by Ever Coming
“It won’t taste as good if I leave it under the heat light.” The waitress was right on that one. It would go from yummy goodness to gas station food in only a few minutes.
“It will be fine.” The waitress nodded in agreement, probably because it was far too busy to argue. “Well, let’s go get your things.” The slight teasing was nice. Before today, she hadn’t really talked to anyone since the accident. It was refreshing. He grabbed her hand and helped her from her seat. “Hopefully, no one will think these are vacant,” he mumbled to hangover boy as he handed him what looked like a ten dollar bill.
“They won’t, sir.” The kid’s eyes lit up at the money. There was no way that Jason was a sir—well, maybe in the I have a master and am tied to the bed kind of way, but not in the traditional way. Amber guessed that Jason was twenty-sevenish. Hardly sir material.
“Thank you.” Jason led her by the hand through the crowd and out the door. A line was now formed in the entrance way, and she could see the glimmer in their eyes hoping there was space at the counter. It was a good thing Jason had paid the kid. They would have definitely lost their spot.
Outside she took the lead over to where she had dropped her bounty. She dropped his hand and bent down to gather the boxes only to have him reach them first. Such the gentleman. Although, quite frankly there was nothing gentlemanly about the things she wanted him to do to her.
“I got it.” His sexy voice was back. “My truck is around the back. This place is crowded for a small town.”
“Yeah, family weekend at the college.” She purposely let him get in front of her. She had to see his ass in those jeans. It did not disappoint.
She had to focus not to have her hand reach over to it and give it a squeeze. Screw that, she wanted a two hand squeeze that worked its way around to the front. It was official, she was back to horny girl; although, this time it wouldn’t be to fill the void. She knew that never worked. This time it would be just to save herself from carpal tunnel. She could see the doctor’s diagnosis now: Carpal Tunnel caused by over masturbation.
“It’s right over here.” Jason turned to look over his shoulder. Darn bastard caught her staring, and from the smirk on his face, he liked it.
“How do I know you are not a serial killer leading me into your web?” Her voice was light. She had no fear of this man, but if this had been a horror movie, she would have either been thrown into the back of a van or stabbed by now.
“Oh, I am no serial killer. For that matter, I’m not a spider either.” He stopped at the back of a black truck with a camper shell and Oregon plates. “I am not denying that like a spider, I may want to eat you, though.” Darn man had her on fire again, all with a very poorly worded innuendo. Jason held the box in one hand and popped open the tailgate and back with the other, easily sliding it in before closing it.
“Would you like that?” He was now standing in front of her, his face only inches from hers. She was so lost in breaking down his words that she missed his movement.
“Like what?” She swallowed sending up a quick prayer to the lust gods that he was talking about eating her out and not something else she had missed in her lust-filled haze.
“Like me to.” He leaned his head in close. His lips so close to her ear that she could feel the warmth of his breath. “Eat you.”
She nodded absent mindedly. All words escaped her. Fuck it, they had a few minutes before lunch would be ready. Heck, with that crowd, they probably had a good fifteen minutes. Not enough time to do all she wanted, but surely enough time to take the edge off.
She took the half a step between them and cupped him with her hand, leaving no doubt what she had in mind. Her hand couldn’t come close to covering his length, which was harder than steel. Oh yeah, he felt it too.
She was turned around, back against the truck with his lips on hers before she realized she was in motion. Oh goodness, she had forgotten the high of a good kiss. It was all need and lust. Jason explored every inch of her mouth and she his. Lips, teeth, tongues. They were on a mission, and she melted into him, enjoying the ride. In another hour she would be back at the cabin sorting through piles of papers and trying to be all responsible.
Her hand began to work his button. As sexy as button fly jeans were, she would have loved a zipper about now. She wanted to taste him. Forget him eating her. He was going to be her pre-lunch treat. One. Two. Three buttons open when her hand was stopped by his.
“What?” she panted. Yes, panted.
“We are on the side of a diner.” What? Was he trying to ruin the moment with facts? Screw that.
“So.” She tried to pull her hand from his, but he was now lacing his fingers with hers.
“You live near here.”
“So.” She once again tried to resume her affections and he once again kept her from doing so. She wanted to growl, but then he would know she was a shifter and she still didn’t know who he was or why he was in town. He might be in the know as townies called them, but if he wasn’t, she didn’t want to be the one facing consequences for sharing the nature of the town.
“People will see you and know what you are doing.”
“So.” She leaned her head back to look at him. He obviously felt they needed to stop for some reason and his erection told her that reason had nothing to do with lack of chemistry. She owed it to him to hear him out without grabbing his cock, no matter how much it called to her.
“They will talk.”
“They will anyway.” It was the truth. There were more gossips in Woodland Creek per capita than anywhere else she had ever been, and the problem was probably far more prevalent than even she knew, since she came to town only a few times a month. It is amazing what she learned in the grocery store picking out her produce. Rosemary teased that there were so many gossips because there were so many secrets. Amber wasn’t sure about that, but her liaison was surely seen by someone and would become fodder for the town gossips.
