42 Hours (Time for Love 3)

“I’m in the mood to get deep,” he responded with a smile, before asking again, “Are you?”

I thought about it for a minute, reflecting on my life. It would never occur to me to give a blasé answer, not with Scott.

“Yes,” I said after I swallowed my food. “I love my job, the cottage behind mom’s house is perfect for now, and being there allows me to save money for my future. Plus, I like being there for her and Gwen. And … I have the bestest friends in the whole world.”

He returned my smile and countered, “You said you’re saving for your future. What is it that you’re saving for?”

I kept my face turned to him as we talked, watching his profile as he looked out over the water. He hadn’t shaved that morning. I loved it when his face got a little scruffy. He was the most handsome man in the world to me. I don’t know what it was … Maybe when he smiled expectantly, and made my heart pound in my chest, or the way his eyes looked when he was deep in though. It could be his dark hair, which he always kept perfectly styled for work, but left messy, in disarray, at all other times.

“Gabs?” Scott asked, interrupting my perusal.

“Sorry,” I said with a laugh, bringing my focus back to the conversation. “Um … what am I saving for? Well, like I said, I love my job. I went to school to become a baker, and I’m thrilled that I get to do what I love every day. I’m happy with Kat. I don’t need to work in a fancy hotel, or a patisserie. Working where I am will never make me rich, but I’m okay with that. I’m saving up for my family. You know I want to get married and have kids, but when I do, I don’t want to have to go to work every day. I want to stay home, raise my kids, and keep a happy and comfortable home. I want to have enough money saved up so that I can do that, without being a burden on our income. Once the kids have grown and moved on, and it’s just my husband and I, maybe I’ll open a bakery or something, I don’t know. But it’s important to me to stay home and raise my family. Does that make me old fashioned?”

Scott turned to look at me, his face open and honest.

“No, I don’t think so. It sounds like you’ve really thought things out, and have a good plan for your future.”

“Thanks,” I responded, then picked up a piece of chicken. Before taking a bite I countered, “What about you? What do you want for your future?”

“Well, I’m happy where I am too. I don’t feel the need to be like my father, and own my own company. Brandt Industries is a wonderful company to work for, and Carson is a tremendous leader. I’m hoping to work for him for the entirety of my career. I’d love to grow and expand with the company. I’m saving too … for the future. For my family, because nothing is absolute. Although I want to continue at Brandt, I have no idea what the future holds, so I want to be smart about it. I want a wife. Someone who will be supportive of what I do … I don’t need someone like my mother, who heads up charities and is the perfect Stepford Wife, but I would like my wife to be visible at company events. I want to have kids, and have an active role in raising them. Not like my father. I want to coach Little League, and help plan birthday parties. I didn’t know a family could be like that, until I became a part of Cal’s, you know?”

I digested his words. His hopes. My stomach clenched hopefully when I realized they were in line with my own. It sounded like we both wanted the same things.

“Yeah,” I replied softly. “My family was like that in the beginning, and after the divorce, my parents did what they could to continue with the traditions, but it wasn’t the same. I missed the way things were when I was little, and that is what I want for my family. I think my parents got so caught up in living their daily lives separately, that they forgot that they were supposed to grow together. Although I want kids, and I will love them, and take care of them, after seeing my parents, I realize that the focus always needs to be on the marriage. That’s the person that you’re going to be with for the rest of your life. Your kids are going to grow up, and start families of their own, and once they’re gone, I want to still be with the person that I love. I need a partner who will put as much focus on our relationship as we put on the kids.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Scott s

aid, nodding. “I think a lot of people forget about their relationship a little bit, once they start having kids.”

I nodded my agreement, then said with a laugh, “Wow, we really did get deep.”

Scott chuckled. “It’s good though. I like to hear your view on things, and to know what your hopes are.”

“Me too,” I said, then looked down at our empty plates and added, “That was delicious. Want to go lay out for a bit, let our food digest, then get in?”

“Sounds perfect,” Scott responded, rising up and offering me his hand.

We laid out in the lounge chairs, the sun warming our bodies, as the water lapped gently. As I looked at the man lying next to me, I realized this was the first time I’d felt truly content in a long time.

Chapter 17 – Scott

I turned my head to look at Gaby, smiling at the picture she made as she laid in the sunlight, eyes closed, a small smile on her lips. She was breathtaking.

“You ready to go in?” I asked softly.

Gaby turned and opened her bright blue eyes, nodding slightly.

I sat up and swung my legs toward Gaby’s chair, my hands going to the hem of my shirt as my feet hit the damp ground. I pulled the shirt over my head, and was going to ask Gaby if she wanted to ease in or jump, but was struck dumb at the sight of her shimmying out of her sundress. I watched as the dress fell to the ground, revealing a yellow bikini, and flawless, golden skin.

When Gaby stepped out of the dress and bent over to pick it up and toss it in the chair, my brain was temporarily paralyzed as the blood rushed to my cock.

Ho-ly shit. She looked amazing.

She started walking toward the water, then turned to look back at me over her shoulder, “Ready?” she asked, since I was still sitting on the chair, unable to stand and follow her without showing off the evidence of my appreciation for her body.

“Right behind you,” I said, my voice a little strained.

She looked puzzled, but shrugged and turned to continue her progression to the lake.