by Jody Holford
“My eyes are wide open, Lucy. I’m a big boy. I can make my own decisions.”
He pushed his bedroom door open with his foot and brought her to his bed. He didn’t want to put her down, so he continued to hold her until the doubt in her eyes cleared and all he could see was the desire.
“Well, then what are you waiting for?” she asked, leaning back and pulling him off balance so they fell together onto his bed. His heart tumbled along with their bodies as he covered her, but he’d keep that to himself.
Chapter 8
She couldn’t stop grinning, which was ridiculous. It was like she had never been to bed with a man before. Granted, she hadn’t been to bed with many, but enough to know feeling giddy afterward wasn’t the usual. Or maybe she had just never been with a man who had made her want to smile so much after. During. Before.
“Talk about the cat that caught the canary. What are you smirking about?” he asked on a laugh, running his hand up and down her side, sending ripples of renewed longing through her.
“Funny, sexy, and exceptional in bed. Why didn’t I notice you sooner?” Probably because in high school her focus had been on travelling and stretching her wings.
His fingers continued to trail up and down. “To be fair, you’ve been gone, and I’m pretty positive I’ve improved in most areas since we went to school together.”
“Well, then I guess it was worth the wait,” she said more seriously, leaning into a slow, sweet kiss. His hand gripped her hip possessively and before she could stop herself, she snuggled into him, letting herself relax against him. He ran his hand up her side before moving it to her hair and stroking it gently. The combination of sensation, happiness, and his utter sweetness made her feel like the scattered pieces inside of herself had shifted, aligned. The realization stole her breath, literally.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes darker from this distance, more compelling.
“Yeah. Of course. I, uh … I wanted to show you something.”
“Sweetheart, you’re going to have to give me a bit more time before you show me anything else.”
She rolled her eyes but laughed, even as her stomach fluttered from his term of endearment. Lucy scooted out of the bed as gracefully as she could, which was not really graceful at all. He went up onto one elbow and watched as she looked for his shirt, which she had pulled off of him and tossed … somewhere. She found it at the end of the bed and hastily popped it over her head.
“What are you doing?” he asked, a lazy smile on his face as he lay back down onto the pillow, hands tucked behind his head.
Unable to resist, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I’ll be right back.”
“You sure? You have a tendency to run,” he teased.
Lucy gave a half-hearted laugh but what he said stuck in her head when she headed out to the living room to grab her laptop. It’s not a tendency, it’s a choice. A choice that has sound, professional reasons. She was always getting teased about having one foot out the door, so why did Alex saying it bother her more than it did when others said the same? She brought her case back to the bedroom, sat beside him, and then pulled the laptop out while he sat up against the tall headboard. She kept her eyes on the screen while she waited for it to boot up.
His voice was soft. “Lucy.”
She turned to look at him and saw that his eyes were sad. He reached out his hand and covered hers before saying, “I’m sorry. I was teasing but it was in poor taste.”
She couldn’t hide her surprise. She arched her brows and continued to look at him.
“What? I didn’t say—”
“Lucy. Do you think I can’t read your face? That I didn’t notice the way your smile fell and the quickest flash of hurt came into your eyes?”
“Actually, I didn’t think you’d notice. I thought I hid it better. Maybe you just look too closely,” she mulled on that thought as she turned back to the screen. He distracted her again by pulling her against his side. The laptop slid from her legs to the bed.
“Why would you hide it at all?”
“Because it’s silly. It’s not like it isn’t true. I do have a tendency to run—or, at the very least, to not stick around.”
“It’s not silly if it bothers you to have people say things, even if it’s teasing.”
“It’s not a big deal. Look, I want to show you this.” She didn’t like the flutter erupting in her chest at the serious expression on his face.
“Lucy.”
“What?”
Instead of being put off, he smiled at her show of impatience and kissed her quickly, lightly.
“I plan to keep looking closely, so don’t hide from me, okay?”
