Flirting with Disaster (14 page)

With the factory...it was hard to believe that old piece of history was closing. It had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. My dad spent more years working there than I'd been alive, and now it was coming to an end. Would he settle and retire here? His home was paid off, this was all he knew, or would he want to spread his wings and explore other areas? I couldn't imagine he had enough to travel like most retired folks. My guess was his remaining time would be on our barrier island.
 

I was surprised that he'd called my brother. It would be nice to see him if he made time to visit. It'd been a long time since I'd seen him. We didn't talk much after he left, but he was still blood, and I'd be happy to see his face again. My mind drifted from thought to thought, until it landed firmly on the soft, curved body of Barbara. She'd taken me by surprise. I didn't expect... Well, who could have known?
 

I was sleeping with the enemy. What was that? Was I a traitor? Wasn't I due to have a little happiness of my own? If she's the one I want, that was nobody's business. I kicked around the idea of others finding out. I'd gotten through the worst of it with Charlie and Tony. They saw me stand my ground. Word would get out quickly, and there'd be gossip.
 

No matter, something drew me to her. I could almost breathe in her fragrance from thought, and her skin, so soft to the touch, I wanted to run my hands over her body and listen to her mewing sounds of pleasure. I needed to be in her bed, holding her in my arms – that was the one thing I was certain of. I had no idea where this would lead, and I didn't need to look ahead. I was living in the here and now, and while she was in Ocean Crest, I had no interest in sharing her with other men. She was mine. When she left, well, we'd cross that bridge when the time came.
 

I told her I'd be back, but before I went, I had to wrap up at work. Somebody had limped in with their car, having just made it. They almost killed their rim in the process.
 

"Flat tire," the woman said. She was a young, pretty thing. She dressed fancier than most around these parts. She had to be visiting.
 

"Let me see if I can plug it, or if you need a new one. How far away were you when you noticed it? You could have bent your rim. It's not looking great. It's better not to drive on it," I cautioned.
 

"A few blocks back, but I knew your shop wasn't far." She reached out to shake my hand and introduce herself. "I'm Ashlyn. I just got into town a few days ago. I'm back visiting my mom for the weekend. I grew up here, but you know, like most got out as soon as I could."
 

"I'm Ryder Bishop. Probably a smart move," I said. I jacked up the wheel and spun it, looking for the trouble. "Here it is. It looks like you jammed a sharp rock in there. I can probably plug it for you, but I'd suggest you get a new tire when you have a chance."
 

"Thanks," she said. She gave me the once over. "Have you lived here long?"

"All my life; I'm guessing I was out of school when you went through." She was easily ten years younger than me. "Anyway, give me a few minutes and I'll have you back on the road in no time."
 

"You busy tonight?" she asked boldly. "There's not much to do around here. I'd love to party a little bit."

"Actually, I am busy tonight. I have a date with an amazing woman," I said, pulling a rubber plug off of the shelf behind me.
 

"Lucky girl," she said with a grin.
 

Finishing her tire, we settled up, and then it was time to close the shop. I'd been in and out a lot this past week. Ashlyn was lucky to have found me open. It seemed pointless at times to stay open all day when I didn't have work or money coming in.
 

After locking up, I returned home. I wanted to grab a shower and head back to Barbara's house. I had some pleasure to reciprocate. Her lips on my cock; the image was seared into my brain. Of course, if Brad was there...well, we'd deal with that when I got there. She said there was nothing going on there, and I believed her. I hoped I wasn't a fool.
 

Somehow it all worked out since I was putting the meat on the grill when he arrived. There was something incredibly sweet about watching him walk up to me with a grin on his face.
 

He was the cat and I, well, I was the ever so willing canary, delighted at the idea of being eaten alive if he wanted.

Afraid I was going to make a fool of myself with my ear to ear smile, I turned around to face the grill. He came to stand behind me, wrapped an arm around my waist and, pulling me against him, whispered in my ear, "Do you know what I was thinking?"

