JADE
When I woke up early the next morning, I finally realized exactly what Eli had meant when he’d said that he had us both covered.
When I opened the suitcases that were just inside the door, I found an enormous amount of hiking gear, jeans, sweatshirts, jackets, and anything else I could ever need to face the Montana wilderness in the beginning of October.
I’d taken my time to poke around the two-bedroom tent, which was honestly more like a luxury cabin, marveling over some of the furniture that had obviously been hand carved. It was beautifully done, but it still gave the place a rustic feel.
When I’d discovered a brochure, I was surprised by just how many activities were offered. We were obviously close to some kind of civilization if they had white-water rafting, horseback riding, fishing, and a multitude of other outdoor offerings.
I’d found Charlie, who must have arrived later last night, lying on a fluffy rug near the door. He’d been asleep while I’d been surfing through the clothing, but he was wide awake as soon as he heard my voice.
“Hey, buddy,” I crooned to the canine as he rose and came to me, his tail wagging happily as he accepted the affection like it was his right to get it. “Did you get shut out of the bedroom? I wondered why you didn’t come with us.”
“He had a spa appointment,” Eli said from the bedroom door. “He really loves to go there, so my jet brought him here after he was done.”
I looked at Eli to see if he was joking, but I saw no evidence that he wasn’t telling me the truth.
I lifted an eyebrow. “A spa appointment?”
Eli shrugged. “Charlie was in pretty bad shape when he came into the animal shelter. He’d suffered a lot of abuse. He didn’t really like people very much, but he loved to go to grooming. I think it has something to do with the treats he gets. But he seemed to like the people, too.”
All right, dammit. The way that Eli cared about his previously maltreated dog really did get to me. How many billionaires made the time to care this much about a pet?
“Good morning,” he said as he came over and gave me a kiss.
I stopped fussing over Charlie and wrapped my arms around Eli’s neck. “Good morning to you, too.”
I had wondered whether things would be awkward with him today, but they weren’t. It was kind of like we’d broken through some of the tension between us. So everything felt pretty natural.
I savored his masculine scent as he held me close, a possessive arm around my waist.
Last night had been an amazing experience for me, and I didn’t regret shoving my reservations aside one bit.
Maybe I was still a little scared, but I could live with some trepidation if last night was my reward for overcoming it.
Finally, I stepped back. “Coffee,” I said. “Must have coffee. I won’t be fully functional until I do.”
He shot me a wicked grin before he let me go. “Does that mean I can take advantage of your befuddled state?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m thoroughly addicted to caffeine. I’m single-minded until I’ve had at least two cups.”
“I bet I could change that,” he grumbled as he started to set up the coffeemaker.
I bet you could, too.
I had to force myself to stop looking at his godlike body that was only wrapped in a towel, probably the one he’d dropped when he’d taken us both to bed.
It would be so easy to strip Eli of his towel and beg him to fuck me. But things were so good between us right now that I wanted to savor the emotions. There was no way I wanted this to end. Not yet.
I’d pulled on the smaller robe in the bedroom closet. I was completely covered, so I didn’t mind getting down on the floor to cuddle Charlie. I hated the thought that anybody had even tried to break his intrepid spirit.
Charlie took love and gave it back. I wished the whole world could be as straightforward as Eli’s dog.
“You smell good,” I told Charlie as I scratched his belly, which caused him to wriggle his solid body like there was no greater pleasure in his world.
“That’s one perk of letting him finish his grooming before he got here,” Eli said as he handed me down my coffee. “He doesn’t stink.”
One Splenda and lots of cream!
I knew he’d gotten it right the moment I took my first sip.
Eli Stone was definitely a detail guy.
I’d always wondered if he’d had his assistant arrange our outings, but I was beginning to think that he played a significant role in planning everything.
“You’re pretty lucky,” Eli observed as he sat down half-naked on the sofa with his coffee. “There are very few people that Charlie really likes.”
“I guess I have a way with animals,” I told him as I stood up. “They know I love them, so they usually love me back. And I feel honored that Charlie gives me love. It’s really hard for any creature that has been abused to trust a human again. Really, animals are amazing that way.”
“Yet you don’t have a pet of your own,” Eli commented.
“I had a hamster when I was a kid,” I said with mock defensiveness. “And we couldn’t afford to feed a dog. My brothers were working too hard just to keep us together. But I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. I’m just not sure where I’ll end up working. If I take a job in the field, I could end up somewhere a dog doesn’t really want to be, like a sweltering hot jungle. So I’m waiting to see what happens first.”
“I don’t think you should be anywhere dangerous,” he rumbled.
“Now you sound like one of my brothers,” I teased.
“I like your brothers.”
“I love them,” I admitted. “But they can be a little too protective sometimes.”
