Johnny Blue (4 page)

I focused on sipping my own coffee, wanting to vomit with excitement. “Yes, i
t sure is.”

Chapter Three

“Okay,” Sarah huffed, blocking my path and leveling her determined hazel eyes at me. “Fess up. Why you
runnin
’
around here like you got some place to go?”

I couldn’
t keep my grin down and
the heat out of my cheeks while looking around before finally stopping
a foot
before my
life-long pudgy
friend. “I have a date.”

Her eyes widened with her sharp intake of breath.
“With
who?
”

It was a valid question in a small town like this
. All the women
knew there wasn’t a datable man around
worth a dime
.
I bit my lower lip. “Remember I told you I was going out to that painter
’
s place?”

Her brows furrowed with a
please don’t tell me you’ve stooped to dating artistic be
g
gars.

“
I
know what you’re thinking that he’s some bum but
…” I
leaned my hip on the ice machine and leveled
my secretive gaze
and smile on her
. “
Well, he
aint
.”
I got closer to her and grabbed her arm with both hands and whispered. “While I was at his place, I got a little nosy.”

“You don’t say.”

I dismissed the sarcasm. “Yes, and
h
ere I am snapping pictures of
t
his
house I find at the top of that old building, seems he’s
renovated
it to something spectacular
. A
nd I’m
thinking he’s downtown painting
right and I’m wondering
why is
he portra
y
ing
himself as a bum when it’s clear he’s nothing of the sort
?
S
o I’m
a
-
snappin
’
away when I hear
“
hello there.”

Sarah
gasped and I agreed with quick nods
and wide eyes
.

“So I spin around and what do I find?” I paused a second
and
my eyes flutter
ed
shut at the divine image in my memory. “My lord, Sarah, the man was standing there in only jeans, his body glowing like the moon, muscles lining every inch of him
.” I looked at her dreamily then. “And
he’d
shaved!
H
eaven help me the
man
under that
beard!
”
I slapped the counter. “
Not to mention
those
eyes,
those amazing, mak
e
me cum on the spot
eyes!”

Her hand went to her
chest
.
“Oh
my.
”

I let a slow smile out
,
reading her
what did he say, what did he do
look
. “
So h
e ask
s
me to stay for coffee, said he didn’t get much visitors.”

“And you did?”

I giggled and nodded. “Like I could say
no
to him? Here I was breaking and e
n
tering and he was nice enough to
ignore that part
. Of course I said yes.
Sides.
“
I
batted
my lashes.
“
Southern hospitality.”

She cackled at my
connivery
, loving it. “Of course, of course,” she lustily agreed, waiting for more juicy details.

“I was so darn nervous, I thought sure he’d regret his offer. But instead, he ends up asking to
paint
me!” I smacked her arm in elation.

Her mouth opened with her eyes.
“Oh my.
Paint you?”

I could only giggle and nod in my elation. “
When I get off,” I said, all casual, like this happened to me every tired day.

“
Holy
moley
.
”
S
he put the back of her pudgy hand on her forehead, looking faint. “I’m swooning for you. I just wished we could
see
th
e
transformation in this man.

The bell over the door rang, startling us both and we spun around
. No words were needed. There he was. Blue jeans and white t-shirt, intense eyes zeroed in on me, locked and loaded with that sexy smile
, mmm-mm
. We both just stared, speechless at the man as he approached the counter and took a seat.
“Thought I’d give you a lift.
Make it
more
proper.”

I bit my lower lip, my brain stuttering with
random
functions. “Oh.
Yes, alright.”
I looked at Sarah who
seemed stuck in
gawk. I smacked her upper arm, hoping to di
s
lodge the rudeness. “This is Johnny Blue. Johnny, this is my lifelong friend
,
Sarah.”

Johnny smiled the most beautiful sweet smile and reached a hand out.
“Nice to meet you
,
Sarah
.”

Sarah shook it dreamily
, no doubt swooning over his sexy
northern sounding
a
c
cent
.
“Nice to meet you too.”
I smiled at the fr
ail baby bird
voice that came out of her normally boisterous mouth
.

“Would you like a cup of coffee before we go?” I
untied
my apron.

He looked at me, and not just my eyes. “I was thinking I’d feed you.
After I paint you.”

My heart flipped in my chest five times.
“Alright then.”
I handed my apron to a still immobile shocked Sarah. “You mind?”

