When We Kiss

“The anaconda in your pants.” She gives me a quick kiss on the lips, and I snatch the panties off her finger. They’re in my pocket before she can protest.

“Andy…” I shake my head.

She hops to her seat again, flipping down the visor and touching up her makeup. “I need to shower. I’ll have to make do in the bathroom.”

“You’re beautiful, you know?”

That gets me a sly look from the corner of her eye, and a sexy little grin. “You’re trying to spoil me.”

“I’d love to spoil you.” Reaching out, I smooth her hair off her cheek, resting my hand behind her neck. “I’ll make you forget all the assholes who came before me.”

Her lips press together, and she blinks a minute, thinking about my promise. Something changes in her face, a softness is there, a thoughtful expression.

She tilts her head to the side, and when she looks at me her tone is quiet, serious. “I think you would.”

“So let me.”

He brow furrows, and her eyes flicker away.

I want her to say yes, but instead, she grabs the door handle.

She’s out so fast, I only catch the hem of her skirt as it flicks past the bumper. I turn in my seat to see her jogging up the trail back to town, leaving me with the scent of her all over my clothes, and a promise hanging in the air.

Eighteen

Tabby

“Tomorrow’s the big day, right?” Emberly holds a bowl of jet-black batter as she stands in front of a large sketch of the queen of hearts and different sized cake pans. “Or is it tonight? Does it happen at midnight?”

I’m coming out of the bathroom after having spent a few minutes cleaning up. Andy the Anaconda leaves a big mess when he’s happy.

“What are you talking about?” I’ve tied my hair up in a messy bun again, and even after washing my hands, I’m still convinced I smell like Sex with Chad Tucker.

My stomach tingles remembering all of it… riding his big dick, kissing his soft lips… I’d love to spoil you.

The man is so fine. He’s perfect…

Nobody’s perfect, I remind myself.

“The website?” Emberly stops stirring and gives me a frown. “You said the soft open for Travel Time is tomorrow. You are so distracted these days! Is Chad Tucker so good in bed you can’t think?”

My jaw drops, and I feel my cheeks get hot.

It makes her burst out laughing. “I knew it. You’ve been fucking Deputy Tucker.”

“Emberly!” I look all around the empty store. “Shh! They’ll hear you.”

“Nobody’s here but us. Anyway, they already seem to know. André said a familiar truck was parked outside your house all night on Sunday. I guess my scone disaster had me too distracted. I’m not even going to start on how mad I am at you for not telling me.”

Excitement mixes with dread mixes with nerves mixes with cautious glee—it’s all churning in my guts.

“It’s happening so fast.” I walk slowly to the table, thinking. “It’s happening too fast. I don’t know what to make of it. I didn’t want to tell you until I knew what I thought about it.”

A vase of dried flowers is on the enormous, weathered wood table where Emberly does all her prep work. Sunlight streams through the big glass windows, and the place is empty except for the little register at the front and empty glass cases we hope to fill one day with a selection of large, specialty cakes and cookies.

“And you’re worried about that why?” She goes back to mixing, taking a moment to pour the black batter into one large round and three smaller square pans.

I lean against the table, trying to find the right words to express how I feel. “Remember how we used to say we were going to backpack around Europe together?”