by Tasha Black
“He’s not part of my plan,” Georgia said, walking again as if she hoped they might leave the conversation behind.
“Not everything fits into a plan, Georgia,” Posey said dreamily.
“That’s what my mom used to say,” Georgia said.
There was silence for a moment.
“I’m sorry, Posey,” Georgia said. “I’m not saying that you’re being careless or irresponsible. I’m just saying that I’ve known all my life I wanted to be a police officer. I’ve known Rocky for a couple of weeks. Sure, I’m attracted to him, who wouldn’t be? But that doesn’t mean I should drop everything to be with him.”
“He really likes you, Georgia,” Posey said quietly.
“How does he know he really likes me? I’m basically the only girl he’s ever met,” Georgia scoffed. But she couldn’t help feeling a little pleased. “Why? Did Bond say that?”
Her curiosity was threatening to overcome her good judgment. But it couldn’t hurt to find out a little inside information.
“Bond said that Rocky can’t stop talking about you,” Posey told her. “He keeps going on about how you’re so beautiful and so smart that he can’t sleep from thinking about you, and he paces in his room until Magnum yells at him to stop.”
Wow.
“Besides,” Rima added. “We can all see how he feels just by looking at you guys together. Don’t you like him at all?”
“He’s gorgeous,” Georgia admitted. “And he’s obviously a really nice guy.”
“Why don’t you give him a chance?” Posey asked. “There’s no need to settle down immediately. And falling in love and having a career are not mutually exclusive, you know.”
Georgia nodded thoughtfully. She couldn’t help disagreeing about that last part. Young officers had a lot to prove if they wanted to further their careers, and a family at home would get in the way of the long hours she would need to put in.
But why not have a little fun for now?
She laughed and shook her head.
“I’ll think about it,” she said. “But let’s focus on fundraising right now. We’ve got to save the boys before we can enjoy them.”
8
Georgia
Georgia wrapped an arm around each of her best friends. The sun was setting as they headed through the town square back to the car to go home.
Rima was carrying a package with cheap red wine and Posey had a bag of goodies, like chocolate, ice cream and a cardboard tube of potato chips. Georgia held the clipboard and manila envelope that contained the donations they had collected from local businesses toward the restoration of the park, as well as the names and numbers of all the people who had offered to volunteer their time.
After their long day walking around the whole town, they planned to chill out with a movie back at the observatory. A move they all agreed was long overdue.
“Do you think the boys would like Men In Black?” Posey asked.
Georgia and Rima had just begun to giggle, when they heard footsteps on the cobblestones.
“Well, well, who do we have here?” a familiar male voice asked.
The women turned as one.
Georgia recognized him immediately. It was Briggs, the man who had caused all their trouble in the first place.
He smiled down at her wolfishly, his bright white teeth shining in the streetlamp overhead.
Georgia suddenly felt threatened. Though they were in the heart of the village, they had entered the part of the path that was in the stand of trees between the square and the sidewalk, screened from the view of anyone passing by. Briggs hadn’t chosen to catch up with them here by accident.
“Carlton Briggs,” Georgia asked in a loud, clear voice. “How creepy of you to sneak up on us here. Is there something we can help you with?”
She felt Rima and Posey fall in behind her, each flanking a shoulder, and wondered fleetingly if they had learned this from watching the men, or if it was instinct.
“On the contrary, my dear girl, I thought you might require my assistance with your… packages,” he indicated her clipboard.
“We’re fine,” Georgia said. “If you want to help someone, you can rip up that scam mortgage. Otherwise we’ll take care of ourselves.”
“God, I love a strong woman,” he breathed.
Georgia would really have loved to kick him in the balls, but she had enough of an instinct for self-preservation to know that she shouldn’t. Best-case, he’d be likely to press charges.
“Love her from a distance,” Rocky said, appearing as if out of thin air.
How had he gotten so close without Georgia hearing him?
The next thing she knew, Briggs was no longer blocking her path.
Georgia watched in awe as Rocky lifted the man up and placed him aside, as if he were a chair out of place, or a toddler who’d wandered too close to the street.
“Come on, Georgia, let’s go,” Rocky said, offering her his hand.
Georgia wasn’t sure whether to punch him or kiss him. While it had been magnificent to see the look on Carlton’s face as he had been set aside, Georgia Taylor could take care of herself.
“You don’t need to swoop in and save the day, you know,” she grumbled, taking his hand.
“Well said, little lady,” Briggs whooped from where Rocky had set him down behind them.
“That’s enough out of you,” she told Briggs.
“Alright, alright, I know when I’m not wanted. But, oh, one thing I thought you should know. You can’t tell people they can write off these donations. Unless your little… organization… has non-profit status? No? I didn’t think so. See you soon, Georgia. It’s been a pleasure,” he drawled, and disappeared into the trees.
“Ugh,” Georgia sighed. “Hey, we didn’t tell anyone they could write off their donations, did we?”
“No, of course not,” Rima replied. “Oh.”
“Oh what?”
