“Oh.” Nora blushes.
Kennedy clears her throat. “On that note, tell us about you. Do you have a boyfriend? Siblings? Skeletons in the closet?” She grins.
“Oh God, no skeletons. I promise. I was saying to Louisa, I have a brother, Ezra, who is one of the doctors at the new surgery center. And no boyfriend.”
“Did I hear mention about the new doctors.” Summer interrupts.
I roll my eyes. “You did. This is Nora, and her brother is one of the new doctors.”
“Is he single?” Summer asks as Tia joins us, her ears picking up, waiting for an answer.
Nora laughs. “He is. Hasn’t had much time for a social life, but I’m sure that’s about to change.”
“I’m single,” Tia grumbles.
Kennedy says, “Nora, this is my sister, Valentina, known as Tia.”
Further introductions are made when Teagan joins the group. “I think the heatwave is making everyone horny.” She grins at the coughing and choking going on around her at her observation. “Perhaps my brother needs to catch whatever is going around. Loosen him up a bit.”
“He up your grill?” Amber asks.
Teagan sighs. “He’s an ornery ass at the moment. Well, worse than usual because of the fire. He’s pissed that I got stuck inside too, so he’s extra vigilant with me. Driving me nuts. I get it.” After taking a drink of the wine in her hand, she adds, “But if he had the distraction of a woman, then maybe he’d loosen up.” She flutters her lashes in Nora’s direction.
Nora shakes her head. “Don’t look at me. I’m concentrating on my new job for now. Surely there must still be single women in this town he can get it on with.”
Teagan winces. “They all know him.”
We laugh and Nora frowns. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s a handsome man,” I admit, and all eyes land on me, in shock mainly, curiosity from Blu. “He’s not talkative and has no time for women.”
“What she means is that he’s rude,” Teagan says.
“Oh dear.” Nora sips her wine.
“I’m going to have a few friends over one night soon for pizza, wine, and dessert.” Blu changes the subject. “I’ll let you know when if you’re interested?”
“I’d love that.” Nora smiles and looks relieved.
I give her a “told you so” glance before I move toward the front of the crowd, noticing that Judith has arrived.
Clapping my hands to get everyone’s attention, I plaster a smile on my face. “Thank you for coming tonight, it means a lot that you’d support the book club. Before we begin, I’d like to welcome Nora Jenkins to town and the club.” Heads turn and Nora madly blushes, so I quickly clear my throat and continue, “From past meetings, I’m going to ask, to get it out of the way, any gossip Mom, Maureen?”
Maureen pipes up. “I caught those handsome two firefighters swimming nude in the lake.”
My eyes bug out of my head as I search out Emma and the others. They’re giggling away along with the rest of the members.
“Dear God,” I mutter. “Anything else before we discuss Butterfly Girl?”
Maureen glances at Blu and says, “Someone is running around in secret with Shepard Carter. Is it you, Blu?”
Blu loses all color, and my mother’s eyes widen in shock as she snaps her eyes my way.
Quickly coming back to my senses, I say, “Maureen, that was uncalled for. Leave Blu alone.”
Looking chagrined, she says, “I’m sorry, Blu. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. I’m sorry.”
Blu nods, her face still pale as tears hover on her lashes.
My heart sinks. This is bad.
So now Blu is aware that Shep is seeing someone in secret. Just great.
“On that note, who wants to start the discussion on Butterfly Girl by Rona Jameson?”
“I will,” Judith says, giving me a look of sympathy.
After I lock up two hours later, Blu slips her arm through mine. “I’m going to come with you.” She shrugs. “Beats going home and crying.”
Kennedy had persuaded me to join her at the fire station. Her boyfriend, Zeke, is the chief and on an overnight shift. She doesn’t need courage to go see him at the office because she works there too. If I had to guess, I’d say she wants to question me about Blu and Shep. That won’t be happening now, which I’m grateful for. I hate lying.
I bury the guilt and turn to my friend. “Are you okay?”
