Chapter Ten
Each year the Chamber of Commerce held its Christmas party on a weekday evening at least a week or two before the actual holiday. This year the festivities were being held in the Town Hall building. The room had been decorated with Christmas lights. A large green tree took up a corner. It was so tall that the tip brushed the ceiling. Someone had decked it out with popcorn and clear glass bulbs. Anais attended more out of obligation than actual desire. It was usually a boring event where everyone stood around awkwardly making small talk while they ate bland hors d’oeuvres and drank bad punch. Though it was supposed to be an opportunity to share ideas and celebrate the season together, nothing of actual import happened and Anais couldn’t help but feel like it was a waste of time.
“Sugar cookie?” Nicole asked, holding her plate out to Anais. “I picked up too many.”
Anais looked down at the pink frosted snowmen. She could tell they were crunchy and dry. “No, thank you.”
Nicole glanced at Anais’s empty plate. “You didn’t pick up anything.”
Anais cast her eye over the tables filled with food. There were various cookies, dips, chips, vegetables, and cake slices. Though most of it appeared appetizing, she’d been fooled previous years and she wasn’t falling for it this year. Much of it was dry, stale, or tasteless. She wouldn’t eat it unless she was starving. “I’m not that hungry yet.”
Nicole giggled as she bit into a carrot. “Lunch was hours ago. I am that hungry.”
“That’s because you had a salad.” Anais put her plate aside and picked up a cup of punch. She sipped and grimaced.
Nicole laughed. “You are such a gourmand.”
Anais shrugged. “Well, I-”
“Who is that hunk in the gray suit?” Linda asked, unconcerned that she was interrupting their conversation as she sidled up to them. Linda’s mother Lydia owned one of the two hair salons in town. Linda worked as a hair stylist for her mother.
Nicole was so short that she had to stand on her tiptoes to see who Linda was indicating. “That’s Stuart’s cousin, Kyle. He runs the new auto body shop in town right across the street from us.”
Anais told herself not to look, but it was as though her eyes had a mind of their own. Kyle was there and he was wearing a suit? He stood out easily amongst the group of men gathered around him. He was taller, broader, and more handsome. Anais noticed that the collar of his shirt hid the tattoos that snaked up his neck. And his hair was a bit longer than when they met. Tendrils curled around his ears and at his nape. For some reason, she found the latter unaccountably sexy.
She hadn’t heard from him since he helped her with her opossum problem. The man had a knack for disappearing when he wanted to. Though he lived and worked across the street, she’d caught only fleeting glimpses of him.
Her inner voice told her that there was no reason she couldn’t contact him. Honestly, she didn’t know what she would say to him. It had taken her a good day to realize that she missed him. But surely that was crazy? In the end, she decided against seeking him out. It was obvious that he was done with her. And she couldn’t blame him. She’d been more than clear that she didn’t expect more from him. What guy wouldn’t take advantage of that offer? Have sex and then not have to deal with the relationship stuff? Yeah, she was an idiot because now she wanted more. Maybe Kyle wasn’t marriage material at the moment, but he had potential. He’d helped her out so many times, she was sure it wouldn’t be too much of a leap for him to jump on the commitment bandwagon.
“Really?” Linda said, fluffing her blonde curls. “I’ve been meaning to stop in about my car. The kids were playing around and scratched up the paint on my Camry.” Linda had two boys from a previous marriage. Her ex-husband worked in the local library. The two were forever reconciling and breaking up. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go and introduce myself.” Linda hitched up her already short mini-skirt and strolled off. It was unseasonably warm out but still too chilly for such a tiny skirt.
Nicole shook her head. “Even in a suit, he attracts skanks like flies on a rotting carcass.”
Anais laughed. Nicole rarely ever uttered an unkind word about anyone. “He’s a big boy. I’m sure he’ll survive.” They both watched as Linda approached him and placed a land on his arm. Whatever Kyle said prompted Linda to toss back her head and laugh. Anais frowned as the woman continued to flirt with him and Kyle stood by and did nothing.
“Careful, you’re going to burn a hole in her back,” Nicole murmured before shoving a cookie in her mouth.
“I-I-”
Nicole smiled. “Why do you keep denying it? You like him, don’t you?”