Lucy shrugged. “Sure.”
“I mean it. No hiding. Not from each other.”
She rolled her eyes at him but saw that he wasn’t going to put it aside, so she reluctantly agreed. “Fine. Want me to cross my heart?”
“How about another kiss?” he asked softly, capturing her lips and distracting her, making her fall into it, into him. When he pulled away, she kept her eyes closed for an extra moment.
Opening them, she pulled the laptop onto her knees again and smacked his blanket-covered leg.
“Pay attention.”
She pulled up the mock advertisement that she planned to have printed on large paper. She had photos of the rec center in its glory days along with photos of the town working on it last week. She had taken a couple of shots during the fire: kids, parents, community members watching the devastation. In the middle, she had put a photo of the rec center as it had been next to a photo of the wreckage. Under these two photos, the large bold font read: The future relies on us rebuilding the past. Under that, in smaller font, it read: What can you do to help? She had started an Angel’s Lake Rec Center Fundraising Facebook page and put the link on the poster. She planned to post current news and hopefully have people sign up to help. She was about to flip to her next file to show him the flyers for her photo exchange idea when he spoke.
“You made this?”
“Yeah. It’s just a bit of graphic design. I dropped it off at a printer today so we can hand them out. I’ll do basic photos—kids, families, couples, that sort of thing, in exchange for a monetary donation and volunteer time for the center. They’ll have the option to add on to their package for a fee, which covers my costs.”
“You’re going to take photos in exchange for their help?” he asked, making her stomach twist. Not him, too. He looked at her and his smile was so wide she wondered if it hurt his cheeks.
“You take photos for National Geographic and In Style. You’re going to spend your time and use your incredible talent to take kid pictures and family shots?”
Her pulse beat double time. He knew where her photos were featured. “That was my plan. It’s not—”
“It’s generous and thoughtful and pretty damn clever. You’re hardly the photo booth at the mall. People are going to be lining up to get photos done by you.” It settled her erratic pulse when she realized he liked the plan. And he’d seen her pictures; admired them. She had a flash of him as a boy, riding up on his bike to buy lemonade from Kate. Alex had overpaid on purpose and made Kate’s day. Lucy might not have seen it then, but if she thought about it, he’d always kind of been there; a silent supporter.
Warmth pooled in her belly at the memory and from the way his hands never stopped touching her. But she didn’t want to get distracted; yet. “I’m glad you said that. I’d like to take some of you. And some other men .”
His easy smile turned to a grimace and his eyes narrowed.
“Didn’t we have this conversation?”
“What conversation?”
“That I wasn’t too worried about the timeline on whatever this is between us, but for however long it’s going on, it’s exclusive.”
Because she liked the thought of him only wanting her a little too much, she tried to make light of it. “Aww. Are you jealous?”
She laughed w
hen his frown deepened but stopped when he pushed back the covers, grabbed his boxers, and yanked them up.
“Alex. It’s for charity. I have no intention of seeing anyone else while I’m with you.”
He gave her a smug, self-satisfied grin that she shook her head. “Happy now?”
He leaned over her, his nose touching hers. “I am.”
“And a tad insecure,” she said quietly. She wished she didn’t feel the same, but it was good to know she wasn’t alone. It was likely every eligible woman in town was interested in their handsome sheriff.
He ran a finger along her cheek, like she was special. “I just don’t like surprises. Or sharing.”
“Me neither.” Though she’d never thought much about it before him, the thought of another woman cozying up to him turned her stomach. Pushing that thought away, Lucy leaned forward and kissed his lips, quick and light. She did it again when it deepened his smile.
“Sit back down so you can see this. Tell me what you think and then you can show me how much you only want me. Again.” She winked at him.
A laugh rumbled out of his chest. “Damn right.”
He sat beside her again, a smile on his face and his arm draped around her as he looked at the screen.
