Bosun

by V. Vaughn

  The husky smoker’s voice of the female bartender asks, “What’ll it be?”

  Bosun turns to me, and I order a light beer while he gets a draft. After he pays, we make our way to a table. The hoppy flavor of my drink fills my mouth when I take a sip. Bosun sighs after he swallows a mouthful of beer. “This tastes good tonight.” He picks up a menu that was trapped between condiments and asks, “Did you eat dinner?”

  Since my yogurt is long gone, I answer, “No.” I don’t take a menu, because I always get one of two things at Pete’s. A salad or a burger, depending on my appetite. I sense tonight I’m going to need my energy and plan on the protein-infused meal of meat.

  I study the man behind the menu while he’s distracted. His hair could really use a cut, and I long to feel his silky locks between my fingers. Even though his eyes are down, he must know I’m staring, and he asks, “Have you decided I’m dinner?”

  The vision of my tongue following his happy trail down below his navel makes me flush, but I banter back. I reach forward and push back the lock of his hair that has fallen forward, and his gaze lifts to mine. “Actually, I was thinking about how you need a haircut.” I tilt my head and lift my bottle toward my mouth. “I know a great stylist.” I take a slow sip and lick my lips when I’m done. Hell, I even follow up with a nibble on my bottom lip as Bosun watches.

  A waitress has approached us, and she clears her throat. I don’t break my gaze with Bosun and say, “I’ll take a burger, medium rare, please.”

  Bosun doesn’t look away either. “Bacon cheeseburger, medium rare, onion rings, and side salad with blue cheese.”

  The waitress draws out the word okay and leaves us. Bosun’s voice is barely above a whisper when he asks, “Do you always eyefuck on a first date?”

  Shocked again, my jaw drops, and his face crinkles in a chuckle. He sits back and lifts his beer. “You are so easy. This might never get old.”

  He’s so much better at my game than I am, and it’s pissing me off. Kind of. Because the heat that burns in my lower belly says I’m finding it hot too. “Are you always this relentless? Because for me that could get old.”

  Bosun’s face softens, and he slides his hand across the table toward me with a palm raised. “I thought you were enjoying it. If you want me to stop, I will.”

  I place my hand on his. “I am. But...” I close my eyes and sigh. But what, Dev? You like to have control? I take a breath and gaze into the pale-blue eyes that make my knees weak. “I’m not used to someone being better at this than I am.”

  My hand is small in Bosun’s grip, and his calloused thumb is rough against my skin as he rubs slowly. “I’ve just been doing it longer.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-eight. And you’re about twenty-two, right?”

  Twenty-one. But I nod. “Hmmm, almost past your prime.” I pull my hand back and cross my arms. “Think you can keep up with me?”

  Bosun grins as he leans forward and crooks his finger at me. I lean in close enough that I can feel his breath on my skin. He traces my lower lip, and I suck in air quickly enough it’s almost a gasp. His voice is a low baritone that reverberates through me when he says, “You’re very good at this, and it’s sexy as hell.”

  Oh. My. God. The waitress has appeared again and clears her throat in annoyance. We both sit back. I lift my bottle and drink down the quarter or so left in an attempt to cool my heated face. I turn to the server and hand her my bottle as I say, “I’m going to need another one of these.”

  Bosun downs the rest of his draft, and a low rumble that resembles a growl comes from him before he says, “Me too.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  After dinner, we move over to the pool tables. But once we finish a game, Bosun suggests we leave. I wouldn’t say he was jealous, but his manner was a bit cold when his friends tried to join us. Since billiards isn’t something I care much about, I am more than happy to comply.

  When we get outside, the temperature is considerably colder than it was earlier in the evening, and wisps of frosty vapor come out of my mouth when I exhale. Bosun tugs the zipper of my jacket up as he says, “I didn’t expect it to get so cold. I thought maybe we could go for a ride, but you’ll freeze.”

  I don’t want our date to end and wish I knew what to suggest. “You’re right, but I’d really enjoy a ride sometime. Rain check?”