Feeling his erection pressed against my behind, I laughed and answered, "Depends what part of your anatomy you're thinking with."

Making me put aside the fork I held, he swiveled me around to face him.

"I was thinking how nice it was coming home to you."
 

I looked into his eyes wondering if he realized the impact of his words on me. If he did, he didn't let on. On the contrary, he made light of his statement by adding, while pressing his hips to mine, "All parts of me agree. Even my stomach." He looked over my shoulder to the meat on the fire. "This smells heavenly and I'm famished."

Calming the butterflies fluttering in my chest when he mentioned coming home to me, I gestured for him to take a chair and pulled the baked potatoes out of the fire.

"How's your father?" I asked.
 

"He's back home and if he manages to rest, the doctors said he would be okay," he said toying with his salad. "But I think the closing of the factory has taken a big toll on him."

"I'm sure, no longer being the foreman of the local plant will be a page turning event for him," I admitted. "I really wished it could have gone differently."

"You and the rest of the town." He sighed and looked at me. "How long is it going to take before it's over?"

"I'm not sure," I shrugged. "If you had asked me this morning, before the fire, I would have told you I had it all wrapped up for the better but now I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?"
 

"Brad made an offer to purchase the entire complex. That’s the factory buildings and the adjacent real estate to open a business incubator."

Ryder frowned. "I know it's for start-ups and new businesses, but I don't know how that works."

While we ate, I explained there was not one given framework and it all depended on the way the contract was negotiated. "It's all about providing a favorable environment to new enterprises. The plant set up would be perfect because workshops could be on the first floor and then all those empty offices on the other floors could be divided and shared by several young businesses who would split costs."

"Do you think it could work?"

"Oh, absolutely, Brad is really a savvy businessman." I watched him tense as I said it and I loved that my complimenting my friend made him uneasy. If he felt a tiny bite of jealousy that meant he cared, right? "Ocean Crest could be a lovely place to live, it's right on the ocean which makes it very desirable in the summer and it's not in the dumps, you know, it's close enough to a big city like New York while the price of real estate is cheap enough..."

"You can say that again," Ryder said before getting lost in his own thoughts. He snapped out of it after a few minutes. "You said that was this morning, did something change today?"

"Yes, a fire is always bad news. People wonder if it caused any invisible damage to the structure but when it's arson it's worse." I piled up our dirty plates to take everything in. "If you look at it from an investor's point of view, it makes you wonder about the town and that's where Brad's at. He has not taken his offer back but he hinted he probably would. He's put the entire project on a back burner." I winced when I realized how inappropriate my image was. "The content of the fire department report will probably be a decisive factor for him. And if it is arson, the arrest of whomever did it would help put his mind at ease."

"But if not Brad, do you think someone else could set this up?"

"Of course, but Brad is perfect because he has the cash to refurbish the entire building and the connections to tempt new businesses to come in." I sighed.
 

Warming up to the idea, Ryder said, "A further incentive could be to ask city hall for a tax break and maybe get some state aids."

I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Yes, that's the idea. When it works, it's one of those win-win situations, things can snowball pretty fast when synergies are created."

We finished cleaning and when we were done, Ryder took my hand and silently led me up the stairs.
 

With each step my heart sped up a little more and by the time we reached the landing, I was out of breath. I rested my hand on his chest and found his heart was beating as fast as mine. He followed me into the bathroom while I searched for an airline toothbrush for him and we bumped hips over the tiny bathroom sink while brushing our teeth.
 

We were laughing like kids until we stepped into my bedroom. I went to turn off the lights but he caught my hand and stopped me.
 

"Lights on," he said with a voice filled with lust. "I want to watch you come undone this time.”

