LavenderLaceTrilogy_Bundle

by Lynn LaFleur

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  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Two Lovers for Molly

  Lynn LaFleur

  Chapter One

  “Why are men so stupid?” Molly Ross asked the question of her two friends, Marci Bayne and Twyla Gardiner, who sat with her at a corner table in Jennie’s Java. “I’m easy to please. I don’t ask for much from a guy. A little consideration, some kindness, some cuddling after sex. That isn’t unreasonable. Is it?”

  “No, that isn’t unreasonable,” Marci said. “What happened to make you think men are stupid?”

  Molly looked at Marci. The beautiful forty-year-old blonde Molly had met here in Jennie’s Java two months ago had become a mother figure for Molly, even though she was only fourteen years older. Molly’s mother spent her time buried in a bourbon bottle, so had little time for her two daughters.

  Pushing aside that pathetic image, Molly concentrated on her friend’s question. “I told you two about meeting Brandon a couple of weeks ago, at the Halloween party I went to.” Both her friends nodded, so Molly continued. “Really cute, really nice. We spent most of the party talking. He was funny and attentive and a great kisser.”

  “Sounds as if he’s a winner,” Twyla said.

  “That’s what I thought too. He came over a couple of times for dinner and a movie. We had sex Friday night.” She blew out a large breath and her bangs lifted from her forehead. “Wow. Talk about fireworks.”

  Twyla grinned. “Fireworks are good.”

  “I thought so too. When he asked me to go to a club with him Saturday night, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.” Molly’s shoulders slumped. “We ran into some friends of his and it was like being on a date with a totally different person. He turned into an inconsiderate ass. He flirted with every pretty woman close to him and completely ignored me.”

  A sympathetic look crossed Marci’s face. “What did you do?”

  “I told him I wasn’t feeling well and wanted to go home. He offered to call a cab for me! Do you believe that?”

  “What happened between great sex at your apartment and the club?” Twyla asked. “Such a change doesn’t make any sense.”

  Molly looked down at the muffin crumbs in her saucer. She shouldn’t let anything that jerk did hurt her. After all, she barely knew him. Still, it hurt to be brushed aside for a gal with dyed blonde hair and phony boobs.

  She lifted her gaze back to her friends. “He found a woman at the club with more…substance.” Molly held her cupped hands eight inches in front of her small breasts.

  Twyla winced. “Ouch.”

  “Yeah, ouch. I asked you to give me some of your boobs, Twyla. Just one cup size. You’d still have plenty.”

  “Since I discovered the gorgeous bras at Lavender Lace, I don’t complain about the size of my girls anymore.” She grinned wickedly. “Besides, Daniel really likes them.”

  With a disgusted huff, Molly folded her arms across her stomach. “Great. Rub salt in the wound.”

  “That’s not what I’m doing, Molly,” Twyla said softly.

  Guilt swamped Molly for sounding like a spoiled child. She treasured these two ladies’ friendship and wouldn’t hurt either for anything. “I know. It isn’t your fault I keep getting involved with assholes.” She slouched down in her chair. “Things always start out so great. I don’t know what I do to drive them away.” She frowned at her flat chest. “The fact that I look like a boy doesn’t help.”

  “Stop that,” Marci said firmly. “If all a man sees is your body, he isn’t worth it.”

  Easy for you to say, Molly thought. Marci was beautiful, Twyla drop-dead gorgeous. Molly doubted if either woman had ever fretted over her looks. Neither of them had red hair that frizzed in the least amount of humidity, or dull green eyes, or freckles scattered over her body. They both had curves that shouted WOMAN. Her body shouted STICK.

  Molly rubbed her forehead. She didn’t normally feel sorry for herself, but these last two weeks had really sucked.

  “I’m sorry. Ignore my pity party, okay?”

  “We’re all allowed to feel sorry for ourselves every once in a while,” Marci said. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

  “Shopping,” Twyla said firmly. “Last month, when I was so down before Daniel and I made up, you two took me shopping. I say it’s time for us to do that again. Did you ever go to Lavender Lace?”

  Molly shook her head. “I get a discount for working at Nordstrom. What little bit of bra I need, I get there.”

  “You were the one who turned us on to Lavender Lace,” Marci said as she slung her purse’s strap over her shoulder. “Your sister works there. It’s way past time for you to go.”

  “Sexy lingerie won’t help me.”

  “It’ll make you feel better. That’s what counts.” Marci stood and pushed her chair under the table. “Keefe and I have meetings scheduled all day today. How about tomorrow? What’s your schedule?”

  “I’m off today, tomorrow and Wednesday.”

  “Perfect.” Marci looked at Twyla. “Can you get off work a little early tomorrow?”

  Twyla nodded. “No problem.”

  “Okay, it’s settled. Lavender Lace closes at six. Let’s meet there at four. That’ll give us two hours to look around. Shopping first, then dinner out. Maybe a movie too.”

  “Works for me,” Twyla said.

  Molly appreciated her friends’ efforts to cheer her, but looking at all that sexy lingerie at Lavender Lace would only depress her since she had no one to show it to. She opened her mouth to protest. Marci raised one finger before Molly could utter a word.

