Love In a Small Town (18 page)

He said the only thing he could think of to change the
subject. "Why don't you go make us some more popcorn?"

Ten thirty, Saturday morning. The minutes moved relentlessly toward the hour of reckoning at Scentual Encounters, when Lynn would make due on her promise to have lunch with David Martin. She could barely deal with the anxiety.

Violet held up her hands, a gesture of extreme exasperation. "For heavens' sake, Lynn, chill out. He'll be here shortly. You're wearing a hole in the carpet, pacing like that."

"I'm not ready for this. I wish I knew more about men. David's so—well, he knows a lot about women. I've had, what, a half-dozen dates in the last ten years?"

"Meaning you don't have to worry. With him, you'll get clued in right away."

"It isn't like a real date, at night, only a couple of hours and a time for it to end."

"Will you listen to yourself?" Violet was near to grabbing Lynn's arms and shaking her. "You weren't willing to spend an evening with him, so why not lunch? I think it was pretty clever of him to suggest a picnic. You've got to give him credit for determination."

"Violet, you're sure you can handle this for the next couple of hours? He promised we'd be back by three." She rubbed her hands together, nervously. "I can't remember why I ever agreed to this. I'm not sure about the swimming, though."

"You look fine in a bathing suit. Personally, I think you should be wearing a bikini, but the modest two-piece will do. Thank the gods there aren't any long-sleeved, turtleneck swimsuits with skirts, or you'd have bought one."

"Oh, come on. I'm not that bad. It's just that I'm not as young as I used to be, and I'm probably a few pounds heavier. I don't like the idea of being half-naked in front of a man."

"Lynn." Violet's eyes narrowed—a sure sign she was out of patience. "Lynn, you'll look fine. He's just a nice guy who wants to spend some time with, I might say, a woman who would try the patience of a saint with all this anxiety."

"How do you know he's nice?"

Violet threw her an incredulous look. "In this small town? Believe me, I'd know. So what's going on that you aren't telling Mother Violet? The few other dates you've had didn't generate this much angst. You simply didn't care enough. What's different about this one?"

"He could be special."

"Well, hallelujah."

David's truck pulled up to the shop. Before he could open his door, Lynn hurried out, went around to the passenger door, opened it, and hopped in.

"I wanted to save you the bother of getting out."

He grinned, knowingly. "Violet giving you a hard time?"

"To put it mildly." She sat quietly as he drove from town, considering Violet's advice, admitting the truth. She liked David too much to lose him over what amounted to childhood fears. She had been a child in many ways when she had married. She'd matured. She was a successful businesswoman, capable of handling herself in social situations. Hah! She was an emotional mess, on the edge of an anxiety attack because she was going on a picnic with a man who made her heart race.

Realizing what direction they were taking, she asked, "Are we going to the lake?"

"To the Lake Marina. I've got a pontoon boat reserved. We're going to picnic on the water. It's gorgeous out there with the trees turning color."

"Sounds wonderful." She caught his look of surprise. "What? You thought I'd object?"

He grinned. "Well, yeah, to tell the truth. I wasn't sure how you'd feel about being alone in the middle of a vast lake with a man who might turn into a raving sex fiend any minute."

Laughing, she turned on the seat to face him. "Am I that obvious? Violet has been lecturing me about my attitude for days and, frankly, I'm beginning to feel a little silly about my hang-ups. I'm sorry David, and I promise not to ruin the day with my neuroses."

"Lynn, this is a simple lunch. I don't have any ulterior motives."

"You make me ashamed of myself for the way I've been treating you, when I should be flattered that Eureka Springs's most recent hunk is still interested."

"Oh yes, I'm interested."

She sighed, happy. He really was a nice guy, handsome as sin, and she had him all to herself for an afternoon. What could be better?

Within minutes they were there. While David went to the marina office to sign for the boat, which was simply a covered wooden platform with a motor, she took some of the gear down to the dock. By the time he returned there was only the large cooler to carry. With him taking one handle and her the other, they negotiated the downhill path companionably.

