Chapter Seventeen
Alex woke up with a little sigh of pleasure andstretched in bed. She felt fabulous, absolutely fabulous, even. She'd dropped off to sleep as soon as she'd lain down on the bed, and then had enjoyed some pretty erotic dreams, all of them featuring Cale. Damn, he was as good in her dreams as he was in real life. And he'd said some wonderful things in her dreams as he'd cherished her with his body. He'd told her everything he loved about her, from her nose to her stubborn determination to prove she could do anything she set her mind to. He'd also said that he'd love her forever.
It might have just been a dream, but Alex was going to take it as an omen and say yes. Even one night with him was worth any heartache that might be waiting. Besides, it wasn't in her nature to refrain from doing something out of fear; otherwise, she never would have taken a chance and started the first La Bonne Vie ... orthe second for that matter. She must have been incredibly exhausted after everything she'd experienced, or Alex was sure she wouldn't have been so confused and uncertain by the time Cale had woken from healing.
A knock at the door drew her attention, and she sat up on the bed to peer toward it. "Yes?"
"Morning," Cale said cheerfully as he pushed the door open and sailed in. "Or good evening, I guess. It's late in the day."
"Hi." Alex smiled, her gaze moving curiously from the tray he carried to the shopping bag hanging over his arm.
"I've brought you a snack, and these clothes for you to put on afterward," he announced, setting the tray on the foot of the bed, and then dropping the large bag beside it.
"Thank you," Alex said with surprise, glancing over the tray. It held some sort of sandwich and a cup of steaming coffee, she noted, and then glanced back to Cale, only to see that he was heading for the door as quickly as he'd entered.
"Take your time, and then meet me downstairs," he said lightly and slid out of the room pulling the door closed.
Alex glanced back to the tray and then pushed the blankets aside and crawled to the end of the bed to grab the coffee. It had already been fixed with cream and sugar just the way she liked it. She smiled faintly as she took a sip, thinking Cale had learned her likes and dislikes quickly. The coffee was delicious, but then so was the toasted bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, andshe consumed both quickly before reaching for the bag of clothes. It was very large, and she soon realized why. While there were a clean pair of jeans, a sweater, panties, and bra, there were also a snowmobile suit, heavy socks, a hat, gloves, and boots as well. It seemed they were going somewhere.
Alex took a quick shower before dressing. She found Cale similarly geared up and waiting by the front door when she tramped down the stairs in the heavy boots and hoped he hadn't been waiting there long.
"So what's going on?" she asked curiously as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "And where is everyone?"
"Bricker and Mortimer are in the garage at the back of the property, and Sam is in the kitchen," Cale answered, turning to open the front door. "Come on."
"Where?" Alex glanced out at the night sky, and then stepped out and paused with surprise when she saw the waiting snowmobile. "What-?"
"You said you always wanted to try snowmobiling, but never had the time, so I had the guys rent one for me," Cale announced, leading her to the machine. He removed two helmets from the snowmobile's seat and handed her one, then put on his own.
Alex merely held the helmet and stared at him silently, recalling the conversation he was talking about. She was amazed he remembered, and even more amazed that he'd gone to the trouble of renting one for her to try.
"Russell showed me how to drive it. I'll take you for a spin, and then show you how to do it so you candrive me around," he announced, and then started the engine. Talk was impossible over the loud roar of the engine after that. When Cale turned, gesturing her forward, Alex pulled on her helmet and moved forward, silently shaking her head that he'd gone to this trouble. It was really very sweet, and not the first time he'd been so thoughtful. She'd figured out pretty quickly that the man had never been antiquing in his life the day they'd gone, and suspected he'd suggested it purely to please her and keep her happy during her enforced relaxation after the head injury.
Alex didn't know how he'd known she liked antiquing, but suspected Sam had suggested it. And then there was his taking over the business end of things so that she could cook. She knew he preferred that to cooking, but the truth was he didn't have to do either. He was here on vacation but had given up his time to help her. He was a very generous and giving man.
Cale straddled the machine, and then urged her to get on behind him. Once she did, he reached back to catch her hands and draw them around his chest, and then the snowmobile engine's roar suddenly increased in volume. Alex tightened her hold on him as they jumped forward and began to fly across the front yard, but she squealed and ducked her head behind his back when he turned to send them flying up and over a small pile of snow made from shoveling the sidewalk.
They landed with a whumph, and then he sent the machine shooting around the side of the house to the backyard. Alex was too busy holding on at first to really pay attention to anything else, but whenhe started toward the trees, she glanced around and caught her breath. The branches of the thick evergreens were coated with new snow that sparkled in the snowmobile's headlights; but it was the oaks and maples that truly shone, their branches were encased in ice from previous snowfalls that had melted, and they glittered like diamonds when the light hit them. It was beautiful.
She was surprised when Cale suddenly stopped the machine and simply sat staring. Then he said exactly what she was thinking. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Alex smiled and hugged him tighter, whispering, "I love you."
Cale stilled, turned abruptly on the seat, flipping up the visor of his helmet so that he could see her better. "What?"
Alex raised her visor as well, and said firmly, "I love you, and I'm willing to turn."
Rather than seem pleased, he frowned. "Are you sure? I mean, this morning in my room you seemed confused and scared and-"
"This morning I was exhausted," she interrupted firmly, and then pointed out, "It's been a rough couple of days, with a lot happening and little sleep. I was a mess this morning."
"And now? " he asked uncertainly.
"Now I've had some sleep," she said gently. "And while I'm still scared I'll get hurt, I do love you, and it seems to me it's worth taking the chance."
"I wish you weren't scared," Cale murmured, raising one gloved hand to brush a finger down her cheek. "Iwish I could convince you I love you and won't hurt you."
"Time will do that," she said quietly.