6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Erik

I t's Sunday morning, and I wake up as hard as steel as usual. I might not be dating, but I'm a healthy male. Then I remember the absolute epitome of perfection sleeping in my guest room, and I groan. My hand slips underneath my boxers, and I stroke myself in a lazy fashion. I picture Brandy's long legs and ample breasts under the tight t-shirts she wears around the house, and my movements intensify.

"Erik, are you up?"

I jump up from the bed and run to the bathroom to wash my hands.

"Yeah, I'm up. Do you need anything?"

She opens my door and stands in the doorway, half in, half out, but I can see her tiny satin pajamas that cover very little of her curvy body.

"I checked your fridge, and it's pretty empty. Can we go get some stuff, or are you busy today?"

"Um, I'm available. I think that's a good idea and we can catch up. I'd like to know more about what's going on back home."

"Is it still home to you?" she asks.

"Depends on the day. Get dressed. We'll have some breakfast on the way."

"Cool."

Once she's gone, I take a shower and rub one out. It's going to be torture living with Brandy in my home. I put on some jeans and a blue Henley and go search for her. She's waiting for me in the living room, quiet as a mouse. That's definitely not like her, so I wonder if she's up to something. Brandy is great, but she could come up with the craziest schemes sometimes. I had to be careful not to get involved. Hopefully, she's grown out of that, but showing up on my doorstep with all her bags is certainly crazy.

"Come on, there's this great little cafe that I think you're going to love."

She follows me out of the house, and we get in my car. It's a normal sedan, nothing flashy like the cars Max and Theo got when the club hit it big. I don't like to call attention to myself like that. A part of me would have liked to impress Brandy with one of those vehicles, but I'd rather she see the real me.

What am I even thinking? She's not here to hook up with me or rekindle our romance. And I'd do well to remember that she loves living in that cursed small town, and I've made myself a city guy. I have everything I need whenever I need it right here. Besides, our old town is stifling. The only thing I miss is my family. Okay, I'll be honest, I miss being with Brandy as well.

It's early enough in the morning that I find a parking spot right in front of the cafe. A Cuban couple that I met through work owns it. I got to know them because they offer catering services for when we have meetings in-house. Plus, their food is fantastic.

I turn off the car and look at Brandy. She's curiously assessing everything around her, and she has a big smile on her face. I forgot how happy she always is. She's a joy to be around because she sees the best in everything. I can't take my eyes off her. Boy, am I in trouble.

"Stay there," I tell her.

I get out of the car and then go to the passenger side to open her door. When she looks up at me, I offer her my hand, and she takes it. It's the gentlemanly thing to do but also an innocent way to touch her without it meaning too much. I reluctantly release her hand, and we walk side by side to the open area of the restaurant. Today, the weather is pretty nice, and it will be good to sit outside.

The server sees us and brings us a couple of menus.

"What's good here?" She asks.

"Well, there's the huevos enchilados. They have a mean tortilla Espa?ola, and be prepared—the coffee is really strong."

"Why don't you order your favorite and I'll have that as well."

She puts the menu down and sits back. She's got her attention on me, and I feel like the luckiest man alive. Our server returns, and I order for both of us. I want to know more about her, but all I can do is ask about things back in Woodland Falls.

"How are your parents?"

"Beth and Jim Lennon are still the power couple they've always been. They want to retire soon, though and are grooming my brother Scott to take over the landscaping business. But it's a two-person job and they are hoping he settles down with someone that can be his partner in the business. It worked for them beautifully so they are pressing the issue. Scott is not too happy about that, let me tell you."

"Your parents are so sweet together. They were high school sweethearts, right?"

"Yup, yup, yup."

"Your brother doesn't want to get married?"

"It's more Mom's issue than his. He's forty now, and she thinks he'll never get married. Inheriting the company is an incentive."

"Wow, I'm glad my mom is not as involved in my life as that."

"Your Mom is great. She takes every quilting class I give at the community center."

"Oh yeah? She's never told me."

"She misses you."

I lower my eyes because I'm ashamed of how I've treated my mother. I know someday I'll regret not making time for her. That's the thing about being with Brandy. She brings in all her shiny and joyful personality, but she's also a big reminder of what I left behind.

"Did she tell you that?"

"In her own way. But she's very proud of you and will stop people on the street to tell them about her successful son."

"That's so embarrassing."

"I do the same thing whenever your name is brought up in conversation. I mean, you made it. You left your small town for bigger and better things."

"I don't know what to say." I look away.

