“Oh, I get it now,” he said with a sour-faced grin.
“Tell me about your job,” Tory said to change the subject. “I’ve never heard of a specialized task force.”
“Well, it’s classified, but let’s say that I work with various Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the region.”
“But what exactly do you do?”
“I arrest bad guys who abduct women and children.”
“But how are they abducted?”
“Some are abducted right off the street on their way to their car after a day of shopping, or from a park or playground. You’d be amazed with the stories I could tell. One strong person, man or woman, can easily overpower a small woman or child.
“Others are befriended for a certain period of time. Once they start trusting their ‘new friend’ they’re usually drugged and driven across state lines. All the proof of who they are, their identity, is left behind. One woman we were able to rescue was purposely targeted by an ex-boyfriend to be abducted and sold to a gang boss for a large sum of money. She escaped and ran into my partner, and we eventually arrested the entire gang.”
“No wonder you need to take a breather every now and then. Your work appears very intense.” Tory listened carefully but continued to turn and look behind her through the back window.
Dave finally asked, “Are you looking for someone?”
“No. Have you ever had the feeling you’re being watched?”
“It’s a small town. We’re probably being watched. Let’s plan on a nice, quiet dinner, okay?”
“I’m probably overreacting,” Tory replied as she made one more glance over her shoulder.
Dave pulled up and parked at the restaurant in Hickory that Trevor suggested. He got out of the car and rushed to Tory’s side before she could open the door. He opened her door and helped her out, ushering her into the restaurant, his hand at the small of her back sending shock waves throughout her body.
The restaurant was small with dim lighting, white linens, uniformed waiters and waitresses, the ambiance of romance and intimacy. Candlelight reflected off their wine glasses. The band played a soft melody in the background.
Dave held her chair for her. She sat down, putting her small clutch purse on the table beside her. A waiter handed them menus including a wine list. Dave ordered a bottle of Chardonnay, and they studied their menus until the wine arrived. After Dave agreed to the sample taste, the waiter poured wine in both their glasses and took their order. They sipped their wine while studying each other.
“There’s something about you. I don’t know what it is yet, can’t put my finger on it, but I feel this energy between us,” Dave said with a smile after a sip of wine.
“Tell me about it,” Tory replied.
“I don’t think I have the words. I can’t explain my attraction to you.”
“So what makes you think it’s an attraction? Maybe it’s just friendly companionship that draws you to me.”
“I’ve never been the kind of guy to talk about things like this. I guess you bring out the best in me.”
“Or possibly the worst.” Tory smiled as she swallowed the last of her wine.
After dinner, Dave poured more wine for her. They ordered crème brûlée for dessert, he wiped some whipped cream from her lip with his finger and licked it clean. He imagined the taste of her lips when he kissed her and then began a slow nibble along her ear and down her long neck, settling between her breasts. He wanted to be closer to her than across the table.
“Would you like to dance?” Dave asked. When she said yes and took his hand, he felt her heart racing in her pulse at her wrist. The music was soft and melodic.
* * * *
Tory relished the feel of Dave’s strong arms encompassing her, comforting her. She laid her head on his chest and inhaled the scent of man, spicy woods, and musk. She was lost in erotic fantasies that stirred her to the core. Her arms tingled where they touched his neck as she ran her fingers through his thick hair. Her nipples, pressed against his chest, were hard and erect. Her body throbbed in all the right places, making her more aware of him than before.
She was lost in his arms. All thoughts of signing paperwork fled her mind. When the song ended, she was reluctant to leave the safety of his arms and stood still.
“Would you like to dance again?” Dave ventured once more.
Reality set in with the sound of his voice.
“No, I–I’m tired and it’s been a long day.” She was afraid of getting in too deep, afraid of the feelings she felt for him, and afraid one more dance would make her crumble at his feet.
After paying the bill, they walked in silence to the car with his hand splayed at the middle of her back, burning her where his fingers touched, sending vibrating jolts through her body.
Once inside the vehicle, Dave said, “Why so quiet all of a sudden?”
“Dave, it’s not you, it’s me. It’s my fault. It’s something I haven’t come to terms with and that’s part of my reason for coming here now. It’s only been two years since I left him at the altar. I’m not ready for a relationship with you or with anybody. I have a job to get back to in South Carolina in a few months, too.”
“I’m here for you if you want to talk about it. Just let me know. Let’s spend the rest of the drive home talking about something more pleasant than our screwed-up relationships.”
“I agree. Okay, why don’t you tell me about your parents? Your childhood?” Tory murmured.
“I was born and raised in Stoney Creek, Virginia. My older brother Dan joined the Marines right out of high school. He was the ‘to honor our country’ type and paid for it with his life. After that, Mom and Dad moved here for a fresh start. They didn’t think it would ever be the same in the house without Dan there. They gave me the house, hoping I’d change the feeling of it when I filled it with lots of little grandkids for them to smother and spoil. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Now I work a lot. And that’s about it. What about you?”
