Chapter Three

 

 

The grand re-opening day at the bakery and beauty store was a huge success. The entire town came out to show support, and by the end of the day I was sold out of everything I’d brought in.

“Wow,” Kayla said, sliding into one of the booths.

I turned the sign to ‘closed’ on the door and locked it before joining her.

“I can’t believe we were that busy today,” I said.

The shelves I ordered were delivered and still sitting in a pile by my counter. I’d planned on having a slow moment so I could install them, but it never slowed down.

Kayla smiled and looked up toward the ceiling. “We have grandma to thank for that,” she laughed.

“I’m sure she was watching,” I agreed.

“Did you find a place for the old sign?” she asked.

“No. I was up late talking to Silas,” I admitted.

“Oh, he called? How did that go?” she pushed for details.

I told her how sweet he was, and how much we had in common. She stared at me with a warm smile as I gushed about how much I really liked him.

He’d sent a text earlier that day asking how everything was going. All I could manage to type back was ‘extremely busy’ and I hadn’t heard from him since. I hoped he didn’t think I was blowing him off.

“So, have you guys made plans to meet?” she asked.

I shrugged and shook my head. “We are having a video date this weekend though.” I chuckled, feeling embarrassed by the entire situation.

Kayla assured me that video dating was nothing to be embarrassed about. “Lots of people are meeting online. It gives you a hell of a better range of people,” she laughed.

I thought about that. Out town wasn’t exactly tiny, but it was pretty small when you considered the eligible men in the area. I worked a lot, and spent most of my free time on the farm, so meeting someone would be limited to whoever came into the store.

There wasn’t anyone in the town that I found interesting enough to date. Even if I did find someone, chances are they would know my ex, Jimmy, and for me, that was just awkward.

“Maybe you’re right,” I admitted.

The rest of the week, the store continued to stay busy. I had plenty of orders for products that I’d run out of stock on, and Kayla was up to her knees in cake batter for special orders.

Silas had texted me every day until Thursday, and called a couple times late at night before bed. He said he had a big assignment to get ready for, and that he would probably not be around much to talk until our date.

I was becoming accustomed to his ‘good morning, beautiful’ texts, and hearing the sound of his voice before lying my head down at night.

Friday was rough, and Saturday even rougher. I wanted to hear from him, even just a quick hello, or a text to say hi. Kayla pushed for me to text him, but I didn’t. “He told me he was going to be really busy,” I defended.

A part of me knew if he was able to find a minute to say hello, he would. I didn’t want to bother him. His job was important, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine the dangers he faced each day. I wanted him to be ready for whatever this big assignment was.

“Big date tonight,” Kayla teased playfully.

I was absolutely exhausted from the week, and even though I was excited about finally getting to talk to Silas face to face, I was afraid I would be a drag.

I smiled. My nerves were starting to go wild. I’d never talked through video before. What if I looked stupid?

“You’ll be fine,” Kayla assured me.

I knew my anxiousness was shining through, but I tried my best to believe her.

“I’ll lock up. You go on home and get ready,” she insisted.

Get ready? Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. What was I going to wear? Should I dress up?

I didn’t hesitate to take Kayla up on her offer. I blew her a kiss and rushed out the front door. “Where’s the fire?” a familiar voice asked.

I turned to see Jimmy, my ex, standing on the sidewalk in front of the store. “Is this your shop now?” he asked, pointing up to the sign.

“Yes,” I replied, pushing my key into the lock on my car door.

“You’re in an awful hurry. Hot date?” he asked.

I smiled, and probably blushed. “Oh, wow. It’s about time some man snatched you up,” he laughed.

There wasn’t any way in hell I was going to explain my situation to Jimmy, of all people. “You still look good, Juicy Lucy,” he smirked in my direction.

I smiled and slid into my car. He was so crude at times. I hated that nickname, and he knew it. He was immature, and always would be. I needed a real man. A man like Silas, with hopes and dreams.

I plugged my laptop in as soon as I got home and put my phone on the charger. I ransacked my bedroom closet looking for something sexy enough to show through the video. I didn’t want to look slutty, but sexy. Since I hadn’t spent any time running the clubs with my friends in college, and my time since had been spent mostly on the farm, I didn’t really have anything that fit into either category.