Blu stares up at the sky as we walk along the sidewalk, Kennedy slightly in front of us. Probably in a rush to get to her boyfriend—soon-to-be husband if Zeke has his way.
“It was embarrassing to hear that in a room full of people, if I’m being truthfully honest.” She lets out a soft sigh. “I don’t know what to make of how I feel. It’s not like I thought I would feel if Shep fell for someone else. I mean, I’ve thought about it on and off, and I’m not really sure.”
Kennedy meets my eyes as a slight smile tilts her lips upward. I’m beginning to think that the majority of the town knows about Shep and me.
I’m pulled to a halt by Blu as we walk into the station.
And there he is.
9
Shep
Zeke smacks me on the back when the girls walk in, and mumbles, “This is going to be fun.”
“I think I’m in trouble.”
He chuckles as he greets Kennedy.
Dreading the next thirty minutes or so until I can excuse myself, I greet Tia, Blu, and Louisa with a kiss on the cheek each. With the way Blu freezes, I realize my mistake. I’ve only ever kissed her on the cheek for birthdays and at Christmas. I’m not cut out for a cloak and dagger affair.
Ignoring the blooper, I ask, “How was book club?”
“It went well,” Louisa says; however, I detect an undercurrent of weariness in her gaze.
Blu makes a hissing sound, and blurts out, “Who are you sneaking around town with?”
Blood rushes around my ears as she knows repeats over and over in my head. I’m sure my mouth moves but no sound comes out, which is a good thing. I think.
“Um, Maureen had some gossip about you.” Louisa winces. “She announced it to the club before we started our book discussion.”
“That woman needs a gag,” I hiss.
Zeke and Kennedy move toward us. “Let’s go upstairs. There’s water, coffee, and tea. And cake.”
“I could eat some cake,” Blu mutters and trudges upstairs.
Kennedy turns to Zeke with narrowed eyes. “What is going on?” She turns her gaze on Louisa and me, and then her eyes flicker between the two of us.
“Oh shit!”
“Exactly,” Zeke says.
Heading upstairs, I hang back with Louisa and briefly squeeze her hand. “We’ll tell her in the morning,” I whisper. “When she’s alone.”
“I think I should be the one to tell her. It might be easier.”
“You don’t know that.” Blu has been known to be stubborn and bad tempered in the past. When she finds out it’s Louisa I’m in love with, it won’t go down too well. It bothers me that she will blame Louisa for everything.
Louisa lets out a quick and easy laugh as we walk into the kitchen. Blu is seated between Emile and Blake, and they appear to be in the middle of a conversation. Blu smiles and flutters her lashes at the two men.
It boggles the mind as to what she’s thinking right now. Then I frown when I realize she could be flirting with them in an attempt to make me jealous, which won’t work.
“I wish this were a bar,” I mutter, joining Zeke at the counter.
Zeke snorts. “Sorry. No alcohol allowed on the premises.” He passes me a steaming cup of coffee though. “I can’t decide about them two,” he mutters quietly.
I frown. “Their work?”
Zeke shakes his head. “Kennedy insists that they do everything together. I haven’t seen any sign of that.”
“I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be doing it in public.”
“They’ve been here a few weeks and not one word of gossip about them.” He pauses. “Well, unless you call what they are said to get up to gossip. I can’t decide whether Kennedy said it as a joke or not.”
Grinning, I tell him, “I’m sure the gossip is correct. I just think they’re picky.” I shrug and stare at Louisa, who blushes softly.
“Both of you need to come clean.”
“Tomorrow we will. Louisa wants to talk to Blu herself. I think I should be there too.” I flinch. “Not that I actually want to be.”
“Pussy,” Zeke calls me. “However, I think Louisa might be right. If I had to guess, I’d say Blu is going to be embarrassed.” He shrugs.
“What a fucking mess.”
Zeke nudges my side. “Louisa is heading out,” he says under his breath.
I glance at Blu, who is engrossed with the cousins.
“Restroom,” I whisper as I follow Louisa out into the hallway.
