“Ground or tailgate?” he offered.
“Tailgate,” she said, with a laugh. “I’m afraid I’d never be able to get up again if we sat on the ground.”
“Oh come on, you’re not that big, and you’ve got me here to help,” he insisted, but spread the blanket on the gate of the truck regardless. She slid up on and he opened the cooler, handing her a glass bottle of lemonade and one of the wax-paper wrapped sandwiches he’d put together. She unwrapped it quickly and took a bite just a beat before her stomach growled audibly.
“Thank God we weren’t depending on fish for a meal,” she said, taking a huge bite of the sandwich.
“I’d never do you like that,” Banks teased. “I don’t know a lot about pregnant women but Layla has taught me you never stand between one and her next meal.”
“That woman speaks the truth.” Norah nodded, taking another bite of the sandwich and washing it down with the lemonade.
Norah reminded Banks quite a lot of his sister-in-law. Not just the fact that they were both with child, but the fierce determination, sheer grit, and spines made of steel. Nan said they were getting along well, and it made Banks happy that Norah was finding other ways to fit back into the community. He didn’t have a big circle, but friends were important; he’d always thought so. And Layla was a hell of a friend to have on your team.
They ate in silence for a while. He broke out a bag of potato chips to split between them, to Norah’s delight. When it came time for dessert, he nodded to the ground.
“You sure you wanna stay up here? I promise I’ll help you up.”
A little reluctantly, she slipped down off the tailgate and let him move the blanket to a lush spot of short grass. He grabbed the dessert—a trifle just the right size for two, thanks to Nan—with two spoons, and sprawled out on the blanket, patting the spot beside him.
She groaned and held her back exaggeratedly, but lowered herself down next to him, crossing her legs and arranging the skirt of her dress over her thighs for modesty.
“I’m not gonna lie, I’ll do about anything for a trifle, even when I’m not pregnant” she said with a laugh. “But you are gonna have to help me get up later.”
“What kind of sheriff would I be if I left one of the good citizens of Three Rivers stuck like a turned over turtle?”
Norah narrowed him in a sharp gaze, her brow raised. “The kind that finds the humor in it, if I had to guess.”
He chuckled, opening the container Nan had sent and handing her one of the spoons. She made some kind of noise with the first bite that Banks felt right to his toes. He was one-hundred-percent sure it wasn’t meant to be dirty, but his mind went there before he even realized he should stop it.
Their spoons clashed a handful of times before Banks gave up, happy to watch her voraciously devour the rest of the dessert—he’d never been keen on sweets, anyways, and she was way more entertaining than eating his portion would have been. She continued until she was scraping the edges of the container and then exaggeratedly licked the spoon clean.
“Tell me you made that. And that you’ll make it for me every day.”
“Nan.”
“Even better,” she said, dropping her spoon into the empty container with a clatter. “Convenient to have her as an upstairs neighbor.”
Banks nodded, wishing she’d get a little closer now that she wasn’t so focused on the food. Snuggling up on the riverbank to watch the sun set and the stars come up sounded just about ideal to him right now. He sat back on his hands, opening a space for her to fit into, if she so chose.
“You’ll just go up there, all pregnant and hungry, and she’ll drop everything to make you some.”
“Oh, I hope so,” she said with a laugh. “But I feel like most pregnant women hope for that kind of thing. A food fairy. Tonight, you just happen to be mine.”
And then she pushed the container aside, and took his invitation.
—NINETEEN—
Norah up close and personal, without hesitation or overlying need to ‘keep it professional’ was better than Banks had imagined. He closed his arm around her waist, drawing her just a bit closer, and then she sighed and dropped her head to his chest, relaxing into him. He had no business adding this into the complicated life she had right now, but he hoped she could trust him, and let him take some of her burden. Unlike when he’d resisted the distraction in the office, and in his home, he felt clarity here. It was obvious he could do it all, and still devote what he needed to the town and to his horses. It turned out that he didn’t need to fit her into the space he had remaining—his heart and his life would make all the space necessary.
They sat quietly for a while, listening to the sounds of the night falling around them, watching the sun sink low, then lower, until it was nearly gone, and the sky was just a beautiful canvas of deep pinks and golds. Summer hadn’t fully taken hold yet, so the night cooled off and he’d made do with a denim jacket from the truck and by cocooning the blanket around them. Occasionally she shifted a little, getting more comfortable, but she didn’t move away.
“This is a perfect date,” she finally said, so quiet he almost didn’t hear.
“I’m glad,” he replied, sliding his hand over her arm back and forth in a gentle, soothing motion. He paused briefly and she made a noise to encourage him to continue. “I’d already taken you to lunch at Hinkley’s, and a movie didn’t feel right, so I had to think outside the box a little.”
“Well I can tell you for sure, I’ve never been taken on a date like this one.”
Banks’ heart swelled with pride. He had lots of meaning in his life, but being with her, making her happy, those things counted, too. Higher on the list than he’d realized they would be.
“I’ll do it again,” he vowed.
She laughed, nestling in closer to him.
“I’d like that. A lot.”
