Page 37 of Gary

“It’s my job,” her mother whispered back with a twinkle in her eyes. “Take the back door. Too many prying eyes.”

Going into the office, she grabbed her jacket and purse and went out the back door. He was parked a few feet away from the store. As soon as he saw her approaching, he jumped out and walked towards her.

“I thought you were not finished?”

“My mother said she would take over.”

“I am in love with that woman,” he grinned at her as he went over to open the passenger door.

“I will tell her you said that.” She waited until he slid into the driver’s side and closed the door. “What now?”

“Give me a second.” Engaging the engine, he executed a left turn that brought them towards an area shrouded in darkness and privacy. Switching off the engine, he unhooked his seatbelt and reached over to release hers.

Pulling her as far as the console allowed, he cupped her face between his hands and gazed at her hungrily. “I was doing grunt work today. We are building a community center and there is this kid who wandered onto the property.”

His thumb moved slowly over her full bottom lip, sending shivers through her body. “He was dirty and mad at the world, and we started talking. I gave him a place to stay and a job.”

“That’s wonderful.” She breathed him in and wondered why he was telling her all that.

“I helped him to clean the place up and I started to call and see if you wanted in on the project. But being in that cottage had me thinking about you and me alone together. And doing this.” His head lowered and he brushed his lips slowly, against hers, his breath fanning hers. “All day long, I thought about tasting you.

Feeling you, touching…,” he groaned when she opened her mouth. “Your scent was lingering on my clothes. I promised you dinner. I haven’t eaten anything except pizza.

But I am not hungry for food. I am starving for you. Satisfy me baby.” His voice had thickened. “Quench this mad craving for you.” He did not allow her to respond as his lips seized hers in a kiss that stole everything from her.

Chapter 8

It was when his hands were groping for her breasts, that it crashed into his brain that they were in a public parking lot and his first time with her, should not be in a place where they were likely to be arrested for a lewd display of flesh and he was not a damn schoolboy with his first girl. Somehow, he managed to drag his lips from hers.

Flopping back in the seat, he closed his eyes and forcibly tried to quiet the passion raging inside his body like a volcano erupting. When he got a modicum of control, he turned his head and figured he should have avoided looking at her.

Her lips were swollen and moist and he had made a mess of the careless ponytail.

“I had to stop,” he told her quietly, dragging his eyes away from her mouth. He watched as she tugged at her sweater and avoided his eyes.

“Sadie, look at me. Please.”

When she lifted her head, he felt a spear of emotions, he had to stifle a groan. “I would never disrespect you like that, but I cannot keep my hands off you,” he laughed derisively. “That’s a first for me.” He smiled slightly. “I promised you dinner and that’s what I am going to do.” Buckle in.” He snapped his seatbelt securely and waited until she had done the same before pulling out of the lot.

“How was your book club?” He glanced over at her when he braked at the stop sign.

She simply gaped at him and caused him to laugh.

“I am trying to make trivial conversation in order to veer us away from a dangerous topic. So, indulge me. What book did you ladies discuss?”

She laughed softly at that. Her heart was still beating erratically, and she was still in shock over the fact that if he had carried on, she would not have stopped him.

She would have allowed him to take her right there in the parking lot.

“You don’t want to know.”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He made the left turn that took them onto the busy highway. At this time of the night, the traffic was still heavy, but he did not mind.

The place where he was taking her was a little diner tucked back into the middle of a winding dirt road. It was a place his uncle had taken him to when he was living in the States and to his delighted surprise, he had discovered that it was still open.

A Mom-and-Pop establishment, it had managed to sustain its business in the declining economy and still served the best spareribs and coldest beer he had ever had. And more importantly, it was not somewhere he would be gawked at or made a big deal of.

The people who owned the place had welcomed him with open arms and made him feel normal.