  “No arguments. It’s settled. We’ll finalize plans here tomorrow morning.” Marci glanced at her watch. “I have to go. Will you be okay?”

  “Oh sure. I’m tough.”

  Marci squeezed Molly’s shoulder. “Yes, you are.”

  “I’ll walk out with you, Marci.” Twyla gathered up her purse and empty cup. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Molly.”

  “Okay.”

  After her friends left, Molly lifted the lid of her laptop. She didn’t have to rush to get to work, so she might as well write a while longer. That would make her feel better.

  She propped her elbow on the table, rested her chin on her fist and stared at the words on the screen. Everything she’d written this morning was complete crap. No wonder an editor didn’t want to read past the first three chapters.

  She’d worked so hard to create a world that an editor would love. She’d read books in her genre until her eyes burned. She’d written detailed synopses and polished her first three chapters until they were perfect. Every editor and agent who’d read her work had turned her down. Never one to give up, Molly had put that book aside and started another one. Different book, same number of rejections. Now on her third book, she wondered if this one would produce the same result as the first two.

  It would if she submitted garbage like the kind that filled her screen. She highlighted the five hundred words she’d written this morning and hit the delete key.

  Inspiration would help. A guy about five-ten with dark brown hair and sexy brown eyes who was an amazing lover would be perfect.

  Where’s my Prince Charming when I need him?

  *<
br />
  Julian Forrest sipped his coffee and watched the cute redhead frown at her laptop screen. Whatever she looked at obviously displeased her. He couldn’t tell for sure from this distance, but he thought she’d just deleted a large amount of text. Maybe she was working on something for college. She couldn’t be older than her early twenties.

  He’d seen her Friday when he’d stopped in Jennie’s Java for the first time. She’d been deep in conversation with the two women who’d left a few minutes ago. He’d watched her, noticing how her face lit up when she smiled.

  She wasn’t smiling now. In fact, she looked very close to tears.

  An almost overwhelming urge to go to her and try to make her feel better washed over Julian. He didn’t understand that urge, nor the strong attraction to the slim redhead. She wasn’t his type at all. He wasn’t a giant at five-ten, but she couldn’t be much taller than five-two. Eight inches was a big difference. He preferred women closer to his own height. It made everything he enjoyed so much easier—dancing, kissing, making love.

  He chuckled to himself at that last item. It had been so long since he’d made love with a woman, he’d almost forgotten how it felt to slide his hand down a woman’s bare back, grip her ass, thrust inside her wet pussy.

  Women were out there and available. He’d met several over the past few years who would be willing to spend time naked with him. In his early twenties, he’d have taken them up on their offer in a heartbeat. A night of sweaty sex with no worries about tomorrow would have been perfect. Now, two months from turning thirty, he wanted more. He wanted the commitment, the house, the dog, the two-point-five kids.

  He’d had a couple of relationships that could have turned into marriage. But something had been missing, that special feeling deep inside that shouted “she’s the one”. He’d cared deeply about both women, yet couldn’t say he’d loved them. He couldn’t say he’d ever loved anyone.

  Except maybe Lane.

  Julian quickly pushed all thoughts of Lane Edison out of his mind. That relationship had been a mistake, a rebound after his breakup with Ms. Almost Right Number Two. He never should have given in to his desire to kiss Lane’s lips, suck his dick, fuck his ass. But he had. And he’d loved every moment of it.

  Lane’s deployment to Europe put an end to their four-month-long affair. Julian had said goodbye to the naval officer a year ago and returned to looking for the special woman who would share his life.

  He hadn’t found anyone in Bremerton. When a job offer in Seattle came his way, he’d accepted it without hesitation. Perhaps the move to Seattle would bring him better luck at finding Ms. Right.

  That thought drew his attention back to the redhead. She gathered up her laptop, purse and coat and headed for the exit. She’d been here Friday and today. He wondered if she came here every weekday.

  Maybe he’d come in tomorrow morning and find out.

  *

  A man sat at her table the next morning.

  Molly stopped in the middle of Jennie’s Java and stared at the brown-haired hunk sitting at her table. Technically she knew he could sit anywhere he wanted to, but she always arrived a few minutes after the coffee shop opened and sat at that table. There were a dozen empty tables in the place. He could’ve picked any of them, yet he sat at her table.

  He was messing up her routine, a routine she’d followed for months.

  He looked up, directly at her. He had brown eyes. Sexy, bedroom eyes. Brown eyes always made her think of rumpled sheets, slick skin and long, deep kisses. Combined with that mane of dark hair and olive skin, he had to be one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen.

  No way a hunk like that would ever notice her.

  He smiled and lifted his paper cup toward her. “Good morning.”

  She swallowed. “Good morning.”

  “I didn’t take your table, did I?”

  “It’s okay. I mean, there are a lot of tables. I’ll sit at another one.”

  “No, please.” He stood, rounded the table and pulled out the chair opposite where he was sitting…the chair where she always sat. “Join me.”

  Join him? That gorgeous man wants me to join him? He can’t be serious.

