Carpentry and Cocktails: A Heartfelt Small Town Romance (Green Valley Library Book 5)

by Smartypants Romance

  “Good girl. Now show me where.” My chest heaved as my hand drifted over my breasts, trailing lightly down my stomach to show him. As soon as my fingertips touched my clit, he shoved them aside with his tongue. My head fell back to the cushion as my body arched toward his mouth.

  “God, Everett,” I squealed.

  “Mmmm,” he growled against me, sucking me into his mouth. My hands hit the couch as my hips thrust into his face. Two big palms grabbed my writhing hips to hold me still. “Relax. Just let it happen,” he murmured against me. “I’m in no hurry, sweetheart. I could do this all night, as long as it takes.”

  Trembles shot through my whole body at his words as I tried to relax. His hands eased their grip and started to caress lazy patterns across my body, up to my breasts, down my thighs, then up again to cup my cheek as his eyes glinted with pleasure and he winked at me.

  He liked this.

  I turned malleable, boneless, into absolute putty beneath his generous mouth and seeking hands. My mind drifted into nothing as I watched his face. His beautiful honey brown eyes smiled into mine then grew hot as he entered me with one finger, then two, thrusting gently until he found the spot he was looking for and pressed up. Delicious pressure, sensations I never knew were possible, arced through me. The soft scratch of his beard against my most sensitive skin, his fingers oh-so-gently stroking inside me, and his blazing eyes holding mine kept me anchored amidst this overwhelming, swirling, tidal wave of need as my hips bucked once, twice, and I let go of everything and flew apart. How would anything ever feel this good again?

  He placed a soft kiss to the inside of my thigh and then stood, sweeping me into his arms to sit on his lap. With one of his long legs on the floor and the other bent on the couch he cradled me in his arms. I curled sideways against him with my bottom between his legs to tuck my knees to my chin. With feather light strokes down my spine, he soothed my racing heart.

  “Listen sweetness,” he whispered in my ear. “Last time we were together we got out of control. We didn’t use any birth control, or even talk about it. It all happened so fast and I wasn’t careful with you. I want you to know that no matter what happens it will be okay. I’m here for you, no matter what, and I’m not going anywhere. Ever. Do you understand what I’m saying?” I nodded. “Are you okay?” His lips brushed the top of my head as he pushed my hair over my shoulder. The whispered question. A kiss sweetly given. Was I ready to feel like this? But then, how could I refuse him? My body had melted for him before. But now it was my heart.

  “Yes, I’m perfect.” I was not perfect. My mind was still a little bit blown and I was not operating on all cylinders, kind of like my van, wherever it was. Where the heck was it?

  “Ready to go to dinner?” I tipped my head back to get a look at his face. Well, didn’t he look smug? Whatever, he’d earned it.

  “Sure,” I let out a huge sigh, making him laugh. “I need to clean up first. Maybe fix my hair or something.” I flipped my legs over his and stood up to stretch. He steadied me at my waist when I wobbled on these ridiculous heels. I turned in his arms. “What about you?” I reached between us to maybe return the favor, but he moved out of my grasp.

  “I’m not worried about me. That was my appetizer. I’m ready for dinner.” I was kind of disappointed I wouldn’t be enjoying an appetizer as well, but I consoled myself with thoughts of dessert later tonight. His fingers smoothed through my hair, pushing it back over my shoulders as he drew me in for a kiss. “We have all night. There’s no rush and no pressure. But just in case, there are condoms distributed all throughout this house,” he whispered against my lips as he pulled away with a grin.

  “All night…” I agreed on a breathy sigh. “I don’t think I can actually wear that dress in public, Everett. Not after what we just did. I won’t be able to even think of anything else.”

  He chuckled. “You can wear whatever you want, Willard.”

  “But you really seemed to like that dress—”

  “What I like is you. The dress was a stunner, but you don’t need it to be gorgeous. Maybe keep the heels on?” he asked with an adorable grin. “I like being eye to eye with you.” He drew me close and rubbed his nose against mine as he kissed me softly.

