Andras asked, “What would you like, Selena?”
Hozier was singing Movement. Great timing. The sexy song had me blushing even more and still I could not speak, my voice seeming to have temporarily frozen.
Then I focused my smile at Gemma, and got out, “I’ll take a tuna-melt and fries, thank you.” He ordered our beers and today’s special for himself, the Starlight Burger. Gemma spun off in the direction of the bar to relay the orders and those mesmerizing chestnut eyes pulled me back in.
“I’m really hungry for a burger tonight. I haven’t eaten since a late breakfast.” But as I heard him saying the words, his heated gaze conveyed without apology a different kind of hunger. This heat would never leave my cheeks. That focus. It was intoxicating. Then I thought quizzically, he likes watching me blush!
He tried again to get the conversation going as I still could not seem to form words. “So, you’re not a beef lover?”
Trying hard to regain my composure, I dove in, “Sure, I like burgers, but I love Kenny’s tuna-melts. They are one of his specialties. Red only gets the best albacore, so it’s a favorite of mine. He uses Jean’s fresh sourdough bread. Have you had Kenny’s garlic fries yet?”
What was I doing? God, slow down and quit babbling, Selena. I rolled my lips together and squinted an eye at him. He had to continue because I had just dried up my conversational well in one burst.
“Beef is my usual preference, but that sounds like a winner. I’ll definitely try it next time, and the garlic fries are a favorite of mine, too. The Starlight is lucky to have the deft culinary skills of Kenny Sullivan, this is an undeniable truth.” A smile played around his beautiful eyes causing them to crinkle.
Ah, he had taken mercy on me and said the right thing to make me feel comfortable, and it suddenly hit my funny bone picturing Kenny’s face when I told him he had “deft culinary skills.” I broke out laughing, causing Andras to join me. It was like a dam had burst.
It seemed we were both relieved to be on this side of the past weeks of struggle, sitting down together, like this was where we were supposed to be. That thought sobered me.
Our laughter turned into smiles, as we both took each other’s measure. Then he surprised me, saying candidly, and taking my hand. “Waiting this long, Selena. It was not for a lack of interest. I had some decisions to make that forced me to give it some time. In the end, I could not stay away. Last night, well you took my breath away.”
Blushing furiously now I said, “I could say the same for you.” I chewed on my lip watching him intently. His eyes focused on my lips and his throat moved as he swallowed hard. He turned my hand over and rubbed his thumb along my palm while his eyes peered at me from under his beautiful brow.
If I wanted to keep my dignity, I needed to turn the conversation to a more relaxing subject, and I subtly took my hand back and rested against my seat. “How long have you been riding a Harley?”
He continued looking intently at me, then also relaxed back in his seat, and answered a bit mysteriously, “An exceedingly long time. I’m on the road a lot, and my Harley is one of my favorite modes of transportation, though I have an interest in most things with a motor.”
He then asked how my day had been as if he really wanted details about my mundane activities. Surprisingly, I felt comfortable describing my day. Because of his sincere interest, my sincere enjoyment came through, and I enthusiastically described my studio that I had converted into my perfect creative space.
He smiled, “Your happy place. Sounds like my garage.”
I said warmly, “Oh. So, you get it then.”
The mysterious man from the woods popped into my head, and I realized that part of my day had been anything but mundane, but I was not yet ready to share the encounter with anyone else.
Our plates came courtesy of Gemma who set them out in front of us with a flourish, followed by two frothy mugs. “Anything else I can get you two?”
Andras said, “Thanks Gemma, it all looks fabulous.”
“I’ll be around if you need anything.”
When Gemma moved away, he asked about my family and what had brought me to Quincy, and I told him about my older brother who lived in Alaska and my parents who were retired in Arizona.
“My parents catch up with me when it suits them. My brother is the one I really miss. We were close as children.” Andras looked at me thoughtfully and I wondered what was on his mind.
I went on, “I’ve lived and worked in Reno since college, but some things happened that had me rethinking how I was living my life and what my future might look like without being able to create as much as I wanted to. I started researching what it would take to give up the nine-to-five world and make a complete change.”
Biting into my crunchy and savory sandwich, I closed my eyes, enjoying the dill and cumin and other spices Kenny used in his secret recipe. It was so good.
When I opened my eyes Andras was watching my mouth and his look had me swallowing hard and reaching for my cold beer. He held my gaze as I took a generous swallow, cursing the flush of heat that once again rushed up my neck. Jeez. No one had ever looked at me like that.
I relaxed when his chestnut eyes crinkled again in a smile and much to my delight, after finishing a bite of his juicy burger and following it with a pull on his beer mug, he started describing his family situation, which was to say he had a house full of bachelors.
“Colin is like a brother to me, and both of us sort of helped to raise his young cousin, Ryan, who is with us for the summer. We also have Isaac, sort of a long-time family employee and surrogate uncle. He looks after the three of us and keeps us on our toes, just like an old mother hen.” I could see the affection he had for his family in his eyes.
“It sounds wonderful. Families we build ourselves can be the best families.”
He smiled and nodded, “That is true.”