“He’s helped me out a lot. I’d hate to see him get hurt. We both know Linda is just on a break from Ferris.”
Nicole hummed. “Stuart and I have been racking our brains trying to think of someone suitable to set him up with. We’re both still of the opinion that you would make the best match.”
Anais sipped her punch and scowled at the bad taste. She barely resisted the urge to spit it out. “I’ve got to get rid of this,” she told Nicole. She found a trash can at the far end of the table and dropped her cup inside. When she turned back around there was another woman in front of Kyle flipping her hair and touching his chest. Anais glared at him. At just that moment, he looked up and caught her eye. His brows went up and then he tilted his head to the side. He studied her for a second before another look, a mix of surprise and amusement lit up his features and a slight smile curled his lips. She had only a moment to wonder at that smile before his attention reverted to the woman in front of him.
She let out a huff of annoyance.
“And here I thought you’d be happy to see me again,” a deep voice said.
Anais blinked. “Lincoln, what on earth are you doing here?” she asked, moving into his arms for a hug.
“I moved back to town,” he said squeezing her and then stepping back so that she got to chance to examine her ex-boyfriend. He was as handsome as she remembered him to be. He had dark chocolate skin and big black eyes framed by thick lashes. He’d shaved his head bald since she last saw him two years ago and the goatee was new as well.
“Really? When?”
“Just this weekend. You don’t think I could have been here longer than that without seeking out my favorite girl, do you?” He clasped her hands and held her at an arm’s length. His gaze roved over her from head to toe and back again. “Damn, you’re more beautiful than I remember. Why the hell did I let you go?”
Anais giggled. “I seem to recall some talk about having a taste for big city life.”
He rolled his eyes. “You should have kicked my stupid ass. The city is fun and full of distractions, but there was nothing there worth losing you for.”
“That’s sweet of you to say.”
“Just telling the truth.” He licked his lips. “Say, why don’t we go out to dinner after this? We can talk about old times and catch up.”
“Uh-” She looked across the room, her gaze snagging on Kyle. He stared back at her, his jaw clenched. When he turned away from her, Anais felt her heart clench. There had been something in his expression that wrenched at her and made her want to go to him. Without thinking, she took a step in his direction.
“Hi, Lincoln! Long time no see,” Nicole said.
Lincoln grinned. “Hi, Nicole. Good to see you again.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, I moved back to town. I’m going to take over the business for Dad.” Lincoln’s father owned a barbecue restaurant in town. Lincoln smiled down at Anais. “I was just saying to Anais that we needed to catch up.”
“Oh,” Nicole said. Anais couldn’t help but note her lack of enthusiasm.
“What’s wrong?” Lincoln asked, obviously catching on to Nicole’s tone. “Anais, are you seeing someone?”
“Um…” She looked beyond Lincoln, automatically seeking out the sight of Kyle, but she didn’t see him. She frowned. He couldn’t have left. Would he leave without even saying hello? Did he leave with one of the women who’d been surrounding him?
“Anais?” Lincoln glanced over his shoulder, following the direction of her gaze. “Are you seeing someone?”
“Well, no-”
“Great. Then there’s no reason we can’t go out tonight,” he said eagerly. “Where would you like to go? Or am I finally going to be privileged enough to experience one of your home cooked dinners?” His tone was suggestive and Anais suspected that he was interested in getting his hands on more than just her pumpkin pie.
Though her relationship with Lincoln had been nice and she had been sad when he moved away, she’d recovered rather quickly. Within a couple of weeks, she had been content to have her nights and weekends free to spend however she liked. She didn’t regret their breakup and she didn’t want to rekindle their romance.
And, quite frankly, the idea of any man other than Kyle touching her made her slightly nauseous.
“Lincoln, I can’t tonight. How about we have lunch tomorrow? You can meet me at the shop. If you’ll both excuse me, I have to go.” She left Nicole and Lincoln staring after her and probably wondering where she was in such an all fire hurry to go all of a sudden.
***
Kyle slammed the door to his apartment and immediately yanked off the stupid tie he’d worn to the Christmas party. He’d never worn a tie before and he’d spent fifteen minutes struggling to put it on before giving up and doing an internet search. And it had all been for nothing.