“I’d better check with Ellie,” Rima said. “You know they think we’re a church, right?”
“Damn it,” Georgia said, barely managing not to stamp her foot.
“Worst case, we have to give some money back, that’s all,” Rima comforted her.
Rocky gave her hand a squeeze, and somehow it made her feel a little better.
Which, in turn, only made her feel worse.
“Come on, let’s go home,” Rocky said softly.
They followed the others toward the car as the last of the afternoon light disappeared between the trees.
9
Rocky
Rocky’s heart slammed against his ribcage at the soft feel of Georgia’s hand in his.
Though he had changed his form and traveled light years to reach a planet he knew nothing about, he was discovering that the greatest act of bravery was opening his heart.
They had nearly reached the familiar blue vehicle, where Bond and Magnum waited, when someone stepped out of the shadows.
Instinctively he stepped in front of Georgia.
“Hey,” the man said.
Rocky recognized him. It was Earl Road, the man who had antagonized them when the women first arrived.
Though Rocky certainly didn’t like being accosted in the street, he appreciated that the man had been true to his word, and left them alone after they won the Fall Festival games.
“Earl Road, what do you want?” Rima asked bravely.
“Listen,” he said. “I told you I’d leave you alone and I did. But I heard what you’ve been up to all day. You can’t mess with my land, that’s too much.”
“What do you mean, mess with your land?” Rima asked.
“Your mom sold me a lifetime leasehold for the park grounds in exchange for paying the property taxes. As long as I’m alive, the use and keeping of that property belongs to me,” Earl said.
“That shouldn’t be an issue,” Magnum said, his voice booming, as he stepped over as if to crush Earl Road with his bare hands.
“What do you want with the park?” R
ima asked.
“Well, I can’t afford it yet, but my plan is to farm on it,” Earl said in a tone that indicated the answer was obvious.
Before Rocky could think of what to do next, Georgia stepped forward, running a hand through her tresses.
“How amazing - you could turn that patch of grass into a farm? That’s so wonderful. I don’t believe we ever formally met, I’m Georgia, Georgia Taylor,” she simpered, offering Earl her hand, eyes downcast.
Rocky’s veins went cold with jealousy. Georgia had never once looked at him with such respect.
Earl, on the other hand, eyed her suspiciously.
“Yeah, I’m a farmer, most people around here are,” he allowed.
“I know we got off on the wrong foot, but you’ve honored your agreement with us, and I respect that,” Rocky interjected. “I wonder if we can work out an arrangement that benefits us both.”
Earl looked at Rocky, really looked at him, from his eyes down his chest, to his hips, then back up again. Odd. Most men he’d met had not been quite so thorough in their appraisal of him. Some of the women though…
“I’m listening,” Earl said, in a friendlier voice.
“Here’s what Rocky was thinking,” Georgia cut in calmly. “What if you were to give us five years with the land? And at the end of that time, we could either buy out your leasehold at twenty percent above market value, so you could buy another property, or help you to haul out every bit of machinery and trash on the property so that you could farm on it immediately?”
Rocky knew only about half of those words. But if it was Georgia’s idea, he was sure it was a good one. He nodded significantly at Earl, as though it had been his idea all along.
Earl remained silent, so Rocky raised one eyebrow, recalling a look that often caused the barista to give him a free pastry treat with his beverage.
Earl’s face flushed, and then he smiled.
“Yeah, okay, that sounds like a fair deal.” Earl spoke to Rocky as if Georgia were not even there. “We can hammer out the details one night next week. Just me and you, and not these others.”
“Sure, but Georgia has to come too, to help us…hammer out the details,” Rocky explained.
Earl eyed Georgia curiously.
“Whatever floats your boat, man. We’ll talk later.”
“Thank you, Earl,” Georgia smiled sweetly, making Rocky feel that buzzing anger in his veins again.
Earl tipped his hat and headed off into the darkness.
“What did you two just agree to?” Posey asked in wonder.
Rima giggled and Georgia elbowed her.
“Something about the land,” Rocky guessed.
“Yes, and hopefully he won’t actually want to sleep with either of us,” Georgia added.
“No, he said dinner, Georgia,” Rocky said, feeling a bit confused about all the giggling. “It’s not a sleeping time.”
“Don’t worry, baby,” Georgia teased him. “I’ll take care of everything.”
She had been angry when he showed up. But now she happily entwined her arm with his. When they got into the backseat she nestled her soft body snug in his arms and rested her head on his chest, so that he could smell the bewitching flowery scent of her hair.
Rocky floated in a delirium of bliss. He didn’t say a word the entire way home, terrified that he would ruin it by saying a wrong thing.
10
Georgia
Georgia leaned against Rocky’s chest. Every bump of the car pressed her closer against him. She could feel a wall of warm muscle through his shirt. He smelled clean and masculine.
Rocky’s arm curled around her shoulder possessively. When she snuggled deeper into his chest, she felt him lower his nose to her hair, and inhale.
