by Jenn Sable
Somehow his eyes darkened even more, and he uncrossed his arms and stepped into the kitchen.
“I’m so used to seeing you in the police cruiser that I didn’t even recognize your truck,” I stammered.
“Are you okay? Did that little piss ant, Max Palmer, do anything that I need to know about?”
I absentmindedly reached up to stroke my arm where his fingers had dug into my skin. “No. He's harmless for the most part. He's just an ass.”
Troy studied me for a moment. “You sure?”
I smiled. “Yeah, I'm sure. But I'm not sure if I have all the ingredients for hot cocoa. We’re out of the instant packets, and I haven’t gone for groceries since I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow morning. Did you really want a cup of hot cocoa?”
His brows raised in amusement. “I’m an unabashed hot cocoa drinker, but I could go for something a little stronger on a Friday night. Do you have any beer or whiskey?”
“I already have a bottle of wine open in the garden.”
Our eyes connected. “In the garden, huh?” said Troy, rubbing his jaw with his hand.
I watched the way he rubbed over his day-old stubble on his square jaw and I couldn’t help but imagine how those long fingers would feel rubbing over my skin. I tried to shake off the thought and concentrate. “Yup, want to join me for a drink out there?”
I clicked off the stove burner, and we walked out the side door, back out into the night. It was surreal to have Troy with me at the inn, late at night, alone. All the possibilities of what the night could offer were laid out before us, and we just had to be brave enough to reach for what we wanted.
And I wanted to be wrapped in Troy’s arms again, this time with his mouth on mine and his hands roaming over my body and under my clothes. I wanted to smooth my hands over his ridges and planes, and I couldn’t stop the unbidden image of my open mouth sliding over his chest, abdominals, and lower. It was completely insane, but thinking about it, thinking about what it might do to Troy and what kind of response I’d get from him had me biting my lip.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Troy, making me jump.
“What? Nothing. I was justーnothing. I wasn’t thinking anything,” I finished, lamely and internally scolded myself.
“The lanterns are a nice touch. As soon as I drove past the woods and entered the clearing, I thought that you might’ve been hosting a party,” chuckled Troy.
“Oh yeah, I was experimenting tonight. You know, letting my imagination run wild for a second. I do that from time to time, especially whenever I'm home alone. It's quiet, and I can hear myself think. I don't have any sisters screaming out second-floor windows causing noise complaints,” I said and slid my gaze over to see the humor flash in his eyes.
He laughed. “Well, whatever you imagined tonight was beautiful because this place looks stunning.”
I smiled and led us toward the back lawn chairs that overlooked the garden. “I was walking around, lighting the lanterns and imagining a tea party. A midnight tea party, on the front lawn. You know wooden tables, candlelight teapots, teacups and lots of laughter coming from a lot of tea swilling ladies.”
Troy raised his brows. “I can already predict another noise complaint. You better make friends with your new neighbor at the Armor Estate. He has no idea what he’s in for with the Evans girls.”
I laughed. “You aren't kidding. I told Sammy that we need to have Rose bake something, one of her best recipes, and take it over there as a peace offering.”
There were two lawn lounge chairs and a small side table between them, but Troy didn’t sit when we reached them. “That's not a bad idea. But speaking of those lanterns outside, can I help you put them out? It's getting late.”
“Oh, I can do it,” I said, waving off the suggestion.
Troy stood and stared at me for a moment. “El, let me. I want to help you. Plus, it’s late and dark, and I’ll feel better knowing that the lanterns have been snuffed out and you’re safely back in the house.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled. “Fine. Thanks for the help. But if you need to get going, I understand. I don’t want to mess up any Friday night plans.”
Troy bent down and picked up the bottle of wine momentarily to read the label and nodded approvingly. Then he looked over at me and wagged his brows. “I'm not in a hurry if you're not.”
“I'm not,” I said quickly, and nervously tucked a few dark curls behind my ears.
