Chapter 5
5
JAMES
I like to start every morning with a drive all around the main area of Old Hemlock Valley. Cruising past the highway on-ramp, looping around town, then going through a few of the larger streets. It’s a fast way to see if anything is out of place.
On the rare occasion something is up at a house, there will be five extra vehicles already parked it. Or people will see my truck and come running out to flag me down. I think that’s happened exactly twice since I’ve been here.
I drop into The Bakery on Main to grab a coffee and bagel, but Holly is in the back, so I don’t see her. Once outside, I balance my coffee on the hood of the Austins’ Jeep that Holly has parked out front.
Taking out a pad of parking tickets, I rip one off and write on the back of it: Hope your first day is going well. Dinner tonight? I’ll text you later. I don’t bother signing it. She’ll know who it is. Who else would be using parking tickets as scrap paper?
The rest of the day is fairly uneventful, except for the special on at the sandwich place, and getting an extra bag of kettle chips for half price. I wait until early afternoon when I’m in the office to send Holly the promised text.
Hey, gorgeous. Where would you like to have dinner tonight? I’d love to hear about your first day.
I force myself to answer a bunch of emails before checking my phone again.
Holly: I’d love to see you, but I’m exhausted – full day on my feet after not sleeping well in a new house, plus I need to pick up groceries because there isn’t anything in the house :(
What if you send me a list of essentials and I’ll grab them for you. Then I’ll cook for you at the Austins’ tonight. Early dinner, straight to bed.
The second I send the message, I realize how that sounds.
To bed to sleep! Because we’re all wholesome as wholesome can be around here.
Holly: LOL! That would be amazing, thank you. Maybe I can sneak in a half hour nap before you arrive.
If you nap on the couch and leave the front door unlocked, I can start cooking while you rest.
Holly: Wonderful. Thank you.
Holly: I’m kinda surprised the town cop is suggesting I leave my door unlocked, LOL.
For an hour or two in the late afternoon? I’m not worried.
Holly: Great. Thanks!
I catch up on some paperwork, then take care of Holly’s list of basics: eggs, cereal, frozen chicken fingers, that sort of thing. Not the most interesting food, but I’m sure she’s going for things she can throw together in a hurry after baking all day.
It’s only four-thirty when I get to the Austin place, and sure enough, Holly is out cold on the couch. She looks like an angel, with her hair fanned out around her, those perfect rose lips slightly parted as she breathes deeply. My heart swells just from looking at her, and I quickly tear myself away, not wanting anything else to swell while I’m staring.
I stock the fridge as quietly as possible, then begin to cook. About half an hour later, I hear soft rustling from the living room. “Mmm…smells good.”
“You’ve got another twenty minutes of nap time, missy.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Looking toward the couch, Holly is stretching with her eyes still closed. Then she burrows back under the blanket like an adorable squirrel.
I’m searching for bowls when I hear her at the door to the kitchen. “Wow. You really cook. What’s this?”
“A light Thai curry with beef, red pepper and onion over rice. All the garlic and ginger is energizing, so you’ll be well fueled for tomorrow.”
Her perfect lips fall slightly open as she stares. “You’re making me energy food?”
“Yes. Now get your cute little butt to the table, please.”
She waits until I’ve set the bowls down to give me a big hug. “Thank you, James. Nobody’s ever really cooked like this for me before.”
I wait until we’re sitting at the table blowing on spoonfuls of curry to ask, “Do your parents live around here?”
Her expression becomes a neutral mask, yet her eyes lose some of their light. “Dad left when I was five. Mom’s living in Ireland with her boyfriend.” She pronounces the word boyfriend like most people pronounce asshole , so I know not to ask any follow up questions there.
My hand covers hers on the table. “I’m sorry.”
A slight shrug. “It’s fine.”
I want to tell her that it’s not fine. That an amazing woman like her should be cared for and nurtured.
Not yet, James. Pace yourself.
“Hey – so what’s the deal with only one cop in town? How does that actually work?” She’s clearly changing the subject. I’ll let her.
“It’s a bit of an odd situation. There’s a county sheriff, of course, but the founders of this town didn’t think there was enough of a visible law enforcement presence here.”
“So they hired their own police officer?”
“The town did, yes.”
“So… Do you answer to the town, or that sheriff?”
“Bit of both, but it’s the town council who would holler at me if anything went sideways. I’m paid an extremely generous salary to be very visible here. Maintain the great personality of this place and connect people to the right kind of help when they need it.”
“Cool.”
I share more stories about the town while we eat, and she seems genuinely interested. I hope that Holly falls in love with the town like I did. The thought of her moving on somewhere else… My gut clenches at the thought of it, and not from the hot peppers in the curry.
Every chance I get, I touch her hand, caress her arm, brush our knees together. I’m happy to notice that she’s doing the same – reaching over to remove a thread from my shirt, or gently tapping my hand to make a point.
When we’re finished, I dig out containers to divide the leftovers into Holly-sized portions. “These should be good snacks for the rest of the week.” Once everything is in the fridge and the dishwasher is loaded, I slip my arms around her.
“Would you like to stay for a movie, or—” She yawns, trying frantically to cover her mouth in time with zero success.
“There’s no way you can stay awake for another two hours, angel.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re under no obligation to entertain me. Really. Now, do you shower in the morning or at night?”
“Morning. It helps wake me up.” She laughs lightly. “At least here the owner gets everything started for me. At my last bakery job I had to be there at four.”
“That’s inhuman. How about I finish cleaning up and you go get ready for bed?”
They say that women love a man who is handy in the kitchen and cleans up after himself. Judging from the unbelievable force of Holly’s kiss, they’re right.
