(Blood and Bone, #2) Sin and Swoon(14)

He waves with nonchalance. I grin, walking over to the tree. He doesn’t wait for me. He turns and walks to the car, a gesture I don’t appreciate. He says it’s because he’s a professor at another school and we shouldn’t really be dating. We keep it secret, except for Angie. She knows everything. Without her I think I’d go crazy. She and Binx are my sounding boards.

I follow him to his Jeep, climbing in and wishing for a moment he would open the door for me or hold my hand or carry my books.

But he just grins as I struggle to climb in with my books and purse. “Hard day at the office?” he asks with his intense way of speaking. I get lost for a moment in his eyes. The stare whispers to me that I’m foolish to doubt his love for me. He’s sweet the moment we are off campus. He just doesn’t want anyone to know he’s dating a student. It’s logical.

I shake my head, placing the books on the thick rubber mats on the floor. “Just did a few theory classes and English.”

He doesn’t bat an eyelash at the mention of his favorite subject. “You ready for the trip?”

I nod. “My bag is at the dorm, ready to go.”

He looks out the window like he’s struggling with the sentence. “Why don’t you run back to the dorm, get the bag, and meet me down the road a little?” The question makes my stomach ache, but the idea of being on a mountaintop with him, alone and able to be together, makes me nod again. “Okay.” I leave my books and climb out. He points. “Take those.” The way he says it makes me frown, but he just grins more widely. “You won’t be needing them.”

I grin back, picking them all up and hoofing over to the dorm.

Angie isn’t there when I get back, but I know she’ll be watching Binx. I sniff his thick fur, pet his chin a bit, and leave, carrying my heavy bag out into the hallway.

“You going home for the weekend?”

I glance back, seeing Michelle and Leona in the hallway. They have hit it off as well as Angie and I have. “I am.”

“Have fun.” Michelle rolls her eyes, dragging Leona off down the hall with her. She really is a miserable twat, as Angie would say. Has said.

I offer a weak wave and strut down the stairs and out the door. The cool wind bites at my fingers as I send Angie a quick text to remind her to feed Binxy. She responds with a happy face.

I almost text my brother to tell him where I’m going, but the realization I’m an adult hits me. I don’t need to check in with anyone. He wouldn’t tell me he was going to shack up with an older lady for a weekend. He would do it, have fun, and maybe text me when he got home to fill me in on the gross parts I prefer not to hear.

The bag cuts into my hand with the weight of my hiking boots and a thick coat. I have to assume a mountain retreat isn’t going to be as warm as it is down by the sea, and it’s friggin’ cold here.

I round the corner, leaving the nursing college completely, and see his vehicle. He jumps out, opening the door like a gentleman. He’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that way. He scoops me up, kissing me after he’s tossed my bag like it weighs nothing.

He buries his face in my neck, and I know it’s going to be a wonderful trip.

He drives for what feels like forever, just to get out of the city. He offers me hot chocolate, my favorite drink. I sip it slowly, staring out at the people bundled up on the sidewalks. “It’s so cold out,” I mutter as I close my eyes and let myself drift off.

I don’t know how long we drive. I don’t know how long I sleep. But I wake as we’re making our way up a hill. I have a slight headache from the nap; I never nap anymore. The sun has set, and the headlights of the Jeep bounce off the road ahead of us. It’s gravel, and the only other lights are coming from random cabins we’re passing.

When we get to what seems like the top of the hill, he stops and turns onto a wide driveway with a large barn next to a beautiful cabin. The back side has no windows, just a door and a porch, but I can tell it’s stunning just by the architecture. The roof is a dark tin, and there are several eaves. But instead of logs, the cabin is covered partially by regular siding and rock. It looks like the back side of a mansion, all closed off so the public sees very little.

“This is your family cottage?”

He grins wide, nodding and sighing. “This is my favorite place in the whole world.” He leans in, kissing softly on my cheek. “And you are my favorite person, so you can see why I was excited for you two to meet.”

It makes me blush and embarrasses me. Even in the dark car where I know he can’t see my cheeks glowing, I hate it. He hops out and runs up to the main door at the front and opens it, leaving it ajar. I grab my bag from the back and hop out, walking to the door he’s left ajar. He points at the barn. “I have a few things in here I need to tend to, mechanical crap. Why don’t you head inside, snoop around, and find the hot tub. It’s on the back deck, overlooking the woods and mountaintops. I’ll join you in a moment.”