She shook herself out of la
la
land and looked at it. “Oh yes, I got it, you get out of here. Go have fun for crying out loud.
” She giggled ecstatically. “
She never has any fun, I’m glad you’re dragging her out of this place.”

I hurried around the counter before Sarah
told the man all the pathetic details of my life.

Johnny
’s
smile
followe
d me.
“I’d think every man in town would be trying to take her out.”

Shit. How sweet. Not another word Sarah, please, I begged silently, hurrying t
o
ward the door.

“Oh, she hasn’t had a man since that lousy ex-husband of hers
put her in the hospital
—”

“
God dammit S
arah
!
”
I screeched. “Please.
Spare
the
man
!” I glared at her, fur
i
ous
with
her stupidi
ty then walked out.

I managed to laugh it off as we walked out the door, praying he didn’t think I was a home grown loser now. Good lord.

“I’ll cook supper for you
first, I’m sure you’re hungry
.”
This as he opened my door.

“Actually, I ate a little. Don’t want to look like a pig for my picture.”

He
seemed to strain on a groan then gave a
light laugh.
“Never.
How about I cook after?”

It was either a need to
pay
or a reason to keep me longer.
“I’ll clean,” I said, ca
n
celling the
idea of a
payment
while ensuring a longer stay
.

He
flashed me
one of those heart stopping smiles, apparently liking that
,
and I could only squirm in my seat as the tingle between my legs
grew
.

He insisted on holding my hand up the dark flight of stairs
.
Do
wnright intoxica
t
ing
and r
idiculous how much I loved that.
“I hate this stairway, why on earth didn’t you get rid of all these webs?”

His deep chuckle echoed in the darkness
,
sexy and naughty. “I like it that way. But I’m glad it didn’t keep you away.”

And I’m glad he couldn’t see the burn in my cheeks.

“Well, I was on a
good
Samaritan duty that day, and I could see
then
.”

“Ah yes, you
thought maybe I was in trouble?
”

I tried to figure out his words and realized I’d never told him.
“
I was actually here to tell you about a prank I’d heard the younger boys planning, and wow, co
m
pletely forgot all about it.
Some Samaritan.”

“
A prank, huh?” He chuckled, like he thought it was
kinda
cute.
Surely not i
n
timidated.

“Yeah, they’re pretty harmless boys though.”

“Well thank you. That was really sweet of you.”

More blushing.
More gratefulness for the dark.
“
Aw a
s if. Anybody would’ve done the same thing.”

This got me a snort. “Not where I come from sweetheart.”
We arrived at his door and he unlocked it and flipped on the light. He glanced at me, still holding my hand.
Then he
lifted
it an
d kissed it softly. I swallowed my moan at feeling his warm full lips on me. “Thank you.
For caring.
You’re…different from other women.
”

I nodded barely.
“Yeah, um.
You’re welcome.” God! Sounded like a gagging frog!

“Would you like to shower first?”

I couldn’t hide my surprise and sudden anxiety
.
Why on earth would I need to shower? “Do I need to?”

“Only if you want to.”
Like it was strictly for my benefit.

“Ah, okay.
”
I licked my lips, wondering, “Where you
gonna
paint me?” My heart raced as I waited
, watching him lock the door.

“I was hoping…
” He turned to me, seeming hesitant. “
…
to paint you in white silk sheets.” He ran a hand through his hair and lowered his head. “While you
laid
… in my bed
.
It would be easier on you that way, too.”

I gasped a nervous laugh when desire pulsed between my legs. And was I to be nude? I was dying to ask, but no way. “Okay
.
” I
fought
for
a
no big deal,
tone
.
 

His smile stole my fears.
“Thank you.
”

I gave a light gasp
.
There was something mysterious and eager hiding in
his
thank you
.
Sweet Jesus.

Chapter Four

I washed my hair
then
my body very carefully
, thanking God I’
d shaved th
at
morning
.
My entire frame trembled as I got out of the shower and put on the black te
r
rycloth robe hanging behind the door
.
I hugged myself
.
Don’t start thinking now, you know that’ll turn out bad and you’ll end up not doing what you know
good
and well you need to do
.
And you very much need to do this. You need this gorgeous man to paint you. No whys, not this time.

I towel dried my hair and examined the result in the mirror
.
I put some of it b
e
hind my left ear then quickly took it out
at
seeing my ear looked bigger than ever
.
I pinched my cheeks several times and chewed on my lips then hurried out the door b
e
fore I chickened out.