Plump & Pretty Read online

  And it felt good.

  “Okay,” I finally agreed. A smile crossed my lips, one I couldn’t stop, that only got bigger when he whooped in delight.

  “Yes! Thank you. I promise, you won’t regret this, Riley. Friday night.”

  “Friday night,” I repeated.

  ~*~

  The next day I headed in to work early so I could meet with Andy, Pam, and George. I’d told them the bank gave me a pre-approval, but we hadn’t worked out all the details.

  “Good morning,” I said to Andy when I walked into the back and found him in Pam and George’s office.

  “Hey Riley. How are you?”

  I grinned. “I’m great. I still can’t believe this is all actually happening.”

  “Oh, it’s happening,” George said from behind me. “I’m not letting this one get away with working any longer.” He pulled Pam in for a hug and kissed her long and deep. Andy furiously hit keys and focused on anything but his parents making out in front of him. I didn’t want to stare at them, but it didn’t bother me. I envied the love they had. Two people who loved the same thing so much that they made a career out of it. I wanted that for myself.

  Which was what made me wonder why I was bothering with Connor. He was nothing like me. He needed to have people around him, and I preferred to be alone. He was into sports, and I was not. He was pretty, and I was plump.

  I didn’t know why I agreed to another date with him. I’d hated the first one so much that I was almost relieved when he didn’t call me. My teenaged self had to be in control for me to accept that he would come up with something good. Even though Sam said I should give him another chance I struggled with that. All my friends had ended up with men who complimented them. Men who understood who they were and accepted that. There was no chance I’d end up with Connor. Which was why I didn’t know why I’d agreed to go out with him again.

  “Are you okay, Riley?” Pam asked, drawing me out of my mind.

  “Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Um, so here’s the letter the bank gave me. Marshall said he needs a few more things from you guys and was going to contact you directly. It sounds like everything is pretty set though.”

  Andy typed while I spoke, capturing our conversation in case any of us forgot what was discussed. We all agreed it was for the best when we were talking about so many things.

  “I talked to Marshall the other day,” George said. “I assured him everything was on the up and up and gave him the numbers he wanted. Said I’d give you hard copies of all the paperwork he wanted too so you could go through everything with him at your next meeting. I’ve got that somewhere around here.”

  George set about digging up the paperwork he’d printed for me. I loved them, but Pam and George were not the most organized people. George always said he knew exactly where everything was, but it was really more of a generalization than exact science. He could get in the ballpark of where he’d last seen something, but it always took him a few minutes to find things.

  It was one of the first things I intended to change. I was definitely going to take over the owner’s office when I took over READ, but I was buying file cabinets and better storage items so I wasn’t left searching through piles of paperwork to find everything I needed. I struggled with clutter and it made me feel itchy if I saw things out of place.

  I nearly broke out in hives when I was in their office.

  “Here it is,” George exclaimed triumphantly, retrieving a stack of papers from the bottom of a pile. “Alright Riley, Pam, Andy, and I decided on a price. We hope it works for you.”

  I looked at the paperwork he handed me and saw a number far lower than the initial projection Andy had given me. “Wait, Andy said it would be higher than this.”

  Pam nodded. “I know sweetie. We aren’t trying to gouge you though. We want this to be possible for you. It’s still a lot of money and it’s enough for us to retire on. Is it a fair price?”

  I shook my head. “No. It’s not fair. You guys deserve more than this.”

  George put his hand on my arm and quieted me. “Riley, we’re not taking a penny more from you. If we were selling to someone else, we’d ask for more, but not from you. You love READ as much as we do. That’s priceless, knowing we’re handing our baby over to someone who will love her the way we did.”

  “Of course we expect to be allowed back in to help out whenever we can,” Pam argued.

  I pulled them both in for a hug, tears dripping from my eyes. I’d lucked out with the amazing people I’d gone to work for as a college student. I didn’t know how it happened, but I’d found a family at READ. A family that was going its separate ways, but a family nonetheless.

