by J. M. Adele
“I wish I could come visit you sometime, but you know I can’t leave my obligations here.”
Her best friend amazed her. She had two young children to look after, while holding down a job in the office of her daddy’s auto shop. She appeared happy, for the most part. But Chelsea could tell there was something missing. Some fire that had died to an ember and needed something … or someone, to stoke it back to life. They both knew who that someone was. What they didn’t know was if they’d ever get to see him again.
Chelsea swallowed down the anger and guilt that always accompanied thoughts of Aiden and the reason he left town. She prayed every day that the good Lord might bless Angel with all the happiness she deserved. Faith was something that Chelsea had struggled with every now and then. But when it came to her friend’s happiness, she had all the faith in the world.
“I know, honey. I know.” She hugged her friend’s arm tighter, and pulled her to a stop as she spotted a little boutique children’s clothing store. “Ooh, look at the adorable little jeans. I have to get something for the kids.”
“No, Chelsea. It’s probably expensive in there. I’ve deliberately avoided going in there since it opened.”
Angel tugged on Chelsea’s arm, urging her on, but she stood her ground.
“I have some tip money saved up. Let me do this for them, please?”
Angel chewed on her lip, her eyes darting between the mannequins on display and Chelsea. Her shoulders slumped and Chelsea knew she’d won the battle.
“Okay. But only one item each. Don’t go crazy. We have to go get them soon, anyways.”
“Sure thing, sweetie.” She was already halfway through the door, dragging Angel behind her.
_____
The gas pump buzzed and clicked loudly, filling the air with fumes as Angel filled the tank. Chelsea leaned casually against the car, watching people out of the corner of her eye. She noticed Vince Walker filling his Ford, amazed that he’d gotten so tall. He was three years younger than her, and had been a cocky freshman when he’d asked her out. Moving away for college seemed to roll time forward, like a runaway train, rather than the tedious ticking of hands on a clock.
She jiggled her leg, trying to shake off the gnawing feeling that she wouldn’t be coming back here to live. It sank in further, the closer she got to catching her plane.
Fucking crazy talk.
She might’ve been running away when she arrived, dragging heavy shit with her, but somehow, arriving here had lightened the load and made it all seem bearable. If she lost her connection with these people and this town, she’d be lost. The nervous energy ramped up until she was tapping her heel a hundred miles an hour, ready to take off.
Her attention shifted to a man she’d never seen before, and her heart instantly picked up its rhythm.
“Who is that tall drink of water?” Chelsea locked her sights on the stranger entering the gas station.
“Where?”
“He just walked in to pay for his gas. Long, dark hair. Brooding good looks. Tight ass cheeks in Wranglers.”
Angel’s eyes popped wide. “Keep your voice down!”
“Ass cheeks!” From the back seat, Addy tested the words on her child-sized tongue. Judging by the huge smile on her cherubic face, she liked the way they sounded.
Angel groaned. “Don’t say that word, sweetie. That’s an adult word.” Unamused, Angel sent Chelsea a glare as she finished at the pump. “Thanks, Chels. Daddy is going to pitch a fit. Thank you very much.”
Chelsea winced, keeping her gaze on the man as he spoke with the attendant. “Sorry, sweetie. You should be proud, though. She’s a smart little sponge, aren’t ya, honey?” Chelsea waved through the window at the little girl, before addressing Angel again. “I’ll make it up to you. The gas is on me.”
As she sauntered off, she put an extra sway in her hips to make use of her boots and swishy skirt. What was the harm in letting her free spirit soar just a little? She had her mama’s blessing, after all. And something about the dark stranger reeled her in like a magnet. Her effort was rewarded when the man turned, stopping in his tracks on spotting her.
She made it to the door as he reached forward to open it for her. “Why, thank you, stranger,” she drawled as she brushed past him into the shop. “Haven’t seen the likes of you ‘round these parts before. Are you just passin’ through?”
