Her pride

The dreamy winter cottage

Chapter 28 | The dreamy winter cottage

"Well, welcome to our home for the next ten days!" Alec sang happily and opened the door of a luxurious looking cottage.

I swer that Elle was drooling all over the car, when she saw, where we will spend our holidays.

But as the door opened and revealed its beauty, I was surprised that Elle didn't faint.

Even Archer stopped with his pessimistic arguments when he saw the interior.

I have no idea how a normal winter cottage looks, since my father hated snow and the how of the winter season.

But I was almost sure that this wasn't an usual cottage. I wasn't surprised that everything was wooden, it was the enormous space of it that has surprised me.

Unlike our university, the cottage was extremely cozy.

So cozy in fact, that Elle yelled loud 'Whoa', as she disappeared in the biggest amount of pillows that I have seen on a sofa.

I didn't hesitate and dropped my manners, sinking into the pillows and trying to find my dear blonde friend.

"This is dreamy!" Elle's head peaked out.

She was right. Our dreamy winter cottage.

"So, what do you think" Alec asked and walked over to our pillow empire.

"What do you think" I said sarcastically pointing at my friend, who was currently deciding between a red and green pillow.

Alec looked at Elle and laughed, his laughter making me smile.

"Where are the bedrooms?" Archer asked, completely uninterested in our happy moment.

Alec sighed and pointed at the staircase.

"Go up and pick one of the bedrooms" he explained, Archer not even saying thank you as he rudely left.

I'll really have to talk with him.

"We can pick our own bedroom!" Elle yelled happily and rushed after Archer.

"Unbelievable" Alec mumbled and sat down.

I giggled and covered my head with a pillow.

"Am I laughable?" he said with a serious tone. "Am I laughable?" he repeated and stole my pillow.

"Am I?" he laughed and started tickling my neck.

My being extremely ticklish and dramatic at the same time, screamed so loudly, that it must have been heard even back in New Jersey.

"Stop!" I yelled and continued laughing.

"Am I laughable?" he asked again, a genuine smile plastered on his face.

"NO!" I yelled hoping that he'll let me go.

Alec stopped tickling me and looked at me, still laughing like a fool.

"Catherine, Catherine!" a voice shouted.

"Are you okay, wait I'm coming!" the owner of the voice continued as he was running to the lower floor.

Archer stopped in front of the sofa, his face covered in a worry.

But as he realized, that I'm not endangered by Alec, his face immediately changed from caring to furious in a matter of a second.

He didn't wait for an explanation and turned around wanting to leave everything behind.

I gently pushed Alec off, and followed Archer to approach him.

"Archer!" I screamed believing that he will listen to me and turn around.

Unfortunately, he didn't.

"Archer, please listen!" he slammed the entrance door.

I worryingly followed him outside of the cottage, my eyes looking around for Archer.

He was sitting on an old bench near the cottage, making it easier for my approach.

"Archer" I said calmly, reminding him of my company.

"Please" my hand tried to touch his shoulder but he shrugged it off.

"No, Catherine" he finally spoke, his eyes focused the ground.

"You misunderstood" I sat down next to him.

He stayed silent, not wanting to see my face.

"I have no idea what were you two doing past month" he spoke up, his hand grabbing mine.

"But I was scared that he'll hurt you" he continued as his hand was holding mine, carefully stroking it.

"How do you-"

"I've seen you in the garden with him" he admitted.

"What-"

"I didn't want to tell you anything, you looked so happy" Archer sighed, his hand releasing mine.

"Archer" I whispered, not knowing what to say.

"If he makes you happy, I'll respect that" his gaze returning to the ground.

"He's a friend, I trust him" my hand rested on Archer's shoulder, this time he left it there.

"Really" this wasn't a question, it was a sarcastic statement.

"Archer, listen to me for a moment" I gently rubbed his shoulder.

"We came here to forget everything that has happened, to relax and enjoy the Christmas together" I said, happy from the thought that I will be celebrating Christmas this year.

"I know" he said and looked at me.

"But Alec isn't the best company that I wish to sped Christmas with" he continued, a small grin on his face.

"You'll have to get use to him" I scolded him with sudden pull on his shoulder.

Archer flinched and groaned from the little pain that my pull has caused him.

"Only because of you" he smiled at me and shrugged my hand off his shoulder.

"Thank you" I mumbled as I was standing up, planning to leave him alone for a while.

"Wait" he said and stood up as well.

"Yes?" I turned around facing him.

"I well, thank you" his hand removing strands of hair away from his face.

"For what?" I remembered one of our first conversations.

"For understanding and caring" he stepped closer to me.

I looked at his eyes, they were full of care, desperation, fear and lust.

My eyes stopped at his lips.

Before my mind could have process all of the things happening, I slammed my lips against his.

Archer was taken by a surprise, but soon realized why am I doing and cooperated with me.

His lips felt so warm as his tongue gently rubbed my lower lip asking for an entrance. 

What a gentleman.

I gladly let him won our little tongue battle as we kissed.

My hand wrapping around his neck pulling him closer, another one resting on his cheek ensuring him that everything will be just okay.

This time I haven't forgotten. In fact my mind was thinking about every possible thing.

Including Alec and me in a hotel.