Her Perfect Mismatch (A Town Named Eden Book 2) (12 page)

He brushed his hand across his face and tossed the words around his head. Yes, he should be for Elizabeth whatever she wanted him to be.

He’d let her decide. Even if that was asking for trouble.

“There’s no rush. She’s only been here a couple of weeks—”

“I don’t know about that. If you’re not careful, someone else will come along and stake a claim on her.”

Over his dead body.

“How will you feel then?”

He raised both hands. “I give up.” Talk about falling off the wagon and hitting the ground with a thump. Now what? He’d get in the car, drive over to Rosebud Cottage and…

* * *

“That beep sounds like someone’s trying to call you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Elizabeth trudged along the path leading to her rhubarb stash. “It’s probably my mom. I tried calling her earlier but she didn’t pick up.” Luckily Tash had called so she’d been able to focus on something other than the swirl of thoughts residing in her head. If Mitch didn’t have time for her, then—

Elizabeth told herself to stop but it wasn’t enough to hold back the rise of emotions. They rolled around her like a thunderstorm gathering momentum.

“You’ve been talking at a rate of knots. What’s going on?” Tash asked.

She was trying to outrun her thoughts, that’s what. “I think I made a mistake and now I’m going to have to live with the consequences. Talking about it is not going to help.”

“It’s supposed to. Internalizing problems will only keep you awake at night.”

“That’s not going to happen. I’ve been working nonstop. When my head hits the pillow, I’ll be out like a light.” She set her basket down and tried to calculate how much rhubarb she’d need for her next batch. So far, she’d cleared out two long rows.

“Do your problems have anything to do with Mitch?”

“No. They’re to do with my expectations. Also, I’m experiencing a relapse to my teenage years. I’m a twenty-seven year old grown up, I should be able to cope with being snubbed.”

Tash laughed. “So… I noticed you didn’t deny it.”

The sound of footsteps along the gravel path had her glancing up.

Mitch!

“I hate to do this, but I… I have to go.”

“Don’t tell me, something… someone better has shown up.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m only teasing. Talk to you soon.”

As he drew nearer, she noticed the corner of his mouth curved slightly.

Elizabeth wiped her hands against her dress. Time to crawl out of her denial cave. She had fallen head over heels for the town’s bad boy.
So what are you going to do about it, Elizabeth?

What had she done as a teenager?

She frowned and scratched around for some distant memory to help her, but she came up empty. She didn’t remember ever having a crush this bad.

Okay, she’d go with plan B.

Tread with care.

Back away, one tiny step at a time.

Cut her losses now.

“That’s not the advice I wanted to hear,” she said under her breath and smiled. “Hello.” She had her eyes glued to his lips so she saw them move but she didn’t hear a word. “Hi,” she said again. The tiny word sounded like a gurgle, but at least she knew she hadn’t suddenly lost her hearing. Was Mitch talking to himself? Maybe calling himself all types of fool for coming here…

* * *

He was only a couple of steps away from Elizabeth so he’d better speak now, or forever be thought of as a fumbling idiot. What the hell was wrong with him? On the drive over he’d rehearsed an entire conversation with Elizabeth. He said and she said had flowed effortlessly. And now…

His head, his body only had room for one thought, one action. He wanted to kiss her.

So much for taking notice of his wake-up call and swearing off women. What if it was too late and he was doomed to become a womanizer? A modern day Lothario?

“Hi,” he finally managed to say and wished he hadn’t because speaking took his focus away from what he was doing and suddenly he didn’t know his left foot from his right one. If he didn’t stop, he’d crash right into her.

Damn it. He couldn’t stop.

But it didn’t matter because his body knew the drill, and that’s when he realized he was beyond saving.

His brain switched over to automatic pilot, his hand slid around her waist and drawing her against him, he kissed her.

If only he’d been able to stop at that. But oh no, he’d had to keep going. Sweeping her off her feet, he carried her back toward the house, his mouth lost in the surge of pleasure.

Some day they’d laugh about this. The thought floated around his mind like a whisper. Some day, maybe as they took a stroll or sat at Joyce’s sipping lattes, they’d look into each other’s eyes and she would smile and remind him of the day he’d found her helping herself to his rhubarb and how he’d scooped her up…

Lost in their kiss, he somehow managed to navigate his way to the back porch and, reaching for the door handle, he turned it and opened the door. From there, he made a beeline to the freshly painted main bedroom.

He was going to take this nice and slow. Explore every inch of her body, ravish her at leisure…

Chapter Twelve

Mitch had the body of a bad boy and he knew how to use it. Elizabeth had never woken up to a more perfect thought. Or feeling…

She smiled as she savored the sensations still lapping against her body. If she could bottle them up and sell them—

No way. She wouldn’t share them with anyone, not even for a King’s ransom.

Elizabeth sent her gaze skating around the room.

She frowned. Her thoughts stilled. And then, as if jolted out of her dazed state, her eyes focused. “We’re inside.” Her voice was barely a whisper but it was enough to stir Mitch awake.

“Good morning.” He drew her against him. “A very good morning.”