“I was born and raised here in Hickoryville and have one older sister, Sue, who’s married. I went to college right after high school. Two years ago, after my fiasco the night before my wedding at the church, I was dubbed the runaway bride. I got a job in Myrtle Beach and worked a lot to fill the empty hours of the day. When my Dad passed away about eight months ago, I did a one night stay at Mom’s, attended the funeral, and left right after to get back to work.”
“What brings you back now?”
“My sister Sue practically begged me to come home and help her deal with Mom.”
“What’s wrong with your mom? She looked fine to me both times I saw her.”
“We’re concerned Mom opened the B&B too quickly without taking enough time to grieve for Dad properly. She didn’t even talk to Sue or me to get our opinions about it. She just jumped in and did it. She’s always been very open with us about everything.”
“Tory, I think everybody grieves differently. My parents grieved by moving away from family memories. Your mother jumped right in and started something brand new. You have to commend her for that.”
Tory tried to absorb everything Dave said and was so grateful she had someone like him to share and talk things out and listen. She shrugged and folded her hands in her lap.
“Mom’s still a young woman, and I want to help her get her life back and make it the best it can be.”
“I think opening the B&B is a great start for a new life for your mother. Think of all the people she’ll meet and all the experiences she’ll have.”
“You’re right. Thanks for taking the time to listen to me and helping me to get everything into proper perspective.”
* * * *
Dave knew the first time he’d touched her that she was more than a little gun-shy when it came to the opposite sex. He knew the look, the feelings, and the reactions. He’d been burned himself and didn’t date for months. It took a while to trust again, and he wasn’t at that stage yet himself. But there was something
about her that made him want to be with her, hear her breathing, her voice, smell her special one-and-only scent, and see her green eyes light up with surprise or darken right before a kiss.
When he and Tory reached her house, Dave parked the car and hurried to open her door. Dave helped her out of the car, keeping hold of her hand. Her face became flushed as he continued to hold her hand loosely as he walked her to the door.
His eyes turned a deeper blue as desire burned in his gaze.
When he placed his hand on the back of her neck, he felt a shock all the way to his toes.
He drew her closer for a soft kiss. Her arms slowly came around his neck as the kiss deepened, their tongues tangling. He loved the taste of her. He continued kissing her mouth, but then moved on to her neck, her ears, and back to her mouth. Breathless, he invaded her mouth once more while his hand rescued a breast and kneaded it. Her nipples puckered up, aroused, hard and erect. He could feel her heart racing in the vein in her neck as she grabbed hold of his upper arms for support. His erection throbbed against her stomach as he reached behind her and opened the front door. He half lifted, half carried her into the house kicking the door closed with his foot. He reached behind her and unzipped her dress while she reached for the front of his shirt and pants, unbuttoning and unzipping. Her dress fell into a puddle at her feet, leaving her standing there with only matching bra and panties on.
“You are so beautiful. I want all of you,” Dave said, his voice quivering.
He removed her bra and they lay beside each other on the couch, their kisses uncontrollable. He ran his fingers along her inner thigh and caressed the soft skin until he reached her soft, satin and lace panties. He pulled them aside and stroked her innermost feminine parts. She writhed in ecstasy, calling his name, as he inserted one finger and then two. Quickly he removed her panties and leaned down to kiss her feminine curls. His mouth went deeper as he licked her more and more, his tongue going deeper and deeper.
“Dave, I want you to take me now, Dave, now.” She reached down and pulled up his head.
He stood and removed his pants and boxers and lay beside her one more time. He took a breast in his mouth, suckling like a baby, and wondered at the response he got. Her nipples were so hard, so erect. He rubbed the nub between his thumb and index finger, making her wiggle even more.
He rose above her and with one quick thrust he was inside her, taking her breath away, as she surrounded his shaft. She surged toward him as he thrust in and out, in and out, over and over again. She screamed in wild abandonment as she met his eyes and watched them turn a very dark blue as he groaned one last time before falling gently to her side.
She still held him in her arms and didn’t want him to leave; she wanted to stay this way all night, making love to him.
They were both quiet as she lay catching her breath while she watched Dave do the same. She knew he would need to leave soon, but for now she wanted to covet whatever of him she could. His arms wrapped around her, enveloping her in his cocoon.
“I wish I could stay the night but, surprisingly enough, my parents might worry about me,” Dave murmured.
“I wish you could stay too, but I understand,” Tory whispered as she reached up and kissed his lips.
* * * *
Later, at the front door and after a long absorbing kiss, they came apart. Tory said, “Good night, Dave. I never new making love could be like this. I had a wonderful time this evening and I hope we can do it again.”
Dave pulled her closer, his fingers of both hands interlocked behind her back. “Oh, we’ll do it again all right. How about tomorrow night?”
“How about I call you tomorrow”—she giggled—“and let you know. I may have to work, and I never know what Mom or Sue might have planned for me.”
“Okay if I call you?”
“Of course. We can’t have you getting lost.” She smiled, opened the door, and waved good night.
