Chapter 6
6
Belinda walked up the steps to her apartment Saturday evening. The wedding she’d photographed had not been complicated or extensive. She had even gotten lucky with the sun being perfect on the side of the church with the stained glass windows in the background, and not one headstone marred the background of the shot.
The reception had been fun, and the bride's parents had included a plate of food for her. Now, it was late, and she was ready for the day to end so she could concentrate on the man she continually saw in her mind. Aaron Bergstrom.
As soon as her key slid into the keyhole of her front door, Bess’s door opened, and her sister popped out.
“I thought you were going to text me when you were on your way home!”
“Shit, I’m sorry. I always do that, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do!” She lifted a brow. “So tell me, what was on your mind instead of your sister?” Belinda watched as Bess’s lips twitched before she burst into laughter.
“How do you know anything was on my mind?”
“If you tell me you haven’t been thinking about Aaron, I’ll call you a liar straight to your face.”
Inclining her head to the side, she offered, “Come on in, Sis.” She and Bess often joked that they should have a door between their two apartments since they ran back and forth between each so often. Belinda walked back to her bedroom, desperate to get into comfy clothes.
She jumped into the shower to quickly wash off, not surprised when Bess followed her into the bathroom and sat on the closed toilet seat so they could keep talking. “I admit I have been thinking about Aaron, but I feel rather stupid.”
“Why?” Bess yelled over the shower water pounding over Belinda.
“I’m thirty years old, for God's sake. Not only am I no longer in high school but I’m not even in my twenties! Feeling giddy over a guy just seems… oh, I don’t know… silly?”
“I’m only two years younger than you, and I certainly don’t think it’s silly to feel excited when you meet someone you’re interested in. It’s not as though you don’t know anything about him. You knew him in high school!”
“Well, that’s hardly a rousing endorsement! Twelve years is a long time, and neither of us is anything like we were back then.”
“I just mean that you at least have some kind of history of growing up in the same place. It must give you a point of reference when you’re talking.”
Belinda knew her sister never had any problem finding something to discuss with anyone, so she wondered why Bess's comment had such a wistful tone. Before she had a chance to ask, Bess continued her interrogation.
“Have you decided what to wear tomorrow?”
“Considering we’ll be out on the bay, I don’t think what I wear really matters as long as it’s jeans, big socks, boots, and my heavy coat to beat back the breeze.”
Bess scrunched her nose and nodded. “Yes, but you can add a cute knit hat and a scarf.”
Belinda had to laugh. Bess loved to accessorize, both with clothes and her apartment.
Climbing out of the shower, she dried off, pulled on her pajamas, and then walked back into the living area with Bess in tow.
“By the way, Mom called, and we were talking?—”
“No, absolutely not!”
Bess huffed but didn’t say anything.
Belinda jumped into the silence. “You need to go visit Grandma. It’s my fault for not realizing there were five Thursdays in November this year and agreeing to do a photo shoot on Thanksgiving weekend. It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of you or Grandma for you not to make this trip.”
Bess fiddled with the hem of her shirt and nodded. “I know you’re right, but I just hate for you to be alone on Thanksgiving Day.”
“It’ll be fine. I won’t lie—I’ll miss everyone, but I’ll stay busy. I might even order a turkey dinner from one of the restaurants around here. Honestly, Bess, I’ll be fine.”
The sisters shared a hug before Bess walked to the door. “I’ll let you get to bed early since I know you had a long day. I’m going to my place to see if I can work on my baklava recipe.”
Belinda called out her goodnights and stuck her head out the door until her sister was safely inside, then closed and locked her door. Deciding to read in bed, she flipped out her lights. As she walked into the bedroom, she thought about their conversation. It was going to suck to be alone for Thanksgiving, but she had a loving family, and even if she couldn’t be with them, she knew she was lucky.
Once in bed, she turned her mind away from the upcoming holiday to the next day, when she would be out on another date with Aaron. And with that, she fell asleep with sweet dreams dancing in her head.
Belinda leaned her head back and closed her eyes, letting the kiss of sunlight touch her upturned cheeks and paint an orange glow over her closed eyelids. The breeze over the Chesapeake Bay sent her hair whipping over her shoulders. She’d heeded Bess’s advice and worn a cute powder-blue knit cap so that at least her hair didn’t tangle in the wind. And the matching scarf certainly kept her neck warm.
Lowering her chin, she grinned at Aaron at the boat's wheel. His ease of steering as they bounced along the gentle waves spoke of familiarity and love of the water.
“You’re not too cold, are you?” His voice carried over the sound of the engine and the waves. His gaze was filled with concern.
She shook her head and smiled, her spirit lifted by the beauty of the day and the company she was with. “Nope! This is fabulous.”
He slowed the boat and expertly maneuvered into an inlet. When they’d left, he had the boat docked at the Baytown Harbor, but now he allowed it to rest near a wooden dock. Tying it off, he turned and offered her a hand.
She looked with curiosity at the cooler setting on the private pier, along with several blankets. He guided her to the wooden ladder and stood behind her with his hands on her hips as she climbed upward. He quickly followed.
“What on earth is this?” Her intrigue blossomed into excitement.