“We’re inside,” she said again.

“Where did you think we were?”

“I… I didn’t think. I got caught up.” Caught up in the moment. Swept away. One moment she’d been talking to Tash on the phone, and then Mitch had appeared…

“I know the feeling. I was right there with you,” he said brushing his lips against her neck, the light bristle on his chin tickling her skin.

“This is your place,” she said trying to shake off the remaining morning after happy daze to make way for some much-needed practical straight thinking.

“You own this house.” She didn’t mean to make her words sound like an accusation, but that’s exactly how they burst out of her mouth.

Mitch stilled. She sensed every muscle in his body hardening. Even as she shifted away from him, she could feel a rise in tension. She didn’t know if it came from her or from Mitch.

She watched him hesitate, his lips parting and then closing, his eyes sweeping around her face. “I was going to tell you.”

“You were? When?”

“Eventually?”

“You don’t sound sure of yourself.”

“I was… working up to it.”

Her fingers curled around the edge of the duvet. Why did she feel as if she’d been caught up in a tangle of misleading, manipulative lies?

“All this time. I thought—” She didn’t know what she’d been thinking. That he was different? That she could trust him? No, she hadn’t been thinking. She’d been too overwhelmed by the sweeping changes in her life and by this burst of attraction to a man she’d met only a few days before. Had it even been a week? Yes, no, she wasn’t sure. There’d been so much going on in her life…

And then it hit her.

“You’ve known all along I was stealing your rhubarb.”

His eyes filled with laughter. “You’re my very own rhubarb thief.”

She didn’t laugh. Instead, she edged away from him.

He pushed out a breath. “I only found out the day after the Twilight Market.”

Elizabeth threw her head back and closed her eyes.

They were all in on it. That first night she’d had the girls over to the cottage for drinks, they’d all encouraged her to get into jam making and to help herself to the rhubarb...

They’d dragged her right into the thick of it, no doubt for their own amusement.

Pulling at the duvet, she scrambled to sit up. “You didn’t notice it going missing?”

He shrugged. “I thought it was vandals. Then I suspected a wild boar.”

“And then you discovered it was me and you didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t see the point… Actually, I thought if you knew you might find it awkward.”

That was an understatement.

She’d been fighting an uphill battle to escape from a man who’d controlled every aspect of her life, a man who always thought he knew best, only to end up playing right into the hands of another version of Andrew.

“It’s no big deal,” he said. “I don’t mind you taking it.”

“I offered to pay.”

“I can’t take money from you, especially not for something I was going to rip out and throw away.”

Her breath came in sharp little bursts.

Instinct took hold of her, screaming for her to leave as fast as her legs could carry her. She sprung out of bed and reached down for her clothes that lay scattered on the floor. “I can’t believe this,” she said under her breath.

“What are you doing?”

Thinking straight. Coming to her senses. Or at least trying to. “Getting dressed.”

“Why?”

“Because this was a bad idea.”

“Elizabeth.”

The sound of her name on his lips turned her legs to jelly. “Don’t.” She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out until there was nothing left.

What was she doing? Blaming him? For what? Being himself?

The fact she couldn’t find a reasonable answer justified her need to find some distance. Then she might be able to think clearly.

“I have to go.” This was all her fault. She’d thrown herself at him without thinking. Only days after arriving in a place she’d hoped to call home. So much for nailing down her priorities and focusing on reinventing her life…

“Wait.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him jump out of bed and throw his clothes on.

Even as she crouched down to search for her shoes, Elizabeth couldn’t help peering at him. He was hot. Hot. Hot. And she was an idiot for thinking she had to walk away. But how else was she going to prove she could stand on her own two feet? She’d spent three years orbiting around Andrew, more like hovering around the dark side of the moon. She wanted to be someone’s partner in life, not a fading shadow. She wanted to be a partner. If not for the long haul then… for now…

If only she’d stayed on track, focusing on her priorities. She needed to find herself, to become the person she’d always wanted to be. Right from the start, it was all she’d been thinking about. But then she’d been mesmerized by the easy friendships she’d made and how quickly she’d fit in and… and Mitch. She’d tried to keep her distance but the tug of temptation had been impossible to resist.

In all fairness, she had reasoned that living in a small town meant embracing everything it had to offer…

Including throwing herself at Mitch with the desperation of a drowning person?

When she pushed out another hard breath she nearly sagged back onto the bed.

Every moment since meeting Mitch had been heightened by a feeling of exhilaration. What would come next, what would she feel next?

She’d been on an adventure, but now it was time to stop. Regroup. Rethink this out of control hurtling into an unknown future that could easily land her in the same impossible situation she’d been trapped in before.

She’d made happiness her target and she’d set her sights on a place. Eden. Finding someone to share her life with hadn’t been at the top of her list of priorities, but it had been there. If only she’d stopped to consider the consequences of getting everything she’d wished for, all at once...

That thought was going to keep her awake all night.

Elizabeth pressed her fingers against her temple.