“That was the plan. I’m just on the lookout for somewhere to eat supper.” His voice caressed over every nerve ending, making things tingle.
Chelsea hummed in delight, never one to hold back her thoughts. “You should come to the diner. Fill up that body before you leave. There’s not much to look at in the next town, anyways. The view and the company are much nicer here.”
“No doubt.” His pale gray eyes devoured her from under heavy lids.
“If you’d like some company, the diner is half a mile down the road. I’ll see you there in a bit.” It wasn’t a question. She knew he was keeping up with her perfectly by the way their bodies vibrated and swayed towards each other. Her mouth watered at the thought of watching him eat, and talk, and look at her the way he was doing now.
His voice followed behind as she moved towards the register. “What’s your name, sugar?”
Looking over her shoulder, she smiled. When a man wants to know your name, he’s intrigued, if not half sunk. “Chelsea. What’s yours, sugar?”
“Greyson.” His barely-there smile was the sexiest damn thing she’d ever seen. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Her eyes dropped to the straining material covering his chest and biceps, before rising to meet his stare again. Nope, not just the smile. The whole delicious package. Stupidly, she wanted to go deeper. Wanted to know what made him tick. Whether he had the soul to match the body. She doubted guys like that actually existed, and trying to find one was a pointless exercise for dumbass romantics.
“Likewise, Greyson. I’ll be seeing you real soon.”
She watched as he blew out a long breath, threw him a wink, and went to pay.
Damn, her stomach was full of dancing lightning bugs. Or maybe it was a glut of waving red flags. She’d never been this excited to spend time with a man. Lucky for her, both of them were leaving. She could still have a little fun before she left. She wasn’t going to go too far. She didn’t do that anymore.
Much.
_____
Like the rest of town, Lucy’s Diner was stuck in a time warp. They had the jukebox to prove it, complete with vinyl records. It had a nice homey feel to it, though—another thing she’d miss while she was gone.
The bell on the door jingled as it slapped shut behind her. An aromatic cocktail of grease and coffee hung on the air, assailing her senses, and triggering her hunger. Chelsea turned and waved to Angel as she drove off shaking her head. Her friend thought she was crazy, meeting a strange man who wasn’t hanging around for long. She’d learned to be more selective and trust her instincts when it came to men, despite her impulsive tendencies. Unwilling to repeat the fatal mistake from her past.
Maybe she was crazy, but there was something about him … She wasn’t completely irresponsible. The diner was her turf and it was safe. There’d be people here that would look out for her.
She had this under control.
Chelsea’s blue gaze roamed the cracked red vinyl booths, until they landed on the deliciousness that was Greyson Stranger. She didn’t know his last name, so Stranger it was, and that’s how she wanted it to stay. This was just a short detour to let off some steam before she had to get back to the serious business of paying for her sins.
Her smile stretched wide as she watched him take her in, the heat in his eyes blazing. His long, dark hair hung over one eye, brushing the tops of his wide shoulders. He leaned back in the chair and rested his arms across the table in front of him, with a hint of a smile in greeting.
Slowly walking towards him, she kept eye contact, half because she wanted to make an entrance, and half because she
couldn’t look away.
“Is this seat taken?”
Greyson waved his hand across the booth as if to say, “Be my guest.”
Chelsea slid into the seat and rested her chin in her hands, still staring at him.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” He smirked.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah. I’ve ordered a piece of pie and sweet tea. I didn’t know if you were gonna show up, so I figured I’d … fill up my body …” He wiggled his fingers to put air quotes around his use of her phrase. “… before gettin’ back on the road.”
At the mention of his body, Chelsea’s eyes dropped to his straining T-shirt again. It was hard not to look. The man was gorgeous. “Well, sugar, if I invite a man somewhere you can always guarantee I’ll show up. A piece of pie and some sweet tea sounds mighty fine right about now.”
