Chapter Fourteen

Before walking into Three Sisters Apothecary, Sarah licked her lips. The taste of Cornelius lingered there and she couldn’t deny the bolt of lust that landed straight at her core. Ugh, what was she doing? Twice now she’d lost all control with Corey and didn’t know what that meant. They still hadn’t talked and her plan of avoiding him until the wedding had gone up in flames. After the second make-out session, not discussing what this…thing between them was had become moot. She knew there was no way he’d let the needed conversation go and be “just friends” again. Did she want to go back to being friends? No, her heart told her. But…he’d never understand why she broke up with him…wouldn’t forgive her. She was sure of it.

And the added complication of Jane and being the other woman in the scenario here was not sitting well with her. She knew things between them were casual, yet Sarah couldn’t shake the icky sensation left behind.

Sarah yanked the store entry open and came face to face with her cousin and grandmother. “Oh, hey.”

“Hey?” Becca said with a shit-eating grin. “That’s all you have to say?”

“Yes.” She crossed her arms. Show no weakness was her motto.

Gran chuckled and nudged Becca out of the way. “We can grill her when we get to the house.” Her grandma grabbed a box filled with ribbons and tulle and shimmery fabrics. Tonight they’d planned to do dry runs of what the centerpieces, bouquets and boutonnières would look like for the wedding. The flowers would come from Bridget and Becca’s gardens and Sarah had already sketched out ideas along with an entire online mood board.

“Where’d Bridge go?” she asked and peered around for her little sister. If she was around, Sarah could keep Bridget talking about wedding planning and not Sarah’s boy troubles.

“Some house thing popped up. Jack called and picked her up so they could go check it out at the building site,” Gran answered.

“I hope everything’s okay.” Sarah frowned and wondered if she should send a text to her sister.

“I’m sure it’s fine.” Gran smiled. “House building is always an adventure.”

Having no experience of her own, Sarah couldn’t argue with that. They loaded into cars and headed over to the house. The fading sunlight painted the town in soft shadows backlit by oranges, pinks and yellows in the sky. The fir trees swayed with the gentle breeze outside the car windows. Sarah smiled at the familiar stores and Victorian-style houses painted in a multitude of rainbow colors in the neighborhood she had grown up in. Once inside the house, Candle greeted them with meows for food.

After feeding both the cat and all of them, they settled into the living room with roses, dahlias, dwarf bunchberries and lupines in buckets surrounding them, plus a variety of fern leaves, madrone and western hemlock branches for filler. The box of adornments was now empty and laid out across the coffee table. Sarah pulled out her laptop and brought up her wedding mood board. “I was thinking something like this for the reception.”

The picture was of flowers and leaves woven into a long rope that would span the length of each table. The arrangement could be placed on top of the different textiles for a layering effect that would add to the overall whimsical, woodland feel. “We could take inspiration from this to make matching flowers for the wedding party. We can use the same fabrics to wrap the stems in for the bridesmaids and a bow to add for the groomsmen. What do you think?”

Gran threw her a Look. “I think we’re going to talk about what Cornelius wanted with you and why you were so flushed and flustered when you got to the shop after.”

“Gran!” Sarah exclaimed in betrayal. How could her grandmother ambush her like this?

The older woman shrugged with an unapologetic expression. “What? I did say we would get answers when at the house. Here we are. Fess up, young lady. Am I getting my would-be grandson back? I saw the way you two looked at each other. Almost enough for you to wind up pregnant.”

A wave of pain struck Sarah like an arrow to the chest. She gaped at her waiting family. “I…I don’t know.”

Becca arched a brow. “How do you not know? What is going on with you two?”

Sarah threw her hands in the air. “I wish I could tell you.” She looked down at the flowers and plucked a few of each for weaving together. “We had a…moment at the bachelorette weekend.” Sarah was so conflicted on how to feel.

“I knew it!” Becca exclaimed. Gran nudged and shushed her.

“Then back at the dress shop, we had another. He wanted to talk, but Jane interrupted us. She saw us kissing.” Sarah dropped the stems and rested her face in her hands. “I’m such a jerk. I can’t believe I made out with Corey—twice—while he had a girlfriend.”

“Doesn’t sound like she was his girlfriend to me,” Becca muttered.

Sarah threw her a glare. “They were dating, or whatever. I’m still a jerk.” She’d known he was seeing Jane and still acted like she’d had some kind of claim over Corey.