“I’m going back to your place,” she says, glancing toward the kitchen door. “It feels weird now that Blu is aware there is something going on with you. It didn’t bother me as much before.” Her nose twitches.
Taking a chance, I briefly kiss her on the tip of her nose. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” I watch her go down the steps, and Geary appears. I know he’ll watch her across the street and inside my place.
I nod and walk back into the kitchen and hear Blu ask, “Is it true that you two do everything together?”
Zeke chokes on his coffee, some splattering onto his shirt.
“Where’d you hear that?” Blake asks, amusement dancing in his gaze.
Emile grins and leans back in his chair, eyeing his cousin Kennedy, who rolls her eyes.
“That would be telling?” Blu teases and flutters her lashes. “You haven’t answered.”
Kennedy jumps in. “It’s their personal business, Blu…besides, they need to get some rest now in case they get called out later.” She stands and kisses Zeke on the cheek. “I’ll see you home, Blu, before I head home.”
Zeke frowns. “We’ll see Blu home before I take you home. It won’t take long.”
“We’re going to be here all night at this rate,” I complain, heading to the door. “I’ll see Blu home.” I turn to Zeke. “You just get Kennedy home.”
“I don’t want to talk to you,” Blu mumbles, stomping past me.
“Whatever. I’m still going to make sure you get home okay.” I follow her out.
I noticed how the cousins drifted away after Blu’s inquisition. Which brings me to my curiosity. “What was that with you and Blake and Emile? That wasn’t like you being so rude?”
Blu shrugs. “I was curious.” She picks up speed. “I said I’m not talking to you.”
“This is ridiculous, Blu.”
She turns and gets in my face. “I thought you liked me.”
“I do like you. I always have.”
“Then why are you seeing someone behind my back?”
“Because I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Doesn’t the ‘woman’ you’re seeing get pissed at you for keeping her a secret?”
Tread carefully here, Shepard.
“I’ll come over in the morning and talk to you. Tell you who I’m with and try and explain.”
Blu narrows her gaze. “It’s the town’s family day at the lake tomorrow.”
“I’m aware.”
“Why, Shep?”
“Because I love her.” I swallow hard when tears pop into Blu’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Blu. I really am.”
“Me too.”
Nothing else is said as Blu goes into her apartment above the flower shop and switches the main light on.
Feeling tired and weary, I make my way to my apartment above the coffeeshop where the woman I love awaits.
10
Louisa
Belly in knots, I’ve been pacing back and forth waiting for Shep to come home. It had felt awkward and uncomfortable at the fire station, which is why I’d left. Maureen is a pain in the ass for not keeping that bit of information to herself. It grates on my nerves how she can’t mind her own business. My mother can be just as bad, which is frustrating.
It actually makes me wonder where Maureen got her piece of news from. Perhaps I should have asked her. No. If I had, she’d have known right away that it was me. I can’t lie for anything.
Hearing the door slam closed downstairs, I quit my pacing and listen. The door is secured for the night and then he’s on his way upstairs.
I dash to the apartment door and fling it open just in time for Shep to appear. I meet his gaze and throw myself into his arms.
He holds me tightly and walks us back inside, all the while nibbling along my neck.
“Forget about tonight,” he mumbles, his hands yanking up my dress. “Tomorrow, I’ll be able to do this to you in public.” His hands slide into the legs of my panties as he cups my ass.
I chuckle. “Jared or Nathan will arrest us for public indecency if we do this in public.”
“I was referring to this—” He releases my dress and cups my face. His eyes hold mine as his mouth softly brushes against my lips.
“More,” I mutter, diving in for a hard toe-curling kiss. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck and slam myself up against his hardness.
Shep groans and places his hands back on my bottom, pressing me against him while consuming me with his every breath. Our tongues tangle and slide together. Every last thought is now on this man. The man I love.
Gasping for breath, I step back and yank my dress off over my head; I don’t care where it lands. Then I slip my panties off and toss them behind me. I need to have Shep’s hands on my body.
