Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Bear
I booked it for my truck, hoping I didn’t run into any of the guys on the way there. I didn’t have time to chat, though usually I was, Faye the only thing my mind could focus on.
Her blonde hair.
Her blue eyes.
Fuck, she turned me on.
Never had a woman had this much impact on me before. Sure I’ve seen plenty of attractive women but never had I felt so drawn to a woman.
Like she was meant to be at my side.
Was that how it worked when Dane and Hayden fell in love? Did they take one look at their woman and just already know?
I wanted to pick their brains, but I was too busy getting over to the bar. I needed to see her again.
Hell, I hadn’t even kissed her yet and fuck, I wanted to. I wanted to so badly.
Within five minutes, I pulled into the boardwalk parking lot and parked my truck nearest the entrance.
I hurried over and down the boardwalk towards the bar, already waving hi to a few guys.
We often walked the boardwalk and hung at the bar after our shifts, easy ways to decompress after long days of protecting duty.
But now that I was off duty, it didn’t matter who I hung out with. Which was why I was so grateful to see Faye already sitting there, waiting.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I slid up next to her. “What can I get you to drink?”
Her blue eyes shone under the glowing bar lights. “I’ll take a water. I need to rehydrate a bit. And drive home.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason. Smart woman.” I said before heading over to the bar and ordering two waters, mine with lemon. Normally, I’d order a beer, but I’d rather support her choice. I didn’t need the empty calories, anyway.
Placing her water in front of her, I sat across from her and took a long sip of mine. It was cold and refreshing, the lemon a nice twist.
“You didn’t want a beer or anything?” Faye asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
“Nah. I don’t need it. Besides, I’m here to enjoy something else.”
“Are you?”
“You know it, sweetheart.” I winked and leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “So tell me about yourself. Talk to me. I want to know everything.”
“Everything?” Faye laughed. “You got all night?”
“For you I do.”
“I’m kidding. I’m actually kind of boring. I grew up in Sunbreak Harbor and never left. The end.”
I chuckled. “I doubt that’s all. What do you do for work?”
“I work at the publishing house in town. Rented a small seaside cottage for myself and my cat, Binx. My parents still live in town, along with my younger sister, Becca, and my best friend Jodie. I don’t have much of a social life.
Not because I’m shy or anything, I just prefer the company of my cat and my bed.
Trashy reality TV, girl dinners, and long baths are some of my favorite things. ”
“Girl dinners? What are those?”
“You’ve never heard of girl dinners?” Faye giggled.
“It’s kind of a social media trend, if you will, but it basically means a quick, easy dinner girls throw together when they don’t feel like cooking.
Like cheese and crackers, or hell, sometimes just wine and cheese.
Maybe a few hard-boiled eggs and a couple of cookies. Something easy and dumb.”
“Basically, a few snacks pushed together for a meal.” I concluded.
“Yep. My favorite is prosciutto sliced thin with a nice thick sharp cheddar and everything bagel crackers. Delish.”
“Sounds interesting. I’d be starving an hour later.”
Faye laughed, nearly choking on her sip of water. “Yes, it’s not a lot of food. Often, I am starving later. So I order takeout.”
“Now, I love takeout. Especially a good Chinese order.”
“Yes! I love Chinese food. I also love sushi.”
“Me too.”
“Have you gone to the sushi place in Sterling, the next town over?”
“What? There’s a sushi place around here? I’ve been looking like mad!”
“Yes, we have to go, then. It’s amazing.”
“It’s a date.” I said and, without thinking, I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine. I needed to touch her, feel her, be close to her.
“It’s a date,” Faye repeated.
“Hey, do you want to get out of here? Maybe walk along the boardwalk?”
“I’d love to.”
I got up and helped her from her chair. I offered my arm out, and she slipped an arm through. Exactly what I wanted.
Her gorgeous self on my arm.
“Wow, I want to visit there someday. I bet the winters are magical.”
“It’s a lot of snow. Sometimes you’re stuck inside your cabin for days. Especially if you live far off the main roads and the plows can’t get to you for a while.”
“I would still love it.” Faye’s eyes lit up as we strolled the boardwalk, arm in arm, talking about everything under the sun.
I told her all about where I grew up in the small town of Appleridge, the crazy winters with a ton of snow, and how everyone knows your name and your business.
“I’d build a fire inside, sip hot cocoa, and watch the snow fall.
I wouldn’t mind getting stranded, as long as I still had power. ” Faye grinned.
“Luckily, most cabins have a generator, sweetheart.”
Faye’s shoulders visibly shook, and my cock twitched in my pants. I liked the way the pet name caused a visceral reaction through her body. If words could do that, imagine what actions could do…
“What is your favorite place in Sunbreak Harbor?” I asked her before I stopped walking and started kissing her.
“It’s hard to name just one. I love the boardwalk. Always have. I also love the Salty Spoon. It’s my favorite place to get breakfast.”
“It is good. I go there often. Sometimes the guys at work go together too.”
“Do you work for a company doing security?”
“Yes. Sunbreak Harbor Security. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”
Faye smiled. “Of course. Can’t really live around here without hearing about it.”
As we made our way to the end of the boardwalk, it was well after one in the morning, and despite having a mid-afternoon assignment tomorrow, I still didn’t want the night to end.
“Want to walk along the beach with me?” I slid her arm out from between mine and wrapped one hand around hers.
“You read my mind.”
We walked down the stairs to the sand, hand in hand. We slipped off our shoes and rejoined hands before walking towards the water, and then along the edge where the water met the sand.
At night, the ocean looked scary, dark and ominous, a huge body of water in pitch black, but the waves gently rapped at the shore.
We chatted and sometimes fell silent, a comforting, comfortable silence.
When we walked a good mile, we turned and headed back.
Faye laughed and ran ahead of me, as we splashed in the water, and I caught up to her, wrapping her in my arms as she squealed and giggled.
We played like two little kids, and finally, as we caught our breath together, in each other’s arms, we kissed there on the beach under the moonlight.