CHAPTER 10
The night we spent dancing at the top of the Space Needle was magical. We drank a few cocktails, sampled some exquisite seafood canapes and finger sandwiches before dancing to a spectacular live jazz band. Despite his gigantic size, Evan was light on his feet, making me feel like we were floating as we danced. I'll admit, I lost myself there for a while, in his arms enjoying the moment. We eventually made our way back down the elevator, hand in hand. Two Big Macs, fries and cokes were the perfect end to a perfect day.
We pulled up stakes first thing the next morning, heading out of Seattle to visit someplace I couldn't miss. I had read all the Twilight books and had watched all the movies, so while in the Pacific Northwest, I just had to visit Forks, Washington and beaches in La Push.
We parked Bertie on a deserted side street in Forks, to explore the town. After hitting up several Twilight themed businesses, we found a restaurant for a late lunch. While perusing the menu, I watched a tall dark and handsome stranger walk by our table, slowing as he passed, giving me a cheeky grin and wink before seating himself at the counter. A low growl came from across our table, making me look at Evan in confusion. I mean, why was he upset? It's not like we were exclusive or anything.
We finished our 'just like homemade' chicken pot pies and slices of coconut creme pie before Evan threw down a fifty-dollar bill and we made to leave the diner. Halfway to the door, I felt a hand on my arm gently stopping me, "Excuse me, Miss?"
It was Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsom from earlier, "Yes?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner sometime, if it's okay with your brother?" I smiled as he grinned at Evan with a challenging smirk. He knew damn well; Evan wasn't my brother.
"I'm flattered, really..." I started before Evan finished for me.
"She's not my sister, you Ass." He glowered at the guy, "Besides, she's taken." He hustled me out of the restaurant, his hand on my elbow, leading me out the door quickly.
I yanked my hand out of his hold and dug in my heels, stopping us out of view of the customers in the diner. "Wait, just one damn minute!" Brushing the wind-whipped hair out of my face, I continued, "What gives you the right to step in like that? Maybe I wanted to go on a date with him! Who made you, my keeper?"
"I didn't like the way he looked at you." Evan growled, hands on his hips, brows furrowed.
"What does that mean?" I demanded to know, my Italian temper in full swing now.
"It means, he was only looking to get into your pants." His arms began to flail as he frustratingly explained, "He saw your beautiful blue eyes, your cute button nose, your heart stopping curves and he wanted a piece of that. Even with me sitting across from you! And I don't know what he was smoking, but there's no way he could have ever mistaken you for my sister!"
My head reared back, realization dawning on me. Evan wasn't just mad. "You're jealous!" I crowed, poking at his chest with my finger. "You can't stand the fact that someone else wants me and you don't want that to happen." I shook my head in disbelief. "You're the one who agreed to the whole friends with benefits thing. I'm keeping my end of the bargain. Why aren't you?" I stomped away, my bag of mementos banging against my thigh as I marched back to Bertie.
Waiting a minute to calm himself before he followed, Evan answered in a whisper. "I can't, Sweetness. I'm totally and irrevocably in love with you."
~0~0~0~
We ended up camping at a place on the beach in La Push, Washington. On the way into the campground, we stopped at First Beach, allowing me time to walk about alone with my thoughts while Evan made some phone calls and caught up on his emails.
I had dreamed of what this place looked like in real life and to be honest, my dreams just couldn't do this place justice. It was beyond compare. I was in love with the area, the beach and the wild Pacific Ocean. I know what you're thinking. But Stephanie, all the oceans are connected, it's all the same water! But deep down inside, I just felt that the Pacific seemed more raw, more wild, freer than the Atlantic. I mean, I love the Atlantic, especially from Point Pleasant. But there was something about the Pacific that called to me. Made me feel like it was somewhere I would like to end up living one day. A small cottage overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Yeah. One day.
By the time we got Bertie all settled in for the night, it was almost completely dark. I was sitting on the couch, debating on pulling out my bed and getting it ready for the night. I grabbed a clean set of sheets, thanks to the washer and dryer just outside the bathroom in Bertie and made to pull the couch out.
"You're not coming to sleep in our bed?" Evan sounded defeated and to be honest, so sad.
"You clearly need some time to yourself to figure out your place in my life. We're friends with benefits, not exclusively dating. We agreed to this, remember?" I tried to prompt him, getting a frown and a small sigh in return.
"Yeah." He looked totally defeated. I felt bad and decided to give in concession.