She heads to the guest room, and I hand wash the pot and skillet. Once I’m done and my hands are scrubbed and dry, I call down the hallway, “May I pop in for a quick good night kiss?”
“Sure.”
When I reach the doorway, I slump to the side, leaning on the frame. “Damn. You’re always beautiful, Holly. But this…” I wave my hand at her. “Ridiculous. Too much. I’m sorry, you’ll have to tone it down.”
Every time I make her laugh I feel like I’ve scored a point.
“Don’t be silly.” She glances down at the oversized white t-shirt hanging loosely on her delicate frame and purple floral boy shorts. “It’s just my version of pajamas.”
“And it’s adorable.”
Walking in, I flip open the covers. “Get in.” Her eyes widen as I undo the collar of my shirt. “Don’t worry, I’m not joining you. I’m just going to lie down for a minute.”
Damn… that smile. The warmth of it tangles around my heart, putting down roots.
Holly curls up in bed on her side, and I tuck the blankets in at her back, leaving the front open. Her thin white t-shirt is leaving nothing to the imagination, the stretched-out neckline dipping low, her nipples clearly visible.
“You’re breathtaking,” I murmur, lying close beside her. My left arm slips under to hold her against me as my right hand skims cautiously around her throat and the top of her cleavage.
“You seem to be breathing just fine,” she says with a smile. Her hand lands over my heart. Can she sense that my breath is off kilter?
Being so close to her when she’s barely dressed ignites my long-suppressed lust. No, not suppressed. Ignored. Or, to be perfectly accurate, lust that simply didn’t exist before I laid eyes on Holly. She’s sweetly sexy with every movement, every flash of her lovely eyes.
Our lips meet slowly in a soft, dreamy kiss as we gradually shift closer together. I’ve never been so hard in my life, but that will have to wait. Tonight is all about making my precious girl feel wanted and safe.
The kiss deepens, everything becoming a warm blur as my hand slides down to slip under her shirt. My fingers gently drift across her stomach, and it tightens. “Ticklish?”
“A little.”
Pulling back, I study her dazzling eyes while I cup her breast, caressing her soft skin. “What about here?”
Her head barely shakes. “That spot seems fine.” She leans closer, our foreheads touching, and I hear her breath quiver. When my thumb drags slowly across her peaked nipple, her entire body contracts. My gorgeous girl is definitely sensitive.
Kissing her again, our tongues tangle softly as my hand drifts around to the other breast, her stomach, her hip. Her thighs rub together a few times, telling me that she’s getting just as fired up as I am.
Playing with the edge of her shorts, I whisper, “Should I rock you to sleep, baby?”
Her eyes are bright. “I’m not sure what you mean, but yes.”
My hand slips into her shorts as she rolls onto her back, legs splayed open in a clear invitation. We both moan as my fingertips graze through her center. Kissing her deeply, my touch wanders all around her soft pussy, discovering her clit and her snug inner lips.
She’s already so wet for me. It’s nearly impossible to stifle my deep groan as I dip inside, collecting her sweet juices to drag around the warm little button peeking out. At the slightest bit of friction in just the right spot, Holly’s eyes roll back with a choked sound. Her lovely face is utterly transformed with an expression that imprints on my soul.
This is my woman, meant for me. Mine . Yes, my inner thoughts have apparently started speaking Caveman, but there’s no stopping it, knowing that she’s as hot for me as I am for her.
Giving her a deep, steamy kiss, I alternate between circling her clit and stroking straight through her delicate pussy lips. Keeping my rhythm slightly uneven, I wait until I feel her stomach tremble and her thighs tighten slightly around my hand.
“I need to feel you come.” My voice is almost guttural. Thankfully, Holly doesn’t seem fazed by this side of me that’s appeared out of the blue.
“Mmm…please.” The word is soft, nearly broken.
“Rock against my hand, baby.” Placing my thumb on her clit with my middle finger barely inside, I wait, curious. Is she going to get shy? Or does she know what she wants?
Tentatively she begins to move against me, testing the sensations before her lips fall open with a breathy sigh. Her heels dig into the bed as she rocks, pulling my finger in and out and increasing the friction across her clit.
I watch for a full minute, studying her timing and the pressure she craves. Is this the first time she’s been with a man? Definitely.
That fills a primitive part of my heart with joy. To be her first, her only, to be the lucky man who gets to satisfy this beauty for the rest of our lives…
With a deep groan, I taste her lips again, taking over from her, copying her movements so that she can relax her legs. Holly’s hands grip my shoulders desperately as she moans and sighs against my mouth.
The tension in her delicate body hits the limit and she comes with a sharp cry, her inner walls tightening around my finger as her hips and thighs tremble. Releasing her lips, I watch as she blinks hard, shaking and moaning, writhing against my hand before collapsing back on the bed with a long, contented sigh.
“Sexiest woman alive,” I murmur, giving her a gentle kiss. Removing my hand, I can’t resist popping my finger into my mouth. “And delicious.”
Her huge hazel eyes fly wide. “Really?”
“Yes. I can’t wait to taste you properly, gorgeous.” I pull her clothing back into place and tuck the blankets around her. “I’ll set the front door to lock and double check it before I leave. See you tomorrow.”
Before I can stand, Holly grabs me, pulling me close for a deep, sultry kiss that reignites the fire that I’ve been trying to put out. I’m not sure if she notices that I need to adjust myself.
“Sweet dreams, little angel.”
“Goodnight…guardian angel.”
Smiling, I sneak out before I’m tempted to spend the night with her. Things with Holly and I are moving at lightning speed, and the last thing I’d ever want to do is rush my girl.
Yeah. My girl. The Caveman-to-English translation lines up with that one.