The Davonshire Series 2: Loving Words (18 page)

The family watched in silence as the two shared their first kiss along the bank of the lake.

There was nothing more said that week at the lake. Wilfred was careful around her, even more so with the amount of affection he showed her in front of the family. She didn’t know what she was asking for and he wasn’t sure if he understood what it was she really needed.  It was about more than just venting a physical release –this was mental.  There were feelings and emotions involved and when that happened, there was never a clean escape.

If I do this, I won’t allow her to get away
. 

“If I take her to my bed, I am going to be playing for keeps, not for the minute and not for the next two months of her contract.” 

David walked up and stood beside him.  “Are you talking to me or to yourself, little bother?”

“Funny.
Little bother
huh?” 

David placed his hand on Wilfred’s shoulder.  “What do you mean –
if
?  It seems like a forgone conclusion that you are planning to—what is the word you use in your books—oh yeah, ravish her.  What’s holding you back?”

Wilfred looked at him.  “I’m not sure. It’s just…”

David leaned against the railing and waited for his words.  “I have never had a real… I mean… like a girlfriend. You know, wake up in the morning beside them kind of thing.”

“And?”

“I mean, bro, I… uh… I guess… ah shit.”  Wilfred dropped his head.

David burst out laughing.  “I seem to recall you telling me once to just relax and be myself.  Take your own advice.”

He wanted to go to bed beside her and wake up beside her.  He was afraid to voice the words to her, but Lord he wanted to hold her in his arms again and kiss her.  He was more afraid that she would reach for him in the middle of the night to initiate sex… and his demons would rip them apart.

David turned to face the lake and the two of them watched from the veranda of the lake house as Gianni taught Elsie to Jet Ski.

“David,” he said, “In just a mere four months, she has become a mother figure to my son and joined us as a family.  I’m not sure if it’s love, but for the first time in my life I feel the need for some permanence.  I want to try.  I want to love that woman.”  

This was something more than just the burning need to satisfy a physical curiosity to connect with the only woman who ever treated him as normal.  It wasn’t about his looks and it wasn’t about his books– it was about him. She was into him and Lord knows he wanted to be into her.  Literally.

“We’re headed home soon, and I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to keep my hands off her, David,” he said.

“Allow her to tell you when she is ready.  The rest will fall into place.”

The final night at the lake, there was a live band and dancing.  He noticed that Rod was dancing with Jaelon and everyone had paired up.  Wilfred took the opportunity to dance with Elsie.

Taking her into his arms felt very natural.  “I thought you were avoiding me.”  She was asking a question, but phrased it as a statement.

He held her close, moving her about the floor.  “Yes, I have been,” he answered as he twirled her about.

“Did I do something wrong?” she wanted to know.

He stopped moving and just held her in the middle of the floor.  The music had stopped yet neither had noticed.  “No, you’ve done everything right, and that is what you deserve from me.”

“I don’t understand….” she said.  He took her by the hand and led her out onto the verandah.

“The feel of you in my arms brings me joy, but you deserve for it to be right between us, and we have time.  No need to rush.  I’m giving you space so you don’t feel any pressure.  I don’t want to be a liar, so you are still safe.  You are safe in my home and safe around me.”

“Will, I…” he stopped her words with a light kiss and led her from to the verandah, where he put her in a chair and sat beside her.

“We’ll discuss it further when we get home.”

The vehicles were loaded and David invited everyone to Napa after Halley had the babies.  He and Wilfred shared a few words and a big hug.  Will couldn’t help himself, so he gave David a sloppy wet kiss. David pushed him away.  “Ass.”

But he pulled his little brother in for another hug, telling Will, “I love seeing you smile.  Take good care of her, Will.”

David returned his brother’s affection by giving Will a kiss on the cheek  and loaded Halley up and they were off.

 After Wilfred secured his parents into the Suburban and headed towards Phoenix, he opted not to stay another night and drove on towards the ranch.  It was late when they arrived and Wilfred entered the ranch further down the road at the side near the offices. Elsie never knew a small apartment complex was behind the offices as she had yet to even venture into the warehouse.  He let Jaelon out and Rod walked her to the door and checked her apartment before saying Goodnight.  The next stop was at the guesthouse to drop off Rod.

As they reached the main house, Wilfred instructed Gianni, “Son, you can unload the equipment tomorrow, but tonight, just get a good night’s rest.”  The bags were set inside the door and Wilfred told Elsie Goodnight and headed to his room.