  “You guys are always welcome here. You know that. Free books for life.”

  “Uh oh, you might regret that one,” George teased. We all laughed because they were avid readers just like I was. Their house had a library that made mine look like a bookshelf in comparison. I was jealous of their private book collection, but loved that they understood how much I love to read also. It was nice having people to talk about books with. Pam and George had opened my mind to new genres I never would have considered reading if it weren’t for them.

  “Do you have a closing date?” Andy asked, interrupting our tearful moment.

  I nodded. “We’re thinking the Monday before the party. The bank offered that one up and I took it. Marshall is talking to the lawyer and will confirm the date next week when I go for my appointment.”

  George nodded along with me. We’d already talked about closing, but it was good to have it documented for later. I was giddy. I was getting READ for less than I ever imagined, but I was getting it. That was the biggest part.

  There were two things I wanted out of my year. One was to buy READ, the other was to find someone to share my life with. A month into the new year and I’d already made progress on one of those goals. The other appeared to be circling the drain, but I’d agreed to give Connor one more chance. If that didn’t end up as fabulous as he said it was going to be, then I’d move on. I’d had my fun with Connor Lee. My teenaged self could let him go.

  Fifteen

  Friday night came too fast. I wasn’t ready for another date with Connor, especially one he promised would be perfect.

  He’d started texting me. With his radio show he was up early, like 4 am early, and worked from five until nine each morning on the air, then a few hours in the afternoon in the office, and sometimes on the weekends. His texts came in at random times because of his schedule, but we’d realized we were both off from nine to ten every morning. That was when he texted me the most.

  On Friday morning Connor sent me a text that simply said, ‘Good morning.’

  I replied in kind, and got another one that said, ‘Open your front door.’

  I was still in my pajamas, not having taken a shower yet, and barely out of bed. Having Connor see me in my unwashed, knotted hair, threadbare Tinkerbell pajamas, and bare feet was not my idea of good prep for a date.

  I peeked out the front window but didn’t see anything. His car wasn’t in my driveway so I figured it had to be safe. I opened the door enough to stick out my head, nothing else, and was rewarded with a frigid blast of air that perked up my nipples. I think they tried to slam the door closed, but then I saw the pink box and cup.

  Braving the ice cold wood of my porch, I threw the door wide open and ran out to retrieve my breakfast. I took a sip of the steaming coffee, fixed perfectly, standing on the frozen porch and felt the warm burn slide down my throat.

  “Damn,” I moaned in appreciation for Charlie’s talents before the insanity of what I was doing hit me. I ran back inside and leaned my back against the warm inside of the front door as I took another long gulp of the coffee.

  My phone chirped in my pocket. I pushed away from the door and went to the kitchen so I could enjoy my breakfast. At the table I opened the box to find two of my mocha cupcakes and two chocolate chip muffins, another favorite of mine. I felt lik
e I needed to buy Charlie a present.

  My phone chirped again, drawing my attention from my breakfast. The new text read, ‘A perfect date should always begin with a perfect meal. Enjoy your breakfast. I can’t wait to see you tonight.’

  He was seriously testing my limits. Every text I got from him made me like him just a little bit more, made me want to make things work even though I knew we were so different. He was sweet and considerate and made me feel like he really liked me. Something that was a bit foreign to me.

  Yeah, I’d dated. I certainly wasn’t a virgin, but I’d never had a guy who acted like I was all he wanted. Most guys were more interested in what I could give them, not what they could do for me. With Connor I was getting used to little treats from Bite Me!

  The most telling thing for me about how I felt about Connor that day was how long my day seemed. I’d always loved READ and even with the news that Pam and George were retiring I enjoyed my job. But that day, knowing I was waiting for a date with Connor… I couldn’t focus. Customers had to ask me more than once for something, I tripped on a stack of books three times, and I nearly knocked over a display when I was daydreaming.

