LOVE in a Small Town

by Janet Eaves

  She was too cheerful. Too happy. Graham wasn’t in the mood. His breath was stale and his stomach empty. Yet she wouldn’t take no for an answer and shouldered past him, marching right into Aunt Harriet’s living room and then straight to the kitchen.

  Graham trailed behind her, trying to come up with a good excuse to get her out of the house. This wasn’t what he needed right now. He should work on his book since he’d made such a good start. He had no time to deal with a confusing, irritating woman. No matter which sister she turned out to be.

  She set down the packages on the table and turned toward him with another wide smile. Graham’s gaze traveled from her full lips to settle on her sexy, white blouse—a silky, button-down creation with long flowing sleeves that might be Jane’s style except for the deep V of its cleavage. It showed what it was supposed to show, her enticing décolletage. The first stirrings of desire shot through his body.

  But he didn’t want Dawn. He wanted Jane. Frustration tamped down his need.

  “I don’t know what you expect to get from this game-playing.”

  She didn’t back off. Instead she began to pull packages from her grocery bags. “I thought it was obvious what I want.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Then please enlighten me.”

  “I’ll be glad to. Let me see.” She rifled through one of the bags. “Ah, here they are.”

  With another sultry look on her face, she raised two foil-wrapped condoms. “This time I came prepared.”

  His head jerked. Only Jane knew about his lack of protection the other night. Pretending to be Dawn again, she was standing in front of him, eyes innocently large and a sweet smile upon her lips. Her ample bosom was exposed to his jaw-dropping gaze and already having its intended effect as his body responded with an eager erection.

  Graham crossed the short distance between them, and placed a hand on her chin, capturing it with his fingers and forcing her to meet his stare. “You’d be wise to tell me the truth.”

  She raised her eyes to his. He saw a look of something flicker in her gaze. Fear? Indecision? Resolve? Her breathing deepened when his fingers bit gently into her soft flesh. But she wouldn’t allow herself to be intimidated. Wouldn’t look away. Graham could smell the fragrant lavender scent he’d come to associate with Jane.

  “The truth is I want your body,” Jane said softly, but with fervor. “You promised me.”

  Muscles moved in Graham’s jaw. He swept his gaze over her delicate features, high cheekbones and inviting lips. He was throbbing for her. He wanted her as he’d never wanted another woman. But why was Jane throwing herself at him like this? Why wouldn’t she tell him the truth? Did she think he didn’t want her as herself?

  Exasperation struggled with lust. He wasn’t used to denying himself. He felt out of focus. If she wanted him then maybe he should give it to her. He was tired of Jane’s silly games.

  And he was more than tired of the number of cold showers he’d taken since Saturday and the sleepless nights he had since coming to Legend. It hit him. The cause of his tense and sullen moods stood right in front of him so very ready for action.

  “Maybe I should take up your proposition.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Graham silently cursed, and an agony of indecision gripped him. Was she that insecure?

  Tired of contending with his conscience, Graham tenderly squeezed her chin, drawing it up so her lips were within easy conquest. He was a man, after all, and lacked the strength to say no forever especially when it was offered to him so graciously. He already decided only Jane would satisfy him. This was Jane playing Dawn. He lowered his lips to hers, determined to find out if his judgment was accurate.

  Their lips fused together instantly in an overriding burst of passion. Graham dropped his hand from her chin, and grasped her shoulders. Already rock-hard, he pulled Jane against his erection. A sexy moan escaped from her throat, turning him on more and more.

  God, she was exciting, but with a sweet guilelessness that pleased his city-hardened soul. In an innocent gesture, she lifted her fingertips to his beard-roughened cheek. Her touch made him shudder. He struggled with a long pent-up craving.

  And then she pulled away from him. Jane stepped back, her blue eyes glistening, her fingertips straying to her own lips.

  “I want this to be wonderful. Just right,” she said. “Go take a shower, and then come back to me. I’ll have dinner waiting.”

  Her denial confused him until he realized her wisdom. Their first time since the back seat of his car should be slow and memorable. This was Jane. He didn’t want to rush.