Tory closed the door and leaned her back against it, a smile on her face. So that’s what it would be like to make love to someone like Dave. It was the best I’ve ever had.
* * * *
Neither Tory nor Dave saw the dark car sitting across the street waiting for their return.
Chapter 11
The next morning Tory presented the quick business plan for the additional money needs for the Mountain View Bed and Breakfast to the loan officer at the bank.
“You’ll hear from us in a couple of days,” he replied sourly. “I don’t foresee any problems with the loan considering the amount of collateral available.”
As she left the bank, she ran into her biggest, greatest fear of all. Matt Wilson. Both surprise and anxiety hit her as if he had suddenly slapped her face. Her heart jumped into her throat. Her mouth went dry, unable to form words. Her hands trembled. Her knees shook. She was trapped.
“Tory, I didn’t know you were in town. Long time no see! How’re you doing?”
“Hi, Matt, it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? I’m doing quite well actually. How are you and your family?” Tory wiped her sweaty hands on her pants then stuck her trembling hands in her jacket pockets. Her heart pounded in her chest.
She looked around and behind her, the feeling of someone watching her ever present.
“I’m good. I guess you heard I finally got married and have a baby girl. Paige and I are separated, so you can see how well that worked out or didn’t work out. How about you? Are you married, any kids?” He said rocking back and forth on his feet, hands in his pants’ pockets playing with his loose change.
“No, not married, no kids, great career though.” She smiled at him.
“Why don’t we get together some time? We can go to dinner and then out to lookout point. It’ll be just like old times, okay?” Matt asked with a smirk on his face. He hadn’t changed one bit.
Tory thought for a moment about the torture of sitting across the table from someone who she once thought would be “the love of her life,” knowing it would never amount to anything. Also knowing it was something she had to do. She had to give him his ring back and make sure he understood. There was nothing between them anymore. She had to set the record straight once and for all.
“Dinner sounds fine, one last time for old times’ sake, but we leave out lookout point, okay?”
“Sure, how about tomorrow night? I’ll pick you up around seven if that’s okay with you?”
“No, that doesn’t work for me, I’ve got other plans. How about the next night?” Tory asked.
“Suits me fine. See you at seven the night after tomorrow night then.”
Sweat appeared on her upper lip and trickled down the back of her shirt. She had to wipe it off her upper lip. Her hands shook and her legs were weak as she walked toward her car parked down the street. She opened the car door and got inside. A shiver passed through her body again as if someone was watching her. She looked over her shoulder but saw no one.
* * * *
Dave walked out of the hardware store and recognized Tory’s parked car. He stopped and looked inside and was surprised to see Tory looking extremely upset and scared. He opened the passenger door and got in the car.
“Is everything all right?” Dave asked with concern.
She was unable to talk. She merely nodded, her lips trembling, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked out the window.
* * * *
No one noticed the black car with tinted windows sitting three parked cars behind her, watching and waiting. Waiting for the perfect opportunity to get the ring.
Chapter 12
Early the next morning, Tory unpacked a couple more small boxes left over from the move. She answered the phone and was excited to hear Dave’s voice on the other end.
“Good morning, Tory. How about going for a horseback ride this afternoon?”
“Sounds like a great idea,” Tory answered. “It’s a gorgeous day, and I’d love to get some fresh air. It’s a perfect day for a ride up the mountain. Let me call Sue and m
ake sure it’s okay. Maybe she and Brandon can come along.” She took a swallow of her near-cold coffee.
“That’s not exactly what I had in mind.” He chuckled.
“What did you have in mind?” She giggled.
“Being alone with you sounds ideal to me.”
Tory laughed and rolled her eyes. She liked Dave well enough but didn’t know him as well as she’d like to. He made her innermost feelings come to the foreground, and it scared her.
“I’ll give Sue a call and make sure it’s okay and call you back.”
As soon as she hung up the phone with Dave, she called Sue. After a short conversation with Sue, the ride was on. They would meet at Sue’s around two o’clock that afternoon and the four of them, Sue and Brandon, Dave and Tory would all go together.
* * * *
Tory chose a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt and changed into them. Even though it was a beautiful spring day, there was still a cool breeze, and she would need the long sleeves. I wonder where I put those old boots I used to wear riding all the time? Dave would be here any minute. She hurriedly dug around in the bottom of her closet, opening and closing all her shoe boxes looking for her boots. Finally the last box she opened she found them. She slid them on, and the worn leather molded around her feet. They were scuffed and dirty, and she grabbed a clean cloth and wiped them off. She had just finished when the doorbell rang.
She answered the door and warmness spread through her body from the sight of Dave. Her stomach quivered, and she had a tingling feeling down deep. He had on a button-front shirt with the top three buttons undone. His chest hair showed, and she wanted to touch it, to feel its softness against her skin again. His shirt was tucked into his just-right hung jeans. Her eyes traveled down his long, muscular legs to his leather riding boots.
“Hello, Dave,” she said breathlessly.
Confer, Lorelei - Deadly Revenge (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 5