“You deserve better.” He pulled his hand from hers and began to button up his pants.
“They began the gossip the second I sat next to you, and you don’t know me.” Amber instantly regretted the anger that tinged her voice. “Sorry. I was all caught up in …” She took a step back and waved her hand in the air gesturing the space between them. “This ... Whatever this is.”
“Oh, you know what this is.” Jason moved in close, once again. “This is lust.”
In response, her stomach growled because there is nothing sexier than hunger. “Sorry.”
“Come. Our food is probably ready.” He took her hand as they walked back to the front entrance. The diner was still full, but there were no longer people in the entrance way. “We can finish what we started after we eat,” he added as they walked in. His smirk told her that he meant to state it just before they entered the crowded dining space, thus not allowing her to respond. Too bad he was traveling through and her days in the town were most likely numbered.
Hangover boy was gone, but in their places, he had left notes on the placemats saying, “These seats taken.”
“Huh,” Jason said, pointing to the placemats. “Guess we could have done that.”
She sat on her stool and he on his as the waitress brought their food and her malt. From the condensation on the glass and the thinness of the malt, it had been ready for a while.
“Thanks,” she said to the waitress as the sad looking burger was placed in front of her. Jason’s plate looked even worse. “I guess we took longer than I thought,” she mumbled as she picked up a wilting onion ring.
“It was worth it,” Jason remarked, picking up his soggy BLT.
“Yeah, it really was.” She smiled, giving him a knowing look.
“So, you from here?” Jason’s hand landed on her jean clad knee, and she swore she could feel his heat instantly. The magic had not been broken by the crowded diner or the crappy food. Technically speaking, lust was not magic, but Amber had always thought of it as such. It had the ability to make all thin
gs disappear, even if only momentarily.
“No. I just got here about six months ago.” She really didn’t want to get into it all. Not that she felt guarded around him. For goodness sakes she had just tried numerous times to get her hand down his pants with the hopes of getting to suck him off. She just didn’t want the rest of town to hear about her and Rosemary. There was already gossip that she was the bastard child of Rosemary’s deceased husband coming for her inheritance. Idiots.
“Work?”
“Kind of.” It hadn’t been about work, but it turned into a career of sorts, so she didn’t really feel as though she were lying. Although, honest was not how she would describe it either.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” He took her standoffishness as her not wanting to open up to him, and while she knew they would never be more than a fling, that somehow hurt her.
“No, it’s not you.” She squeezed his hand, which had now traveled a few inches up her thigh. “It’s just weird having a conversation as we are both facing the open kitchen and people are all around us, is all.”
“Yeah it is. How about we leave these, grab some coffee from that Geek place and finish our chat picnic style?” She liked the sound of that, and the food was pretty wretched from sitting for so long.
She turned to face him. “Still not a serial killer?”
“No,” he chuckled, “still not a serial killer.” He raised his hand to signal the waitress for his check, and she did the same.
Jason grabbed both bills as they appeared on the counter. “I’ve got this. After all, it is my fault it was inedible.”
“One could argue it was mine.” She winked to leave no room to question if she was being serious or not.
“True. Maybe I should ask the waitress’s opinion.” She playfully slapped him on the shoulder. “Or I could just pay this and we can be on our way?”
“And I’ll get the coffee.” He just shook his head in mirth as he slapped some money at their place and helped her from her spot at the counter.
For the first time since Rosemary’s accident, Amber was excited for something. True, it was only take away coffee, but a coffee and chat with a hottie would be nice. Especially if chat was code for orgasm.
Going Down by the River
“I should probably grab my boxes before we go. Geek Bean is on the way home, so it will save me some time.” They walked hand in hand. It felt nice. Too nice.
“Or I could drive you to Geek Bean and then to your home.” Geek bean was not far, but any distance without the boxes in her arms would be nice. Who knows? If she played her cards right, they might even be able to pick up where they left off earlier, only this time with a wee bit of privacy.
“To Geek Bean, absolutely, but not home. It is not really a drivable kind of homestead.” There was no way she wanted to explain to him why he couldn’t see her road or her cabin. She had no idea how long the illusion would hold up, but for now, it was solid.
“What do you mean?”
Crap, he was a persistent one. “It is pretty deep in the woods.”
He opened up the passenger side door and helped her in. It was an older model truck, but that made the leather seats extra comfy and she wriggled in, enjoying the comfort after those stupid counter stools. She could have sworn she heard a small groan as he shut her door.
“Wait, are you saying you are camping?” He continued right where he left off the second his door was open and he was climbing in. He turned to face her in his seat, almost looking worried. Crap on a cracker, he thought she was nearly homeless.
“Oh no, it is a cabin. Running water, electricity, the internet, the whole nine yards.” He didn’t look like he totally believed her, so she quickly added, “No one uses file folders in a tent.”
“But no driveway?” Now he looked less concerned and more confused. She just wanted to get to the coffee and orgasms, but he had to be all nice and caring. He cupped her cheek with his hand. For a quick second she could have sworn she felt her jaguar. Darn hormones were messing with her head.
“Not so much.” It wasn’t like she could tell him she had a driveway he would not be able to see.