Becca shook her head. “No. If anyone is, it’s Cornelius. He’s the one dating Jane, not you. He should have checked himself.”

Gran put a hand on Sarah’s shoulder. “Your cousin is right. Don’t beat yourself up for something that isn’t on you. Cornelius will need to make things right between him and Jane. And you.”

Exhaling, Sarah fussed with the centerpiece stuff again. She didn’t feel any less guilty. Jane was sweet and didn’t deserve what she and Corey had done. “Can we focus on something else? I’m confused and would rather think about anything else at the moment.” She hated this “other woman” sensation. Love triangles were one of her least favorite tropes in romance books and now Sarah felt like she was in one.

“Sure.” Becca grabbed up her own stack of blooms. “Let’s time this to see how long it’ll take to create one, so we know how long we’ll need to get enough of these for all the tables.”

The front door opened and Bridget and Jack walked in. “Hi. We’re back.”

Sarah lifted her lips in a wane smile. Her sister glowed with happiness while her own heart was bruised and in limbo. But Sarah couldn’t find it in her to begrudge Bridget her excitement. “How’s the house?”

“Oh, fine. We had to make a shift in the cabinet layout, but nothing too major.” Her sister shrugged.

Jack pressed a kiss to his fiancée’s cheek. “I’m going to shower. I ran cables for the yarder today and feel grimy. I’ll leave you all to…things.” He waved to the general chaos of flowers in the room. “A pleasure to see you all.”

They said goodbyes and Bridget asked, “What’d I miss?”

Sarah turned her laptop to show the mood board designs. Pointing at the inspiration picture, she said, “We’re working to make a test one of these. What do you think?”

A grin spread across her sister’s face. “I love it. That’s perfect.” She threw her arms around Sarah’s shoulders. “You’re the best, Sare-Bear.”

“I know.” At least she could get one thing correct in her life.

Becca snorted and shook her head while Gran chuckled. Then her grandmother tugged all three of them into a hug. “You girls. I’m so glad I have you here.”

Warmth blossomed in Sarah’s chest. She loved having this time with her family. She’d missed them while in Seattle and would miss them when she went back. If she went back. Maybe she could make a life in Fallbank? Maybe if Corey… No, she wouldn’t make her decisions based on him, on a possibility of a relationship with him. She didn’t know where they stood, but whatever choices she made, they had to be for her and no one else.

A knock sounded on the front door and Becca went to investigate. Gran and Bridge chatted about bouquets on the couch. A murmur of voices carried as Sarah focused on her project and footsteps came closer. She glanced up and found Becca smirking with Corey shuffling along behind. His gaze caught hers and the room fell away.

 

Cornelius couldn’t look away from Sarah’s green eyes. They captivated him. All he wanted was to go to her, fall on his knees and kiss her breathless. From the heat in her stare, he wagered she felt the same. A cough broke the connection and pulled Cornelius back to his surroundings. His ears grew warm and he adjusted his glasses.

“Cornelius, what brings you by?” Gran asked with a smile.

Rubbing his neck, he answered, “I was hoping I could chat with Sarah.”

“Again?” Becca grinned.

“More wedding party stuff?” Bridget chimed in. Her expression was mischievous as she looked between the two of them. They all knew something was up and loved embarrassing the two of them.

Sarah stood and threw her family a scowl, then grabbed his hand and tugged him back out the door onto the front porch. She spun to face him, eyes flashing.

Danger. Make no sudden moves.

She was in her head about the two of them. Instead, he channeled his best boyish grin and said, “Hi, Sarie.”

She rounded her eyes at him. “Don’t ‘Sarie’ me. What are you doing here?”

“Finishing our conversation. You agreed we’d talk about us.” God, why was she so hot when she was mad? He wanted to kiss her again and was holding back by a thread of control.

She crossed her arms, but instead of intimidating him, all he could focus on was how that pushed her tits up more. She had a fantastic body and her breasts were a particular favorite of his. Cornelius licked his lips.

“Eyes up here.” Sarah snapped her fingers at him. “Cornelius, we can’t do this.”

Resisting the urge to shake sense into her, he sighed. “I know you’re scared. I am, too.”

“I’m not scared. I refuse to be the other woman. The one who breaks up couples.” Her chin wobbled.