  Besides, he could do a much better job of torturing her sexy little body if he took his time. As much as he wanted Jane, he wanted to teach her a lesson.

  He removed the condoms from her hand and held them up. “I’ll take these with me.” Graham’s lips curved into a smile. “And I’ll take you up on your offer. All of it. Dinner and then you.”

  She looked flushed and uncertain, but bravely raised her chin and squarely met his eyes.

  “You’ll learn I keep my promises, Ms. Smith,” he said. “This will be a night you’ll never forget.”

  Her hands trembled. Jane lit the last lavender and rose-scented candle, guaranteed to establish an erotic feeling. Set the mood, the article recommended. Heck, that morning she’d driven to a mall in Knoxville just to find the right candles.

  Music is important. Jane remembered one vital thing from Sunday night. Aunt Harriet didn’t own a CD player. So she brought hers from the store, and popped in the Billie Holiday recording suggested by the article, hoping it would add to the romantic atmosphere.

  Yet she wasn’t about to do everything the article suggested. Burned once before, she was wise enough, thank you, to learn from her mistakes. So the suggested glass of wine was out for her, but she poured one for Graham.

  Chewing her lip, Jane consulted the crumpled article for the last time. Relax. How could she do that when her nerves made her nauseous? Maybe wine was a good idea after all, remembering how mellow it had made her, but then she dismissed the idea. After all, she didn’t want to fall asleep and miss her big opportunity.

  “I can see you’ve been busy, sweetheart.”

  Jane jumped at the sound of Graham’s deep voice and spun around, thrusting the article into her pocket. His gaze raked her body slowly, sending hot spasms along the nerve network of her skin. She’d seen that look in his eyes before. At the reunion, when he undressed her with his blatant stare. Graham did it again, intentionally, his lips open.

  Jane’s eyes widened. What he was thinking? She wished for that old-time connection they had when they were kids. She knew him then. Knew about his hatred for math and his love of English. Knew about the time Clint Roberts socked him in the face on the playground, and how he refused to tell the principal the reason for his bloody nose.

  Now Graham seemed a stranger. Standing in a pair of hip hugging cords and a casual polo shirt, his hair slick from the shower, his face wore a patchwork of emotions with everything from amusement to curiosity written in his eyes.

  What would happen if she told him the truth? Would he still keep his promise? The promise he made to Dawn? Jane knew she loved him. Always had. Always would. If she wanted to confirm that love, it was important for Graham to continue believing the lie, because he’d never make love again to Jane.

  “I want everything to be perfect.” She tried to rein in her galloping heartbeat.

  “You’ve made a good start.” He strolled toward the table set with real china and silver she must have brought from home and nodded his head toward the glowing candles casting small halos of light in the dim room. “Nice touch.”

  Graham had to give Jane credit. She knew how to set the mood. The tempting aroma of food and the subtle scent wafting from the burning candles reached him. He liked her choice of music too. The cool jazz teased his senses. He smiled at Jane. Little imposter. She knew what she was doing.

  “I brought Chin
ese…spring rolls and moo shu pork,” Jane said.

  She remembered his likes. Graham was impressed. He reached over and picked up a goblet of wine from the table.

  “Wait!”

  Graham lifted the glass to his lips. “Something wrong?”

  “That’s mine,” she said just as he took a sip of tart grape juice.

  Graham raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but said nothing. Jane, standing rigidly in front of him, obviously wasn’t going to drink wine again after falling asleep the other night.

  “Nothing’s wrong.” She recovered, picking up the other glass. “I just wanted to offer a toast.”

  He smiled over the glass of grape juice. “Appropriate.” Lifting his glass to hers, Graham favored her with his amused gaze. “To the most enchanting woman I know.”

  “To the past,” Jane said. “And to the future.” Her words trailed off, heavy with implication.

  “To the night to come.”

  She blushed delightfully, and lowering her eyes, carefully sipped from her goblet. Was she being coy or naturally modest? The Jane he knew was modest and sincere. The night they spent together had made him feel special and loved.

