Into You (4 page)

I decided on sunset. It would start out light, and as time elapsed we wouldn't notice the darkening of the sky. Not for a while anyway. Hopefully by that time, we'd be ready for
some romantic moonlight.

I moved the basket onto the blanket and dropped down to my knees. "It's hard to have a picnic if I'm here and you're all the way over there."

Elizabeth took small, gentle steps. Her movements were graceful, like a ballerina. I enjoyed watching her move. Even when she swung the golf club like a madwoman at the ball, I couldn't force my eyes off her. I hadn't been so smitten with anyone in years.

It didn't matter, it would be over soon. Once sex was out of the way they all seemed to lose their appeal. Although she had a sweet, sensual air about her that she seemed oblivious to, in the end I doubted she'd be any different. For now though, I'd soak up
every minute with her I could.

Elizabeth
sat, her eyes alight with excitement and curiosity. I opened the basket and started setting out the delicacies I prepared. First I pulled out a bottle of sangria and two glasses. I decided it would be safe even if she didn't like wine. In my experience sangria was a good choice for beginners.

I opened the bottle and started pouring. I glanced at her face, aware that she wa
s nervous and stopped abruptly.

"You are old
enough to drink, aren't you?"

"A little late to ask
now, isn't it?" she teased.

"No seriously, I just realized I don't know how old you are."

"Seventeen."

"What?" I felt the horror fill my face. Seventeen!
Holy shit. She was nine years younger than me. I saw the jail cell close in around me. How the hell didn't I realize? I could get in a lot of trouble with her. It wasn't worth the risk.

"Relax, frat boy. I'm twenty-two and out of college. Yes, I can drink."

A wise ass huh? If she kept that up I might have to take her over my knee. My head spun with desire at the image.

After giving her a stern look, I took out the plastic dishes, placing one in front of me, the other in front of her. The final touch, I took out a Tupperware container filled with the peanut butter a
nd jelly sandwiches I prepared.

"Look at this," She picked one up, "You quartered them and even trimmed the crust. I'm impressed."

I shrugged. "It's a picnic, I thought this was picnic-y food. And no one ever likes the crust."

"You did
good. It's my favorite."

"I think you're just saying that. And for desert," I reached in for the container of fruit; grapes, strawberries and blueberries, along with a can of whipped cream.

Chapter 9

Elizabeth

He had me. I'll admit I let myself be taken by the careful planning he'd done and the romantic atmosphere of the faux picnic. Just as he attempted to tie closed the knot of the thread around his little pinky, he pulled out the whipped cream. Really?

"Whipped cream?"

"What you don't like whipped cream?"

"I don't like the implications of whipped cream."

"Oh." His face softened, a smile played at the corners of his lips. "I thought it went well with the fruit." He lied. I could see it in his eyes. "I had no idea you had such a dirty mind, but that's good to know."

"Dirty mind?"
I wanted to deny it, but my beat red cheeks wouldn't allow me to. They already gave me away.

"You don't really expect me to believe you were only thinking of fruit do you?"

"Of course. I respect you far too much to think you'd want to do anything that kinky on our first date, but if that's what you're into, I'm sure I could oblige . . ."

"Okay, okay, enough!" Was he really trying to make me out to be the sex fiend here? "Because getting us alone like this, with no other human beings in earshot, you had no intentions of trying to get lucky?"

"Lucky?" He looked amused.

"Okay,
laid. Happy?"

He laughed. "I wanted to do something a little different.
Something out of the box that might surprise you."

"That's it? That's all you were going for?"

He popped a sandwich square into his mouth. "You're so cynical."

"I call it realistic."

"Date a lot of losers, have you?"

"No. Just guys like you. They're all sweethearts looking to get laid."

Something in his eyes darkened. His voice dropped. right along with my heart.

"And yet you're here with me." He leaned in close, his voice low, eyes piercing mine, "So what does that say about you?"

"It says I'm not cynical." I had to turn this around, and fast. I took a deep breath hoping I didn't just jump off a bridge without a bungee cord. "It says I'm hopeful. I'm hoping you’re not like all the other guys I've gone out with."

"Were they all like that?"

I shook my head. "No. But you know how it goes, the ones you really like end up disappointing you."

"And what category do I fit in?" He scooted in close to me, and brushed my hair back behind my ear. "The ones you like or the ones you really like?"

"That's what I'm still trying to figure out."

"Ma
ybe this will help categorize."

Carter had one hand at the back of my neck. His eyes were still locked with mine as his lips slowly made their way towards me. He moved slow, making me ache with anticipation. My hands rested on his shoulders, not sure if I'd be pulling
him closer or pushing him away.

"That's as devious as my plans are. To steal a few sweet kisses," he whispered, with hooded eyes, and a heaving chest, "while I get to know you a whole lot better."

Chapter 10

Carter

I looked at the little boy in front of me and studied his expression. Today was going to be rough. His eyes were blank, I didn't see any emotion in them. He didn't want to be bothered, but that was fine, I needed a challenge to keep my mind off Elizabeth. I needed to focus on work.

The day didn't start well. I never heard the alarm go off. Luckily my internal clock took over. I hated running late. It put me on edge for the whole day. I couldn't even remember the last time I overslept. It was her fault. I went to sleep much later then I should've because I co
uldn't stop thinking about her.