This sudden plunge into explosive happiness was too much for her. She needed to find stability first. She needed to find her equilibrium. Anything short of that would leave her wide open, exposed and vulnerable to anyone who wanted to take advantage of her.

She could start taking risks when she had a life to call her own, something no one could try to control or take away from her.

“Talk to me, Elizabeth.” Mitch rounded the bed, his fingers making fast work of securing his jeans in place.

“I thought I could do this. But I’ve been telling myself the biggest lie of all, and all because I wanted this new life, and I refused to settle for anything less than being happy, and now I realize I took on too much and I’ve only managed to complicate my life... and yours. I know you don’t want this—” She dragged in a big breath and put her hand up to stop him.

For a moment, he appeared undecided. Then with a shake of his head, he drew Elizabeth against him. She didn’t have it in her to pull away.

“You’re trembling.”

“Sorry, I’m a coward.” And a fool.

“No, you’re not. You’ve taken huge steps in your life and it’s all catching up with you.” He drew back slightly and rested his forehead against hers. “You’re annoyed because you feel you were left in the dark.”

“That’s… that’s very observant of you.”

“I have my moments. Ask Eddie. She can back me up. Just don’t make me explain my reasoning. That tends to do my head in.”

She tried to stifle the gurgle of laughter she felt rising inside her, but that only made her chest shake.

“You can’t let him win, Elizabeth.”

“What do you mean?”

He closed his eyes. She could see his jaw muscles clenching and relaxing.

“Your ex didn’t exactly wish you well.” He drew in a sharp breath and moved his lips as if hesitating. “I know his type,” he finally continued. “He’s waiting for you to realize you can’t make it on your own, that you depend on him. If you go back to him, he’s going to suck the rest of your vibrant, beautiful self until there’s nothing left but a shell.”

She gave a fierce shake of her head. “That’s never going to happen.”

“So why not show him, Elizabeth? Show him you won’t give up the ground you’ve gained by getting on with your life.” His fingers pressed against her shoulders. “And by taking the chances you were obviously afraid to take before.”

“With you.”

For the longest moment, he looked at her without blinking. Then his fingers relaxed their hold and he brushed them along her shoulders.

“Sorry, for a minute there I thought I was making sense. Clearly I’m not the one for you. You want someone like Tom Ellis or… or Luke Sterling.” He eased his hands away from her shoulders and stepped back. “You should go.”

* * *

Mitch knew this was his call to action moment. So why was he telling her to go? Earlier he’d decided he would be whatever Elizabeth needed him to be.

She was making him work hard. Harder than he’d ever had to in his life, putting him through a meat grinder of emotions, frustrating the hell out of him. And he loved her for it.

No one had ever had that effect on him. Not even The Flea, and he’d completely revamped his life because of her.

Ask her what she wants, you fool.

No, he should wait. Give her some space. Getting her to agree to something while she was still trying to work through her thoughts wouldn’t be fair, to either of them. Best to let the dust settle.

“Go,” he said again, his voice calm, resigned.

She nodded and turned to leave. Her back straight, her head held high, but her steps uncertain.

Mitch braced himself.

He couldn’t believe she was leaving, without one tiny look over her shoulder. He supposed that meant one night… one point five nights with Eden’s bad boy had been enough for her. If she’d wanted more from him, if she thought he could offer more…

She wouldn’t be walking away.

Damn it. What had happened to making his grass as green as the neighbor’s? He was as good as Tom Ellis and Luke Sterling. Why push her in their direction?

When he saw her reach the door he knew he didn’t have a hope in hell of turning this around.

Her step faltered. Mitch looked around the bedroom to see if she’d left anything behind. Why else would she hesitate?

“Unless…”

Mitch saw her shoulders rise and fall and then relax as she turned to face him.

Unless… He liked the sound of that.

“Never mind.” She turned and strode out of the bedroom.

* * *

She had her pride.

Elizabeth rolled eyes. “I sure do, and I hope it keeps me nice and comfy in my old age.”

She dug her fingers through her hair. A new, expressive trait. After years of gathering her long locks into a neat bun, she’d been wearing her hair loose all these days, enjoying the breeze lifting it as she strode around. Who knew what she’d do next. Start gesturing with her hands in that unique way Europeans had of communicating? She laughed under her breath and turned her attention to the winding road ahead.

At the moment, there was only one certainty in her life. There’d be no going back to the shadow of a person she’d been. Whatever happened, she was moving forward.

After leaving Mitch’s place, she’d found her way back to Rosebud Cottage, had showered and dressed, and not bothering with breakfast, she’d hit the road, driving around, losing herself, trying to stay one step ahead of the thoughts that had been chasing her all morning.

“Am I going to be happy at the end of this drive?”

Mitch had asked her that. How long ago? She couldn’t remember. Everything she’d said, and everything she’d heard said since coming to Eden was all mashed up in her mind.

“But I can remember everything I’ve felt since coming here. And that’s all that matters.”

The excitement of making new friends. The warmth of their support. The joy of sharing her little triumph.

There’d also been the sense of relief at having made the right choice, and that relief had mingled with bursts of light joy and—