“This couch,” she breathed.
“Hmm,” he muttered, his eyes averting to her chest. “It’s funny that you mention that, because I’ve been wondering what it’s like to kiss you … right … here.”
He nuzzled just under her neck, and she lifted her head to expose her neck to him. Joe ran the tip of his tongue from the hollow in her throat around to her pulse point, and then to her ear. He planted soft kisses on her jawline as he drew her closer, and she wrapped her arms around his neck willingly.
Within minutes, Rachel found herself beneath Joe’s impressive body with no recollection of how she actually got there. But she was breathless again as he owned her body so easily. Her hands ran up and down the expanse of his back, and she found herself reaching under his shirt in the hopes that he would reward her by taking it off. He used one knee to part her legs then settled himself between them.
His weight pressed against her deliciously and she brought her pelvis up to meet his erection as it strained against his jeans. Holding himself up with one hand, he skillfully used the other to touch her body in a manner that drove her mad. His powerful hands roamed across her flat belly and caressed her breasts, coming to rest in her hair before beginning the assault all over again.
She was an adult, wasn’t she? How could a situation this hot feel so innocent and so naughty all at the same time? Rachel couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia; nobody focused on this type of “innocent naughty” anymore. There had only been two levels before Joe — no sex, or sex. But Joe made her feel like she was in high school all over again as he explored her body curiously without any pressure to be rid of their clothes. Deliriously, she half expected her parents to burst in and send her to her room.
He released her mouth and stared down at her. “Rachel, I’m going crazy here.”
“Me too.” Duh!
He pulled the weight of his body off of her, and she whimpered in protest. With a grin, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss at her shoulder blade. “Is it okay if we stop?”
Wait, what? Rachel cleared her throat. “Um … okay, if that’s what … if that’s what you want.”
“Here’s what no one understands about me,” he said with a grin as he continued to watch her lustfully. “I like the anticipation. I like the build-up. And I love how you taste. I just want to savor the anticipation a bit more.”
Rachel was blown away as Joe stood and pulled her up. Her legs nearly gave out, and he caught her with a grin. She held onto his strong forearms and looked up at him.
“Actually, it really is okay,” she said. “It’s kind of nice that you’re not pushing me into my bedroom right now.”
Joe kissed her again. “Can I see you again tomorrow night?”
Oh yeah. Rachel nodded. “I’d love that.”
Joe smiled again. “I’ll pick you up at the coffeehouse downstairs from your job.”
“I’ll be there.”
After another moment, she walked him to the door. They kissed goodnight, and she nearly tackled him and dragged him to her bedroom. But away he went, leaving her with a racing heart, swollen mouth, and absolutely smitten. Yes, she thought as she locked the door and turned away in search of pajamas, I am in deep smit.
Chapter Seven
“So, how hot are we talking here?”
Rachel thought hard about words that would do him justice. “Let’s put it this way. If he were a mythical creature, he’d be the Hot Ness Monster.”
Camille’s laughter rang out in the diner, catching the attention of every patron and employee within earshot. Rachel sipped from her orange juice, satisfied with the reaction she had just received.
“That pretty much sums it up,” she reaffirmed with a giggle.
“Well, I guess we’ve established that he’s hot,” Camille remarked, “Even more so since we stopped referring to him as Hottie McCoffeehouse. Have you and Joe — ”
“No!” Rachel cried, blushing profusely. “We’ve only been on two dates!”
“He hasn’t pressured you at all?”
“No,” Rachel answered, “In fact, he stopped me last night. And I’m pretty sure I would’ve dragged him to my room if he wanted it.”
Camille raised an eyebrow. “Whoa, he didn’t even ask? That’s interesting … what did he say before he left?”
“That he likes the build-up, the anticipation,” Rachel said, feeling foolish even as she tried to sell it out loud.
“That’s a first … for me, anyway.”
“For me too, believe me! But all I can do is right now is take his word for it.”
“Has he said anything to Kirby yet?”
Rachel shook her head, digging into her French toast. “I’m not working until the day after tomorrow. If he’s called, I won’t know about it until I’m in the call center.”
“Call center, that’s funny,” Camille giggled. “The term lends a real legitimacy to the office.”
Rachel shot Camille a playful grin. “Would you rather I called it the audio whorehouse?”
Camille let out a burst of laughter again, almost choking on her eggs. “No, please don’t. I don’t think I’d be able to keep breakfast down!”
“I thought that might be the case.”
Camille studied Rachel. “Honey, you look super happy.”
She nodded. “You have no idea. I can’t even explain it right now. It just feels like everything is falling into place.”
“So I take it you’ve decided to use your powers for good, then?”
Rachel looked confused. “My powers?”
“The inside track on Hottie McCoffeehouse — you’re going to ride it out and start fresh after you leave the night job?”
“Yeah, I think so. I mean, you’re right. I’m not taking advantage of what he’s telling Kirby, just using it for my own peace of mind. I’m a little less reluctant to be open with him, because I already know he’s going to tell Kirby everything he doesn’t tell me.”
