Mister West by R.J. Lewis (animal farm read .TXT) 📕

I turn my head to the man he’s referring to. It’s the owner, Rob, and he does look like he’s going to kick Aidan’s ass.

I laugh. “You’re messing up his feng shui.”

“I mess up every man’s feng shui,” he says on a smile. “You’ll notice that soon enough.”

He stands up, towering over me. He looks down at me, smiling. My insides are mushy at the dimple in his left cheek. He’s going to leave and I’m going to spend the next hour recovering from this exchange. Rinse and repeat.

However, he extends his arm and offers me his hand, surprising me. “Come with me, Ivy.”

I stare at his hand for a long moment, my heart beating faster now. I stop thinking and take his hand. He pulls me up and leads me out of the coffee shop and onto the busy streets.

“Where are we going?” I ask, trying to keep up with his long strides.

“We have the city at our feet,” he answers, face bright like he’s excited. His energy is infectious. “You have anywhere you need to be tonight?”

I shake my head. “No. You?”

“Just here,” he says, piercing me with that smoldering look. “With you.”

His sexy sportscar is parked nearby. He opens the door for me, and I slip in, feeling giddy. As he rounds the car, I shut my eyes and let out a quiet squeal. I can’t believe this is happening. I’m so fucking lucky. The door opens and he slides in next to me.

“Got everything?” he asks, looking at me with a broad smile of his own. Oh, my God, is he just as excited as me? I think so. I suddenly feel so fucking humble he wants to spend this time with me.

I feel for my wallet and phone in my pocket and then wave my iPad. “I got everything.”

He leans over, his shoulder bumps into me and the smell of his shampoo and cologne is in my nose. It’s delicious like him. He opens the glovebox and takes the iPad from me. He slips it inside and closes it back up. He catches the look on my face, and he must be able to read me, because he smiles so big.

“Let’s enjoy each other’s company,” he whispers to me, eyeing my mouth. “I want to see you laugh, Ivy Montcalm. I want to give you a good time. Tell me what I have to do to accomplish this.”

My smile is so wide, my cheeks hurt. “I think you’re doing just fine already.”

“Good.” He moves away and sits straight in his seat.

I don’t know what it is about watching a beautiful man in a suit drive a powerful car that makes my pulse jump. It’s sexy as fuck. He drives through the city, going in a particular direction. I look out the window, watching the streets pass by. We’re on Bank street, and the sidewalks are alive with people. We aren’t going far fast. There’s a lot of traffic in front of us. He finds a parking spot across the street from the Rideau Canal, a picturesque waterway that people frequent all the time, and slides in. We’re a couple blocks away from Lansdowne Park, a popular entertainment district.

He turns off the car and we step out. I don’t ask him what we’re doing. We walk in the direction of the Canal. It’s packed with people chasing the night life and I’m having to sidestep so I don’t bump into anyone. It’s getting cooler by the hour. Summertime really is behind us now as I catch people in their sweaters and light jackets.

I feel Aidan’s big hand wrapping around mine. He pulls me to him and wraps his arm around my shoulder, keeping me from bumping into anyone as they pass us. My face presses against his suit jacket. I shut my eyes briefly, enjoying the feel of his hard chest. As the crowd thins, he lets go. We’ve crossed the street and the Canal sidewalk is wider. We’re still close, our arms are bumping into each other as we walk. If I wanted to, I could feel his fingers against mine, but I don’t.

“See those funky looking houses?” I ask, pointing across the river. On the hills in the distance there’s an assortment of homes that look funky. “I’d rent one of those if I could.”

“I didn’t know you were a hippy, Miss Montcalm.”

I laugh. “There’s not one cookie cutter house, Mr West.”

“Not a suburban girl?”

“I like a bit of character.”

He’s eyeing the homes now as we walk, smiling softly. “I like that.”

“What about you?” I ask him. “What sort of home do you envision for yourself?”

He thinks. “I haven’t thought about it.”

“Really?”

He shrugs. “It’s just a place to lay my head at night.”

“It should be your castle. A place you retreat to.”

Aidan watches me, curious. “To do what?”

“Everything and nothing. It’s your safe place.”

“Tell me about your idea of a home then. Of your everything and nothing safe place.”

I look out across the water, thinking. “Well…”

“Well what?”

I feel a little embarrassed. “It’s stupid.”

“Nothing you say is stupid, Ivy. Tell me.” Then he adds tenderly, “Please.”

I let out a soft sigh. “Once, a few years back, I had a dream I was in the most beautiful house. It was Georgian style, all white and magnificent, on a bit of land and far from the city. In the dream I was standing in front of one of the bedroom windows and looking out into a forest.”

“Do you know where you were?”

I mull that over, biting my lip. “Could be anywhere, I guess, but I’ve planted Vancouver Island in my mind for some reason.”

“Have you ever been?”

“Once with Ana. I was sixteen. Her family has a vacation home there. A beautiful cabin along the coast. I spent the second half of summer in the water just beyond a pebbled beach. I’ve never felt that freedom again.”

He watches me thoughtfully. “What did freedom feel like to you?”

I swallow back my emotion, quietly