by S. K. Lessly
Well, it seems I’m a glutton for self–punishment because I felt myself falling backwards, apparently going down for a second time. I flared my arms, and suddenly felt a strong arm rope around my waist and pull me forward into a body that felt just as I imagined it would; unbelievable.
Yeah, now I’m completely embarrassed. My face was on fire, and I buried it in my hands. I want to point out, if you haven’t noticed, that I’m still in his arms.
I heard him chuckle. “Wow, I’m flattered. I have that much of an effect on you?”
“More than you know,” I mumbled, then froze.
Now, did I just say THAT out loud? I lifted my face from my hands and saw the sexiest half grin appear on his face. I’m gonna die.
I tried to smile through my embarrassment.
“Well, it seems I’ve done enough running for the morning, as well as embarrassed myself to the fullest. Um…” I finally backed away, watching this time where I was stepping as I went. “…Thanks again for looking at my wrists, and for, you know… saving me.”
His grin turned to a full on smile. “No problem. Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to walk you to your car?”
“Oh no, that’s okay, really. I’m fine. Thank you for offering though. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” he replied, simply. I turned and tried not to show just how bad my knee was killing me.
I didn’t care how stupid I looked trying not to limp, yet failing miserably, at the same time. I needed to get out of there before I found another way to humiliate myself.
An hour and a half later, I was behind the counter of Sara’s Café, where I worked. Sara’s Café was a few blocks south of my apartment on East Carson Street.
Sara’s had been in this neighborhood for a very long time. Her two youngest sons out of six, Stephen and Nicky, and three daughters–in–law, wives of her oldest sons, helped her run the place. It’s a quaint little place with a huge display case where the pastries are kept. There were small tables located on both sides of the café. The middle, of course, was open for patrons. The walls were nicely decorated with family pictures of Sara and her family.
The neighborhood loved her and her family. Sara’s was all about fresh baking, priding themselves on baking from scratch, providing customers with the best homemade pastries in the city. We sold other items besides pastries, but Sara’s was mainly known for its breakfast menus. We sold fresh donuts, coffee cakes, fresh muffins, and croissants. We made breakfast sandwiches on freshly made English Muffins and biscuits. It’s one of the places I loved about this city.
I’d been in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for about two years now. It took a lot of getting used to, being on my own, but I found two and a half jobs that kept me hidden like I wanted and paid me enough that I could afford my bills. Out of all the cities I traveled to, this one was my favorite place to live. I loved this city’s culture and history. I loved the diverse people. The people that I have met have welcomed me without question or hesitation.
I found a small, one–bedroom apartment on the south side of the city just blocks from East Carson Street. Carson Street was filled with all kinds of businesses; from small shops, store front cafés like Sara’s, and tattoo shops, to clubs and bars. It was a great place to be able to enjoy some of what this city had to offer without leaving your neighborhood.
Despite the nightmares, for the first time in my life, I was happy. I didn’t have a lot of money. I shopped in the thrift stores all the time, and I had no car, but I felt fulfilled. I hadn’t stopped smiling since I left New Brunswick, and to be honest, I had no regrets. Sometimes I think maybe something is wrong with me, that I should feel something, guilt for leaving my family maybe, but my family could care less about me.
I did send a postcard to my mom from Alabama, where I stayed for every bit of two weeks, but who knows if it ever got to her. That was five years ago, and I haven’t sent another since. Once I was freed, I was determined to never look back at who I used to be. Kenya Frost no longer existed, and I didn’t want her to be found.
Like ever.
I had a new life now. I had a new identity and a fresh chance on a new life, and by God, I was taking it. I needed to, for once in my life, think of myself. Living free was what I needed. I wanted to dwell in the peace I’d found, and maybe one day I’d be able to really let go of my fears and truly live.
Sara’s had been busy ever since I came in that morning, and I finally finished with the last of the rush. I was about to head to the back when I heard the bell above the door signal another customer. The moment I turned back around, I froze. As a matter of fact, it seems every female in the place froze right along with me.
Melanie, Sara’s daughter–in–law, nudged me, and all I could do was nod and smile. He smiled back, and his eyes never left mine as he approached the counter.
“Are you following me?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood or divert the fact that I couldn’t move my eyes from his.
His smile broadened. “What would you do if I say yes?”
I frowned and started to feel weird. It would be just my luck to find a stalker who is sexy as hell.
Suddenly, Stephen burst out from the kitchen. “Hey, man! Long time no see. Josh, right? How have you been? I haven’t seen you here in a while,” Stephen spoke to my perceived stalker as he shook his hand.
“I’m good, man. I’ve just been taking a break from the sweets.” My stalker then smiled. However, I didn’t see his dimples.
Strange.
“Are you getting the hang of the city? See any of the sights yet?” Stephen asked, raising his eyebrows at him.
“Not yet,” he replied and looked at me. “But I’m hoping to change that soon.”
I blushed.
That was all I could do.
Oblivious, Stephen just laughed. “Well, if you keep hanging out with that crazy group of yours, you’ll be running this town in no time, Josh.”
