Secrets

by L. A. Fiore

  He looked at the pie and noticed Arissa had cut out little cherries into the dough. He smiled. He reached for his cell, he tapped the screen and this time, he called Arissa.

  Arissa had just walked in the door when her cell went off. Dropping her purse on the counter, she grabbed her cell out of it. She answered, “Hey.”

  “Let me make it up to you?” Hank asked as his greeting.

  She assumed the man was gone and though she had questions, she didn’t ask them and instead teased, “No need to make anything up, but I would really like a rain check for the darts.” Moving through her kitchen, she grabbed a glass and poured herself some wine from the open bottle on the counter.

  Hank went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. “Deal.” He went up to his room, toed off his sneakers. With his back to the headboard, he focused on the waterfall. “Not how I expected our night to end,” he said mindlessly into the phone.

  Arissa walked out front and settled on one of the rockers. “That makes two of us. Not going to lie, I was scared. I didn’t know at first who he was, thought maybe he was someone you’d arrested and he was looking to get back at you.”

  Hank took a deep breath before he took a swig from the bottle. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that shit, but it’s a long story. Maybe we save it for another time.”

  “We can save it for our second date,” she teased before she sobered and asked, “You’re okay?”

  Hank smiled but it faded when he heard the concern in her voice. “I should be asking you that, but yeah, I’m good.”

  “Me? I deal with lunatics trying to break in all the time.” She chuckled, trying to make light of it because it really had been an unnerving scene, but coming to know the man Hank was, his guest being scared on his turf…he was playing it cool, but she suspected he was livid. She was sincere when she added, “Your timing is impeccable.”

  Hank licked his bottom lip thinking about her and the way she had looked. “With eyes like yours, a body so perfect, and you add that phenomenal personality in the mix, I have no fucking doubt you have lunatics knocking down your door.”

  A rush of heat moved through her at his words. Silence followed for a beat before she said, “Could you repeat that?” Then she took a long sip of wine, hoping to ease the fire burning inside her.

  Hank’s voice was low and deep when he started, “I can. Your eyes are so soft they draw you in. Your body, the curves, any man would be lucky to touch them. Your personality, no words, even in the heat of the moment, you can throw out a joke. Not many could or would. So…” Hank paused and added, “I have no doubt that lunatics would be knocking down your door to get to you.”

  Arissa bit back a sigh; she was in trouble. This man did things to her, and hearing how he saw her. “Those are the nicest words anyone has ever said to me. And the fact they came from you…I really wish that asshole hadn’t shown up tonight.”

  “Baby, if that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you, then you need to stick around,” Hank told her and shifted when he felt his jeans getting a little too tight. The sound of her voice sighing through the phone had his mind wandering elsewhere.

  Her voice was soft when she whispered, “I intend on sticking around.”

  Hank’s lips turned up, the smile reaching his eyes. He felt a flow of warmth course through his body. He liked it. He asked, “You haven’t mentioned any family.”

  Arissa inhaled, and let it out slowly. “I don’t really have family. Parents, but they were always more about themselves. I was the obligatory child. They took off when I turned eighteen to travel. I haven’t seen them since, but I haven’t made any effort either.”

  Hank took a second to reply seeing as his parents were very much in his life. The thought of them not wasn’t something he could swallow easily. “I’m sorry.” And he was because even in a small town he saw many parents doing as Arissa’s had done, having a child for no other reason than to put that notch in the family tree. “Well, you’ll certainly get family here whether you want it or not.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the conversation.

  The thought was one she liked. “I’m beginning to see that.”

  Hank opened his mouth to speak when he heard the chime of an incoming call. He pulled the cell from his ear. Vern. Jesus. Millie said she’d bring her home. “Hold on,” Hank told Arissa and clicked over to Vern. “Hey Vern!” he shouted.

  “She’s drunk Hank, you have to come get me. Last time I drove with her drunk she almost hit one of my dogs,” Vern yelled into the phone.

