Tempting Her Neighbor (a Georgeville novella)

by Laura Jardine

  Not that it would satisfy him.

  Chapter Six

  “Should we go in?” Jenna stopped in front of an old limestone building on Main Street. There was a big red banner strung between two large maple trees, and people milled about the lawn, drinking coffee from paper cups.

  Rachel grabbed her friend by the elbow and dragged her away. “Oh, yes. I’m so excited to go into the bed and breakfast where John A. spent one night more than a hundred years ago. Remember how they used to make us go every year in elementary school?”

  It was the day of the Georgetown Heritage Festival. The only “heritage” the town boasted was an old house in which the first Prime Minister of Canada, John A. MacDonald, had supposedly stayed sometime back in the eighteen-seventies. He hadn’t done anything of note here. But this was the town’s biggest claim to fame.

  “What do you think John A. did while he was in town?” Jenna asked.

  “Probably got very, very drunk,” Rachel said, and her friend laughed.

  Aside from free tours of the bed and breakfast and the town hall, there was a midway in the arena parking lot, which was where they were headed now. Rachel could hardly miss the town’s only festival, even if it was rather lame.

  It was a beautiful afternoon. Warm and sunny. She pushed her sunglasses down over her eyes.

  They soon reached the midway, which boasted a handful of rides and games and concession stands. Nearly everyone here was a local, though usually a few tourists stopped in on their way to one of the parks up north.

  “Let’s go on the Berry-Go-Round,” Jenna said after they’d bought strips of tickets.

  “No, no,” Rachel said. “We have to enter the raffle before we do anything. Aren’t you excited to win”—she looked at the prizes—“a giant stuffed moose or a tricycle? A free meal at the diner?”

  They would end up doing everything, and it would take them only an hour or two.

  After entering the raffle, going on the Berry-Go-Round, and listening to Mrs. Johansson brag about her grandchildren for ten minutes, they headed over to play Skee-Ball.

  “I am so going to kick your ass today,” Rachel said to Jenna.

  “Really? Last year you never got more than ten points with a single ball.”

  “Oh, yeah. I sucked last year. I think I overdosed on cotton candy first. But this year, I’m cotton candy-free and completely sober. Unlike John A. probably was when he spent his night in Georgeville.”

  Jenna went first. She was given nine balls, and the best she got was hitting the thirty-point hole, for a total score of a hundred and thirty.

  “One hundred and thirty?” Rachel said as she handed over her tickets. “That’s nothing.”

  With her first ball, she got ten points.

  With her second ball, she also got ten points.

  “You sure you haven’t been drinking?” Jenna asked from the sidelines.

  “Shut it. Master at work. I require complete concentration.”

  Rachel made a big show of taking a few deep breaths and closing her eyes before she rolled her next ball up the ramp. She could hardly believe it when the ball landed in the fifty-point hole.

  “Look at that!” she shrieked with fake enthusiasm.

  Well, mostly fake. She sucked at Skee-Ball, despite her bravado, and she was a little pleased with herself.

  But really. It was just Skee-Ball.

  “What happened?” The male voice came from behind her.

  Rachel turned and smiled at Darrell Summers. “I just got fifty points!” She rolled the next ball and got twenty points. “Dammit.”

  “Are my sexy good looks distracting you?” he asked.

  Darrell had been an awkward-looking kid, but he was quite the eye candy now. Tall, with short brown hair and a teasing smile. Good-looking enough to attract lots of female attention.

  “Oh, yeah. So distracting,” she said, and Cole’s face immediately popped into her mind.

  She wondered if he would be here today, and her heart beat faster at the thought.

  But he had probably locked himself in his apartment to do…whatever he did in his free time.

  Still, perhaps he would show up, but she couldn’t imagine he’d actually go on any rides or play any games. Though if she saw him, she’d certainly challenge him to a game of Skee-Ball. It would probably take a lot of coaxing, though. She imagined him standing at the edge of the parking lot, arms crossed over his chest, scowling at the sun.

