Matt rolled her over and looked at her in the dim light. “Baby, there is nothing to apologize for,” he said and kissed her tenderly, stroking her hair softly back from her forehead. He could not believe she was apologizing for some nutcase who’d assaulted her!
Sarah could feel so many emotions coming over her and pulled him down gently to kiss her again. She needed to be held and loved by him, to wipe away the memories. She needed comfort and tenderness. He had been so kind to her, but had given her so much space it was a bit lonely. He was a perfect gentleman, but she wanted her lover too. She was afraid the bruises and marks were driving him away.
Matt kissed her softly at first, trying to be cautious of her still tender lip. He gently laid butterfly kisses along her cheekbone and kissed her chin. He watched as she arched her neck to give him more room in order to keep touching her. Matt raised up on his knees and forearms, and slid her shirt upwards, exposing the two pale globes in the darkness. “Ah God, I have missed tasting these sweet things,” he said, licking each nipple softly and cupping each breast. He knew how she liked him touching her and he wanted to make her feel good, cherished.
Sara slid her knees into the air eagerly parting her legs. She allowed him access to every part of her, aching to be touched. Anything to wipe away the thought of Tyler hitting her and touching her. She could still imagine his angry face and wanted Matt’s loving expression to wipe it from her mind.
Matt drew his fingers all over her body, touching each spot and kissing it tenderly. He slid her panties down her legs and petted her smooth softness. He felt every inch of her skin, delicately kissed and whispered to her softly to make sure she felt secure and wanted to be loved.
Sarah wanted to feel him too. She reached down and tugged at his boxers. She watched as he quickly yanked them downwards to help her. She sighed in contentment and touched his body, needing to feel him.
Matt was trying to take it slow and show her how much he loved her but she was driving him wild. He leaned down and kissed her creamy thighs and teased between, lightly stroking a finger as he kissed her again capturing her tongue with his. Matt settled between her legs and rubbed the tip of himself against her and slowly slid inside inch by inch. He propped his elbows on either side of Sarah’s head and just looked at her, staying still once completely seated in her warmth.
Sarah opened her eyes and tugged at him trying to encourage him to move, she smiled and tried rocking her hips to get a bit of friction. He smiled and kissed her again. Sarah finally laughed nervously, “What are you doing?” she said, trying again to get some motion. She wondered if he was having second thoughts and wondered if the attack by Tyler ruined his desire for her. She felt insecure and could not help it.
Matt swallowed hard and looked at her loving face adoringly. “Sarah, I have never been so scared as I was when I got the phone call from the police. You have made me so happy and given me such peace in my soul. I never want these moments to end with you and I was scared I had lost you, darling. I have been through the loss of a loved one before, I would never be able to continue if I lost you in my life. I can’t lose you,” he said softly.
Sarah looked up at him wide eyed at the intensity in his voice. “For me too, I was so scared I would not see you again or that you would not want me anymore. I was so afraid he was going to kill me,” she confessed, brushing a lock of hair off his forehead, “and that I would not have a chance to tell you how much I love you” she finished in a whisper, looking deeply into those beautiful blue eyes. “I love you Matt Geary,” she repeated, earnestly.
Matt looked at her tenderly at the earnest declaration. “I love you too, princess,” he said softly and kissed her. He kissed her with every ounce of love he had and slowly made love to her. He held, touched, stroked her and made her moan in pleasure. “You're my everything, my world,” he whispered and began to pound into her more fiercely. He tried to be gentle as possible but he wanted to be one with her and his desire took over. He leaned down and suckled on a nipple as he continued to drive himself into her. He grasped her hips and arched them, grinding himself into her quivering heat.
Sarah could feel the passion blossoming, her body milking his shaft and shattering her into a thousand pieces. His intensity made her feel loved, it did not frighten her. She needed him to lose control, to love her wildly. She needed him to drive out any fears or memories so that it was only them that mattered.
Matt drove again into her body against her clit, felt her explode and let out a shout of his own as he lost his essence into her. He stayed with her, kissed her and held her. He heard her tell him again of her love. Matt held his hand over her heart as she fell asleep. He would always try to protect her heart.
23
The next morning, Sarah awoke before the alarm. She was excited to be heading in to oversee the alarm installation and the fact that she planned on opening up today. She was also terribly nervous that Tyler would show or watched the bakery. She wondered how bad the shop looked. She anticipated that the food in the cases had molded and assumed there was debris everywhere to be cleaned.
She got ready quietly and started the coffee for the two of them. She heard Matt get up and get into the shower. Sarah poured him a cup and took it to him in the bathroom, setting it on the counter and drawing a heart in the steam on the mirror. She was so happy and content. He loved her.
Matt turned off the water and grabbed her, clothes and all. “Morning, gorgeous,” he said kissing her and holding her to his wet body. He heard her squeal, “Stop it,” and laughed when she exclaimed, “you're getting me all wet.” That was the idea!
Matt kissed her again, and said devilishly, “I plan on really getting you wet later.” He watched as Sarah blushed hotly and stammered, abashed by his lecherous remark. Matt laughed as she walked off. He loved making her shy around him and she was adorable when embarrassed.
