by Drea Stein
Around them, the Golden Pear café hummed with its usual lunchtime crowd. It was Monday, and she, Lynn and Phoebe were meeting for a quick lunch date.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Phoebe pulled out one of the wood and metal chairs and sat down with them at their small table by the window. She gestured toward Lynn’s sandwich. Lynn looked down, frowned and pushed the plate away.
“Eyes bigger than my stomach.”
“And you’re not drinking your coffee.” Phoebe pointed to Tory. “What’s wrong with the two of you?”
“Nothing,” Lynn answered at the same time as Tory, who looked at her in surprise. Lynn was acting odd. Something was up, and Tory was about ask what it was, when Lynn spoke first.
“Nothing’s wrong with me. But Tory and the cowboy didn’t do it and it’s freaking her out.”
“I thought you were supposed to get freaked out after you had sex, not before.” Phoebe said in a matter of fact tone.
“Apparently he took her on a Chasing Classic Car style hunt this weekend and then dropped her off at her door with a peck on the cheek.”
“It wasn’t a peck,” Tory defended Colby. It had been a full on, steam up the windows kind of kiss. And she had wanted to invite him up, really she had, but something had made her hold back. A sudden freaking out of where this was all going. Because nothing with Colby seemed casual, or that she could keep it casual. And that was freaky.
“Ahh, so it was more than a peck. What did he say, that he had to go home and wash his hair? Did he wimp out or did you?”
“It was our first date. And he had to walk his dog.”
Lynn shook her head. “Your first date was in a parking lot. Your second at the Osprey Arms, then another parking lot, then the road-trip. Technically this was your fourth date.”
“Don’t forget about when he ran into her at The Garden Cottage.”
“Who’d you hear that from?” Tory turned to Phoebe.
“I have my sources.” She shrugged.
“So that makes it like your fifth date,” Lynn said as if her math couldn’t be disputed.
“Who’s counting? Can’t I go slowly?”
“There’s slow and then there’s avoiding.” Lynn said.
“I told you to stop psycho-analyzing me. Just the other day I thought you were telling me I was too quick to date any guy I met.”
“Yeah, but you never care about any of those,” Lynn said.
“What makes you think I care about Colby?”
Phoebe and Lynn just looked at her silence and Tory shrugged.
“Ok, so maybe it feels different with Colby. It feels more.”
“And it’s freaking you out, because it’s like with Stevie.”
“Lynn,” Phoebe said sharply and Tory almost laughed. She wondered if her friends had made a pact never to bring up his name.
“Shh yourself. It’s like the giant elephant in the room. So you gave your heart to Stevie, you lived with him, and he was a no-good cheating bastard.”
“He got back together with his old girlfriend. They’re married now and have a baby.”
“Look, I can do the math, and I know the timing of it all. He was cheating on you with her.”
“It was complicated. He never fell out of love with her.”
Tory sighed. Stevie had carried a torch for Heather Westell all through high school and beyond. That she treated him cavalierly, breaking up and getting back together with him, was just the way of the world. Stevie had never stopped loving Heather. They were meant to be together and she, Tory, had just been a distraction along the way.
“He’s moved on and so has Tory. She’s just being sensible,” Phoebe said encouragingly.
“Well, when it does happen and it will, I want the details.” Lynn made a small gasp as if she were in pain.
Tory looked at her. Lynn’s face was unusually pale. Though she was looking at Tory with interest, there was something almost like a grimace on her face.
“Are you ok?” Tory asked.
“Huh? I’m fine. I mean, maybe a little sick. There’s a spring bug flying around, so maybe I caught something at the clinic.”
“Why don’t you take a day off?” Phoebe suggested, her voice filled with concern. “I can’t have one of my bridesmaids sick.”
“Yes, maybe that’s a good idea,” Lynn actually agreed as Tory and Phoebe traded looks of amazement. It took a lot to tear Lynn away from her job at the clinic.
