Just For Tonight
Virginia Cavanaugh
Kelly Devers has a crush on her coworker Thomas Brigs. For a year he’s been the object of her fantasies, though she hasn’t dared to make a move. But when Kelly finds out Thomas is leaving town, she throws caution to the wind and gives in to the yearning she’s suppressed for far too long.
Passion ignites as their bodies come together and Kelly is determined to enjoy the steamy loving. Even if it can’t last forever…
Just For Tonight
Virginia Cavanaugh
Chapter One
Kelly Dever sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she watched Thomas Brigs bend over to retrieve a beer from the ice chest. His sexy ass, encased in denim, was the thing of fantasies—at least her fantasies. The rest of his tall, lean body was made of awesome as well. He straightened and she continued to stare at him across the kitchen with longing and appreciation as the muscles in his back rippled below the tight blue t-shirt. She had it bad.
She took a swallow from the dark glass bottle in her hand and tried not to grimace as the bitter dry concoction washed over her tongue. She’d never been a big drinker, but she didn’t know how she’d make it through the party without a little liquid courage. Thomas turned and she let her gaze roam over him as he talked with one of their other coworkers. Straight white teeth flashed as he smiled and exchanged greetings with the bald, middle-aged man Drew Climmins, who worked as a night stocker at Harry’s Grocery.
She chugged some of the brew. The longer she drank it, the less horrifying it began to taste.
“Why are you hiding in the corner over here by yourself?”
Kelly turned to look at her best friend, and fellow cashier Gina Stark. “I’m not hiding.” Indeed she was technically in open view as she stood by a large potted plant next to the sliding glass doors that led out onto the patio. Soft music drifted inside mingled with the light chatter of the other guests and the slight scuff of shoes on pavement.
Gina sighed, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Sure. And I guess you aren’t pining either?”
Kelly narrowed her gaze, meeting Gina’s blue stare. “I showed up. What more do you want?” She’d tried to come up with any excuse she could for missing the boss man Harry Fort’s forty-fifth birthday party, but his wife Tammy wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’d started working for them a year ago, and she had to admit the little hometown grocery store’s employees had become more like an extended family. Except Thomas. What she felt for him went way beyond how she felt about one of her brothers.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you try mingling, or having a good time?”
Kelly shifted her gaze back to Thomas and took a swig of the beer.
“Okay, so everyone already knows you have the biggest crush ever on Thomas.”
She whipped her head around to stare at Gina. “Tell me you didn’t talk to the other employees about the things I’ve told you?” The words escaped in a harsh whisper. Her cheeks heated as she thought about her best friend divulging things she’d told her in confidence.
“What the hell? Do you really think I’d do something like that? I was talking about the way you look at him when he isn’t watching. Everyone has seen you give him the dreamy eyes.”
Kelly grimaced. Had she really been that transparent? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you of spilling. I just don’t know what to do. I really, really like him.”
Gina rolled her eyes. “Then do something about it. It’s not like you don’t talk to each other during lunch breaks at least four times a week. Why don’t you go start a conversation with him, or ask him to dance or something?”
Kelly sighed. She wished it was as easy as her friend seemed to think. “It’s different at work. A lot of the time we’re talking about work stuff. Every once in a while we broach subjects that are more personal, but I bet he feels like we’re just passing the time. I mean, look at him.”
“I know, he’s hot, but what does that have to do with him liking you? You’re a great person. Funny, cute and smart.”
“You left off fat.”
“Pfft. Really? So you have a few extra pounds. Big deal.”
She had more than a few extra. At five foot five and a hundred and fifty pounds, she had more along the lines of love handles. “Seriously. Look how physically fit he is. His lunch is usually turkey on whole wheat with fresh fruit. I’m more of a burger and fries kinda chick. He drinks bottled water, I drink jumbo sodas. How much more opposite can we be?”
“You know what they say about opposites.”
“Yeah, they’re different.”
“You know what I meant, smart-ass. And damn, you must have it worse than I thought if you’re remembering his lunch preferences. Go talk to him.”
Kelly ground her teeth. She’d feel a lot more confident going up to him if she looked like Gina, tall, blonde and fair. Instead, she was a short, curvy redhead with too many freckles. “And just what am I supposed to say? How am I going to make that look casual?”
Gina snatched the dark bottle from Kelly’s hand and downed the contents. “Now you need another drink, so you have a reason to be over there.”
Kelly ground her teeth as she took in her friend’s witty smile. “I’ll get you back for this.”
“I’m sure you’ll be thanking me later and not plotting my demise.”
Kelly started forward, not as sure of her friend’s premonition. Halfway to the cooler, Thomas turned his head and that blue stare fixed on her. His lips quirked up, in that mirth-filled way that never failed to make her heart skip a beat. He ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair as she approached. She nodded in his direction as she plastered a smile on her face, too scared to speak for fear of her voice cracking or shaking.
