by K. C. Crowne
I headed down the main drag of town. The citizens of White Pines were dressed in their usual wear of flannel tops and thick coats with rugged jeans. Every now and then I’d spot an obvious tourist from Denver wearing more trendy clothes, in town for the same reason I was – to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Up on the mountains, I spotted the little cluster of wood buildings that comprised the ski lodges, pairs of black lines from the sky carts coming down the mountain. I sucked in a deep breath, happy to soak up the atmosphere.
Apres Ski Roasters, my local coffee shop of choice, was on the corner a few blocks from my apartment building. White Pines had a nice little collection of coffee shops, café culture being a big part of the town. Moments later I was inside, the mellow ambience wrapping around me and inviting me in. Upbeat jazz played on the stereo, baristas zipped around behind the counter preparing drinks, and the tables were packed with people drinking their coffee while chatting, reading the paper, or getting some work done.
A small cluster of people was in front of the counter, but April, one of the baristas, waved to me as soon as I entered, setting a drink down on the counter.
“One skinny latte,” she said with a smile.
“Oh my God,” I said. “You’re a lifesaver, April.”
She winked. “How’s the job hunt going?”
“We’re about to find out,” I said, patting the bag I carried my laptop in. “One of the drawbacks of a small town like this – pickings can be slim.”
“True,” she sympathized. “But the pros outweigh the cons, in my opinion.” Her gaze drifted over my shoulder to the mountain vista behind us.
“Big agree on that.”
She flashed me one more smile before heading back to the grind, and I placed some bills with tip onto the counter before hurrying to my preferred spot in the corner. Once there, I set up my laptop and got to it.
I hadn’t been kidding when I’d said the pickings were slim. White Pines was a town with a population the size of one Denver neighborhood, which meant job openings weren’t exactly easy to come by. But I was still determined. I had a college degree and a few years of good experience. That had to count for something.
I didn’t get far into the job hunt, only typing in the classifieds into Google, before someone grabbed my attention.
“Skinny latte, huh?”
“What?” I was more surprised than anything, not even looking up from my computer.
“Interesting choice.”
Confused, I glanced up and saw a man a little older than me, dressed in a slick suit, a very pleased with himself smirk on his face. He was handsome-ish but dripping with arrogance that was obvious even from a quick look.
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “The latte?”
“Yeah, the latte. I overheard you got it skinny. Kinda stupid when you’ve got a body like yours. Doubt you need to lose a pound.”
His comment was so jaw-dropping that I didn’t even know what to say.
“I like my women curvy like you,” he said. “Skinny chicks are overrated.”
“Um…what?”
Despite how clearly stunned I was at his comments, the man took this as his cue to drop into the seat across from me. The laptop was open in front of us and I left it there, as though it were a barrier keeping him from me.
“You know,” he said. “More junk in the trunk. More cushion for the pushin’ – that kind of thing.”
“What the hell are you—”
Before I could finish, he shot his hand out, nearly knocking over my latte. “Name’s Shawn,” he said. “Pleased to meet you.”
I stared at his hand, shocked by his ballsy approach.
“But you don’t need to introduce yourself – I heard April call you Annie.” He glanced over my shoulder at April. “Like her. I mean, she’s a babe. Don’t get me wrong. But too skinny. Girls like that, you feel like you might break them when you’re…you know.” He grinned, as if he’d just cracked a funny joke instead of being totally tasteless.
Part of me wanted to tear into the asshole. The teacher, diplomatic as ever, came out first. “Listen, uh, Shawn. I’m kind of in the middle of some stuff right now. Nice meeting you, but I should get back to it.”
He shook his head, as if that answer wasn’t good enough for him. “You mean this?” he asked. He placed his fingertips on the top of my computer, pushing the screen forward and closed. “Technology, you know? It’s supposed to bring us together, but I find it just gets in the way.”
“Alright,” I said, my expression enough for most people to understand I wasn’t thrilled. “I’m trying to be nice here, but don’t touch my stuff.”
He shrugged, unbothered by my sharp tone. “Why not? Now we can talk to each other.”
“But I don’t want to talk to you,” I said, my voice showing my agitation. “I came here to get some work done, and that’s what I’m planning to do. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Hey,” he said. “I’m here to work too. I’m in finance.” He tugged on the lapel of his suit and raised his eyebrows. “But if there’s one thing worth taking a break for, it’s a beautiful woman like yourself.”
“Shawn, I’m not interested,” I stated. “You’re being a shithead right now, so I’m going to ask you one last time to leave me alone.”
“All my girlfriends say they thought I was a shithead at first. And I’ve had a lot of girlfriends. But they always end up seeing the light.” He smirked at me.
“Well, you and I are never going to be in that particular situation,” I told him. “Please leave.” I opened my computer and turned my attention to it, hoping he’d leave me alone before I had to make a scene.
“Come on,” he said, putting his hand on my computer again. “Quit being such a snob.”
I gasped, offended. “A snob? Why don’t you stop being such a fucking ass—”
I didn’t get a chance to finish. In the middle of my insult, a figure stepped up to the table and loomed over us both. I looked up, my eyes nearly popping out of my head when I saw the man.