Josh. I repeated his name in my head and sighed. So now I have a name with the face that will undoubtedly stick with me forever. I didn’t realize that Stephen was gone and that the attention was back on me as I kept staring at Josh.
Josh tilted his head to the side and asked, “How is your knee?”
I felt Melanie nudge me, and I jumped slightly.
“Uh, my what?” I muttered.
“Your knee. I noticed you favoring it as you left the track.”
“Oh, my knee. Um, it’s fine. Thanks.”
We stared at each other for a moment longer when I felt another nudge.
I blinked. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
I’m so embarrassed.
“What can I get you?”
He looked down at our display case, and said, “As I recall, everything is made fresh here, correct?”
“Yes, it is,” I replied, glad for the focus to be on something other than me.
“So, what have you made here that I can try?” he asked and then looked back at me.
“She made the blueberry muffins today,” Melanie said before I could and then smiled at me.
“Really? Then let me have a large coffee and a blueberry muffin…” He paused as his eyes wandered to my chest and studied my nametag. “…Summer.”
Can I just say that the way he just said my name made goose bumps flood my body?
Blushing, I moved to get the items he asked for and rang him up. I handed him his change and his muffin as I said, “I hope you enjoy the muffin.”
His mouth curled into a half smile. “I’m sure I will.”
Then he winked and left. I swear when he passed through the door, every female in the place exhaled.
Me? I went quickly in the back, straight to the restroom to splash myself with cold water and… check my panties.
Joshua
As he got in his car, he shook his head and looked back at the cafe. What were the odds he would see her again?
Earlier when she left the track, Josh watched her walk, or limp, hurriedly away fr
om him, making her hips and ass sway in a way that made his member twitch. He could still smell the coconut and vanilla scent that raided his senses the moment he got close to her.
He woke up about three hours ago with heavy shit on his mind and needed to unwind. There was a gym in his building that he typically used, but for some reason he wasn’t feeling it. So he drove around the city and ended up going over a bridge that brought him on the south side of the city. He saw a school to his right, and he turned that way, hoping that the school also meant that there was a track. A stadium came into view next to the school, and he thought, Even better. When he pulled up, he noticed the gate to the stadium was open. He parked and headed inside.
He needed this run; it’s when he did his best thinking.
As he entered the stadium, he saw her for the first time. She moved past him full speed and was completely oblivious of him being there, but he definitely noticed her. Her stride was beautiful to watch. She wasn’t extremely tall and her legs were beautifully shaped. The muscle in her legs contracted and tightened, showing the strength she had in them. A woman with sexy ass legs turned him on completely.
He could tell by the way she ripped around the track that her need to run was the same as his. It wasn’t for sport or the love of it, even though he actually did love to run. But at this moment, there was a purpose to his early morning run, and the look of focus on her face told him there was one to hers too.
As she came around again, she glanced his way for just a moment, and in a blink of an eye, she was lying on the track flat on her back.
“Oh shit,” he said aloud as he moved quickly to her side.
Thinking back to what happened, Josh could barely remember what he did to help her. Everything was a complete blur. All he remembered was rushing to her, bending down to speak to her with every intention of looking at her wrist until their eyes met. Shit, she was stunning. He instantly became entangled by her beauty, especially her eyes. She had big brown eyes that made her seem so innocent. The urge to protect her suddenly incapacitated him.
He remembered trying his best to concentrate on her wrist. She didn’t break anything, and he did tell her that, but his focus was more on the way her skin felt under his touch, the closeness of her body to his, and the strength he had to summon to prevent him from giving in to the urge to possess her completely. Fuck, he wanted to kiss her, to desperately claim her, and it confused the shit out of him.
What the fuck is wrong with me? he thought to himself.
This wasn’t something that he was used to. He didn’t know this woman from Adam, and he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her into complete submission. Her lips were lustful and soft looking. They seemed extremely kissable, and he instantly thought, What if he sucked on her bottom lip? What sound would she make?
Damn, she was sexy. And what made her even sexier to him was that she didn’t have a clue how sexy she was. She was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on at about five feet, six inches max with short loose–curled reddish, brown hair and eyes that could make him confess all his sins. He was enthralled by her. Her complexion was a flawless caramel color that made her glow when the sun shone on her. And he kept going back to her lips.
When she smiled and blushed… Holy hell, he thought he’d come on himself. He’d never reacted to any woman this way, and it was fucking with his mind. He’d had his fair share of models and model–type women, but this one made every woman he thought was a dime, worthless.
What he needed to do was dismiss the feelings he was having. He didn’t have time for this. He had too much going on in his life right now. But as he traveled on the streets of downtown, he admitted to himself that if he was ever given another opportunity with Summer, he would take it…
Chapter 2
Joshua
Josh was glued to his screen as he took in yet another spreadsheet of data. His eyes were starting to cross but he had to keep looking. He’d been at this for a few weeks now and if he didn’t find something soon, time was going to run out on them.
“Josh, if you don’t give me some kind of hint at what you’re looking for, I won’t know what you need,” Paula said.
