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  “Samson, get the bags. Lorna, come up with me so we can get fresh sheets on your bed.” Her mother stood at the base of the stairs waiting.

  “Yes, ma’am.” They traveled up to the second floor and headed toward her bedroom.

  “Tomorrow, when you wake, we’ll see about what’s wrong with that car.” Her dad set the bags down by the door.

  “Don’t worry, Dad. It just needed a rest. It will be fine in the morning.” She tried to reassure him, even though she wasn’t sure about anything that had to do with her life.

  “We’re your parents. Worrying is what we do best.” Her mother chimed in.

  Knowing it was useless to argue, Lorna remained silent as she helped her mother strip the bed and add new linens.

  “Well, you get a good night sleep, precious. We’ll see you in the mornin’.” Her mother kissed her.

  Lorna met her father halfway across the room and became the recipient of another strong hug.

  When they left, she closed the door and put on her nightclothes. She slipped into bed and refused to allow herself one moment to think. Tomorrow was soon enough to face all her fears and secrets that were following her from D.C. Snuggling down into her blankets, her mind complied with her demand, except in one area. Richard.

  Nothing she told herself would remove his image from her mind. Exhausted she stopped trying and dreamed.

  Chapter Two

  Finally, he got into bed. Thirty minutes ago he’d arrived home, took Max, his dog, out for a walk.

  Now his companion lay curled up by the fireplace in the living room. Richard still found it hard to believe that Lorna Morgan was back in Carlton County. His life hadn’t been the same since she’d left their small North Carolina town for the big city. Smiling to himself, he thought about how interesting life in town was about to get. Closing his eyes he gave into sleep.

  He saw Evelyn sneak into the woods alone. It was his junior year and most of the teens hung outat the lake for spring break. Breaking away from his friends by the bonfire he pursued his girlfriend at the time. Circling his way around the woods his mind had conjured up a scene of a little woodland action. Locating a decent sized tree, he hid behind it and waited for her to cross his path.

  A twig snapped, and a few seconds later a curvaceous silhouette passed by him. Quickly, he grabbed her and pulled the luscious body to him, walking her backwards to the tree. The small gasp she made at his surprise was silenced by his lips. Her lips were stiff at first, as if she wasn’t sure ifshe was going to respond. He didn’t allow her to deny him. Nibbling on the sides of her lip until she moaned, then he slipped his tongue into her mouth and tasted her. She sighed.

  It wasn’t Evelyn. This girl tasted like sugarplums, not spearmint candy. She was an instant addiction. He needed more of her. Taking another step, he pressed her along the oak and aligned his body to her curves. A part of his brain tried to tell him that he should stop, but it was overruled by the pure pleasure of feeling her hands glide into his hair. The kiss deepened, they were both willing participants now.

  His hands went on an adventure of their own. One traveled underneath the edge of her shirt, feeling the soft heat of her skin. She squirmed, he would have smiled with the knowledge of discovering her delicious sweet spot, but his lips were still too busy with kissing her. His other hand traveled around her waist and cupped the thick plumpness of her backside. Her ass was perfectly round and filled his hand just the way he liked.

  No way in hell was this Evelyn. She was pretty but very petite, to the point of frailness. He always had to restrain himself in fear he’d hurt her. Not this girl. She took the intensity of his passion and gave it back in full measure.

  He wanted to know who this delectable girl was, but he didn’t want the moment to end. Never before had he been turned inside out as he felt right then. Who was she? Who was she?

  Lifting his hand higher under her shirt, he felt the warm supple weight of her breast. The heat of her skin seared him through the silky thin material of her bathing suit top. Groaning, he stroked the distended peak of her nipple. Moaning, she clutched his hand, holding it tighter against her. He responded by grinding his hips into her and allowing her to fully comprehend how she was affecting him.

  Another branch snapped somewhere around them, and they froze. Their breathing heavy, Intertwined between their bowed heads. She was just as affected which satisfied him.

