He simply nodded and said, “Well, have a good night then.”
I walked to my car. The parking lot, illuminated by one, small light, was still full. The town would party well into the night. Brett stood by a large black Toyota truck. I jerked my head towards my four-runner. We didn’t speak. He climbed in the truck and waited until I had started mine, turned it towards my cabin, and followed me home.
Chapter 8
I held thedoor open and he stepped inside, glancing around at my small living area before settling in front of the wood burning fireplace. “Should I start a fire?”
I nodded.
Todd whined. His ears sat up inquisitively at the stranger in our house.
“I need to change.”
We were cautious around each other now, our voices quiet. He pet Todd on the head and gave him a little scratch behind the ears. “Do you need help?” He asked quietly, without looking at me.
I had gotten into the dress by myself. I imagined I could get myself out. But my mouth wouldn’t work. I nodded. “Mm-hmm.”
He stepped towards me. He reached up to the crown on my head and gently removed the pins holding it regally in place. Careful not to get my hair caught in the silver snowflake drops, he slowly lifted the gilded art piece from my head and set it on the back of the couch. I kept my eyes at his chin.
Standing just over a foot from me, he then reached out and unfastened the hook and eye closure at my neck. The cape fell to the side and he grabbed it, hanging it on my hall-tree. “Turn around,” he whispered.
I did as he said, my body heavy with awareness.
He unhooked the top button of the dress and then slowly pulled the zipper down. His knuckle caressed my back. I shivered.
“You have beautiful skin, Elizabeth.”
When the corset fell away, I put my hands to my chest, holding it up until I could remove the rest in private. I turned to him and then glanced at the doorless entry to my room. Noticing the direction of my gaze, he said, “Ah, should I take your dog for a walk?”
The simplicity, and thoughtfulness, of the question, made me smile. “That would be nice, thank you.”
“C’mon…” He looked at Todd, then me.
“Todd.”
He laughed and took the leash from the hook. “Todd?”
“It just, I don’t know, fit him.”
He looked down at Todd, who stared up at him, tail wagging, tongue lolling. A new best friend. “You wanna go outside, Todd?”
Todd whined and stood, began to circle Brett. He clipped the leash to his collar.
“You don’t really need that.”
“The last thing I need when trying to win a girl is to lose her dog.”
My heart cracked just a little. I simply nodded.
“C’mon Todd, let’s go,” he said as he opened the door. Stepping outside, he shut it behind them.
I inhaled deeply and then exhaled, trying to calm my nerves.
My mind raced, trying to decide what to put on. I frantically pulled out shorts, then leggings, then a T-shirt. Then I thought I should put on a T-shirt dress, then realized it was almost bed-time. Sweats and a tank top? Yep, that’s what I settled on. Bra? No bra? No bra. We’d already been there, what did it matter?
I’d just put on a pot of water for tea when they came back into the house. A blast of cold air rushed in with them.
Todd ran to his water bowl. Brett went to the fireplace. He put a base of newspaper down and broke the kindling into smaller pieces. He made a teepee with the sticks, then lit the paper on fire with an electric lighter that sat on a side table. When the flames were going strong, he tossed on two logs.