I settled on a blue blouse that my mother bought me. I’d never worn it before, but I remembered how she raved about it bringing out my green eyes next to my auburn hair.

My body tingled as I undressed, like the nerves were pinching at my skin from excitement. I turned on the shower, stepped inside, and let the water tickle my skin, like tiny fingers all over my body.

What was I thinking? What was I doing? This was crazy. I kept telling myself he was a thousand miles away, and I’d probably never even get to meet him face to face. It wasn’t like he could just leave the military base, and with my new business, I couldn’t exactly afford to just take off whenever I wanted. Ugh!

My nipples hardened against the water as I thought about his deep, dark eyes. That body, my God, that damn body of his. I let my head fall back against my shoulders and felt the warm water rush along my neck and down my chest. I thought about the ripples in his chest, and the powerful mounds of muscles that pushed out from his shirt sleeves.

I let my hand slowly caress my body, rolling gently to my belly. My fingers stretched out, reaching through the tight curls above my swollen flesh to my engorged clit. I pinched the delicate flesh between two fingers, squeezing it gently as I worked my hand up and down to create friction.

I tugged softly on my clit, pulling it away from my body as my fingers clamped around it. I could feel the pulsations starting, slowly at first, then faster and harder as I continued.

My legs trembled beneath me, causing me to grip the side of the shower wall with my free hand. The water teased my hard nipples while my mind tortured me with thoughts of Silas’s hard body pressed against mine.

I opened my legs, giving my fingers the reach needed to feel my juices flowing from my pussy. My eyes opened. I felt dizzy, but satisfied. The water rushed down my body, cleansing me from the excitement I’d stirred between my legs. I pressed both hands against the shower wall, calmed my breathing, and slowly opened my eyes to the reality of being alone.

Silas said he’d text me before he called on Skype. It was already six thirty, and we were scheduled for seven. I slipped into the blue blouse, leaving it unbuttoned enough to show off some of my cleavage, but not too much. My hair fell softly past my shoulders, cascading down my back as I blew it dry, and after a quick shake, a couple brush strokes, and another shake, it looked perfect.

Kayla told me not to wear too much makeup, not that I ever did. She was afraid the video would make me look gaudy and made me promise to only use lipstick and mascara.

I smudged some foundation under my eyes, just to make sure my circles from lack of sleep wouldn’t show through, and then applied the little bit of makeup Kayla suggested.

This was it, seven o’clock. My first video date.

I opened my laptop and signed into the Skype account I created earlier that week. I pulled my phone from the charger, sat it next to me on the couch, and placed my laptop on the coffee table.

I had a bag of shrimp, a bunch of fresh cilantro, and a large baguette of French bread ready for our dinner we planned to cook together. My stomach was growling, but I was nervous to cook, and then eat, over a computer screen with a man I barely knew, and had never met.

My body relaxed onto the couch, waiting for him to call. After seven passed, I felt my eyes growing heavy from the hard day at work, and my mind settled on the fact that he may not call at all.

I reached for my throw blanket, snuggled up on the couch, and decided to go to sleep without dinner, and without Silas.

My phone vibrated next to me as soon as I found my comfort zone on the couch. It was Silas.

Silas: Sorry I’m late. You still want to have our date?

I looked at the time. He was a little over thirty minutes late, but I was certain he had a good excuse.

Me: Yes. I’m ready.

Almost as soon as I hit send, the laptop sounded with a ring, and his Skype name and picture appeared on my screen.

I sat up, wiped my eyes, and clicked ‘answer.’ His face was dark, making it hard to really see him. “Hey there,” he said in that sexy, deep voice.

“Hey. I can barely see you,” I said, moving my screen to adjust the glare.

“How about now?” he asked. Suddenly the screen brightened, and his face was crystal clear.

“Yes. That’s perfect,” I replied.

“Can you see me?” I asked.

“I can. You look beautiful. But you look like you were sleeping,” he laughed. “I’m sorry. Did you need to get some sleep?”

“No. I’d rather talk to you,” I admitted.