  Before he could fix his lips to find out the identity of his woodsy nymph someone called his name.

  It was Evelyn’s high pitched voice. While he’d turned to see how close the intruder was, his mystery girl had left.

  Richard didn’t know if it was the sound of his own groan that awakened him or the beaming light of the sun ray through a crack in his blinds. Either way he had a hard-on to deal with. It wasn’t his typical morning wood, no this one was generated by erotic thoughts of Lorna. Ones he hadn’t had in years. His last two years of high school he spent palming himself every morning thinking about the girl he couldn’t have. Now as a man he was caught in the same state at dawn.

  He’d be damned if he was going to go through the motions of jerking himself off each morning just so he could be decent around her. Not allowing his dick the opportunity to raise its thick head and embarrass him. He was a grown ass man, this time he was going to get what he’d wanted years ago.

  Lorna.

  Just as soon as he took care of the current problem at hand. Flinging the covers down, he freed himself from his boxers and wrapped his hand around his pride and joy. Glancing down, he saw his own strong fingers circling it and smiled to himself as images of Lorna’s beautiful ginger hand there instead. Thinking about the feeling and sight of Lorna stroking his cock, caused him to squeeze his eyes together.

  The pressure was intense, he shook with desire. Not just the present desire to get himself off, but more with the need to have Lorna by his side. In his bed, surrounding his body.

  That did it. A few firm glides up and down his dick and he was erupting over his own hand. Heat and shivers of release slid along his spine as the warm sticky substance continued to ooze from the tip of his rod.

  Getting up, he crossed the room to the bathroom. Washed his hands first then turned on his shower. He knew the physical relief he felt now was only temporary. As he got under the spray of water his mind began to consider ways he could make Lorna a permanent in his life.

  “Good afternoon, sweetheart,” her father smiled up at her as he sat in his lazy-boy in front of the fire completing a crossword puzzle.

  “Afternoon?” Stepping off the last step, she glanced out the window and saw the sun high and bright. Most of the snow was gone from the night before. “Wow, I didn’t realize I was being a slug-a-bed.” Moving to him, she kissed him on the cheek.

  “You were probably tired from your trip.” Her father patted her shoulder. “Why don’t we head in the kitchen and get you something to eat.”

  She took note of the slowness in which her father rose from his chair. Concern tightened her forehead. “Dad, you alright?”

  “Never better. You know I always get a little stiff around the winter. That’s why we go visit your Aunt Gertie for Christmas every year in Florida. But, since you have other things to take care of, we’re staying here.”

  “Good thing we did, too, Samson,” her mother’s light voice joined in when they entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with a large puzzle before her. The shapes were so tiny, Lorna guessed it to be another two thousand piece puzzle she was putting together.

  Lorna smiled. Her mother always did have ears all over the house. “Mom, shouldn’t you have your glasses on?”

  “That’s right.” Her father added his chorus. “Rebecca Jean never listens to me, Honey bear. Nope.

  So, you sit down as I fix your breakfast and give your mother a fit.”

  Laughing at her mother as she rolled her eyes, then snatched up her glasses from the other end of the table.

  “There,
Samson, are you happy now?” She topped it off by sticking out her tongue.

  Her father didn’t see because his back was to them as he pulled pans and ingredients out of the cabinet.

  “It wouldn’t take her half as long to finish one as it does.” Her father called out over sizzling bacon.

  “What’s the rush? I’ll just start another one. All I got is time on my hands.”

  Her father grumbled more, but the conversation stopped momentarily. Lorna enjoyed sitting and listening to her parents hassle each other. She had no doubt of their love. They were best friends who’d fallen in love and married. As she took in both of them comfortable in their home, two people who had always appeared ageless to her, she noticed the reality of how much they had aged since the last time she was home.

  It was true they went to Florida, but she always thought it was just for the family annual get together. Not due to her father’s arthritis. Her mother’s sight was going. What was next? She was the only child. Her parents were in their late sixties. Maybe it was time she did think about coming home to visit them more often, if, and when, she ever found another job.