He couldn’t explain why his heart pounded when he reached down and lifted her chin so he could take her mouth. He kissed her like he’d kissed her in front of the sheriff’s office that day. Slow and easy, a gentle push and pull between them. She got closer still, of her own accord, her hand coming up to rest on his chest, right over his heart, where he worried she’d feel it beating fast as a freight train. He’d have liked her not to know that he felt like a seventeen year old all over again, on his first date with a girl he really liked for the first time.
When he pulled away, she was flushed, breathless. Her body followed his almost like a magnetic force still held them together. She wanted more. He did, too. But he was supposed to be the sheriff who busted young couples doing things like this on the banks of the river, not the kid doing it. He cupped her jaw and met her gaze, a little smile tipping his lips. Being this close to her felt like winning the lottery.
Damnit, he wanted this girl. More than he’d wanted anything in a long time.
*
Norah had probably never felt so satisfied. A belly full of delicious food she hadn’t had to prepare herself, and Banks’ warm body next to hers. She took a deep breath, bringing all the goodness and light of the moment in, and felt a little wiggle in her belly. If she’d been waiting for confirmation that she was doing something right, this overwhelming feeling of peace had to be it.
And then Banks kissed her. It was the kind of kiss that took control of your whole body. She had no say when her body curved toward his, wanting to touch every available part of his body with every available part of hers. It was a craving, stronger than anything she’d had so far, and it wasn’t for pickles with ice cream, it was for Banks Montgomery. She shifted out from under his arm, turning, without breaking the kiss, and rose up on her knees so she could touch his jaw, slide her fingers along to tug the short hairs at the back of his neck, get even closer.
He laughed, swung an arm around her hips and shifted her into his lap, and from there, Norah controlled the kiss, taking what she needed from him, what she wanted, more importantly. Things she hadn’t given herself the liberty
to need or want or take in far too long, maybe ever. Maybe the most beautiful part of their whole night was the lightness, the airiness of it all. The way Banks teased her, touched her gently, casually, but with intent. They were just enjoying one another’s company, with no agenda.
Banks traced his fingers over her shoulder, his feather light touch and his close breath bringing goosebumps to her skin’s surface. He looked up and caught her eyes, smiled, tightened the fingers of the hand that rested on her waist, and then released, tickling her. She chuckled, squirmed, and when she resettled, found herself nestled against evidence that she wasn’t the only one being affected by their playfulness. She drew a breath, tucking her lip between her teeth, then pressed experimentally.
Banks hadn’t taken the kiss any further than first date business, and she saw a little look of panic cross his expression just before a guttural noise emerged from him, his fingers at her waist tightening again, his free hand sliding to the small of her back. He hesitated, just a moment, and she closed the distance, bringing her mouth down over his, bowing her body toward his. He responded by pressing her tighter against him, one hand sliding up to the back of her head to deepen the kiss. The desire, the want, the arousal, all so strong, so sudden, it made Norah’s breath catch. They could only have gotten closer if they’d been naked. She barely knew who this brazen woman was.
Heart nearly pounding out of her chest, she shifted her hips against him, clinching herself tight to his waist before letting off a little. It felt good—too good—like she was an inexperienced teenager and this was the farthest base she’d ever gotten to. The friction as the skirt of her dress rode up her thighs was beyond what she could handle. She’d sometimes had trouble coming at all with Rob and here she was about to rub one out on Banks’ jeans if she wasn’t careful.
She broke the kiss, pressing her fingers into his shoulder, her breath coming in short, hot bursts. She would have been embarrassed if she didn’t feel so damn needy, rubbing against him like a cat in heat. What must he think of her, though? When she caught his gaze, he was grinning like the cat that ate the canary. His hand moved from her hip to her bare thigh, sliding along until he found her panties. He framed her pelvis with his hand, just under her bump, his thumb tucked under her waistband, hovering just over the spot she wanted him to touch her the most.
She held his gaze, almost defiant.
“Get it, girl,” he said, finally, his voice hitching just a bit to betray him.
She drew a breath, her heart pounding in her throat, and tipped her pelvis forward. His thumb made contact with her center and an involuntary moan slipped past her lips. Her head tipped back and her eyes closed. Shameless. She was utterly filthy and absolutely shameless. Here was this good, decent man, who had taken her on a beautiful date, and all she could think about was having an orgasm. The libido during pregnancy was no joke, and she’d had to make do on her own, but that didn’t even come close to the pleasure of someone else touching her. And he’d offered so she was going to take what she needed. And she wouldn’t apologize.
She held herself against him, then shifted again, getting just the right angle, just the right pressure. Norah tipped her head forward and rested her forehead against his, as he shifted his hand again, slipping it further into her panties. He spread her wetness and the whole feeling changed. She drew a quick breath.
“Banks,” she panted. Everything felt out of control, now. Too fast. Too frenzied. Like she might come all the way apart and then she’d never be able to be put together again.
“You’re so pretty like this. Come for me,” he whispered, sliding the heel of his thumb upward when she didn’t move.
She cried out, pressed against him, her legs shaking like Sailor’s had when she’d first gotten up. He didn’t release the pressure, but increased the friction, until the edges of her vision went black, until she was bucking against him, her thighs clenched around his waist in a bid to stay upright.