  Bosun takes my hands in his to keep them warm, and I marvel at the heat he transmits. “Definitely. I’m not ready to take you home yet. If I promise to keep my paws in appropriate places, would you like to come see where I live?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve got some mighty warm hands, and I can think of lots of places I’d like them to be.” I let my teasing smile fade and add, “But thank you for making me comfortable about your intentions. Yes, I’d like to see your home.”

  When we get to the outskirts of town, the glow of streetlights is faint, and I lean my head back to gaze at the stars, which look like tiny diamonds on velvet. Even though I’m chilled, I’m disappointed when we turn down a dirt road that leads toward the water.

  A garage is separate from the house and on the right. Bosun parks in front of it, and when the engine cuts, I notice the silence. I live in town, and there’s always the quiet hum of traffic. Bosun gets off the bike, but I stay on the seat and glance out at the water. Even though the moon is only half-full, there’s enough light to reflect off the ripples of the lake, and the sound of waves lapping at a dock is soothing.

  A keypad beeps, and the garage door roars open. Bosun asks, “Are you frozen to the seat?”

  “No. I was just enjoying the view.” I climb off and reach for my buckle to take off the helmet. “It’s really beautiful here, even at night.”

  Bosun lifts the helmet off my head and tucks it under his arm. “It is. Let me park the bike in the garage, and we’ll go get you warmed up. I’ll take you down to the dock later.”

  He rolls his motorcycle into the building that houses his truck and a motorboat. Various sport equipment is hung from hooks on the ceiling and walls in an orderly manner that appeals to me.

  We walk over a flagstone path toward the house. Like most lake homes, the entrance feels like the back, and we enter into a kitchen. The light clicks on and reveals an open main floor. The kitchen is divided from the living area by a breakfast bar. I wander past it while my zipper snicks down as I open my jacket. I head to the wall full of windows that overlook the lake.

  Once I’m past the counter, the room opens up to a high-peaked ceiling, and I turn around to see a loft above the kitchen. I assume it’s the bedroom and discover a staircase along the back wall that leads to it. Bosun calls out. “Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate?”

  “Hot chocolate, please.”

  “You can go upstairs if you want.” I glance over at Bosun, and he grins at me as he says, “I’ll stay down here like a good boy.”

  Insanely curious about the man, I jog up to the loft. There’s a bathroom off to my left, and I find a dimmer switch on the wall. The plastic is smooth under my finger as I lift it to light the room. It’s decorated in shades of blue and just as tidy as the garage. I think back to the pile of clothes on my bed. I barely notice much else as, once again, I’m drawn to the window, and I walk over to gaze down at the dock. Two Adirondack chairs are set out on it, and it makes me wonder who else has been invited here.

  I turn away and take in the rest of his room. An oil painting of a forest landscape takes up most of the wall behind the dresser. The comforter on his bed looks plush, and my insides twinge as my mind imagines a naked version of Bosun under it.

  I jump when his voice travels up the stairs. “You’re not going through my ‘wear drawer, are you?”

  I call back. “I would have guessed you don’t wear any.”

  His laugh makes me grin, and I make my way back down to the main floor. Bosun greets me at the bottom of the stairs with a steaming mug. I slip out of my jacket and reach for the cup as he takes my coat.
>
  “Your house is gorgeous, and so neat. You’ll make a great husband some day.” Oh God, why did I just say that? I turn away so he doesn’t see my red face, and sip on my hot drink. Sweet chocolate flavor coats my tongue.

  Bosun walks toward the counter and grabs his mug as I continue on to the wall of windows that overlook the lake. He says, “You can thank my mother. She kept a chore chart, and all the Lindholm boys know how to clean.”

  “Then Katie is a lucky woman.” I stop and gaze out at the blue-black water. “How many of you are there?”

  “Three. Brindle is the youngest, I’m the oldest, and Berch is in between.” Bosun stands next to me, and I feel myself lean toward the heat radiating from his body.

  I ask, “Do your parents live around here?”

  “They do.” He points across the lake. “See those three lights clustered close? That’s where they live.”