  Hm. She could buy him some cotton candy.

  She giggled at the thought of Cole holding a stick of pink cotton candy.

  “What’s so funny, sweetheart?” Darrell asked.

  “Oh.” She shook her head and picked up the next ball. “Nothing.”

  Rachel wasn’t able to repeat her fifty-point shot. Or even get another ball in the thirty- or forty-point holes. After eight turns, she had a hundred and thirty points. Her ninth ball netted her another twenty points.

  “I win!” she said, putting her hands in the air.

  “My turn,” Darrell said. “I bet you I can beat your score with only four balls.”

  “Fine. If you can get over a hundred and fifty points with four balls, I’ll buy you a corn dog or some cotton candy. Your choice.”

  “I’ll choose the corn dog.”

  “Yeah? I think there’s a good chance you won’t win anything.”

  Three balls later, he had a hundred and forty points.

  Jenna shook her head. “You have to be cheating. How is that even possible? How did you get fifty points twice in a row?”

  “Do you have Skee-Ball in your backyard and practice in your spare time?” Rachel asked. “That’s pathetic.”

  He winked at her. “Shh. I’m not telling you my secrets.” He rolled his fourth ball and got another thirty points. “Well, that was a bad turn. But you still owe me a corn dog.”

  “Fine, fine. Even though I think you must have been cheating.”

  “Me, cheat? I’m always honest.” He laughed and rolled his fifth ball up the ramp.

  He ended with three hundred points.

  “I’m going to talk to Theo’s sister,” Jenna said to Rachel, nodding to the corner of the parking lot. “Catch up with you later?”

  “Yeah,” Rachel said. “I guess I have to buy somebody a corn dog now.”

  Rachel and Darrell headed toward the food section of the parking lot, and soon they each had a corn dog in hand. She looked at the corn dog…and she could only think of one thing.

  She sucked the first inch of the corn dog into her mouth, then slowly released it without biting, swirling her tongue over the top. It was such a stupid, immature thing to do, but it was what people expected of her.

  And it didn’t really matter—she was leaving this town soon. She kind of wanted to glory in her reputation for the little time she had left here.

  “You hinting at what you want to do later?” Darrell asked.

  She flashed him a smile. “Nah, not today.” Not with you, anyway. If a certain someone was interested, however…

  “Want to go on the Ferris wheel?”

  “Sure.”

  It was a tight fit in the tiny Ferris wheel seat with a man as big as Darrell, but they managed.

  Rachel took a bite of her corn dog as they waited for the Ferris wheel to start. “How’s the garage? Is it weird without your dad there?”

  Darrell was an auto mechanic, and now that his father had retired, he’d taken over the garage that his old man had owned for decades.

  “Going all right,” Darrell said. “Charlie and I manage okay. But it’s strange that now it’s really mine. What’s new with you?”

  She shrugged. “Not much. You know how it is. I got a new neighbor—I guess that’s the most exciting thing that happened.”

  “Is he nice?”

  “Ha. No. But that’s fine.”

  The Ferris wheel started, and soon they were up above the highest building in town. Which, to be honest, wasn’t very high at all. On
e day, perhaps, she’d visit England and go on the London Eye—now that would be cool.

  Darrell looked at her quizzically. “You okay, Rach? You seem a little spacy, and you’re at the heritage festival. Come on, it’s exciting.”

  She shook her head. “It really isn’t. Unless you’re a little kid. Speaking of which, I’m supposed to meet my sister and nephew soon, so I’m going to abandon you after this thoroughly romantic Ferris wheel ride.” She paused. “I’m just fine. Really, I am.”

  When she got home, she would start looking for apartments in Toronto and Ottawa, where there were more exciting things to do than go to the festival that she’d been to every year of her life.

  Although it was fun to spend an afternoon with her friends, she couldn’t help longing for more.

  Chapter Seven

  The McNeil Trail was an old gravel road which had once led to the McNeils’ house, until it had burned down a few decades ago. Now the trail through the woods was popular with dog owners.