  “You have cats, Vern, not dogs.” Hank shook his head.

  “Oh, yes. I do. Do you know that one of them—”

  He cut her off. “I’ll be there soon, Vern. Stay inside, I’ll come in and get you!”

  “Okay.”

  He clicked back to Arissa. “Duty calls. That duty is getting Vern home from bingo.”

  It was late, but someone needed him and he didn’t think twice about helping. Arissa didn’t hold back when she said, “You’re a remarkable man, Sheriff Weathers. I think I might be a little jealous of Vern.”

  The way her soft voice said, Sheriff Weathers, had him adjusting his growing cock. It never affected him before, being called Sheriff Weathers. Shit, he heard it on a daily basis. But the way Arissa said it, he wanted to hear it again, while she was under him, his cock deep inside her. He absently spoke the thought out loud. “Can I just say, I really like when you call me sheriff.”

  “Really?” Arissa asked coyly. “Like how much?”

  Hank chuckled. “Let’s just say I’ve never given the title much thought till you started saying it.”

  He heard her sigh, which made him grin. He liked that he made her speechless, and let that silence hang in the air for a minute before he said, “You have nothing to be jealous of.” He put his sneakers back on and wondered briefly to himself why he even undressed anymore. He was always running somewhere.

  “On the contrary, Vern is going to have the pleasure of your company. That’s enough of a reason, but like you said, duty calls. Be safe…Sheriff.”

  Hank closed his eyes, let the word sheriff bounce around for a while. Fuck, he really liked the way she said it. “Always. Have a good night, Arissa.”

  “You too, Hank. Thanks again for tonight. I really did have fun.”

  Hank descended the stairs three at a time and said, “The pleasure was all mine.” Then he tapped end on the screen and put his cell in his pocket. He drove to the community center with a smile on his face. He drove Vern home with a smile on his face. He passed Arissa’s house. The lights were off and all was silent. That smile faded, because he had plans, but tonight, he’d let her sleep.

  4

  Hank held Arissa’s hand tightly, could hear her breathing picking up with every few feet they took. They’d been walking steadily for the past fifteen minutes through the wooded area.

  “Just a little farther.” Hank chuckled when he felt like he was now pulling her along and not just holding her hand. “Gotta train those city muscles, Sweetheart.”

  Arissa was winded, and her legs hurt. She thought it was a workout when she’d walked from her condo to work. Trekking through the woods, damn she was going to be hurting tomorrow. “You’re not wrong,” she panted breathlessly.

  Hank could see the clearing ahead, but it was her breathless voice that had him slowing. Not to give her time to catch her breath, but because the sound had a heat traveling through him. Hank had to hold back the thought of throwing her down in the clearing and fucking her till she said his name in that breathless pant. “See.” He pointed, putting the thought behind him and added, “Right there.” Arissa didn’t answer as they walked the extra steps and broke through the woods to a vast clearing. The small pond that sat in the middle was host to two geese floating in the water. Colorful wildflowers, peeking up through the grass, blanketed the area, reachi
ng to the horizon.

  He stopped, Arissa followed and when he looked at her, her eyes were taking in the area. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Hank muttered quietly.

  Arissa couldn’t draw a breath for an entirely different reason. It was like stepping into a little piece of heaven. “It’s breathtaking,” she whispered. Her focus shifted to Hank. “I’m guessing not many know of it or it would be overflowing with people.”

  He smiled. “Yep, and those geese would be sitting on someone’s dining room table.” Hank’s eyes drifted around. Shortly after buying his house, he had gone for a walk to see exactly where the property line ended and had stumbled onto this clearing. He wondered if the Hanson family knew about it and kept quiet too. He didn’t come out here as often as he used to, but he knew Arissa would appreciate the beauty of it, like he did.

  “It’s like a secret garden,” she said in awe, taking it all in before her gaze settled on him. And as beautiful as the view was, he was even more so. She let her eyes wander over him as he crouched down, the light sweat beading on his tanned skin. She had the craziest urge to lick it off. She might have even moaned. She pulled herself from those thoughts, but it took effort.

