The sun was about to set when they drove up to the rustic cottage tucked away on the shores of Long Pond, in a quiet area where time seemed to have been forgotten. “It looks picture perfect!” said Eva, gazing at the place that would be their home for the next few days.
“I’m coming here for the first time. It feels as if I’m in Maine.” A man approached them and greeted them courteously.
“Are you Alexander Van Every? I’m Bob Taylor, the caretaker of this property.”
“Yes, I’m Alexander Van Every and this is my wife, Eva. Mike must have informed you about our stay.” The man smiled and greeted Eva and nodded at Alexander.
“Yes, Mr. Van Every, he has. I have stocked the place up for your stay. Here are the keys. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. The cottage has its own kayak, canoe, and paddleboard. If you want to enjoy a campfire, just call me and I’ll arrange firewood for you. The firewood provided is for the wood stove and for the outdoor fire pits.”
“Noted Mr. Taylor. I’ll call you about the sightseeing options as well.” The man left after they discussed the options and Alexander unlocked the door of the cabin. They went inside to explore the place, noting the two large bedrooms with queen-sized beds and the spacious living room. There was a large screened-in-porch overlooking the water. With a gigantic oak tree providing a shady nook, a large picnic table and chairs, and a rocking bench by the fire pit, the place was perfect to laze around in while enjoying the water views.
“I’m falling in love with this place. It’s so charming!” said Eva, clasping her hands with excitement as she roamed about discovering new thrills.
“I’m bringing our luggage in.” Eva nodded and went out to help him. They wheeled in the luggage and brought everything inside the cottage.
“I think I love this place more than I loved Paris,” she said as she unpacked. Alexander smiled at her enthusiasm, her simple nature. She might be the only woman in the entire universe who loved a rustic cottage in Mystic more than a Parisian holiday.
“I’m glad that I brought you here, baby,” he whispered, his eyes sparkling with love and something more, desire. After all, it was only once he would get to enjoy his wedding night! Eva could sense the changed look in his eyes as the air around them started charging up. She busied herself with unpacking when Alexander caught her hand to stop her.
“That can wait. Let’s freshen up and have dinner on the porch!” he suggested, picking up the food and carrying it to the kitchen. Eva quickly freshened up and walked out to the well-lit up porch where Alexander was waiting with the food.
“Looks delicious!” said Eva, keeping her concentration on the food instead of on him. She was aware of his gaze wandering all over her, having missed each other immensely for the last few days. He seemed to be burning for her the same way as she was for him. She nervously pulled her hair up into a messy bun to let the breeze cool her neck. With Alexander watching every movement of hers like a hawk, Eva was extremely conscious of herself. His gaze was all languid and se*y, making her want to peel off her clothes and make love to him like the way they had before. Well, they would do so in a couple of hours from now!
“Tastes good too, but nothing like your cooking!” Eva beamed at his heartfelt compliment. It made her heart skip a beat.
“And I love yours more.”
“Really? What else do you love about me?” Eva gazed at him, mesmerized by the excited twinkle in his eyes. This was a totally different Alexander from the one she always knew, the one she grew up with. She had never seen Alexander so happy, so relaxed, without a trace of anger or frustration in him.
“I love the way you take care of me, the way you strive hard to keep your promises. Your genuineness attracts me to you.”
“Only that? What about my six-pack abs? Don’t they attract you at all?” he said with an eye roll while his eyes twinkled with amusement. He knew how much she adored him, everything about him, but he wanted to hear her say it.
“Of course they do. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a hunky magic pill?” she chuckled and Alexander too joined in.
“And what do you hate about me?” he asked, sobering up a little.
“Your tendency to be secretive, to bottle up everything you’re going through. I want you to share yourself with me, Alexander. I want to know about your fears, and share your problems and your happiness. That’s what soul mates are for, right?” Alexander nodded, a smile lighting up his face. Yes, she was right. He had a tendency to bottle himself up when facing difficulties. She knew him so well!
“I also want you to learn to say no to people who take advantage of your goodness, Alexander. If you had put your foot down in the first place when they were pairing you with Beatrix, your life would have been different today.”
“I realize that now,” said Alexander with a sigh.
“I used to hate to see you always angry and frustrated. You were like a mystery I couldn’t decipher until you started opening up to me. I realized that your bad mood was because of the frustrating situations you were in.”
“I used to feel so mad at everyone around me. It wasn’t easy to let down your parents, especially when they were unwell. I have always felt an attraction towards you, even at the time I had to leave for Switzerland. I tried to ignore the feeling, considering it a teenage crush, but it grew uncontrollably with time. Although I wanted to be with you, the entire universe plotted against me, denying me that pleasure. How else could I react? It made me angry, frustrated, and disgusted with my life.”
“I know, Alexander! I understand what you went through. So tell me what you hate about me.” Alexander shook his head since there wasn’t anything he hated about her.
“I hate nothing, but I would want you to be more confident of yourself, of our relationship. I want you to trust me more and not take hasty decisions. Consult your friends before taking a false step.” Alexander looked at her, listening to him intently, and reached out to clasp her hands in his. “As I said earlier, our life together won’t always be rosy. We will have our share of difficulties, which might take drastic turns, but I want you to stay calm and believe in us. Don’t let anyone separate us. We are meant to be together forever! Are you getting what I’m trying to tell you?”
Eva nodded, knowing that he might be hinting at the differences they had with his parents. “Yes, Alexander. I get it.”
“Good! Shall we go inside now?” She nodded, and they cleaned up together. Alexander went to shower and get ready for bed while Eva rinsed the dishes, lost in her own thoughts. Would Alexander’s parents still cause problems in their lives? Why did he always harp on the fact that their marriage would be quite a difficult one?
“Eva,” came Alexander’s voice, startling her out of her reverie. Now, what did he want? She went inside the bedroom to see the washroom door open. “Eva,” he yelled again, making her fumble.
“What? I’m here,” she said shyly, wondering whether to go inside or not.
“Where are the damn towels? Come in and hand me something, whatever you can find,” said Alexander impatiently. Eva’s heart thumped wildly in her chest. Was he in the shower still?
“They should be inside, Alexander,” she said, pushing the door a little to take a peek at the cabinet near the vanity. However, the door opened fully, and she gasped when Alexander’s muscular arms grabbed her and pulled her inside the washroom. A squeal escaped her lips at being pressed to his bare and wet body.
“Alexander, you’re getting me all wet. You’re naked! Couldn’t you wait till I get you a towel?” she blushed, refusing to look at his magnificent male organ that looked massive and aroused. Her cheeks flushed with color, but he seemed to have other plans in store for her.
“So? It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” he said, grinding his hardness into her. “I want you wet, dripping wet, and ready for me. I want you to bathe with me,” he whispered, tugging her damp top out of her before she could protest. Next went her jeans, leaving her only in her underwear. His eyes darkened to dark thunderclouds as he got rid of the last pieces of clothing that covered her.
“I’ve waited for so long to get you in my arms, Eva. You can’t stop me now!” He picked her up in his arms and led her to the jacuzzi bathtub. She could see the candles adorning the place, rose petals floating in the water, and towels kept folded nearby. So he had planned this all along! Eva bit his neck and kissed the sting while he groaned with agony.
“So you needed towels, huh?” she asked, and he smirked.
“No, I needed you, only you.”