"That sounds fantastic." The sun is shining, and tiny buds of green and red are peeking out on the hardwood trees. We bounce along a dirt road, and I wonder how it is I'm supposed to be drinking coffee. I decide I'll wait until we stop before taking another sip.
Brady lets go of my hand and cracks our windows open. "Can you smell it?"
I inhale deeply, and the odor of musty, rotting plant life comes to mind. "I'm smelling something."
The baritone laugh that erupts from Brady goes straight to my core and starts me twitching. Really, body? Can't you just enjoy the man without wanting to screw him?
He says, "I suppose if you aren't used to it, it's not very pleasant. But to me it means things are starting to grow."
"And more trees means more money?"
He nods. "Yes. The tree business is in my blood." Brady throws a sideways glance at me. "Someday I hope you love this smell too."
I flash to my dreams and the musky animalistic odor I was drawn to. I think that must have been a sign. "I think someday I will."
We arrive at a plain-shingled building. It's not very big, and I'm surprised by that. I had expected something a little more elaborate, with mirrored glass and metal. I envisioned high-powered deals going down within the walls. Gravel crunches under the tires as Brady pulls up near the front door. Three other SUV-type vehicles are in the lot, but there is room for at least ten more.
Brady hops out, and before I can climb down, he's taking my hand to help. I gasp when he pulls me tight against him. He says, "I'm not sure I can go on without a kiss."
I happily oblige, and just at the point I’m ready to rip his shirt off, he pulls away.
"Damn, it's getting harder to stop." Brady's lips are flushed ruby red, and I lick mine, thinking about what I want to do with his mouth. A low noise comes from the back of his throat.
I take a deep breath, and my voice lowers an octave when I say, "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"C'mon, I'll take you to the CFO first. That's bound to put a damper on things."
I laugh and then ask, "So numbers aren't your friend?"
He grins. "Oh, they're my friend as long as I let someone else crunch them."
We enter though a glass door and take a few more steps to another one. A counter is straight ahead, and an older woman is behind it.
"Marjorie, this is Carly."
Dressed smartly in a wool suit, she pops up from her chair and comes around to greet me. I'm a bit taken aback to see she's almost as tall as I am. Is she a relative? Or is something in the water here? She says, "It's so nice to meet you. It's about time Brady found a nice girl."
I guess she spied us making out in the parking lot. "Thank you, it's nice to meet you too."
Brady says, "Marjorie is my right-hand woman. She arranges my calendar and takes care of all my details. She keeps the rest of us in line too."
She smiles warmly at him, and he leads me down a hall. The decor is quite functional, but the warm wood and brown carpet make it cozy. Forest paintings line the walls in a tasteful display. At the end he leads me into a large office. A desk that would dwarf a normal person dominates the space with its shiny dark wood.
Behind the desk is a huge picture window overlooking a valley. I walk over toward it and notice a large bird flying in the cloudless sky. "Wow, how do you get any work done?"
The heat of Brady lets me know he's behind me before his scent does. He leans down to whisper in my ear. "That doesn't distract me." He kisses my neck, and I lean back against him. "But you sure do."
He turns me around and pushes me into a large leather chair that is turned away from the desk. I land with a whoosh and chuckle. Getting down on his knees, he rolls the chair closer and positions himself between my legs. Pulling gently, he perches me on the edge and presses himself against my crotch.
With a growl he says, "The things I could do to you in this chair."
Moisture pools between my legs as I stare into his mossy-green eyes. "I was thinking about what we could do on that desk."
He smirks. "I like how you think." He gives me a quick kiss and stands. Pulling the legs of his jeans down, he says, "So this is where I work."
After a few hours of him explaining the details of his job, how the entire business operates, and meeting so many people I'm not sure I'll remember their names, it's finally time for our hike.
We meet up with Sierra and Keith at the lumber mill where Keith spends most of his days. The hum of saws is loud, and a shout rises above the din as we walk toward Keith's Jeep Cherokee. Sierra is leaning against it while Keith hovers over her. I'll bet he has a big desk too, and the thought puts an evil smile on my face.
When we get to them, Keith steps away from Sierra. Brady says, "Ready?"
Keith nods. "Yup. I'll meet you up there." He bites his lip for a second, and I wonder what’s making him nervous. Sierra has fallen hard for him already. He has to know that. After a quick kiss for her he climbs in his car and drives off.
Brady says, "Ladies, you ready for your adventure?"
Sierra snorts. "If walking through the woods is an adventure, you clearly need to get out more."