“I’ll call Jackson, tell him to pick you up and drive you home,” Phoebe said, already reaching for her phone.
“No need to do that,” Lynn said quickly. “I’m fine to get myself home.”
“You’re really going to take a day off?” Tory asked in amazement.
“Only if you promise to tell me all the details of your wild night of hot, passionate sex. When, not if, it happens.” Lynn shot back as she pushed her plate even farther away from her.
“No way. And how do you know it will be that good?”
Phoebe and Lynn both laughed. “Because he has that sexy butt…I mean accent. Are you going to see him again?”
Tory nodded. She had agreed to that, at least. “We’re going out on Friday”
“What will it be this time? Drag racing? Horseback riding along the beach?”
Tory just shook her head at her friend. “I don’t know it’s just a date. We’ll see what happens.”
“Hmm, very interesting.” Lynn and Phoebe exchanged looks.
“Knock it off, will you?” Tory said, but the fact that Colby was being so mysterious was both a turn-on and unnerving. It seemed like a long time until the weekend. They teased her good-naturedly for a bit more before Lynn excused herself. Tory and Phoebe lingered a little longer.
“Was Lynn acting a bit strange?” Phoebe asked Tory, who was debating whether she was going to eat the chocolate chip cookie that sat in front of her.
“A bit,” Tory agreed. “I guess she just wasn’t feeling well.”
She decided that she had burned enough calories over the weekend thinking about Colby and what to do about him and bit into the cookie, savoring the wonderful concoction of butter, chocolate and sugar. Maybe, just maybe, it would distract her from thinking about Colby. It was a long time until Friday.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’m sure Lynn will be back to her usual self, trying to get us to go whitewater rafting or rock climbing soon enough.”
Phoebe nodded slowly, but her eyes were thoughtful. “I’m sure she will.”
Chapter 31
Colby was just a little bit late, but he had planned it that way, so he could make his grand entrance. As he had hoped, she was waiting outside her apartment building for him, the evening breeze whipping her ponytail around as she paced up and down the sidewalk, trying, he imagined, to burn off some of that intense, focused energy that always seemed to vibrate through her.
He could tell she didn’t quite know what hit her as he skidded to a stop in front of the curb. She jumped back a little, and the look on her face was definitely one of annoyance and she tossed her hair over her shoulder. He was certain he was about to get a lecture from her when he let the bike idle and pulled off his helmet.
Her eyes widened in surprise. Whatever she’d been about to say, she closed her mouth on it and stood there, one hand on her hip, her bag slung over her shoulder. He was pleased to see she was wearing her jeans, the nice dark ones that seemed to hug every muscle and curve. She had on aviator glasses and a leather biker jacket. Her caramel-colored hair was blowing in the wind, and it was all he could do to keep from pulling her to him and kissing her senseless right there.
“Want to take it for a spin?” he asked. He could tell that she was tempted, sorely tempted, despite the stern look on her face.
“You almost ran me over,” Tory said.
“Not at all. I was under perfect control the whole time.”
“Your tire is on the curb,” she pointed out.
“And still a good distance from y
our foot, so there was nothing to worry about. Want to go for a ride?”
“I thought you were into cars,” she said, managing to fold her arms over her chest. Her foot stamped. He liked that he was getting under her skin. It was exactly what he intended. It was a universal law. There were few women, even level-headed, analytical ones like Tory, who could resist a guy on a bike in a leather jacket. And since he wasn’t one to fight with the universe, he’d decided it was time to up his game, raise the stakes for Tory, and see how far her self-control could last.
“It has wheels and an engine, ergo I like it.”
She nodded, her lips pursing, but he could see that she was eyeing the bike, a shiny BMW roadster model that he really was thinking about buying, and he saw her resolve wavering.
“Do you have a license for it?” she asked, one eyebrow arching.
“Yes, ma’am, up to date and everything. Look, it’s a fine day, positively summer-like, and I had a chance to take this for a test drive. I thought you might be interested.”