“I’ll just know it when I see it, Paula. If the company has some shady dealings or insider trading, it will be in the investments we’ve made for our clients. There has to be something there in order for the Feds to want to investigate us.”
Josh Cooper worked for a highly lucrative and successful banking and investment company in the US Steel building in the city’s downtown area. He was the assistant to the Compliance Officer of the company and had been with the company for a few months now.
The company was in dire straits when he joined. Apparently, there had been allegations of misconduct committed by a few of the execs in the company that dealt with some risky financial investments. It was Josh’s job to make sure that the allegations were just that and that no criminal misconduct was occurring. The company needed to come from this without an SEC investigation, or, if there was one, to make sure they had their ducks in a row. Just having the allegations of misconduct alone could be grounds for the company’s demise.
He started his investigation by getting familiar with the clients before he delved into the investments. The representative that the execs gave him to work with was Paula Davenport. Paula was a driven, successful Assistant Controller and worked directly with the CFO. Paula was all attitude in the office and had the beauty to back it up. She had the confidence of a Black Widow spider, knowing she had serious venom that would take down any man… or woman for that matter.
She was tall, with legs for days, and put those said legs on display every day she was able. She had long wavy brown hair that she wore in a bun most days and stayed in expensive suits. Her lips were pouty, and she had these green eyes that could turn you to stone if you looked too long.
She also had a thing for Josh. Josh knew the instant that they were introduced that she wanted him. She made no qualms about it either, which bothered Josh some. He was there to do his job, not have an office fling.
If things were different, he admitted, he definitely would have fucked her by now, but he had a job to do, and he was dedicated in doing it. No distractions, he told himself, but that all went out of the window the moment he took in Summer. He shifted the crotch of his pants under his desk and shook his head. Just the thought of her had him wanting her.
This shit is unreal.
Josh had been looking through numerous spreadsheets and documents with the help of Paula in his office for hours now. His office was average in size with a dark wooden desk facing the door to his office, a window bringing in natural light, a few cabinets and a table to his right with four chairs around it. Paintings and pictures covered the walls around the room, and synthetic plants decorated the space, bringing a small inviting setting to the office.
Paula was sitting at the glass table across from his desk with her head also buried in her laptop. She crossed her legs, revealing a toned bronzed thigh to Josh. Josh tried to not show he was paying attention, but the woman’s short skirt seemed shorter than normal. He did have to admit, her legs were phenomenal.
“Okay, Josh, I get it,” Paula told him. “But do you have any idea how many clients we have, how much we have invested? It isn’t uncommon for us to get a taste of a good investment and invest ourselves.”
Josh looked up and met her eyes.
“I know that. Just see if something jumps out at you; anything that seems a bit odd for this company to invest in. Pay close attention to the dollar amount, as well as the company. You’ve been here for years, and you know the owner of this company well. You know the company’s characteristics when it comes to investing, so something that’s out of character should jump out at you.”
Paula watched as Josh talked to her. His lips looked so kissable. She couldn’t help but wonder how soft they would feel along her neck. She was determined to find out if it killed her. She never purposefully pur
sued anyone from work, but with Josh, she would make an exception.
“No problem, Josh. I understand. I’ll keep looking and let you know what I find.”
Josh smiled. “That’s all I ask.”
They went back to work and as nonchalant as she could, she asked, “So Josh, are you going to the company dinner?”
Not taking his eyes off the computer, he said, “You mean, the one next Friday?”
“Yes. It’s on Mt. Washington at Maria’s. Have you been on Grandview Avenue since you’ve been here?”
“No, I can’t say that I have,” he replied, finally looking up at her.
She smiled brightly, thinking of the plan to finally get him alone outside of work.
“Well then, that just won’t do. Maybe I can take you out and show you what this city truly has to offer.”
Josh knew a setup when he heard one. He knew her perusal of him wouldn’t go away unless he told her implicitly he wasn’t interested, and since he hadn’t, Paula thought he was fair game.
Josh smiled. “Well, if and when I can figure out what’s going on with this company, maybe I’ll take you up on your offer.”
Kenya
“Hey, Summer, are you working tomorrow night?” Joy, my friend and fellow co–worker, yelled to me.
I was piling my drinks on my serving tray on the side of the bar. I’ve mentioned that I have two and a half jobs. Sara’s is my half job, and honestly, I don’t make that much money there, nor do I spend a lot of time there. It’s just the love of baking. The two jobs I work consistently were my moneymakers; one being Finn’s Bar and Grill. I work at Finn’s on East Carson as a waitress. Finn’s was a very popular neighborhood restaurant that had been here since the mid–90s. The place had laminate hardwood floors, wooden round tables and chairs that were strewn all over the area. There were booths along the walls of the place, a huge jukebox and a large bar that spanned the length of the building. The décor put you in the mindset of pirates and sailing at sea with the many pictures of old ships and nets hanging from the walls. Fake round ship windows hung along the walls of the bar and most of the tables were shaped like the steering wheel of a ship.