"You seem to have remembered everything," she said, surveying the gear on the boat. "A table, lawn chairs, blankets, towels, and food."

"Get the rope," he said, nodding to where the boat was tied to the pier. He started the motor and they were on their way. The noise from the engine made conversation impossible, so Lynn sat and enjoyed the feel of the breeze stirred by the moving boat, and the earthy smells from shore wafting by, once in a while, on a current of warm air.

The small cove in which they anchored lay cocooned in towering, tree-clad, limestone cliffs, with a small waterfall plunging into the still water.

"Oh, David, this is beautiful. How in the world did you find this?"

"I checked with the dock owner. He gave me a hand-held GPS that tells me where to go, and more importantly, how to get back. Let's get wet first, and then I'll get lunch set up. Three hours will pass too quickly."

Within seconds he'd shucked his clothes down to form fitting swim trunks. A quick gasp of pleasure escaped before she could catch it. Michelangelo had this in mind when he named his masterpiece 'David.' Brief swim trunks barely covered his near-nude body, lean and tanned. A patch of dark, curly hair covering his chest narrowed to a thin line down his flat stomach, and continued beneath his trunks. Though his well-muscled arms and legs projected strength and power, she put aside her uneasy feeling. This was David, after all. She feasted on the sight of him.

He grinned at her knowingly, enjoying the approval that must be showing on her face. "Your turn."

Shyly she toed off her sneakers, slid her shorts down, and pulled off her t-shirt.

His eyes glided over her. "You're beautiful, Lynn. It's a pleasure to look at you." His hungry gaze made her blush. "But, that fair skin is in grave danger of burning if we don't get some sunscreen on you right now." He reached into a duffle bag, found a tube, and came toward her.

"I can do it myself." Anxiety knit her brows and made her voice quaver.

Pausing, comprehension in his eyes, he said, "Okay, we need to get something settled before this goes any further." Smiling gently, he raised her chin with his finger. "God knows I'm attracted to you and I want to make love to you. It's all I think about, but my big seduction scene isn't going to happen today."

The involuntary release of the breath she was holding embarrassed her.

"We're going to use this time to get to know each other better. Maybe there'll be some kissing and some touching, but only when and where it's okay with you. How do you feel about that?" He gave her a wink and a grin, trying to keep it light.

"How do I feel? Ashamed of acting like a repressed spinster." Her heart was racing. That weird, nervous but good feeling was happening again, low in her belly; her eyes widened; she felt shivery all over, but, even better, she wasn't the least bit afraid.

"I take it that's a yes?" He gave her his best megawatt smile, uncapping the tube of sunscreen. "Easy now, while I get you covered." Squeezing a portion of the cream into his palm, he rubbed his hands together, while she watched mesmerized.

"Turn around." Standing behind her, he slowly massaged her arms and shoulders, smoothing his hands slowly down her back, and moving upward to gently stroke the skin on her arms, down to her fingers.

Oh, Lordy, that feels good.
It was hard not to groan.

"You're okay with this?"

She nodded, unable to speak because of the overwhelming sensation of weakness, starting low in her belly, and curling upward to her heart.

He lifted her hand and softly kissed the inside of her elbow, his other hand smoothing cream under her arm. She shivered with pleasure, feeling her knees weaken.

"Lindsay, you feel so good." A choked whisper told her he was experiencing the same sensations. Touching her could do that to him. The knowing enthralled her. She nodded her head 'yes,' reveling in her wantonness, wanting to feel more.

Eyes closed, she imagined his hands spreading more cream on her chest, and shivering when it happened. Placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him, he ran his fingertips lightly over her cheeks and forehead. She was nearing collapse when she opened her eyes.

He was going to kiss her and she wanted him to—wanted his arms around her, pulling her against his body, holding her tight.

His lips, soft and sensual, gently kneaded hers, pulling at them a little at a time. He caught her lower lip and gently brushed it with his tongue.

Through a haze of sensual awareness, she felt his hand slide under her suit, to cup her breast, his thumb searching for her nipple.
Yes, yes.
It didn't frighten her.
More.
She was eager for more. She kissed him back urgently, not understanding the surge of… wanting? Craving? Whatever it was, she didn't want it to stop. She wanted to go on this way forever.