Matt finished getting ready, tossing on shorts and a T-shirt. He planned on getting new locks for the bakery today when they installed the alarm. He also planned on putting new ones on her condo. Matt was also going to take her back to the store and get something a bit stronger than the little mace cans she picked out, he thought wryly. If Tyler came back, he wanted her to be able to make sure she could get away, not piss him off.
They headed out together and arrived at the bakery. He would not let her go in yet until he checked it. Sarah waited in the locked car until he walked though the shop and waved her in. Sarah walked in and flipped on the fryer like normal. She then surveyed the kitchen. Matt was in the corner picking up bits of the chair that had collapsed when Sarah fell. He had also gathered up some yellow police tape and had it wadded in his hand. Matt stood and looked at Sarah as he tried to gauge her reaction. He didn't want to see her cry again, she had shed enough tears.
Sarah stood silently, hands clenched, staring at the floor. There was her blood on the floor next to her workstation table where she had awoken. She was furious. “I am going to get a gun,” she said calmly, fury evident in her voice, “because I am going to shoot his worthless hide.”
She hated guns, they scared her, but the thought of using one on Tyler had its appeal. She did not intend to get a ‘peashooter,' she intended to do some damage if she ever had to fire at him in defense. She intended to take off a limb if she ever saw him in her store again. She was never going to be helpless again.
Matt nodded in agreement and felt a bit of relief. He was glad she would have a way to protect herself, as long as she didn't injure herself. He would take every measure he could to make sure she was safe at her shop or at home, especially if she was alone.
Sarah got out the cleaner and quickly wiped down the entire front of the shop. She then moved back into the kitchen area and began cleaning there too. She wiped down all the counters, ran the dishes thru the washer and grabbed a trash bag. Sarah threw out the food that was left in the case, the bags of day old bread-that were now almost a week old, and grew more determined to open back up. She opened
the till, and shut it again. Tyler had emptied it before leaving. Figured.
Matt said nothing, got out his wallet, opened the drawer and put several notes inside of the trays inside the till. Sarah looked at him questioningly and surprised by the gesture. “So you can make change when you open today,” he said supportively and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Do you have anything to put back in the case?” he said trying to get her busy so she didn't focus on what Tyler had done.
Sarah loved him more and more. She was so touched that he knew her so well, that she would want to open back up so quickly. “I should have some things and I will need to prop the front door open, so people can see that I am open again. I do not want the little sign to be the only indication that BatterUp! is open. I need a big day to make up for lost profits,” she said hopefully.
“I think I am going to make something fun since I do not have yeast donuts in the warmer,” she made a face and yelled, “ewwww!” Sarah raced over to the warmer. She held her breath, grabbed the large bowl that was in the warmer, dumped it quickly into the trash. “As I was saying, since I do not have a fresh batch of yeast dough I am going to fry up churros and bundle them. It is going to be a bit different but fun!” she said lightly. She got out her double boiler and started the pot on the stove.
Sarah opened her refrigerator case and sighed in relief. Tyler had not touched her stock. She got out several loaves of dough she had stored carefully, ingredients for the churros, and happily saw the cakes she had made were all perched on the shelves and untouched. The panne cotta ramekins would have to be tossed. It was not safe to serve. She stacked the ramekins on the counter and would wash them out.
She placed the cakes and cupcakes on the workstation to thaw. Sarah saw Matt had started the coffee maker for her and was presently pulling out the mop from the cabinet. Sarah offered to make some soapy bleach water for the mop head.
Matt insisted he would take care of it for her. “Go ahead and start baking. I can do this for you. I can firmly say that you do not want me to do that” he said pointing at the food on the workstation. He refused to let her clean up her own blood off the floor. He was surprised to see it there and infuriated again at Tyler that he had caused injury to her. Mopping and cleaning would get his mind off of him picturing the different ways he would injure Tyler if he ever saw him again.
Sarah laughed joyfully at his comment and grabbed the dough, placing the loaves in shaped pans so each had a pretty pattern in the case. She took a few of the loaves and cut them, made bread knots, placed them on a pastry sheet and glazed them with an egg yolk wash. The case would not be full, but it would be very appetizing. She quickly made up the churro dough and set it aside. Sarah then mixed up the buttercream frosting and put it in the small freezer to cool quickly so she would pipe it onto the cakes. She would be a bit late opening up the shop at this rate, however, it would open.
Sarah put the churro dough in a large pastry bag equipped with a large star tip. She squeezed out multiple sticks of dough and cut them, carefully dropping them into the fryer. She repeated this pattern over and over again. Sprinkling the warm donut sticks with cinnamon and sugar. She placed four to five sticks in several different decorative cups and tied each group with a curly ribbon. Presentation was everything sometimes. Once she finished the dough, she grabbed the butter cream and filled a new decorating bag.
“I wanted to make large frosting rosettes and elaborate shells on each cake” she said quietly as she worked. “I just don't have the time and I need to keep it simple so I can get it out there in the case. Do you think I should just slice it and wrap it individually or do you think I should leave the cake whole? I could cut a few slices and just count on the cupcakes selling first?” she asked Matt without looking up from the icing bag that was carefully moving over the cupcakes.