“Is that why you are walking with all of these things?” He was still amused by her choice of words. She wanted to ask him what he would call them, but he had yet to start the truck, which meant she was still a good ten minutes away from her new afternoon goal. No way was she delaying that any further than necessary.
“I am walking because my motorcycle broke and I haven’t gotten it fixed yet.”
“Motorcycle. You were going to carry these on your motorcycle?” His thumb caressed her cheekbone, and she focused really hard on the question at hand instead of the really hard erection she was hoping to have him sporting in the near future.
“No. That would be crazy.” As his thumb travelled to her lips, she gave it a quick nip before turning slightly. If she allowed him to continue on this path, she was going to jump him and from the crash of the dumpster echoing in her ears, that was not the best idea. They most definitely had an audience. “If …” Her voice slightly cracked. Oh yeah, he knew he was turning her on. “… my motorcycle worked, I would have gotten the smaller cardboard boxes and put all of the things in my backpack instead of putting my backpack in the box.”
“You are full of surprises, aren’t you? My little biker chick.” The lust returned in his eyes, full throttle. At least the conversation was going in the right direction.
“Hardly. It was cheap and mostly worked, so I bought it instead of a car.” He was a stranger she was about to get hot and sweaty with, there was no reason for her to over share anything about money, yet out it came. She didn’t want him thinking she was a biker chick when she was anything but. He might have eyes she wanted to get lost in and dimples that made her pussy weep for joy, but she wanted him to want her for her. Not that he knew her. She had to stop over thinking and just enjoy the afternoon distraction.
“Sticking with my original assessment. It is hotter.”
She let out a giggle. Amber was not normally a giggler. There was something about this man. “Yeah, I guess it is.” It’s true, biker chicks were hot.
“My truck has four wheel drive.” And they were back to that again. Mr. Persistent.
“I think it is best if I walk.” The bluntness and harshness of her words felt bad coming out, so she quickly over compensated by plastering on a huge smile and running her hand up his arm. He was built beneath his plain grey t-shirt, and she planned to see just how built he was. She was also dying to know just what the tattoo barely showing over the top of his collar just now was.
“Do you walk alone all the time?” Was that worry in his voice? They had just met. Heck, she didn’t even know his last name.
“Serial Killer Jason talking?” Amber hoped that adding the humor would lighten things back up.
“Nah, nice guy Jason talking.” She believed him too. He was a nice guy. A nice guy wrapped in a freakin’ hot bad boy body.
“Yeah, I do.” His eyes fell. He didn’t like that answer. Not one bit. “I used to have a roommate, but she is gone, so yeah. Don’t worry, though. I can take care of myself.”
“Oh, I know that. Jaguar or cougar?” Well that one question just made things more interesting. Amber was glad he knew. There was no part of her that questioned her safety around him, and it was nice to add one more layer to their connection.
“Well, it looks like I am not the only one full of surprises. I didn’t realize you were in the know. Visiting, not passing through, I see.” She had wondered why he would be passing through. It wasn’t like Woodland Creek was en route to anywhere when your starting point is Oregon.
“Not sure if in the know is how I would explain it, but more taking care of some business than visiting.” Working. Hmmm, that could mean he was there for a few days. She could work with that. “I actually had never been here before today. Maybe you can be my tour guide.”
“I actually would be a crappy guide
. I pretty much stick to myself.”
“Cougar thing?” He was not subtle, that was sure. She had left him hanging, so it was fair.
“Jaguar thing, but no. More of an Amber thing.” Jaguars were solitary to be sure, but they didn’t act like hermits in the woods.
“You sure you want to carry this all the way home?” She grabbed his keys out of his hand and threw them on the dash. “I mean even if my truck is not going to fit, I can walk you. You know, be the dumb muscle.”
“I seriously doubt you are dumb, but I got it.” She leaned in, hoping for a kiss, but he grabbed the keys off the dash and put them in the ignition before putting on his seatbelt.
“We best go get that coffee. That way I can spend the next hour or so wooing you into letting me help you.” He backed the truck out of the spot and began their short drive.
“Wooing? Seemed like you were busy avoiding wooing just now.” Amber wanted to kick her own ass. She sounded like a needy, hurt, wannabe girlfriend instead of the strong young jaguar she knew she was.
“What I was doing,” He grabbed her hand as they stopped at the stop sign and placed it in his lap—holy crap, he was bigger than she initially thought, “was avoiding our debut as exhibitionists in Drake’s parking lot. I figure that having the waitress watching us while on her smoke break was not the best way to go about things.”
“Oh.” She had totally forgotten about their probable audience. If her jaguar was not in hiding, she would have warned her, but any woman should be aware enough to avoid situations like that.
The truck pulled into a spot in front of the coffee shop. It was more of a hangout for locals than anything else so she hoped that meant that it would be less crowded than the diner.
Sure enough it was, and they grabbed their coffees with ease. Jason insisted on paying. For a guy with tattoos, he was sure old fashioned. No use in arguing over the few bucks because she was sure he was going to bring up her trip home, yet again, if she did.