The waitress appeared in time with Chelsea’s declaration. “Hi sweetie, good to see you again. You having what he’s having?” The older lady stood with pencil and pad poised, and a ready smile.
“Thanks, Doreen.”
“Okay, hun.” She bustled back behind the counter.
Chelsea turned back to her companion. “So, tell me about your first kiss?”
Greyson’s mouth dropped open and he huffed out a laugh. “Excuse me?”
“First kiss. Come on. Spill.”
“Mindy Lawson, second grade, on the swings. How about you?”
“Decker Turner, two years old, in the playpen.” She grinned. “What did you think you’d grow up to be when you were a kid?”
“Superman … How ‘bout you?”
“Lois Lane.” She smirked, batting her lashes playfully.
A deep laugh rumbled out of him, sending tingles down her neck.
“Do I get to ask a question?” He raised a dark brow.
“Only if it’s not personal.”
“Your first kiss isn’t personal?”
“No.” She shrugged.
“So, I can’t ask what your last name is?”
“Nope.”
“Or your number?”
“Nooo.” She shook her head, dramatically.
He sat up straight and scratched the stubble on his chin, one side of his mouth quirked. “Arrabbiata or Carbonara?”
“Ooh, good one. It depends on my mood. Arrabbiata, most of the time.”
“Spicy … Nice.” He leaned towards her, his eyes dipping to her lips for a second, before seeking her gaze again.
She put her hands on the table, mirroring him as she leaned forward. “Red or white wine?”
“Whatever goes with the dish.”
“I like an adventurous man.” The smile broke out on her face again.
“I’m on the biggest adventure of my life.”
“Where ya headed?”
“Isn’t that a personal question?” He raised a brow and moved his hand closer so their fingers touched.
“Touché. Yes, it is.”
The clink of plates on the table broke the intensity between them.
Chelsea took in a desperate breath as they both leaned back. “Thanks, Doreen, you’re a darlin’.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie. Enjoy!”
They each took a forkful of pie, and chewed as their eyes roamed over each other. The taste on her tongue was amazing. The country song playing on the jukebox barely registered over the sound of Grey’s lips smacking together as he enjoyed his food. He made a low hum in his throat, and she let out a whimper. It was the most intense foreplay she’d ever experienced.
She couldn’t help feeling sad at the thought that this couldn’t go anywhere. It should have been a warning signal, when fleeting hook-ups were the only relationships she dared to entertain. The type she could control. Maybe it hadn’t been wise, starting something with this man. It echoed of her past. Of a stupid decision that cost a life. She feared she was setting herself up for a painful experience, rather than the fun she’d hoped for.
Picking up her glass, she gulped down some cool, sweet tea, looking away from him for a beat.
“Feelin’ a bit heated, sugar?” The amusement was obvious in his voice.
The glass thunked on the table as she put it down too forcefully. “I am. You wanna get out of here?”
“What’s the hurry? Are you tired of me already?”
“Nope. It’s just the opposite. I’m afraid I’ve bitten off more than I can chew, but like the greedy girl I am, I’d like to gorge myself some more.”
She had lost her everlovin’ mind.
His jaw tightened and he paused, his eyes flashing to her mouth. She watched that jaw loosen as he continued to chew and swallow slowly. His gaze drifted back to hers, and he picked up his drink, draining it in one long chug before pushing the glass away.
“You’re a wild one … Tempting.”
He sat so still with his eyes boring into hers, his face an intense mask. His eyebrows had dropped. He looked almost angry … or maybe frustrated. It did nothing to dispel the heat that gathered in her core. If anything, the hint of fire in his eyes set her desire for him at furnace level. She’d never experienced an attraction like this before, putting her at a distinct disadvantage. She needed to be the one in control, and she felt anything but.
“I need to get back on the road. If I don’t get out of here now, I’m never going to leave,” he muttered, before he stood. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his wallet, and threw some green onto the table. His warm palm caressed her cheek, as his thumb drifted across her bottom lip. The touch set off all sorts of tingles, further awakening parts that had no business being excited in a 1950s diner.