“My next surprise,” he said, winking. He spread one of the blankets that was lying on the dock.
When invited to sit, she acquiesced and her curiosity gained strength. Aaron sat next to her and draped the other blanket across their laps. He leaned over to open the ice chest and pulled out a bottle of wine and a plastic-wrapped charcuterie board.
“Oh my!” she exclaimed, reaching out to assist. There were plastic wineglasses, plastic plates, and napkins.
He placed the food on the top of the closed ice chest, and she pulled the wrapping off as he opened the wine and filled their glasses.
“This is crazy sweet!” Earlier, her cheeks had felt the sting of the breeze but now ached from her wide smile. “You are full of surprises, Aaron!”
He grinned and held his wineglass out toward her. She tapped hers against his and tilted her head as she waited.
“Here’s to a beautiful woman and a fun, sunshine-filled day, complete with a boat ride over the bay.”
“Hear, hear,” she agreed, then sipped the wine. “Oh, it’s sweet. My favorite.” Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “How did you know?”
“I may have stopped by the bakery yesterday to get the desserts that are at the bottom of the chest, but I also interrogated your sister about your wine preferences.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Bess didn’t say anything last night when I got in!”
“I could tell the two of you are close, much like Andy and me, so I swore her to secrecy.”
Belinda’s heart melted at the picnic he’d planned. She looked behind them, her brow lowering again. “Whose dock are we at?”
“This is behind my brother’s house. He and Ivy won’t be home today, so I asked if I could plan this. I’m afraid I’m just in an apartment now, hoping to buy a house in the next year or so.”
“Well, I’m so impressed,” she said, smiling. “And really touched. This is lovely.”
“Not as lovely as you.”
“Are you trying to sweet-talk me?” she asked, popping a cheese cube into her mouth.
“Is it working?”
Laughing, she nodded. “Oh, yeah. Huge bonus points for the boat ride, the picnic, and then finding out my favorite wine. And the extra credit goes to buying from my sister’s shop!”
“Hell, I’m racking up the points.” He grinned.
She looked at him as he sat with a casual air, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. His eyes were on her, and she was captivated. The wind had tossed the longer hair on top, giving him a devil-may-care appearance. It was only their second date, but she wanted more. More of his smoldering gazes and even hotter kisses.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “Um… how good the food is.”
“Liar.”
Dropping her jaw, she affected an offended expression and huffed with exaggeration.
He leaned forward, set his almost empty plate on the top of the cooler, and leaned even deeper toward her. “From what I’ve seen, you’re as honest as they come, Belinda. So don’t start lying now.”
She drained the wine from her glass and swiped her tongue over her bottom lip to catch an errant drop. “Okay. I was thinking that this date has been so much fun. The picnic was such a surprise and a special touch to the already perfect date. And that I'd like it not to be our last date.”
“Good… ’cause I don’t want it to be our last date either.” His intense gaze never left her face. “What else?”
“I was thinking that you’re really good-looking.”
His smile gave him an almost predatory look, and he leaned closer. “And?”
“That I really want to kiss you again.”
Now, his smile widened. “Yeah… to all of that, Belinda. Now, come over here.”
He reached over and took her hand. She gently allowed him to pull her onto his lap and never considered not letting him take the lead. Right now, she didn’t care who initiated the kiss. She just wanted his mouth on hers.
If she thought the kiss Friday night was toe-curling, this kiss was mind-blowing. She shifted to straddle his thighs, their bodies pressed tightly together. Immediately opening her mouth, she welcomed his tongue when it slipped in. The glide of his tongue over hers felt like a velvet tickle, and she squirmed, desperate for more. More of everything Aaron had to offer. She had no set number of dates before moving to sex, but she was ready to combust now and wasn’t sure she was willing to wait.
This kiss held no finesse as she moved her head back and forth. She wasn’t searching for the perfect angle because, as she quickly discovered, every angle with him was perfect. One of his hands dropped to her ass, and his fingers squeezed. She shifted even closer, and the bulge in his pants pressed against her jean-clad sex. She was ready to ride him into the sunset.
“Jesus,” he mumbled against her lips.
“No,” she mumbled in return. “It’s just me.”
“Smart-ass.”
She wondered how they managed to have a conversation of muttered words that were instantly swallowed by each other. His fingers tugged her hair, and she became aware that her knit cap was no longer on her head. Instead, his hand dove through her thick tresses, gripping just enough to send a slight sting along her scalp.
He grunted, and she realized her hand had mirrored his actions, and her grip on his hair had tightened. “Sorry,” she murmured.
Time once again ceased to have any meaning. She had no idea how long they kissed, but other than his hand on her ass, he had refrained from groping her, much to her disappointment. “Oh God, I want more,” she groaned.
His eyes flashed, and he dropped his head back. “You’re killing me, Belinda.” Before she could retort, he lowered his chin and held her gaze. “ I don’t want you to look at me with regret.” He leaned back and blew out a long breath. “I don’t want to rush sleeping with you?—”
“I’m not talking about sleep,” she quipped, her chest heaving with each breath. “I’d settle for a good fu—” Suddenly, a fat raindrop splattered on her face, and she jumped. “Oh!” she squealed as another one pelted the top of her head.