  I was a mess.

  When seven rolled around, I was anxious and excited. Connor said casual so I was dressed in my favorite pair of jeans, a long sleeved wine colored top, and my black fur-lined boots. With my black jacket and a knit hat, I was ready to face the cold, and whatever else Connor had in store for me.

  He pulled into my driveway right at seven and met me on the porch. He kissed me on the cheek, a disappointing gesture if there ever was one. I wanted another toe-curling kiss. Again, he left his car running so it was nice and warm inside when I sat, the smell of the leather and Connor’s cologne working their way into my nose and brain.

  “Are you ready for this?” Connor asked when he got in the car.

  “Where are we going?”

  Connor shook his head. “Nope. Not telling. I promised a perfect date. Part of that is letting it be a surprise. First, dinner. I should have asked before now, but is there anything you don’t like?”

  I wrinkled my nose, trying to think of foods I didn’t like. “I’m not too big a fan of spicy foods, so Indian and some Asian foods are a challenge for me.”

  “I don’t like a lot of spicy food either so that works. Perfect.”

  Connor drove while I peppered him with questions about where we were going and what we were doing. When he pulled into the parking lot at Soup’s On I was so excited. “Is this okay? They have great soup and tons of options, plus it’s a pretty casual place.”

  “Perfect,” I whispered. “How did you know I loved this place?”

  He winked at me, making me think he had a secret, one I was determined to discover.

  After dinner.

  Inside we ordered six different cups of soup so we could have a few different kinds and share. The idea of sharing dinner was very cozy. We found a table near the fireplace and piled the soup bowls between us. Connor insisted on getting extra sour dough bread, but no dessert. He said he had plans for that.

  “This one’s my favorite. Try it,” Connor said, holding up a spoonful of loaded potato soup. I’d had it before and enjoyed it, but somehow eating it off Connor’s spoon made it even better.

  He groaned softly when my tongue reached for the spoon before my lips did. Our eyes met when I closed my mouth around the spoon and something as simple as eating dinner suddenly became insanely erotic.

  My heart pounded in my chest, and Connor’s breathing became shallow and sporadic. As the flavors of the potatoes, cream, bacon, and cheese exploded on my tongue, I wondered what the soup would taste like on Connor’s lips.

  His tongue darted out to wet his lips, his eyes dipping to my lips. It was a start of something I knew we weren’t going to be able to come back from. A moment that was going to change things beyond the point of going back. One simple thing, one small movement, one moment, was changing everything about our relationship.

  Connor leaned forward, raising slightly from his seat, and moved toward me. The table was still between us, but with Connor’s height, it didn’t matter. His lips met mine softly, a gentle kiss that started out as sweet and quickly turned hot. Connor’s tongue brushed over my lips, and they fell apart for him the same way I knew my legs would with that encouragement.

  His tongue swept my mouth, tasting me the same way I’d tasted the soup. He groaned softly and pulled back enough to whisper, “I like it even better now.”

  He went back in for another taste, and I moaned in his mouth, the sound meeting my ears seconds before the voices and spoons clanking bowls chimed in around us. We both sat back, breathless and heated. “Damn. This is what I’ve been missing since high school?”

  My cheeks flushed at his approval of my kissing. I was suddenly overheated, and it had nothing to do with the soup, but everything to do with the man. I knew Connor could kiss like a pro, but for me to lose myself in the middle of a crowded restaurant was impressive.

  I ducked my head and spooned a bite of tomato basil soup. It was almost as good as the loaded potato, but without the added benefit of Connor it paled.

  We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, both trying to regain our composure before we faced each other again. We each switched soups after a minute and ended up reaching for the same bowl of broccoli cheese soup. Connor’s eyes heated instantly when our hands connected. “Allow me,” he said suggestively and pulled the bowl in front of himself, dipping his spoon and offering it to me.