  “You’ve got a deal.” I knew my smile was huge as I gazed into his eyes. This was the kind of smile that warmed me up straight to my soul. My cheeks were cramping, and my heart was about to burst out of my chest to fly into his.

  “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” With a kiss to my nose, he darted back upstairs. I gathered my dress and undies and went down to my apartment to get ready.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Everett

  “Everett, always defend your woman. But never lose control.”

  Papaw Joe

  With my hips against the counter in the kitchen, I waited to hear the click of those high, sexy-as-hell heels coming up the stairs. I had grown used to waiting for Willa. Every morning I woke up hard for her, aching for her, missing her. We’d spent only two nights together, but those two nights were transformative for me. With her down in the basement in her own bed for these past weeks, I was stuck staring at the ceiling all night, wondering if she were sleeping okay. Hoping she missed me even half as much as I missed her.

  I was nervous. I was more nervous for this date than I’d been in years, maybe ever. Staring out the kitchen window into the dusky sunset in the backyard, I tried to remember if I’d ever laid it out there for another woman the way I had for Willa—if I’d ever been as vulnerable, honest, myself—only to come to the conclusion that no woman I had ever dated had ever made me feel as if I could. Wyatt had been right when he told me Willa was not the type to judge. I felt at home with her; I wanted to keep that feeling and I wanted her to feel it too.

  My eyes darted to the basement door as the click, click, click of her shoes announced her presence. I hadn’t felt anticipation like this since senior year, right before prom. That night began and ended with disaster, starting when my date got pissed that my bowtie looked like Darth Vader’s “TIE Fighter” from Star Wars. My mother had made it for me. The center of the tie was the cockpit and the sides were the wings. It was awesome. I still had it. But my date was not thrilled. Prom ended with her breaking up with me and calling me “immature”. The clicking grew louder, so I stood up straight and smoothed down my tie, quickly removing my Death Star tie clip with a grimace and stuffing it into my back pocket. I adjusted my shirtsleeves and stood there fidgeting like a nervous kid. I blew out a breath and took a step toward the door to open it for her.

  Black sequins sparkled beneath the light of the stairwell as she looked up at me with a smile. Her body—clad in the sexiest halter top I had ever seen, tight black dress slacks, and those fuck-me heels—filled my vision as she walked up the last few stairs. Being above her as I was, I had a perfect view of a long gold chain dotted with tiny stars nestled between her breasts and it was all I could do not to groan out loud. She was like a different Willa again. In the dress she was sex-bomb hot. Now she was back to the easy elegance I had grown used to. I was also in black—slacks, shirt, tie, and shoes—and realized we had inadvertently matched our clothes.

  Her smile lit up my kitchen. Her lips were like burgundy wine, and I wanted to taste them. I also wanted to take her out on the town and set the tone for how I wanted us to be. She was more than someone I wanted to sleep with or hang around at home with. She was more than just a girl. She was the girl. I wanted not only her, but everyone, everywhere, to know what she meant to me. And I knew if I got even just one taste of her lips, I’d never be able to tear myself away to leave the house. So, I reached for her hand and said, “Let’s go.”

  The Front Porch was upscale, the fanciest restaurant Green Valley had to offer. The night was beautiful, starry, and clear, so I’d reserved a table on the porch of the old Victorian building.

  I helped her out of my truck, fighting back a groan when my hand met the smooth, bare skin of her back. She was not
making this easy on me, that was for sure. But her smile came easy as she met my eyes and it warmed my heart. “Thank you, Everett.” After a peck on the lips, we headed to the restaurant.

  I slipped my arm around her waist. “Cold?”

  “No, I’m fine.” Her arm drifted around my lower back, hand coming to rest in my back pocket. Oh shit.

  “What’s this?” She pulled out the tie clip and examined it under the beam from the light of the high pole next to us. “It’s the Death Star! Why aren’t you wearing it on your tie?”

  “I, uh—” With a smirk, she slipped it into the hair at her temple, using it to hold the long, curly locks to the side. She grabbed my hand and continued walking, tugging me along behind her as I enjoyed the wiggle in her walk from the heels and the alabaster glow of her bared back.

