Nothing about tonight was her type of normal. She didn’t go out on dates – and now she was having dinner with a man, hours ago a stranger. She certainly didn’t hang out at the pub yet she was pulling into the carpark.
Oh, well, perhaps he’d start talking or playing pool or darts with the locals and she could excuse herself. After all, if he wanted her company at the house tomorrow, she needed to find something to wear.
Erebus
During the drive, he watched her eyes through her rear vision mirror. For the first time he understood how the eyes could be mirrors to the soul. Felicity was innocent, open, perfect.
Years of treating sex as an industry, a way to make a living had jaded his senses. Used to fulfil other people’s fantasies, he wanted to strip away the fake and superficial, to have a real connection with a woman. Someone like Felicity. He longed to have her eyes open for him as they made gentle love, love, not sex. The delicate coming together of two people, emotionally before physically. An old-fashioned movie style, romantic kind of love.
He didn’t even know her.
She didn’t have a clue about the real him. If she did, there would be no tomorrow, no encouragement to buy the house, and no chance for “them”.
Quickly jumping out of his car, Erebus opened Felicity’s car door, offering his hand to help her out. Their first touch since their initial greeting. This time he didn’t want to let go. It took everything within him to release his grip and settle for a gentle arm around her back as they entered the pub, resisting the urge to do more.
“Felicity, who’s your new friend?” He withstood the glare of the barman. “Not from around here?”
“Fred, this is Mr E. He’s in town on,” she paused, “Business.”
“Business, eh? Not much of that going on here. Anyway, a friend of Felicity is a friend of mine.” Keys and paperwork exchanged, he followed Felicity upstairs to the rooms.
“At least the bed looks clean,” she remarked, opening the window and blinds. He waited for the flirting or suggestive comment that the bed seemed big enough for two. Nothing. Clearly, she wasn’t as affected by him as he was of her.
For once in his life, Erebus didn’t know what to do around a female. He, who stripped in front of thousands, flirted and seduced any woman he pleased and pleased any woman he was paid to, suddenly incapable of doing anything to bridge the gap with this graceful creature.
“It’s only for one night, are you hungry yet?” he quickly closed and locked the door behind them and led Felicity back down to the restaurant, trying to get the vision of her standing next to his bed out of his mind.
“So, what do you recommend for dinner?”
“Well, there’s a ‘cook your own steak’ over the fire pit if you’re game?”
“I’ve never said ‘no’ to a steak – what about you?”
“Are you offering to cook me dinner?” the closest she had come to flirting.
“Well, since someone else has tracked it down, killed and skinned it. Cooking for you is the least I can do after you found me a bed for the night. Without you, I could still be homeless.” He tried his most engaging smile. Surely she wouldn’t be immune?
“I’m sure you would’ve found somewhere to sleep.” Did she mean that? Did she really think he was the type of person who could pick up any random just to get a bed for the night? Perhaps he could if he wanted to, but … no … never … not his style.
In the couple of hours since they had met, what had he done to make Felicity think that way about him?
To hell with this slowly and carefully crap. They were both young, as far as he could tell, single. He’d make one move and see how she responded. If she shot him down, he’d laugh it off as an ambit try and blame her beautiful eyes.
If it worked, well the only thing he had to fear was drowning too hard and too quickly in her eyes.
“Tell you what, you pick the steak and I’ll cook it for you. Then you can tell me all about yourself and this town and convince me to buy a house here.”
“Why would I want to do that.”
“Because,” this time Erebus was willing to take a leap of faith, surely not all the signals being transmitted at the table were innocent, “Of this,” and he took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “I want to get to know you well enough to kiss your hand, and not stop at the tips.”
Felicity
First reaction – run. Second reaction – keep running.
Felicity snatched back her hand, afraid she gave him the wrong impression. She had been polite, professional – how could he know this look, touch and even presence was turning her body inside and out. Had she betrayed herself by the way she looked at him? Smiled at him?
And yet, she couldn’t deny her body and how it responded. There was nothing professional in the way her nipples pushed against the confines of her bra, or the moistness she hoped he would not notice.
Yesterday, a boring school teacher spending her life caring for her father or other people’s children. Tonight, she walked into the room with all eyes upon them.
The hottest guy who had walked into the pub in years, if not generations and he was holding her hand. She didn’t feel boring or a dumped, pitiful ex-fiancée.
With E gazing upon her, she felt beautiful and wanted. Local girls were circling, waiting for her to turn her back so they could get an opportunity to meet E. “Back off bitches,” her eyes warned, reveling in the chance to be naughty and shake things up a little.
Carefully, she replaced her hand, allowing him to take it again. It could be fun to see how other girls lived, “Let’s see how good you are with meat, first” her feeble attempt to flirt was met with a huge grin, and she shivered as his hand found a new home on her back, fingers tickling to find the waistband of her panties as he escorted her to the fire and steak.
