by Emma Roman
"No problem," he replied. "Where do you want this?"
"Set it on the floor. I'm looking for the spring decorations. It's time to take down the hearts and cupids and change the flowers."
"Except for your miniature Cupid, right? You wouldn't remove him from the diner."
"Are you kidding me? I'd be run out of town for blasphemy if I removed him from the front. Dad bought that for Mom when they married."
"Did they met doing the Cupid Stupid dance."
"My parents? Very funny. No, they attended the same college. But Dad did propose at the fountain."
"That's better than dancing naked around it," he said, grinning, teasing her.
"We didn't meet at the Cupid statue," she retorted. "We've known each other for years."
Funny, in high school he'd noticed Taylor. But since he was dating Kelsey, he’d avoided the temptation. Now, they were older, wiser and all he could think about was how much he enjoyed her company.
"No, but we renewed our acquaintance in front of the God of Love," he said, wanting to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless.
A stern expression crossed her face, her forehead gathering in a frown. "Don't make anything out of us becoming reacquainted there. Don't give it more meaning."
He smiled, thinking how weird that she was on the defensive and he was the one talking about the superstition and how that curse applied to them. And he wanted the Cupid Stupid dance or whatever people considered it to bring them together.
"I had a great time last night," he said, remembering the fun of being with her. "Would you like to go to Fort Worth this weekend and watch a movie?"
With a shake of her head, she swallowed nervously and he noticed the tenseness radiating from her. “I can't."
"Okay, then how about dinner at my place one night? I'll cook for you." Between midnight and this morning, something changed. She'd been responsive and open and an undeniable connection like an electrical current linked them.
Her blue eyes darkened and she shook her head. "I can't see you again. We can't date."
Disappointment sank like a boulder rolling through his intestines. What happened? They were drawn to one another. Sexual undercurrents ran between them like high wires. So why was she denying them a chance at happiness?
"Why not?"
She sighed, took him by the hand and pulled him into her office where she turned to him. "I can't go out with you. I enjoyed last night, I like you, but you're everything that got me into trouble. You're a sheriff. You dated my friend. It would be strange being with the same guy as Kelsey."
"I was eighteen. We were young, foolish kids, and yes, I broke her heart, but we didn't have sex. I treated Kelsey wrong, but we would never marry. Her family didn't accept me. Her brothers hated me. They didn't want me anywhere near their sister."
Something didn't feel right. He wondered if she knew the truth about why things ended with her girlfriend. Young and naive with raging hormones that just wanted to get in some girl’s pants. At a graduation party, he'd made the biggest mistake of his life. Losing his virginity to Rhonda Smothers.
It wasn't his finest moment. When Kelsey learned of his cheating, the shit had hit the fan.
That was the only time he ever was unfaithful. The grief on Kelsey's face, persuaded him to never cause that kind of agony again. If he wanted to screw around, he should have severed his relationship. In his ignorance, he let his drunken dick make the decisions and Kelsey suffered because of his stupidity.
"It doesn't matter you didn't sleep with Kelsey. She's my friend. I don't want to lose her friendship. And you're the type of bad boy I'm attracted to that has broken my heart. I need to end this now before I get a hurt a second time."
There was the real reason. She was afraid. Pain clenched his stomach and yet he needed to back off and give Taylor time.
"There is something special between us."
She wouldn't gaze at him. Even though she denied it, they shared a strong magnetism. A fire simmered between them, but she was willing to toss this attraction away.
"See you around," he said and walked out the door. He'd experienced a small defeat, but he wasn't giving up just yet. She may have won the skirmish, but he would win the war.
Taylor glanced out the door of the restaurant into the black night to see the rain coming down. A flash of lightning followed by a rumble of thunder let her know a very wet, cold walk home awaited her. Her choice was either stay here all night or become soaked. The thought of spending the night at the diner was enough to prod her to move forward. The dog would never understand why she hadn't come home and let him out.
"Guess I better get started," she said, grabbing her coat and bundling up.
The door opened and she whirled around, for a moment frightened and then she saw Ryan. Heat and relief surged through her leaving her heart pounding.
"I thought you might need a ride," he said.
"Thanks," she said breathlessly, warmth filling her at the sight of him. "I appreciate that. I had resigned myself to a cold, wet walk."
"I was in the vicinity and decided to check on you," he replied. "The truck is right outside the door."
The thought of riding in his truck rather than walking in the rain filled her with warmth. Part of her knew she should tell him no, while the other part wanted to ride home with him.
The weak, wanting to stay dry part won.
A flash of lightning had the lights flickering.
"Let's go," she said. "I want to go home and get out of this storm."
Opening the door, he popped an umbrella and held it over her while she locked up. Then he kept her covered while they walked to his personal vehicle. Once inside, he hurried over to his side. Rain pelted the ground so hard it almost looked like hail.
He jumped into the truck and shook his head, raindrops scattering.
"Wow, that's some storm."
"You're not working tonight?" she asked, realizing he'd come to make certain she made it home safely.
"No," he responded, smiling at her. “I traded with one of my guys. I’m off tonight."
They drove in silence until they reached her townhouse. The atmosphere tense and yet oddly filled with want and need.
