Mel
Nicky stuck around, enjoying my best bottle of whiskey until a half hour before closing time. He tossed another large bill on the bar and said he’d see me later.
Sighing, I watched him leave, enjoying the leather clinging to his powerful legs, muscular thighs, and round ass perfect for digging my heels into. Warmth skittered across my skin for at least the fiftieth time since first seeing him.
I climbed into bed over an hour later, naked, freshly showered, and still horny as hell. Pussy still soaked and needy, I decided to give my favorite dildo a shot at satisfying me. The largest I had, shaped like a real cock with a massive mushroom head, and it glided deep without any resistance. I groaned, imaging Nicky planking over me, his muscles straining as much as I did toward release.
Full, but lacking.
Better than nothing, I decided, angling the dildo to reach deeper inside of me.
A couple of thrusts, my hips rising to my other hand’s fingers rubbing my swollen clit, and I came, but not nearly as hard as I’d expected—or wanted. I panted for breath while relaxing on my bed, pulling the dildo from my body.
Empty, and still wanting.
Dammit.
I hoped Nicky would be back sooner than later.
****
Wednesday, I watched the door like a hawk, hoping and waiting for awareness of a bright, blue-eyed stare to sizzle across my skin. The bell dinged countless times, but no Nicky. I kept my smile in place, though, schmoozing the customers as Grandpop would have said. I got an earful from Mrs. Hanks, the town gossip who enjoyed hanging out as much as Old Toothless, sipping her hot toddies.
Forcing myself to listen at least kept me up to date on who was screwing and who was pregnant—out of wedlock. Knowing the dirt helped me know how to deal with people when they came in looking for a good time or to drown their sorrows.
The sheriff stopped in and asked me about Nicky. While his story wasn’t mine to tell, I did inform the sheriff that Nicky had handed in his colors. Figured giving out personal information might save Nicky an unnecessary run-in with the law in our small town.
Disappointment hung on my shoulders as I locked up for the night and crawled into bed. My damn dildo only made the itch for Nicky’s cock that much stronger. God, did I want him.
I opened at noon on Thursday and served up a dozen or so burgers for lunch. The sun had finally come out, shining through the front windows. At two, the bar pretty much emptied out, and since it warmed enough to prop open the door for the breeze rustling the new leaves of the red maple out front, I did so.
Breathing deep, I went about the after-lunch cleanup, clearing tables and scrubbing glasses while Kelly cleaned in the back.
The rumble of a bike kicked my heart into pumping double, and my smile widened. Minutes later, the hairs on my arms stood on end, and I turned toward the door.
Nicky stood in the doorway, peering at me.
I smiled. “Hey.”
He dipped his head and moved through the room to settle on the same seat he’d occupied a few days earlier.
“What can I get ya?” I asked, sidling up as close as I could with the bar between us, making sure to add a little extra what do you really want in my eyes.
“If you’re still serving lunch, I sure as hell wouldn’t mind one of those burgers you offered the other day.” The heat in his eyes told me he, too, wanted more than mere food.
“Sure thing. How do you want your burger cooked?”
“Bloody as hell, and a side of fries if you’ve got ‘em,” he said, peeling off his leather jacket.
A waft of cologne and male musk emanated from his movements, setting the drool factory in my mouth into full motion. Tatts of skulls, hearts, and vines peeked from beneath the short sleeves of his tight, white t-shirt and made their way down to his wrists.
“Scary son of a bitch, aren’t I?” he asked, his low voice flooding my pussy.
I lifted my attention to his eyes again, getting snagged in the lust, and everything else faded around us. “Nope, but you are seasoned.” I made sure to add a little and I like it in my tone.
“Seasoned.” He snorted a gruff laugh without smiling. “You mean old.”
My smile grew, and I knew my eyes damn near sparkled as I ogled him again until the bar hindered my sight of his lower half. “More like an expensive vintage of wine that needs to be consumed.”
A low groan sounded in his chest.
“Whiskey?” I all but purred.
“Leave the bottle.”
I poured his first round and sashayed away, the back of my neck tingling. My heart pounded, the flutters in my stomach something I hadn’t experienced since Johnny Johnson had claimed my first kiss back in the sixth grade when playing spin the bottle.
Kelly glanced up at me as I walked through the swinging door behind the middle of the bar. “Damn, woman.” One of her darkly-painted eyebrows rose. “Who’s got your panties melted to goo?”
I laughed. “That obvious, huh?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“That Nicky guy I was telling you about.”