  “How nice. My parents couldn’t wait to move to warmer temperatures, and once I graduated from high school, they were off for South Carolina.”

  “Do you miss them?”

  “Yes. But not as much as I’d thought I would.” I recall the numerous hours I’ve spent on getting my business up and running. “To be truthful, I haven’t had much time to miss them. I’ve put a lot of hours in at the salon over the last year.”

  “And it’s doing well?”

  “Not as well as I had hoped, but I had high goals. There are still days I twiddle my thumbs, waiting for someone to walk in, but I’m building a nice clientele of regulars.” I take a drink of my hot chocolate.

  “I could help with that. You can offer a coupon to my customers if you want.”

  I turn to face Bosun. “What do you mean?”

  He nods his head over toward a desk. We walk over, and Bosun hands me his cup. His keyboard clicks as he pulls up a site on the internet. “I send out emails for my monthly special, and I could include a coupon to your salon in one.” A screen opens that shows a newsletter with his logo in the banner. “It would be simple to add.” He scrolls down through the email and toggles on a coupon he offered. A large number indicating clicks to the printable version pops up, and dollar signs roll in my head.

  “You’d do that for me?”

  Bosun stands and takes his mug from my hand. “Of course. It wasn’t that long ago I was struggling for clients. I know how lean the first few years can be.”

  “Thank you.” My mind is racing with ideas, and I ask, “I’d like to increase my male clientele. What do you think about a half-price haircut?”

  “I think I have a pack of friends who will be happy to take you up on it.”

  Pack of friends? I suppose that’s what the truck club is, now that I think about it. Bosun takes my mug from me, and his hand brushes mine. It’s as if sparks fly, because his skin is hot, and suddenly the business I’m thinking about has nothing to do with my salon. He asks, “Ready to go see the water?”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The nylon of my winter parka swishes as I slide my arms in, and Bosun leads me to the sliding glass door that takes us onto a porch. He grabs a blanket from the couch on the way, and we walk across a lawn. Our feet thump on the wood slats of the plank that leads us to a rectangular-shaped dock.

  Bosun comes beside me and opens the blanket to drape it over our shoulders. “It’s too cold to sit in the chairs, so let’s see how long we can last under this.”

  His teasing tone is gone, and I snuggle into the crook of his arm as he places it around me. The heat from his body seems unnaturally warm, and I say, “You’re like a furnace. You could be handy to have around during the winter.”

  A howl startles me, and I press myself closer against Bosun. “Do the wolves ever make you nervous?” Silver Lake is known for its wolf population, and it was drilled into my head when I was a teen not to party here.

  “No. They have no interest in hurting people.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  His arm tightens in a squeeze. “Have you ever heard about an attack?”

  “No. I guess not.” The same howl sounds again, and I imagine it’s a sad one.

  Bosun says, “That’s a male, and he’s howling for his mate.”

  “Will she answer?”

  He nods and says, “Listen.”

  The next time the wolf calls out, another voice joins in. It’s slightly higher in pitch, and they harmonize. “That’s lovely.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Bosun turns his body and wraps us up tighter. “Here, hold this.” He hands me the corners that are keeping the blanket snug and places his palms on my face.

  I lift my chin, and our parted lips meet tenderly. Bosun kisses me with soft nibbles, but I want so much more and dart my tongue into his mouth. He responds with a hunger that takes my breath away. I reach up and thread my fingers into his hair while I flatten my other hand against his chest. The blanket falls to our feet with a whoosh.

  I break away and flutter kisses down his neck to taste his salty musk. Oh, God. I want him naked, and while I know it’s too soon, I have an uncontrollable urge to throw him down on the plush bed I saw earlier.

  Bosun stops me and returns the favor, driving me wild as his mouth works on the nape of my neck and his breath is in my ear. I moan and arch my breasts up in an offering. He halts abruptly, and his chest heaves with his panting. Stepping back, Bosun says, “This is the part where I convince you to stay. We have a wild sexual relationship for the next few weeks, and then when you want more, I say goodbye.”