Chelsea’s heart thundered in her chest as he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. The barely-there touch seared more than the hottest chili.
“The first kiss is always personal,” he whispered in her ear, before walking out of her life.
For good.
She sat for the longest time, staring at where he’d been sitting, trying to calm the hell down. Wondering what the fuck had just happened, and why she suddenly felt so bereft. Like her carefully planned future now had a gaping hole she had no idea how to fill.
New Friends
Chelsea finished placing photos of her mom, and Angel and the kids, on the bookshelf above her desk. Worn out after a long day of moving and unpacking, she slumped on her desk chair, admiring her decorating efforts. A royal purple, satin comforter lent a luxurious quality to the standard-sized bedroom. She’d draped a colorful scarf over her bedside lamp, added some finger paintings—courtesy of the Murphy kids—to the walls, and stocked her bookshelf with books, trinkets, and photographs.
Her classmate, Dakota, had offered Chelsea the spare room at her place, and Chelsea had jumped at the chance to get out of the dorms. Not that the dorm rooms were bad, but there was something about a having a vinyl covered floor and sharing a building with a few hundred people, she just couldn’t stomach. It would be nice to have a room to herself.
She made her way out to the living room where Dakota was lounging beside Ryan—the only male in the house—peppering his ears with her chatter. He didn’t seem to mind, letting it bounce off him while his hand rested on her thigh and his eyes glazed over. Guaranteed, he only heard one percent of what she was saying.
Hannah, the final tenant, sat on a ratty recliner playing Xbox. The computer-generated sounds of revving engines battled with the conversation on the sofa. It all looked suspiciously like the recreation room in the dorm, but that was where the similarities ended. There weren’t students lined up to use the bathroom, or hundreds of people milling about the building. This was a home. Her new home. She figured it was like a new pair of leather shoes that had to be worn in until they molded to her feet. And if it didn’t, she would be leaving in the summer, anyways.
Ryan turned his head, acknowledging Chelsea’s entrance with a slow perusal of her body, cutting off Dakota mid-speech.
“Hey, gorgeous. All settled in?”
/> Aw, shit. And he seemed so sweet when she’d met him. He had that twinkle in his eye. Like he knew he was cute and every woman should watch out. Not happening, sunshine.
Chelsea noted the annoyance on Dakota’s face, before flicking her eyes towards Ryan, and pasting on a smile.
“Yep. All set.” She nodded before shifting her attention back to Dakota. “Thanks for letting me stay here.” Offering her friend a genuine smile, she tried to ignore the feeling that she was intruding on something.
“Not a problem. You saved us from having to interview a whole heap of weirdos.”
“How do I know you’re not weirdos?” She cocked a blonde eyebrow and crossed her arms.
Hannah snorted, but didn’t take her eyes off the screen as her fingers flew over the controller.
Ryan’s face stretched into a huge grin, his dark eyes full of mischief. “You don’t.” He appraised her with an interest she had better sense to return.
Tightening her arms, she managed to stop a growl from escaping.
“I think we should all go out to celebrate the new addition to our little family. You ladies up for it?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
She was amazed that the sparkle in his eye grew even more pronounced as he voiced the double entendre. It may as well have been a flashing neon sign that screamed ‘player’. The entire time he’d been checking her out, his hand remained on Dakota’s thigh, and a frown had marred Dakota’s pretty face as his blatant flirting continued.
Chelsea had dealt with guys like him before. Sometimes they were good for a bit of fun, but not when another woman’s heart was on the line. She felt a rush of sympathy for her friend.
“Sure. Sounds like fun. Why don’t you invite some other guys to make things even?”
It was Ryan’s turn to frown as Chelsea circled the sofa and grabbed Dakota’s wrist, pulling her up. “Hey Dee, why don’t you come help me choose something to wear?”