“Good,” he chuckled.

“I feel weird doing this,” I said softly.

“Why?”

“I’ve never done anything like this,” I said quickly.

He paused, but I could see him smiling. I was waiting for him to say he hadn’t either, but he didn’t.

“Have you?” I finally asked.

He laughed. “Yes. A couple times,” he admitted.

“Really?” my interest piqued.

“Well, I am in the military. Not exactly a lot of women here, and not many around here close,” he explained.

“Texas is a huge state. There are no women around you?” I asked.

I hoped he hadn’t detected the twinge of jealousy and disbelief in my voice as I spoke.

“I guess there are plenty of women around. I just rarely leave base, and the women I’ve met haven’t exactly been what I’m looking for,” he said.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

He laughed. It was obvious I was making him a little nervous, or possibly even uncomfortable.

“I’m not looking for anything. My grandpa always said the only time you’d find love is when you’re not looking,” he joked.

“Mine too,” I said, remembering those same exact words from my grandfather when I was a teenager and thought I’d die without a homecoming date.

“Wise men,” he said. “So, to clear up the answer to that question, I’m not looking, but I’m certainly ready and open to finding that perfect someone.”

That was exactly how I felt in the moment. I was young, just turning twenty-five, there was no rush for me to fall in love and start a family. But I knew I wanted love, but only from that perfect someone. I’d know when I found it, or at least my grandpa told me I would.

“You hungry?” he asked, his tone perking up.

“Yes! I’m starving,” I said, rubbing my belly.

“What are you making?” he asked.

“Shrimp scampi over linguini,” I said proudly.

I wasn’t much of a cook, never had much interest in learning. But shrimp scampi was my favorite dish, and probably the only one I could execute without staring at a cookbook.

“Wow, impressive,” he said.

“What about you?” I asked.

“I’m making steak,” he boasted.

I could see the large, sliding-glass door behind him, and a wooden deck beyond that. A small, round grill sat outside the door, and as he opened the door, he laughed, asking if I could smell that sweet smell of charcoal.

I carried the laptop into the kitchen, adjusting the screen so he could see me while I prepped and cooked. “I have something for you,” he said, pulling a bouquet of full, red roses into the screen.

“They are beautiful,” I gushed.

“I wish I could actually give them to you. But I’ll keep them for you for now.”

“Thank you,” I said.

I drizzled a pan with olive oil while Silas salted his steak. His muscles flexed as he shook the shaker, and when he twisted the pepper mill, they popped beneath his tight, tan skin. “You like to cook?” he asked.

I shrugged and shook my head with a laugh.

“That’s okay. I love to cook,” he said with a wink.

I chopped garlic and put it into my hot oil and then squeezed lime juice all over the shrimp. It was weird, watching him as he moved about his apartment. He seemed a little nervous, but that somehow made me calmer. He said he’d done this once or twice before, so this wasn’t new to him like it was me. At least he wasn’t so comfortable that I’d think he done this every night with a new woman.

“So, you’d cook for me?” I asked.

“Every night for the rest of your life,” he smiled.

“Wow!”

“Wow, indeed! There aren’t many men like me left, Lucy,” he teased.

I could believe that. I knew for a fact there weren’t any like him in my small, Minnesota town.

“I love your accent, by the way,” he said.

I blushed, realizing I must sound wild compared to what he’s used to in Texas. He didn’t have much of a Southern drawl. His voice was too deep to carry much of a twang. It was masculine, sexy, but if I had to say where he lived using only his voice, I’d be at a loss. Me? There was no way anyone wouldn’t be able to pinpoint my origin using only my voice.

“I hate it,” I admitted.

He shook his head and pointed his finger at the screen. “You can’t hate it if I love it.”

My shrimp sizzled in the pan while I opened the package of fresh pasta and turned the oven to broil for my bread. I minced garlic into a tub of butter, and then smeared it all over the bread. Silas was whistling while he placed his steak on the grill, a TV theme song that was familiar, but I couldn’t name. Something about him soothed me, made me feel comfortable, and made me want more.

“How do you like your steak?” he asked.

“Medium rare,” I answered quickly.