  “So, sweetheart, how long will you be home? Can I hope until the New Year?” Her mother grabbed her hand.

  “Rebecca Jean, her job is very demanding with the Cosco, Stevenson, Lincoln, Clevand, Bangel and Jones firm she works for in D.C.”

  Giggling, Lorna corrected her father who frequently messed up the name of the accounting firm she had worked for over six years. “Bangel, Jones, Robertson and Cosco.” Then she became a little more serious remembering her mother’s question. “I’ll definitely be here for Christmas then we’ll play the rest by ear. You’re not tired of me already, are you?”

  She’d have to go into town to use the internet at the library and continue her job searching. She hoped that she’d get a bite before the rest of her things showed up at the house. With the holiday, the packing and shipping company wouldn’t be able to get it out before the end of the year.

  “No, never. I could see my precious baby girl everyday and never tire of it.”

  Even if she were jobless and mooching off you and dad? She picked up a puzzle piece and pretended to study the table for its placement, while she thought.

  “Alright, Lorna, here’s your breakfast.” Her father put the plate down at the other end of the table, away from the jigsaw puzzle covering the other half.

  Smiling, she got up. She hugged him before she took her seat in front of the mini feast of eggs, bacon, grits and biscuits and gravy. “Wow, Dad, everything looks and smells great as always.” It had been a while since she’d eaten more than a carton of yogurt for breakfast.

  “You have as much as you want. There’s plenty.” He sat beside her with a bacon biscuit.

  Looking over at the stove she said, “Enough for a small army, Dad.”

  “Oh, don’t mind your dad. You get a good fillin’ the rest we’ll take to the city for the mission in a little while.” Her mother gazed down the six person table at her. “But, while you’re here we’re going to help you gain a few pounds. You look thinner since we saw you last year.”

  Digging into her food, Lorna saved herself from responding more than a word or two. If they stayed on this conversation long her parents would know how hard it was to gain weight living off yogurt, salad, and tuna.

  The door bell rung.

  “That must be Carla Mae ready to take the clothes and things into Winston.” Fixing a piece into place, her mother rose and headed toward the door.

  “So, where did you leave your car?”

  “Off the road by the old pre-school, it was just a little overheated. It should be fine now.” Taking a few more bites of food, she became silent. She was hoping her car would be okay and just needed to cool down like always.

  “Well, good morning, Greg.” Her mother’s voice rang into the kitchen.

  Lorna accompanied her dad into the living room to meet the unexpected guest.

  “Greg. What brings you out here this afternoon?” Her father shook hands with his brother and patted him on the back. “I thought we agreed that tomorrow we’d go get a tree for Margret, is she bugging you?”

  “We did.” Greg nodded. His dark chocolate features broke into a smile when he saw her. “Well, I’ll be, Lorna. It is good to see you. I told my sons I’d bring your car over myself just to see that pretty face.”

  She grinned and hugged him. “Hi, Uncle Greg. How are Peter and Paul doing?” Her uncle had raised twin boys alone after his wife ran off with a truck driver. It had been the scandal of the year twenty years ago.

  “Fine, fine.”

  “You said you got Lorna’s car from the road?” her dad asked.

  “Nope.” Greg shook his gray capped head. “Early as the birds, Richard Patterson came by the house with her car in tow.”

  Speechless, Lorna stared at her uncle. Richard had taken her car to the mechanic? “Thanks, Uncle Greg. How much do I owe you for the antifreeze? It ran a little hot last night, but I didn’t have time to put some in there.”

  “You owe me nothing. While I had it I did a check and replaced a few things on it and got you some tires. I don’t know how you made it here with those threads you were running on.”

  Biting the side of her lip, Lorna felt embarrassed that someone else had knowledge of her shame.

  “I’ll pay you--”

  Her dad rubbed her on the shoulder silencing her. “That was kind of you, Greg. But, I’ll get my checkbook and give you something on it.” Her dad turned to head to the bedroom.

