With one last sizzling hot kiss, he gets up, deposits me back on the bed and strides out of the room, leaving me panting, seriously turned on, and incredibly aware of how fucked up and twisted this entire situation is.
Chapter 5
I’m pretty sure that the sound of cutlery hitting our dinner plates is as close to stimulating conversation as we are ever going to get tonight. Usually, my sister isn’t averse to filling dead airspace with idle chit-chat. There have been many times I witnessed Valerie talking about herself nonstop during other dinner parties. Be it about her latest social media post or what one of her many followers commented on said post, Val could always string the conversation along even if the subject matter was centered around her.
Tonight, however, my sister is being unusually guarded and silent, maintaining her lips sealed shut, except for the times she opens them up to take another gulp of her wine.
Not that I’m one talk. I’m on my third glass myself, my dinner barely touched.
I knew this was a bad idea coming here.
Maybe if we had stayed back in town, I could have made myself scarce by taking in some sightseeing. Unfortunately for me, I knew all my chances of being an invisible guest went out the window the minute we stepped foot inside this cabin. Situated miles away from civilization, there is nowhere to escape the heavy tension under this roof.
The only silver lining in all of this is that I’m positive that neither Valerie nor Knox are aware of what went down between James and me. Still, it doesn’t bode well for my sanity that I have to pretend that the man sitting beside me didn’t feast on my pussy with more gusto than he is showing the poached salmon on his plate.
God, I suck.
This was supposed to be a chance for Valerie to get to know her father-in-law, and here I am stealing her spotlight away, even if unintentionally. Just add it to the pile of reasons why I shouldn’t have come here.
Maybe I can come up with an excuse to leave. Make something up that would be acceptable for me to pack up my shit and just go. As I take another sip of my wine, I begin to conjure up any excuse in the book that might make sense when James decides to destroy that plan by opening up his beautiful sinful mouth.
“There is going to be a snowstorm coming our way later tonight,” he says out of the blue as a way to start a conversation, completely unaware that he just popped my balloon of hope of escape.
“A storm? Really? Are we safe up here?” Valerie asks, her gaze bouncing off James and Knox.
“Very safe,” Knox coos, placing his hand on Val’s hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. “We get snowstorms all the time up here in the mountains. This cabin is strong enough to withstand any blizzard, and we have enough food and supplies that could last us the whole winter if needed.”
“The whole winter?” I croak, not liking the sound of that. “Is that even a possibility that we can stay up here the whole winter?”
“Don’t worry, Nicki. The worst that can happen is us being trapped here for a few weeks, just long enough to clear the roads. If we were higher up in the mountain, then maybe we would have motives to worry. But not where we are,” Knox is quick to explain, his soft, soothing smile bringing back memories of happier times when he would soothe my unwarranted worries.
I pick up my glass of wine, giving him a thin smile when he refuses to turn his gaze away from mine.
“Well, even if we do get stuck up here, I’m sure we can find plenty of ways to entertain ourselves, isn’t that right, baby?” my sister interjects, pulling Knox’s chin towards her and placing a dirty kiss on his lips to drive the point home.
I’m not sure why I’m the one blushing with such demonstrations of affection or that my sister felt the need to claim Knox in such a way in front of me. I mean, he’s her husband, after all, and it’s not like I’m going to get in the middle of their marriage.
Not like she got in the middle of our relationship.
I shrug that bitter, resentful thought out of the way, knowing that if I cling to it that there is no way I will ever be able to have a healthy relationship with my sister. She’s the only family I have left and the reason why I came here in the first place. I bow my head and fiddle with the napkin on my lap while Val and Knox begin to talk animatedly with each other. I guess I should be thankful that at least the awkward silence is over and done with. But as they continue to coo and cajole, I’m left more embarrassed than I am relieved.
And if I’m truly honest with myself, a little humiliated that they are both flaunting their affectionate relationship in my face.
It’s silly really that I should feel this way. They have been married a little over six months, still in their honeymoon stage. I should have expected this type of scenario, and it was foolish of me not to be prepared to face it.
It’s the light squeeze on my knee that grabs my attention away from the lovebirds.
“There are plenty of things you can do in the cabin. Once the snowstorm settles, you can take a walk and take in the scenery. The silence and peace that nature offers are things that I enjoy most when I come up here. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, too.”
“I’m not much for walking,” Val interjects with a laugh. “I did enough of that back in New York. Besides, I don’t think my followers would enjoy me taking a power walk over the snow.”
James’s hand travels up my leg as he moves his focus away from me and onto the couple in front of us. I try to keep my erratic breathing in check as his knuckles graze the inside of my thigh.
“It’s not only good exercise, but it’s also good for the soul. It reminds you of the purest things in life and what is truly important.”
“Are you saying my wife’s job isn’t important?” Knox is quick to defend.
“I’m not familiar with it, so I can’t give a formative opinion. But I do believe the benefits of being in tune with nature far outweigh any approval a stranger can offer with a like,” James counters with an arched brow.
“Here we go.” Knox starts to laugh bitterly. “Always the condescending know-it-all asshole.”
“Knox!” I blurt out in outrage that he would say that to his father.
“Don’t Knox me, Nicki. I know what I’m saying. My father always acts like his shit doesn’t stink while making sure that everyone else around him feels like trash.”
“That hasn’t been my experience,” I retort arcticly.
“You don’t know my father.”
“And whose fault is that?” James rebukes with a stern tone.
Knox doesn’t even have the decency to look contrite.
“How about we change the topic altogether. This is a lovely meal, Mr. Cross. Restaurant worthy,” Valerie chimes in, trying to calm the mood in the room.
“Thank you,” James replies unfeelingly.
“Did you take any culinary classes to be so efficient in the kitchen? Not many men can cook so well.”
“Self-taught, I’m afraid. But I did teach Knox everything I knew, so I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to make you similar meals.”
My forehead wrinkles at that statement since all the time I spent with Knox, the best I could get out of him was a grilled cheese sandwich.