After the cold shower that did little more than keep me awake, I went back to imagining all the ways I wanted to get to know Elizabeth: in bed, tied up, on her knees. Every image, every scenario, they all ended sexually. I twisted and turned in my sheets, longing
to feel her body against mine.

Knowing I made her nervous, that I flustered her, made me want her more. I wanted to be there and watch close up as those feelings of uncertainty turned into confidence. When she called me out with the whipped cream, I thought for sure she'd bolt. I didn't exactly lie. But when I put it in the basket, fruit wasn't the only thi
ng I hoped we'd lick it off of.

A long time had passed since anyone held my attention like that. Most dates were spent with my head a million miles away, until it was go time and the clothes started coming off. That's when I'd give t
hem my undivided attention.

"Okay Jake, I need you to match. Could you do that for me?"

I gave him a chance to answer. He just stared at my collar, a blank look on his face. I lay out six picture cards face up on the table. I held the matches to the cards and handed him the first one.

"Match apple." I paired the word with the sign. Communication was
key. If he could communicate we'd reduce his frustration and doors would open.

Jake just stared. "C'mon buddy, you can do this." He still wouldn't say anything for me. In just two weeks he mastered the isolated point, matching physical items, and learning the people in his family. He already had a couple of signed words before I came; milk and more but that was it. It was time to move him on to the nex
t challenge. Matching pictures.

Jake s
tood and looked out the window.

"Go," he said pointing to my car.

I picked him up and swung him high in the air, knowing he loved the sensory input. He did it! He spoke spontaneously! "Good boy, Jake!"

It wasn't what I wanted, but still it was a win. I loved that he put it together on his own: the word, the point, the meaning. It was just the wrong time for it. Today was going to be a good day after all. I brought him back to the table.

"Look at my eyes, Jake." I waited for him to comply, not letting him squirm his way out of the seat. "You want me to go? You need to match for me. When you're done matching I'll go. Match apple." I handed him the card again. This time he placed it on top of the picture of the apple.

The next hour flew by. We made progress and while his mother seemed over the moon, she wasn't nearly as excited as me. It was a small victory, but a victory none the less. I couldn't wait to tell Elizabeth.

Chapter 11

Elizabeth

I needed to pick up groceries after work. Carter called earlier in the day to see if I could meet him for dinner, but I thought seeing him again so soon wasn't a good idea. Especially since I couldn't get him off my mind.

All day, no matter what I did, my mind raced back to him.
His cocky attitude, his smug, self-assured smile and steely grey eyes. How his body moved with confidence and perfect precision. I took in a deep breath bringing myself back to the moment and out of the image of unbuttoning his shirt and running my hands over his bare chest, his mouth on my neck, his hands moving down . . .

Taking stock of the aisle I meandered down, I forgot what I was looking for. I pulled out my phone and checked my shopping list, but not before I spotted another text message from Violet. We'd been texting about Carter all day. Once again I fell into a world consumed by him, until I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned to find a clerk holding a single red rose out to me.

“Seems like you made an impression on someone,” he said handing the flower to me.

I knew there had to be some sort of mistake. No one would want to give me a flower. I had a good rapport with the head of the fish department, but he'd just sneak me an extra piece of flounder every now and then. I looked around, hoping to see whom the flower was really meant for. The clerk and I were the only people in the aisle.

“No mistake,” the clerk replied. “It’s for you.”

“Who's it f
rom?” I asked, still skeptical.

He shrugged his shoulders, “I don't know. I don't pay attention to who comes in here.” The clerk popped his ear-buds in and went
back to restocking the shelves.

I continued walking down the aisles, and ran into two other stock clerks each with a red rose from my secret admirer. Neither would give any details abo
ut the mystery man.

As I continued to gather the groceries on my list, I smiled so much I felt my face begin to cramp. I searched each face I passed, no one looked familiar. No one bothered to glance in my direction. And there was no sign of the guy I wished they were from.    

As I approached the cashier, disappointment sunk in. What began as the most promising shopping trip I’d ever embarked on was ending on a very flat note, coming up way short on sparks and intrigue.

And then he appeared out of nowhere.  A single red rose in his hand.

I stood speechless when Carter approached. The unruly dark waves of his hair highlighted his grey eyes. The moment our eyes met I was lost, mesmerized by the fact that he was there in front of me. I wanted him, and I got him. Every nerve ending in my body tingled.

“Flowers are the only things nature created that can compare with your beauty,” Carter smiled,
showing off his deep dimples.

“I hope you haven't been working on that since last night.”

“That hurts,” he said bringing his hand up to his chest feigning hurt feelings, “But I’ll forgive you if . . .”

“Forgive me?” I asked, a smile creeping onto my lips, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t have you arrested for stalking me?”

He turned to the cashier, an older woman in her sixties who looked quite amused at the scene in front of her. “Would you believe I had three long stem roses delivered to this lovely lady?”

“
How sweet,” the cashier smiled.

“I thought so,” Carter continued. “And all I want in return is dinner.”

“Dinner?” the cashier repeated acting as an arbitrator.

“Just dinner.
Now, don’t you think she should at least agree to that?”

The older women, giving her best motherly look turned to me and spoke sternly, “You should give him a chance. If it were me, I'd go to dinner with him.”

“I don’t know. I mean for him to just show up here out of the blue, it is a little strange. He could be crazy.” I whispered the last part, as if he couldn't hear me.

“Crazy for you,” Carter chimed in, looking too irresistible to pass up.