Chapter2
They walked in silence for what felt like an eternity. It wasn't an awkward silence though. It was the kind of silence that spoke volumes, where two people communicated without even speaking. Jake kept waiting for her to make some excuse to leave his side, but she didn't. When they began, her pace had been quick and deliberate. Now, though, she seemed to no hurry to reach her destination. Instead, she lingered, taking in the details of the town as though she was the one who was unfamiliar with the streets and scenes it had to offer.
They turned a corner on to a street that was entirely deserted. The feeling of being truly alone with her was intoxicating. He was no longer able to fight his need to touch her. Impulsively, he reached out and took her hand in his. He expected her to pull her had away or maybe even slap him. Instead, she squeezed his hand gently and continued to walk hand in hand with him. Jake did all that he could to commit the moment to memory. He couldn't recall a time when he had simply been himself with a woman.
He was always trying to hide himself. He only let the women he had had in his life see the parts of him that they needed to see to allow him in to their beds. The thought of letting them in to his life had never even crossed his mind. In truth, walking down that quiet street, holding the hand of his mystery woman was the most intimate thing he had ever shared with a woman.
They walked slowly, but they didn't stop. Eventually, he could hear the sounds of the town growing closer to them. When they turned back on to Main Street, the real world began to intrude on their private little world. She froze in her tracks and he stopped, turning to look at her. Something in her eyes told him that she was as reluctant to let their moment pass as he was. She reached out her free hand and took his other hand in hers. She stared up at him with eyes swimming with emotion.
"Shouldn't you be leaving town? The festival is over," she pointed out as she glanced towards the small diner that was lit up at the end of the street. He could see a small group of locals heading in that direction and he suspected that it was her final destination.
"No, I have more to do in town," he said evasively, looking off in the distance to avoid her suspicious gaze.
"Nobody has more to do in this town," she said with a laugh that made his heart skip a beat in his chest.
"You don't like it here?" he asked, imagining for one wild moment what it might be like to leave here with her on the back of his motorcycle. The thought gave him the kind of home for a future that he had not allowed himself to have since he was a young boy.
"I love it, but there is never much to keep outsiders here after the festival ends," she pointed out, killing his short lived hope of keeping her with him.
"So it happens every year?" he asked, slipping for a moment back in to the true reason that he had come to the town; gaining information that could be useful to his brothers.
“Yes, it's a yearly thing. It's the anniversary of the founding of the town. That is why they call it the Founder’s Festival,” she said, scrutinizing him as she spoke before winking at him playfully.
“I suppose that makes sense,” he said with a laugh. It was so rare that anyone teased him with the exception of his brothers. He never really spoke to others as his true self. It was so liberating and he couldn't help but laugh at himself.
“So what business could you have keeping you here?” she asked, her expression turning speculative.
“I'm supposed to meet a friend. He was supposed to be here today but he was delayed,” he said, hating himself for telling her the same lie he would have given anyone who asked him that question. He wanted to desperately to be honest with her, though he had no idea why.
“That isn't business,” she said playfully as she smiled merrily at him.
“No, I suppose it isn't,” he admitted, wanting to lead the conversation away from his lie, but unsure how to do it. In the end, it was her who changed the subject.
“Why are you walking with me?” she asked abruptly, her hands resting on the alluring curve of her hip.
“I'm not at all sure,” he said with a sigh, not even sure where to begin. There was no explanation, either truth or lie, that he could give her and it made him ache.
“We are almost to there,” she said, looking up.
“Will you go in and dinner with your father then?” he asked, reluctant to think of watching her walk away from him for good.
“No,” she said, offering no further explanation. She stood there, her eyes locked with his and waited for him to make his choice.
“Would you like to go somewhere with me then?” he asked without hesitation, taking the opportunity to extend their time together.
“Yes,” she said, smiling at him warmly.
“Really?” he gasped, shocked that she actually agreed.
“Just wait here while I go and take my father his dinner. He does not take kindly to strangers,” she said, laughing to herself.
“Especially strangers walking through the dark streets with his daughter?” he asked, thinking of what her pastor father would think about his lovely daughter spending time with a bank robber.
“You're very wise, stranger,” she said with a wink that sent waves of desire across his skin.
“That's right, I have not told you my name, have I?” he asked, amazed that she had not pushed him for in earlier.
“No,” she said with a shrug, as if it didn't matter.