"Just know that the whole town is proud of you and all you have achieved."

"There's more to come. We're planning to open another location in New York." I confide excitedly.

"Wow, that's exciting."

"Yeah, but it's also a lot of work. I'm in charge of marketing, so I need to attract more customers so that the club makes more money."

"I have faith in you."

She's got this dreamy look on her face, and I can feel her certainty that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I've forgotten how she was always my biggest cheerleader after my mother. I grab her hand from across the table and squeeze it lightly. I'm reluctant to let her go, but her warm touch gives me naughty thoughts, so I release it.

"Thank you, Bran."

"You know, no one has ever called me that but you."

I try to turn the subject away from me. "What are some endearments that boyfriends have called you during the years?"

"Oh, I don't know. I don't seem to be the endearment kind of gal, you know?"

"Not even foxy lady? Sweet cheeks? My little pin cushion? My sweet needle threader."

"Oh my god, stop that!"

She's so cute, she's blushing. I love teasing her like that. The server comes with our food, and we dig in.

"These eggs are to die for."

"I know."

"I could eat this every morning."

"I believe you. You used to go to this candy store that we had and always get the same thing. I always tried to get you to try something else, but once you found the one, you never let go. What was the name of that place? World of Candy or something like that."

She laughs out loud, and the sound ripples through my body. An interesting thought comes to me. What if I'm her one person? Is that why she's here? It would make sense, but we are so far apart now I wonder if it's possible to get back what we had. However, we could create something new.

Brandy eats with gusto, and it's a sight to behold. She also makes these little sounds of pleasure that make my cock twitch. I've never seen someone enjoy food so much. This is something I had never seen before from her, and it's very sexy.

"It's The Sweet World of Candy, and I still go there to get my treats."

"Is it still run by that lady?"

"No, Mrs. Prince now uses her time to torture me with her friends about my life choices. They have their afternoon tea at Over The Roast every weekday."

"That's a new place?"

"Newish. My best friend Sam bought the place about five years ago and turned it into an amazing cafe. Everything is good there. I spend what seems like half my net income in that place."

"You don't get free stuff from being friends with the owner?"

"The first time she tried, I threatened to beat her up. You have to respect small business owners and support them however you can."

"That sounds like you."

We eat the rest of our meal, sharing tales from back home. I love all the gossip Brandy brings with her, even if I don't know many of the folks well. All in all, breakfast is a success.

Brandy

Breakfast was amazing—not just because of the tasty food but also because it was easy to talk to Erik. It isn't the same as when we were kids. It's different. He seems more self-assured than he used to be, and he is genuinely happy to hear me go on and on about stuff from home. All in all, things are moving along nicely.

I was worried he'd stay closed off like he was the first day I showed up in his doorway, but our connection was still alive. He's touched me a couple of times, and there's always a little zap that goes through me when he does it. He paid for breakfast, and now we're grocery shopping. He's next to me, guiding our cart, and I try to figure out what to make for the week.

"Do you still like Mexican food?" I ask.

"I love it. What were you thinking?"

"There are a lot of things I could do. Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas. Don't want you to get tired of it, though, so we've got to mix it up."

"I'm not fussy about food."

"That's not how I remember it. And you said you're tired of takeout."

I look beside me, and his cheeks are pink. He's blushing. OMG, that's so cute.

"In college, you learn to eat what's available. I didn't have the budget or the bandwidth to source the foods I liked, so cafeteria food it was."

"That's got to be tough. I didn't go to college, and sometimes I regret it. I'm taking some business classes online to help me run my business more efficiently."

"That's amazing."

Before I know it, I blurt out something I shouldn't.

"Would you ever date a woman without a college degree?"

His hand hesitates in reaching for his glass. "There are many roads to success. College is just one of them."

"Way to avoid answering my question."

"Come on. I know where the Mexican section is in this store."

That was not exactly the answer I wanted to hear. 'I would if it were you, Brandy' or 'only you, Brandy,' but instead, I get the runaround. I don't know what to think. I get mixed signals from him. I'm afraid of coming on too strong, though. We walk the aisles of the store like we are an old married couple, bickering about products and vetoing ingredients.

In the end, we get ingredients for Mexican, Italian, and Chinese. We stock up on fruits and veggies and get a couple of bottles of wine to go with the meals I've been planning. All in all, it was a successful trip to the grocery store. We load everything up in the trunk and take our seats in the car.

"Erik, is there any chance we could go for a walk on the beach? I've never been to one. No ocean in Woodland Falls and all," she chuckles.

