Book Boyfriends Cafe Summer Lovin' Anthology 2015

by Melinda Curtis

  In a matter of days, this man has taken the scarred girl I was, and set free the woman that I am. In his eyes, I’m smart, sexy and beautiful, and he wants me.

  Chapter 8

  The afternoon floats by. I spend several hours on my project before I step into the shower and wash my hair. I spend extra time drying my hair. I want to make sure it smells good and feels better.

  I want to look super nice today. I slip on a sundress and a pair of ballet flats. I pull my hair back in a pretty ribbon and apply my makeup. My swollen lips look luscious coated in a tinted gloss.

  I look at the clock and see it’s three-thirty. I pace the room waiting for the minute hand to move forward. The damn thing seems to be stuck. Why is it when you are looking forward to something, time stands still?

  I force myself to wait another ten minutes before I shamelessly give in and head to the bar. I can hear the jukebox before I enter. Bon Jovi’s “Livin on a Prayer” is playing. I slowly open the door and walk in. The dim lighting of the bar requires a minute for my eyes to adjust. I’m looking for one person and one person only––him. I scan the perimeter of the room and see him standing next to a table. His eyes turn toward me. We connect and the entire room of people fades away. He’s dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt. I scan his body and see that he’s upped his game tonight. A collared, button-down shirt is dressing up when it comes to Sugar Glen.

  I slip past him and go behind the bar to pick up my apron. It’s been washed; it almost looks new. I wrap the tie around my waist and fasten it behind my back.

  Grabbing the tray from behind the bar, I stroll through the tables and pick up empties. As I walk past Zane, his hand slips out and grabs me. With his arm around my waist, he pins me next to him.

  “Alexa, this is my good friend Dale,” he says as he grips my waist.

  “Nice to meet you, Dale.” Dale is a nice-looking guy with black hair that is graying at the sides. He offers his hand in a gesture of welcoming. I reach for it and find my hand being pulled to his lips. Zane’s body tenses, then relaxes as my hand is returned.

  “Where did you find this beauty, Z?”

  “I found her on the side of the road. She was in a heap of sweat and tears next to an old broken down, piece-of-shit car. I swooped her up and haven’t let her out of my sight since.”

  “Is that right? I can’t say I blame you.” Dale smiles up at me.

  “She thinks she is here just waiting for her car to be fixed, but I’m trying to convince her to give Sugar Glen a try.”

  Dale gives Zane one of those man looks that says don’t bullshit me, man. His eyes roll as he says, “It’s more like you want her to give you a chance.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with that. I like her and I want her to stay.”

  “I hate to leave your little party, but I think I’ll go pick up glasses while you two plan my future. It’s nice to meet you, Dale.”

  I make the rounds and clean up what I can. My eyes keep straying to him and when I’m not looking for him, I am gazing up the stairs. I didn’t really get to hold Aaron today, and I miss feeling him in my arms.

  “You can go up and see him,” the voice behind me says. He came up behind be so quietly I didn’t realize he was there. I turn around quickly and find my face planted into his broad chest.

  “You scared me. I was deep in thought.” I step back and look up at him. His face is clean-shaven. I can smell the shaving cream and something else. “Are you wearing cologne?”

  “Yes, I thought I would try to smell like something other than sweat and baby puke today. Do you like it?”

  I inhale his scent and fake a swoon. “Why, Mr. Abbamonte, I do believe you smell delicious.” I say in a very bad southern belle-esque manner.

  A glorious smile spreads across his face. He turns me toward the stairs and gives me swat on my back end. “Go up and see my baby. He will be thrilled with your visit. If he’s awake, bring him downstairs if you want. I can’t have my patrons thinking what you did. It never occurred to me that I was giving off any kind of impression.”

  “Oh, you give off an impression all right––pure male––all sex.” Shocked at the thought that just popped out of my mouth, I blush. I have to be the shade of a ripe strawberry.

  “Glad I’m giving you the right impression. I would hate to mislead you in any way.”

  He’s flirting––openly. I swing around and march back to him.