What the hell? She talked to him four out of seven days in a week. There shouldn’t be any reason to feel different about it now. But things were different. For one, she didn’t have her ugly red smock to hide behind. Tonight she wore a green dress, one that her mother had repeatedly told her made her bright emerald eyes shine. The front crisscrossed over her chest, tying behind her neck halter style. The design left an expanse of skin exposed, which made her a little self-conscious as it displayed the line of freckles that ran across her back and shoulders.
He ran a hand over the soft material as her tummy tightened inside. Maybe she should have gone with jeans and a t-shirt. Suddenly she felt overdressed, while showing entirely too much flesh.
“Hey, Kelly. You look amazing,” Thomas said
Butterflies fluttered in her belly. She didn’t remember him ever complimenting her before. Well, not her looks at least. He’d made a comment last week about how well she’d handled a distraught customer who’d argued over the price of hotdogs. But she was pretty sure she’d remember if he’d said something about her looks. Maybe he’d had more to drink than she’d thought. “Thanks,” Kelly replied quietly.
“Well, Drew. I hope your wife feels better. Sorry y’all have to cut out so soon.” Thomas let his hand fall on the other guy’s shoulder in a good-natured pat before the other man nodded, turned and then walked away, issuing his own farewell.
Kelly stepped around the pair and reached into the cooler, swishing her hand through the icy water mix but never encountering a bottle. She pulled back, flicking her fingers to rid them of some of the cold moisture that dripped from them. With a sigh, she stood up straight and felt a warm, solid presence at her back. Her breathing hitched as a low baritone voice she was so familiar with sounded in her ear.
“I took the last one. But I don’t mind sharing.”
Kelly turned her head and the skin of her cheek brushed against his. Heat spread across her flesh, radiating from the point of con
tact. “Th-that’s okay. I really don’t like the stuff anyway.”
His head moved and her gaze went to his mouth as he raised the bottle to his lips, taking a long drink as he sidestepped, coming around to face her. Her heart hammered as she struggled to find something to say. He’d caught her off guard standing so close to her. Never had he entered what she’d call her personal space.
“Nice party.” She wanted to cringe as the words left her mouth. Why couldn’t she have come up with something sexy to say?
His hand lowered as one side of his sensual mouth tipped up. “Yeah. I think it turned out nice.”
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she turned and looked outside at the other employees and their plus-ones conversing and dancing on the patio. Never had she been attacked by a case of nerves this bad.
“Looks like Tammy got lucky on the weather holding.”
Kelly smiled as she thought of her boss’ wife. “That she did.” August usually meant monsoon season in these parts, but the storms hadn’t begun as of yet. Although she had noticed a few clouds skating in as the sun had set on her way over to the party.
“I’m glad you got to come.”
She cast him a questioning glance before returning her attention to the other guests.
“I overheard you say something to Gina last week about having to babysit your nephew, Alex.”
Understanding washed through her. She’d actually made an offhanded comment to Gina, saying that she had a feeling she had to babysit this weekend, but really she was meaning more like she’d volunteer to babysit her oldest brother Kyle’s child, in hopes of skipping out on this party. But being from a small town didn’t work to her advantage. Tammy had graduated with Kyle and his wife Starla, so when she had mentioned it as an excuse, Tammy picked up the phone. It had been fun explaining to Kyle later why he had to let her off the babysitting hook he’d never put her on. Oh well, at least her brother got a laugh at her expense. “Yeah. I got lucky and Kyle didn’t need me after all.” Too bad she wasn’t sure if that plan falling through was a curse or blessing yet.
“Is there something bothering you, Kelly?”
She spun, focusing on Thomas. Boy was there. But it wasn’t as if she could spell it out for him. Fortifying smile in place, she responded, “Why would you think that?”
He reached out and ran his index finger along her jaw, slowly tracing a line down her neck and across her shoulder. “You seem tense.”
She inhaled a shaky breath as the tip of his finger ignited a fire beneath her skin. And she’d worried about trying to start a casual conversation with him. It seemed as if things were swiftly going past casual. Maybe she should have fed him alcohol sooner.
His hand dropped and he clenched it into a fist at his side. “Sorry.”
She swallowed and shook her head, as much as to naysay his apology as to clear her mind of the sensual fog that had descended. “No. It’s fine. You have nothing to be sorry about.” Another smile from him that made her nipples draw up tight as the low buzz of desire ran through her.
“Would you like to dance?”
Kelly watched, stunned, as Thomas set the beer bottle down on the countertop and held out his hand to her.
Her pulse thumped madly. This had to be a dream. Words refused to form as she placed her hand in his. The slide of her skin against his had her clenching her thighs as she thought about what it would feel like to be pressed more fully against him. He laced his fingers with hers and led her across the tile floor and out into the night air. Tiny lights glimmered above them, strung along the awning above the patio. A gentle breeze floated around them, still holding the heat from the day as it sent the hem of her dress to dance around her knees. A shiver of delight ran along her spine as he turned her, pulling her body in close to his as he led her into a slow swaying motion.
Her hands came to rest on his shoulders. She’d hoped for a moment like this with him, but she never really thought it would come to pass. Her gaze locked on to his, staring into the ice-blue depths of his eyes, the experience one of perfection, and she found herself wishing she could slow down time. His embrace tightened, pulling her even closer into the welcoming heat of his body. She could feel his breaths sliding along her cheek.
