaving together." Caitlin clapped her hands in wonder.

"Mom…"

"What?"

"Please don't get your hopes up," she warned.

"Why not?"

"Axel is not exactly interested in a relationship. This could just be purely physical." She let the flap of the curtain settled in place as the couple made their way towards the patio. "And we should go do something else."

"Why?"

"Because Axel is coming upstairs to say good night. It would not do for him to think we are spying on him or that you engineered the meeting between them tonight."

"You are right." Caitlin smiled sheepishly as they both moved towards the love seat near the fireplace, just in time because the person under discussion came striding in a minute later.

*****

He crowded behind her as she stepped inside the cottage. He had ridden with her and during the short ride, conversation had been nonexistent, making her wonder if he had changed his mind.

But now he was here, in her space and she was wondering if this was such a good idea after all. She had told him she did not want a relationship, and she didn't. But something was happening between them that she was having a difficult time understanding.

"Would you like a drink?" She filled the silence as soon as she stepped away from the door and wandered into the living room where she had left the fire going.

Before he could respond, her phone rang.

"Go ahead." He waved a hand towards her tote and went to stand in front of the fire.

Staring into the mesmerizing flames, he wondered if it was a man calling.

"Dad, hi."

Closing his eyes, he felt relief surging through his body.

"Yes, I am sorry. I was supposed to call." She listened for a second. "It's a very lovely place and I am okay. How are you? What's that noise? Are you playing bingo?" She listened again.

"I miss you too. Go back to your game and I promise to call you tomorrow. Love you too."

"That was my dad." She told him unnecessarily. He still had his back turned to her and she could not help but stare at the way the sweater molded his shoulders and back.

"You two are close."

"Yes. For years it was rocky, but then he explained everything." She cleared her throat.

He finally turned to look at her, his piercing eyes wandering over her face. "You offered me a drink?"

"What? Oh! Yes…" Laughing softly, she turned to leave. "I am afraid I have only wine." "What kind?"

"Red wine, I think. Let me…" She gestured towards the doorway, and he nodded.

*****

Standing in front of the fridge, Ellie took several deep and calming breaths to get her rampaging desire under control. She had expected him to jump on her as soon as they entered the cottage, after what had happened between them in his mother's garden. His aloofness was throwing her off and making her nervous.

Passing her hands over her face, she took another breath and went to get two glasses. If he wanted to leave, then she wasn't going to do anything to stop him and would take it as a sign that it was a mistake.

His tall broad frame suddenly materialized inside the doorway. Before she could move or say anything, he was pressing up against her from behind. Her fingers gripped the counter.

"Forget the wine." He had bent down so that his breath was fanning the back of her neck and sending shivers all over her body. "I spent the minute since you left, grappling with how sensible this is."

"And?" Her back arched when he nipped on her neck.

"To hell with commonsense. This…," she gasped when he ground his middle against her bottom. "This is overruling it anyway."

His hands came around her waist and then moved up to where her nipples were pressing achingly against the flimsy material of her lace bra.

"What do you think?"

"I am incapable of forming a single thought." Her mouth was dry and her core wet. His heavy erection was pressing against her and sending white-hot flames straight through her body.

"Good." He growled. His head dipped, the same moment he started exploring the inside of the dip in her dress. He palmed a breast, and she felt as if she was about to melt.

"Very nice."

She did not respond, too busy trying to identify the emotions clamoring for release. He unhooked the front clasp so that he could get to flesh. When he did, he let out a pent-up breath. His thumb moved over the rigid flesh with such slowness that she felt as if she was going to burst into flames.

When she moved her derriere, he exhaled sharply, his cock burgeoning even more. He cupped the breast, weighed it in his palm, before plumbing the nipple. His head descended and she cried out when he sucked the flesh between his teeth.

Her moans, the passionate and uninhibited responses to his touch were whipping him into a frenzy. He was controlled and women had always accused him of being detached, even- His thoughts broke off before her name popped into his brain space.

But now, goddamn now! He was losing control. He felt it slipping away from him and he was not even inside her yet. They were still fully clothed.

Clamping his hands on her shoulders, he spun her around, eyes fierce. Whipping the dress over her head, he stared at the sight in front of him. Her breasts were pert, the nipples wide and hard as marbles.

His eyes drifted to her flat stomach and smooth skin. A pair of matching flimsy lace panties barely covered the mound between her thighs. She was still wearing her boots, and it was as sexy as hell. He wanted her and it had to be now. His blood was hot, his body feverish.

Tilting her chin up, he gazed into her eyes as if probing her willingness to go through with it. As if satisfied with what he saw, he hauled her into his arms and made his way out of the kitchen.