He’d foolishly thought that wearing a suit and tie would impress Anais. But it hadn’t changed a damn thing. He’d spent the evening surrounding by women who were blatant about what they wanted. Meanwhile Anais had been flirting with someone who she obviously considered more suitable.
For a moment back there, he’d felt a spark of hope when he’d caught her glaring at him. He’d thought she was jealous because another woman had her hands on him. What a joke! She was probably trying to figure out why a grease monkey such as himself was wearing a suit.
He ran a hand over his hair. “I’m such a fucking idiot.”
Kyle scowled when someone knocked at his door. He hoped like hell it wasn’t that Linda woman. She’d been particularly difficult to dissuade. He was praying that the attention he was receiving was because he was new in town and that it would die down soon.
There were two doors to his apartment. One led outside to the backyard. Metal steps led directly to the second floor. The other was inside and could be reached only by going through his auto body shop. The knock came from the outside door. Kyle peeped through the small window in the door and was shocked to see Anais there, illuminated only by the moon and the light that shone out from his kitchen. He let her in quickly. There was no light on this side of the building. He had yet to install outdoor lighting. The days weren’t as cold as he was used to in Pennsylvania, but they were short and he would need a light.
“Anais, I thought you were still at the party.” He wanted to ask her about the other man so badly that he bit his tongue to keep the questions inside. He had no right to know. She wasn’t his.
“I saw you had left and I wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh?” She’d made no attempts to come over to him. “About what?” Then it dawned on him. He swallowed, his gaze dropping to her flat belly. “Did you find out…about a pregnancy?”
“What? No. It’s too soon for that.”
“Oh,” he said again, disappointed.
She looked around, leaning slightly so that she could see beyond him into the apartment. “You’ve done some amazing renovations.”
He suddenly remembered his manners. He was keeping her in the threshold. “Would you like a tour?”
She smiled. “That would be nice.”
He took her on a quick tour, ending with the den. In each room, she made polite comments. He didn’t take her in his bedroom. The door was closed and he couldn’t remember if he’d made up his bed. Once they were in the den, she stood nervously nibbling her bottom lip, her gaze flicking about from one object to the next. Kyle slid his hands in his pockets. “I can walk you to your car, if you’d like?”
“That would be nice,” she said, but she didn’t make any move to leave. Finally, her dark eyes met his and his breath caught in his chest at the desire he saw banked there.
He’d told himself that he had two choices: let her go or actively pursue her. This was a third option he never foresaw. It never occurred to him that Anais would come for him. He didn’t know if she was here only for more sex, but it didn’t matter. She wanted him. Anais wasn’t the type of woman who could keep doing this without becoming attached. Maybe even now on some unconscious level she was discovering what he’d figured out a couple of days ago. This thing between them, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t walk away from it. He kept telling himself to let her go, to forget her, to move on. And all she had to do was smile at him and he was ready to roll over and show his belly.
Hell, why was he still trying to deny it even to himself? What he felt for her was undeniable. He was in love with Anais Heart and he suspected that she was in love with him. All he had to do was to wait for her to come to the same realization.
He smiled. “Would you like a drink before you go?”
***
Anais nodded, relieved to have an excuse to stay longer. She didn’t know how to go about telling him what she wanted. “Yes, thank you. I don’t know if you had any of the punch at the party, but it was awful. I’d be glad to get that taste out of my mouth.”
“What would you like? I have water, juice, and beer.”
“Water, please.”
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” Kyle disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
His apartment really was nice. For years, the building had been deteriorating into rubble. She never would have imaged that the inside could be so impressive. Kyle pressed a cold bottle of water in her hand and then sat on the couch at the opposite end. He stretched his arm out along the back of the couch, but he didn’t touch her.
Anais uncapped her water and searched for a way to start. “You look very handsome in your suit.”
He looked down and she could swear that he blushed. “Thank you.”
“I wasn’t the only one to notice. You were very popular with the ladies.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You sound jealous.”
“I’m not,” she said quickly. Perhaps too quickly because he smiled again.
Kyle touched one of her curls and tugged on it lightly. “Who was your friend? The man who hugged you.”
