by Leela Ash
Just being away from home, in a new environment was already having a positive effect, and she was feeling much brighter and enthusiastic for the future. Without telling her mom, brother, or dad where she was going, she turned on her heel and walked off and out into the night.
Main Street was heaving when she reached the end and started on her slow walk down toward the diner. All of the lights twinkled and made the town look even more like a winter wonderland fairy tale, and it reminded Poppy of something she had once seen in a Disney film. For all that it was a brisk night, she felt warm inside and the slight chill in the air didn’t bother her in the slightest. She walked with her arms swinging free and a confidence that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
When she reached the middle of Main Street and saw the warm, red glow of the neon sign of Arlo’s, she felt the butterflies reawaken inside her belly. She bit her lip and suppressed a grin as she approached and stood outside the door.
Men and women were hanging around on the stoop, some were smoking and all of them were drinking. From their accents, and what she had heard from both Willow and Arlo, they sounded local. But there was also a smattering of people walking around the streets and some outside the diner that were definitely from elsewhere, no doubt in town on vacation just like her. She made her way through them slowly and smiled shyly. As she reached the door and pushed it open, a blast of music hit her straight away and she could see a band playing in one of the corners and people jumping up and dancing around them.
Poppy looked toward the bar and was relieved to see Willow was still behind it. The crowd was busy and she was in the middle of a ton of people all barking orders at her for both food and drinks.
Poppy walked around slowly and cautiously, almost every booth was taken in the place, and a lot of the tables that were around on the floor were also full. But she didn’t want to sit there anyway, Poppy only had one spot on her mind and it was where she had been earlier that day. She thought back to how Arlo’s presence had hit her the second he had walked inside, and something within her knew that, at that precise moment, he wasn’t there. It was as if she could sense him the minute he was near.
She made her way to the bar and was lucky enough to jump onto one of the high stools. Men and women were all clambering around her, shouting drinks orders and waving menus, and although it was crazy and hectic, Willow didn’t flinch. She kept her cool and just moved from customer to customer, serving them one at a time.
As Poppy sat on the stool, she pulled her cardigan close around her out of nerves, but she quickly felt her skin prickle with heat and she knew that she was going to have to remove it. Her tiny waist was visible between the band of the skirt and the bottom of the crop top, but she didn’t mind. She felt sexy for the first time in years and now she was amongst other young people, she was keen to stand out.
Willow looked up and caught her eye just as she slipped the cardigan off her shoulders and she smiled and did a wolf whistle. Poppy laughed and shrugged.
“Looking good!” Willow called to her. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Poppy smiled and nodded back and then, as if the earth had moved and an alarm was sounding, something around her just suddenly changed.
He’s here, she thought, as her heart started to pound.
The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to tingle and although she couldn’t see him, she could sense his eyes on her. She wanted to turn and look for him, to search for him within the crowd, but she knew that she had to play it cool… He had to come for her. She didn’t know how she could tell, but he was hunting her.
Willow bounced over to Poppy and leaned across the counter.
“Evening girl,” she smiled. “So, what can I get you?”
Poppy thought back to earlier in the day, of how intoxicating the wine had been and of how it had relaxed her and made her feel human again. Even though she felt a million times better than she had when she had walked into Arlo’s then, she still wanted the same kick.
“What I had before please,” she laughed.
“Fantastic!” Willow beamed. “So, you couldn’t stay away, huh?” she asked as she reached down and behind her to one of the refrigerators and pulled out a cold bottle of Sauvignon.
“I certainly couldn’t,” Poppy joked. “I couldn’t wait to come back actually…” She trailed off and she could feel Willow’s gaze right on her.
“I think I may have an inkling why,” she winked.
Poppy felt her cheeks flush crimson again and she brushed her hair behind her ears. She didn’t know where he was hiding in there, but she knew he was watching her. She could feel him. His presence was so powerful it was overwhelming.
Willow placed the bottle down in front of her with the cork removed and passed her a clean glass. She poured some for her, right to the top and Poppy lifted it and nodded her head before she sipped.
Behind her, she could sense that someone was approaching through the crowd, and she couldn’t help but smile. A rough hand landed on her shoulder and when she turned to the side to look up and her eyes landed on him again, it was as if she had returned home. There was something about Arlo that was so addictive and unusual, and yet, it was as if he was the person she was supposed to be spending time with. There was a draw to him that she just couldn’t explain.
“So you came back,” he breathed as he slid in next to her. His hot skin touched hers and she felt sparks fly between them. She could barely keep the grin from her face, but she wanted to remain calm… To act cool… To be the strong woman that was hidden deep inside of her, trying desperately to break free.
“Of course,” she said as she lifted her glass and took another long, drawn out sip. “I’m a girl of my word.”