More. More, now.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she clung to him, her mouth taking his lips hungrily. When his tongue slipped into her mouth it was the most glorious sensation she had ever had. Going on instinct—she had no experience with any of this—she met his tongue eagerly with her own.

The inside of his mouth was warm and smooth. The urgent pull on her tongue stimulated the same deep pull inside her.

It was crazy. What was she doing? Where was the fear? Instead of fighting to get away, she wanted to move closer, as though on the brink of some mysterious discovery. In her mind she saw him taking her, plunging into her, and she gloried in it. Her hips undulated. The hard ridge of his arousal sent her out of control. She wanted more.

"Lindsay. Lynn, honey, wait a minute."

Her mind surfaced, swimming upward through a haze of desire. He was pushing her away.
No. It couldn't happen.
She clung to him. Her breasts were aching. She wanted to feel his hard chest crushing them.

She backed off a step; surprised she could stand unaided. "I'm sorry," she managed, her voice shaking with emotion, trying to gain control and save her dignity. "This is where I'm supposed to apologize and say 'I don't know what got into me.'" Embarrassed by her behavior and the carnal thoughts that went with it, she wanted to disappear and pretend this was a dream.

"Lynn." David was breathing hard. "For God's sake, don't apologize. You're wonderful. You're so beautiful when you're aroused." He hugged her, tucking her head under his chin. "What happened was my fault. I'm so damned attracted to you, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. After I promised, I pushed too hard and went too far."

"I behaved irresponsibly." She tried to pull away from the arms that still held her close.

"You behaved like a beautiful, passionate woman, aroused beyond bearing by an insensitive clod of a lover. I'm sorry. Drown me or demand to be taken home—your choice."

She only heard the first part. "I'm beautiful and passionate?"

He groaned. "I'm surprised the boat isn't on fire. How the hell could ten years go by without any man making love to you?"

She felt her face heat, but she was too filled with joy to care. He called her passionate. She wasn't frigid. She was normal.

"Thank you, David, for telling me I'm normal." She beamed at him.

"What the hell does that mean? You didn't think so?"

"I didn't think I could feel anything. I've run from sex for so long. Other dates I've had complained that I was a cold bitch. Since nothing happened when they kissed me, I knew it was true, but it still hurt. I felt like a freak."

"Believe me, Lynn. You're not cold. You're not a freak. Those other men were either dumber than dumb, or idiots."

"No, they weren't, but they never made me feel the way you do. Something exciting happens when I'm with you." She managed a smile, trying to calm herself and lighten the mood. "I guess you really know how to kiss, huh?"

Still holding her, he stroked her back gently as he talked. "It's more than that. The way you lost it with me? Well, no woman has ever done that, even my late wife. I didn't think I could inspire that kind of passion. Women have tried to pretend, but it's so easy to sense when they're faking it." He put his arms around her, carefully, so she'd know it as a gesture of affection and not impending sex.

"We have something special. I felt it the first time I saw you, even though I've always believed 'love at first sight' was romantic myth. Like Sarah said, 'There's a connection.'"

He stopped, looking chagrinned at what he had revealed. "Lynn, there's something I haven't told you."

"Sarah's your daughter?"

"Yeah. Have you known all along?"

"Caro called me yesterday, all excited because she had figured it out, about the last names and all."

"It was Sarah's idea to keep it a secret. She had this idea that if you knew, you'd think you had to like her because of me, and not for herself."

"Silly kid," she laughed. "She's easy to love. I have all along. She and Logan were in the store this week working on the perfume. You should know they're in love. I know fifteen is young, but those two seem to be soul mates."

"I'm aware, and it scares the hell out of me. She told me that she and Logan have discussed sex and have decided to wait until they were in college. Logan has this all planned out, apparently. He says they must put their energy into finding a good school."

Laughing, she said, "I would have believed that plan could work until a half hour ago, but now I don't think that's going to happen. These kids are so far ahead of where I was when I was fifteen."