The slow song played on, but Kelly couldn’t concentrate on the lyrics. Not when Thomas seemed to tug her closer with each sway as he hummed the melody near her ear, the sound soft and soothing.
It had to be a dream. Surely she’d drunk too much and lay passed out somewhere. Her body tingled and each breath she pulled in was filled with the musky scent of his cologne mixed with a hint of the beer he’d been drinking. If it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.
Her body came up flush against his and she couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped her lips.
Thomas moved his head until the tip of his nose touched her neck. “You smell really nice.”
The tempo of her heart increased as she ran her hand down his chest, loving the feel of the hard muscle beneath. “So do you.”
“I can’t believe it’s taken me a year to get this close to you.”
She released a staggering breath, feeling a sudden sense of bravado that made her want to tease him. “I know, right? What’s wrong with you?”
A breathy laugh escaped his lips and washed over her nerve endings with a delicious tingle. “I guess I’m just slow.”
She smiled, leaning in to rest her head on his chest. “Well, good things come to those who wait.” And Lord knew she’d waited a year for this. She sent up a silent prayer that this would be her time to have the good luck.
The slow song ended, and a lively tune took its place. Kelly took a step back, breaking the connection of their bodies, and felt a sudden chill. “Thanks for the dance.”
Thomas gripped her hand before she could walk off. “Can we talk?”
The thought of finding a dark corner where she could have him all to herself sounded appealing. She swallowed her nervousness and gave a nod. “Yeah. I’d like that.” The devilish grin that spread across his face had her body heating once more. She’d only taken two steps with Thomas when the music halted and Tammy’s voice sounded above the crowd. They both stopped and turned to give her their attention.
“Thank you all for coming tonight.”
People clapped and spoke out words filled with well wishes for the birthday man. Kelly continued to hold Thomas’ hand as they watched. Tammy beamed a smile at everyone who had gathered round. Kelly had always thought her to be a lovely lady. Her dark hair was cut short and surrounded her face in a soft cut that ended at her shoulders. Even though laugh lines had started to appear, they only seemed to give her face a softness that fit with her character. Tammy really did have a big heart, even if she was a little pushy.
Harry stepped up and wrapped his meaty arm around his wife’s waist, planting a kiss on her cheek before speaking. “I’m glad all of you came as well. You’ve all been so wonderful and are so much more than employees. You’re my great friends as well. Thanks for making this birthday special.”
The people around them broke into applause, but Thomas didn’t release her hand—instead he released a shrill whistle as his way of joining in the celebration. As the music started back up, Thomas gave a gentle tug of her hand, but before she could follow his lead, Harry stopped them.
“Thank you both so much for coming tonight.”
“Thanks for inviting us,” Kelly replied, suddenly happy that she hadn’t gone through with the babysitting adventure.
Harry clapped Thomas on the shoulder. “We’re really going to miss you around the store.”
Kelly’s gaze widened as she looked up at Thomas, her pulse accelerating. What the hell was Harry talking about? She forced the smile on her face to stay in place, but she felt the muscles in Thomas’ hand and arm tense. That couldn’t be good.
“Yeah. I’m going to miss it too.”
He was quitting? Why hadn’t he said something? Hell, it wasn’t the
end of the world though. Maybe with the connection they seemed to be making tonight, she would still see him.
“But you made a good choice,” Harry said. “You’re going to love Hobbs. They even have a casino for you to spend all that big money you’re going to make in the oilfield.”
Kelly’s heart rose into her throat and then plummeted into her stomach. He was moving. And she hadn’t even had a chance with him.
Thomas gave a nervous laugh. “I might have to stay away from that place. At least for a little while.”
Hobbs was three hours away. When the hell would she see him if he was three hours away? The answer came to her, making her belly tighten with sorrow. She wouldn’t. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to spill over. She wouldn’t do this here. Not in front of everyone. She released Thomas’ hand. “Excuse me.” She turned and strode back into the house, making a beeline for the front door.
Chapter Two
Kelly marched down the sidewalk, heading for her car. A flash of lightning illuminated the street a second before the low roll of thunder rumbled. Bring on the rain. It suited her mood. How could she have been so stupid to think something had changed?
“Kelly, wait up.”
She couldn’t turn around. Tracks of moisture had already started a slow roll down her cheeks.
“Damn it, Kelly. Please.” Thomas gripped her upper arm. “Let me explain.”
She stopped, but did not turn to face him. “You don’t own me any explanation.”
He stepped around her, using his index finger below her chin to tip her head up so that she met his gaze. “Yes, I do.”
She clenched her jaw, trying her best to will away the tears that gathered in her eyes.
“I was going to tell you tonight.”
A huff of laughter that held no mirth escaped her lips. “And just when were you planning on telling me?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I planned on telling you first thing. But then…I don’t know…I just got caught up. You look so amazing tonight, and I started kicking myself for being such a dumbass for never noticing before just how special you are.”
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