Kelly shook her head, long, black ponytail swaying, and grabbed the order I’d jotted down. “Seriously, what the hell is up with you and the older guys?”
“I’ve told you countless times, they’re like a fine wine…” I swung back through the door, leaving her laughing behind me.
“Food’ll be right out,” I called down to Nicky and grabbed another round of beers for the three guys still sitting at the table near the front window.
The slowest time of the day and I couldn’t have been happier. Nicky sat alone at the bar, and once I made sure the other three customers didn’t need anything else, I made my way back to him.
Rag in hand, I wiped down the workstation closest to him even though I’d done it twice already. “How are things going?” I asked, unable to stand the silent sexual tension between us.
“Not so good with Suzie, but I found an apartment that’ll be available in three weeks.”
“Where are you staying now? If you don’t mind my asking?”
Nicky twirled the shot glass between two fingers. “Staying down at the B&B a few miles back.”
“Greta’s place.”
He nodded.
“She makes a mean apple pie,” I said with a moan.
Nicky cleared his throat. “It’s on her dessert menu for tonight.”
“Then you’d best save room.” I tossed the rag into the sink and figured to hell with acting busy. Wasn’t like Grandpop was around anymore to talk about idle hands. I leaned on the bar. “So what do you think about our little town?”
“Quaint.” He kicked back his shot and poured another.
“Like your whiskey, do you?”
“Better than water.”
Elbow on the bar, I propped my chin in my palm. “Mmm. A little more expensive, though.”
Nicky smiled, white teeth flashing and a dimple peeking through his whiskers.
“My God,” I murmured, my knees near giving way.
“What?”
“You’ve got a killer smile.”
His lips slowly flat-lined again. “Been a while since I’ve smiled.”
“You ought to do it more often. ‘Course”—I straightened—“every single woman between here and Conway will be all over your ass if you do.”
Nicky actually chuckled, and my own smile widened. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mel.”
My brows shot up. “How so?”
“My appearance scares most people away.”
“I’m not scared.”
He stared into my eyes, and I pressed my thighs together. “You should be,” he murmured, his voice low enough to rumble my chest.
Oh, damn. An animal shone through his eyes—and not the fairytale shifter-type. The kind of wildness that would take. Devour, on instinct, without thought. I bit down on my lip, unsure of what to think or say.
The bell tinkled over the door.
“Afternoon, Mel!” Old Toothless called loudly, sinking my heart.
A good fifteen minutes earlier than his daily visit, I noted, glancing at the clock on the wall. “How are ya, Junior?” I asked while forcing a smile and moving toward the other end of the bar.
My oldest customer slowly lowered himself onto the stool he’d more or less owned since I could remember. “Bones aren’t aching today,” he said with a toothless grin.
I tipped a glass beneath a tap. “Because it’s beautiful out.”
“Heard tell it’s going to cool off over the weekend.”
Setting his beer in front of him, I nodded. “Looks like storms will roll in, too.”
Junior grumbled for a few minutes about the weather and creaking joints while I made noises of agreement.
Kelly came through the swinging door, and I nodded toward Nicky with my chin. She shot him a quick glance and turned back toward me with a smirk.
She delivered, tossed around her ponytail, and waggled her eyebrows at me before disappearing into the kitchen again.
Old Toothless kept me occupied, and as soon as the early birds came in looking for the soup of the day Kelly made from scratch every Thursday, I made my escape.
“You can’t be serious,” Kelly said the second I walked through the swinging door for a couple bowls of her lentil and lamb stew.
“I am.”
“But he’s so old!” she whispered, glancing at the door.
“He can’t be more than fifty-two or so,” I said with a shrug.
“And you’re twenty-eight.”
“So?”
“So? He’s old enough to be your father.”
I loaded bowls onto a tray and glared at her. “I find older men attractive. Alluring.”
“You’re just wanting a—”
“I am not looking for a daddy replacement.” Kelly’s brow rose, and I picked up the tray. “Just ‘cuz you don’t find him sexy doesn’t mean that he isn’t.” Lips pursed, I strode back to the bar, delivered the soup, refilled a few drinks, and made my way toward Nicky as he stood.
“Heading out?” I asked, totally bummed we hadn’t gotten to chat more.
“For now.”
I smiled and a ghost of one twitched his whiskers, but the intensity of his gaze didn’t lessen. Only a matter of time…
“Heading back south for a couple of days to pack up my shit,” he said while pulling on his leather jacket.
“Hurry back.”
“Plan on it.” Nicky winked, and goddamn, did I nearly swoon.