I tried to go through the motions of my nightly routine to get ready for bed. I watched television, but every time I heard a noise, I jumped. I balanced an empty beer bottle on my front doorknob and then headed to bed.
Sleep didn’t come. I pulled out a book and read until morning.
I headed to Cherry Blossoms Bakery, grabbed my usual and took a table near the back. It was too early to go to the library and I didn’t want to sit in my apartment anymore.
I pulled out my book and tried to focus on reading for a while. I felt fried and exhausted. I would’ve given anything just to shrug off my fears and go to sleep. I was glad V had disappeared. She didn’t need to get sucked into my drama.
After about a half hour, someone slipped into the chair across from me.
Logan, the mechanic of Gypsum’s Garage, sat in front of me.
“You doing okay?” Logan asked.
I set my book aside. “Do I not look okay?”
Logan shrugged. “You look plenty fine, but you’re a creature of habit and this is not your habit.”
“You watching me?” I tried to sound teasing, but it came off a little harsher.
She didn’t seem to notice.
“I come here every morning. You’re in and out. Even Cherry asked if there was something wrong.”
“Didn’t sleep well last night. Just trying to absorb more caffeine before heading to the library. How are you?”
“I’m great. Glad to not be the source of rumors this week. But you are. I heard you were toting around a petite blonde all around town.”
I couldn’t help but smile a little. I liked V and while her timing sucked, I didn’t want to let her go.
“I didn’t think you were one to rumor,” I teased.
Logan grinned. “Only when it’s interesting. You always keep to yourself.”
“Do you want to be the pot or kettle?”
“I wasn’t hanging around a blonde,” she said.
I chuckled. “She’s just passing through town.”
“You like her.”
I nodded. “But she’s jumpier than you are, and she keeps disappearing on me.”
“I heard that she definitely has eyes for you.”
“The spying eyes of Jubilee continuously surprise me.”
“What’s your plan, Johnson? You going to court her?”
“I’m trying. She has my number and doesn’t use it.”
My phone buzzed.
Unknown: Archer, it’s V.
Unknown: Any chance you’re available tonight around seven?
I held up my phone and showed Logan.
“V? How mysterious. Well, Archer, are you available tonight?”
“You’re so smart, where should I take her?”
Logan grinned and leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’ve got the perfect thing for you.”
Before I headed into the library for work, I sent off a text to V.
Archer: How about I pick you up at 4:00 instead? We can have a meal before 6:05.
V: 6:05? That’s a very specific time.
Archer: You in?
V: It’s a date.
Just a few minutes before four, I parked my car at the Fairy Wing Bed and Breakfast, where Veronica was staying.
The whimsically themed B and B didn’t seem to fit V, but I was hardly one to talk. My silver Toyota Corolla was about as nondescript as they came, and I still hadn’t done anything to decorate my apartment to make it my own. It was hard to make anything really mine when the scent of being compromised could upheave my whole life again in an instant.
With Veronica, there was a big part of me that wanted more. She made me want to settle down. She made me feel like living in a small town like Jubilee Falls wouldn’t be so bad.
A knock on my window scared me. Seeing Veronica standing there, I rolled it down and grinned.
“Were you going to come in and get me, or was I just supposed to know telepathically you were here?”
“It worked, didn’t it?” I chuckled and unlocked the car, getting out to pull her into my arms. “I was just about to come in.”
She slid her arms up around my neck, pulling me closer. “I think you should kiss me now. And then tell me where we’re going.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I slanted my mouth over hers, and she brought her hand up to slide through the hair at the back of my head, kissing me back hungrily. Our tongues danced together, from her mouth to mine and back again as my hands slid up and down her back. The tank top she wore hugged her curves, and I wanted to tug it up, out of my way to touch more of her. If I started that, we’d either get arrested for indecent exposure or she’d have to invite me into her bedroom, and I really wanted to take her out on a date.
I broke the kiss, only to press my lips to hers a couple times in softer, more chaste kisses. I wasn’t ready to stop having her on my lips.
“You ready?”
All the nerves and jumbled emotions I’d been experiencing over the last twenty-four hours eased. I was glad to know she was safe, and she’d be with me and off the grid for a little while.
She nodded but didn’t pull away from me. There was no way she wouldn’t be able to feel my hard-on pressed against her, but she didn’t seem bothered by it. In fact, the pink in her cheeks said she might even like it.
“Where are we going?”
“You don’t let people surprise you very often, do you?”
“I never like surprises. In my experience surprises usually aren’t a good thing.” Her eyes filled with something darker. I wasn’t sure if it was sadness, or regret, or something else altogether, but I wanted to chase whatever thoughts were causing it away.
“I’m sure you’ve guessed we’re going to a baseball game.”
She nodded. “The Coyotes play at 6:05.”
“I know it’s not boxing.”
She chuckled. “I like baseball.”
“Get in the car so we can go to what I have planned before the game.” I pulled away from her and slipped my hand into hers, gently squeezing as I led her around to the other side of the car. “I promise, you’ll like it. And if you don’t, we’ll go somewhere else. Do something else.”