  “I feel you––felt you. I know what impression you left on me. I’m looking forward to exploring that more.” I’m shameless today. “I’m going up to visit my little man. Is it the redhead or the blonde upstairs?”

  “It’s the blonde.”

  “Hannah, okay I just wanted to know whom I was walking in on.”

  “Wait…her name is Hannah? I thought she was Ashley. I swear she said her name was Ashley.”

  I laugh as I walk away. It takes a few seconds before it registers with him. I walk up the stairs and hear him laugh.

  Opening the door slowly, I peek in. I don’t want to scare the poor girl.

  “Hello,” I whisper, not wanting to wake the baby if he’s asleep.

  “Hey,” the blonde says as she trots over to the door. Oh to have that kind of energy. Baby Aaron is in her arms.

  “I came up to get the baby. Zane wants me to bring him downstairs for a few minutes.” She gives me a squinted, I don’t believe you look.

  “He’s never brought the baby downstairs.”

  “Well, that’s what he wants, so if you would like, you can bring him downstairs. I will take him from you then, and you can have a little break.” I can see why she would be skeptical. This isn’t the normal routine. I could tell her the truth, but I don’t want to embarrass her by saying that he wants to make sure no one in the bar thinks he’s bangin’ the babysitter.

  She pulls the baby close to her chest and begins to walk down the steps. I like the way she holds him tightly and takes the steps carefully. She is carrying precious cargo.

  I follow right behind her. I want to get my hands on that baby before everyone else in the bar loses their minds over him.

  At the bottom of the steps is Zane. He looks at Ashley and then at me. I shrug my shoulders. I know he’s wondering why I didn’t bring him down. He holds out his arms and takes the baby.

  “Ashley, go tell Bud what you want to eat. Alexa and I have it under control.”

  As she saunters to the kitchen, he hands me the baby. I pull him up to my face and nuzzle his neck. I breathe deeply trying to suck in his sweet baby goodness. What is it about babies and puppies that make them smell so good?

  “So, do you want him back, or can I have him for a minute?”

  “He’s all yours, sweetie. Why don’t you take him around and introduce him to some of the regulars? I used to have him down here in a bassinet before I hired a bevy of girls to watch him.”

  I’m so excited to show him off. He’s not mine, but I think he’s the cutest baby on the planet.

  Aaron gets passed from person to person. I stand close by making sure to take him back if needed. I look toward Zane and he’s watching us both protectively. No matter where I go his eyes track me. I’m sure it’s because he is hyper aware of his son’s location, but I like the feeling of his eyes on me.

  Aaron lets out a displeased scream. He’s had enough shuffling between people for the day. Out of nowhere comes Ashley to swoop in, and spirit him upstairs. I kind of feel jealous of her. She gets to feed and change his diapers and I get to serve beer and stare at the beautiful man behind the bar. Well, I guess I can’t be too jealous. My view isn’t too shabby.

  The night passes by swiftly. For a Tuesday, it seems pretty busy to me. I find every reason I can, to go behind the bar. He seems to find every reason to touch me in some way. He holds my hip as he passes by. He glides his hand across my arm when I stand next to him. Each touch ignites a fire inside me. I don’t know when the last time I felt this charged by a touch. It’s the possibilities th
at his touch implies.

  I close the door after the last patron leaves, sliding the deadbolt into its place. I hear the jukebox begin to play the classic sound of The Police. I recognize the song immediately as “Every Breath You Take.”

  He slides up behind me and slips his arms around me, pulling my back to his chest. I lean against him and melt into his embrace. This is where I’ve wanted to be all evening. His song choice doesn’t go unnoticed.

  We rock back and forth as the music plays softly throughout the empty bar.

  “I didn’t tell you earlier, but you look beautiful tonight.”

  His lips gently caress my neck. He hits that perfect spot where the neck and shoulder connect. The goose bumps rise on my flesh as his mouth follows my collarbone to my shoulder. I lean my head to the other side giving him unfettered access. I feel his chin rest in the crook of my neck.