“So, I’m thinking a fundraising charity event. A dinner, an auction, selling some calendars of the town’s best-looking men—created from favors I’m hoping to cash in—and maybe some really awesome door prizes,” she explained in one long breath.
“A calendar? Of who?”
“You. Sam. Maybe Bruce. My brother in law, Luke. My dad said he’d do it. Nothing provocative, so you won’t have to hide it from your dad,” she said, poking him in the ribs when he looked too serious.
“Why would anyone buy a calendar with us in it? I mean, yes, I’m good looking,” he said and laughed at her eye roll before continuing, “but honestly, why would they pay for it?”
“They’ll pay for it because every calendar they buy gets their name entered in a drawing to win one of the bigger prizes. I told you I have some connections that I’m working on, trying to see if they can donate some big ticket items. A trip to Mexico, for one. A stay in the Four Seasons in New York for another.”
“You know someone who could offer a trip to Mexico?”
“Sure. A friend of mine is a travel agent. He books all of my trips. He said he’d arrange it.”
“A friend?” he waggled his eyebrows comically.
“For goodness sakes, Alex. Stay focused. Yes, a friend. I have a few of them.”
“Lucy, these ideas are incredible. I worried about the insurance money being enough, but this is going to make it work either way. I’m not crazy about being in a calendar, but I’ll do it, and most of the guys I know will, too. Tim, he’s the fire chief, will be all over it. I can’t believe you’ve put all of this together already.”
She could feel herself beaming at him. She didn’t need his praise, or anyone else’s, but it washed over her nicely. His words warmed the cold spot that took up residence in her stomach when she was around her family. The spot that reminded her she didn’t quite fit in; that she wasn’t actually one of them.
“What are you doing?” she asked when he lifted the laptop, rose from the bed, and put it on the low, walnut-stained dresser. He looked over his shoulder at her and flashed the grin that warmed a lot more than her stomach.
“Showing you how much I like your ideas. And you,” he laughed, throwing himself back onto the bed and then on top of her. She wasn’t sure how he could make her laugh and need at the same time, but as his mouth closed over hers, she felt a nagging worry that she could get used to it.
Alex stood near the stage of the community hall and watched as the Aarons sisters charmed and worked the room. Together, they were a triple threat of looks, character, and ambition. Though, he didn’t think any of them would own up to it, which made them that much more special.
The town hall was full. Lucy had set up a small podium and mic on the stage, which was really just an elevated platform, one step up from the actual floor. Like the rec center had been, the hall was rundown and worn. It had seen countless weddings, sweet sixteen parties, stags and stagettes. The scuffed floor had been danced on, puked on, and cried on. It held as many memories as the high school gym for most of the people raised in Angel’s Lake.
“Quite the turnout,” Mark said as he strolled over to stand beside Alex. Lucy had been in his bed every night that week, but she went home to her own bed before midnight, like she had a curfew. He wasn’t sure what she’d told her parents, but there was something about standing next to the father of the woman he was sleeping with that made his stomach cramp. There’s no sign on my head that says, ‘I slept with Lucy’.
“Did you?”
Alex did a double take, his mouth open. “What?” he finally stammered.
“Did you help her with this? You alright, son?”
“Yes sir. I—uh,” he garbled. “No. This is all Lucy. And Kate, too, I think. Maybe Char?”
“My three girls. They can do anything. Have to say, I’m surprised to see Lucy step up like this, though. She’s not one for grand gestures that draw in crowds. Bit of a loner. Always has been,” Mark considered. His tone was affectionate, as though he didn’t begrudge his middle daughter but simply accepted what he saw as her.
“Maybe you underestimate her.”
Mark turned, hands in his pockets, and kept his gaze level with Alex’s. The stomach cramp crept back in, pushing at his ribs.
“Maybe I do. Doesn’t seem like she’s surprised you. Mind you, I’ve looked at a woman the way you’re looking at my Lucy. You’re seeing all the good. Which there’s plenty of. But there’s flaws, like with all of us, so you keep looking at her like that, you’re liable to get hurt or be in it for the long haul.”