Arlo smiled and Poppy noticed that his arm was resting on the back of the stool she was sitting on.
She looked around and motioned to the crowd. “Is it always this busy in here on an evening?”
He nodded and moved closer.
“Most of the time, yes,” he said, “But tonight, I think we’re extra packed because a lot of the weekend people are starting to arrive.”
“Like me?” she teased with a grin.
“I thought you were here for the week?” he winked. And Poppy laughed.
“Hey, Boss,” Willow called from behind the counter. “What can I get you?”
He pointed down into one of the refrigerators and Willow gave a knowing nod. She reached down and pulled out a large, silver tankard with a big grizzly bear for a handle and ran it underneath one of the beer taps.
“What’s that?” Poppy said with wide eyes.
“Oh, its Arlo’s king cup…” Willow said mischievously.
“King cup?” Poppy asked.
“Sometimes, when I take the night off, I like to act the big shot,” he said with a wry smile. “King Arlo of Lost Creek needs the gear to back it up.”
Poppy just laughed and shook her head.
“You two are crazy,” she said.
Willow passed him the tankard and he held it out in front of him and waited for Poppy to raise her glass too. She followed his lead and the tips of their glasses touched.
“To new friends,” Arlo said as he clinked his tankard against the rim of her wine glass. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it here Poppy.”
She blushed as they looked into each other’s eyes. And when she sipped her drink, they didn’t break eye contact. His were so deep and consuming, it was as if she could fall into them and never pull her way out.
When the moment passed and a silence filled the air between them, Poppy set her glass down and turned her body so that their knees were almost touching.
“So, I thought you were supposed to be working tonight?” she asked.
“Well, I was,” he said. “Until you walked in.” He smiled.
“What do you mean?”
“I decided I’d rather take it off and get to know you a little better.” He brushed his fingertips against her elbow and Pop
py felt a fire raging inside of her. “It’s not every day someone as beautiful and innocent as you walks into a place like this,” he whispered.
Poppy’s heart hammered in her chest and she had the overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around his neck and pull his face to hers, but she had to resist. She couldn’t just lay it all out there for him on the day that they had met. She wanted to make him work for it. She wanted him to crave her so much he couldn’t stand it. So much that it would drive him mad and she would be all he could think about.
“Well, thank you,” she smiled shyly. “And it’s not every day I travel to a strange little mountain town and meet a man as intriguing as you.”
A wicked smile flashed across his lips and he moved in even closer.
“Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s get out of here, I want to show you something.”
6.
They held hands and walked quickly down Main Street. Poppy was still clutching her bottle of wine and Arlo looked down at her and laughed. His skin was red hot to the touch as if he was part magic, and his hands were huge. As he gripped her hand and their fingers locked together, she couldn’t help but marvel at how big and brutish he was next to her. She was so tiny compared to him, his arms were so wide and thick and his muscles looked so swollen and tight they could burst. She felt herself getting hot and flustered. The sexy scent of his cologne was still heavy in the air around him and it was twisting at her, lighting up all of her senses and pulling her in even more. He was sparking her intrigue and keeping her interest with each passing second and it was becoming addictive.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked breathlessly as she tried to keep up with his big, wide strides.
“To the good end of town,” he said as he looked down at her with a grin and kept pulling her forward.
She couldn’t help but laugh, but she had no idea what he was talking about. Surely where he had his business must be the good end of town? Why would he want to drag her away from there and to somewhere else, no doubt giving another bar their custom?
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who would rather patronize another bar to their own,” Poppy joked. “You sure you don’t own this entire town?”
He looked down at her and smiled wryly and then he laughed and kept on walking.
As they approached a small intersection, Arlo suddenly stopped and seemed to tense. Poppy didn’t realize for a moment that he was looking down the adjoining road, his lip curled, and a wicked look of disgust flashing over his entire being. In an instant, his demeanor changed.
“What’s the matter?” she asked when she realized and her gaze followed his.
He was glaring down at what looked to be a dark and blackened out bar. One that could have almost been a nightclub if it wasn’t so out of place in such a small, quaint town. It was bare on the outside, and it sat amongst the little wooden buildings around it like a vile cancer. Bleeding out its blackness onto the street and walls around it. Standing on the corner outside were a group of men, all dangerous looking, smoking cigarettes and wearing dark clothes. Arlo was staring at them with hate in his eyes, and it wasn’t long before one of them noticed him. Poppy stood there on the corner and turned to glare at him with the rest of the group.
“Who are they?” Poppy whispered nervously. But Arlo didn’t reply. He was breathing in and out heavily, his whole frame heaving, and his fists gripping her hand tight. A growl seemed to vibrate from between his teeth and with alarm Poppy looked up at him with wide eyes.
Did he just growl…? She thought with confusion.