"Do you want to sit and wait until it stops raining?"
The temptation to stay in the truck with Ryan was strong, but Zeus would be waiting.
"I've got to go inside. The dog hasn't been out since this afternoon."
"Okay," Ryan said and stepped out into the weather. Running through the rain, he reached her side door and held an umbrella over her as she climbed out of the truck. "I think the dog would be smart to hold it a little longer."
"There is only so long he will wait before he leaves me a surprise."
He chuckled. "That's why I don't have a pet."
She gazed at him. "Zeus loves me unconditionally."
"That's because you feed him."
"And love on him and play with him and take him for walks. He's not too fond of me when I give him a bath, but he smells a lot better."
They reached the door and she unlocked it with her key. "Watch out. I don't let him out without a leash. He's been known to take off running and there's a pit bull that lives three doors down. They don't like each other very much."
The porch overhang kept them dry and yet the wind blew with gale force, blowing her hair in her eyes. When turning the knob, a gust grabbed the door from her hand sending it flying.
Zeus darted out the open portal, running with wild abandon. Rain still came down in sheets and lightning made a crackling sound in the night sky.
"Oh no," she cried. She tossed her purse inside the house and took off after the wayward mutt.
"Wait," Ryan yelled.
But she couldn't quit chasing after the animal. If she did, Zeus would be two blocks down the street.
"Zeus, stop," she commanded in her strongest “mind me” voice.
She glanced at Ryan as he ran beside her. "I'll try to get in front of hi
m."
All she could see was a dachshund in a full out sprint, his ears flapping in the wind and his tail straight like a pointer. Thank goodness there was no traffic as he crossed the first street.
"Stop," she screamed and he kept going.
Swirling water rushed down the road flooding the area. "No. Stop. Zeus."
The rushing water picked up her dog and she watched his head go under, her chest tightening with pain. Fear of drowning halted her at the edge as she stared in shock at his little legs working to keep his head from sinking in the water.
"Oh my God, he's being swept away," she screamed, terror paralyzing her.
"Stay here," Ryan said. "I know where I can reach him."
He ran down the street to where a bridge went over the stream that was normally a trickle. Thunder boomed around them. Ryan stepped out onto rocks on the side of the bank. For a moment, he vanished and her chest squeezed painfully; horror exploding within her.
What if Ryan was hurt or even killed saving Zeus? What if Ryan drowned? What if she lost both of them?
Tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn't stop her feet from moving. She moved toward him, afraid of what awaited her. Her heart pounded in her chest, aching as fear pumped adrenaline through her bloodstream like the flood waters swirling around her.
The top of Ryan's dark head of hair came up out of the drainage ditch and relief made her knees weak. In his embrace was her beloved Zeus. Unable to stop herself, she ran to Ryan and wrapped her arms around him as Zeus licked his face and chin. She pulled him to her, the dog between them.
"Thank God, you're all right. I was so scared. I thought I'd lost both of you."
Ryan put his arm around her. "We're okay. This damn mutt of yours is a pain in the butt, but he swam right to me. I swear he was grinning when he saw me. He's shivering and shaking and so happy to get out of that water."
She laughed and ran her hand through the animal's wet fur. "He is a pain, but a lovable, sweet dog and I don't want to lose him or you," she said softly staring up into his brown eyes.
The sky illuminated and thunder shook the ground near them, letting them know the storm was far from over. "I think we better go back to the house."
With a secure grip on her beloved pet, he took her by the hand and they ran back to her condo.
As they stepped inside the door, he set the puppy on the floor. Zeus gave a good shake, sending water droplets spraying like a sprinkler.
Taylor stared at Ryan, who dripped water on her floor, but she didn't care. At the realization of what he'd done, her heart was filled with gratitude.
"Why don't you go in the bathroom, remove your clothes, and I'll put them in the dryer," she said. A practical suggestion, but the implications had her pulse pounding, her body warming. The thought of him naked in her house was enough to start a sensual fire roaring through her.
"What do you suggest I wear while my clothes are drying?" he asked. "Maybe I should just go home."
She shook her head, not ready for him to leave. "No. It's still storming. I have some large towels that you could wrap around yourself. Or I have a fluffy bathrobe, your choice."
His brows drew together in a frown. "What color is the bathrobe?"
"Pink," she said with a giggle.
"Just what I thought. I'll take my chances with the towel."
This afternoon she'd told him she couldn't date him again and tonight he'd driven her home, saved her dog, and would be in her living room nude except for a towel. Life was certainly full of surprises.
6
Ryan stepped out of the shower. The hot water had warmed and refreshed him. Drying off, he searched through her cabinets for yet a second towel and circled it around him. This wasn't exactly how he planned to spend his night, but the thought of them both being naked was enough. He had to tell his junk to power down.
They were riding out some rough weather together, alone, and without any clothes. With his fingers, he combed his hair before he walked out of the bathroom. Taylor sat in the living room, the fireplace burning, Zeus in her lap as she rubbed the dog's ears.