  The resurgence of my nerves was inevitable as I watched the reactions of the other customers—mostly men—as they stopped and stared. Some tried to be subtle and some were blatant as they tracked Willa’s movements while we followed the hostess across the porch to our table. Willa was a showstopper. Her platinum curls, tossed over one shoulder, shone in the glow of the moonlight. I pulled back her chair and she gave me a smile.

  “Everyone’s staring at me, Everett,” she hissed after the hostess left with our drink orders. “We shouldn’t have come here. It’s too fancy for a waitress from Genie’s—” Her panicked eyes darted around the porch and I leaned to the side to block her view.

  “They’re staring because you’re beautiful, Willard. Not for any other reason. You’ve been working hard on yourself. Don’t let your mother’s words get back into your head.”

  “You’re right. I mean, about my mother.” She twisted her napkin into a tight spiral, then lowered it to her lap. “Sometimes I just need a reminder, I guess. You think I’m beautiful?” How could she not know she was stunning?

  “You look absolutely gorgeous. You belong here, just as much as anyone else does.”

  “You’re sweet. It’s just, sometimes I don’t understand what you see in me. I don’t know if I ever will. I—”

  “Stop it. No. We need to address this before it goes—”

  We were interrupted by the waitress. We both ordered, but I couldn’t tell you what we were going to get—something about steaks and vegetable medleys, maybe a potato? After handing her menu to the waitress, Willa had pressed her leg against mine and kept it there, occasionally shifting it up and down to rub against mine. If she took her shoe off and shoved her foot up my pant leg, I might bust through my zipper. I had been testing the strength of it off and on ever since my parking lot discovery of her backless halter top. Seeing my Death Star tie clip catch the light as it held her hair back made my heart melt and my dick get hard—a perfect example of why my relationships always failed. Immature. Geek. More into your toys than you are into me.

  The smell of flowers and vanilla hit me as she smoothed her hair behind her shoulders and leaned forward to take my hand into hers. “You were going to say something?”

  “Yeah. Where have you been all my life?” I blurted it out before I could stop myself or even think about it.

  A rosy blush slid up her neck as her face dropped forward. I could only see her eyes because my tie clip held her hair back. “Waiting,” she whispered.

  “I have been waiting for someone like you forever.” We laughed in unison as our waitress arrived with our drinks and a basket of rolls. We watched her slide them onto the table then our eyes snapped back to each other. “Relationships should be easy,” I said. “I take care of you. You take care of me. Easy. I feel that with you, and I like it.”

  “But I haven’t taken care of you, not really. I’m always the one who needs—”

  With a shake of my head I explained. “You get that I’m a huge nerd, right? My mother brings me spaghetti sauce and bakes me cookies. I have lunch with her almost every Sunday.” She was nodding, like so what? “Do you think many women, once they see my collection of Star Wars action figures, or—” I gestured to my tie clip in her hair. “All the stuff I like repels most women. None of them ever wanted to stick around after they got a glimpse of my living room. Do you think any woman other than you has ever watched Firefly with me? Or even acknowledged that it is the best show in the world?” Her mouth had dropped open a little bit, but I kept going. “Do you know how many times I’ve been called immature because I collect X-Men comics and can quote Lord of the Rings almost verbatim? Too many times to count, Willard. I am me when I am with you, and it is priceless.”

  “Are you serious? I mean—really? All that stuff is part of what makes me like you so much.” She was incredulous and outraged on my behalf. My heart filled, and I fell just a little bit more for her.

  “Well, you’re the only woman I’ve been with who has ever felt that way,” I stated and took a sip of my iced tea.

  “But, look at you! You’re so hot. And I’m pretty sure your six-pack is actually an eight-pack. They couldn’t even let that geek stuff slide to get piece of you?” Her nose wrinkled, and her head tilted as she checked me out.

  “Come on,” I chuckled as my cheeks heated. I’d had my fair share of fun in my life. But over the last couple of years I’d found myself wanting more, so I’d cut back on dating and kept to myself.