V rose up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “I’m willing to go along with you for now.” As I opened the door, she added, “But I still want to know where we’re going.”
“Get in the car.” I laughed, shaking my head.
Veronica slid into the passenger side seat, and I swallowed hard, trying not to stare at her legs. The shorts she wore exposed a lot of her thighs, and all I wanted to do was strip them off her legs and find out what she wore underneath.
It was a good thing we were going to a baseball game. Maybe then I’d be able to think of something more than getting V naked. Or trying to figure out just what made her tick. We hadn’t known each other for very long, but I wanted more of everything.
Once we were on the road, I reached over and took her hand.
“I’m glad you agreed to come out with me tonight. It was a miserable day at the library.”
She squeezed my fingers, but her eyes never left the road in front of us. I couldn’t help but feel like she wasn’t there with me completely. Like she was thinking about something taking her away from here, away from me. Not that I was one to talk, but I welcomed her distraction.
“I was starting to feel like I wasn’t going to see you again,” I said quietly.
She glanced over at me. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d considered it. I like you, Archer, much more than I should.”
“Do you leave debris of broken hearts behind you in every town you visit?”
She scoffed, “Hardly. I usually don’t get involved.”
“Then why me?”
She shifted a little, her head turning from the window. “I don’t have an answer for you.”
“I’ll just consider myself lucky then.”
I unlinked our fingers as I pulled into the parking lot for the nature preserve. The
forest area had all sorts of winding paths and plenty of hidden benches and picnic spots. I’d been to the famous Jubilee Falls that weren’t too far down the path. There was a beautiful alcove hidden away near the water. That was our destination.
“Did you bring me out here to murder me? The baseball game was just a cover?” Her tone was playful and teasing as she got out of the car.
“Yeah, can you help me get the tarps and shovel out of the trunk? It’d make things easier if you carried some stuff.” I leaned over and kissed her. “Has no one ever taken you on a hike and a picnic before?”
“This is a first for me. I’m not sure I’ve ever really gone on a traditional date like this.”
Smiling, I got the basket and a blanket from my trunk. It filled me with a sense of pride to be her first, even if it was just her first picnic. She didn’t let people in or do things with her that she didn’t want to do. She’d loosened the grip on her need to control everything. At least a little bit.
“What are you grinning about?” She reached for the blanket, but I captured her hand with my own, entwining our fingers once again.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the company or the park. I think the better question is why aren’t you smiling?” I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Relax, V. It’s just you and me out here. Nothing to worry about.” I was starting to sound like a Hallmark movie. I needed to lay off or she was going to run away, and I probably wouldn’t be able to find her again. For some reason I couldn’t seem cut out the cloud nine cheesiness.
She slipped her hand from mine and wrapped her arm around my waist. I liked the feeling of her petite body pressed against me. We fit together.
“Okay, Archer, show me what’s so great about a picnic.” At least I wasn’t grossing her out completely.
We wandered through the trees together, holding on to each other as the breeze danced through the leaves. The afternoon sun was dipping down into the evening and casting all sorts of shadows around us.
I’d have to bring Logan some coffee and donuts tomorrow for helping me plan this date. It wasn’t quite hot dogs in Central Park, but the forest was quaint, in its own way—a little oasis away from small-town America.
Veronica’s tension slowly slipped from her shoulders as we walked, and she relaxed more into me. “Okay, I’ll admit, this is pretty nice.” Her voice was even light and not full of her usual scrutiny.
Pulling her off the trail, I led her to a secluded clearing with soft grass and a view of a pond. “Yeah, I need to do some more exploring in this town.” Grinning, I laid out the blanket and set the basket down before pulling her into my arms. “This is something you’d never find in New York.”
“What? The perfect place to murder someone where the screaming couldn’t be heard?” she teased.
“Even in Central Park, no matter how big it is, there are always people around. But there’s no one here.”
“Not without bug-spray anyway.” She swatted a bug against her arm.
“I’ve got some in the basket.”
She kicked off her sandals, settled on the blanket, and reached for the basket, peeking inside. “What’s for dinner?” She pulled out the bug-spray and gave herself a quick dose of it.
Sitting down next to her, we unpacked our early dinner. I nervously waited for V to open the containers. I wasn’t much of a cook, and I probably would’ve burned my apartment down if I’d tried, so our picnic came directly from Margot, including a double order of fried pickles.
“I admit, I’m new to this whole picnic thing, but if this is how they normally go, you might’ve just converted me.” She snuck a pickle and popped into her mouth closing her eyes and enjoying the sour bite.
Laughing, I handed her the last to-go container from the basket—dessert. “I don’t know if there are rules or etiquette to picnics, but I knew you’d like this better than salads or sandwiches.” The last thing I pulled out of my basket was a six-pack of long-neck bottles. “Cold beer on a hot day.”
“Perfect.” V grinned, reached over to pull one out, twisted off the cap, and tossed it back into the basket. “We should probably eat before it gets cold. I can’t believe you planned a picnic with a real basket. Please tell me you didn’t have this thing just lying around.”