  Grabbing into the backpack, he pulled out the baggie filled with slices of bread. “Here.” He jerked his head toward the geese and held the baggie up to her. “Go feed them.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Really?” The closest she’d come to feeding birds were the pigeons in Charleston, but they were more like rats with wings. Taking the bag from him, their fingers brushed. It was just the slightest touch, but the heat that moved through her had her feeling breathless again. Her legs weren’t completely steady when she walked closer to the pond. Her attention shifted when the geese moved toward her. They weren’t afraid, but then why would they be when the one who visited them also fed them. She ripped the bread and tossed it in the water and watched in delight as the geese ate it up.

  Hank didn’t move, only his eyes did as he took in Arissa. The way her body swayed when she walked, the curve of her hips more prominent with every step. Hank tucked his hands into his pockets holding back the urge to chase after her, snatching her up from those hips. Then there was her ass. Jesus. Encased in tightly fitted jeans. Thoughts drifted through his mind of her laying on her stomach, naked in his bed, his tongue running down her spine until he reached the crack of her ass. Teeth baring, so he could sink them into the soft flesh and—

  There was a loud splash before Arissa shouted. “Holy shit, it’s cold!”

  Hank was jogging toward her, a huge smile on his face as he let out small chuckles. “Jesus,” he muttered as he got close to her, holding his hand out for her to grab it. “If you wanted to go swimming, you should’ve told me.” He laughed as he hauled her up and onto flat ground. Seconds later, the geese took off in flight. If you looked close enough, you could see one of the geese giving Arissa a dirty look because she’d interrupted their quiet retreat. Not to mention, their meal of finely baked bread from Dehlia’s. “You good?” he asked when she had her footing.

  Arissa wiped at her face, her lips quivering a little. “Yeah, feels kind of good.” She looked up at him and grinned. “I leaned too far over, but I really thought that one was going to take the bread right out of my hand.” Her brows furrowed. “But now I’m thinking he did it on purpose, making me fall into the pond.”

  Hank chuckled. “Yeah, they have a thing against city girls.” He winked, grabbed her hand and started toward the backpack. “Let’s get back and get you into dry clothes.” That is not at all what Hank wanted to do. Hell no. If it were up to him he’d be stripping his clothes, watching her follow his lead and taking this date to a whole different level. But she was different. A woman you wanted to get to know slowly, enjoying all the little moments with her. So when the time came, the sex was meaningful. Not to mention, he was the sheriff, had a reputation to withhold. Taking the new girl out to the woods to fuck her wouldn’t look good on his resume.

  Arissa looked back at the pond as Hank reached for his bag. It really was beautiful. She squeezed his hand and when his focus shifted to her she said, “Thanks for sharing this with me.”

  Hank tossed the backpack over his shoulder and glanced back at her. “Welcome.” His voice was a low rumble, the thoughts he had of them skinny-dipping still fresh in his mind. “Next time we’ll come prepared to swim.”

  Arissa liked that idea, but swimming wasn’t what she had in mind. “That sounds like a good plan.” She then added, “Not a city girl anymore, Sheriff.” She waited until his eyes found hers. “Not going to be a city girl again. I like it right here.”

  When she said the last and let her eyes scan his body before landing back on his he grumbled huskily, “Noted.”

  * * *

  Arissa sat on her porch and hadn’t been able to stop smiling. She was having trouble catching her breath too, but damn she was getting caught up in Hank Weathers. Their walk the other day to the pond, she wanted to visit again, go skinny dipping, wanted to see Hank Weathers naked, would like to take some time just on that, removing his clothes, one article at a time. Her hands exploring the muscular body his clothes hid, and then her mouth. She reached for her beer, took a long drink. Thinking about skin against skin, wet, her legs around his waist, his cock deep inside her…she took another long pull from her beer.

