Davis, Liz - Slivers of Moonlight (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Liz Davis

  Evan led her through the door and back into the office, where his uncle sat at the desk talking on the phone and typing something into the computer.

  “Back in a few.” He waved to his uncle, and Gary waved back, giving them a smile.

  Evan led her to a red Jeep wrangler that was parked in the front of the building. Once they were inside, he started up the car and asked, “So which Shorty’s do you work at?”

  She gave him the directions to her place of employment and then they were off. As they drove along, Maya snuck curious little peeks at him every now and again, and it seemed that with each glance she found her attraction was growing. This excited her, but in a way it also had her worried. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with another guy right now, not with all of the baggage she was carrying around from her relationship with Dylan. As they pulled up to the restaurant, she grabbed her purse and offered him some parting words.

  “Thanks a lot, Evan. I appreciate it.”

  “Hey, no problem. Have a good day, okay?”

  “Sure thing. See ya.” She waved then got out of the car.

  * * * *

  He waved back, and after she closed the door, he took off. As she made her way to the restaurant, his gaze remained fixed on her reflection in the rearview mirror. His eyes admired her retreating form, and the slight switch of her hips drew his attention to the curve of her buttocks. Evan eyeballed her with deep longing, only diverting his gaze once she’d disappeared inside the building.

  A tightening in his pants drew his eyes to his nether regions, and his hands worked to adjust his hard-on. As his car drove along the streets, the distance between them grew even further, and yet still vestiges of Maya remained.

  The scent of jasmine lingered in his car, surrounding the air around him with its sweet, pleasant scent.

  Chapter 3

  Maya’s shift at the restaurant was turning out to be quite profitable. It seemed that most of the people she’d served tonight were generous tippers. As quitting time approached, she counted out her money and was delighted to find that she’d made $350. Glancing at the clock, she saw that there was only an hour left in her shift, and the customers were beginning to thin out, so she kept herself busy by refilling drinks and checking up on the tables she was working. She had just finished delivering a meal of hamburgers and fries to a family of five when she turned and saw Evan sitting at a table a few feet away from her. As her eyes locked with his, he smiled. Bringing a menu with her, she walked over to where he was sitting.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were stalking me.” She gave him a flirtatious wink.

  “Hey, I can’t help it if I got hungry.” His smile became a grin.

  “No other restaurants closer to where you live, huh?”

  “I like to expand my horizons.” He grabbed the menu from her and pretended to look over at it.

  Pulling out her little pad and pen, she said, “So, what can I get for you?”

  “Ummm…” His eyes scanned the menu as he tried to decide. “I think I’ll try the catfish.” He closed the menu and gave it back to her.

  “Really?” She cocked her head a little, giving him an amused little smile.

  “Yes really, why? What’s weird about that?” The tone of his voice came out lighthearted.

  “Oh, nothing. Just didn’t take you for the Southern food type, that’s all.”

  “And what does a person who enjoys catfish look like? I didn’t know there was a particular demographic.”

  She offered a little smirk. “I don’t know. Guess I judged you wrong.”

  Evan leaned forward and placed his arms on the table. “Well, if you get to know me better, you can find out all sorts of things about me. I know there are things I’d like to learn about you.” He looked deeply into her eyes, as if searching for something that was hidden inside of her.

  Maya held his gaze for a bit before shyly looking down. Then she glanced back up at him through her thick lashes. “Well, who knows, maybe you’ll get the chance.” She gave a flirtatious glance over her shoulder as she walked away.

  As she waited on her other tables, she could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move. Every once in a while, she would take a quick glance over at him, and he’d give her a little smile. Having him watch her like that made her nervous, but that didn’t mean she didn’t like it. She was flattered, and found that her stomach was doing little flip-flops from his attention. When his food was finished cooking, she retrieved it from the pickup window and brought it over to his table.

  “Here’s your catfish dinner. Enjoy.”

  She was about to walk away when he placed his hand on hers. She turned, feeling a jolt of excitement from his touch.

  “Sorry to bother you, but I forgot to order a drink. Could you get me a root beer?”

  Her eyes sparkled at him. “Yeah, sure.”

  When she returned, she saw that he seemed to be enjoying his catfish dinner. He had devoured half of the fish and was now working on the hush puppies.

  “Is the food all right?”

  “Fantastic,” he said through a mouthful of food. He took a large sip of root beer then wiped his mouth off with a napkin. “So what time do you get off?”

  Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was nearly the end of her shift. “In fifteen minutes. Think you could give me a ride home?”

  “Of course, I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll meet you out in the parking lot at nine.”

  She let him enjoy the rest of his dinner, and the end of her shift arrived. She grabbed her purse and said her good-byes to her coworkers. As she exited the restaurant, she noticed Evan standing by the door.

  “Hey there, you all ready to go?”

  “Yep.”