He. Was. Handsome. Actually, handsome was about the most boring, mild way to put it. The man, whoever he was, looked like he was carved out of marble and dropped into a perfectly fitting suit. My pussy clenched at the sight of him, my nipples hardening under my shirt.
The man was tall and built, with broad shoulders and big hands. His face was chiseled, with a wide jaw and full lips set above a jutting, cleft chin. His eyes were a deep, striking blue, as brilliant as a pair of tiny lakes in the middle of a Colorado winter scape.
And he was all confidence, his posture strong and self-assured. I’d only seen him for a moment or two, but all I could think about was stripping him out of that nice suit and seeing what he had going on underneath. I clenched my thighs together, trying to take my mind off how turned on I was.
Then, he did something that I wasn’t expecting in the slightest. He kissed me. Not a full-on mouth kiss, just a quick peck on the cheek.
“There you are,” he said, stepping around the table and pulling up a chair. “I was about to text to you to see if you remembered we were meeting.”
I was stunned, too stunned to say anything. And the kiss, though I hadn’t asked for it, pushed my arousal up to eleven. A tight heat formed between my thighs, and I was on the verge of soaking through my panties.
He glanced at Shawn before I had a chance to say anything. “Am I interrupting something, babe?”
Frustration flashed on Shawn’s face. “Yeah, you are. I’m talking to my friend.”
The man gave an easy, confident smile. “Oh no, you’re talking to my girlfriend.”
“Your girlfriend?” Shawn asked.
“Yes. But it’s a free country – she can talk to whoever she wants.” He turned to me. “Hon, I’ve got a few calls to return. You want me to give you a few minutes with your new friend?” The disdain he put on the word made it clear he didn’t believe that was the case in the slightest.
�
�No,” I said. “And we’re not friends. In fact, he was bothering the hell out of me and I was about to tell him to screw off.”
The man raised an eyebrow. “Is that right?”
Shawn stammered. “I was, um…” Whatever arrogant confidence he’d mustered had melted away like snow during the first warm day of the year.
“You were what?” the man asked, an eyebrow lifted.
“I was, uh, just getting to know her.”
My fake boyfriend crossed his legs and sat back. “Call me an old-fashioned kind of guy, but when a woman tells you she doesn’t want to talk to you, it’s polite to respect her wishes.”
“I…” Shawn was red-faced and nervous. He was so intimidated by the man that I almost felt sorry for him.
“How about you take off, champ? Pick a table where there isn’t a woman who’s about two seconds away from dumping her drink in your lap.” He spoke the words so smoothly, so effortlessly.
I couldn’t tell who was more in shock, Shawn or me.
“Um…”
“Go on now, friend.”
Shawn nodded, a jerky movement, as if the man were his dad telling him to go to his room before he got in serious trouble. In the blink of an eye, Shawn was gone.
The man turned his attention to me, and I felt like I might melt under those piercing eyes. Without any effort on my part, I imagined what he’d looked like on top, thrusting into me, his eyes staring down.
He flashed me a wry smile. “Sorry about the kiss,” he said. “I had to sell the whole boyfriend thing.”
I cleared my throat, regaining my composure. “It’s...it’s fine. Maybe a little ballsy to do to a woman you’ve never met before.”
The wry smile stayed on his face. I could tell that being ballsy was something that came very, very naturally to him.
“And don’t get me wrong – you looked like you had that situation under control. But I figured I’d step in and make it easier before you had to waste your latte in his lap.”
I chuckled. “You’re right – I had it under control. Mainly I was stunned that he’d come at me with such shitty game.”
The man chuckled. “No kidding. I couldn’t help but overhear. The line about the skinny latte? I’m sure a beautiful woman like you has heard her share of bad lines over the years, but damn.”
I laughed. But more than that, his comment about me being beautiful pushed me one notch higher in the being totally turned on department. I started to worry I might slide off my chair because of how wet I was getting.
“But thanks. It was still nice of you.”
“Of course.” He glanced at my computer. “Anyway, I’m sure you’re here for business, not for idle chit-chat. I’ll let you get back to it. But feel free to give me a shout if that dumbass comes back – I’ll drag him out of here myself.”
I smiled. Then he stuck out his hand. “I’m Duncan, by the way.”
This hand I was more than eager to take.
“Annie. Nice to meet you.”
We shook, and his touch, firm and just rough enough, sent a shiver up my spine.
“Likewise. Have a good day, Annie.”
With that, he rose and turned. Disappointment washed over me the moment he walked away. I watched him walk, his ass perfectly fit into the slacks. Mid-step he stopped, as if remembering something. He turned around and strolled back to me.
“Yes?” I asked, gazing up at his towering frame.
“I know you’ve likely had your fill of men hitting on you for the day, but I’d like to take you out to dinner.”
My eyes widened. “Sure!” The word came out chipper and eager, totally out of my control.
“Great,” he said. “Can I have your number?”
I quickly scribbled it down on a piece of notebook paper and handed it over. He folded it carefully and slipped it into the inner pocket of his jacket. Then he checked his watch, its brilliant silver briefly catching the light.