A slow half-smile pulled at the corner of Troy's lips. “Good.”
“What? What’s that smile for?” I asked, embarrassed.
His smile widened. “It’s really cute when you get nervous.”
My heart leaped to the back of my throat. Troy’s combining the thought of something being cute and attaching it to me made me feel a little buzzed without even having picked back up my wine glass. “Nervous? I'm not nervous. What makes you think that?” Again, I quickly tucked my hair behind my ears and pulled at the waistline of my dress. Damn, El. At least learn something from Max Palmer and relax your body. I’m practically screaming, “Hello, I’m Nervous Nelly, nice to meet you!”
In one step, Troy shifted to my side of the lounge chairs and sat down, our bodies now only inches apart, and I could feel the heat of his body radiating off of his body in the cool night air. For a full thirty seconds, we just shared space together. We looked at each other and listened to one another breathe while the crickets and night critters provided the background music.
Then he slowly lifted his hands, placed his fingertips to either side of my temples and tucked my hair again behind my ears. “This tells me that you're nervous. And it's so damn cute, it's hard for me not to smile when I see you do it,” he said in a low, slow, sexy voice.
“Oh,” I said. And quickly stood up, and he stood too. A blush crawled up my neck and settled on the apples of my cheeks. “Well, we’d better snuff out these lanterns.”
Troy walked beside me silently and went over to each lantern we passed and snuffed it out the flame until we circled the entire inn and were left standing alone in the moonlight. “Why did you come over tonight?” I asked, curious.
“I got a text from Sammie at the end of my shift. She asked me to swing by and check on you,” said Troy.
“What? Really?” I asked Sammie to keep things quiet and to herself, and she lasted a few hours. However, this time, I was grateful for her meddling.
Fire danced behind Troy's storm-colored eyes, and my stomach started to flutter. “I also forgot something earlier,” he said.
“Oh? Do you remember where you left it?” Even I could hear the disappointment in my voice.
“Yeah, right here,” said Troy as he reached for me. With one hand at my waist, he pulled me to him, and with the other, he slid his fingers into my hair, rested his palm behind my ear, tipped my face up to his and lowered his lips to mine.
Chapter 6 - Troy
I stood with my arms around El. My lips brushed against her soft full ones, and everything about the day melted away. The inn disappeared into the shadows, and it was just Eloise and me together in a timeless, spaceless moment that felt as natural as breathing. One of her hands laid flat against my chest, and the other snaked around my waist. I growled in the back of my throat when her fingertips brushed along my spine and came to rest on my shoulder.
My lips softened against hers as I gently brushed mine over hers again and again. I was surprised that I didn't feel heady with excitement, but rather peaceful and relieved, as though I were exactly where I was supposed to be. El fit perfectly against me, and I liked knowing that I was there to hold her, keep her safe, show her just how much she meant to me. I opened my mouth and took her bottom lip between mine, and El lifted onto her tiptoes and pressed herself firmer against my hips. I stood steady as a mountain and devoured her mouth.
I loved how El allowed me to tease her lips apart and tilt her head back further to give me better access. My tongue slid past her lips and tasted her with long, slow s
trokes. A soft moan escaped her throat, and the sound of it socked me in the stomach with a punch of desire. Hearing how turned on she was and feeling her curl her fingers into my hair, melting farther into my chest, made me growl like an animal.
Desire pooled in my gut, and sensation started winning over thought. I grazed my fingers from her waist up over her ribs and settled my big, warm hand just under the swell of her breast. My cock strained against my pants and each time she shifted her hips rubbed over the sensitive surface under the taunt fabric, I thought I was going to go out of my fucking mind. Her breath quickened, and I slid my tongue past her lips in bold strokes. Our tongues played along one another until we picked up momentum and caved into a series of needy, passionate, and shameless kisses.
