Bet on a Mistletoe (6 page)

     
“I’ll
be right back.” He said,
then
jogged to the back of
the store room. Returning quickly, he carried a can of pineapples, coconut milk,
and a jar of cherries. He set it all on the counter.

     
Nerves
were beginning to set in. Lorna nibbled on the bottom of her lip. She didn’t
know what else to do in order to pull off the hoax. The urge to turn around and
see if the guys watched them was strong, but she didn’t want to give herself
away.

     
The
confident look on Richard’s face kept her calm.

     
“Now, I
have everything, but the blender.” There was a lopsided grin on his mouth.

     
Scrunching
her forehead she stared at him.

     
His
gaze lowered. She followed him and sure enough there was a blender beside her
foot on the bottom shelf.
Perfect
. Understanding, she gave him a
co-conspirators’ smile.

     
“Would
you like me to get it for you?”

     
“No,”
he said. “I got it. You just stand right there.” Like fine cognac his words
were setting her insides ablaze.

     
Taking
the few steps to her, he stood in front of her for a moment.
Neither
of them moving.
Then with precise slowness, he lowered his frame to the
floor at her feet. Lorna was captured by the blue eyes staring up at her. His
gaze left her face and travel to her breast and beyond. When he stopped, she
realized the convenience of his position. The fact that she wore heels placed
him at eye level with the apex of her thighs. That vision alone was causing the
aching inside to intensify.

     
His
eyes closed.

     
Was he
counting? She wondered. Was there a time limit expected?

     
The
light touch on her ankle was unexpected, she jumped. Opening his eyes, he
looked at her. His hand continued to slide up her stocking covered legs. When
he got to the back of her knees he paused making small circles.

     
Her
eyes slid shut this time. She hadn’t realized the back of her knees were so
sensitive. That the spot was so erotic when touched. Her nipples tightened in
response.

     
Richard’s
hand continued their journey upward. He squeezed her thighs right below the hem
of her dress.

     
Passionate
ribbons of excitement danced through her veins, the room around her went dark.
She took a step outward, unable to control her response. Right at that moment,
she wanted nothing else but for Richard to raise the hem of her dress and kiss
her, a full-mouthed kiss and to taste her essence.

     
As if
he understood her need, his dangerous hands slipped to the center of her thighs
and under her dress…just inches away from her pulsing pussy.

     
Please,
she moaned in her head, too overwhelmed to allow words to pass her lips.

     
The
pressure of his forehead leaning against her belly caused her to grip the edge
of the bar. His thumbs brushed high against her thighs. Any moment she expected
to feel him caress the drenched seat of her panties. Her air became tramped in
her
lungs,
her body was tensed with expectation. She
tilted her hips toward him, an invitation.

     
“So,
Richard, what’cha makin?” Doogey’s voice broke in shattering the bubble of
ecstasy she entrapped herself inside.

     
Everything
happened too quickly, Richard moved away and rose with blender in hand. “Lorna
wants a pina colada.” Reaching over her, he grabbed a bottle of rum from the
display under the mirror.

     
Did his
words sound heavy and gravelly to anyone else’s ears besides hers?

     
She
exhaled and blinked a few times. Seeing Doogey’s cocky knowing expression
reflecting back at her in the mirror removed the intimate haze.

     
Turning
she looked at Richard, who chatted with the people now cluttering the bar.

     
“You
okay, Lorna. You look flushed,” Tasha her best friend in high school asked.
Tasha Larson became Tasha Sanders. She and her husband had twin girls.

     
Forcing
a smile on her face, Lorna said, “I’m fine.
Just still trying
to adjust to the mountain air, again.”

     
“Guess
that’s what happens when you leave for so long.” Doogey chimed in.

     
“Can
it, Doogey.” Richard eyed his friend over the top of the churning blender.

     
Doogey
didn’t say anything else, just stared at Richard, curiosity filled gaze.

     
Lorna
looked away from Doogey. The last thing that she wanted was anyone being
curious about her and especially not her and Richard.

     
The
drink complete, Richard filled glasses for Lorna and the other ladies at the
bar.

     
When he
moved toward her and handed her the glass his eyes travelled along her body. As
they returned to hers, their gaze locked.

     
Could
he smell how aroused I was when he kneeled before me?
 
The question echoed in her mind.

     
She
didn’t realize how shaky she was until her hands brushed Richard’s taking the
drink from him.

     
Almost
spilling it, she was grateful when he grabbed it, steadying it in her hand.

     
Placing
a small smile on her mouth, she said, “Thanks. I guess I’m more tired than I
thought.” She knew it was a lie.
Another one of many.
It was the experience with Richard she couldn’t stop thinking about. Those
thought were making her feel unsettled.

     
Lifting
her drink she took a sip. The sweet, cool treat was helping to fortify her
senses. Bring her body temperature down a level. She took another healthy sip
hoping not to get brain-freeze and tasted the subtle bit of the alcohol.

     
“Wow,
good job, Richard. It could use a little more rum.” Deanna called out.

