The Bachelor by David Dower (top e book reader .txt) 📕

wind started to change and the first drop of rain fell down. She had been strolling and thinking along the stream that she was oblivious to the sudden change of weather until it was too late. The cabin was nearest than the house and she took her chance. Good thing it was empty. Bad thing was, it was well-hidden behind a number of trees. No one was bound to find her in this kind of weather, she thought.

For a moment, she worried about Zach and Pauline being caught by the storm, and she only consoled herself by thinking Zach was used to ranch life and he would know something before they actually happened. Right now, she had to think about herself. She was cold and shivering. The cabin was stocked well enough with a lot of blankets and she used those to dry herself. She was just about to take off her clothes to let them dry out when the cabin door burst open with so much force that she literally jumped up in panic.

Her eyes had gone wide and her breathing stopped for about a few seconds as she tried convincing herself that what she was seeing was no illusion.

“Zach?” she stuttered.

He was drenched from head to foot, and water was dripping down his clothes while he looked at her, his chest heaving.

“Jules,” he said in a whisper. Just that name came out of his mouth but it told Julianne everything he was feeling—relief, tenderness, and something deep. He rushed towards her and crushed her against him with so much force that the air was snatched out of her. “Thank God you’re okay,” he murmured against her wet hair as he held her closer. Chapter 17

He was crushing her too hard. “Zach, I can’t breathe,” Julianne uttered.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” he sighed, not hearing her.

“Zach, I can’t breathe,” she repeated.

“I’m sorry,” he said and let her go. As his warmth left her and as the cold came rushing back to surround her, she had the sudden urge to pull him right back. But his eyes turned blank again, like it had been these past week. The tenderness and the concern she saw earlier that almost melted her were gone.

Julianne cleared her throat and bent her head, feeling awkward. She felt him step back and walk towards the door to shut it close. This was her chance to say she was sorry, to patch things up, but her tongue was betraying her and no words could come out of her mouth.

“I believe there’s food here, have you eaten yet?” Zach stated, looking around but her. He walked to the small cabinet in the corner of the room and started searching.

He was still dripping wet. She wanted to tell him to get dry before he got sick, but she couldn’t. She was speechless. She was afraid. She was afraid he’d brush her off.

He came looking for you, he still cares, a voice deep inside her nudged.

He feels responsible. I’m on his land and whatever happens to me will be on him, she reasoned out.

But you still have to say sorry, you dimwit, another voice urged.

“Zach,” okay, that did not come out right because it was more like a broken whisper. “Zach,” she croaked, louder this time.

“I only have canned goods here,” he uttered without looking back at her, and it seemed that he didn’t hear her call out his name. “You should dry up, Julianne,” he added, standing up, his back still facing her.

Oh God, he was still angry. He called her Julianne. He never called her that whenever they were alone.

“Zach, I’m—”

“We better build a fire,” he did not let her finish her sentence. “Go change your clothes, there are some over there,” he motioned with his head at the little bed across the room.

Julianne’s eyes started to water. He was completely ignoring her. Well, not her, but he was not hearing her at all.

“Julianne,” he prodded.

Before he could turn his head and see her eyes, she nodded and said, “Okay,” and then she turned around, her tears falling. Her nose was clogging and she so wanted to sniff but that would give her away. She couldn’t let him see her that way. She walked to the bed and saw the basket under it that she had not noticed before.

With a weak hand, she pulled it out and saw some clothes. They were big and were definitely made for men, but they would do. They were dry and clean after all. She tried to change without making a sound, using the big cloth she had around her for cover.

 *****

Of course he knew she was trying to say something. He just didn’t want to hear whatever it was yet. He was still shaking inside from the fear that overwhelmed him earlier when he was thinking the worst that could have happened to her.

If she was going to say sorry, he would gladly say it was nothing. Damn, he would even jump with joy.

But, if she was going to say something else like ‘I want to go home, so please let me go,’ he didn’t know if he could handle that. He was still trying to figure out what to say to both situations if he would finally give her the chance to talk.

He decided to keep himself busy for a while.

 *****

The only sound was the angry wind outside and the constant rumblings. Zach was busy building a fire by the time she finished. She was drying her hair quietly sitting on the bed. Her eyes now dry, she watched him do his work.