Shy at first, her hands grew bolder as she felt my thickening length against her stomach. She eased her hand from my chest and drew me closer, resting her palm right above my ass. Her fingers curved down and landed on my firm buttocks. I almost bucked against her involuntarily.
I pictured El gripping my bare ass, pulling me closer to her while I eased each inch of my hot, hard length inside her. My stomach clenched at the thought of us intimately entwined, me making her come with fingers, mouth, and finally my cock.
She breathed against my mouth. “Troy, you feel so good.”
At the sound of my name, I stopped and pulled away. I had to put at least two feet between us and stood with one hand on my hip and ran the other down the back of my head and neck.
“Jesus, Eloise,” I said. My voice sounded thick and I loved the way her big brown eyes were heavy with desire and need.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
I hated that I’d popped our bubble of bliss and how I felt torn and conflicted. But if I kept kissing Eloise, kept rubbing my hard dick against her soft belly, I was going to fuck her. And I didn’t want to move too quickly with this. I also knew that this was the absolute worst timing for us to sleep together.
“Hearing you say my name like that, it makes me want to do things I shouldn’t,” I said, my jaw flexed, and it stunned me how my entire body was on fire with desire and the need to take El into my arms and join my body with hers.
She smiled and left out a husky, sexy little laugh. “Like what?”
I growled low in my throat and locked my eyes on hers. “El, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
She bit her lip and swept her eyes over my form. I flashed her a warning look, daring her to say anything about the hard arousal currently pressed against my pants, threatening to burst through my zipper.
“Want that glass of wine now? I already poured myself one,” she said, heeding my warning look.
“I know,” I said, and shoved my hands into my pockets.
She arched a brow.
“I tasted it on you.” I said and looked up at her from under my brows.
Her face grew hot. “You tasted like peppermint,” she said.
I chuckled. “I'd much prefer wine, especially when it's from your lips.”
She struggled not to smile.
“I have to run inside and grab another glass. I forgot to bring one out. I'll be right back,” she said.
I reached out and encircled her wrist with my fingers and gently pulled her to me. “Don't bother. There are about two more glasses left in this bottle. Let's fill you up, and I can sip from the bottle.”
She smiled. “Two big glasses.”
I smiled wolfishly. “I promise to be on my best behavior, even after a big glass of wine.”
She smirked. “Maybe I don't want you to behave,” she said softly.
I could hear my heart thudding away in my chest. “El, don't tempt me. I've been thinking about you all day, thinking about how I should have kissed you this morning. Then, when I saw you tonight standing in this little dress.” My words trailed off as my eyes traveled the length of her legs over her short, cotton dress that hugged her curves so lovingly that they made me jealous. I shook my head and leaned down to pick up the bottle of wine and her wine glass.
I spun the goddess glass around and read it in with a half-smile pulling at my lips. “Fitting,” I murmured and filled the glass almost to the top.
She blushed, and when my fingers brushed hers as I handed her the glass, it felt electric. Everything about this moment was charged, and I was already drunk on the sexy buzz that bounced between us.
We sat together on one long lounge chair. Her at the top and me at the bottom.
El sipped her wine and peered at me over the rim of her glass. She slid out of her sandals and extended her legs, resting her crossed ankles in my lap. I wagged my brows at herーwhich almost made her spill some of her wineーand took her left foot first into my hands. I rubbed my thumbs up the arch of her foot.
“Troy, what are youーmmm, that feels nice,” she said, caving in to the pleasure of getting a foot massage.
“Troy,” she said.
“Yeah?” I said, enjoying the feel of her dainty, narrow foot in my hands.
“What's going on between us?”
I glanced over at her. Our eyes connected, and my stomach muscles tightened. “I'm not sure, but I think you've bewitched me.” I winked, hoping she recognized my playful yet serious tone. I didn’t know what was going on, but I liked where it was going.