“I bet it’s still cold when you’re riding,” she said.
“Not when you wear a helmet. Besides, I’ll keep you warm.” He saw her swallow and just a hint of a flush rise up on the triangle of exposed skin where she had left her jacket open. He planned on kissing her there tonight, if she’d let him. He’d like to kiss her everywhere if she’d let him.
“What do you mean by a test drive?” she asked.
“I’m considering taking this as a trade-in, so I told the guy I needed to take it for a test drive for a couple of days.”
“So, is this a date or work?” Tory said, but there was a smile on her face.
“One of the perks of my job—being able to drive really cool things and call it work. Sort of like how you get to play around on video games all day and call it work.”
“My job has nothing to do with video games,” she started to say and then stopped when she saw he was teasing her.
“Come?” he asked, holding out the helmet, meeting her eyes and hoping that she wouldn’t look away, wouldn’t come out with another excuse.
She looked around, looked up and, as if seeing no possible reason not to go, nodded. She took the helmet, and he helped her fit it over her head and then watched as she swung her leg over the seat. She was snug against him.
“You have to wrap your arms around me,” he said and was almost certain he heard the quick intake of her breath. Fancy that—he had cool and calm Tory a little hot and bothered. He turned, and she gave him a look that had his pulse racing just a little faster as she settled herself against him. She was warm and smelled like lemon and flowers and made him think of a hot and lazy summer day on the lake, full of endless possibilities about what they could do with each other.
“And here we go,” he said with a smile he didn’t bother hiding as he kicked the bike into gear and they took off.
Chapter 32
She knew he was playing her, playing on every one of her senses, so that her breath came too fast and that images and thoughts of him kissing her tumbled through her mind. Still, the ride was amazing. It was the first time she had ever been on a motorcycle, and there was something primal, elemental and, well, sexual about riding a huge, thrumming machine with her arms wrapped tightly around Colby’s waist. She could feel the tautness of his muscles and thought about what it would be like to run her hands over the hard, chiseled surface of his abs.
She must have shuddered at the thought because Colby glanced over his shoulder, “You cold?” he shouted above the wind.
She shook her head and then, realizing he probably couldn’t tell, yelled back, “No, but keep your eyes on the road!”
She wasn’t certain but felt he must have been laughing as they took a curve low and headed out east of town, on a road that ran roughly parallel to the water. They dipped up and down some hills until they came down to a flat, low piece of land. Small bungalows dotted the road, and Colby slowed as he turned into the gravel and crushed oyster shell drive.
Tory looked around. Over a century ago, this area of Queensbay had gained fame as an artist and writer’s colony, filled with free spirits who came for the beach and cheap rent on the small fisherman’s cottages. Over the years, the artists had drifted away and many of the cottages had grown so dilapidated they needed to be torn down. A few had stood the test of time and she had heard that some enterprising owners were buying and fixing them up.
This cottage was a weathered silver with fresh white paint on the trim and the porch. There was a detached garage off to the side, with barn-like doors painted white and the same soft silver shingles. A gray-stained wicker couch took up most of the porch and the front door was painted a bright blue.
“Is this your place?” she asked as the motorcycle came to a halt.
“Yes. When I bought it, it was a wreck. I’ve slowly been fixing it up.”
“It looks great,” Tory said as she handed her helmet to Colby. The fresh sea breeze blew through her hair, and it was warm in the sun. She tried to quell the torrent of nervousness that had overtaken her. She hadn’t expected to come to his house, but she was too curious to find out what it was like that she didn’t mind.
“I have to warn you,” he said as he took her hand and pulled her up the neat shell and flagstone path that led to the porch and the front door.
“Hopefully you cleaned up your dirty underwear if you knew you were going to bring me here.”
Colby never got a chance to answer her because all of a sudden there was a shape, an enormous ginger-colored ball of fur and wagging tail that assaulted her.