“I'm Jake, Jake Parson,” he said, amazed at himself for telling her his true name. He had not used it in years. Even his brothers didn't call him Jake. They had always called him Scout.
“Welcome to Belmont, Jake Parson,” she said, biting her lip as she smiled up at him.
“And you?” he asked, though he was torn about whether or not he truly wanted to know it. There was something magical about the fact that she existed only as an alluring mystery to him.
“I'm Savannah,” she said, looking suddenly shy.
“Savannah,” he whispered, the sound of her name like music to his ears.
“Savannah Gideon,” she clarified, knowing that it was only fair to give him her full name as well.
“It's a pleasure to know you Savannah Gideon,” he said, lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it gently.
“I'll be right back,” she said, though there was a sadness that crept in to her eyes that alarmed him.
“I will be waiting right here,” he said, not sure what had changed with her in that second. It was clear, though, that something wasn't weighing on her mind.
“I just want one thing before I go in, just in case you disappear before I return,” she murmured.
“I'm not going anywhere,” he assured her.
“Just in case,” she whispered as she took his hand again firmly and pulled him in to the dark park that separated them from the diner.
The hunger that flared in her eyes mirrored the desire raging within him. Wordlessly, he allowed her to lead him down the path to a small cluster of trees that shielded them from the view of any passersby. As soon as she was sure that they were truly removed from the rest of the world, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. He didn't need any further invitation.
He wrapped his strong arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his body. Jake worried that it might have been too forward. After all, he didn't want to scare her. He had nothing to worry about though. Jake felt a shiver of pleasure run through her. Her hand ran up the back of his head and tangled with his hair, urging him on.
She went up on her tip toes to give him better access to her mouth. His hands roamed her body freely. He had lost the ability to hold himself back. As he felt the lushness of her breasts through her tee shirt, his lust wasn't satiated. The fires of his passion were stoked. It wasn't enough for him. He wanted all of her. The thought of her giving herself to him fully filled his mind and his cock hardened in approval.
She seemed as eager as he was. Her hands ran along the hem of his shirt, slipping under tentatively to explore the muscles beneath. He savored the feeling of her skin against his. Her hands were cold from the night air, yet her touch made his skin flame to life. Jake was just about to tear her own shirt from her body when she pulled away and gave him a grin. Unable to help herself, Savannah leaned in and kissed him softly before stepping away.
“I just wanted to make sure I got to do that,” she said, blushing intensely.
“I'm very glad that you did,” he grinned, trying to catch his breath. “If that is your reaction to the thought that I might vanish on you, I may threaten to do so often.”
“Will you really be here when I come out?” she asked, her eyes bright with mischief and desire.
“After that little display, I may wait here until the end of days just on the hope that I might again get to press my lips to yours,” he said, reluctant to let her leave him even for a moment. After all, she was more likely to walk away and not turn back than he was to walk off in to the night.
“How poetic of you,” she said with a giggle.
“I will be here when you come out,” he said earnestly.
“Good, because I'm not done with you. I feel the strangest things when I look in to your eyes, as though my soul knows yours. Does that sound crazy?” she asked, looking as though she thought she was going mad.
“It does sound crazy, but I feel it to. That I promise you,” he swore. She opened her mouth as though she had something else to say to him, but pressed her lips together before saying a word. She simply turned and walked through the park towards the diner.
Once she was out of sight, he began to try and rationalize with himself. He had already let her get to close to him. If he walked away now, she might forget him. In his line of work, he couldn't afford any connections. He had never shied away from taking lovers before, but there was something more happening between them. He couldn't deny that.
Jake had known her for only a few hours and she already meant something to him. What he knew without a doubt, though, was that he could have no future with her. If he stayed, the only thing he could bring her was pain. The kind thing to do would be to walk away before he caused her any deep wound.
She returned fifteen minutes later, having picked up her father’s dinner and delivered it. Any thoughts that he had of leaving vanished from his mind the moment he saw the look of relief that washed over her face when she realized that he was still there. She couldn't help herself. Savannah leaped into his arms and he welcomed her with a passionate kiss. Holding her in his arms again felt an awful lot like coming home. He would gladly have stayed there with her forever, but instead she took his hand again and led him back towards Main Street.
“So where are we going,” she asked, feigning innocence.
“I had not thought to throw quite that far,” he admitted. His first thought had been to keep her from walking away from him. He had not thought of what exactly he would do or where he would take her.