  That’s what Cole had heard from a few people who’d insisted on striking up conversations with him over the past week, when he was at the grocery store or the bank or getting out of his car. And since he had nothing else to do on Saturday after dinner, he decided to check out the trail. It shouldn’t be too busy at this time of day—it was nearly dusk.

  A small sign marked the beginning of the old road. He walked quickly, eyes on the ground, hands shoved in his pockets. Not that he wasn’t enjoying himself—he was. It was pleasantly warm, and there was a slight breeze. No noise except for the crunch of gravel under his shoes and the occasional bird.

  In Toronto you could never get this kind of solitude. There was the noise of traffic, if nothing else, and he never felt quite as alone as he did now.

  For Cole Sampson, that was a good feeling.

  Another thing he liked about Georgeville was how it actually got dark at night. In the city there were always lights, and the sky was never filled with stars the way it was here. Perhaps he’d get a telescope. Astronomy sounded like a good, lonely hobby.

  He walked along, focusing on the clean scent of the air, the birdcalls, the pine and maple trees that surrounded the path. Trying to empty his mind of everything except what was right in front of him.

  But then a new sound interrupted the peace—footsteps other than his own. He looked up and saw Rachel coming toward him on the trail. In the evening light that filtered through the trees, she looked almost ethereal, as though she’d stepped out of his dreams.

  He’d had a number of dreams about Rachel lately. None of which had involved walking through the woods.

  “Hi, Cole.” She came to a stop in front of him.

  He stopped, too. “Rachel.”

  She was wearing jeans and a loose white shirt made of some kind of light fabric. As he looked at her, he thought of all the things he wanted to do to her, all at once. Pushing down her shirt to expose her rosy nipples to his mouth, yanking down her jeans and panties and entering her from behind…

  “Nice night for a walk, isn’t it?” she said.

  “It is.” He focused on the sparkling blue of her eyes rather than the rest of her body.

  “Nice night for a peaceful walk alone. I assume that’s what you’re after.”

  “You assume correctly.”

  “I didn’t see you at the heritage festival this afternoon.”

  “I heard about that. Not really my scene.”

  She looked down the trail. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  “I’m not unhappy to see you.”

  Her brow rose. “Even though I’m interrupting your peace and quiet?”

  “I don’t mind. But maybe you mind, because I turned you down last night.” Though she was the one who’d stopped to say hello.

  Why on earth was he continuing this conversation?

  Because he didn’t want her to leave, was desperate to hear more words come out of her mouth. This wasn’t like him.

  Well, she was really hot. He longed to reach out, run his finger over her bottom lip, slip it inside her mouth.

  Slip his finger inside other parts of her body, too.

  “I was going to leave you alone for a few days,” she said. “Let you think about what you’d missed. Let you fantasize about having me between your sheets. But since you brought it up…” She stepped closer. The air seemed hotter now. Heavier. “I know you want me. That’s obvious.” She looked pointedly at his crotch. “So, why did you say no? Is being in bed with me too much social interaction for you?”

  A few strands of hair had escaped from her ponytail. He itched to tuck them behind her ear.

  “No,” he said. “It’s not.”

  When he didn’t elaborate, she said, “Are you a relationship guy rather than a casual sex kind of guy?”

  “No.”

  “Didn’t think so.” She put her hand on her hip. “So. What is it? Why’d you say it would be a bad idea?”

  His eyes traveled down her body, to the pink toenails peeking out of her sandals, then back up. “I don’t know.”

  He really didn’t know. His world didn’t seem real right now. On this unfamiliar trail in this unfamiliar town… He’d been walking along, and suddenly this gorgeous woman had appeared out of the fading light. Like she was a forest spirit. Nothing that had happened before mattered. Nothing that would happen after mattered, either. It was just this moment, and he would seize it. Everything else seemed to fall away.

  He closed the distance between them and wrapped one hand around her waist. With his other hand, he pushed back the strands of her hair that had been bothering him. And then he set his lips to hers.