“You didn’t,” he interrupted. He couldn’t stand the thought of Sarah hating on herself. “Jane and I weren’t going to go the distance. Even if you weren’t back in Fallbank, we wouldn’t have worked out. I knew that before this past weekend. I wish I’d said something to her sooner and that’s on me. But we’ve talked and Jane understands.”

“She understands what?”

Time to make the leap. He stepped closer to Sarah. “That you and I are undeniable.” He reached out and ran his palms up her arms, folding her in closer to him. “Try. That’s all I’m asking. Just try being us again.” He lowered his forehead to hers. Now that he’d come to terms with it, he had to convince her to give them a second chance. His need for her outweighed anything else. Cornelius wasn’t sure he could survive without Sarah at this point.

“Corey…”

“Please, baby.”

“Fuck it,” Sarah whispered.

Then they were kissing. His Sarah was in his arms with her mouth on his and his heart was soaring. He couldn’t get enough of her. After the weekend and their kisses this afternoon, and now Sarah’s surrender to their connection? Adrenaline and excitement and lust and adoration burned like lava through his veins. He gripped her hips and yanked her soft, plush body against his. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, gave a little jump and wrapped her legs around his waist.

With a gasp, she pulled her face back. “Take me home. Your house. Now.”

“Anything you wish, Sarie.” He tasted her lips once more. “Hold tight to me.” Without putting her down, Cornelius carried her down the sidewalk to his house, trading kisses the whole way. Once inside, he continued straight to his bedroom and kicked open the door. Falling toward the bed, he twisted so she landed on top of him. He didn’t want to crush his girl with his heavy weight.

Sarah sat up and lifted her shirt up and over her head.

He groaned as he took in her full breasts encased in a pink lace bra. “So gorgeous.” He traced his fingers up the dip of her waist, over her ribs, and caressed under the curve of her perfect chest. She sucked in a breath as he teased her nipples to tight peaks through the fabric.

Sarah rocked her hips over his erection and moaned. Sitting up, he kissed along her neck while he reached around to unclasp her bra. It fell away and he leaned back to look at her. She’d filled out over the years and her body was perfection, luscious, mind-breaking. He drank in her luminous skin and rounded breasts with peaked nipples begging for his touch, his kiss. On a strangled groan, he bent and lavished his attention on them until Sarah was writhing in his arms.

“Please, Corey.” She tugged at his shirt.

He reached back and yanked the fabric over his head and tossed it to the ground.

She ran her hands over his shoulders and rounded her eyes. “Holy hell. Muscles and tattoos? Good God, you’ve gotten even more buff since college and that’s saying something.”

He couldn’t stop his smirk. He wasn’t bulky with muscles the way some of the other loggers were, but he was no slouch. His work and workout regime kept solid definition over his whole body, including washboard abs. The tattoos were also new, something he’d gotten into over the years. After the first one, he just kept adding. His back, shoulders and chest were sprinkled with art. Forest scenes, tribal art, even a few animals decorated his skin. Sarah dragged her fingertips over a forest-scape crossing his shoulder, to a wolf with its head thrown back in a howl on his right pec, down to a tribal knot on left ribs and up to his very first tattoo. The one that didn’t quite match the others…the one covering his heart. Her movements froze.

“Corey?” She lifted her face to his, green eyes glowing in the soft light.

“You have to kiss a lot of frogs, right, princess?”

Sarah looked down, but not before he caught the tears glittering in her gaze. She bent and pressed her lips to the stylized outline of a frog sitting facing forward, the front arms curved to make a heart and the hind legs tucked in another behind those. At the top of the simple head outline was a tiara. His frog princess.

“I can’t believe you have this.” Her voice was hushed and she rested her palm over the design.

The inspiration came from their first kiss. She wanted to catch frogs to find her prince. He’d snatched up a large toad and held it up to her. Sarah kissed him instead, claiming him as her prince. In response, he’d appropriated her as his princess. During the darkest days of his loneliness, on the first anniversary of their break-up, Cornelius had gotten the tattoo, etching his pain and his love for her forever on his body.

“You were always my princess. No matter who else came along, no one could ever come close to you.” Tears dripped down her cheeks and he brushed them away. “Don’t cry, Sarie. It breaks my heart and I only ever want to see you happy.” Cornelius captured her lips again, sliding his tongue into her mouth and tasting her. His princess wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself to him, skin to skin. Their kiss burned into a wildfire, sweeping them both into the tides of passion. The rest of their clothing was shed and when he joined his body with Sarah’s, he couldn’t help his own tears. He was home at last.