  As they walked to his car, she noticed that it was nearly a full moon. It was shining very brightly, and she found herself pulled toward the beauty of it. Once they were in the car, he took off out of the parking lot and onto the road. They made pleasant chitchat as he drove to her house, laughing and joking, and as they came closer to arriving, she realized she was sorry to have her time with him come to an end. She considered inviting him in for a drink of tea or a cup of coffee so they could chat some more, but she didn’t want to seem too eager.

  As he pulled up in front of her house, she turned to him and said, “Well, thanks for the ride, and good night.”

  “Hey wait, I’ll walk you to your door.” He got out of the car and followed her to her apartment.

  Once they reached her door, she turned awkwardly to him, unsure of just what to say. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit she did whenever she was feeling awkward.

  “I’d like to call you sometime. Can I get your number?”

  Maya thought of Dylan, but only for one brief moment. They weren’t really together anyhow, so she figured it wouldn’t hurt to start dating someone new. And she really did like Evan. Quite a bit, actually.

  “Yeah, sure.” She pulled a pen from out of her purse and searched for a piece of paper, but couldn’t find one. “I’ll have to go inside and get some paper. I don’t have anything to write on.”

  “Hey, that’s cool. Just write it on my arm.” He rolled up his sleeve and held his arm out.

  “All right,” she said with a laugh, and she pressed the tip of the pen against his arm.

  As her hand touched his skin, she was certain she felt sparks, tiny explosions of electricity, jolting beneath her skin, making her feel more alive than she ever had before. She’d never experienced this with anyone, not to this intensity. And as their eyes locked into a gaze, she knew that he felt it, too. The moon shone through the leaves of the tree branches above them, casting a silvery light on her skin and hair. Reaching out to touch her face, he slid his thumb along the curve of her cheek. His finger traveled down further until it came to rest upon her lips, stroking the softness of them as he gazed into her eyes.

  And then suddenly his hands were wra
pped around her waist and he was pulling her toward him. His head tilted downward, moving closer and closer until she could feel his breath against her skin. His grip upon her waist was firm, yet gentle, and she found herself incredibly turned on by the way he was looking at her. Evan gazed deeply at her, stirring emotions around inside of her that she didn’t quite understand.

  Everything she felt in this moment was so intense, and her eyes seemed to view things with crystal clarity, as if magnified under a microscope. What was happening to her right now had to be a dream. It had to be because it felt too good to be real. Then his lips were upon her, soft and warm and gentle. When he kissed her, it was so light and tender that it only made her want him more. She felt his lips press a little harder, coaxing her mouth open as his tongue ventured within. It was quite an erotic kiss, considering they were still getting to know one another, but she was too wrapped up in the heat of the moment to even think about stopping him. And then suddenly he released her lips, leaving her in a whirlwind of passion and arousal.

  “I better go inside.” Maya’s voice sounded husky, and her eyes were clouded with desire. Her lips formed the words, but her heart was saying something else.

  “I’ll let you go then.” But he didn’t make a move, only stood there with his hands wrapped around her waist.

  Then she felt his lips press against hers once again, and she heard herself moan, parting her lips to receive the taste and feel of his tongue. She could feel his hands on the small of her back, thumbs stroking along the hem of her shirt. Then she felt the tips of his fingers begin to touch her, skating along the softness of her skin. Her body instantly reacted, nipples tightening beneath the fabric of her shirt, followed by a tingling sensation that stirred in her belly. The touch from this man seemed to be awakening every nerve inside of her. Mustering all her strength, she pulled back from the kiss, removing her lips from the heat of his mouth.

  “I have to go.” Her palms pressed softly against his chest, pushing him away from her.

  She noticed his brows knit together, as if he were puzzled.

  “Why, did I do something wrong?”

  “No, of course not. I just have to go inside and get ready for bed. I have work tomorrow, and I need to get my rest.”

  She really didn’t want to leave. What she felt like doing was standing out here and letting him kiss her some more, but she was afraid if she didn’t leave now then she might get carried away, might do something she’d later regret.

  “Hey, no problem. I’ll give you a call later, all right? ”

  “Sure thing. And thanks again for the ride.” She opened the door and crossed the threshold. “Good night,” she said over her shoulder.

  “Night.”

  As soon as the door was closed, she leaned back against it, her pulse racing from the strength of emotions that ran through her body. She could still taste him on her lips and could remember the feel of his warm breath ghosting against her skin.

  It took a few moments for her to come down from her high, but once she finally did, she took off her shoes and tossed them by the door. Then she walked into her bedroom and undressed, still in a daze. After taking a nice long shower, she slipped into her favorite chemise nightgown and flopped into bed.

  As her head lay comfortably on the pillow, she found herself daydreaming. She wondered what kind of a lover Evan was and what sort of things he would do to her in bed. She also thought about those lips of his and found herself growing wet at the thought of him placing them between her legs. He certainly knew what to do with them, that much was for sure.

  The melodic ringtone of her cell phone filled the air, and even before she looked at the display screen, she already knew who it was. Her suspicions were confirmed as she saw it was Dylan. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to him, though, so she shut the phone off and rolled over onto her side. Only a minute seemed to pass before her home phone rang as well. Giving a sigh, she leaned over and answered the call, preparing herself for the onslaught of emotions that were sure to come.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Maya.”