“Come on,” he snarled as he started to stride away from them, and off further up Main Street. “I don’t want to have to worry about them tonight.”
Poppy looked up at him and could sense how angry and wound up he was. The men, whoever they were, had rattled him and brought a bubbling rage to the surface.
As they walked on, something had changed in him and he was no longer the man that she had met and decided to leave the diner with. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at him.
“Come on,” he said gruffly. But Poppy shook her head, he was unnerving her with his unpredictability. It was almost as if he were a wild animal that could attack her at any moment.
“Maybe this was a mistake,” she said sternly. “I mean, it’s not like me to just run off with some guy I’ve just met…and I don’t know… You don’t seem too happy all of a sudden, maybe I should just leave you to it.”
His shoulders sagged and he looked annoyed, but not with her, with himself.
“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. “It’s just, they caught me off guard… Which is stupid, because it’s not like I don’t know their place is there.” He took a step closer and brushed a strand of hair behind Poppy’s ear. “Listen, I’ll fill you in as soon as we get where I want to show you, I promise.” His eyes were so warm, she felt as if she really could trust him, but all of her senses were telling her to run…that she was in danger.
“But… I…” she stammered.
“I know you feel it too…” he said as his hand cupped her cheek. “I felt it the second I saw you in the gas station. I felt it earlier today when I found you sat in my bar. And I feel it right now.”
Her whole body felt on fire and she couldn’t tear herself away. Every word he was saying was true, even though it felt completely crazy. But he was so right, there was something between them that was bigger than anything she had ever felt before. Something instantaneous and so powerful it was impossible to ignore or walk away from. She looked into his eyes and searched for any sign of deceit, but there was nothing but openness and honesty, and she knew that she had to let herself be vulnerable. She had to explore it and have faith. She was an adult and she knew her own mind, and this, in the very moment, was what she wanted more than anything.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Show me.”
Arlo smiled and gripped her hand tightly before he turned and continued to walk along the road.
Main Street was much longer than Poppy had anticipated, and as they carried on forward, she realized how the vibe of the place seemed to change the further they moved away from where they had originally started out at Arlo’s.
He looked down at her as if he was trying to gauge her reaction, but she didn’t look up to meet him. The street seemed warmer down where they were walking now, as if that was in any way possible. The whole atmosphere of the street was more vibrant, the buildings seemed to pop with color and the people who walked around all seemed happier and were grinning from ear to ear.
“Have we stepped into another place?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m glad you noticed,” Arlo said. “Not quite, but I will explain.”
As they carried on walking, Poppy was absolutely fascinated with the life going on around her. All of the shops were still open, selling brightly colored ski wear and steaming cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Arlo wrapped a protective arm around her and waved to everyone they passed with ease and familiarity.
“We’re further up the mountain,” he said. “You won’t have realized when we were walking that we were on an incline.”
Poppy turned and looked behind her and she could see that the road did indeed dip down and they were much higher than the rest of the town.
“Jeez, how did I not notice that,” she laughed. But then she remembered how out of breath she had been.
It was as if the darkened bar with the group of sketchy looking men had been a cutoff point. As if the intersection had almost divided the town in two, and the side they were on now was higher, friendlier and warmer. But when she had been down on Main Street earlier, she had already felt as if that part of town was much nicer than anywhere she had been before. So now, it was as if this new part of town was heaven. It was like being in a fantasy land and even though the cold prickled her skin, she didn’t mind. It was like magic.
Arlo led her toward an older looking tavern and he waved to the big, burly man with a red
beard who was guarding the door. He smiled warmly and opened it up for them and as they stepped inside, the sweet scent of ale hit all of Poppy’s senses.
“Wow,” she laughed, “what is this place?”
Everything inside was merry, the lights were low, men and women were drunk on booze and happiness, music blared out from a jukebox in the corner and the chubby, red-cheeked girls behind the bar climbed up and danced along the countertops. They slapped their thighs and swung around each other, laughing with glee, and Poppy couldn’t help but grin and clap her hands.
“You like it?” Arlo asked as he looked down at her.
“God yes!” Poppy laughed and Arlo pulled her closer to him and breathed in every inch of her.
She felt so warm and protected in his arms, and she felt privileged to be shown this secret side of such a wonderful town. It was as if she was being given a backstage pass to a show she should have never seen.
“Come on,” he said, “Let’s sit down.”
He pulled her toward an empty table in the corner and Poppy slid onto the long banquette seat. Arlo turned and looked to the bar and held up his hand; within an instant, a small, rosy-cheeked blonde girl came skipping over with a wide smile on her face.
“Hey, Arlo,” she beamed. “And friend?” She nodded her head down to Poppy with a genuine warmness.
“Hi there,” Poppy smiled.
“What can I get you guys?” the girl held out her hands and presented the bar behind her.