40. Calm Before The Storm
Chapter forty
Calm Before The Storm
Maggie
The revelation that I was Paul’s first had me reeling. He’d waited for me? There really had been no one else in his life? But what did that mean? And how was he so incredibly satisfying at everything he did? Didn’t that take practice?
Questions swirled around me like annoying gnats until Paul overthrew all thought with sensations that took me under in a wave of ecstasy.
Instantly, he pressed a kiss to my lips and rolled off of me.
He probably thought he was crushing me when he stayed on top, but I loved it.
I wanted to be that close, to keep him inside of me forever.
But soon reality hit. We were naked in public. Eventually, that could become a problem.
As if Paul wasn’t ready to go yet either, he pulled the extra part of the blanket over us, covering the important bits.
“That was …” he trailed off.
“Incredible,” I rasped.
He gathered me up in his arms, pressing a kiss to my hair.
“I can’t wait to take you to the festival tomorrow.
I’ll pick you up at your hotel room at eleven, okay?
We’ll have lunch there since there’ll be so many booths with food.
Suzie and Kyle will be there with the kids.
They’ll be collecting money in cans at the festival to help them cover the damages.
Jo Ellen even offered to put on in the diner. ”
“Wow, Jo Ellen did that?” I asked, stunned.
“Yeah, she’s been great. Oh, and do you remember Connor McDaniel? He’s a deputy now, but also a friend. Well, he claims he found himself a girl to bring to the festival. Haven’t met her yet, so it’ll be interesting to see who she is and how much she really knows about him.”
As he went on and on about the festival and the people who would be there, I wondered if this was the most he’d ever said at one time in his whole life.
I tried to listen to every word, but I was just so fascinated.
What was it about this festival that was so special?
He seemed really involved in it, dare I say invested, but why?
When I couldn’t keep up anymore, I pulled him down for a kiss.
As his lips reluctantly released mine, he wore a dreamy expression. “What was that for?”
“For talking,” I sighed, fanning myself. “That was just as incredible as all those orgasms you conjured out of me.”
His eyes flashed with mischief. “Oh, yeah?”
I felt his hand run down my thigh and … oh, my.
Yes, he could do that as many times as his heart desired.
When his finger circled my clit and another climax was bearing down on me, he sucked my nipple and reached around me to roll the other one until another orgasm hit me like a freight train.
He continued this again and again until they weren’t regular-sized orgasms. He worked me up into such a frenzy that a giant one was coming.
I could feel it just on the edges of my consciousness.
The way my inner muscles clenched. The way my spine tingled and my toes curled.
It was coming. Oh, shit, it was huge and before I could think another thought, my muscles spasmed hard.
Paul covered my mouth with his to swallow the powerful scream he summoned from me.
By the time my eyes drifted open, he was licking his fingers, making me swoon. How did he always seem to know what to do to bring a new rush of arousal from me? Everything he did like this was absolutely, stunningly perfect until we tried to talk about us.
After round two, we were huffing and puffing so hard we almost didn’t hear it.
The crunch of gravel. Shit. We pulled on our clothes quickly and made it look like we were stargazing in the back of the truck.
The sheriff deputy’s vehicle pulled alongside us.
The tough-looking deputy told us to move along.
Without catching us in the act, he couldn’t say for certain we did anything illegal, but I knew he couldn’t give us a ticket. This was private property.
Since Paul didn’t know that and didn’t want to cause problems, we dutifully hopped down from his truck bed.
This was another county, and this man was not his friend from high school, so we drove back to town separately.
This time, I waved to him at my turnoff while he continued on to his house.
We weren’t on a date. He didn’t need to see me home.
Yet, without him giving me that kiss on the cheek at my hotel door, the night felt a little chillier, making me wish for something I didn’t have. And maybe never would.
The next morning, I attempted a visit with Mom as usual.
This time, though, the door was locked and no one responded when I knocked.
I went around and checked the porch, but I didn’t see anyone.
That was strange. Maybe she had a doctor’s appointment?
There was no note, so I texted Father. No response.
Since there was nothing I could do, I went to the diner.
Jo Ellen sat me at a booth. “It’s the calm before the storm, isn’t it? In a few hours, this downtown will be flooded with people. Looking forward to the festival?”
I couldn’t stop from smiling, remember how excited Paul was for it. “Yes. You’ll be there, right?”
She grinned. “Sure will. Brought in some extra help today so I can see how my entries do this year. I’ve spent the last year improving my jam recipe, so you’ll have to come see us at the jam contest. I’ll also be going up against Mrs. Baumgartner in the pie contest, and looking forward to a hayride, too. ”
My eyes widened. “Is that a new addition?”
She nodded. “You betcha. We’re going all out this year. Mrs. Baumgartner has been baking for weeks.”
I snickered. “Oh, yes. It wouldn’t be the Summer Festival without her pie. I don’t know how she makes that crust so flaky.”
Jo Ellen looked me straight in the eye. “Lard. Lots and lots of lard.”