Erebus
He never left her side. Together they cooked themselves the perfect steak. He piled their plates high with roast vegetables. For one night only he gave up salad for comfort food. Tonight, the only woman he wanted to think about impressing was already by his side.
“He didn’t!”
“He really did!” she laughed. “I called this student’s home to remind them to bring in the signed permission slip or the child couldn’t go on the excursion. He answered the phone and I asked to speak with his mother.”
“And …”
“He said, ‘mummy’s in the shower’. So of course, I asked to speak to his father and he said ‘daddy’s in the shower, too – you better call back later because they’ll be a while.”
“Do you think he …”
“Knew what they were doing – no. Kids aren’t like that. They believe what they’re told.”
“You sound like you love teaching.”
“I love the kids. I love meeting the new class at the beginning of the year. Getting to know them, building up trust and then watching them amaze themselves with how smart they are.”
“You are amazing.” He never met someone as warm and generous as Felicity.
The hardest part of the evening was when she asked about him. The more he knew about her, her values and morals, the less she’d understand what he did and why he did it. The adoring gaze would turn to repulsion. He wanted to be adored a little longer.
“Everything you need to know about me, you can learn from my knowing my parents and how they raised me. Did I tell you about the time my dad took me onto the building site and I thought I’d help him by counting the wooden floor boards?”
“No.”
He shook his head as she refilled her glass. He needed to keep his wits about him and not say too much.
“I would have been about six or seven, just learning to count. So I got out my textas and wrote numbers on each board.”
“I’m sure he thought it was helpful.”
“Not at all – they were supposed to be the feature floor boards in the house. For the next two weekends, I had to sand off the texta before they could use them!”
“You would have been too young to use a sander.”
“That was the point – I had to sand by hand. With the grain!” He hadn’t thought about that in years. Working with his father had been hard but rewarding.
She looked at her watch with a start. “I didn’t realise how late it was getting.”
“School tomorrow, Miss?” he teased.
“No, it is still school holidays which is why I could come out to the house for Sonia today. It’s just …” He waited as she decided what to say, “I had a lovely time, thank you.”
“No, thank you. Look, Felicity, I’ve had a wonderful evening and I will never think of school teachers in the same way again,” he laughed, “And I think I need to track down a few of my old teachers and apologise for things I would not dream of confessing to you.”
“You can confess anything to me,” she slurred. Oh, but he couldn’t.
“Well, let’s get you home. I’ll walk with you.” Erebus refused to let her drive home after all that wine.
“I’m fine, really I’m fine.”
“You are more than fine, you’re perfect, but not to drive. Let me call you a cab.”
Her beautiful, soft laugh, “There is so much you need to learn about this town. There are no cabs once Mrs Johnston has made Old Bruce his cup of tea. You won’t get a cab until morning!”
“You are kidding? So, all the guys downing one drink after another?”
“That’s why there are so many rooms at the pub. Most of their business is from people who didn’t realize they would need somewhere to sleep it off.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to the sounds of drunken snores all night.” Hopefully, he packed his headphones. Not that he’d get much sleep while thinking of Felicity only a couple of miles away.
“You could stay at my house?”
The conversation didn’t dull as they walked the half mile to her home, yet he didn’t acknowledge her invitation. Felicity’s house was the epiphany of her – structured and orderly, linen on the table and a guest room ready for the surprise guest, complete with embroidered towels.
“As you can see, there’s heaps of room.”
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” her smile so disarming and innocent. In his haste to walk her home before she changed her mind, he hadn’t grabbed a bag or any luggage. With nothing to unpack, he splashed some water on his face, smoothed his hair back and met her again in the kitchen.
“I thought I’d get some fresh bread going for the morning – white or wholemeal?”
His shock was exaggerated but real. Did people really make their own bread, “White is fine. Won’t it take all night to do all the rising?”
“Not at all,” that soft, gentle laugh, “I have an old bread maker that has never let me down. I’ll throw everything in tonight and set the timer for tomorrow morning.”
He watched her hands, every movement with a purpose. Measuring out the flour and water, replacing lids and putting the cannister away, wiping down the bench. Nothing out of place in her house or her. She was perfect.
“Cards or board games?” he asked, not wanting the night to end.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m sure you have one or the other, cards or board games?”
“Actually, I have both. My parents used to play them all the time and my father gave me his collection years ago.”
He watched her bend over to get out a dozen boxes of games from the bottom of an old wooden cupboard. He knew the image of her dress tightened over her curves would keep him awake all night.
The hours passed quickly as they started with cards and then moved to chess where Erebus proved himself a novice to Felicity’s strategic plays. After losing three games, they moved to Monopoly and the smell of rising bread filled the house.
“You realize that its almost impossible to win with only two players – we could go for weeks and never get a result,” he said, reclaiming the rent he paid her in the previous turn with her ill timed landing on his hotel.
“Would that be so bad?” She stretched and appeared shocked at the time.