  Hank was coming over shortly. How Arissa looked almost calm when her body was going haywire was a marvel, but the man did things to her. Made her feel in ways she never had before. It was addicting, he was addicting.

  Arissa was pulled from her thoughts on Summerville’s sexy sheriff when a car came barreling down the street. She recognized the car immediately, the same car that almost ran her off the road that first day. The older woman was driving, she parked at the curb, her door flew open and she bellowed, “We’re running out of time!”

  Arissa’s neighbor, Maureen, appeared carrying a stadium chair in one hand and a folding table in the other. Arissa leaned up in her chair and noticed another woman coming from down the street. She also was carrying a chair and a bottle of vodka. Watching the three women, it was like a dance the way they moved together, putting food on the table, glasses and bottles of alcohol followed. She took a minute to study the women because they weren’t people you’d put together, different not just in looks but mannerisms. Maureen was dressed in a buttercup yellow sundress and four inch heels, her silky blonde hair was down around her shoulders, her makeup looked professionally applied and her painted red lips were smiling wide. The woman with the vodka was smaller, had red hair, dressed in khaki shorts and cotton tank top. And then there was the woman who was currently stuffing a drumstick in her mouth. She was older than the others, maybe late fifties. Brown hair that was fading to gray and yet it was beautiful, cut into a bob that was flattering to her angular face. She was dressed in loose fitting linen pants and a cotton button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Arissa’s eyes darted to the cane, one she’d heard stories about. As she watched, the women all took a seat, right in the middle of Maureen’s lawn. They had barbeque and alcohol and were looking like they were waiting for the festivities to begin. She then heard the sound of a truck, watched as the ladies sat a little straighter in their chairs. Arissa followed their gazes to the landscape crew that parked down the street.

  Shirts came off and the catcalls started. “That’s it, a nice even tan.” The older woman shouted. “I got something you can mow.”

  “Oh me too, Sugar.” Maureen called. “Every damn day.”

  The woman with the vodka took a healthy drink. “My bush could use some trimming.”

  The older woman cackled. “Trimming more like a machete.”

  Arissa bit back a laugh, looked at the lawn guys who weren’t hiding their laughter. It went on for about twenty minutes before the lawn guys loaded up their equipment, which was odd because they were in the middle of mowing a lawn
.

  The older woman stood up, waving a drumstick in their direction. “You’re not done,” she screamed down the street.

  The truck pulled down the street, slowing when it reached Maureen’s house. Arissa couldn’t hear what was said, but when the truck drove off, the women were piling into the convertible and chasing after the truck, the remnants of their impromptu party still on Maureen’s lawn. What the hell just happened?

  Not even a minute later, Hank’s SUV came down the street. Arissa felt flustered for an entirely different reason now. She watched as he parked, climbed from his SUV. Her heart was tripping in her chest because damn he really was a sight. He crossed the street to Maureen’s, grabbed the plate of chicken before he turned and headed her way. Her gaze drifted down his body, enjoying how that big, muscled body moved. He took the steps two at a time, her gaze taking its time, she lingered on the plate of chicken that looked mouth watering before she settled on his smiling face.

  He pushed the plate in her direction, the smell wafting from the plate to fill the porch. “It’d be a sin to let the birds get to Hya’s barbeque.” His head jerked down the street, signaling to the abrupt disappearance of the Belles. “They’ll forget about it anyway since they got a full day ahead of them now.”

  Arissa took the plate from him. Her mouth opened, then closed. She glanced down the street before looking back at Hank. “Why do I have the feeling you had something to do with that lawn crew leaving so quickly?”

  Hank smiled. “I might have so I could avoid being interrogated by the Belles. Told the lawn guys to go over the park a few times, give the old broads something to drool over.” Hank started back down the steps when he finished, “Plus, they’ll tip them real well next time.” He pointed to her garage. “Can I shove my truck in there…” He looked up and down the street. “Keep the eyes off us?”