  Graham smiled at the memory.

  “What’s so funny?” Jane set down her glass and nervously straightened a cloth napkin.

  “Nothing, really. Just remembering.”

  Jane flipped her short-cropped hair back from her eyes. “Well, then, I hope they were fond memories.”

  She recovered her poise quickly enough. Graham smiled at that too. Jane should be the actress. He had the insane desire to kiss her. He tossed down the grape juice and then placed the goblet on the table.

  Graham crossed the small space between them, and with a gentle finger, caressed her soft cheek. “Where did you find Chinese take-out in this one horse town?”

  “I have my sources.” Jane elevated her gaze to connect to his.

  He studied the delicate curve of her pale brow and the full pout of her lips. Soothing warmth seemed to ascend his arm from where he touched her, pushing him to an erotic edge. He knew the time had come to stop all the unimportant preliminaries.

  He cupped her chin in his palm. “I find the only dinner I’m hungry for is you.”

  “That’s fine with me.” Her voice was as sultry as a Southern breeze.

  Graham planted a swift kiss on her lips and let her go. “Let’s take the candles,” he suggested. “I’d like that.”

  Jane knew she’d like the candles too. Besides the amorous scent, she knew the soft glow would hide any faults and protect her from Graham’s penetrating gaze. They each collected two candles and Graham preceded her up the stairs.

  Jane’s heartbeat sent conflicting signals of excitement and fear running through the length of her body. What if she wasn’t good enough? Pretty enough? For the first time in her life, the full import of what she was about to do struck her hard. Not the lovemaking. No. She longed for that.

  It was her old bugaboo. She’d always assumed Graham and Dawn had been sexually active in high school. Had he compared her to Dawn then? She was about to be compared once more and this time in an arena where she was woefully inadequate and inexperienced.

  She hesitated at the door to the guestroom. Graham placed his candles on the dresser and opened the window admitting a warm mountain breeze and the remaining day’s twilight. Turning back to her, he removed the candles from her hands and gazed down at her with a look of amused longing.

  “Too bad we can’t hear the music,” Jane said.

  “We’ll make our own.”

  Graham put both candles beside the bed. Jane had a moment to wonder if the breeze would blow them out, before he was back in front of her, grabbing her hands and drawing her inside the room. She followed him like a trusting child.

  “The first time for us in a long while can be…” Her voice trailed off.

  “A bit awkward,” he finished.

  “Yes.” Jane released the word like a sigh.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart.”

  Graham’s cool gaze seemed to say he knew just what he was doing. This would be good—for both of them.

  Graham took a step toward her. Jane smelled the clean soapy scent that clung to his skin. He unbuttoned her blouse. Slowly. One button at a time. Growing excitement clogged in her throat. She lowered her eyes to watch his movements, and thanked her good sense. In Knoxville she purchased her own slinky lingerie. She wore nothing of Dawn’s tonight except for her sister’s purple leather pants. For all her pretense, she wanted to feel like Jane. She wanted to feel as if Graham was doing this just to her.

  “Let me see you,” he said in a husky voice.

  Graham carefully removed the silk blouse from her shoulders. She lifted her gaze to his, catching a look of raw passion in his eyes. Without her blouse, she grew chilly, but Graham’s stare radiated heat. She swayed ever so slightly, her limbs growing heavy with drugging warmth.

  “I want you out of these.” He ran his hands down the slick leather that clad her hips.

  Mercy! Firecrackers exploded inside her.

  Then he knelt before her, and Jane had a crazy impression of a knight-of-old kneeling before his beloved lady. She had read too many romances for sure.

  But the books she read couldn’t compare to the hard reality of Graham.

  He slowly inched down her zipper, and placing his fingers upon her waistband, began to slither down the leather encasing her legs. Jane’s senses soared. With her hands on his shoulders to steady her, she stepped out of the pants. Graham shoved them aside and grabbed her buttocks, forcing her forward.