She laughed and cocked her head to the side. “It’s strange. After you left this morning, I thought maybe I’d dreamed up the connection between us in the kitchen. I mean, I’ve known how I felt about you since I was a girl. I've seen you around here for years, but never like thisーsomehow this is different. What’s happening between us doesn’t make any sense, but when you’re here with me . . . when it’s just the two of us . . .”
I nodded. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way. And you’re right, this doesn’t make any sense and probably a hell of a bad idea.”
She giggled. “Not necessarily. It depends on what you want out of it. In case it isn't obvious, I don’t date people on purpose. I’m too busy with my business and will be for the foreseeable future. And, I avoid getting into sticky emotional situations. Love and all that stuff seems nice for other people. But I’m not looking for anything serious” she said, resting her wine glass in her lap.
I shrugged and shook my head, helplessly. “Right now, tonight, I want you to sit back and relax with me,” I said.
So here it is, the talk where we set our boundaries and intentions. I’m usually the one who brings up this topic with women. I should be grateful that Eloise is doing it for me, but I’m not. I don’t want to set boundaries and give crystal-clear intentions. I just want to let this ride out and see where it takes us. And why the hell would someone as young and lovely as El have such a strict stance against love? It's like she doesn’t believe it's possible. She’s too young to oppose love. Not that I'm one to talk. I already know love won't work for someone like me, but . . . she almost makes me want to prove her wrong. Almost.
“El, I do need you to know that soon I'll have to put in for an area transfer to the southeastern side of the state. Possibly in the coming weeks. This move has been in the works for a while now, and it is strictly a career-building move to help me reach my goals,” I said.
So there. We’re even, El. You’re a business woman on the rise. I’m making strategic career moves, and we both question the sanity and validity of long-term love. We are two skeptics sitting in the dark under a bright moon. This should be a comedy.
El nodded understandingly. “I want to be a success so badly that I am willing to give up almost anything for it, including a traditional life. I couldn't be happy with a marriage and a family without success. I haven't even been dating; it would just be a distraction. I need to focus on securing my success before I even think about getting serious about anything else.”
“Why, though? You are so young, El. You will be a success. You just have to give yourself time, and in the meanwhile, it’s okay to enjoy yourself,” I said, baffled by how strict she was wi
th herself. It was at complete odds with her outward appearance, as a bohemian fairy goddess who did what she wanted.
“After my parents died everyone's hearts went out to Sammieーat the tender age of twentyーfor having three girls to raise suddenly, and everyone’s hearts broke for the little twins who had lost their mother so early. Then there was me, fifteen, not a child, not a woman, stuck in the middle and in the way,” she said, looking at me as though what she said was the gospel’s truth.
I shook my head. “No, El. That can’t be entirely true,” I said softly and rubbed a hand over her ankle and half-way up the front side of her calf.
She shrugged but started nervously biting at a fingernail. “For years, I have been told that I didn’t help Sammie enough, or that I had and was demanding to be treated as an adult when I was only a child. I was constantly damned if I did and damned if I didn't. She’s too big for her britches, they’d say.” She shook her head, clearly thinking back to a time when she was younger. “God, it’s funny what you remember from your childhood. Anyway, since I had no emerging natural talent like my sisters, I became the wayward middle child. I was the sister who no one paid much attention to and the sister who no one expected great things from. At least Ms. Biddle tried to teach me how to play the piano for a while, but even that failed too.”
El took a deep breath, and my heart broke for her. I had no idea that she felt that way.
“Now, I am determined to prove to myself, at least, that I can be successful and that I can make my sisters proud somehow.”
I was dumbfounded. “Eloise, your sisters are already proud of you.”
El smiled. “They love me, but that’s different from being proud of me. It’s probably all in my head, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a personal goal of mine to be successful. I’m just saying that I empathize with you transferring soon. You have to do what’s right for your goals. Besides, I’m flying to Paris tomorrow morning. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. I have my business, and you have the force,” she said, allowing her compassion for our situation to shine through her eyes. She was so young to have such a mature take on life, but I guessed becoming an orphan robs you of your childhood.