We both had a chuckle over that and then I ordered.
It was the first time Jo Ellen and I had really had a decent conversation since high school.
To have a shared history of the festival and be looking forward to the simple things in life like pie was much nicer than being on the receiving end of her glares.
Maybe Jo Ellen was like the other guys in town, like Paul said.
Now that we’d gone on a date, maybe it put things in perspective for Jo Ellen, too.
Now, if I only knew what it meant for Paul and me.
During breakfast, I got a text from Suzie asking if I would meet her at her shop. She seemed a little short, so I finished quickly and headed over to see what she needed.
The moment I stepped inside, tension rolled off her in waves as she bustled around the counter.
“Any chance you could give me a hand here at the store this morning? I need someone to handle things while I go out and see the insurance adjuster at the house. It should only be an hour or so, I hope.”
I agreed immediately. With a quick tutorial on how to use her register, she took off and left me alone at the store.
Everything was so peaceful that I wondered how she handled the quiet of every day.
Since I loved her products, I wandered around smelling the soaps, candles, and lotions.
I was glad I had so that when customers came, I knew enough about the products to make recommendations, which turned into sales.
Then more customers came. It was almost eleven and, while I knew Paul was going to be looking for me, I was far too busy to text him.
It was around eleven-thirty when a large, grumpy man darkened the door.
Paul clomped up to my counter looking far too edible in a black T-shirt and faded jeans. “What’re you doing here?”
I gave him a pretty smile. “Helping Suzie. She had the insurance adjuster meeting today which must have run long. Since it’s so busy here, would you give me a hand?”
Seeing a store full of customers, Paul agreed to help me wrap and bag things after I rung them up.
We were doing well when Suzie bustled in the back door. “Oh, my word. I completely forgot about the festival. I’m back, so you two are free to go.”
I checked with her to make sure. “I can stay. You just say the word.”
“No, silly. I’ve got this, really. You go enjoy,” she said with a big grin. “I’ll try to pop out and catch up with you later and you can tell me all about the shenanigans.”
I gave her a quick hug, whispering to her, “Is everything okay?”
She nodded and pulled back. “Really. Things are going to be fine. As soon as we rebuild the front stairs and put in a new air conditioner, we can move in. There will be some smoke damage to clean and the front siding to repair, but we’re really very lucky.
Thank you, Paul, for all you did to help us. We’ll never forget it.”
Paul nodded. “Glad to be of help.”
When I checked my phone, I saw a bunch of missed text messages from Paul, but still nothing from Father.
Blowing out a breath, I followed Paul out into the bright sunlight.
It was raging hot, but the festival was already in full swing.
The guys were winning stuffed animals for their women, everyone had something on a stick to eat, and most surprisingly, Paul smiled.
Hundreds of people in from all over this area were already enjoying the booths, strength contests, corn maze, and obstacle course. Food vendors lined the streets. It wasn’t long before I was swept off my feet by a man who looked like I boy I once knew.
“Rob?” I squealed. “Is that you?”
“Put her down,” Paul grumped.
Rob gave me a squeeze, then set me down carefully. “Hey, Maggie. I missed you so much. Paul’s been monopolizing your time, but I think that ends now, don’t you?”
Taking his hand, I nodded, letting him buy me something on a stick.
“This is Leena,” Sawyer said, bouncing up to me.
Using a napkin to dab at the cinnamon sugar on my face from the fried cinnamon roll on a stick, I extended my hand. “Leena, nice to meet you. I’m Maggie.”
“She’s my girlfriend,” Sawyer said proudly, rocking back and forth on his feet with hearts practically popping out of his eyes.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” Leena said, “I hear you’re a photographer. I love art, too.”
With a genuine smile, I hooked my arm around hers, leading her away from Sawyer, and chatted all about the art gallery in Mainview.
While I had no idea what my schedule would be, I promised to go up to the college with her to see it with her sometime.
She seemed like such a lovely young woman that I looked forward to spending more time with her.
Paul snatched me back after only a few minutes. “Want you to meet Connor as the man and not the deputy.”
“Maggie, good to see you under better circumstances,” Connor said, then gestured to the woman at his side. “And this is Lancaster. We went to the academy together.”
I smiled, exchanging a glance with Paul. This didn’t seem like a date at all.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her hand. “I didn’t catch your first name.”
She had an iron grip but seemed nice enough. “Everyone calls me Frankie. You know, these banners are really great. I used to draw back in high school, but this is next level.”
“Rob made the graphics,” Paul said, nodding to his brother who stood nearby.
Once I knew she was an artist, too, I got all involved in hearing more about what she likes to draw until Paul steered me over to the strong man booth with Connor and his brothers trailing us.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Got a score to settle,” he said in a low, serious tone. “And I need you there to watch.”
Picking up a sledgehammer, Paul set it on his shoulder, challenging his brothers and Connor. For the next few minutes, I stood with Leena and Frankie, the three of us watching the guys peacock around, where we did our best to hide our laughter and cheer on the guys.