by Sadie Savage
Goldie finally fell asleep after chiding herself for trying to make too much out of this and also for not being more careful. She wasn’t on the pill, as she hadn’t needed to be with Greg and had been on a streak of abstinence for a bit before he came along. It had been nice to give her body a break from the chemicals. Not only was there pregnancy to consider, but also other things that could be equally as devastating. She definitely needed to not repeat tonight and get back on birth control before she decided to have another one-night stand.
“Goodnight,” she said to the sleeping man beside her, knowing that he couldn’t hear her but somehow feeling like she should say something as she drifted off into a mostly peaceful sleep. She awoke later in the night, feeling out of breath, fresh from a dream in which she was running through the forest, but she hadn’t been human and neither had the others that had been running with her. There was no fear, just pure exhilaration.
“Bad dream?” Joshua said sleepily from beside her.
“No, just odd. Go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she told him.
“Who can sleep?” he replied, smiling at her as shadows fell across them on the bed. He reached for her pulling her to him and sinking his teeth into her neck provocatively. She whimpered as she felt his hard cock pressing into her and then he was inside of her again, fucking her until she shuddered with orgasm after orgasm. He pulled her back against him, pushing deeper inside her as she cried out. Then he came inside of her once again before kissing her softly on the shoulder and falling back asleep, on his own side of the bed.
This time, Goldie didn’t over think it all. Instead, she rolled over and fell back asleep, content and grateful for at least once incredible night with the fantastic creature that lay beside her. He might not be Mr. Right, but he certainly was someone she would remember fondly for years to come. A smile crossed her face as she drifted back off into dreamland for the few remaining hours until daylight. When she awoke, she got dressed quietly and made her way back to the lake house, slipping in and climbing into her bed there for a while longer.
Chapter Four
Still coming down from the incredible night of sex with hunky Joshua, Goldie reminded herself to keep it casual. He could be her boy toy while she was here at the lake and then she could put him behind her when she went home. It was just sex and she refused to even try to make it any more than that, though he seemed like a nice enough guy.
“So, you had a good night then?” Ian said with a smile as she walked into the kitchen the following morning.
“I did,” she said, blushing a little.
“Of course we want all the details, but we won’t ask,” Randy added, with a laugh. “Sit down and have some breakfast with us.”
“No thanks. I didn’t get much sleep. I’m going to go lie back down for a while I think,” she admitted, her face still flushed.
“I’ll bet,” Ian said as they both laughed and returned to their conversation. “Listen, we won’t lecture you. You’re a grown woman, after all, but be careful with Joshua. He belongs to a sort of gang. There are a lot of rumors about them.”
“What kind of rumors?” she asked.
“Now, Ian. Just let the girl have her fun. You know those are just wild stories,” Randy said, turning back to Goldie. “Don’t even worry about it. It’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” she said, not so sure.
“Positive. We have to get going anyway. No time for fairy tales,” Randy said.
When Goldie awoke several hours later they were gone, leaving her a note that they were in the village doing a bit of shopping if she wanted to come in and join them. Goldie grabbed a quick shower and tossed on some jeans and a t-shirt, slipping into her sandals. Settling for another loose ponytail, a hint of mascara and lip gloss, she headed out the door and walked toward the main hub that began at the end of the street leading into the lakeside cabin area. She met them coming back just as she reached the corner.
“Oh, honey. You should have given us a ring and we’d have waited for you. Oh, never mind. We’ll just go back with you then for a bit,” Ian told her.
“No, no. Go on back. You both have your hands full of bags. I can roam around by myself. It’s not like it’s a very big place.”
“Not at all. It is a rather quaint little area, isn’t it? That’s why we love it so much!” he replied.
“I’ll check it out a bit and be back a little while later.”
“Sounds good. Don’t be too late. We’re making fajitas and margaritas for dinner!” Ian told her.
“That does sound delicious!” Goldie replied, realizing that she hadn’t eaten anything since last night. Perhaps she’d grab a bite to eat at one of the local places while she was out and about.
Instead, she found herself attracted to a place that advertised itself as a general store, but it wasn’t like the cheap dollar stores that usually referenced themselves with that name. This was more like an old style mercantile you’d find in a small town. Stepping inside was like going back in time. There was everything from fishing tackle to groceries to be had here.
“Wow, this is fantastic,” she said aloud, running her hand over a wooden rocker that sat among a section of furniture on one side of the large barnlike building.
“Thank you. I made it by hand. Solid oak,” a voice nearby replied, catching her off guard.
“Impressive,” she replied.
It was as much a statement about the appearance of the rocking chair as it was about the man claiming to have made it. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. His rugged good looks were punctuated by a shock of wavy black hair and neatly trimmed beard. His blue eyes flashed with mischief as he reached up to lean on a nearby counter. It was then that she noted the paw tattoo on his hand, the same one that last night’s lover had on his. Obviously, they were a part of the same group.
“Thank you, um, Miss . . .?”