“Mark—”
“No, let me say my piece. Don’t often get to. Lucy’s always halfway across the globe, Kate’s too busy to date, and Char … Well, I liked Luke right from day one. Just like I like you. And I’ll keep on liking you as long as you don’t hurt my girl. We tease her about being fickle and on the run, but she’s got a heart in her that I sometimes suspect is bigger than any of ours. So just be careful with it. Even if you figure out it might not be for the long haul.”
Lucy’s voice came through the tinny PA system, drawing Mark’s attention. Alex stood looking at him for a moment longer. It was the most Lucy’s father had said to him in one conversation. Had he just warned Alex to be gentle with her while telling him she didn’t stay put?
“Thank you for coming, everyone.” Lucy spoke clearly. She didn’t seem daunted by the audience, the rapt attention, or being up on the stage. Char and Kate flanked her. Lucy was slightly taller than both of them even though she wore flats instead of heels like the other two. Easels were set up behind the three of them, and a projector was shining on the long, white screen at the back of the stage. Her voice took away some of the discomfort her father had caused, and he watched as she shared her ideas for rebuilding the rec center.
Lucy looked out at the sea of faces and couldn’t really tell who she was reaching with her words.
“When you leave here tonight, you’ll receive a card with the link to the project’s Facebook page. This will be our way of communicating, but you can also contact Kate or myself if you have any questions. The first fifty people who sign up to offer labor, supplies, money, or time will be entered to win a sixty-inch flat screen TV,” she shared, looking back at the screen to make sure the image of the LG LCD came up properly. She heard a few intakes of breath and some murmuring in the crowd. If her words didn’t pull them in, the TV was a good start.
“Can you win that if you offer to model for the calendar?” Nick Kramer called out from the back, earning several laughs from the crowd and a swat on the arm from his wife.
Lucy chuckled and scanned the room. Her eyes locked on Alex’s, and she felt the jolt in her stomach and her chest when he smiled and wink
ed at her. He stood next to her father, which she wondered if she should worry about, but they were both smiling, glasses of punch in their hands.
“Absolutely, Mr. Kramer,” Lucy laughed. “Kate’s going to tell you how you’ll be giving back to the community by helping.”
She moved aside, squeezed her sister’s trembling hand, and stepped beside Char.
“Look at you. You’ve got quite a way with people,” Char whispered.
“Ha. Maybe. Or maybe it’s just an easy room.”
Kate began to tell the crowd how many different programs would be offered, not only for teens, but also for children, families, and seniors.
“Hey,” Lucy whispered, leaning toward Char as Kate continued, “What’s with mom? I couldn’t get her to come tonight.”
She felt Char stiffen beside her before she looked over. “Mom doesn’t leave the house much. She doesn’t like to go out.”
“What’s not much?” Lucy asked, noticing that a few hands went up to ask questions about who would run the programs offered.
“We hope that different members of the community will participate in teaching and taking the classes, but I’ve also established a rapport with the YMCA in Little Falls. Many of their staff are working toward degrees in education and need volunteer hours,” Kate explained. Char listened to their youngest sister with so much pride, Lucy’s heart missed a step. Char looked back at Lucy, her expression shifting, darkening.
“I don’t know. Not much. She’s fine. She just…started leaving the house less and less. Leave it alone. You won’t be here long enough for it to bug you,” Char finally whispered. Lucy stepped back as though Char had slapped her, and tears immediately stung her eyes. Char’s face softened and she started to grab Lucy’s arm.
“I’m sorry. Lucy,” she whispered, but Lucy shook her head and walked off the side of the stage to make sure that the flyers and information cards she had printed were by the door where people could easily grab them as they left. She passed the table where Bean’s Bakery had graciously laid out donated snacks for the evening and made a mental note to enter them in the draw for the television. Alex came up behind her as she straightened the perfect stack of flyers.