Toward the back she found a small fenced in area with tiny wooden tables painted deep shades of primary colors. There was a counter and a dessert display filled with turnovers, brownies, and cookies. Anna put a hand to her belly, wondering how forgiving that dress would be if she stuffed her face with desserts.
Behind the counter was a tall man, half turned away from her. He had a book laid open on top of the coffee maker, hunched slightly forward reading. We wore a pair of blue jeans with a plain white t-shirt under an oversized, thick off-white sweater with big wooden buttons despite how hot it had become outside. Anna shivered, realized the air conditioning was on high and unforgiving about her lack of a bra.
Anna placed a pile of books down on the counter. Her inner bibliophile hadn’t let her walk into a unique independent bookstore without browsing. For well over twenty minutes. She stood there silently for a few moments, waiting to be noticed.
Just as she was debating clearing her throat to draw attention to herself, she felt a hand snake around her hips and there was Eric, his hair still wet from the shower and smelling like his crisp lemony soap. His fingers dug quickly into her hipbone hollow and she almost moaned.
“I could steal every book in this place and you wouldn’t take your nose out of that book,” he announced and the man behind the counter snorted, picking up a coffee filter and slipping it between the pages of his book before turning.
And that’s when it hit her. The resemblance made them almost look like twins. The bookstore proprietor was Eric’s brother. He had the same height and slight build. The same sharp, strong facial features. But where Eric’s eyes were a shade of medium slate gray, his brother’s were such a light color they were almost transparent. His black hair was slightly longer on top with a strong undercut. He had a medium amount of stubble on his face and there was a tattoo peeking out from the top of his sweater on the side of his neck.
There was something of Eric’s easy confidence in the man mixed with a sense of fierce intelligence she found almost intimidating.
“I don’t have anything to worry about. You’ve never willingly picked up a book a day in your life,” the man countered, his lip turning up at the edge.
Eric smiled. “This is Liam, my brother,” he told her, releasing her hips and leaning against the counter. “Liam this is Annabelle Goode. She’s working Mam’s farm.”
“Must be hell to do in those heels,” Liam said, his eyes casually sliding downward. It wasn’t an appraising glance she would have expected. It left her instead feeling like she needed to put a sweater, sweatpants, and sneakers on. Like he found her outfit impractical and useless.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said, making him almost smile. He liked being called on his rudeness.
“Better watch it,” Eric said to Liam but was looking at her. “piss her off and she wont let you have any of the organic tea she is planning on growing over there.”
Liam looked over at her, his light eyes surprised and curious. “Well I have two years to get in her good graces then,” he said, surprising Anna with his knowledge of how long it takes to harvest tea leaves.
Eric looked over at the dessert display. “She’s going to want one of everything,” he told Liam who looked at her with a quirked eyebrow.
“Oh, no. Not today,” she said, deciding she was going to limit herself to one plate.
Eric reached forward and grabbed at the fabric of her dress, pulling it and almost knocking her off balance. “You have room to spare,” he told her as if he knew what she had worried about all along. He really did spend a lot of time with women apparently. He looked back at Liam again. “Like I said… one of everything for her.”
“And to drink?” Liam asked, not having moved to fetch any of the food. “We don’t have any of those frozen sugar concoctions here,” he warned her.
Anna found herself giggling. “I worked at a place for six years making those sugar concoctions. I was cured of liking them in a week. I’ll just have a coffee with milk please.”
“Organic whole, skim, soy, almond, or coconut?”
Anna had a second to marvel at the idea of an indie bookstore coffee shop in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania carrying five different kinds of creamers. She heard her mother’s voice in her head insisting there was never any need for whole milk except for feeding baby cows and found herself ordering skim.
Liam nodded, grabbing two mugs off a back shelf. “And black coffee with two shots of espresso,” he said, turning to pour beans into the espresso machine. “the ulcer comes free of charge.”
Eric grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a table painted a deep red. “This was quite unexpected,” he said, leaning back in his chair.
“I decided it was time to stop playing things so safe,” she admitted, looking at him. He really was an amazingly good looking man. If she were being honest, he was much better looking than Sam with his man next door good looks. Sam was better looking than the average man. Eric was just better than average times twenty.
Eric chuckled. “Then you have come to the right place. No one has ever accused me of being safe.”
Anna laughed. “No I believe the word ‘trouble’ is used most often.”
“And yet here you are.”
“Here I am,” she agreed, feeling her confidence growing.
Liam walked over, dropping off their drinks and sending Anna a curious glance.
“So is there a plan after coffee?” Eric asked, drinking his coffee.
Anna shrugged. “Wherever the night takes us,” she replied vaguely.
“You know I still want a final dance,” Eric said, leaning forward.
Annabelle smiled and leaned back. “Yes it must have been… humbling to be beat out by a teenager.”
Eric laughed. “You’d have enjoyed dancing with me more,” he said, his voice lowering.
“I don’t know. Devon was quite charming.”
Liam walked back up, dropping one large plate full of desserts down between them. He looked down at her, his brows drawn together. “Where are you putting all this? You’re built like a bird.”