  …

  Rachel hadn’t expected him to kiss her. She’d expected he would need a little coaxing to get to this point again.

  But she was glad that wasn’t necessary.

  She had set out less than an hour ago, needing some fresh air. She’d reached the end of the trail maybe fifteen minutes ago, and then she’d turned around to go home. And she’d seen Cole. His rough look fit in perfectly with the woods. Unshaven, too-long hair, broad chest.

  At first he’d been gentle with his kiss, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. But now he pulled her hair and tipped her head back as he moved his lips over hers. He worked her mouth with uneven, demanding strokes that made need pulse in her core. It wasn’t a kiss that had incredible technique, but every stroke was imbued with such desire that it made her legs weak and shaky. How was he having such a powerful effect on her?

  She grabbed his shirt and walked backward, off the trail. Her back hit a tree, and she stopped.

  “Careful,” Cole murmured.

  She slid her hands under his shirt and up his chest. He was hard and masculine and just right. Just right for her, for right now. She unbuttoned his pants with one hand and grasped his cock.

  Hell yes, that’s better.

  She moved her hand up and down his shaft, then ran her thumb over the head of his cock, imagined it splitting her open, pushing all the way in until he was coated in her wetness. That moment when a man entered her, when her aching emptiness was replaced with an intense fullness… She loved it.

  But first, she wanted to do something just for Cole.

  She dropped to her knees. A few twigs crunched as she moved around and pushed him against the tree, then settled in front of him. She pulled his cock out of his pants and boxers, and exhaled unsteadily when she saw it jutting upward and begging for attention.

  “Ever had a blowjob in the woods?” she asked.

  It seemed like he was waiting for her to put her mouth on him, like he hadn’t expected her to give him a chance to answer. But finally he said, “No.”

  “I know you want to. The question is, are you going to let me?”

  She raised her eyes to his. His face was still dark and serious, but she could see a hint of recklessness in him. He wasn’t completely in control of himself. Not out here in the woods, with a woman he barely knew on her knees before him
.

  He would let her. She knew he would. But she wouldn’t do it until he said so.

  His lips parted, and she waited for the word, barely able to resist putting her mouth on his erection. To see him lose it even more.

  She ran her hand over his cock. It was hard and smooth, a thing of beauty, and it would feel so perfect inside her. She pumped up and down, and his head fell back, eyes closed.

  “Yes,” he said, his voice slightly strangled. “Yes.”

  “Good.” She opened her mouth to take him.

  He thrust toward her, his hands wrapping around the tree behind him, and groaned.

  She reveled in his response. She kept licking him, sucking him, learning how he responded. Getting more and more aroused the longer she had her mouth on him. Her body demanded more, demanded she ease the ache in her pussy, but she ignored that urge and focused on Cole.

  He didn’t speak as she pleasured him. He bucked against her, and she could feel the tension from his growing need for release, but he said nothing. She looked up and saw that the harshness had slid off his face. He was vulnerable like this, needing someone else for once.

  She hadn’t planned on making him come with her mouth. But now she had to. She tightened her hand around the base and sped up.

  “Rachel,” he groaned, “I’m going to…”

  She didn’t pull back, and he jammed his cock deep and filled her mouth with his cum. She got an odd thrill from having him finish inside her mouth—she’d never felt quite like this with another guy. But holy fuck, this was good. She looked up at him as she swallowed it all and licked her lips.

  When she stood up, legs unsteady, he shook his head and whispered, “I can’t believe we did that.”

  “It wasn’t a dream. I was there, too. You better believe it happened.”

  She hoped he would be ready to go again soon. She wanted to fuck here, the twigs and pine needles on the forest floor scratching her back. Or they could do it against the tree. She needed her body to be joined with his, needed to shudder around him and cry out his name.

  His sated expression faded. Good. He was ready to get it on already.

  “I came,” he said. “In your mouth. I’ve never…” He sounded dazed, like he couldn’t wrap his mind around it all.