Matt felt out of his element. He liked sweets, but never planned on how they should look. He just ate them and honestly didn't care how they looked as long as it tasted great. “Baby, I just do not know,” he said helplessly, “I do not know anything about running a bakery, however I do know your food is amazing. Maybe leave the cake whole and cut two or three slices? So you have the best of both options and can cut more?” he said trying to be supportive.
Sarah finished with the cake, stood back to survey the top that was carefully frosted and shook her head. It needed something eye catching. She moved to the cupcakes and began frosting them while she thought on what to do to the ‘centerpiece’ of the case today. It was going to have to be the centerpiece, she just did not have much this morning. Sarah pulled the rolls out of the oven to cool and checked the loaves, returning them back to the oven. Almost done!
Sarah snapped her fingers and headed back to the refrigerator. She put the double boiler on again and dropped the melting chocolates in the pot. Sarah picked up a massive marble slab she used for pie crusts and Matt ran over to carry it for her. “Can you put this in the freezer,” she asked him, “back along the rear wall where all the frost is at? I need it cold fast.” She stirred the chocolate several times, making sure it was melting evenly.
Matt finished with the floor, no sign that there was ever any blood present. He offered to carry the trays of food to the front case for Sarah, while she continued at the stove. He slid open the case, grabbed a tray and put it inside carefully trying to make sure the little cups did not turn over, spilling everywhere. He slid three trays in and closed the case.
Sarah turned off the stove, leaving the chocolate in place, and moved towards the case to place the cupcakes towards the front. She had him slide the tray of bread knots underneath the cupcakes and Sarah removed the loaves from the oven. Last thing to go in the case would be the cake and then she was ready to go!
Sarah grabbed the cold marble slab and placed it on the work station. Matt watched Sarah move, fascinated with the process. She poured the cooling chocolate on the icy slab and carefully spread it evenly with what looked like a putty knife. Once it was spread, she took the knife and carefully placed the same knife at an angle and curled the chocolate. She kept scraping at the marble until she had a stack of beautiful, dark, chocolate curls. She picked them up gingerly and placed them haphazardly on top of the large stacked cake. The broken curls she chopped up and used them to surround the base of the cake. She stepped back, surveyed her work and said, “That will have to do for now.”
It was not quite what she had in mind, but it was lovely. She grabbed several small plates, placed doilies in each and grabbed a large knife. She carefully sliced the cake and carried the small slices towards the awaiting plates. She slice the large cake a few more times and moved the sliced pieces to the case. She cleaned off a few of the broken crumbles from the wedge that was now present in the cake to make it look ‘clean’ in the case and put the cake in place.
Sarah circled the display case and eyed it critically. “Not bad! I think this will do today!” she said happily and flipped on the open sign and propped open the front door as the sun began to rise over the sleepy town.
Matt poured them both a cup of coffee and came to sit with her and wait at one of the tables. He looked over at Sarah’s eager face and was relieved to see that the bruising had faded a lot, just a small discoloration here and there. Hopefully none of her clients would comment on it, bringing up memories. He just wanted her to focus on the day and not think of what had happened.
It was not long before she had cars pull into the diagonal parking spots in front of her little shop. Customers came in and hugged her carefully, relieved to see her okay and asked what had happened. Sarah carefully said she was glad to be better and be back at work, but did not give any more details.
One of the benefits of living in a small town was that gossip ran rampant and she knew that they already were aware of what had happened to her. Her customers were the people she had grown up with or had grown up with their kids, it was a very close knit community so it seemed natural to hug each one that walked in to purchase that morning,
she was so happy to see each of them and they were happy to see she was okay.
Matt sat back at the table and let her handle the flow, he did not want to be in the way and she needed to get back into the ‘swing’ of it. He was content to see her smiling and enjoying herself. He saw the alarm van pull in up front and went out to usher them around back of the building. He walked through the shop, gave Sarah a kiss on the cheek as she spoke with Millicent Clark, thanking her for all her help that day.
Matt opened the rear door of the bakery and let the two technicians into the kitchen. They set up sensors on the door and installed a keypad next to the light-switch with panic buttons if needed. The panic buttons would alert the police and they would arrive within minutes, guns drawn, according to the installer.
Sarah invited them to have a slice of the cake she worked on this morning, while they waited until the front of the shop cleared out somewhat. She did not want to scare anyone that she was having an alarm installed.
Matt thought it might be a good idea that word got around the town, so that it might get back to Tyler. The two men thanked her for the cake and happily wolfed it down. Matt pulled Sarah aside and quietly told her his thoughts on the alarm. “Baby, I think you should let people see that you are protected now and that your shop is secure. It is bound to get back to Tyler and may deter him. If it does not get back to him, maybe the police will catch him if he tried ever to break in... I do not think it is going to hurt things to let people know,” he said encouraging her.
Sarah could see his logic, but it still bothered her a bit having to get the alarm system. Small towns should not have to mess with alarms, she thought, but maybe she was being naive and this was not such a small town anymore. There were people she didn't know that came into the shop and new people all the time.
Sweet Heat Rising (Thoroughbred Men Series) Page 15