  His hips push forward, forcing me to adopt his rhythm. As he sways in each direction, I follow as if my body is glued to his. I hear him hum along with the song, and I am lost in the moment. His hands travel from my hips up my sides, slowing down as he passes the rise of my breasts. It wasn’t a feel exactly, just a soft caress as he pulls his hands to my shoulder. A shiver of excitement runs down my spine.

  “Are you cold?” he asks.

  I giggle a bit knowing that my shiver has nothing to do with the temperature of the room and everything to do the temperature of my core. He has managed to set my senses on fire once again.

  “No, I’m not cold, I just got a chill from your touch. It was nice.”

  “Touching you is nice. I like it so much that I wish I could do it all night. However, I have to let the sitter go. I just wanted to have at least one dance with you before the night was over.”

  I turn around and face him. I don’t want the night to be over, but I know he needs to get upstairs.

  “We didn’t clean up, I still need to sweep,” I say looking up to him. I can’t take my eyes off his lips. I know what they feel like and I want to feel them all over me.

  “I can get it tomorrow. You must be tired, I got you up early for a run.”

  “I feel pretty good, although my legs hurt. Are we going tomorrow morning?” I ask with hope.

  “No, I have to take Aaron to see my mom. Do you want to come? I can pick you up at the same time, only this time we’ll drive.”

  Without thinking I blurt, “Yes, I would love to come. I’ll be ready.”

  We walk slowly to the door, his hand is wrapped around my waist guiding me. I stop and wait for him to slide the deadbolt. He pulls my chin up with two fingers and settles his soft lips against mine. For a man his size, he can have such a gentle touch. I fall into the kiss right away. I need no coaxing to open my lips. I’m begging him to invade me. I want him to control me. I give myself freely.

  He pulls away with a groan and slips the bolt aside. The harsh sound brings me out of my Zane-induced trance.

  “I’ll be out front at eight. I usually stop by the donut shop on the way to pick up Mom’s favorites. I’ll buy breakfast again.”

  “Okay,” I say softly, still reeling from the effects of his kiss. I walk in a dream-like state across the street and back to my room. Looking over my shoulder I see him watch me. He won’t leave until he knows that I’m safely inside. Just before I close the door, I blow him a kiss.

  Chapter 9

  Eight o’clock would usually be an ungodly time for me to be ready. I’m more of a sleep-in kind of girl. I love working as a consultant, doing bit jobs. I get to choose my own hours. Having said that, I would have been up and ready at three in the morning if that’s what time he said he was picking me up.

  I misjudged him and if I had bolted after I got a dose of who I thought he was, I would have missed out on something wonderful.

  I hear the crunch of gravel in front of my room. Like a teenager, I jump up and down at the thought of seeing him again. I check myself in the mirror and pick up my bag from the dresser before I dash out the door.

  A silver sedan has pulled up in front of my room. I don’t recognize the car, but I know the driver well. I pull open the door before he can exit. He looks sexy as hell in his polo shirt and shorts.

  “Hey,” I say as I hop in the passenger side.

  “Hey, yourself,” he replies as he leans over to kiss me. “I would have come to your door to get you.”

  “I know, but the baby is in the car, and I was excited about seeing you both.” I turn to the back seat and see that the car seat is securely fastened in a rear-facing position. “Whose car is this?” I ask, having never seen it before.

  “It’s mine. I bought it when I picked him up from San Francisco. I didn’t want him to ride in the front of the truck. I had no idea how to fly with an infant, so, we had our first road trip together on his second day of life.”

  “You totally amaze me. I had you pegged so wrong. I’m sorry for judging you.”

  “You judged me? I’m shocked,” he jokes. “I deserved your initial opinion, I was surly and impatient. I apologize.”

  “You are forgiven.”

  “On second thought, I don’t think I’m going to let you off that easy,” he responds. “I’m thinking that I can probably forgive you if you say yes to a date on Monday night.”

  “Do I have to wait until Monday for more kisses? If that’s the case, the answer is no. I’d rather not be forgiven at all. You can punish me with your mouth.” Did I just say that? What the hell has gotten into me?