“Miss Dawson, but you can call me Goldie.”
“Good to meet you, Goldie. I’m John Sebastian. You must be new in town. I haven’t seen you in before.”
“I’m just visiting friends over on the lake. Ian and Randy Keller,” she offered.
“Ah, yeah. I live just across the water from them. Good guys.”
“Yes, they’re the best. You weren’t at their party last night though. I thought the whole neighborhood was invited.”
“Ah, yeah. I was working on a piece and got pretty tied up with it. I can get into my work at times,” he told her. There was something that said he was not quite telling the truth, but she hardly knew him so had no reason to question it.
“Well, the dedication shows.”
“I like to think so.”
“Very much. Anyway, I have to get going. It’s past time to find a bite to eat somewhere. Any recommendations?”
“Well, I was actually about to go grab something myself. There is a little café not far from here. They have some amazing shrimp lime and cilantro tacos. I’ve been craving them all morning.”
“Oh, that does sound delicious. I don’t want to impose though.”
“No imposition at all. Come on and we’ll go. It’s just about three blocks up by the edge of the water.”
Goldie smiled at him, following him past the front counter, where he told the clerk there that he was out to lunch for a while. She nodded, barely even acknowledging him before resuming her texting. Goldie noticed an odd familiarity about the girl that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but John seemed to read her mind as her gaze lingered on the girl.
“Kid sister,” he told her. “We favor quite a bit, huh?”
“Yes, you do,” Goldie laughed.
“Our folks left me this place when they died. It’s been in the family for generations. She’s a senior over at the local high school and itching to get as far away from the watchful eye of big brother as soon as possible. Got herself a scholarship to UCLA so she can be California dreamin’ by fall.”
“This place will be a hand
ful by yourself.”
“Nah. I’ll just have to shell out a little more to hire someone to help and the guys in my group will help me out, if I need them.”
“Your group?” she asked, though she already had a good idea of who he was referring to.
“Yeah. We watch each other’s backs,” he said with a slow smile that just melted her.
“Always good to have people like that in your life,” she replied.
“It is. Here we are,” he told her, waving his hand toward the small grill to their right, along the edge of the water.
“Great. I’m looking forward to this already,” she said as they stepped inside.
Though he was handsome and flirtatious, Goldie had already made up her mind that this couldn’t go past a friendly lunch. She was just up for having fun, she really didn’t want to sleep with more than one guy at a time. It was best just to have her fun with Joshua while she was here and let that be the extent of it. Plus, it was a bad idea to see both of them with their being a part of the same brotherhood or whatever it was.
“You weren’t kidding! These are delicious!” she told him as they finished off the last of their shrimp tacos.
“I know. Best in town. Listen I’m going to have to get back to the store, but I’d really like to see you again if that’s okay.”
“I appreciate it, but I am only here for a short time and think that maybe it just would be best not to. I hope you understand,” she said.
“Come on. Call it a casual fling,” he said with a sultry smile.
“That sounds a bit forward,” she countered playfully.
“That is because it is a bit forward. I know what I like when I see it. Let me buy you a drink later.”
“Well, I suppose a drink can’t do any harm.”
“I suppose that is exactly right. I’ll swing by and pick you up around eight, if that’s good for you.”
“I’ll be waiting,” she told him as he paid their bill and dropped a tip on the table, walking her out.
Outside, they went their separate ways on the sidewalk. Visiting a few more shops before returning to Ian and Randy’s place, she found herself a sensational little skirt and top to wear on her night out with John. She still considered that it wasn’t really like her to sleep with two men at once and told herself that she would not cross that line with him, no matter how attracted to him she might be.
Chapter Five
“Well, now . . . where is our girl headed out to tonight?” Ian asked as she came out of her room later that night, dressed to go out.
“I got invited out for drinks while I was in town today. I thought I mentioned it at dinner.”
“You most certainly did not. We would have remembered. Who is the lucky guy?”
“Someone I met at the general store today. John Sebastian is his name.”
The two men exchanged smiles and looked at her knowingly. She wondered what secret they were keeping that caused their bemusement and whether it was good or bad.
“What? Spill it.”
“Nothing honey. Only one of the biggest hunks in town. Half the girls here would kill to be asked out by him and the other half just can’t hope because they settled for less,” Randy said.
“Oh, come on. He’s not all that.”
“Please. He’s gorgeous and a business owner. Down to earth, friendly. He’s the total package.”
“I guess he is kind of hot.”
“Yeah, you guess,” Ian laughed with Randy quickly joining in.
“Just be careful. There’s a full moon out tonight,” Randy joked.
Goldie was happy to be saved by a knock on the door. Randy waved her toward it as if to say it was for her and she walked over, opening it to the smiling face of John.
“You look gorgeous. Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“I am,” she told him, turning to say her goodbyes to Ian and Randy.
John stuck his head inside the door and greeted them as well before taking her arm and walking down the sidewalk toward a bar and grill called Dockside. It was well lit with strings of lights that hung along the wooden beams that made up the back patio that jutted slightly out onto the lake.