“Are you in the habit of asking women to spend time with you without any sort of a plan in mind?” she teased, clearly leading him in the direction of her choosing.
“No. I just didn't like the idea of you disappearing in to some church and me never seeing you again,” he admitted, startling himself with his level of honesty.
“That was good,” she said with a laugh, amused.
“It's just true,” he said, though he laughed as well. Her laughter was infectious.
“Follow me,” she said, clearly pleased with herself.
“Where are you taking me?” he asked, letting her lead him gladly. Anywhere with her was just fine with him.
“I'm going to show you what makes this place special,” she said, grinning broadly.
“I think I'm looking at what makes this place special,” he said, swooping down to kiss her again, not caring who saw him kiss her.
“Come on,” she whispered, looking more alluring than ever before.
“Where you lead, I will follow,” he said, knowing full well that he would have followed her anywhere at that point.
“Good answer,” she said, her pace quickening. Though the streets were dark, she moved through them as though by second sight. Eventually, she stopped in front of a rundown brick building. It looked a bit like a restaurant, but he wasn't entirely sure it was still a functioning business. The sign was hanging off its hinges and half the lights were broken out.
“What is this place?” he asked, tensing as though he was anticipating having to protect her.
“It's the best restaurant in the whole county,” she beamed, her smile lighting up her eyes.
“Are we going in?” he asked skeptically.
“I'm. You're not,” she said, taking a step away from him.
“Am I supposed to watch you eat from the window,” he said, his hand darting out and grabbing hers before she got further than arms reach away from him.
“No,” she teased.
“What then?” he asked, unsure what she had up her sleeve.
“I'm going to go in and pick up dinner for both of us unless you keep sassing me. Then I will sit right in that window and eat a double cheese burger while you watch,” she said, poking her finger playfully in to his chest.
“Why?” he asked, unsure who she thought she might run in to. He highly doubted anyone in this seedy place would inform her father the pastor about her keeping company with him.
“Because if we walk in there and have dinner together, the whole town will be gabbing about it before we get to the apple pie,” she said, looking as though it really wouldn't have bothered her all that much.
“Is that so bad?” he asked, growing defensive.
“Not if you don't mind being shot at,” she said, all humor gone from her voice.
“Your father is a preacher,” he said, amused by the thought of a man at the cloth being the one to finally put a bullet in him.
“Yes but my brother isn't,” she revealed, her expression assuring him that she wasn't kidding.
“And he wouldn't like you going around town with a stranger,” he suggested, eager to know exactly what his objection would be.
“That is part of it,” she said, her expression guarded.
“What is the other part?” he asked, wondering if she had somehow sensed the darkness in him.
“Well, you're a white boy,” she answered apologetically.
“And that is a problem?” he asked, amused. Race never crossed his mind. He and his brothers were a diverse bunch; black, white, Asian, and Hispanic. It wasn't their ethnicity that made them a family.
“Here it is,” she answered, looking at him as though she couldn't believe that he didn't see the complications.
“Why?” he demanded. Jake wasn't sure why it bothered him. After all, in a few days he would be gone and never see her again. They didn't have a future, yet the thought of her family objecting to him really hit him hard.
“My family wouldn't approve,” she reiterated, her expression sad. He suddenly realized that he wasn't the only one who didn't see more than one night in their future. She was trying to make the most of their time together because she had her own reasons for knowing that the night was all that they had.
“Does it bother you that I'm a white boy?” he asked, smiling to try and lighten the mood.
“Not at all,” she said, kissing him lightly on the cheek.
“Then I will be waiting right here,” he said, leaning against the building.
“Good,” she smiled as she turned and skipped in to the building.
He watched her through the window, talking to the man behind the bar. The way she moved, every turn and glance looked as though she was dancing. There was no denying that she was a special woman and he wasn't at all sure how he was going to be able to let her go when the night ended.
She emerged with a brown paper bag in her arms and a smile on her face. He kissed her on top of her head and took her hand in his as she led him in to the night. They moved further from the town, in to the countryside and the surrounding darkness and had couldn't remember feeling more at ease.
The further they got from the lights of town, the easier it was for him to pretend that there was nobody else in the world but the two of them. Jake knew that it was irrational to want her for his own after knowing her for such a short time, but the desire was real. Future was out of the question, of course, but they could have this one night together. He could give himself the freedom of one night with a woman he truly cared for.