Addison (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6)(37)

“No. Not really. I mean, I’m sure it could lead to wanting to have sex, or you could find it absolutely boring.”

“You’re not going to give me any hints as to what it is?” I had no clue what he could want to do. He was being so secretive. It was amusing.

“I’m going to clean up dinner. Why don’t you head upstairs and take off all your clothes, climb on the bed and wait for me to join you?”

I almost choked on a gulp of tea I’d just been sipping on. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Oh I’m not. For what I want to do I’ll need you naked and sprawled. Plan on being that way for a while too. I like to take my time while I’m working. It makes for better results.”

Did he assume I was ready to sleep with him? Maybe inviting him to stay the night again was giving him false hope. The night we’d spent together had been amazing, and if he would have tried I probably would have let him. I wondered if one day could change the way I felt about it. Maybe I was still festering from earlier events to allow myself to relax and enjoy our time together. “You think I’m going to drop my pants so easily?”

“First,” he pointed to my legs. “You’re not wearing any pants. You’re in shorts. Second, it’s not what you think. Like I said before, we’re not having sex. Go upstairs and wait for me. Fetch me a piece of paper and a pencil. It can be a pen, but I prefer a pencil.”

I smiled. “Is it a game?”

“No. Would you stop asking and go do it? I promise I’ll be quick to join you.”

I had no idea what he was up to, but I wasn’t going to pass up on having him do the dishes. While I made my way up the steps, I could hear the plates clanking as he loaded them in the dishwasher. I went into my Gram’s office and grabbed a few sheets of paper and two pencils. When I got in the room I’d been staying in, I looked at the bed, reminiscing about the night before, and how romantic he’d been. No matter what he was up to, I had to be trusting.

I started undressing, feeling overwhelmed with nervousness. He’d said we weren’t going to have sex. Last night we’d slept in the nude and he hadn’t made a move on me. I couldn’t understand why I was being so dramatic.

By the time I was under the covers, I heard him enter the room. I was holding the sheets up to my chin, even though it wasn’t at all cold. “I did what you said.”

He pulled a chair closer to the edge of the bed, obtained the pencil and paper from the nightstand and stared at me. “I’m going to need you to get comfortable, oh and remove the sheet.”

“What?” Then it finally hit me. “You’re going to draw me aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“I’m scared. It so exposing.”

“Precious, I’ve seen every inch of you. Come on. I’m not asking you for anything inappropriate. This means a lot to me. I want to do it. Let me show you how I see you. Let me give you something to say thank you.”

How could I deny this gorgeous man anything? He’d been nothing but good to me. I shoved the sheet down away from my exposed body and posed by leaning on my elbow. “Is this good?”

“You’re perfect.”

“Do I get to draw you next?”

“Precious, you can do whatever you want to me once I finish, and that’s a promise. You’ve just made my lifetime.”

It was difficult to keep a straight face when all I wanted to do was smile. No man had ever made me feel so beautiful, so appreciated. It would be so easy to fall for him completely. The only question I had for myself was if I could let it happen, or would I push him away in fear of what could go wrong if he ever hurt me.





Chapter 14


Cole


I wanted to forget what had happened with Joe, but I knew it wasn’t sitting well with Addison. She was still stewing as she sat posing for me. I wanted to take my time, envision her as royalty, and then draw her the way I see it.

“Stop fidgeting.”

She giggled, throwing her head back. “This is hard.”

“Would it help if I took my clothes off, because you know, I love being naked.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re a nudist aren’t you? That’s the catch. You’re perfect in every way because secretly you’re a nudist.”

Did she really call me perfect? I was flattered beyond belief. If she only knew the struggles I’d gone through in life, never feeling like I was worth a damn. In the service, before I was discharged, I gave everything my all, striving for greatness to fulfill the empty spot where gratification had never been met.

Low and behold I’m forced to return to the town where everyone literally knows my name as being trash. Without even trying I meet this woman who not only cares whether I’m sober or not, but also about me as a person. I didn’t know if it was luck or something else bringing us together. What didn’t fit into the puzzle was the fact that I was holding a heavy secret from her; one that could end this new beginning for both of us. That scared the shit out of me. “Yeah, I’m a nudist. I’ll have you converted in no time. Just wait. You’re going to love the nudist parties we attend. There are dicks and balls bouncing around, meshing together in harmony, while big saggy titted women stand around chatting about it over margaritas.”