"I thought by now you would have taken a trip somewhere sunny and sandy."

"I've always used my savings to go to quilting competitions or special sewing events. None were ever near a beach."

"Then it'll be my pleasure to take you."

He gives me one of those winning smiles of his and I almost melt in the passenger seat. The warmth it creates in my body goes straight to my sex, and I cross my legs to try and get some friction. The man is too handsome for words. Erik takes me to a beautiful beach, and the sound of the waves crashing takes my breath away.

I take off my sandals and go meet the sea. It seems like a miracle how the tide comes in and out, and the foam climbs all the way to where I'm standing. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The scents are different than those I'm accustomed to. Back in Woodland Falls, we only have lakes and rivers, and it's a completely different experience. It's all fresh and piney, whereas here it's all wind and brine.

"Do you come here often?" I ask him.

"That sounds like a bad pickup line."

"I'm serious!"

My eyes finally flutter open, and I realize Erik's been watching me instead of the horizon. He takes my hand and pulls me to walk along the shore. Fireworks are going off in my head, and I have to keep myself from doing a little victory dance. Maybe not all is lost. Maybe he would like to rekindle our relationship. At least, that is what I hope.

After a thirty-minute walk, I stop and plop down on the wet sand. Inside, I'm bursting with pleasure because he did not let go of my hand all this time.

"Erik. Do you feel the connection?"

He stays quiet and then finally says, "Honestly? I feel confused as fuck."

"We're different people now."

"Exactly. Which is why I don't know why it feels so right to be here with you. To touch you." He looks at me. "That boy that loved you is not here anymore."

"Then let me meet the man."

"I'm embarrassed to say I don't think you'd like him."

"Let me be the judge of that."

His frown eases a bit, and he takes my hand in his again. We stay like that for the longest time and watch the water come and go. When it gets dark, Erik signals that we should go, and I follow him without saying a word. My heart, however, is wary. What if I don't like the man after all?

Back home, I fix us a light salad for dinner, and we continue to chat about our high school classmates. I notice that Erik loves a good bit of gossip, and I find that incredibly endearing.

"It's good to see you smile, Erik. That first night I was here, I thought you'd become a grouch all these years."

"No, no. I'm pretty laid back."

"Did you ever find love?" I ask.

"Did you?"

"I wasn't looking for love."

"What were you looking for?"

"Companionship, maybe. Someone to share my dreams with. But not love."

"Why not?"

Do I tell him the truth? Will it change things between us? I search his face, trying to see beyond what he's showing me, but there's nothing.

"I already had love once. I didn't think I'd get lucky again."

"My friend Max used to believe that you only got one soulmate. He lucked out. He found love again, but they both had to fight for it."

"They seem very happy together."

"They're getting married soon. Do you want to be my date for their wedding?"

"I would love to, but I just met them. Wouldn't it be weird?"

"They would be happy I'm not going alone. And we could dance the night away."

"I already said I would go—no need to add an irresistible incentive." I smile.

"Let's practice."

He gets up from the table and goes to the living room. With the click of a button, he puts on some music. He offers me his hand, and I look at it, hungry. Being in his arms again is a dream come true. So I get up and let him take me into his arms. We fit together so well that it's scary. It's impossible to look away from him.

His gaze is heated, but at the same time, there's a bit of wickedness in there. We sway from side to side, letting the music flow through us. Unfortunately, I always know how to ruin a special moment.

"Do you always use this playlist to wow your dates?"

"I'm a romantic at heart. I love listening to these songs."

"Is there a playlist for sex as well?"

"What kind of a cad do you take me for?"

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?" I giggle.

"Hmm."

I give him one of my brilliant smiles that is sure to disarm him. He was always a sucker for one of my smiles. I rest my head against his chin, and we dance for what seems like an eternity. When the music finally stops, he looks down at me as if he wants to kiss me. I turn my mouth up, and he lowers his head, and our lips are an inch apart.

His phone rings, startling us. He lets go of me, picks up the phone, and goes to the study to talk to whoever interrupted the most important moment in my life. I clear the dishes from the table, rinse them, and put them in the dishwasher. I keep myself busy, waiting for him to return. When he does, his mood is somber, and he just looks at me.

"An emergency at the club."

"Do you need to go?"

"No, I took care of it over the phone." He hesitates. "Listen, I had a great time with you today. Hopefully, we can spend some more time together next week."

"Sure, I'd like that."

And with that, he leaves me standing alone in the kitchen, wondering what would have happened if that damn phone hadn't rung.