“Lincoln. He’s an ex-boyfriend. He just moved back to town.”
He dropped his hand and grunted. “And he’s interested in having another chance with you.”
She shook her head. “No. Well, at least, he didn’t say anything about that, but-”
“Trust me, he wants you back. He’d be a fool not to.” He stood up and moved away. “Why did the two of you break up?”
She watched him pace. He really was gorgeous in his suit. His shoulders looked incredibly broad. “He was offered a job working for his cousin in Chicago. It’s hard for a small town to compete with that kind of big city allure.” She cleared her throat. She didn’t want to talk about Lincoln. She’d come to talk about them. “Listen, Kyle….”
He stopped pacing to look at her. “Yes?”
“I wanted to…discuss….” She bit her lip as she racked her brain for a way to begin. Why the hell was this so damn hard? How did men do this all the time? Put themselves out there and face the possibility of rejection? She cleared her throat and took a sip of her water.
“Yes?” Kyle prompted again. The corners of his lips quirked as though he were suppressing a laugh and she knew that he wasn’t going to make this easy for her. He was going to make her say it.
“Would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow? With me? On a date,” she clarified.
Surprise lit his features, his mouth dropping open a fraction. But then he nodded. “Yeah,” Kyle said, his voice thick with desire. His ordinarily pale eyes had gone smoky and his pupils dominated his irises. “I would love to date you, Anais. But…what about Lincoln?”
“What about him? We’re going to lunch tomorrow to catch up, but even if your theory proves true, we’re not getting back together. Lincoln is a very nice man.” She capped her water and set it aside as she moved to stand in front of Kyle. “Dating him was pleasant and if he hadn’t left, we might even have gotten married, but I’m glad we didn’t.” She smoothed her hand down the lapel of his jacket. “I didn’t feel a tenth for him of what I feel for you.”
Kyle groaned and pulled her into his arms. His mouth covered hers. His tongue painted the seam of her lips before plunging past to tangle with her own. She sucked on the tip. Kyle crushed her to him. One large palm cupped her head and tilted it to the side so that he could deepen the kiss. The hard bar of his erection prodded her belly and she swayed against it.
“You like playing with fire,” he whispered. “I want you in my bed.” She didn’t object and he unzipped her dress. With a nudge from him, it slid down her shoulders and onto the floor. He bent down and scooped her up. Anais squealed and clutched at his shoulders. She hadn’t been carried since she was a child. Kyle merely chuckled and gave her a playful bounce. “I got you, baby.”
His bedroom was a lovely room with interesting angles and big windows that faced the street. The curtains were open and streetlights shone in the room. Kyle flipped on the lights before setting her down on the unmade bed.
He shrugged out of his jacket and practically tore off the buttons from his shirt while removing it. He shoved down his pants and underwear all at once, kicking them off along with his shoes. Naked, he stood over her and licked his lips, his hand wrapped around his cock. Tattoos or no tattoos, he was a beautiful male, tall and full of muscle. “Take your clothes off, Anais. You don’t know how many nights I’ve dreamed of having you here with me.”
She sat up and unhooked her bra and shrugged it off. When she lay down to remove her panties, Kyle was quick to help her, dropping kisses on her thighs and her knees as he drew the strap of burgundy lace down her legs. She held her arms out to him and he moved between her legs, fitting his cock to her pussy so that it slid between her slick intimate lips. Anais gasped and arched her hips into his.
Supporting himself on extended arms, Kyle bent and peppered kisses over her eyebrows, cheek, nose, and jaw before capturing her lips. All the while, he ground his hips into hers as though he were already fucking her. Anais held onto his shoulders and kissed him back with all the passion she felt for him.
After several moments, Kyle broke the kiss and stared down at her, curiosity bright in his gaze. But then he smiled at her, not one of his small guarded smiles, but a large, happy one that showed his straight white teeth and transformed his face. Anais’s breath caught and she knew in that moment that she loved this man. “Oh, Kyle,” she said before drawing him back down for another kiss, curling her arms around his neck.
He lowered himself onto his elbows, his tongue sliding farther into the recesses of her mouth. Anais moaned as the kiss went on and on. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She was close to coming from his kiss and the feel of his body against hers.