“Good girl,” he winked, flipping the thick cut of filet to its other side on the grill.

I pushed my bread into the oven, under the broiler, and then flipped my shrimp before adding the pasta and butter into the oil. I chopped the cilantro while Silas tossed a salad, and then quickly removed his steak from the grill to rest.

He asked me a random series of questions while he waited for me to finish my meal. One of the questions—have you ever been in a serious relationship—made me cringe.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him about Jimmy, but I knew I didn’t want to hide anything from him. He listened, didn’t judge me, and told me he understood. “Sometimes, no matter how you feel about someone, if it isn’t right, it isn’t right,” he said.

I agreed. It was tough letting go of Jimmy. I told him I knew he wasn’t going anywhere, but he was still at least a comfort to me. He was always there, and the one day when he wasn’t anymore, I’d felt like I made the worst mistake of my life. But now, I knew I’d made the right choice, and being alone wasn’t so bad. It was certainly better than being with someone you didn’t belong with.

“You’re a very wise woman, Lucy,” he said sweetly.

I tossed the pasta with the shrimp to coat it with the scampi sauce. I pulled my bread from the oven, and set the table with my laptop in the center. It was strange at first, this video dating thing. But after talking, and making a meal together, it didn’t seem strange at all.

Silas was on my screen in front of me, almost as if he were across the table on an actual date.

“This actually feels like a real date,” I boasted.

“Anything’s possible, thanks to the Internet,” he laughed.

“Well, not anything,” I teased, my mind drifting to a more intimate kind of date.

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” he boasted, cutting into the steak.

“Really?” I asked, my interest piqued, and my jealousy starting to show.

“Not that I’ve done anything like that,” he said, his face turning red, and his lips curling into a mischievous smile.

“Oh, yeah, like I’m gonna believe that smirk,” I laughed.

He pushed his fork toward the screen, showing me how perfectly his steak was cooked. I knew he was changing the topic, and in a way, I was glad, although, my curiosity was still piqued. What had he done on here? And with who?

“That looks delicious,” I said, allowing him to change topic without an argument.

“I’d love to try your scampi,” he said.

“Here,” I teased, pushing my fork toward the screen.

He pretended to take a bite, laughing at his own silliness. This was nice. This was actually the best date I’d ever been on.

After dinner, we talked while I snuggled on the couch. We were both watching Dancing with the Stars and critiquing their routines when my eyes started to get droopy again. I yawned, covering my mouth, but he caught it.

“You need sleep,” he insisted.

He was right. But I wasn’t ready for this date to end.

“I do. I’m gonna do something I’ve never done on a first date before,” I said curiously.

“What’s that?”

“I’m gonna take you to bed with me,” I said softly.

His eyes widened, and that smile melted my soul. I wished he could snuggle in next to me, not just through a computer screen, but flesh to flesh.

“I’m honored,” he said.

“So, I know you’ve done so much on here and all, but don’t get any ideas,” I teased.

“I’ll keep my hands to myself,” he promised.

I carried the laptop into my bedroom and set it on the dresser. “I’m turning you around while I get undressed,” I said quickly.

I heard him let out a whistle as I slid out of my jeans. My skin tingled just knowing he was there with me, even though he couldn’t see. There was something erotic about having him on my dresser while standing in my panties and bra behind him.

“Not even a peek?” he teased.

For a moment, I had the urge to walk past the screen, giving him a glimpse of my half-nude body. “No way,” I said, quickly sliding into my short sleep shorts, and tight tank top. I slid my bra off, leaving my nipples hard and visible against the thin material.

“Okay. I’m ready for bed,” I announced, turning the screen back toward me.

“I have to admit, that was kinda hot,” he said.

My pussy was still aching, and my nipples felt as though they would burst. Yes, it was.

I climbed into bed, placing my laptop beside me. Silas and I talked until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. “I would’ve tried to kiss you,” he said softly.

“I would’ve let you,” I admitted.

“I would love to do this again soon, Lucy,” he said.

When he said my name, my entire body reacted with excitement.

“My twenty-fifth birthday is this Thursday,” I said.

“I’ll have to do something special,” he replied.