  No. That’s not enough. I shake my head because I’m already at the wanting-more stage. “I’m not sure what to say.”

  He rakes his fingers through his hair and sighs. “I’m probably going to scare you off, because that’s not what I want to happen this time.”

  “No?”

  Bosun takes me by my shoulders. “No.” His gaze is intense.

  My body believes him. But my mind is screaming for me to protect my heart. I’ve never had this kind of connection with someone before, and it scares the hell out of me. But I also know I want to be with him more than anything. I’m already craving his kiss again. Is this what love feels like? Can it happen this quickly?

  Bosun says, “I swear this isn’t a line, and I’ve never said it to another woman. What if I told you I think I’m falling in love with you?”

  Tears prick my eyes as my emotions rush to the surface. He feels it too? The stupidest idea comes to me, and I throw my head back to howl.

  Bosun joins in, and we’re a sorry attempt at harmonizing. We burst into laughter. When we recover, I reach down and pick up the blanket as he says, “Devon. As much as I want you to stay, I think I need to take you home. I’m afraid I’m going too fast, and don’t want to ruin this.”

  I nod because my tears are back, and I’m trying to swallow the lump in my throat to keep them from falling. I blink and turn to walk in front of him, but he grabs my arm. “Hey.” He twists me to face him, and I’m afraid he sees my eyes glistening in the soft moonlight. “Oh, sweetheart.” He crushes me with a kiss that floods me with so much heat I melt in the sensations. I return it with longing and desire for more, as if I’m an addict needing a fix.

  He brings me down slowly in our kiss, and we end in an embrace that has my cheek against the soft sheepskin of his jacket. “Devon, I’ve never felt this way. I need time, and I think you do too.”

  I sigh. “I’m overwhelmed.” I lift my head and glance up at him. My body is shivering from the cold and lust. “I swear this isn’t a line either. I think I might be falling in love with you too.”

  Bosun traces my cheek with a finger. “Then taking this slow won’t hurt us at all.”

  No, it won’t. Because I just might be in for life.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  I may not have had sex with Bosun last night, but my dream self sure did. I float around my apartment, getting ready for work, as I replay every little detail of our date over and over. I think I might have skipped down the walkway to Katie’s c
ar, too.

  It’s a good thing Katie is my best friend, because I don’t think anyone else could have stomached my gushing on about how amazing Bosun is. I know I overdo it, because she gets quiet near the end of our ride to work, so I change the subject.

  The coffee pot gurgles to announce it’s done, and I fill two mugs with the steaming-hot liquid. I add cream to both. Katie is out front, dealing with the emails that came in overnight, and I go to her with our drinks.

  “Hey, I’m sorry I totally monopolized the conversation this morning.” Katie is frowning at the computer screen. “Is everything okay? Was I so wrapped up in my night that I didn’t notice something’s wrong?”

  She glances up at me and reaches for her coffee. “No. It’s just that there’s an unusual amount of requests for men’s haircuts. I haven’t even had a chance to play the voicemails, but the machine says we have thirty.”

  “Thirty?”

  “Yeah. And I guess it’s more requests for an appointment. You’re about to be very busy. Did you run an ad?”

  “Oh my gosh.” A grin covers my face when I realize what must have happened. “Last night, Bosun suggested putting a coupon for half-price men’s cuts in the bottom of his newsletter. I bet it went out already.”

  I’m dying to mention how adorable my new boyfriend is, but I fear I’m being obnoxious. Katie chuckles and says, “Go ahead. Tell me what you’re trying not to say.”

  “Okay.” I squeal. “Isn’t he sweet?”

  “Very.”

  “And can you believe he did this for me?”

  “He’s pretty amazing.”

  I sigh and fall back in a chair to swing back and forth. “I know it’s too soon to know, but I think I’m in love.”

  My friend gets up and seats herself next to me. She perches on the edge of the chair, and her hands grip me by my knees to twist me to face her. “Dev, I hate to be a downer, but you need to be careful.”

  “You know, if you weren’t my best friend, I’d be upset that you don’t seem thrilled for me. What is it that scares you about Bosun?”