Georgia prayed that she could control herself. Though she wanted to sink her nails into his ribcage and lift her face for a kiss, she knew she was already being very demonstrative in front of everyone, a weakness she normally wouldn’t indulge.
She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the sound of his heart until at last they reached the observatory.
Everyone seemed to scramble out quickly, leaving Georgia and Rocky alone in the backseat.
“I guess they’re giving us a hint—” Georgia began.
But before she could finish, Rocky was kissing her.
A tiny part of her mind wondered for a moment at the idea that this was finally happening - something she had craved and fought against for what felt like an eternity, though it had only been a few short weeks. Another piece of her was amazed that he could be such a good kisser, since this was almost certainly his first kiss.
It had better be.
Then Georgia was beyond thoughts as the stars blazed and burst in her mind and her body came to life under Rocky’s slow touch.
Georgia had never been kissed this way before. And it wasn’t the mechanics. The angle of his mouth claiming hers, the subtle play of his tongue, the intimacy of their shared breath, all of it was as old as time.
No, it was something about his concentration. Rocky wasn’t worrying about what should come next, he was enjoying every instant of the present moment of kissing Georgia. She could tell by his measured pace, the way his palm cupped her cheek, lightly as if to gauge every movement of her jaw, to collect every shiver of pleasure.
What would it be like to make love with a man like this?
Georgia found herself trembling at the idea.
Rocky pulled back slightly.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“I want more,” he said decisively, and leaned in to kiss her again without further conversation.
She lifted her chin and moaned a little at how good it felt to have his mouth back on hers.
Georgia slid her hands up over Rocky’s hard shoulders, sinking her nails at last into that hot flesh.
He groaned into her mouth, and then she felt his hands moving from her cheeks to slide down her back and clutch her waist.
Craving more contact, Georgia slid onto his lap, her legs straddling his. Her white cotton dress slid up to her thighs without breaking their kiss.
Rocky stilled beneath her.
She pulled back.
Rocky gazed up at her in wonder, dark eyes shining. His lips were sexier than ever, slightly swollen from kissing.
“Georgia,” he whispered.
She smiled down at him, holding herself perfectly still.
He broke eye contact at last, studying her body as if to memorize it. First her chest, then her waist, then the place where her dress met her thighs.
He swallowed and looked back in her eyes.
“You’re so beautiful, Georgia. More beautiful than starlight. More beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you,” she replied, suddenly unembarrassed. From any other guy, the words would have sounded like a come on, meant to separate her from her pants as quickly as possible. Not Rocky. She was completely beautiful to him, she could tell.
“I have chosen you,” he said. “Will you accept me?”
The second step of the process. He had chosen her that first night. He was doing it again right now. They could only have a successful pairing if she chose him in return.
Georgia felt a surge of desire unlike anything she had ever experienced before. It had nothing to do with the position of her body against his and everything to do with his words, his desire for her, and the pull within her to submit to him.
“N-no,” she heard herself stammer, and a thousand tiny facets of Georgia screamed in frustration.
“Why? he demanded, his face awash with surprise. “Do you not want me? Do you not find me attractive?”
“I-I do find you attractive,” she managed. “I find you very attractive.”
“Then why would you deny me?” he asked.
Why? Because this wasn’t how Georgia’s story was supposed to go. She had goals, a career, dreams of her own. Georgia Taylor was not going to be a resent
ful housewife like her own mother, married too young, kids too soon. She was going to be somebody before she settled down.
“I’m not ready yet,” she explained.
“But you will be?” he asked, looking somewhat cheered.
She smiled down at him.
“One day,” she allowed.
“One day,” he whispered back, reaching for her.
This time when he took her mouth it was almost brutal, as if he could make her ready with the demands of his body.
Georgia sank onto his lap, whimpering when she felt his length against her, only denim and thin cotton separating them.
Then Rocky’s hands were in her hair, molding her shoulder blades, roving over her ass, squeezing and stroking until she had to move, just a little, just to ease the coil of tension at her core.
When she dragged herself lightly against him, Rocky angled up his hips.
Georgia saw stars as he rocked against her, tugging at her lower lip with his teeth, squeezing her bottom in time with his gentle thrusts.
“Oh,” she breathed.
He let go of her lip and trailed hot kisses down her neck to nuzzle her clavicle.
Georgia arched her back, her only thought how good his mouth would feel against her breasts.
His hands moved up her ribcage, his thumbs sliding out to brush her nipples.
Georgia pressed one hand against a fogged window for support, then tangled the other in Rocky’s hair and moaned helplessly.
She was so close, so close. The gentle friction of him against her would either send her over the edge or kill her with the anticipation.
She opened her eyes to see him staring up at her hungrily, his jaw tense.
“I will not take you, Georgia, you must accept me. Will you accept me?”
Yes, the little voices in her head called happily.
“No,” she sighed.
Before she knew what was happening, he had lifted her from her throne of pleasure and she was sitting on the cold seat next to him, disheveled and unsatisfied.
“We have all the time you need, beautiful Georgia,” Rocky said pleasantly, even as she cursed him to hell in her mind.