     
“Thanks,
Deanna,” Richard called out barely sparing the busty redhead a glance.

     
She was
just thinking that it was past time for her to leave when Richard stepped to
her. He seemed to disregard the fact they were surrounded by people.

     
Pressing
his lips to her ear, he whispered, “Why don’t you make your excuses and get out
of here?

     
I’ll
meet you in the back in about fifteen minutes with your money.”

     
“Are
you sure? I doubt if they’ll have it all now,” she said, her voice in the same
tone.

     
“Let me
worry about that.” He stepped away from her.

     
She
nodded. Placing her drink on the counter, she walked around the bar to Tasha.
It was time for her to start mending some bridges. “Tasha, if you’re not too
busy with getting things ready for your kids for Christmas. How about you come
by for lunch tomorrow?”

     
A tall,
thin, dark skinned girl with almond shaped, hazel eyes stared at her in shock.
“Seriously?”

     
“Yeah,”
Lorna held her breath. She’d been distant over the years and Tasha had every
right to tell her to fuck off.

     
“I’d
like that. I’ll bring my famous chicken salad if you provide the drinks and ask
your dad to make pound cake.”

     
“Hey,
what makes you think I haven’t learned to cook in nine years?”

     
“I
heard your mother at the shelter telling my mom how you burnt some bread in the
broiler trying to make a grilled cheese sandwich.”

     
Small town USA
.
Holding up her hands in surrender,
Lorna said, “You got me.” Hugging her friend, she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.
Bring the kids if you need to.”

     
“Are
you kidding me? That’s what I have a husband for.”

     
“That
right.” Rodney came up behind his wife and hugged her. Rodney was one of six
mailmen in the town.

     
Lorna
watched her friend turn in her husband’s arms. She was glad to see Tasha happy.

     
Waving
at a few other people, Lorna grabbed her coat from the hooks at the front
door,
she put it on and left the restaurant. She forced her
car around the corner and allowed it to idle and warm up.

     
Good
thing she had to wait for Richard, her car didn’t get very far cold.

     
Burrowing
deep in her coat, she waited, trying not to replay the heated moment between
her and Richard. She’d process that later when she was alone and in her room.
She was thankful when the interior of the car began to warm.

     
There
was a tapping at the window.

     
Wiping
the fog away from the glass with her glove she saw her fantasy man and got out.

     
“Here’s
your part of the bet.” He held out a wad of bills in front of her.

     
“Wow, I
guess when you’re broke, you never imagine people are walking around with so much
money on them.” Taking the cash she slipped it into her coat pocket.

     
He
shrugged. “It’s Christmas.”

     
“Yeah,
it is.” She didn’t know what else to say. Richard stood a foot away from her
and his nearness once again was muddling her mind.

     
“About
what happened,” he began. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you too mu--”

     
“Don’t
worry about it. It was just a bet, a game.”

     
Closing
the gap between them, he pulled her into his arms. Before she could process
what was happening his lips were pressed against hers.

     
It was
nothing like the kiss they had shared in high school. No fumbling in the dark
by inexperienced teenagers. The strength and confidence in this kiss proved to
Lorna that she was dealing with a man.

     
One of
his hands held the back of her head, while the other palmed her ass. Holding on
to his shoulders she opened her mouth and gave him entrance, needing to feel
him inside of her.

     
His
tongue slid over hers and tickled the roof of her mouth. She moaned.

     
The
kiss deepened. Plunging in and out of her mouth, as if he were fucking her lips
with his thick tongue, making her thighs quiver. Capturing it she suckled him,
imagining it was his dick in her mouth. All of a sudden she wanted to taste
every inch of his skin. Her desire for Richard was like no other.

     
Grinding
his hard length against her sex, her clit throbbed. She was trembling so bad,
there wasn’t a doubt in her mind if this moment continued she could come right
where she stood.

     
Pulling
back he nibbled at the side of her mouth and licked her bottom lip.

     
The
whisper of his words fluttered across her moist lips, “Not a game.” Squeezing
her ass one final time he stepped away from her.

     
Her
gaze met his. The blue of his eyes appeared dark like sapphire in the lamp
light, shining from the back of the building.

     
She was
speechless from both his words and the kiss.

     
Not
waiting for a response, he walked to the back door and went inside.

     
Astounded
she got into her car and pulled away.

     
As a
jobless woman with very few options before her, was she ready to discover if
there was something between her and Richard after all these years?

     
Yes
,
her body said.
Hell no
, her mind screamed.

     
Richard
leaned against the back door, hearing the sound of Lorna’s car pulling away and
the noise of the people in the front room.

     
He’d
mislead Lorna. There had been a bet, but it was only for two hundred and fifty
dollars and it was for any woman in the room. At first he’d planned to tell
Doogey and their friends to kiss off. But, he’d eye’d Lorna across the room. He
knew she needed money. And he had a need for her.

     
Closing
his eyes and taking a deep breath he attempted to calm his body. He couldn’t
resist kissing Lorna anymore than he could stop the erection in his pants from
reaching dramatic propositions.