I could lose everything - my sanity, my security, and my friends. And yet, I still wanted her. I needed her, even if it meant losing part of myself. The urge was stronger than anything I'd known. I called the shots when it came to women, always reminding them not to get too attached. Only now, I'd broken my own rule and grown attached to a woman who was a temporary fixture in town. She'd be leaving soon, without me. I needed to consume her, entice her to stay, and give her a damn good reason to reconsider Ocean Crest as home.
 

How could somebody so new in my life beckon me in ways that had my brain circling on domestic thoughts? That wasn't the plan. I was in trouble. I was falling fast. I knew I'd be burned in the end when she walked away. She'd go back to the comforts of her fancier life, and I'd be left alone. Sure, I could provide warmth and attention, but I couldn't offer her the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to.

I took Barbara's hand and led her up the stairs to the bedroom. We stood in the doorway, my body pressed to hers, my fingers tangled in her hair. I needed a kiss, to taste her, to take charge. She accepted my kiss, parting her lips and opening her mouth to mine. My heart beat faster, my breathing grew deeper, and my cock strained against the denim of my jeans, aching to be inside the voluptuous woman before me.
 

We somehow managed to disengage for a moment, only long enough to shed our clothing and climb onto the bed. She'd reached for the light to turn it off, but I protested, demanding we keep it on. I wanted to see her come undone.

Our limbs tangled. Our arms and legs wrapped, embraced, connected with an overwhelming need to touch one another. Pressed skin to skin, body to body, we came together as one.
 

"I don't know what this is," I started. I wasn't even sure what I wanted it to be.

"Does it have to be defined?" It was an honest question. "I'm happy to spend time with you. I don't need promises of the future."

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess I'm trying to figure it out for some reason. I'm not used to getting attached."
 

"I like our time together," Barbara whispered.

I pressed my lips to her neck and tasted the salt on her skin. Her soft purrs filled my void inside, the one that told me it was nice not to be alone. I wrapped her in my arms. I wanted to hold her a little longer. Normally, I'd work at breakneck speed to get my rocks off, but there was something tender here, something I wanted to cherish.
 

My protective nature pushed to the forefront, and I ached to pull her under my wing to keep her safe. What was this? This wasn't about my ego or pride. This wasn't about only me, but about Barbara.
 

I enveloped her as my lips moved across her chest, just under her neck. Goose bumps erupted on her skin as I whispered her name. Her full, luscious breasts called to me. Her nipples puckered, ready for my mouth. I wrapped my lips around her areola and suckled, then gave her a small nibble. Desire pulsed through my veins. I sucked harder, listening to her soft coos turn to moans. I took her other breast in hand. I playfully squeezed it and watched her reaction. I wanted to be able to read her like a book so I knew every tiny thing that turned her on. I wanted her to crumble with desire, to let go of her inhibitions.
 

She reached out for me, but I pinned her wrists to the bed instead. I hovered over her, careful not to press too hard, and continued my journey of wet nibbles and kisses across her skin.
 

She mumbled my name. "Ryder, mmm, please, I want to feel you inside me."
 

I grinned and held off. I'd make her wait. I'd take her to the edge and push her buttons over and over until she begged me to penetrate her. She wasn't ready yet. She only thought she was.
 

My fingers glided over her skin as I stroked her tender thighs, with an occasional dip close to her naked and waiting sweet spot. Barbara arched her hips and tried to reach my hand, but I wouldn't let her win. Not yet.

"I want you to ache for me, to need me so desperately, that you beg," I whispered, my hot breath close to her wetness. I slid a finger down the length of her opening. The soft gasp she let out told me I was right on target. "I need you, Barbara. I need you so damn badly."

"Ryder, please, fuck me. I want to feel you," she begged. She needed release. She longed to have me inside her. Still, I made her wait.
 

I dipped a finger inside her and then drew my finger across my lips. "Like sugar," I growled. I rolled and moved closer, inhaling her sweet fragrance before parting her lips. I traced the fine slit that sat between her full lips. Leaning in closer, I consumed her, drinking her in like honey nectar.