"What if we cuddle for a while on your bed reading and then I can go to bed later when get tired?"
"If that'll make you happy." Evan sounded resigned to the fact I wasn't going to sleep in his bed tonight. And what was up with him calling it 'our bed'?
~0~0~0~
We pulled out of La Push the next morning, headed down the West coast. We had finally made it and we were here to enjoy it for as long as we could. We headed South headed to Astoria, Oregon where they filmed a bunch of movies, including Goonies. The ride was quiet, as we both avoided stepping on the other's toes as we made our way down the road. Despite knowing it was all a fictional story, I still kept my eyes peeled for the slightest hint of horse sized wolves running alongside the roadway out of the area.
Crossing the Astoria Bridge over the Columbia River, I felt excited and began to fidget in my seat peering out the window like a little kid.
"What's buzzing in your shorts today, Angel?" Evan asked, finally breaking the silence.
"This is where they filmed a lot of the scenes for Goonies!" I pointed to a few sites I recognized before we pulled over at a gas station and filled Bertie's tank.
On Evan's phone, we pulled up Things to do while in Astoria and made a short list of things to see. Evan wanted to find a beach to walk on as we still had another few hours before we could check into the campground. I knew the perfect place. I directed him south from Astoria to Cannon Beach, where they filmed the beach scenes in Goonies, as well as some of the scenes from Twilight. Cannon Beach had Haystack Rock and a beautiful expanse of sand on which we could dig our toes in and enjoy walking barefoot in the sand and surf.
I sighed in delight as the sand tickled my toes. I slipped off my shoes the moment we stepped off the pavement of the parking lot and onto the sand. We strolled down the trail to the beach, enjoying the ocean breeze whipping through our hair. I ran for the water, stopping short when a powerful wave pushed on shore and made its way up toward me, hissing as it traveled across the sand. I dipped my toes in, and laughter bubbled from my lips, unbidden and full of joy. Apparently, it was infectious. I turned to see Evan, doing the same thing, his toes dipping into the water.
We ran back toward the land when an even larger wave came crashing up the beach, trying to catch us, soaking us beyond our ankles. I screamed in delight and dragged Evan with me back up the beach. We strolled along, searching for shells and sand dollars, before our grumbling stomachs forced us back to Bertie and the real world.
I felt refreshed and rejuvenated as we made it back towards the parking lot. As we left the main beach, Evan stopped me by wrapping his arms around me from behind and dropping a kiss to the top of my head. "I wanted to apologize for being an ass back in Forks." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly with one of his massive hands. "I had no right to talk to you like that and I certainly don't have a right to you, as we're not dating exclusively. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" He looked up, regret in his eyes, yet still full of warmth. His hand still gripping the back of his neck.
I could feel my nether regions clenching at the sight of Evan posing the way he was and with an apology. Hot Damn! I guess I should let him off the hook, since he was just chasing away a panty dropper anyway. "I guess I'll start to forgive you... but only if you take me to a seafood dinner." I grinned knowing all I really wanted was a huge bowl of clam chowder and maybe some fried shrimp.
"Deal! I'll make it up to you somehow, Angel. I promise." He dropped a kiss on my lips and led the way back to Bertie.
We sat in Bertie for a little over two hours as we waited for dinner time. We both took quick showers and dressed in dressy casual clothing in anticipation of our dinner date. I was swiping the last coat of mascara on as Evan received a call on his phone. He grinned and answered with a typical Rangeman, "Yo." Shaking my head, I finished my make-up and tried not to listen until I realized it was Vince.
"Hi Honey!" I shouted at the phone, sticking my tongue out at Evan when he held his hand over his heart in a wounded manner.
"Yeah... Astoria... no, Oregon... nope... why?... really?... that's awesome... sure we can get you... when?... yup... nope... I made an ass of myself... some douchebag was trying to charm his way into her pants... called her my sister... no, I set his ass straight... yeah, she got mad... yeah, I apologized... you think she'd like it... okay, if you say so... send me the info and we'll be there... later!"
"Sooo...?" I asked, wanting to know the details of their conversation.
"He's flying back this way tomorrow. We gotta pick him up at the Portland Airport. Supposed to be in around noon. Vince's is coming home!" He was ecstatic and I could tell he had missed his best friend this short while.
"Everything settled back home?"