  Her heart lifted as she realized it was Evan. A small tingle rushed up her spine from the sound of his deep, sexy voice.

  “Evan, hi. So you made it home.”

  “Yeah, just got in a few minutes ago. So what are you up to?”

  “Not much. Just stretched out on my bed, relaxing. What about you?”

  “The same. I just wanted to call and make sure you were okay.”

  “Yeah, of course I’m okay. Why?”

  “You pushed me away when I was kissing you, so I thought I may have done something to offend you.”

  Shifting onto her side, she cradled her head in her hand. “No, not at all. I was just starting to feel a little overwhelmed.”

  “In what way?”

  “I don’t know. You just brought these feelings out of me, and I started feeling really turned on.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?” His voice was tinged with humor.

  “No, of course not. It’s just…I…” She was searching for the words, trying to find a way to tell him, but she just couldn’t figure out how.

  “Were you thinking of your ex-boyfriend?”

  “No, that’s not it. It’s just…” She paused for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. “I just want us to take our time, is all. Because I like you a lot, and I want to keep seeing you.”

  “Well, I like being around you, too. And we will keep seeing each other, so nothing’s going to change that. And just so you know, I’m not looking for a casual thing with you.

  “I know we only just met, but you’re the type of girl I would want to have a relationship with. So don’t think I’m just trying to get what I want and then dump you after. That isn’t what this is about.”

  Maya felt her heart lift from his words, and she sank back onto the pillow, pulling on the cord of the phone.

  “Okay.” There was a short moment of silence between them, and then she said, “I enjoyed seeing you at the restaurant tonight. It was a nice surprise.”

  “Really? I was hoping you wouldn’t mind me there. I just felt like I had to see you again.”

  “Of course I didn’t mind.”

  “Well, good.” He was quiet for a few moments, and then he began to speak. “Would you like to go out sometime, Maya?”

  She felt the pace of her heart quicken. “Yeah, sure. That would be nice.”

  “Great. How about we do something this weekend? I know this great sushi place downtown. Would you like to try it out?”

  “Sure, I love sushi.”

  “Cool, then it’s a date.”

  “Looking forward to it.” Her lips turned into a smile.

  “So you’re not seeing your ex-boyfriend anymore, right?”

  “No. I haven’t talked to him since that night you towed my car.

  It’s over between us.”

  “Glad to hear it,” responded Evan. “You deserve better anyhow.”

  A brief moment of silent passed between them and then he once again spoke. “You’ve grown quiet all of a sudden. Can I ask what you’re thinking?”

  “I’m thinking about what a good kisser you are. You’ve got some talented lips, you know that?”

  As she heard him chuckle, she imagined the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. She’d noticed it that day he’d driven her home in the tow truck.

  “Well, thanks. Glad I could put them to good use. You’re not so bad yourself, you know.”

  Grinning, she twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

  “I’d love to get in some extra practice with you again.” His voice was seductive. “Not that you need lessons or anything. It would be purely for my own self-improvement.”

  She laughed, flexing her toes into the mattress. “Oh right, like you need to get any better. Kissing is not anything you need to improve upon.”

  “I’m good at more than kissing, though.”

  She felt her face grow hot, and she
twisted the phone cord around her finger. “Like what?” She already knew, but she wanted to see how he would respond to her question.

  “Oh, I think you know what I mean.”

  “Do I?” she teased.

  Evan chuckled. “Let’s just say I haven’t had any complaints.”

  “Well, do you have any references?”

  His laughter floated through the receiver. “You’re fun to talk to, Maya. I like you.”

  “Well, that’s good because I like you, too,” she replied. She could almost hear him smiling through the phone.

  “So, would it be too forward if I asked what you were wearing right now?”

  She stared up at the ceiling, playing nervously with the hem of her nightie.

  “Ummm, a nightgown. And what about you?”

  “Only thing covering my body is skin,” he replied.

  The visual of him lying on his bed naked while talking to her sent a delightful little tingle between her legs.

  “Oh really? So you’ve been talking to me this entire time naked?”

  He gave a little chuckle, “Sure, why not? It’s not like you’d have known any better unless I’d told you.”

  “Well, no, I suppose I wouldn’t. So do you always sleep naked?”

  “Yep. It’s more comfortable for me that way.”

  “What about in the winter, when it gets cold?”

  “I just bundle up beneath a heavy comforter.”

  “I see,” she replied.

  “And what about you? Don’t you ever sleep naked?”

  “Yeah, in the summer if it’s been an especially hot day. Sometimes I’ll even walk around the house naked. Of course, I close all the shades before I do, though.”

  “Now you’re just teasing me.”

  She released a giggle.

  “That really was a great kiss we had, wasn’t it?”

  Her face creased into a smile. “Oh yeah, it was fantastic.”

  “And it was only our first try. Imagine what it’ll be like once we get in more practice.”

  “Mmmm, I know, right?” She slid one of her hands across her thigh.