  “I guess I should introduce myself first, huh? I’m Julian Forrest. And you are…?”

  “Molly. Molly Ross.”

  He smiled again. “Hi, Molly Ross. Join me?”

  She walked the few feet to the chair and sat down. Maybe he was meeting someone and that person hadn’t shown up yet. He probably just wanted someone to talk to until his friend arrived. He couldn’t possibly be interested in her, not with the way her luck with men had been lately.

  “What would you like, Molly? My treat.”

  “Oh no, I can’t let you—”

  “Please. It’s the least I can do for stealing your table.”

  His eyes twinkled when he smiled. She’d be a fool to pass on the opportunity to talk to someone who shot her blood pressure off the scale. “Tall latte and whatever muffin they’re featuring today.”

  He winked at her. “You got it.”

  A simple wink shouldn’t make her heart stutter in her chest, or her tummy tighten. It did both.

  All her hormones stood up and took notice when he turned and walked toward the counter. He wore a black long-sleeved sweatshirt and dark jeans. He had a runner’s build—slim, but with broad shoulders and great legs. His jeans molded to his ass, showing her it had just the right amount of fullness for her to grip while he slid his cock inside her.

  Yesterday, she’d sat in this chair and imagined a man for inspiration—one about five-ten with dark brown hair and sexy brown eyes. Julian definitely fit that description.

  She wondered if he was an amazing lover too.

  Her pussy clenched at that thought. Brandon had been very good. He’d been one of the best lovers she’d ever had. She’d be willing to bet her next paycheck that Julian was even better.

  He carried their cups to the table first, then went back for their muffins. Molly pried off the lid of her cup and took a cautious sip of the hot brew. She saw no reason to waste a paper cup every day, so usually brought her own ceramic mug. She’d hurried out of her apartment without the mug this morning since she was running late. If she’d been on time, she would’ve remembered her mug and gotten her table before Julian arrived.

  She’d never been so thankful to be late.

  “Today’s muffin is lemon poppy seed,” Julian said as he set her paper plate in front of her. “Hope that’s okay.”

  “If it’s a muffin, it’s okay.”

  “I got the chocolate chip.” He popped a large bite of his muffin in his mouth and chewed, watching her the whole time. “Very good.”

  Molly took another sip of her latte. She hadn’t decided yet if she should be her usual blunt self and ask Julian why he was sitting with her, or be coy and simply enjoy his company.

  She’d never been coy.

  “Are you waiting for someone?” she asked, tearing her muffin in half.

  “Nope.”

  “You just came in here for coffee?”

  He took another bite of his muffin and chewed slowly, still watching her. “Do you want the truth?”

  “Please.”

  “I saw you in here yesterday. I came back in to see if you’d be here today.”

  She doubted if there had been five times in her life when she was speechless. This was number six.

  Julian pushed aside his plate and cup and rested his forearms on the table. “There’s something about you, Molly…something that drew me to you as soon as I saw you. I’d like to get to know you better and… Well, see what happens between us.”

  To say she was surprised would be a vast understatement. Molly couldn’t believe a man as gorgeous as Julian had been attracted to her at first sight. That didn’t happen to her. She’d had lovers over the years, but she’d never had a guy go out of his way to see her.

  “Did I say something wrong?” he asked.

 
; “No, no. I’m just…” She laid her muffin pieces back on the saucer. “I’m flattered, but shocked.”

  “Why are you shocked?” His gaze moved over her face, stopping on her lips for several seconds before he looked back into her eyes. “You’re a very attractive lady.”

  Molly stopped herself before she released an unladylike snort. She looked in the mirror every day. She’d told Marci the first time they’d met that the best she could do was cute. She still believed that.

  Julian glanced past her. “Your friend the blonde just came in.” He looked back at Molly. “Do you have a pen?”

  “Yeah.” She rummaged through her purse and found a pen. “Here.”

  Julian wrote something on one of the napkins. “I moved to Seattle from Bremerton last week. I’m going back today to pick up the rest of my clothes. I’ll probably spend the night with my folks and be back sometime tomorrow.” He pushed the napkin and pen over to her. “Here’s my cell. I’d like to have dinner with you. Call me when you’re ready. Okay?”

  Molly nodded. “Okay.”

  Picking up his empty plate and cup, he stood. “I enjoyed meeting you, Molly.”

  “Me too.”

  He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and smiled at her. “Bye.”

  Turning in her chair, Molly watched Julian walk to the exit. She did love the way he filled out his jeans.

  “Who was that?” Marci asked.

  Molly turned back around to face the lovely blonde. “Julian Forrest.”

  “New friend?”

  She looked at the phone number scrawled on the napkin by her plate. “Maybe more, if things go the way I hope they do.”

  Chapter Two

  Llyr waited until the two customers left Lavender Lace before he walked up behind Ashlyn. Slipping his arms around her waist, he pulled her back against his chest. “Finally alone,” he whispered in her ear.

  Ashlyn smiled at him over her shoulder. “We may not be alone for long.”

  “Long enough for me to drag ye back to the storeroom.”