But still she held out, delaying her gratification, enjoying the deliciousness of his touch, his desire.
“I’ll catch you.”
His words were like magic, and suddenly she wasn’t in control of the outcome anymore. She came quick, a rush of pleasure overwhelming her. She keened out like an animal, without shame, giving herself up to the euphoria with abandon.
—TWENTY—
It took about all of the self-control Banks had and then some not to roll Norah right onto her back and take her right there in front of God and all the forest animals, but he didn’t, somehow, holding tension in his fingers against her flesh. Hard, but not hard enough to hurt or bruise her. He let out a long, slow breath as she came down from her high, taking the time to steady himself. He’d never seen anything more beautiful than Norah Clarke in the throes of ecstasy, and he’d do it again, but she deserved more than a picnic blanket in the woods.
Finally, she gathered herself, and just as he’d begun to be able to move his mind off of his own happy ending, she tipped back, her hands heading for the zipper of his jeans. He stopped her. Not because he wanted to, but because if he didn’t, he couldn’t be responsible for what happened next.
She looked confused. He smiled, touched her jaw gently.
“Not here,” he said. “When we do this, I want to do it properly. Somewhere where I can give you all the time and attention you deserve.”
She sighed shakily, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face against his neck. He moved one hand up her back gently.
“But that was beautiful. You’re beautiful, coming all undone on top of me. And I definitely want to see that again.”
“I’ll allow that,” she whispered hoarsely against his jaw, and he laughed.
“Right now, you should allow me to take you home.”
She made a noise of protest but straightened, and he helped her slide off of his lap, his arousal finally dissipating with distance. He was grateful for that—thinking he wanted to do better by her was one thing. Convincing his body to do so in the heat of the moment was quite another.
“What if I don’t want to go home?”
Minx.
He laughed.
“You need rest, it’s getting late and you’ve got that appointment with Dr. Fields in the morning. Besides that, I think I want to make you wait a little.”
She smiled a bit, smoothing the skirt of the dress he’d have rather seen on his bedroom floor.
“That’s not fair.”
“Makes you want me more,” he teased with a wink, getting to his feet.
She made a noise.
“Not possible,” she said, almost under her breath.
Well that wasn’t helping his resolve. He closed the little space between where they stood and slid his hand under her hair, tasting her in one more kiss. She was different. Braver, smokier. Her confidence made her taste sweeter, if that was possible, something that made him hungrier. It was addictive. He’d thought if he got it out of his system, he’d be better able to focus in the office, but now that he’d had a sample, he wasn’t sure that was the case.
He gathered up their dishes and the blanket, tossing them in the bed of his truck, then rounded the vehicle to open the passenger door for her. At least she’d be out of the office for a bit tomorrow and he could make an attempt to gather his wits about him. It wasn’t going to be an easy task.
It was all he could do to stop himself from grabbing her for one last kiss when she passed him to climb into his truck. She looked just about right there, too. So many parts of his life had a Norah shaped hole he hadn’t even seen until she stepped into it.
*
The drive home was uneventful, and he took her straight to Nan’s. Once there, he helped her out of the truck and walked her to her door, pausing to face her.
“I had such a good time tonight, Banks. Thank you. Really. Nobody’s ever taken me on a date like that.”
That was a shame. She deserved all of this and so much more. And he wanted to give it to her. He wanted
to give her everything. He barely knew her, and he was ready to offer her the sun and the stars, because he knew enough to know that’s what she deserved.
“Then I hope you’ll let me take you on another.”
The smile that tilted across her features made him reciprocate.
“Absolutely. If that trifle is involved in another date, you don’t even have to ask twice.”
Nan’s desserts knocking it out of the park, as usual.
“I’ll have to have her make another,” he said with a chuckle. “But don’t let her give it to you, it has to be me. If it’s gonna keep earning me the points, I can’t let you get your supply anywhere else.”
She laughed.
“That is risky.”
“Promise you’ll let me be your only dealer,” he teased, tugging her toward him. She linked her arms around his neck and leaned into him, pressing up on her tiptoes. She met his lips this time, initiating a kiss that made him want to push the door right open and step inside with her.
When she pulled away, she hovered just at his mouth and said. “I promise.”
And with that, she waved, slipping into the apartment without giving him an opportunity to go back on what he’d said when they’d been on that riverbank.
It was for the best, but it sure didn’t feel that way.
—TWENTY-ONE—
Norah was nervous standing outside Dr. Field’s office. She’d never been real crazy about anything to do with doctors, and lucky to live most of her life without much medical intervention. If it weren’t for Jellybean’s wellbeing, she wouldn’t even be here. But this was the first part of being a mom—doing things that weren’t fun or comfortable—and damnit, she was going to be a good mom.
On top of it all, there was a text sitting in the inbox on her phone that made her spine feel wiggly. She’d noticed it when she’d gone into the apartment after Banks had left, but the sender was the one person she wanted to hear from the least, so she’d put off bursting the bubble of perfection from the date, and left it unread, promising herself she’d deal with it today, if for no reason other than seeing an unread notification made her crazy.
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