“I’ll open some cans,” she said in a whisper, walking to the cabinet, partly wishing there was a can opener.

He shot to his feet and said, “I’ll do it, just rest and stay in that bed,” he ordered none too gently. He walked across to the cans and started working.

Julianne was getting frustrated and she cried out, “Zachary, stop whatever you’re doing!”

His shoulders stiffened. He was not moving now, but he was not moving around to face her either.

“I want to talk to you and you’re trying not to,” she said, her voice shaking.

“What do you want to talk about?” his voice asked, free of any emotion, more like guarded even.

“Can’t you turn around and face me?” she asked.

“Just spit it out,” he said.

Julianne did not say anything for a long time and when she was sure he wouldn’t face her, she uttered, “I want to say I’m sorry I doubted you. I shouldn’t have, I know. And I’m sorry.”

She held her breath as she watched him heave and let out a sigh. Slowly, he turned around and she was almost taken aback by the look on his face.

He was freaking grinning, a look of relief on his face. She looked at him with confusion.

“Thank God you said that,” he breathed out.

“What?” she asked with a confused look on her face.

 “I was afraid you’d say you want out,” he grinned guiltily.

“I said I’m sorry,” she repeated her statement. She wanted to know if he was willing to forget about what happened.

“I know,” he shrugged. “I forgive you, Jules,” he walked towards her this time. “I just needed you to say that. You know I will never betray your trust, right?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. She knew him enough now to know he was telling the truth. Yes, he had done some childish, compulsive things, but he was a man and she knew he would hold on to his words.

He was standing just inches away from her now and she could almost touch his warmth. His hands cupped her face, his green beautiful eyes looking deep into hers. “I will never break your trust, Jules,” he whispered, his lips breathing feathers against hers. Julianne didn’t dare push back when his mouth claimed hers. That would be too masochistic on her part.

The same familiar sensation, that mixture of eagerness and warmth and yearning, flowed up to her like wildfire. She circled her arms around his neck, answering his kiss with desperation.

If she would get one moment that she could have for herself in this show, this was it. She wanted to have Zach for herself even for one blissful night. She would be going home soon, she better take something with her. That way, there would be no more what-if’s. If she couldn’t get him for herself, which would be impossible, she at least would want to have him now. Because by the time the storm was over, she would have to share him with the others.

Now, it was out in the open. It was the main real reason why she didn’t want Zach. She couldn’t share him with anyone. If only things had been different, if she didn’t hate this show, if she was not afraid to fight for him, she could have him. But she couldn’t risk that. She was not sure if she could handle being sent home on his will.

That was why she wanted out. That was the reason she had been trying to ignore. But it was out now and her conscious self—for what was left of it right now as she was losing herself in his kiss—finally accepted it. So yes, she would take this moment. And then she would go as planned.

Decided, she held Zach closer, opening herself to him. She wanted this and she was not ashamed of it.

She felt his hand traveling down her spine in glorious ardor and her senses—all of them—flared up like a rocket. She leaned closer, arching her back against his hands.

If it was a sin that she initiated the unclothing, then she would gladly go to hell for that. If it was a mistake that she pulled Zach towards the bed, then she would not dream to do the right thing ever again. Because right that moment, she felt like she was nearing heaven and she was pretty sure she was doing the right thing.

 *****

Zach was certain that this time, no one was going to stop them—unless Julianne changed her mind. But that was not going to happen either, he thought, because she was the one doing the aggressive moves. He must be freaking dreaming. And if he was, he would never dare wake up.

Their breathing, ragged, raspy, and heaving, danced as they gave in. Skin to skin, breath for breath, they lavished the moment. They held each other tight as they joined the raging storm outside. Their voices were muffled by the angry thunder as they cried in passion.

He adored every inch of her and so did she. The world spun around them, and Zach finally realized something bigger than what he imagined or intended.

 He loved her.

He didn’t know how he found that out, or how he discovered that one, but he was certain, finally certain, that he was utterly in love with Julianne. He had gone from playing shenanigans to amusement to longing and finally, to loving her.

“I love you, Jules,” he whispered a moment later, his breath raspy against her ear, his skin moistened with sweat despite the cold. His heart was hammering against her breasts, partly out of exertion, the other out of what he discovered. When he felt her stiffen, he rose up on one elbow and cupped her