“Huh?” Morgan looked at Stephanie as if she was out of her mind. “They’re just charcoal sketches.”
“Yes, but you’ve depicted the landscape with a perfect eye for detail and tourists would buy them as a souvenir of their trip and residents as a wonderful rendition of a favorite spot. Look around, dear, you’ll see all kinds of different art from wood carvings, to sculptures, to paintings all of wildlife and scenery native to this area.”
While Jack visited with Stephanie, Morgan looked around the small gallery, impressed with the talent she saw on display. Someone who loved wildlife had made beautiful wood sculptures of bears and their cubs, eagles with wings spread, and small raccoons resting on a log. Several framed paintings hung on the walls along with handmade quilts.
“When do you think you can get me some more sketches, or a painting?” Stephanie eagerly asked when she finished looking at all the different drawings.
“Oh, I appreciate the offer,” Morgan stammered, not sure how to respond. Her life was currently in limbo until either Jack asked her to stay with him or she decided it was time to return to Chicago.
Taking her hand, Jack came to the rescue. “We’ll let you know. Right now, Morgan has some unfinished business back home she needs to take care of before she can commit to anything.”
“We charge twenty percent commission,” Stephanie said, handing Morgan her card. “Stop by anytime you want, we’d love to display your work.”
Flattered, Morgan took the card. “Thank you. It was nice to meet you.”
Out on the sidewalk, Jack pulled her around to face him. “We need to talk, princess.”
In a blinding flash of clarity, she looked up at him with a goofy smile of sheer happiness. “You wouldn’t have introduced me to Stephanie or brought those sketches if you wanted me to leave.” It took a lot of nerve for her to dare him with that statement, but she wouldn’t back down. She had chased after Jack her whole life and knew him well enough to keep her from backing down now, not unless he told her outright he wasn’t interested in a permanent relationship with her.
“No, I wouldn’t have, but you have to be sure. Not just about me, but about leaving your home, your job, everything you’ve known. And Morgan?”
His face and dark eyes were as serious as his tone, which made her quiver in uncertainty. The bright sunlight gilded his light hair, adding to the stark contrast with his dark beard, making him look even sexier. He was so big, she felt small and petite next to him and she wanted nothing more than to be with him always. It had been that way for her for twenty years. Not even his long absences could dissuade her from that desire. “What?” she asked, already knowing leaving her life in Chicago would pose no hardship.
“My lifestyle isn’t a phase. When it comes to sex, I’ve shown you what I want, what I’ll always demand as a lover.”
Relieved, she teased him, saying, “And I think I’ve done a damn good job of showing you I not only accept your domination, but rather enjoy it.”
He couldn’t deny she had submitted to him as if she had been in the lifestyle for years, but it was hard to let go of the fears that had made him keep his distance for so long. But when had he ever been able to deny her anything?
Looking down into her bright eyes, he sighed in defeat. Kissing her nose, he said, “Can you stay a week or two longer without your parents sending the National Guard to rescue you from my evil intentions? After that, if you still want to move here, move in with me, well, there’s nothing I’d like more.”
Morgan went giddy with relief. He wanted to give a relationship with her a try, and that’s all she’s ever wanted. “I have plenty of vacation time, but I don’t need it. I know what I want, I’ve always known, Jack. As for my parents, they never gave a damn when I spent time with you before; in fact, I know they were grateful when I turned to pestering you for attention instead of them. I refuse to let them run my life now because they want something from me.”
Draping his arm around her, he led them back down the street. “Try not to alienate them too much, Morgan. They are your parents.”
“Well, it’s a little late for them to remember that now.”
Jack didn’t blame her for being bitter, but he knew they wouldn’t bow out without a fuss, not when they wanted something.
Their next stop was the garage repairing her car, and they were both pleased the side door was fixed and usable and the rest of the damage would be finished in a day or two. Morgan had instructed Jack to give the shop permission to make whatever necessary repairs were needed to get the BMW running again as she intended to trade it in for something more practical.
After meeting Marc for dinner, the three of them returned to the lodge where Jack left her alone in the loft while he and Marc went downstairs to put up the equipment and prepare the club room for the next couple of weeks of regular guests.
Chapter Eight
Two days later, Morgan sat in her favorite spot in front of the windows in the loft’s great room, blissfully happy and more certain than ever life with Jack was what she wanted. With both guys busy preparing for new reservations, she spent most of her time drawing both from the window views and from various spots outdoors. She couldn’t wait to get her paints from her apartment and start painting again. Her car had been delivered that morning and now she could make the trip back home to retrieve her things, but she was in no hurry. She definitely wasn’t looking forward to the confrontation with her parents when she told them she was relocating permanently to Colorado. And she wasn’t ready to leave Jack yet, not even for a few days. Not only would she miss him, but damn it, for the first time she had a satisfying sex life, and she didn’t want to put it on hold, not even temporarily.
Jack’s inventive expertise coupled with his stamina left her weak and trembling and eager for more. He took her whenever the mood struck, wherever they happened to be. She’s gotten used to Marc walking in on them and her embarrassment never lasted long. This morning, when Jack bent her over the couch after breakfast, she wasn’t even surprised when Marc had taken a seat behind them and jacked off while watching.
With the afternoon sun warming her, Morgan sketched the dainty doe and her fawn grazing at the tree line, trying to hurry before the pair disappeared into the woods. Engrossed in her thoughts, she didn’t realize Jack had returned to the loft until his large, hard hands slid over her shoulders and down his shirt, the only thing she wore, startling her. Recognizing his touch, she leaned her head back and smiled up at him as he kneaded the full softness of her breasts. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself. This seems to be a favorite spot of yours,” he said, referring to her place in front of the large windows.
“Mmm, yes, and your hands seem to have landed on a f
avorite spot of yours.”
“Yes, they have. Your nipples were already hard though, which makes me wonder what you were thinking about.” When she didn’t respond, he gave each bud a tight pinch, drawing a moan from her. Her quick, eager responses never failed to surprise him and spur him on.