Chapter 207 Getaway

Chapter 207 Getaway
Laurette’s POV

I stared absently at the painting that hung on the wall opposite me as Hosea conversed with the waiter. We were in a less crowded part of the restaurant, which I believe should be the VIP section, and there was just so much to admire. 

Off to my right, there was whole wall lined with champagne bottles stacked over one another, and beside it was the same arrangement but with the wine glasses. The chandeliers hanging from the ceilings were so shiny I could see the freckle on my cheeks whenever I stared into them, and the paintings that hung on the walls looked like they could pay my tuition for the rest of my school life. 

There were also shiny structures made out of polished mahogany that stood at each corner of the space. It was dreamy in an uncommon and luxurious way. 

“Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”  Hosea pulls me from my head with his voice, gesturing towards the menu. 

I shake my head, rubbing my slightly bloated tummy. “I’m okay. Can’t get bigger.”

The waiter had just finished clearing out our table, and the food was beyond amazing, although I’d have been worried if it wasn’t with how pricey it is. 

Hosea lets out a low laugh at my words, blinking slowly at me. I hold his eyes. I picked up on it a while ago, but it was becoming more and more obvious that something was wrong. He was clearly worried about something. I just wondered if he was willing to share it with me. 

He rises to his feet a few minutes later and offers me his hand, pulling me out of the restaurant and back to his car. He pulls out of the parking lot of the restaurant, into a lonely road that seems unfamiliar to me. 

“Where are we going?”  I break the comfortable silence in the car, watching with silent admiration as Hosea controls the steering wheel. 

“Where we’re staying for the weekend.”  He says, glancing at the rear view mirror before switching lanes. 

I heave a content sigh, leaning back into my seat and fixing my eyes on the world as it flies backwards beyond the glass. At some point in my reverie, a familiar melody starts to play faintly in the car. I sit up immediately I recognize the tune, reaching over to increase the volume. I smile as the familiar bridge of Looking Too Closely by Fink meets my ears. 

I sing along to the lyrics lowly as I relax back into my seat. I shut my eyes with my face turned towards the window, the smile still on my face. I feel the heat of Hosea’s gaze on me as I rest the side of my head against the window. 

The sun slowly makes its way behind the clouds, and somewhere between me relishing the beautiful scenery outside and humming the tune of the song playing in the car, I fall asleep. 

The next time I open my eyes, the sky is dark and the car is pulling up in front of a large wooden house seemingly in the middle of nowhere. I rub the sleep out of my eyes as the engine of the car is turned off, my eyes fixed outside the window, on the beautiful house. 

“We’re here”. Hosea rasps, a faint swishing sound following as his palms smoothed over his thighs. 
I pull my groggy eyes over to him, my lips pulling up as soon as my eyes meet his. He mirrors my smile, undoing his seatbelt and leaning over the center console to bring his face close to mine. He breathes against my lips as our noses touch, but he makes no move to kiss me. “Did you enjoy your sleep?”

I nod slowly, unable to keep the silly smile off my face as I watch him speak. 

“It was boring while you did. Wanted to wake you up to keep me company.”  He teases, grazing the side of my arm with his fingertips. 

“Well you should’ve.”  I chuckle breathily, lifting a shoulder and dropping it. 

“You looked so pretty while you slept”. He says, the smile on his face slowly fading. “Decided to entertain myself with that instead.”

“With what?”

“Staring at your face.”

I smile. “Instead of looking at the road?”

“Precisely. Almost drove into a tree twice”. He catches my jab, playing along. 

I lean forward, closing the little distance between our faces by pressing my lips against his own. His hand comes down to my thigh, slipping underneath the little blanket draped over me to caress my bare flesh. He breathes into the kiss, digging his fingertips into my flesh in a way that isn’t painful but passes the message across. 

Before I can go through with my own desires, he pulls away and clicks his door open. He climbs out of the car and walks around to my side, pulling my door open as well. I stare patiently at him, even as he takes my hand and helps me out as well. My feet has barely touched the gravel when Hosea suddenly scoops me in his arms, throwing me over his shoulder and turning to walk into the house. My shrieks and screams echo throughout the vast land and trees, resounding merrily like a call and response. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick”. I wheeze, poking a finger into Hosea’s back to get him to put me down. All I get in return is a hard smack on my bum that has me jerking forward and bursting into a fit of giggles right after. “Put me down!”  I cry out, although my words are broken from laughter. 

“Not a chance”. Hosea calls back. 

I lift my eyes as Hosea unlocks the door of the house with a small key, walking us inside. My eyes take in the beauty of the house, the high ceilings, expensive furniture and marble floors. It’s beautiful. So beautiful that it looks more like an attraction resort rather than a home. 

“What is this place?”  I ask as he walks up the stairs. 

He pushes the door to one of the rooms upstairs open and walks inside. “It’s my family’s cabin.”

Oh. Cabin? “Getaway Mansion you mean”.

“Whatever you choose to call it.”  He shrugs. 

“It’s beautiful.”  I remark, looking around the room. Downstairs, most of the furniture were covered with sheets to protect them from the dust, and it was the same up here. Although I could still clearly see how beautiful the room was. “Did you guys come here often?”

“Yea, when my mother was alive. She loved this place and brought me here a lot as a kid.” At my smile he continues. “The cleaning staff would be here tomorrow morning”. He gestures towards the covered furniture. 

I have a few questions on my mind to ask, but as he stands to his feet, I decide to save them for later. “You could freshen up if you want. I’ll go grab our things.”  
He leaves the room, just as a smile spreads on my face at the thought of little Hosea running around this room.