"Yeah. Con is back home under the supervision of a nurse, Mario is going to be released tonight, his nurse is taking him back to his parent's house to recoup. Con can work from home supervising their factory from his home office and Vince can leave. I guess while he was there, she tried to set him up with several different women. Daughters of her friends. He put his foot down and told his mother that he had a significant other back home, and he wouldn't be set up with anyone there as it wasn't wanted or needed. Emalina got mad and threw a chef's knife at his head."
My hand flew to my mouth, shock and fear coursing through me. What in the ever-living hell?! He patted my shoulders in comfort. "He's fine. She missed by a mile, but she did it right in front of a bunch of guests, one of them the police chief. Despite their friendship, the Chief arrested her for assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence. She made bail and is spending the night at a friend's home." He huffed in almost disbelief, "Con's had it. I guess he's calling a divorce lawyer and will be filing ASAP."
"Oh geez. What does Vince think about all of that?"
"He's fine with it. Clearly, she's not all there if she can willingly throw a weapon at a person's head without regret or remorse. His dad doesn't need to deal with her brand of crazy anymore anyway. She hasn't been a real mother to Vince in over a decade so, I don't see any love lost between the two."
~0~0~0~
Dinner at a little sit-down restaurant near the water was just what the doctor ordered. I moaned over the huge bowl of thick New England style clam chowder, as Evan and I split an order of beer battered fried shrimp, while he scarfed his own dinner of calamari and fries. We waddled out of the seafood restaurant headed to Bertie, but Evan detoured us to a building a few doors down the street.
Evan made a Vanna White gesture and motioned toward a huge two-story Victorian home, transformed into a bed and breakfast with the sign out front that read, The Angel Inn and Dining Room. I giggled and posed for a picture, grinning as I pointed to the sign. Once the photo was taken, he texted a copy to Vince. After hearing the whoosh of the sent message, Evan continued to lead us to the door of the building. I was confused. What was happening?
"We're staying for the night, Angel. I'm splurging and we're getting to sleep in a real bed tonight." He murmured in a sexy voice as he then lifted his head to greet the man standing behind the counter. "Hello. I made a reservation under the name of Ramsey."
"Ah, yes, Mr. Ramsey. I'm Mr. Perry. I have the Honeymoon Suite all ready for you. Breakfast will be brought to you at 7 AM. A simple knock at your door will signal that there will be a basket with a selection of pastries, preserves and fresh fruits left on the hook just outside the door. If you should need anything during the night, just ring the desk. LacyAnn, my daughter-in-law, will be on duty and can assist you. Thank you for choosing to stay with us at the Angel Inn." Mr. Perry handed the keycard to Evan and watched with a smile, as we walked away.
"Honeymoon suite?" I whispered as we climbed the stairs to our room.
"What? They have the biggest beds. I have long legs and I hate when my feet hang off the ends. Plus, it's supposed to be comfortable and relaxing. They've got an in-suite jacuzzi." He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I couldn't help but cave and allow him to show me the rest of the way to our room for the night.
The Honeymoon Suite was phenomenal. The king-sized bed was covered in a heavenly, fluffy down comforter that made me sigh purely from its incredible softness. The little sitting area overlooked a small cottage garden full of colorful flowers. There was not only an in-suite jacuzzi, but a lit gas fireplace. The flickering flames giving the place an incredibly romantic feel.
While I settled into the room to take a quick shower, Evan ran back to Bertie and grabbed a few things for our impromptu overnight in the bed and breakfast. The water had just shutoff in the shower when I could hear him walk into the room setting our things in the closet. I towel dried off and wrapped myself into one of the extra fluffy white terrycloth robes hanging from hanger on the bathroom wall. My smile nearly spilt my face as I padded out to find Evan turning down the bed. He spun around to see me wearing nothing, but the robe and a dopey lopsided grin spread on his face.
"Hellooooo nurse!" With his wolf whistle, my eyes rolled of their own accord.
Toying with the ends of the ties, I gave him a look as sultry and sexy as I could muster. "Mr. Ramsey. I do believe you have a full-blown apology to work on."
His goofy grin turned a bit manic as a predatory glint gleamed in his eye. "I believe I do, Angel. I believe I do." And then he pounced.
Our coming together was slow, soft, and mind-blowing for the both of us. He brought me to completion time and time again, using his fingers and mouth, let alone when he drove his thick, heavy cock deep within my body. I felt that if I didn't have my birth control implant, I surely would have walked away from that place definitely pregnant. Surprisingly, in a small corner of my heart, hope blossomed that I too, would have a family of my own.
One day.
A/N: Extra points to those who can identify the origins of the two small easter eggs I included. Hee hee. :)