Camille nodded. “And it’s not forever.”
“Exactly! I won’t be at Orchid forever. Once I get that junior editor position, I’ll leave the call center and he’ll never talk to Kirby again. And I’m sure he’ll keep that secret, because who tells their girlfriend about talking to a phone sex operator?”
Camille’s eyes widened. “Girlfriend? You’ve only been on two dates! You’re his girlfriend already?”
Rachel blushed, letting out a sigh as Camille stared at her with a mixture of playfulness and sheer excitement. “You know what I mean. By the time all of this goes down, we will already have been dating for a little while.”
They shot each other knowing glances and began to laugh. Rachel covered her face as her cheeks reddened, embarrassed by her Freudian slip.
“So you’re officially admitting that you can see this as more than a short term thing,” Camille asked with a smile, watching Rachel closely.
Thoughtfully, Rachel nodded. “Yeah, I am. Joe’s unbelievable so far — I’m still shocked at how he makes me feel.”
Camille smiled sweetly. “Rach … are you falling for him?”
Rachel tilted her head to one side. “I don’t know. But he’s picking me up after work today. Can I let you know then?”
“You better call me as soon as he drops you off!”
The girls laughed, toasting one another with their glasses of orange juice. And once again, Rachel found herself unable to think about anything else but Joe, and how she was going to make it an entire day at Equinox without kissing him.
• • •
Rachel sat alone after work, at a small table in the coffee shop downstairs from Equinox. She sat out of the way of the windows, in the hopes that none of her coworkers would see her and engage in conversation. The last thing she needed was for anyone to catch Joe picking he
r up from work. The outcome would have been catastrophic, or at least that was how she saw it.
Am I falling for him? The word, even as she said it in her head, seemed foreign. Hadn’t she been through with love? Hadn’t she decided to focus only on her career and nothing more? Her plan had initially been to allow Hottie McCoffeehouse to remain in her life only until she’d had her fun. She cringed as she considered the coldness of it, but defended the idea by insisting that it was necessary to self-protect.
But, they were only two dates in and Joe had already thrown her portion of the universe into a tizzy. When she wasn’t working she was thinking about him, and when she was sleeping she was dreaming about him. And she went weak at the knees any time she even imagined his hands and mouth on her. Who the hell do you think you are, Joe?
Rachel’s cell phone rang as she sipped from her water bottle, and she picked it up after the first ring.
“Hi.” She smiled, keeping her voice smoky. The last thing she needed was for him to hear Kirby make an appearance on her cell phone.
She could hear the smile in his husky voice. “Hi, gorgeous. I’m in the black Tahoe outside. Get your cute butt out here.”
Laughing, she hung up the phone and found herself moving with more gusto than she’d planned as she headed out the door. She could see Joe’s smiling face through the tinted glass; he’d trimmed his beard, and the top of his hair was as wavy and unruly as ever. He ran a hand through his hair as she climbed into the massive Tahoe. Of course he’d drive a mammoth like this — a big car for a big guy. The butterflies awoke in her tummy.
Before she could get her head around how hot he looked driving a Tahoe, he was leaning in for a kiss. Their lips met, and the electricity between them surged. She was already sliding her hand to the back of his neck when he pulled away. He took a deep breath and chuckled.
“Well, now that I’d like to just take you back to my place and make out on the couch for the rest of the day,” he sighed with a chuckle, “let’s try going somewhere.”
Rachel giggled, blushing heatedly. “I’m sorry. Where do you want to go?”
“Well, you know I’ve only been here a few months,” he said. “So I was thinking you can maybe introduce me to Coney Island.”
Rachel looked stunned. “You’ve never been to Coney Island?”
“Don’t judge me,” he demanded playfully. “It was winter when I moved here!”
She chuckled heartily and leaned into the leather seat. “So that means you’ve never had a New York style corndog either.”
He shook his head with a smile, and she continued, “Well, that settles it. We’re going to Coney Island!”
Joe chuckled. “I’ve got the GPS all set, babe. Let’s get out of here.”
The drive to Coney Island should have been a long one, but it certainly didn’t feel that way. As they sped down the FDR highway to get to the bridge, Joe took his hand off of the gears and reached for hers. They held hands for most of the trip, discussing how their respective days went. Rachel was surprised how comfortable she was with letting him in, despite the fact that the jaded side of her kept advising to be careful.
“Thanks for today,” she said, looking at Joe as she rested her head on the seat. “I needed to get away from the city.”
Joe broke into a smile as he drove. “You’re welcome. I’m happy to make you happy, in any situation.”
Rachel cleared her throat, and then giggled at her own perverted mind. He shot a glance of mocking reprove at her, but chuckled after a second or two.
“You’re insatiable, aren’t you?” He seemed happy at the thought that he might be right.
“I don’t know about insatiable,” she answered, a little embarrassed at thought that she might be going overboard. “But you’re pretty amazing.”
Joe smiled again, and she watched his cheeks flush pink beneath his beard. He drew in a deep breath, tilted his head toward the window, and allowed himself an ear-to-ear smile.