  “I told you, Samson, I don’t need your money. Richard took care of all that too. He said it was his Christmas gift slash welcome home gift to Lorna.”

  “Ohmy, that was very sweet of him.” Brightness lit her mother’s gaze as she looked at her.

  “Sweet. I’ll have to thank him when I see him.” Or strangle him is more like it, Lorna thought.

  “Well, here are your keys.” Uncle Greg dangled them before her, her Hello Kitty charm hanging from it.

  She took them from him. With everything going on last night, Lorna hadn’t even remembered that she never got her keys back from Richard.

  “It’s like the parade of cars out there Rebecca.” Carla Mae came in like a summer breeze, trailed by her mother’s closest friends and charity group: Linda, Sarah, Mandy Sue, and Pricilla.

  “Lorna!” They all screamed in unison and converged on her.

  Let the fun begin.

  “A quarter pound of sugar plums, please.”

  Richard came out the back office just in time to see Lorna standing by the candy counter. With her natural curls held back away from her face with a band, it reminded him of old times. Her face was clean of make-up and she looked just as she had in high school with more sex appeal to the luscious curves of her body. Nina must have given her a sample one, because Lorna was taking her precious time at licking the sugar crystals off of the oval-shaped purple treat. Her eyes were bright with enjoyment and her full lips were pulled back to a smile. Those candies were how he’d discovered Lorna was the girl he kissed in the trees that spring break. Once everyone was gathered around the fire again, she’d pulled an already open package from her purse and finished them off. He’d remained hard the rest of the night until she left with her friend.

  Unable to get her out of his mind, he’d broken it off with his girl friend a week later. Giving the excuse he needed to concentrate on school to get into a good college even though he’d already been accepted to North Carolina State. By the time he returned four years later, Lorna was gone.

  Now, he stared at her and wondered how she would’ve responded if he’d grabbed her by the waist and laid her across the closest table in the dining room and tasted all the goodness of her sugar plum.

  The desire to spread her legs wide and lick the cream from between her thighs as slowly as she was doing the candy made him suck in air. His jeans were becoming tight and if he didn’t keep his self in check, this f
amily restaurant would become an adult’s only spot soon.

  Migrating around the diners, he moved up beside Lorna. “Well, what do I owe the pleasure of this sweet treat?” Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited.

  Taking her purple gummies away from Nina, his employee, Lorna faced him. “Can we talk?” With her head she indicated a back corner.

  Turning he saw all the eyes of his patron’s observing them, so he nodded and followed her to an empty table away from the other guest.

  “Richard, my uncle came by the house this afternoon and told me that you paid for all the repairs on my car.” She ceased in licking the candy and bit into it.

  “That’s true.” He got comfortable in the booth bench across from her.

  “Why did you do that? I had planned to take care of it. Matter of fact, it would’ve been just fine this morning.” Popping the remainder of the purple chunk into her mouth, she leaned back against the seat.

  “Lorna, for one thing, your car didn’t start this morning. Second of all, I called your uncle and he said he was free today with no cars in his bay and could take care of it.”

  Her teeth seized the corner of her bottom lip. “How much do I owe you?” She pulled her purse open and began to rummage inside.

  Shaking his head, he stretched across the table and touched her hand, halting her search. “Lorna, you don’t owe me anything. It was a favor for a long time friend.”

  “Look, Richard.” She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “I’m not a charity case. I can pay you.”

  Lifting his eyebrow he just stared at her. He wondered if she forgot that she’d confessed to him last night that she was on her last leg financially which was the reason she came home. “No, you can’t.

  We’ll call this a Christmas gift.”

  He lost the sight of her pretty brown eyes as she bowed her head and nodded.

  “Whoa beautiful, why so silent?” Touching her chin, he lifted her face up and saw her liquid gaze.

  “Sweetheart, don’t cry. If it means that much to you, I’ll let you pay me back. Shoot, I’d love your help with my bookke--”