Chapter Three
Daphne
“You look a little sad, sweetheart. You okay?”
Mrs. Robinson stares at me with downturned brows as she scratches Rocky’s butt. Somehow, he’s got everyone thinking he’s the sweetest dog to ever live, but only I know better.
“Yeah.”
I sit on the porch swing and attempt to gather myself before turning toward her. “Can I tell you something… private? Like, really private?”
She nods and lands her wrinkled hand on top of mine. “Of course you can! What’s got you troubled?”
“Do you know Boone…”
I’m embarrassed now that I don’t even know his last name. Like seriously, that’s not even a prerequisite now? I really need to work on myself. “He used to work at the police station. I guess he trains police dogs.”
“Boone! Of course, I know Boone. He’s my breakfast buddy. Great guy. Classic cop, always showing up with pastries.”
“Yeah.”
I clear my throat, thinking about the way he touched me earlier—so animalistic, so wild. I’ve never felt anything like that before. It was like he had to have me, like he was desperate, like there was no way in hell he was walking away without tasting me. “What do you know about him?”
“Well,”
she stares down at the boards on the porch as a soft wind blows across the yard, “his brother is the town planner that’s holding all this playground stuff up. I also know they lost their dad to the war and their mother spent a lot of time drinking, so they raised themselves for the most part. I tried to help where I could, but no one can replace your mom and dad. I think that made the boys harder than they needed to be. Did he do something to upset you?”
“No, ugh, he actually kind of defended me this morning. Gary came poking around on the trail and Boone stood up for me. We had this long talk over tea afterward, and then he…”
My cheeks turn dark red. ‘He pinned me down for a kiss in the alleyway. It was crazy! I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.’ I decide not to tell her the exact details of all that happened. “I think there’s a connection. Is that weird? I mean, it’s been a while since I felt that wanted. Even married, Gary never desired me like that. I… but maybe it’s weird and—”
“Sweetheart,”
she pushes back a strand of silver hair, “did you enjoy yourself?”
I nod and bite back a grin as the memory of his touch sweeps over my body again.
“Then it’s okay. Sure, Boone and Brooks are aggressive guys, but deep down, they’re good people. I feel bad they haven’t settled down yet.”
I drag in a deep breath and let it out slowly as the wooden wind chime on the porch rattles. I’ve always liked wooden chimes. The way the hollow wood sounds knocking against itself, it’s a soothing sound that reminds me of the forest.
“Yeah…”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know. I… I don’t want to be stupid, ya know? It’s been so long since a man has shown me this kind of affection. I don’t want to fall too hard too fast, and get hurt.”
“The best things in life happen in a heartbeat.”
She squeezes my hand. “Love shouldn’t be over thought, honey. Let yourself feel. Let your body tell you want you need. You’ll be happier that way.”
When I think about all the years I spent with a man that struggled to kiss me or to connect emotionally, I know I wasn’t following my heart. So many pieces of myself were dampened with him.
“Love is an overstatement. We just met.”
“You’re feeling something, so what is it?”
I refrain from using words like horny or aroused. “I’m attracted to him, but he’s so much older than me, and maybe the aggression will be a problem later. That, and he’s probably set in his ways. Reality says it would be a harsh transition for him to get used to living with another person, and that’ll be hard considering I’ve seen how marriage works out when you’re trying to force it.”
I clear my throat and take a sip of sweet tea. “Eventually, you fight, and the fights get worse and worse until no one is hearing anyone, and you’re alone in bed crying at two a.m. I don’t want to do all that again.”
“Can I tell you something?”
Mrs. Robinson leans back on the porch swing, pushing back with the tips of her toes.
“Sure.”
“My husband, Moose… I think I told you, he passed away a few years ago. When we first met, I didn’t know how to take him. He was brash, rough, aggressive, and possessive as heck. I thought that man was going to want to control everything I did, but I couldn’t stay away from him. He had this aura, this animalistic kind of pull that my body reacted to. We were married for over sixty years, and we had three wonderful children together.”
She looks off into the distance and smiles, her eyes shining in the sunlight. I never noticed how beautiful they are before. Finally, she glances back. “Was he a brash, possessive man until the day he died? Sure was.”
She smiles. “He was also my biggest supporter, my protector, and the only person in my life who made me feel safe.”
Her frail body bends forward. “I’m not saying Boone is like my husband. I’m saying if I’d have dismissed my Moose thinking he was too much, I’d have missed out on the best experiences of my life.”
“That’s the kind of love I want. Something passionate and genuine, even if it’s messy at times.”
I lean forward and squeeze her fragile hand gently. “I wish I could’ve met your Moose. He sounds like an interesting guy.”
She laughs. “He wouldn’t have said much to ya outside of pleasantries. The man only really talked to me, which is another reason I loved him so much. I felt so special with him, like I was the only person on Earth he enjoyed.”
She stands and stares out at the playground. “If you see Boone again, put in a word with his brother about this project. I want this thing finished so the kids can play. He stopped getting back to me a month ago.”
I think the whole town thought this project would be finished a lot faster than it has been. “I’ll put in a word, for sure.”
I stand and lean into her for a hug, breathing in the slightly floral scent on her skin. I can’t tell what kind of flower it is, but it reminds me a lot of lilac. “Thanks for listening to me ramble.
You have no idea how thankful I am for the friendship we’ve built over the past few months. I have friendships all over town with folks, but sometimes I think they only like knowing me because of the radio thing. It’s hard to open up.”
“Sure thing, sweetheart. Anytime.”
Her smile is soft and sweet as her blue flowered dress blows back in the breeze. “I’ll be listening to your radio show in the morning. Can’t wait to hear your topic of the day!”
Topic of the day. Oh right, I was supposed to be focusing on the topic of the day.
I hop off the porch and make my way down the sidewalk back toward my car.
Mrs.
Robinson’s house is the last house on Main Street.
It’s like the town built itself around her. I’ve asked her multiple times why she stays. She just smiles and goes on about how many memories she’s planted there and how she can’t bear to leave them behind.
I don’t blame her.
I don’t have the same attachment to my cabin, but I have that feeling for Rugged Mountain.
Sure, a few bad things have happened here with Gary, but there’s no way anyone could stain the emotions I have for this small mountain town.
This is my home, and currently, it’s the place where I let a giant of a man who’s probably twenty years older than me, finger me in an alleyway.
Who the hell am I?
My clit twitches to the mere thought of his big, calloused hands on my skin and the way his hard cock felt pressed against my stomach as he thrust his fingers inside of me.
I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same again.
How could I be? That was the ultimate fantasy.
The kind of moment I read about in books or watch in movies.
Maybe there’s a reason it doesn’t happen in real life.
Then again, maybe it does, and I’ve never been privy to it before.
Lord knows I get plenty of radio calls from folks who have done some crazy things when they’re in their feels.
I had a man call last week to confess his love for his best friend’s wife.
Apparently, they’d been sneaking around for years, finding moments to go wild together whenever, wherever.
He detailed a specific time in his truck right on Main Street in a parking lot full of people. I guess the windows were tinted, but it didn’t stop them.
Needless to say, the caller line blew up with very mixed views on that love affair.
I climb down into my car, thoughts of tomorrow on my mind.
Not the radio show or the topic I need to come up with, but the gruff, rough way Boone was with me.
I’ve never been touched like that in my life… with need, pressure, desire.
A flood of excitement soaks my panties, and though I know I need to be a good girl, drive my ass home, and forget this day ever happened, a very insatiable part of me wants to find this man and lose myself in a sloppy, soaking mess of whatever he comes up with next.