I try to kiss her back, but it’s just wrong. She doesn’t taste right, and she’s too aggressive as she slides her hand down to the crotch of my pants. I pull back and just look at her brown eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she snaps.
“Nothing. I’m just not sure that this is the best idea anymore.”
“What? You don’t think this is a good idea? My friends told me you were a sure thing. That you sleep with everyone. What the hell is wrong with me?”
“Nothing’s wrong with you,” I defend to the woman in front of me on the verge of hysterics. You’re just not the one I want to be kissing right now. “I’m just tired tonight from work.”
“Whatever. You can take me back to my friends, now,” she replies in a cold tone, scooting over to the passenger side of the truck. “I can’t believe this,” she mumbles as I back out of my driveway.
We’re completely silent the entire trip back up to Jack’s. Hell, I don’t know what to say, and she’s obviously pissed off at me. When I pull up in front, she doesn’t say anything as she slams the door shut and stomps back inside.
Well, that went well. Smooth, Jake. Real smooth.
*****
The first weekend in February, I can’t take the radio silence with Erin any longer. It’s Saturday and all I want to do is see her. My walls are starting to close in on me so I decide to go out for a drive. It hasn’t snowed in several weeks so the roads are pretty clear and drivable. Maybe I’ll head over to Avery & Maddox’s place and hang out in the man cave.
As I’m driving through town, I notice a little red bug sitting in the parking lot between the library and City Hall. As if my hands have a mind of their own, they steer my truck into the parking lot. I park next to Erin’s VW bug and head inside the library.
When I pull open the door, I stop dead in my tracks at the sight before me. Erin is leaning over the counter handing a small child a book. The way her little body is spread out across the top of the counter like a buffet makes my pants tighten below the belt as desire courses through me. I want to walk up behind her as she’s spread across the counter and have my wicked way with her.
“Thank you for stopping in today, Caleb. Come see me again soon,” Erin says, pulling me out of my dirty fantasy.
I walk up to the counter and can’t help but smile at the little boy grinning from ear to ear as he holds his new book.
“What are you doing here?” Erin asks with a look of surprise etched on her face.
“I was in the neighborhood and saw your car. I wanted to see how everything was going since it’s been so long since I saw you last.”
“Everything’s fine. Thank you for checking. See you later,” she says quickly as she turns back towards the stack of books sitting on the desk behind counter. I’m stunned by her reaction as I stare at her back. Did she just dismiss me? Erin gathers up the books and places them all on a cart and starts pushing the cart out from behind the counter. “Oh, you’re still here.” It wasn’t really a question.
“Yep. What are you doing?”
“I’m going to put all these books away,” she says as she pushes the cart towards the back of the library. I notice that the library is empty and realize that it’s almost closing time.
“Want some help?”
“Umm, that’s okay. I got it,” she says but I continue to follow her. I watch the gentle sway of her small hips behind her long skirt. It’s definitely not a sexy outfit by any means, but she makes it look pretty good. I want to rip the skirt up over her hips and explore what’s underneath.
She reaches the last row and starts searching the shelves. After finding the correct spot, she places the book back on the shelf. “I haven’t been here in ages,” I say, hands in my front pockets, casually leaning against the shelves.
“I’m surprised you’ve been here at all,” she says as she goes about searching for the next book’s proper place on the shelf.
“What is that supposed mean?” I’m instantly on guard, standing up straight.
“It means just that. I’m surprised you know what the inside of the library looks like.”
“I’ve been to the library before.”
She turns and faces me, eyebrow raised slightly. “To read?”
“Baseball.”
“Baseball? What the heck does that mean?”
I can’t help the cocky smile that spreads across my face as my eyes twinkle with mischief. I relax my stance slightly, leaning back against the bookshelf. “I wasn’t so much into the books here as I was with rounding the bases.” Erin’s mouth drops open and the shock is evident on her beautiful face. I walk up to her, looking down into her eyes, and lean forward until we’re a breath apart. “Back here, in the back row. First, second, and even third base.”