“Honestly, I was just going to bring it in a couple of grocery bags, but Logan got involved, and she called Cherry, and long story short, I now have to return a picnic basket to Cherry and make sure to tell her how you liked the dessert.”
“So…” Veronica raised an eyebrow at me as she sipped her beer. “All this isn’t just romantic Archer coming out? This is a collaborative effort?” She set the bottle down, leaning it against her leg. “Just how many people went into planning this little outing?”
“Most of it was me. I haven’t had much reason to date since I got to Jubilee Falls, so I needed a little help pulling it all together.”
“You’re telling me the man who systematically sampled all the food places in this small town to find his favorites didn’t also figure out the hottest date spots? I’m beginning to think you’re not the catch I thought you were.”
I eyed her. “How did you know I did that?”
“Oh, there are plenty of people in this town willing to talk about the smart, attractive, available new librarian in town. It doesn’t take a private investigator to get dirt on you, Archer.” She smirked, popping open the container holding the fried pickles. “Even without all the nosy neighbors who are more than willing to stop and chat, especially if you bring pastries. It’s not like you have a lot of social media out there. Or any really.”
I laughed, but it was more nervous than actual amusement. “You make my stalking look like grade school caliber. Just how much asking around about me did you do?” It wasn’t quite setting right that she seemed to be looking into me so much. Maybe she was just naturally curious.
“Oh, come on. It’s not like I did a background check or something. I asked around about you. I’m a single girl in a new town with no real friends except for the handsy librarian who is laying it on pretty thick. You can’t blame a girl for making sure you’re not an axe murderer. And here I am in the middle of the wilderness with you.”
“I suppose you have a point.” Leaning over, she pressed a fleeting kiss to my lips. I needed to give it a rest and relax. V was hardly connected to my old life. She was just protecting herself.
“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
She waved me off. “It’s okay. I get it. I’m not sure I how I would feel if you told me the same thing. It’s a good thing I’m cute, huh?”
“Is that what you think? Who told you such lies?” I pulled her over onto my lap. “Cute doesn’t begin to cover it. Sexy, definitely. Feisty and tough as nails, for sure. But cute? I don’t think so.”
V curled into me, her fingers toying with the collar of my baseball shirt. I leaned into her, my lips barely grazing her skin. I kissed along her jaw, holding her close.
“We should ease off.”
“Yeah, we can do that.”
She eased off my lap and wiggled into a spot next to me.
“Tell me about New York? Did you live there?”
Oh fuck. I had mentioned New York. What the fuck was wrong with me? For months I’d been towing the same backstory from WITSEC, but in the first ten seconds with Veronica I’d spilled my real name. And then I couldn’t seem to keep Archer in box in the attic. Veronica was naturally inquisitive, and she held onto details like a raccoon with something shiny. But more than that, I hated that I liked this woman that I felt like I couldn’t be myself with.
“I, uh, I’ve visited a few times.” I dished up our food onto plates. “You been?”
“I’ve been all over. My job takes me all over the place. As long as the price is right.”
“And what is it you do exactly?”
She lifted her head up and met my gaze. “I—I am a drug rep. But I’m in between jobs at the moment.”
“
How did you get into that?”
“How do you get into any job? You apply, interview and accept an offer. It’s not interesting.”
I wanted to shake her. Why wouldn’t she let me in? Why wouldn’t she drop the wall she insisted on erecting between us? I knew we’d just met, but she was keeping me at bay like she was afraid I would find out her deep dark secrets.
Of course, I was just leaking mine all over the place.
“Let’s eat, and then maybe we’ll have time for a chapter or two before the game,” I said trying to lighten the mood. I gestured at The Princess Bride in the basket.
Things moved back to the easy, comfortable place they always seemed to end up when I spent time with V. We talked more about our likes, our dislikes, books, movies, even TV shows. It amazed me how many of the same things we both enjoyed and how passionately she defended things she liked when I said I didn’t care for them. She was so vibrant, so alive, I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her to make her so skittish trust, open up, or probably even love. I couldn’t ask though, not when I was keeping so much of my past secret.
I pulled out the book after we’d finished eating. “Want to hear more?”
She smiled. “That’d be nice.”
I pulled her against me. She settled into the crook of my arm and pressed against my side snuggling in. Her scent enveloped around me while I read. Her heat burned against me. I managed to keep enough focus to read well, but she was driving me straight to horny distraction.
As I drew the chapter to a close, I shut the book and we remained still in the late afternoon.
She leaned into me as we listened to the breeze flutter through the trees around us. The afternoon light was fading, falling behind the trees. It felt like we could’ve been the only two people in the world, and I didn’t want it to end.
The longer I sat with her so close, the more I wanted to touch her, explore her body, and have her writhing underneath me. My fingers trailed along her leg, up her thigh, sliding to the inside and then back out again. V shifted her body several times under my touch. I thought I heard her breathing get a little louder. Her lips were parted.
Lip Locked in the Library Page 7