  He raises an eyebrow at me. “Tell you what, I will take you on that date, but until then I will punish you with lots of kisses.” He puts the car in gear and backs out.

  ~ * ~

  Twenty minutes later, we arrive at the home where his mother lives. Zane has the baby and I have the baby bag and donuts. It’s a lovely place. It looks like a regular apartment complex, but there are a lot of staff members on hand. The grounds are beautiful––full of rose bushes and lush green trees.

  Everyone seems to know Zane. As we walk through the entry, he is greeted by name. I swear all the women come up to see the baby. At least that’s what they are pretending to do. I’m a woman, so I know how this works. You pretend to be interested in the baby, but actually it’s the father you want to see. I watch as the women put their hands on his back as if that’s going to help them see the baby better. I stand off to the side and take it all in.

  He is friendly to the staff but keeps his eye on me. I can see the pleading look, something that says save me.

  I walk up to the crowd and whisper into his ear. “Should I take Aaron to see your mom while you take care of your harem?” His eyes shoot to mine with what looks like shock. I wonder what he’s thinking. If he’s wondering if I’m jealous, then he’s right. These women have their hands all over what I feel is mine. I have no claim to him, but I don’t like watching them feel him up either.

  “Sorry, ladies but we have to take this little guy to see my mom. Oh, and, by the way, for those of you who haven’t met Alexa, she’s my girlfriend, and you’ll probably be seeing a lot more of her.” He looks at me and smiles. “Honey, can you take the baby for a minute?” he asks. My eyes shoot up to his. I’m surprised at his declaration. I happily trade him my packages for the baby. I cuddle Aaron up to my neck while he coos. He called me his girlfriend. We walk away, I turn to look over my shoulder and see the looks of many disappointed women.

  I follow him down the corridor and up to door number fifteen. He pushes the bell and we wait.

  “You just crushed the hopes of the entire population of single women in Sugar Glen,” I tease.

  “I saw the look on your face as they rushed up to see the baby. You tried to slink into the background. You are no one’s background, Alexa.”

  I’ve lived in the background for years. His statement pulls me into the forefront, the center of his universe and I feel special. “I appreciate that, but you didn’t need to publicly declare me as your girlfriend. I love that you did, but I have no cla
im on you.” I nuzzle my nose into the soft folds of Aaron’s neck.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. You gripped my heart the first time you kissed me, and every time you press your lips to mine, I get a little tighter squeeze right here.” He claps his free hand against his heart.

  I look up at him with so many questions in my head. I open my mouth to ask him if he’s lost his mind, but I’m disrupted by the sound of the deadbolt sliding open.

  On the other side of the door is a small woman. She stands maybe five foot three or so, but not much taller. Her bright red hair is a stark contrast to her pale complexion. Her eyes are a blue-green hazel. They light up like a fluorescent bulb as soon as she sees the baby in my arms.

  She moves to the side and lets us enter. I watch as she shuffles her feet. Zane reaches down to give his mother a hug.

  “Mom, this is Alexa.” I shift the baby into one arm so that I can offer her my hand. She raises her shaking palm to grab mine, and squeezes. “This is my mom, Elaine.” I smile at his mom. She waves for us to follow. We line up and shuffle behind her until we reach her living room. It’s a beautiful space. She has plush furniture with dark wood accents. I would say it’s an odd mix between Tuscan and mission, but it works. It feels homey and comfortable.

  She points me to the loveseat and sits next to me, no doubt because she wants to see the baby. I hold him out to her, and watch as her face falls.

  “She’s afraid to hold him. She thinks she is going to drop him,” Zane says. The sadness is evident in his voice.

  “That’s crazy talk,” I say as I look between the two of them. “Go grab me a few towels or some pillowcases.” I must have sounded like I meant business because Zane jumped to my bidding right away. It was kind of funny to see him pop up after my command. I’m usually the one hopping when he barks out orders.

  “Ii…it’s ooook-ay,” his mom slurs. She places her hand on my knee and gives it a gentle pinch.