In the morning, Elsie was torn over how she should approach being intimate with him. 
How will I let him know when I am ready
? They ate breakfast, and did the morning ride, and Wilfred helped Gianni put away the equipment in the storage shed.  Raul took the Suburban to fill it up with gas then washed it.  Elsie watched as he backed the vehicle into the garage.

Wait, there is a garage? 
He never showed me that part of the house like he had not shown me the apartments
. 
Odd… why
?

Seeing the garage now was as good a time as ever.  She entered from the kitchen and gasped when she saw the sheer size of the space.  There was one of almost everything with the exception of the two town cars, all in black. 

There was a Porsche 911, a BMW 7 Hybrid, the Suburban, a Corvette, a Mustang GT Saleen, a Chevy Nova, a Cadillac XTS, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

He walked up behind her quietly, “Each vehicle represents a bestseller, and can you pick out Honour?”

She smiled and walked down the line of vehicles.  She immediately pointed to the Mustang.  “This one is Stephanie!”

Wilfred grinned and nodded.  “You are correct.  Fast, fiery, and a strong persona.  What about the others?”

 The Porsche she easily recognized as Portia, the town cars were the twins, Jillian and Jerilyn.  He was pleased that she was indeed a true fan, but more so, that she got his sense of humor.  The Suburban was Baby, the oversized heroine in
Cowgirl’s Destiny.
 “The Corvette I am certain is Sheila, way too fast for her own good.”

She finally came to the BMW 7.  “This Beemer is a hybrid and so was Honour … disguising herself as a man to gain access to the Splendour.”

He stood in awe.  Elsie knew his work well and quickly determined which cars went to which stories. There was no more doubt, no more putting it off.  He was falling in love with this woman and even more at this moment.
No more fear—move forward
.

Dinner was eerily quiet.  Gianni seemed distracted, as were Will and Elsie, both searching for a way to move to the next step.  It must have been an awkward feeling for them all as Gianni quickly decided he needed to be elsewhere. Wilfred and Elsie took their drinks to patio. On the patio he wanted to hold her, take her in his arms, but instead he stood and leaned on the pole.  Elsie stood next to him and as she had hoped, he draped an arm over her shoulder and planted a feathery kiss on her forehead.  She wanted and needed more.  She allowed her hands to roam across his abdomen and he caught her fingers, bringing them to his lips.

“You need to be mentally prepared to be with me, Elsie….” He paused, knowing that she had to understand the man in the books was not the man he was in real life.

“I am ready to give myself to you, Will.”  She moved closer.

His movements were slow as he turned to face her, “I am not the man in the love stories, Elsie.  I am real. I’m passionate and I’m an aggressive lover. I wasn’t trying to be sexy when I said I probably wouldn’t be gentle.  I know what I am doing and will make sure to give you pleasure…”   

She still pressed her body closer to him.  “Are you saying that you are planning to ravish me?”

His eyebrows shot up.  “If you want to call what I’m planning to do – ravishing you… okay then.”

“What are you planning on doing, Will?”

He gripped her arms tightly.  “I write the words, Elsie.  The words are not who I am.  I’m virile and all man.  I am not some romantic notion you’ve concocted in your head!’

Elsie’s eyes were wide as she stared at the intensity of his own now-dark eyes.

He was on fire, but she had to understand.  He grabbed her by her hair and ran his tongue down her neck as he grabbed a handful of her ass, pulling her body against his erection.  She gasped as he yanked her off her feet and pressed her body against the pole moving against her.  “Is this what you want from me, Elsie?” 

He covered her mouth with his own, deepening his kiss, assaulting her mouth with his tongue.  He wanted her this badly, but he didn’t want to bed her with the image of one of his characters in her head.  He needed to make sure she wanted him.

He pulled back, waiting to see the passion in her eyes and instead saw fear.  Paralyzing fear.

He immediately backed away.  He knew that look.

The fear he saw was real and stupidly he realized that she hadn’t been with a man in years because the last one abused her.

I am an idiot! 

What am I doing?

I said I wanted it to be right, and I am handling this all wrong.
 

“I’m sorry, Elsie….”  He pulled her into his arms and held her close.  “I’m so sorry, I want it to be right, but I have to know when you get in bed with me that you are with me.  Not the guy on the cover of
Honour’s Splendor
.”

He could feel her trembling in his arms.  He planted soft kisses on her forehead, cheeks and finally her lips.

“When you’re ready, if you still want me,” he told her before letting go, “tie a scarf around your door and I will come to you.” 

He walked away, not knowing if his wait would be two days, two weeks or if she would ride out the two months and walk out of his life. The intensity he had tried to capture in his stories were never as real or as heartfelt as what he was currently undergoing.