Of Mountains and Men: A Why Choose Romance

Chapter 12

The kids are all passed out on blankets in front of the t.v. by nine thirty, it's adorable. I clear my throat turning off the vhs player and tv.

"Do you want to spend the night here or head back?" I ask, not sure which I'm hoping for.

Andrew smiles, "We should head back, but thank you for the offer." He gets up off the couch, I follow suit heading to where I hung their jackets. I feel a gentle graze down my back turning around to see all of them close.

They surround me, James brings his head down to mine asking for permission. I stand on tip toe to reach him, gasping when two sets of lips gently suck and bite my neck. My hands reach out to grab onto the front of their shirts.

When James pulls away, I let out a groan as they all stop. "We need to find a little more quiet time." I sigh wanting more.

"Maybe tomorrow we'll get a little time after the pool." Michael says, his voice coming out deeper than normal. "How about ten am for tomorrow?"

I grin turning to him, "I'd like that very much."

Michael starts their rental, while the rest of us get the girls' coats and shoes back on. Then we carry the sleepy girls to the rental.

"Drive safe!" I tell James who's driving.

"Always." He gives me an evil grin before getting inside.

I feel an ache of loneliness as they drive away. I shake my head, it's so stupid to feel anything more than intrigue right now. They don't and won't ever love me. I need to get those notions out of my brain.

Putting Charley to bed is first on my list, then I tidy up the living room and run a bath adding in a lavender bath bomb to hopefully chill me out. I'm getting attached far too quickly. I still haven't given them my number, but now they know where I live.

I finally drift off around midnight, I stayed up to reread one of my favorite books. Most people see it as dumb, but I always enjoy reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. For some reason it gives me a weird sort of comfort.

Just because we are able to sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays doesn't mean we do, like ever. Charley is always up and rearing to go about his day at six a.m. I reheat us some of the leftovers letting Charley go play after he gets dressed. We have three hours until we need to leave, I decide it's time to make a new batch of soap.

I pull out my brownie tray lined with parchment paper for my mold. Then the emulsion blender, soap bowl, the scales, lye and the frozen goat milk cubes. I make the lye goat milk solution first putting it in the fridge to chill while I start measuring out the olive oil, the cedar essential oil, then a mixture of coffee grounds and cocoa powder to make it brown.

It wasn't my intention to make a scent that would compliment Michael, but I think this really would. I guess it will remind me of him when he's gone. I'll have to make soap for the other two as well.

I can't help singing along with Blue's Clues in the background while I add the lye solution into the oil and start blending. I love making soap, it's so relaxing. When the soap mix looks like batter, I quickly add the rest of the ingredients, mix them and pour it all into the brownie pan. Perhaps I should invest in some cuter molds, and by invest, I mean scour the thrift stores for some. Maybe I could make a business from this.

When I'm finished cleaning up my mess, I tell Charleyit's time to grab our suits, towels, stuff them in a bag and head out. He letsout a cheer scrambling up the stairs to get his suit out of his dresser. He'sjust so cute I could cry.