I asked, “Do you still have your parents?”
And he said matter-of-factly, “I lost my parents soon after I left home many years ago. No siblings.”
Now maybe I understood his look earlier. At least I had blood-related family even if we weren’t close. “I’m sorry to hear that, Andras.”
He nodded, “Thank you.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask. How did your afternoon go with Joseph?”
Andras fondly described his visit. “He does have an impressive collection of gold nuggets to go with all the stories he loves to tell. The cake was one of Jean’s, which is to say it was delicious, and he served it with the fanfare you might expect from a man who believes in old fashioned hospitality.”
I could not help but smile at his obvious enjoyment in the company of one of the town’s oldest citizens. Chewing thoughtfully for a bit on my sandwich and enjoying a few crispy garlic fries, I watched as he did the same. We seemed to enjoy the silence as much as the conversation.
Eventually, I felt compelled to disrupt our quiet enjoyment of our meal and asked him, “What did a man like Mulligan want with you? It all seemed a bit intense, more than someone dropping by to ask a favor.”
He sat back and stared at me for a minute then said, “He has a rival business interest in California, and ownership over certain types of assets gets a bit competitive in my line of work.”
Now it was my turn to stare at him, as he was obviously leaving a lot out of his explanation. “It seems a bit extreme to hold people hostage to get your way. Is that his usual behavior?”
He said cautiously, “You could say that. You should understand he would not have gotten away with it. I would never have let him harm you.” He growled the last part, sending a shiver through me. “Or Gemma, or Kenny for that matter,” he finished.
Cocking my head at him, I asked in a quiet voice, “What would you have done if things had gone south?”
“I would not have allowed it to.” And that was all he would say on that issue. But seeing the look in his eyes, I believed him.
So, I next asked, “What line of work are you in?”
Not letting go of this, I asked, “Do your friends all work in the business?”
“Yes, we have worked together for a long time.”
“What kind of security business has you situated in Plumas County?”
Still looking tense, he answered, “My interests include a large portion of California, and I merely chose Quincy as my home base partly because it is a crossroads to a lot of highways I frequent, but mostly because it is beautiful here, and I need to be in the middle of the forest.”
Glad at least for a more detailed answer, I nevertheless thought it was an odd one, at least the way he said it, as if being in the middle of the forest was as necessary to him as air.
He lobbed the conversation back to me. “What did you do in your nine-to-five job before you moved here?”
“I was a paralegal and office manager for a small family practice firm. When my boss retired and moved his clients to another practice, it was a good time for me to make a change.”
My turn again. “What other things do you enjoy besides riding your Harley?”
He relaxed his big shoulders, relieved I thought to be back to a less controversial topic. “I enjoy tinkering with most engines and do my own mechanical work on a few classics I’ve been refurbishing. I confess to having a fairly extensive collection of vehicles that allow me to indulge in that pastime.”
He grinned at me, and his enthusiasm over a mundane hobby made him seem more like an ordinary human being and less godlike. I hadn’t realized that had been a barrier until now. The power he carried with him like a mantle was receding for me tonight, and the face across from me was becoming someone I could relate to, someone warm and interesting.
I said, “That sounds like something I would like to see.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged soon,” he said with certainty and a wink, displaying more of his abundant charm.
I swallowed my bite of sandwich a little too loudly, and took a sip of my beer, licking the foam from my lips. His eyes heated, and I blushed again.
What would it take to get past this growing intensity? Even if he was changing into someone more down to earth, it only meant he was becoming sexier to me, and I did not think it was possible to stop the flutters he engendered, so I decided to just enjoy it, and smiled brightly at him.
He cleared his throat and proceeded to tell me about his other passion, which was flying his restored 1957 Cessna 210 Centurion, and he explained that it was a six-seater, single engine aircraft and was perfect for his business travels. I found myself mesmerized again by his rumbling low voice.
He had paused his conversation to take a bite, licking the juice from his chin, but stopped chewing when he noticed my focus on his mouth. We locked eyes again, making my breath catch, and I wondered how we were managing to even consume our meals at all.
But finish them we did, and now we relaxed back in our seats to quietly study each other, enjoying our second round of brews, and my third beer for the night, one more than my normal, which apparently had made me a little drowsy.
Andras must have noticed and said, “It’s past eleven. Can I see you home?”
“You mean for me to ride on your Harley?”
He laughed at my renewed vigor and asked, “Would you like to?”
“Yes, it’s a beautiful night for a ride, don’t you think?”
“In that case, let’s go then.” He left Gemma a generous tip, and we grabbed our things and headed to the parking lot.
Chapter 11
Andras
Selena’s enthusiasm to ride with me was a bonus after a satisfying meal and enjoyable conversation, conversation that I was pleased to find had been easy despite the interspersed bits of heated interest that kept flaring between us.
Gods, I had struggled through not just a few moments when I had wanted to carry her out of there and straight to the nearest bed. I marveled at my near loss of self-control, never having experienced it before. The need to make her mine was consuming me.
Pleased she had only asked a few awkward questions, though I did not think she would let go of what I did for a living, I still wondered why she did not push, but was grateful for the extra time before I would have to explain things, needing to be sure she was ready.