“Have you been here before?” he asked.
“No. I’ve only been in town for a couple of days now. This is my first trip up to visit Ian and Randy since they bought the lake house.”
“I see. So, what brought you up here now?”
“Just a vacation. I’m a costume designer and my show is on break until filming starts again in a few weeks. I thought I’d get out and enjoy a change of scenery.”
“Wow, a costume designer, huh? That sounds far more interesting than running a general store. Which show do you work on?”
“Stygian Stories,” she told him.
“Really? I love that show. You design those really creepy costumes they wear?”
“Not all of them, but quite a few, yes.”
“I’m fascinated,” he told her just as they made their way into the front of the restaurant.
It was hard to miss how the hostess fretted over him and the waitress wasn’t much better. Both of them flirted outrageously, despite his being there with an apparent date. Goldie couldn’t help but note how he was polite to them, but never took his eyes off of her, sending a clear message. He grabbed a seat for them outside on the deck where they could enjoy the water and the stars beginning to form in the darkening sky above them.
“I wish I had gone to college. I wanted to, but after mom and dad died, I had my sister to take care of and the business to run. Life takes you where it will, I suppose.”
“That it does, but it’s not too late. You could always go now that your sister is leaving the nest,” she replied.
“No. The general store does okay, but not well enough to pay two college tuitions. I do take a class here and there online. I’m almost a sophomore. Plus, I have obligation here,” he laughed.
“That’s progress. What are you studying?”
“Geology. I’ve always been fascinated with any kind of earth-based science.”
“Not something I know anything about, I’m afraid.”
Their conversation was briefly interrupted as the waitress brought their drinks and they sipped at them for a moment, regrouping the conversation. It wasn’t as if it was hard to talk to him. In fact, he might just be the easiest person to talk to on the planet. She wondered if he knew Joshua, though she didn’t dare bring up his name. Though they were a part of the same club, they seemed so different. Joshua was bold, sexual, but not a brilliant conversationalist. He did his talking with his body, for the most part.
John was more of the guy next door type. He liked to read and explore the land when he could. He gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling that didn’t make her want to ravage him across the table at which they sat, but it did make her long to go home with him and make love to him for hours on end. That was not a good thing considering her admonishments to herself to refrain from just that. As the hours flew by, she found herself only wanting him more.
“It’s getting pretty crowded here and late. It might be time to head back toward the house,” he said as the deck around them filled to an uncomfortable capacity.
“I think you’re right,” she said, disappointed to be ending the evening, but tipsy and knowing it was most likely for the best.
John paid their tab and they headed back the way they had come. Halfway around, he pulled her off to one side and in to him, holding her tightly against his broad chest as he kissed her. Though her brain told her to resist, her body told it to fuck off, returning his kiss feverishly.
“I don’t suppose you’d consider coming home with me?” he said.
“Wouldn’t that be awkward with your sister there?” she asked.
“She’s sleeping over at a friend’s house tonight,” he said with a smile.
“I could probably come over for a bit,” she said coyly, dismissing all the promises she had made to herself early this morning.
> “Good enough. It’s not far from where you are staying,” he told her.
An awful thought occurred to her that perhaps he lived near, or even with, Joshua, but it fell away as he stopped at a house they had passed on their way to the bar. Whereas Joshua lived south of Ian and Randy, it appeared that John lived north. She breathed a silent sigh of relief and went inside with him. From there, all cautions fell away as she gave in to her own urges.
Unlike Joshua, John went for the lips rather than her neck, kissing her deeply as they lingered just inside the door. It wasn’t a quick kiss and move on either, he seemed to really enjoy kissing as much as she did, teasing her tongue with his own as he explored her with his hungry mouth. His hands roamed down her body, touching her softly, almost delicately with his big, rough hands. She felt like she might actually be floating slightly above the floor rather than planted firmly on it.
“You are so beautiful. I was watching you walk through the store long before you stopped to look at the chair,” he told her, pulling away to look into her eyes.
“You were not,” she said, flushing.
“I was. The chair only gave me an excuse to talk to you,” he said with a slow smile that made her feel weaker in the knees than the kiss had already made her.
“I’m glad I stopped to admire it then,” she told him, reaching up to touch his handsome face.
“I’m glad you did too,” he replied, pulling her hand from his face and softly kissing the palm.
Then his lips were on hers again, drinking her in as if they were connected in much more than just the physical sense. It was amazing how in tune to him she had felt since meeting him only at lunch today. Once again, she had to caution herself not to make any more of this than it was. Just fun, nothing but fun.
His hands found their ways to the buttons on her shirt, slowly opening them one by one and peeling it away from her shoulders to slip softly down her body. She stood there in the see-through lace bra and matching boy shorts she had been wearing beneath her skirt, her three-inch heels pushing her up almost to his height. She had always been a tall girl and gravitated toward men that were of above average height. His six-foot-four muscular frame was perfection.