As though sensing her urgency, Kyle reached over and opened the nightstand drawer and withdrew a condom. He sat back on his knees to rip it open and fit it over his erection. She expected him to take her once that task was complete, but he didn’t. He began kissing her neck and her collarbone. His large hands squeezed her breasts, working their way to the sensitive tips. Anais writhed beneath him as he tugged her nipples. He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and then bit it slightly as he thrust inside her. Anais cried out in shock as he filled her. Her pussy immediately convulsed around him, sucking upon his dick as though it never wanted to let him go. She didn’t know who was more surprised by her sudden orgasm, her or Kyle.
Kyle groaned loudly and bucked within the hold of her thighs. “Fuck, baby, you’re about to make me cum too soon.” He rolled his hips, letting her ride out her orgasm before pulling out. “Hands and knees, baby. I need to fuck you hard.”
Large hands on her waist, he helped her onto her stomach and then onto her knees. She’d barely gotten her elbows beneath her before he was filling her again. Anais moaned. Kyle pressed her lower, withdrew a fraction and then plunged home so hard and deep that she could feel his balls slapping against her clit. It drove the breath from her lungs. Patience clearly at an end, he gripped her hips and rode her in a series of rough lunges, grunting each time he bottomed out in her pussy. Anais’s hands grasped at the sheets. She screamed when he found her g-spot and pummeled it. Anais began to fear that he would pound her through the mattress before he was through. It was unrelenting and so good that despite the fact that she knew she would be sore tomorrow, she spread her legs wider for him.
The bedroom was filled with the sounds of their mutual pleasure, the squeak of the bed, and the rhythmic smack of their bodies connecting. Kyle reached under her and pinched her nipples, shooting a current of ecstasy between her thighs. “Cum for me again, Anais,” Kyle growled, one his hands roaming down her belly to cup her pussy. His fingers tormented her clit until she was coming for him just as he asked. Groaning, Kyle held his dick deep inside her. She could feel him swelling and pulsing as he filled the condom with cum.
***
Kyle held Anais close. He was happy that she was cuddled up to his side and she didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. When they were making love, what he’d seen in her eyes after she’d given him that kiss had led him to hope that she felt for him the way he did for her. He was so certain in the moment, but now he wasn’t sure. Maybe he was just projecting what he’d longed to see. She hadn’t said the words and until he heard them he would remain uncertain and anxious.
Anais yawned and then pressed a kiss to his chest. “You can spend the night,” he offered tentatively.
“I can’t. I won’t have anything to wear to work tomorrow.” Using her pointer finger, she started drawing designs on his chest. It took him a moment to realize that she was tracing his tatts.
They lay in silence for a moment. Finally, Kyle broached the topic that kept circling around in his brain. “Anais, when you said that you felt more for me than you felt for Lincoln, what did you mean?” His heart started beating triple time in fear. “I guess what I want to know is…where do you see this going between the two of us?”
She tilted her head so that she could look up at him. “Honestly?”
He nodded.
“I don’t want to scare you off.”
“Nothing you say is going to scare me.”
She nibbled her lip. “I’m looking for a serious commitment. I want to get married and have kids one day soon.” She studied him. “And you’re not panicking. Why is that?”
“Why would I panic? That’s what I want, too.”
She sat up abruptly and his gaze dropped to her breasts. He couldn’t help it. She had beautiful tits. Scowling at him, she drew the sheet up to cover herself. “What do you mean, it’s what you want, too? I thought all you wanted was an affair.”
“When did I say that? You’re the one who said this would only happen once.” He couldn’t help smirking at that.
“Well…I didn’t think you were the type who wanted to be tied down.”
He grunted. “We should have talked more on our first date.” He stopped and grinned. “Oh, but that’s right, you thought I was going to strangle you.”
She hid her face in her hands. “Don’t remind me of that.” Finally, she sighed. “I made a lot of erroneous assumptions about you based on your appearance. I’m sorry.”
He drew her back down to him. “Does this mean you’re my girlfriend?”
Grinning, she nodded. “Nicole and Stuart are going to be thrilled.”
“No one is more thrilled than me.” He rolled her beneath him and proceeded to prove his enthusiasm.