  “Willa!” The color left her face and she sank in her seat as Tommy’s voice rang out. I stood and moved in front of the table to block her. I waved away our waitress, who was coming to check on us.

  “Tommy is here. I thought he would have been arrested by now,” she whispered.

  “Don’t worry. Call 911 and stay right here. Don’t say a word. I’ve got it.” She nodded frantically as she stood behind me straining to look over my shoulder.

  Tommy stepped onto the porch, carrying a take-out bag like nothing out of the ordinary was going on and glaring at me with murder in his eyes. “I knew you were after her! You’re on a fucking date. All that talk about what you want not mattering was complete bullshit. I knew it. That’s my wife you’re with!”

  “She’s not your wife—”

  “Willa, honey, I need to talk to you.” He tried to go around me to get to her, but I intercepted him. We kept up this bizarre two-step until he tossed his bag onto a table and attempted to shove me. I didn’t budge. I’m six foot six, built solid, and I have a physical job. Not to mention the fact that I have three brothers; I spent my youth wrestling, fake fighting, and driving my mother insane with them. There was no way in hell I would allow a prick like Tommy to knock me down. He took a step back and glared at me while I took a quick glance back at Willa who was frantically tapping her phone to call 911.

  “I’m calling the police, Tommy. Please leave Everett alone,” she begged as she stood pressed back against the front window of the restaurant. The fear in her eyes and the defeat in her expression fueled my temper but I managed to beat it back and keep a level head.

  “I just want to talk to you! Willa, put that fucking phone down,” Tommy shouted.

  Our waitress showed up along with the manager. “The Sheriff Department has been called. Tommy, you need to leave now. Try to think of how your father will feel about this and go home before you get into trouble, son.” The manager was attempting to use logic, but it wasn’t going to work. Tommy was working himself up to a rage; I could see it coming just as easily as I could when we used to play basketball against each other back in high school.

  “I will not! That’s my wife he’s with. Come on, Willa honey. We can talk this through just like we always used to do. Come with me so we can just talk. Please, baby, I miss you.” He took a step back, holding out a hand placatingly in her direction.

  I answered for her. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

  “It’s not up to you, Monroe, now is it?” He fired back.

  “I’m staying here with Everett, Tommy. Why don’t you just go home?” Willa’s soft plea snapped something in him, and he took a swing at me. I dodged it as the manager herded Willa
and our waitress back toward the porch railing and out of the way. Luckily, we were at the edge of the outdoor dining area so there was no real risk of anyone else getting in the middle of our scuffle.

  Tommy took another swing; I ducked and came back with an uppercut to his jaw. His teeth cracked together as he stumbled back a few steps before regaining his balance. “She doesn’t want you anymore. Let it sink in,” I growled through the tight clench of my jaw.

  “Fuck you, Monroe,” he grunted. Sirens sounded in the distance. Tommy turned, vaulted over the porch rail, and darted to his truck. His tires skidded over the paved surface as he peeled out of the parking lot and sped off toward the highway.

  My eyes darted across the crowded porch where most of the diners sat gaping as two sheriff cruisers pulled to a stop—Wyatt in one, Boone in the other.

  “What happened?” Wyatt called as he made his way up the porch steps.

  With a huge inhale, I stood up straight. My eyes found Willa, standing stock-still at the railing with our waitress. She moved to approach, but I shook my head, so she headed back to our table and sat down instead.

  “He was at my house, trying to kick my door down. That’s why we called the first time. Then he was here picking up takeout—”

  “I saw the whole thing.” Devron Stokes, one of the waiters sidled over. “Tommy started all of this. And he refused to leave when the big boss asked him to—”

  “He headed north out of the parking lot. Toward the highway,” I interrupted.

  “You on shift tomorrow if we have questions?” Wyatt asked.

  “Yeah, man.” Stokes answered.

  “We’ll call you tomorrow, Ev. You can come down and make a statement then. Let’s head out, Wyatt.” Boone ordered.

  Wyatt slapped me on the shoulder as he passed. “We’ll get him. Take care of Willa.”