"You scared me tonight," she said leaning over him, her blonde hair falling to cover the dog’s face. She glanced up and saw Ryan standing in the doorway. Her eyes casually looked him over and when she noticed the towel, she swallowed. "Thanks for rescuing Zeus. He means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," he responded, nodding, he sank beside her on the couch, hoping the damn towel didn't start to rise. In yoga pants and a T-shirt without a bra, she'd never looked more beautiful.
"I feel overdressed," she said with a sigh.
Why did it seem they were determined to get naked together? First Taylor and now himself without clothes?
She swallowed nervously. "I put your things in the dryer."
"Thanks," he said.
Zeus jumped down and went over to his bed next to the fire and immediately curled up.
"I think he's worn out."
"He should be. His little legs were treading water, working hard to keep that long nose from going under. I grabbed him by the collar as soon as he was in reach. He's a lucky dog."
A tear trickled down her face and he reached over and swiped it away. "It's over. He's safe."
"But I could have lost Zeus. You could have died. I've never been more frightened," she said, gazing at him with those blue eyes that seemed to wrap around his heart.
"I'm happy you were concerned about my safety, but the water was only about three feet deep. I was worried about your pet."
She turned and face him. "Not many men would have taken the risk you took for a dog. I'm glad you're okay and now he's napping off the excitement."
A brilliant flash of lightning sparkled and with a popping noise, the lights went out. She leaped into his arms. "That was close."
The touch of her body crushed against his chest was his undoing as his penis begin to harden and swell beneath the towel and he realized soon there would be a tent below his waist.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she clutched him. "Yes," he said, the clean scent of Taylor creating havoc with his senses. "I don't think my clothes are going to dry."
"No," she whispered softly, her breath tickling his ear. "I should get candles."
She started to rise, but he stopped her. "No. Leave it."
He didn't want her getting up. He liked her right here in his lap and felt her stiffen the moment she felt his hardened dick against her leg. Her face turned toward him, her eyes round and wide in the darkness had his heart juddering in his chest. Her mouth descended on his.
The smell of something sweet and musky and feminine enveloped him as awareness prickled over his skin like butterfly wings. The heavy throb of his blood gathered in his loins as her mouth covered his tentatively.
His hands slid to either side of her cheeks, bringing her in tighter, closer, as he took over the kiss, consuming her lips, sliding his tongue between her teeth.
With a moan, he sucked on her lips, wanting to consume her very essence. A fiery response rose inside him and he pulled her down as he lay back on her divan, his mouth never leaving her. Pulling her snug against him, her breasts smashed against his chest, his cock hard against the vee of her legs, he gripped her face tightly.
There was so much more he wanted from this woman. He wanted to stroke her intimately, feel her body warm and responsive to his caress, to watch her shatter under him and cry out his name. And yet he had to remind himself to take it slow. Surrounded by the sensual overload from the woman on top of him, it was difficult to consider slowing the pace.
Sighing, she released his lips. "Ryan."
Unable to stop the need within him, he flipped her onto her back knowing he would halt when she told him to. The towel got caught on a sofa cushion exposing his buttocks.
She reached back, her fingers trailing down his cheeks, sending a flash flood of heat searing through him. "Taylor," he groaned and yanked the material away. He ground his hips against her center and
she gasped.
"I want you," he said, remembering the nude woman shivering in front of the Cupid fountain. Since that day, she'd been like a craving, a compulsion, a desire he wanted to fulfill. Something about the connection between them seemed primitive. Sexual. And so much more. He wanted to explore life with Taylor, only this woman, no-one else, and that scared him.
With a yank, she pulled her shirt up. When he grasped what she was doing, he helped her remove the garment. Braless, he was past the chance to stop from sampling her beautiful breasts. Leaning down, he took her puckered nipple into his mouth, sucking on the orb while his hand caressed her. Nipping the kernel of her breasts with his lips, he went between her rounded globes hungrily devouring the soft mounds.
"Ryan," she groaned, her eyes beseeching him.
Did she want him to halt and put an end to their lovemaking? He prayed that wasn't so, because it would kill him to walk away from fondling her when he was so hot and hard.
"Grab a condom," she said with a moan, her mouth weaving a trail of fire across his chest.
The woman was smart. He stretched his hand out to where earlier he'd emptied his pockets on her coffee table, he reached for his wallet and pulled the packet out.
Rolling to the side of the sofa, he ripped the package open. Before he could put the rubber on, her hands glided up and down the smooth skin of his dick.
His hand halted her movements and while he slid the condom over his manhood, she removed her pants and underwear.
Staring into her eyes, he laid on top of her, feeling the way her body seemed to fit his in all the right places. Fire raged through him at the feel of her skin against him. Her satiny flesh flowed like silk over him as she moved, stroking the fires raging wildly through him. Running his fingers between them, he found her slickened folds, the evidence of her desire coating his digits as he teased her until her breathing was ragged.
She grabbed his face pulling his lips down to her own, punishing him with her kiss as she clung to him, lifting her hips to show him her need. With a groan, he answered her call, pushing himself inside until he filled her completely. Hunger and rapture overwhelmed him as he pounded into Taylor, branding her as his own. Filling her, touching her soul, he gazed into her eyes and understood instinctively he'd known it would be like this with Taylor.