“I noticed,” he answered. “They grilled me pretty thoroughly in the café.”
“I guess I was too busy talking to Skye to notice anything except their inquisition at the end. I’m sorry. They’ve made invading my privacy into an art form.”
“I don’t mind,” he remarked. “I could tell that their questions were coming from a good place. They love you, too. They don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“But I’d really like them to see that I’m all grown up. It’s not that I don’t need them anymore, but it would be nice if they could see me as a responsible adult.”
“That’s never going to happen, Butterfly. You didn’t grow up together. They raised you, and I’m willing to bet that they feel more of a parental responsibility toward you.” He handed me another small brochure. “Check this out and let me know what’s on the agenda for today.”
I took the small booklet from his hand and started looking carefully over the multitude of activities offered. Unlike the general brochure, this booklet had dates and times.
“I have no idea what you’d like to do,” I muttered as I looked over the large list of things to do while residing in the world’s biggest “tent” that was climate controlled and offered every available luxury. “I’d love to go horseback riding.”
“I can ride,” he answered.
I looked up and met his eyes. “I’m not very good. I traveled by horse a few times to complete some wildlife studies. But this would probably be a lot better.”
“We can go today,” he answered. “Do you want to hike tomorrow?”
“You know I do,” I said enthusiastically.
“This trip is for you, Jade. It’s not about me. Pick whatever you like.”
My heart ached from his words.
I was his priority.
And all he wanted was for me to have a good time.
While I thought he was being sweet, I didn’t want to decide alone and leave him stuck doing things he wouldn’t like.
“But I want you to have fun, too. You never get time to take a vacation, Eli. This has to be about you, too.”
“Like I said, I’ve been here before. A couple of times, actually, so I’ve done a lot of those things,” he informed me, nodding his head toward the brochure.
I picked out a few activities from the list, and we planned the next couple of days together before we ordered breakfast in our luxury tent.
When we’d finished eating, I rummaged through the suitcases.
“How did you know what size I wore?” I asked curiously as I took out a pair of jeans that were my exact size from the suitcase, and then removed a sweatshirt.
I stopped as I saw all of the matching lingerie sets.
I noticed that they, too, were my size.
“I might have looked in your bedroom while you were in the kitchen at your house,” he confessed, not sounding the least bit sorry.
“If you were poking into my underwear to keep this a surprise, you probably noticed I’m not really all that into nice lingerie.”
“I know,” he rumbled. “But I wasn’t about to buy you anything a billionaire wouldn’t wear. I’d look like a cheap bastard.”
I sighed as I picked up a black bra with matching panties. They were lacy, silken, and beautiful. “I guess they’ll have to do,” I teased as I added them to my pile and picked everything up.
“Look in the zippered area of the big suitcase,” he said. “I brought you back something that belongs to you.”
As he requested, I felt around in the pocket once I’d gotten it open.
To my surprise, I pulled out the book I’d been reading the day Eli had arrived in the backcountry, and a work of science fiction.
“I’ve been wondering where that went,” I told him as I examined the steamy romance paperback.
“I didn’t take it intentionally,” he said in a remorseful voice. “I know how it is when you’ve started a book and want to read the rest. I picked up both books while I was packing up, but had yours sticking out of the top so I could hand it over to you. I guess I got distracted.”
“Is this one good?” I asked as I put the sci-fi book on the coffee table.
“So far,” he replied. “I haven’t gotten very far into it yet.”
I went to lay my book beside his, but then thought better of it and put it on top of my pile of clothing.
“Toss it there,” he suggested. “Maybe we can get in some time to read.”
Eli had obviously seen my reluctance, and my face started to turn pink.
“It’s dirty,” I told him.
“Looks like a romance,” he said nonchalantly.
“It is. An incredibly steamy one.”
“How’s the story?”
“Really good. She’s one of my favorite authors.”
“Then why did you hesitate to put it down?”
“Because it really is dirty,” I explained.
“It’s a book that you want to read. I read sci-fi to escape. I think most people read to take a break from the real world,” he answered. “Besides, I like it when you’re dirty,” he said in a dangerously sexy voice.
I dropped the book next to his sci-fi title. Eli obviously didn’t give a damn if I read erotic romance. I wasn’t sure why that fact touched me so much, but it did.
“Thanks,” I said.
“For what?”
I could thank Eli for a lot of things.
Thanks for caring about my sexual pleasure.
Thanks for caring about your dog so much.
Thanks for the incredible experiences I’ve had over the last week.
Thanks for noticing the small things, because it makes me feel important.
Thanks for every single day I’ve spent in your company, because you’re so much fun to be with, and so damn considerate and nonjudgmental.
In the end, I settled with “Thanks for being you.”
I walked out of the room and headed toward the bathroom so I could take a shower.