Light Me Up

After I checked on the deputies and cleared my schedule for an hour, I walked across the street and down a block to The Witch’s Brew. Locals filled up the outdoor tables, eager to start the al fresco season, even if it was still cooler than ideal. I tugged on the door and stepped inside, the scent of some delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter hitting my nose. Sara wasn’t behind the counter, and I felt the striking disappointment deep in my gut. Huh.

“Well well well, look what we have here.” I turned to my right and saw Ellie sitting at a table by the window, her lips turned up into a smirk that was far too reminiscent of her brother’s.

“Well hey there, El. How’s it shakin’?”

“Moving and shaking like always. You here for lunch?” She looked at her watch. It was past two, but she didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

“Guilty. Got caught up with work.”

“Wanna join me?”

“Sure. Let me grab something.”

I turned to the counter and looked at the menu board of lunch specials. As I was deciding between the roast beef on rye and the southwest turkey panini, the kitchen door swung open and Sara walked out, a burst of pure beauty.

I don’t know when the hell I started thinking stuff like that, but it was true. She wore a loosely-tied apron, but underneath was a little wispy dress that landed just above her knee. It flowed around her as she walked. Her hair was pulled back in a bun today, but she had little curly bits out around her face. She’d done something to her lips that made them pinker than usual. I thought about how soft those lips felt against mine, how I’d die to feel them around my cock.

When she saw me, she stopped in her tracks, just for a second. I could see the gears turning, and I wondered how she’d approach the situation. Within a second, her features were schooled into that confident look I knew so well. Like she didn’t have a care in the world. It probably fooled everyone else, she was that good. But I knew her. I knew her mind was running a mile a minute.

“Hey there, hippie.”

“Sheriff.”

“You’re looking good today.” She rolled her eyes but I could see a faint red blush appear on her brown cheeks.

“You here to order or just to be annoying?”

“Complimenting you is annoying?”

“Yes, when it’s you doing it.” Her eyes rolled again, but she couldn’t hide the uptick of the corners of her lips. And just that little hint of a smile caused a real one to break out on my face. Maybe I didn’t want to fight with her. Maybe I didn’t want to get her out of my system. Because the idea of making Sara smile had just become my new favorite thing.

“Well I’ll keep doing it anyway, since I can’t deny the truth. Plus, I like the way you look, especially when you get all flustered.

She huffed out a laugh. “I am not flustered.”

“Mmmhmm.” I studied the menu board again. “I think I’ll take that turkey panini special you’ve got going on today.”

She stared at me, that incredulous look still on her face, and damn she was cute. But then she shrugged and stepped forward to the register and punched in my order.

“Anything to drink?”

“Just a bottle of water.” I grabbed one from the cool case to the side of the counter and flipped it in the air, catching it smoothly.

“Ten-fifty,” she said, holding her hand out. I pulled my wallet out of my pocket and gave her a twenty. When she handed me back my change, I accidentally-on-purpose let my hand clasp hers. She jumped the tiniest bit, but didn’t move her hand right away. Now I really didn’t know what the fuck we were doing, but I liked it.

Now closer to her, I studied her face, then flicked my eyes down to her neck and chest. Sadly, the apron covered those perky tits but my eye had caught something else and I backtracked. Light bruises—healing, and barely visible—dotted her neck and shoulder. Flashbacks hit me then, vivid, like a movie on the big screen. My lips and teeth and tongue all over her skin. I made those marks. My chest swelled with a primal sense of pride and all my blood rushed to my cock.

She saw me looking and her eyes showed she knew exactly what I was staring at. She shrugged, almost imperceptibly, then turned away and busied herself making my order. Smiling to myself, I slipped my change into the tip jar and went to sit with Ellie, who was looking at me with that smirk again.

“What?”

“Oh nothing.” She looked far too pleased about something.

“Something is up with you, Eleanor.”

“Nothing is up with me. Maybe something is __up__ with you.” Wait, what?

Sara appeared at the table just then and cleared her throat. Ellie grabbed her phone, seemingly very interested in something on the screen. Sara set my sandwich down, but continued to look at Ellie, who just ignored her. She opened her mouth to say something, but the bell jingled over the door and a large group of teens walked in. With one last look at Ellie, Sara retreated to the counter to take their orders.

“Okay, what the fuck is going on? You’re both being weird.”

Ellie put her phone down and practically bounced in her chair.

“I know.”

“Know what?” I asked around a bite of the panini. Damn, it was good.

Ellie vibrated now. “I know about you and Sara hooking up!” She yell-whispered.

Well fuck.

“She told you?” That was interesting.

“Well, she didn’t plan on it, but I saw those massive hickeys you gave her, you naughty boy.”

“Don’t call me that.” I crouched down closer to the table. “What’d she say?”

“What is this, high school?”