“Um… thanks, I think,” she responded, feeling squirmy under his gaze. One attractive O’reilly within five feet was plenty.
“Just an observation,” Liam said, making his way over to a table and pulling his book out of his waistband of his jeans. “By the way, I ran your books through on Eric’s card. His credit card company will probably cancel his service fearing fraud.”
“Don’t mind him,” Eric smiled. “he was meant to live in some dystopian novel where he didn’t ever have to talk to other human beings.”
Anna slowly plowed through her desserts as Eric picked at a single brownie. They left the bookstore a half an hour later. Eric walked her toward her car where she dropped her pile of books in the backseat.
“Did you know there’s a lake just on the edge of town?” Anna shook her head and Eric smiled. “Let’s go.”
Anna looked down at her feet, her shoes already pinching her toes.
Eric suddenly knelt down in from of her, running his hand down her thigh, then calf before one hand held onto her ankle and pulled until she lifted her foot. “About a mile or less,” he said, slipping off her shoe. He repeated the same process on her other shoe and she felt a shiver run down her spine at his touch. He stood, holding her heels in one hand and placing a hand at her lower back.
She had never met someone so comfortable with casual physical contact before. It seemed as though Eric always found a reason to touch her. He led her toward the furthest edge of town, across an open field into a thick line of trees.
The sun was starting to set and the woods were getting dark. Where she grew up, there hadn’t been many woods. Her neighborhood had been well maintained, which meant the lawns were cut, the shrubs shaped, and the trees were kept small and ornamental.
As they walked on, every hoot of an owl and rustle of leaves sent her heart into her throat. Eric’s hand at her back started rubbin
g in small circles. “Nervous?” he asked. She shook her head and he chuckled. “Oh please you’re as taut as a bow, baby.” His arm snaked around her hips. “It’s okay. We’re almost there.”
A few minutes later, they finally broke through a clearing. The lake was enormous, framed on all sides by trees making it seem cozy and private despite its enormous size.
“Wow it’s beautiful,” she said, looking over at Eric.
“Glad you like it. Here come over here,” he said, sitting down on a huge rock by the water’s edge. “Let’s rinse off those feet of yours.
Anna sat down next to him, watching as he removed his boots and socks then rolled up the legs of his jeans. He dropped his feet into the water and reached for her leg. “Don’t worry. It’s warmed up quite a bit already.”
Anna let her feet slip beneath the surface of the water and realized Eric must have had dead nerve endings because the water was frigid. “Geez,” she yelped, her hand slamming down on Eric’s thigh. She fought to keep her feet in the water, hoping she would eventually get used to the temperature.
As she tried to remove her hand from Eric’s thigh, suddenly realizing how close it had landed to his crotch, Eric’s hand came down on hers. “Nuh uh,” he announced, holding it in place.
Feeling awkward, Anna dipped her head and watched her feet splash in the water. “So I have an idea,” he said and she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the mischievous smile he was giving her. “Ever go skinny dipping?”
“Are you crazy?” she squeaked. “That water is frigid.”
“Come on,” he said, standing and staring to unbutton his shirt. “where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked and they both knew he was baiting her.
She stood up, feeling uncertain. “One condition.”
Eric smiled, anticipating her condition and turning his back to her. “I swear I wont turn around until you’re in the water,” he said and she believed him.
She undressed quickly, keeping an eye on Eric. Before she could chicken out, she took a deep breath and jumped in. As she hit the water, she let out a string of curses that had Eric laughing loudly.
He gave her a moment before turning around. He stood at the edge of the water, his eyes on her as he stripped off his shirt slowly and dropped it on the ground. He reached for the button on his jeans he said, “Don’t worry baby. You can watch. I’m not shy.”
Anna spun in the water quickly, facing the trees across the lake, her face turning red. She had been staring at him. Taking off his clothes. Finally breaking through the cold-water stupor, what she was doing fully hit her. She was naked. In a lake. And Eric was getting naked too. And then coming into the lake. No one, not even her own mother had seen her naked since she became an adult. Now she was about to be naked in front of Eric.
Anna said a silent thank you to the heavens that the water was deep, so that even standing it reached her collarbones.
Suddenly she felt herself shaking, partly from the cold and partly from her nerves. The water around her moved and she realized that Eric had silently stepped in.
“You can turn around now,” he said, his voice sounding closer than she thought it would be. “All my naughty bits are covered.” Feeling like she had suddenly lost her nerve, she shook her head. “So skittish,” he commented, coming up behind her. She felt his breath on her neck. His arm went around her belly and she jumped, trying to move away. “Shh baby, it’s alright,” he whispered, pulling her back against his chest.
He held her there, standing still and not letting go.
Her mind was racing a mile a minute. She fought the feelings of fear and insecurity, trying to force herself to just… experience something. She had to admit his arm around her felt nice and his chest against her felt strong and comforting.
Feeling her relax, Eric’s fingers tickled her belly. She giggled, trying to pull away. “Much better,” he laughed, turning her around to face him. She squealed hysterically when his fingers found the skin over her ribs.