  Holding his gaze I took the offered bite, the sharpness of the cheddar cheese and the soft, fresh taste of the broccoli every bit as delicious as ever. Connor watched me, his Adam’s apple bobbing when I swallowed the soup. He held up another spoonful without feeding himself, and I took it. He growled softly, the possessive noise sending a shiver of need through me and settling between my thighs.

  And to think I didn’t even want to go on the date.

  Connor continued to feed me, an act that normally would have made me feel like a toddler but instead made me feel cherished. When I declared I was full, Connor started picking up the bowls without eating.

  “Aren’t you hungry?”

  “Starving,” he growled, letting me see every last thing he wanted and needed from me. The rest of the evening was going to be a challenge.

  Outside Connor reached for me hand, our gloves not stopping the warmth of his palm against mine. He hurried me to the car and pressed my back against the door, his feet positioned between mine and his fingers diving through my hair seconds before his lips covered mine.

  It was a possessive kiss, one that told me exactly what he had in mind for the rest of the night and just what he thought of how things were going so far. A car honked at us, but we still didn’t break apart, losing ourselves completely in each other.

  His lips were slightly chapped, I realized, but his tongue was strong and warm. He groaned as he tasted me again, there was no other word for it. His tongue swept through my mouth, brushing against my tongue and seeking out every corner of my mouth, learning me from the inside out. His hand tightened in my hair and held me where he wanted me, pressing his large body against mine.

  I felt him hard against me, something that couldn’t be ignored. He didn’t grind into me, but he didn’t back up when he hardened between us. The bad thing was I wanted to rub against him like a greedy cat, and I would have too, except he pulled back. “Get in. We have someplace else to go.”

  His demanding words didn’t turn me off like they normally would since I heard the need and finely grasped control in his voice. He was teetering as close to the edge as I was, something that pleased me and made me want him even more.

  Damn, he was getting to me. Connor Lee, a man I’d spent nearly half my life alternately fantasizing about and trying to forget. In two weeks we’d gone from complete strangers to barely containing our desire for each other in the middle of a parking lot.

  Connor slid in
to the car and took a deep breath. He didn’t look at me, just white-knuckled the steering wheel and breathed. When he finally seemed to be breathing normally he turned on the car and pulled out of the lot, heading out of town.

  We didn’t speak, but it wasn’t uncomfortable like on our first date. Connor gripped the steering wheel tight, his hands never drifting and his eyes never wavering from the road. If I didn’t know how close he was to losing control I would have thought he was mad, but I could feel it. He wanted me, but he was doing everything to make sure I enjoyed the date since I didn’t enjoy our first one.

  I looked out the window, watching the snow-covered landscape speed past us. Connor drove to the edge of Winterville, an area I wasn’t overly familiar with. He was completely at ease, driving the streets as though he grew up on them, although I knew he hadn’t. He turned and stopped in front of an older home and shut off the car.

  “Where are we?”

  “You’ll see,” he said with a glint in his eye. He was up to something, but I didn’t know what. I wasn’t sure if I should be worried, but when he rested his hand on my back I relaxed into him and allowed him to guide me up the path toward the house.

  A few seconds after he knocked on the door it opened. An old woman, she had to be in her 80’s, opened the door.

  “Connor! How good to see you. Come in, honey. Who is this lovely lady?”

  I immediately liked the woman in her blue button down shirt and tan pants pulled up too far. She wore slippers on her feet that looked like they could keep the cold out even outside. Her hair was almost white and cut short with curls all over, but her eyes were what told me she was younger than she appeared, at least her mind. Those blue eyes didn’t miss a thing, from Connor’s hand on my back to my surprise at her standing before us.

  “Pauley, this is Riley Williams. I thought she might enjoy your basement if you’re up for the company.”

  She waved her hand as if it were a silly question. “Pshaw. You know I’m always up for company. You show her the way and I’ll make some tea. You drink tea, Riley?”