  His lips descended upon the front of her lace panties. God, she needed what he was going to give her tonight. She needed it to make her more of a woman.

  He kissed the triangle of lace that barely covered Jane’s feminine mound. He let his lips linger on the cloth, nibbling her, and pressing her buttocks forward with his hands. She squirmed beneath his touch, her fingers biting into his shoulders.

  Graham groaned. Raw need painfully swelled, and the constriction of his clothing proved unbearable. His intended slow seduction of Jane might be impossible for him to manage.

  Drawing back, he lifted his gaze to her face, only to find her eyes closed.

  “Look at me.”

  Jane’s desire-filled eyes opened.

  “Undress me.”

  She licked her lips and swallowed. With shaky, ineffectual hands, she plucked at his shirt. Impatient, Graham stood and ripped it over his head, tossing it aside.

  “Now, sweetheart. Here.” His gaze lowered, indicating where she was to try again.

  Mimicking his earlier movements, Jane knelt in front of him, and placed one hand upon his thigh as if she needed to brace herself. Her innocent touch sent fits of fire racing through his blood.

  Jane cautiously pulled down his zipper. Graham allowed his fingertips to delight in the soft curls on the top of her head. He shut his eyes, breathing deeply. Jane eased his pants over his hips and they tumbled to the floor. Then unexpectedly, he felt her lips graze the front of his boxer shorts, much in the same way he touched her.

  He moaned.

  Jane’s fingers fumbled with the split in his shorts. Freeing him, she nuzzled her face into his crouch, and nibbled on him with tiny kisses.

  Sweet agony. He pulsated. His breathing became labored. Jane turned him on. She was driving him wild, and tormenting him in a way he’d thought to torment her.

  “Enough,” he growled. “Come here.”

  Graham opened his eyes and pulled Jane to her feet.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “Oh, no. No.”

  He stepped out of his slacks and drew her backward to the bed. Jane’s eyes held a translucent quality, glazing with a desire Graham knew his own mirrored. She followed him willingly, even eagerly, until he felt the bed on his bare legs and sat down. She came into the circle of his thighs, and he drew her hands up to his lips. Opening her palms he kissed them, gently.
Then he kissed each long and gracious finger one at a time.

  “Let me see all of you.” Graham reached for her camisole.

  Jane caught her breath and eased back, still surrounded by his legs. He saw the heavy rise and fall of her breast as she withdrew her hands from his.

  “I’ll do it.” She licked her lips.

  Did she know how sexy she looked? How ready? His desire escalated. He felt aflame with his wanting. With his impatience.

  In an act of quiet deliberation, Jane pulled the silk material over her head. Standing before him in a bra and panties, she gave him a look of pure longing. Graham reached up to flick the front-opening clasp and released her to his hungry gaze.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. His mouth descended upon one of her nipples.

  Grabbing for his shoulders again, Jane moaned. Her fingers nipped at his flesh. He twirled one nipple with his tongue, finished with it and started on the next. He sensed her readiness, and ventured a finger under the scrap of lace into her wet and warm private place.

  When he touched her, she sucked in a breath. His caught in his throat and he lifted his head from her breasts to catch the aching look of love on her face. A sense of urgency drove him.

  Barely suppressing a groan, he fell back upon the sheets, taking Jane with him. They pressed together with a thin cloth separating them.

  Graham wanted closure. He wanted to ease his aching need, but more than that, he wanted to give Jane something of himself. To say thank you for her friendship. To complement the beautiful, caring woman she’d become. He knew no other way to say these things but with his body. And she was there on top of him, waiting to receive what he offered.

  “Here’s the awkward part,” he said. “Roll over a moment.”

  She rolled to her side, and Graham turned away from her. Stripping off his shorts, he glided the condom on. Then he returned to her, pulling her on top of him again. She removed her panties, and her hair tickled him, tantalized him, making him mad with longing.

  Graham kissed her with a hard, thrusting kiss that mimicked what he wanted to complete with her. He explored her slender body with his hands from her rounded buttocks, up her spine, to her shoulder blades and back down again.