Then his hand wrapped around her back and pulled her against his chest. Her laughter caught in her throat. She felt her bare breasts crushed against Eric’s hard chest. Her nipples were hard from the cold and strained harder still as arousal started to spread in her body. His hard cock was pushing against her belly. A quiet moan escaped her lips and Eric groaned. “You’re killing me baby,” he said, his face dropping to her neck, his hand moving slowly up and down her spine. She trembled at the contact.
His hand slid up to her face, cupping her jaw line and tilting her face toward his. His deep slate eyes searched hers for a second before he bent and his lips fell on hers. They were hungry and demanding, his lips pushing hers open and his tongue finding its way inside. Her hands slid up his back, digging into his shoulders and pulling him closer.
She had never felt this kind of urge before. It overpowered her, feeling less like desire and more like a need. Like the need to breathe or blink. She felt helpless to do anything but react. Eric’s hands grabbed her hips, his fingertips digging in. She felt his thumbs press into the hollows, dangerously close to where her body was begging to be touched. His teeth suddenly dug into the flesh of her lower lip and a deep groan escaped her.
“Okay,” he said, his mouth close to her ear. “I’m going to stop now.”
But he didn’t. His lips demanded more and more from her until her legs felt like they could no longer hold her. Eric’s hands slipped down her back, grabbing her round ass and using it to push her harder against his erection.
It was only then that her thoughts finally broke through her haze of desire. Too fast. It was all moving too fast, no matter how much she was enjoying it or how much her body was aching for it.
She felt herself stiffen and Eric immediately backed off. His hands stayed on her rear but they were just gently cupping it now. She felt his rapid breath on her face. His forehead came down to rest on the top of her head. “Christ, Anna,” he murmured.
She herself felt shaky, her skin electric and her heart beating too quickly. She rested her head against his chest. His skin felt unnaturally heated even standing in the cold water. The hardness against her belly lessened and she felt a rush of relief despite her arousal. Eric wasn’t going to try to persuade her into something she wasn’t ready for.
“Alright woman,” he laughed, his voice back to normal. “time to cool off,” he said and with that, he none too gently landed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her into the water.
She came up to the surface, sputtering and laughing. “You’re gonna pay for that,” she laughed, treading water and trying to catch him.
“Oh, I’m scared,” he grinned. “Just try to catch me baby.”
They splashed around like that for an hour, laughing and trying not to get drowned by the other. It was strange to her that they could go from so intimate one moment to playing like school children the next.
From their first meeting, Eric’s innate charm and self-confidence made her forget to feel awkward and insecure. There was an effortlessness about her time with him. He seemed to anticipate what buttons to push and when to pull away. Maybe people were wrong about Eric. She didn’t doubt he was a ladies man, but perhaps there was more than that.
“Alright you minx,” Eric called, grabbing her ankle and pulling her toward shore, making her flail out to try to keep her head above water.
Then she felt the palm of Eric’s work-rough hand land on her breast. She hadn’t stopped to realize that by floating on her back, her entire front was exposed above water. A bolt of shock shot from his touch to between her legs.
Eric’s other hand went underneath her, holding her in a floating position. His palm cupping the outer sides of her breast and his thumb ran once over her nipple. His eyes were looking at her chest as he ran circles around her hardened point. Then his eyes came up and found hers. “Tell me to stop.”
Anna felt tension building between her thighs. She wanted his hands on her breasts, teasing her. She wanted his hand between her l
egs. She wanted more. She wanted everything.
“Stop,” her voice whispered out of her mouth, surprising her.
Eric nodded, his hand releasing her breast and helping her to stand up. He rose up out of the water and walked onto land. She watched water cascade down his back and his muscular ass. He reached down, grabbing his boxer briefs and pulling them up his wet legs before turning with a smirk. “Like what you see?”
Anna smiled and shrugged. “Eh, maybe.”
Eric laughed loudly. “Now get your plump ass out here.”
“Plump?” she objected, splashing water at him.
“Plump is a good thing,” he qualified. “It gives a man something to hold onto.” He held out a hand to her. When she didn’t take it, he shook his head at her. “Modesty? Really? I still have your taste in my mouth and your nail marks on my back.” He shook his head at her stubborn set to her jaw. “Fine. Have it your way,” he said, grabbing her bra and panties, laying them on the rock and turning his back to her.
She climbed out of the water quietly, slipping into her bra and panties which felt weird and uncomfortable on her wet skin.
Eric turned then, her dress in his hand and keeping eye contact with her. “You want this or do you want to dry off first?”
“Dry,” she said, squeezing the excess water out of her hair, sitting on the cool rock.
Eric dropped down beside her. “So I’m glad you decided to slip into that little dress and ask me out. I had fun.”
“So did I,” Anna nudged his shoulder with hers. “You’re not as bad as everyone seems to think you are.”
“Shh,” he chuckled. “I have a reputation to uphold.”
“Oh right,” Anna grinned. “You got me into the woods under the pretense of looking for your lost puppy. And then when you got me alone, you made me all kinds of promises to get me to sleep with you. Then up and left without so much as a farewell.”
What The Heart Wants Page 8