“Down, Princess, down,” Colby said, but it was no use.
Tory was on her butt, looking up, as a giant dog danced around her, trying to lick her. The dog was friendly—of that, Tory was sure. Still, she hadn’t expected to end up her on her back this early in the evening.
“Down,” Colby said and this time he got through to the beast, who sat there, her doggy butt firmly planted on her tail, which continued to wag even while she was sitting on it.
“Princess?” Tory said, taking Colby’s hand as he pulled her up.
“I am so sorry,” he said, and she could see the abashed look in his eyes as he tried to dust her off.
“She’s not,” Tory said with a laugh.
Princess, if that really was her name, was looking at her with clear expectations, just waiting for the word to be released from her sitting position.
“Tory, this is Princess, my ill-mannered mutt,” Colby said. “And Princess, this is Tory. She’s been dying to meet you.”
“I can tell,” Tory said dryly. But she couldn’t be mad, not with that face looking at her. It was filled with such hope and longing that Tory had to bend down.
“Come here, girl. Let me pet you.”
Princess leapt forward, but after a few good-natured kisses, she sat again and leaned into Tory, her tail thumping as Tory gave her a full-body rubdown.
“I’m glad you don’t mind dogs. I told her to be on her best behavior when you came over, but she’s not a very good listener.”
As if to belie that point, one of Princess’ ears raised up and her tongue lolled out.
“She’s adorable. What is she?” Tory asked.
“A little bit of this and that, but she definitely has some Labrador in her. Now she wants to know if you’ll go for a walk.”
“Is that what the nudging means?” Tory said, laughing. To Princess, she said, “Let’s go.”
They all strolled along the beach, Princess chasing first a Frisbee, then a ball and stick, and finally the seagulls, always coming back to Tory with something for her to throw. They didn’t say too much, which was fine as Tory found herself keyed up, terribly aware of Colby and how close he was to her. Princess, with her constant interruptions, was a welcome distraction, easing the anticipation that Tory felt.
“We should turn back,” Colby said finally. “It will take me a bit to get dinner ready.” Tory looked up. The sun was setting
but, more than that, clouds were rolling in. She was surprised. There had been nothing about rain on the weather report, but it was late April and you couldn’t expect to get through it without a few showers.
“Looks like rain.”
“Think we’ll make it?” he asked, with a laugh.
They almost did, but only because they ran, with Princess frisking and barking around them, delighted with this new game. The sky opened up just before they reached the shelter of Colby’s back porch.
“Only slightly soaked,” he said as they stood breathing heavily from their final mad dash back, staring at the sheets of rain rolling in and rippling the surface of the water.
Tory nodded, wondering why she should be so out of breath. It hadn’t been that strenuous a run for her, but she thought her breathlessness might have come from the fact that Colby had shed his jacket and was in only a t-shirt, which was now molded to his body. She could see the well-defined muscles in his arms and shoulders, see the flat tautness of his abdomen. She took a deep breath. Be cool, she told herself. So what if he had a good body? She was not going to stare at it like some lovesick teenager.
“Let’s get inside and get dry. I have some wine, but maybe a cup of something hot first?”
“Sounds good,” she said, as she hugged her arms around herself. Tea first, definitely. She was cold all of a sudden.
“But not you,” he told Princess, who wagged her tail, looking first hopeful, then miserable when she realized she was to be left on the porch.
“Ok, fine, let me get us towels first,” he said, and he ducked inside the screen door. The hinges squeaked slightly as the door clanged shut. Princess rolled over on her back as if she expected Tory to rub her belly.
“You’re sandy and wet,” Tory told her, leaning down to scratch Princess behind her ears, wondering why she felt so nervous at the prospect of being alone with Colby.
He came out in a moment with a stack of towels, one of which he handed to Tory. The other he took over to Princess and rubbed her down. She preened with all the attention and, as Colby submitted himself to several very enthusiastic doggy kisses, Tory couldn’t help but laugh.