As he stares like he hasn’t seen me naked before, I slide my hands inside his T-shirt and lift it up, latching on to one of his tight nipples with my mouth. His hips punch forward as he holds my head to him.
“Take it off,” I hiss, moving to the neglected nipple.
The second his shirt flies over his head, my fingers are tickling and scraping over his flesh wherever I can reach while lapping at him. My eyes focus downward to his quivering belly and his arousal struggling to get out of his pants. I scrape my fingernails from his chest to belly and lower. Goose bumps break out on his skin. A flick of my wrist has his pants open and my fingers wrapping around him.
“Oh God!”
“God isn’t going to help you now.” I snicker as I drop to my knees. His gaze burns into me as he watches my tongue snake out to caress the sensitive head of his dick. Precum trickles at the slit, and I lap it up with my tongue. Shep shudders. Needing more of him, I guide him into my mouth, sucking and licking his quivering penis. It thickens and lengthens, thanks to my talented mouth.
“Fuck, Louisa.” I suck him deeper and watch him throw his head back, the cords in his neck straining with need. His hands grip my head as he forces me to still.
His hips slowly move, allowing the tip of his shaft to slip in and out of my wet mouth. His penis glistens and throbs against my tongue.
With a guttural cry, he pulls himself free, flips me to my hands and knees on the floor, and slams home. His ragged breathing is loud in my ears as his thrusts turn deeper, touching every button between my legs.
“I love you,” he hisses.
Reaching beneath me, he grabs on to my breasts, pulling and twisting my nipples with each hard thrust of his hips. I’m ready to finish in seconds, and I know that’s what he’s waiting for before taking his own pleasure. I don’t want this to end. This feeling that I’m loved by this man beyond anything I’ve ever known.
His trusts become harder, his penis a solid piece of steel as every part of his body strains for more. I hold on for as long as I can, but with every one of my senses tuned into Shep, he sends me into oblivion, taking him with me. My pussy throbs, and with each jerk of his cock releasing cum, I shudder and squeeze around him until I collapse to the floor with Shep on top of me.
�
��Oh,” he mutters and lets out a full body shiver as he slowly pulls his penis from me. “That was,” he whispers, “sexy as fuck.”
“I can’t move.”
He laughs. “Let me get a washcloth, then I’ll carry you to bed.”
I don’t move. Not one bit. I feel Shep behind me, then the warm washcloth that he uses to clean between my legs. All it does is arouse me again.
I roll to my back and grin at the sight of Shep kneeling between my legs with his arousal larger than life. I’m used to his rapid recovery time, but like this on the floor is different. Hotter, maybe. I don’t know. I lift a leg and wiggle my foot on his thigh and say, “Let me watch you clean yourself.”
His eyes darken as he slowly wraps the cloth around his dick, then he wraps his hand around that. His throat bobs when I meet his gaze. “Move your hand,” I say, my voice husky.
Releasing a shuddering breath, he jerks his cock, going faster when I stretch and arch before cupping my breasts. His eyes watch my fingers while mine go back to the hand jerking his penis. He tosses the washcloth to the side and continues playing with himself. I become daring and move my fingers between my legs.
Shep groans.
His penis bulges as his large hand picks up speed, his eyes on my fingers. I open myself to his gaze and slip a digit into me.
“Fuck!” Shep curses.
I shove my finger as far as I can reach, arching and moaning with pleasure.
Shep drops over me, the arm holding himself up quivers. I withdraw my finger and press it between his legs. I drag it up over the root of him and continue up along the shaft, missing his fingers, until I’m pressing into the slit.
He roars and strains, pumping his release all over my chest and belly. Before he’s done, I pull his hand away and direct him to enter me. He does and finishes coming, setting off small tremors of release inside of me before he wraps me in his arms and rolls to the side.
“I love you, too, Shepard Carter. So much that it scares me sometimes.”
“Nothing to be scared of. I’m never leaving you.” He gently brushes damp hair from my face. “You are my world, Louisa. I love you…and any little Louisas that might appear in the future.”
Secret Love in Blossom Creek Page 4