“I guess,” he drawled, “There are worse games that two people could play.” Torn between wanting her, and not wanting to hurt her. He knew, without asking, she had little experience with men – and no experience with men like him. They had talked all night about their childhood, growing up, her career. Nothing about the intense desire he had for her. If she even suspected, she’d likely throw him out of the house and refuse to have anything to do with him again.
Oh, the things he wanted to do to her. No! He needed to protect her from anything and anyone sullied or control by dark romance, even if it was protecting her from himself.
Still they looked across the board game as he wished the night would never end.
“I’m sorry, but I need to get to bed,” she stood up in a rush, knocking over the board, “Oh, I didn’t mean that, I’m sorry.”
He picked up the board and pieces, putting them back in the box, “You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. It’s late and that’s my fault.” If tonight had to end, he needed something to look forward to, “Let me make it up to you with lunch tomorrow.”
“I’d like that, thank you.” She was shivering in the summer heat. He made her nervous. Hopefully, a good sign. She made him nervous, too.
Felicity walked him down the hallway to where the bedrooms diverged. Turning quickly, she caught him off guard with a kiss to the side of his lips.
Damn woman!
Instinctively, he pressed her against him, enclosing her mouth with his own, wanting her as he had not wanted a woman before. Her mouth opened to him, taking everything he had to give. Oh, he wanted her. Craved her. Shaken by his own desire, he stopped, remembering her inexperience. Again, his need to protect exceeded his need to have her beneath him.
“Felicity,” he caught his breath, “Look, it’s late and we are tired.”
The beautiful rose blush filled her cheeks. Her actions had taken them both by surprise. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” She backed away from him, towards her closed bedroom door.
He wanted to let her go – for her own good.
Their eyes would not let go – he resisted the urge to break down her door with her in his arms.
He needed to say something.
Anything. The longer they stood in silence, the more awkward it became.
“It’s late and these things happen, but I’ll warn you – kiss me like that again tomorrow and I won’t stop you.”
He went inside his bedroom, lying down on the bed he knew he wouldn’t sleep on.
Felicity
Felicity leaned against her closed bedroom door, she looked at her bed with new awe. Would she really have been willing to lie wantonly with a man she only met today, or actually, yesterday?
Clearly, and most certainly, she would have.
Removing her dress, she stood at her mirror looking at her body from his perspective. She touched her breasts, wondering what it would be like to have his tanned hands against her creamy white skin.
Stop it! Again, she forced herself to stop thinking about him in that way. She had found other men attractive, but not followed through. It never seemed right. E was by far the most sexual beast of a man she had ever spent time with, had dinner with – invited to her home to spend the night!
Ahhhhh. Most women wouldn’t be spending their night sleeping in a different bed!
Every part about him oozed sex and yet he remained the perfect gentleman with her. The more he was restrained, the more she wanted to rip the shirt from his body and do the most unspeakable things to him. Things she only read about in dirty romance novels.
She brushed her hair, one hundred strokes, wanting to know if he liked it pulled up or hanging around her shoulders. Would it get in the way if they …
Damn it, she didn’t have time to think about men, especially not
one like E! This year she moved to a different class and her days were spent with illiterate teens, helping them learn to read without losing their dignity. Her spare time was spent caring for her father and his diabetes. Each night spent alone – until tonight when she threw herself at a stranger.
Not a stranger, E.
As she lay awake in her own bed, she heard him tossing and turning. After their kiss, neither of them were sleeping. Perhaps, he was struggling also with what to do.
Felicity watched the clock slowly move forward. Wanting to go to him, and scared if he rejected her, again.
As dawn broke, she couldn’t bare listening to the sounds of competing voices in her head any more. Even if he left town and she never saw him again, didn’t she deserve one night of pleasure?
Even if she never meant anything to him, she wanted to feel what it was like to be with a man like E.
Decision made, she padded across to his room before she changed her mind, again. Opening the door, she trembled as he lay on top of the bed, wearing only white Y-fronts. Even though he seemed relaxed, she could still see every muscle ripped and count his tanned abs. Her bare feet made no sound as she crossed the floor to him, yet his eyes opened to greet her.
“Can’t sleep either?” he asked with the slow smile. Please, she thought, don’t turn me away again.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” she whispered, reaching out to stroke his chest, yes his abs were as hard as they looked. Ahh, she could touch him for hours.
“What do you want to do,” he didn’t stop her, but made no attempt to touch her in return. She did notice his chest moving quicker, almost in time with the pace of her own heart.
“I couldn’t sleep, and you are here and … well, I couldn’t sleep.”
“I see.” Their night had been filled with long pauses. If only she could read his mind. “I take it you don’t often bring men home with you?”
“No!” she was shocked at the question. “Not at all, at least not until you, I mean, now.”
He moved to the side, making room for her, “How about you lie here with me, and we’ll both get some sleep and see where things go tomorrow.”
Who is Erebus: Bad Boy meets Good Girl romance (Bad Boys & Good Men Book 4) Page 3