I had enjoyed our give and take, drinking in her features, watching her blush, her beautiful skin turning an alluring shade all the way down her neck, and I was eager to discover the ways I could elicit that reaction from her.
Her emotions would flit across her face without guile, and her openness was refreshing. Her laugh had sent a jolt through me, and I was increasingly fascinated with the bridge of her nose when it crinkled adorably in amusement or from curiosity.
When her gaze lingered over me in her calm appraisal, her intelligent eyes assessing, I became convinced more than ever that she was a worthy challenge.
We were now standing at my Harley while I pulled another helmet from the rear storage compartment. And I could not help but grin down at her as I placed it on her head.
“I am perfectly capable of putting on my own helmet, Andras.”
And she laughed at me as I agreed with her, but continued strapping it on anyway, making sure it was snug, taking care with her hair, and glad for the opportunity to feel its softness through my fingers, pleased that one of my many questions had been answered. Her hair was as soft as it looked.
“Does that feel comfortable?” I asked grinning back at her.
She pulled a hair band from her pocket and tied her hair back. “Perfect. Thank you.”
Giving in to this compulsion to see to her safety was satisfying. It was not to be argued with. It felt like complex genetic programming at work, and I had no idea how to rewrite it even if I wanted to. My bear was contented, which made me contented.
After explaining to her about the comm links in our helmets, I got her comfortably seated, then hopped on myself testing the comm link by asking her to grab on to my middle as I started up my machine.
“Would you like to take a little longer scenic route?”
My grin stretched wider at her enthusiastic “Hell yes!” Followed by her sound of delight as we took off.
Feeling the Harley rumbling beneath us, and her soft arms wrapped around me after all these weeks of trying to resist her charms, added to the satisfaction of the mild June night, which was full of the pungent smells of earth and summer insects.
The stars were bright overhead, illuminating the woods slightly as we vibrated along the roadway. The short scenic loop that circled around a small bit of forest was perfect for providing us a little extra time before we pulled up at her house, which was all too soon, and I was parking in her gravel driveway shutting down the engine.
The sudden quiet had all my senses on alert and the sound of crickets came roaring to life. Selena hopped down agilely and took off her helmet, pulled her band off her ponytail, then shook out her long, brunette hair.
The unique coloring of her hair caught my attention. Though it was mostly dark brown, it had striking golden amber highlights that matched her eyes.
She was so full of contrasts, kind yet strong. And I thought of a soft, gentle dove, brave and fierce as it unhesitatingly faced the world.
Her features were now lit by the moonlight. She wore her hair parted in the middle where it arched back from a widow’s peak, framing her heart shaped face and eyes, eyes that drew me into their depths like a reflection on a moonlit pond, the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen.
I could only describe them as the color of my best cognac, glowing like a jewel in the middle and darkening outward as the rims of her irises changed from grey to smoky black. I could get lost in those eyes.
She had a charming dimple that would show only with certain expressions, which added even more interest to her face and drew me to a mouth that demanded to be kissed.
Where these poetic thoughts were coming from, I had n
o clue, never having thought in these words before. It was unnerving. However, I was old enough to know when to enjoy a good thing, and had no doubts that Selena was the best thing to come along in my lifetime.
“That was a beautiful ride, Andras. Doesn’t it smell heavenly tonight? And the air felt divine.” My eyes went again to those lips as she smiled happily at me, and I realized I was staring.
Clearing my throat, I grasped her small hand in my much bigger one and said, as I walked her to the front door, “It is a very fine night. Summer nights in these mountains are one of my favorite things about Quincy.”
The little bungalow appeared to be circa Nineteen-Twenties and was appealing in its heavy, textured Craftsman features. The muted lighting of the cozy porch was calling to me as the perfect place to demand the kiss I had been craving all night.
Wasting no more time, I gripped her smooth shoulders and pulled her close to me leaning my head down to savor those tantalizing lips. Her response had me nearly gasping as she met my demand, inviting me to taste her, and our kiss deepened as we eagerly explored each other. Her scent of oranges and jasmine was so damned intoxicating.
She pulled back to look up at me, gasping slightly in surprise. Reveling in the pleasant surge of heat the kiss had stirred in me, I gazed down at her and said, “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”
She said breathlessly, “Me too.”
Then she stood on her tiptoes to bury her face in my neck, throwing her arms around me. My arms automatically wrapped around her drawing her close, knowing that she belonged nowhere else at this moment. I rested my chin on top of her head, enjoying her warm breath against my neck, squeezing my eyes shut when she inhaled me like she could not help herself.
She followed her nuzzling with soft kisses, trailing her way back to my lips, and I gripped her chin for another searing kiss, while my arm moved naturally under her butt to scoop her up, drawing her closer.
When we broke apart both breathless, she pulled back to level her eyes at me, looking right into me, then she said softly, “Thank you for dinner, Andras.”
I reluctantly let her slip down and step away, still feeling the warmth of her lips on my neck, already missing her soft body, and I could see she felt just as bereft.
Ursus Borealis: Book One Page 7