“Don’t ever think that I’ll get tired of hearing that, do you understand?”
He looked to her with an eyebrow raised, and she nodded.
“And honestly,” he continued, “I kind of like believing that you’re insatiable, so that I can spend as much time as I want attempting to make you otherwise.”
The implications of that last statement made her tummy jump. Her breath caught at the back of her throat and she turned her head away, feeling her face heat up. He chuckled and went back to driving. They drove in silence for a while, until Rachel decided to turn on the radio. They ended up driving down Kings Highway, singing at the top of their lungs to ’80s stadium rock.
• • •
When they finally arrived at Coney Island, he parked in a space just a few feet from the famed boardwalk. The weather was beautiful and only a little chilly — spring was changing to summer, and bringing with it a relaxing summery sea breeze.
“Wow,” Joe marveled, “amazing.”
Rachel smiled. “It’s got character.”
“How often did you come down here as a kid?”
“A couple of times a summer, but not a whole lot — I lived at least a two-hour train ride from here, so we weren’t super excited about coming here all the time.”
Joe nodded as he locked the car. “I can understand that. Come on, show me around!”
With a smile, Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him up the wooden stairs to the legendary Coney Island boardwalk. He felt like a kid seeing it for the first time. They walked slowly, hand in hand, as Rachel pointed out some of the highlights — the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, the Coney Island sideshows. And then of course, there was the food. Luckily enough, large portions of the boardwalk eateries were open with their tables out.
Joe and Rachel sat at a table with gut-busting sized root beers, a half a dozen corn dogs, onion rings, and fries. They noshed and talked as the best of Coney Island walked past them. Joe leaned back with his feet up on a nearby chair, and he couldn’t believe his luck as the sky began to darken. He turned to thank Rachel, and noticed her staring out at the ocean with a contented smile on her face. She leaned on the table, wrapping her arms loosely around her middle.
“It’s getting chilly,” she murmured to no one in particular, “but I don’t want to leave.”
Joe smiled, wishing he’d had more on than a short-sleeved T-shirt. In the distance, the Rascal Flatts tune “I Melt” began to play. He studied Rachel, wanting so much to touch her. Nodding to himself, he knew he had his in — especially since the song playing exactly described how he felt at that very moment. There could have been no better time, or better reason to put his arms around her.
He stood, the ocean breeze playing in his hair. Rachel turned to look at him, and he held out his hand, flashing a grin that could’ve charmed the pants off an Eskimo in the middle of a vicious snowstorm. She smiled, her eyes widening.
“Do you hear it,” he muttered, pausing to allow her to hear the music, “Dance with me.”
Leaving their sodas, he led her a few steps away from the table where they would have room to sway. Joe pulled her close, winding an arm around her waist as held her other hand to his chest. He had to hunch slightly because he was so much taller than she, but she still snuggled into him and giggled softly.
“I’m sorry I’m so short,” she sighed with a continuous giggle.
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m pretty sure it’s that I’m tall.”
They swayed slowly to the distant music, Rachel getting drunk on the faded smell of Eternity as it lingered with the sea air that clung to his skin and mingled with his natural scent. She inhaled the scent, and she felt his heartbeat thud against his chest. She looked up, and realized that Joe was staring down at her with a contented smile.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Rachel blushed. “Hey y
ourself, handsome.”
Gently, he led her outward as they danced. A playful smile on his face, he brought her back into him on a twirl, making Rachel feel so light on her feet. She giggled, knowing a lesser man would have led her to her death as she crashed through the boardwalk floor. He twirled her again, catching her in his embrace and dipping her gently. Vapors, Rachel sighed to herself. She longed for a couch, or perhaps her kitchen wall.
They paid no mind to the elderly couple that had stopped to watch them dance, but Joe seemed to enjoy twirling her and the giggles that those twirls evoked from her sweet mouth. They continued to sway and twirl until the song ended. He dipped her one more time, and she put her head back and giggled. He paused before bringing her up to plant a soft kiss right over her heart. The night was turning out to be unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Rachel held onto him, her arms around his waist as she buried her face in his chest. She really didn’t want the night to end. More music, please!
Joe’s voice came from overhead. “Are you cold, babe? Do you want me to take you home?”
“Please don’t.”
He smiled. “It’s still early. We don’t have to go anywhere. But let’s go get you a sweater.”
They strolled down the boardwalk, and Rachel was surprised at how warm his arm, as it wound around her waist, actually kept her. They managed to find a beach shop moments before closing and she picked out a sweater while Joe paid the sales girl. Rachel looked over her shoulder as they walked away, giggling to herself when the sales girl watched them with her mouth open in astonishment. Was she staring because he was a smoking hot, mountain of man? Of course! But this mountain of a man is mine, she mused as they continued to stroll.
The pair stayed on the boardwalk for another hour, kissing and talking under the stars until neither could take the biting chill of the ocean breeze any longer. When they arrived back at the Tahoe, Joe blasted the heater. Still wearing the sweater, she snuggled inside of it and fell asleep within moments to the tune of the local oldies station.
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