“I should get back to work. But it was a pleasure, Annie. Looking forward to seeing you again.”
“You too.”
With that, he took his coffee from the counter and left, my eyes on him as he walked away.
I was beaming. So much for a run-of-the-mill day.
Duncan
Back at the office, I was still reeling from what had happened. Not the little prick who’d been bothering Annie, of course – chewing up and spitting out twerps like him came as second nature to me. No – I was taken aback by how beautiful she was, how I couldn’t believe I’d met someone as stunning as her in a small town like mine.
Over and over again, she appeared in my mind. Annie was like something out of dream, her body petite and curvy, thick in all the right places. Her hair was straw-blonde, her eyes green and her nose a button. She’d been packed into those jeans, and I could almost imagine what it’d feel like to hold those hips as I took her from behind.
Easy, now. You’re set for dinner, and that’s all.
I did my best to calm down, but just the thought of her was enough to make my cock stiff in an instant. And the kiss, despite it being part of the act, lingered in my memory. I wanted her like I’d never wanted a woman before in my life.
And it wasn’t simply her looks. She was confident – I had no doubt that if I hadn’t intervened, she would’ve been fine, tearing that little shithead to ribbons.
The hours ticked by as I worked, planning the office’s schedule for the next couple weeks, setting up meetings with a few of the doctors who worked under me. But I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It was almost worrying how I couldn’t get her out of my head.
When lunch rolled around, I didn’t want to wait another minute. I took out her number, unfolding the piece of paper and dialing.
“Hello?” Her voice on the phone was just as sweet as in person.
“Annie, this is Duncan. How are you?”
“Duncan! Hi! I’m good – how about you?”
“Another busy day,” I said, dropping into my office chair and propping my shoes up on the desk. “But good. I just wanted to call and see if you were still on for dinner.”
“Sure, of course.” She sounded a touch overwhelmed.
“You doing alright?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m fine. Just trying to think of the last time a guy actually called me to set up a date instead of texting.”
I chuckled. “I prefer to do things the old-fashioned way. Meaning gets lost in texts.”
“I totally agree. Anyway, when’s good for you?”
I opened my calendar and checked the days. Truth be told, my schedule was pretty full. A single opening caught my eye. “How about Thursday night?”
“Thursday’s perfect,” she said. “What’d you have in mind?”
“You’ll see. I like to surprise my dates.”
“Given that you’re a man who has no problem kissing women he doesn’t know, that makes sense.” I could almost hear the smile on her face as she spoke.
“Text me your address – I’ll come by at six.”
“Sounds perfect.”
We said our goodbyes and the text came seconds later. White Pines was a small place, so I recognized the address, which was near downtown, a very middle-of-the-road apartment complex.
I keyed the date into my calendar, an eager smirk on my face. But Thursday… didn’t I have something else planned that night?
No matter. Something much, much bigger had come up.
And I couldn’t wait.
The next two days passed in a blur. I had meetings with doctors, trips around the neighboring counties to look at possible locations for new branches, and, of course, patients to treat. I was a general practitioner by trade, which I loved.
Despite the flurry of activity, all I could think about was her. So, when Thursday finally rolled around, I was beyond ready to take a break with a beautiful woman.
That afternoon, I sent her a text to confirm we were still on. She answered immediately with an affirmative, a pair of smiley
face emojis following the text. A prompt response and emojis? Both very good signs.
I stopped by my house after work and quickly changed into slightly more casual clothing. After that, I hopped in my silver Land Rover and drove to Annie’s place after stopping at the local florist to pick up the bouquet I’d ordered.
Upon arriving, I sent her a text, then got out to wait for her next to my car. When she stepped out, she looked like something out of a dream.
Annie was gorgeous. At the café she’d been dressed casually in jeans and a nice blouse. She’d looked amazing, effortlessly beautiful.
But that evening she looked otherworldly. She was dressed in a dark blue cocktail dress, one that hugged every curve, her breasts full and round, her hips wide. She was curvy, a body made to drive men wild. And for someone like me, who preferred his women on the thicker side, the way she looked was enough to make me want to forget about dinner, maybe take her up to the apartment and skip right to dessert.
“Hi!” she trilled, waggling her fingers in an adorable wave. Then her eyes went to the flowers. “Are those for me?” Her pace quickened and she hurried over to me to get a closer look.
“A little something I picked up down the street. I hope you like them.”
Beautiful green eyes widened. “I love them. Thank you so much.”
Before I had a chance to react, she stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug. I had to shift my body at the last second so she didn’t accidently press against the half hard on I was packing at that moment.
I handed her the flowers, and she gazed at them lovingly, like she’d never seen anything more beautiful in her life. I knew the feeling.
“I don’t know what to say,” she gushed. “But thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” I responded, opening the door and letting her in. I climbed in the driver’s seat, and when I started the engine, she was still smelling the flowers. “You look like you’ve never seen flowers before in your life.”
She smiled bashfully as I pulled into the street. “Sorry. It’s just that I can’t remember the last time a guy brought me flowers.”
“Really? A woman like you I’d think would be drowning in them.”