I pulled a piece from one of the three boxes marked New Kingdom and a flash of pale blue caught my eye. It was a long narrow shard that had come from a long necked vessel. Ethan leaned over my shoulder. “Apparently that pale blue color was all the rage in the New Kingdom.”
“It’s so subtle and so beautiful.”
“There have been studies done on it. Cobalt and traces of zinc and nickel perhaps. The Ancient Egyptians were chemists as well.”
“No modern science and technology yet their knowledge and skills seemed to have no bounds. Amazing.” I looked up at him. “How are things going with deciding on a permanent home for the gold bracelet?”
My question caught him completely off guard and I had no idea why.
“Uh— uh yeah the arm band.” It was obvious he was devising a quick and plausible answer. “Honestly, my dad hasn’t really kept me all that informed about it.” The one thing I’d learned about Ethan North was that the muscle in his jaw twitched when he was tense. It was twitching like crazy.
A quick subject change was in order. It was a subject of much greater interest. “Where’s Dalton this morning?” I asked casually.
His shoulders relaxed. “Not sure. He said something about gathering wood. I think he was going to ride out on the snowmobile to find kindling and fallen branches.” He laughed and I was glad I’d changed subjects. “He said something about a new found urge to have a roaring fire in the hearth.”
I turned back to the monitor to hide the blush in my cheeks. I picked up the blue shard of pottery. “I’ll input this piece and then I think I’m going to get dressed and take a walk outside. I’m not getting enough exercise, and with your dad’s fantastic cooking, I fear my bottom is going to grow to the size of this chair.”
“A walk sounds like a great idea. I’m going snowboarding this morning,” he said. “That snowfall last night left a hard to resist layer of powder on the slopes. Too much fun to pass up.”
“I don’t blame you for wanting to get out there,” I said with what was probably way too much enthusiasm. “You know what? This piece can wait. I’m going to get my boots and coat. Have a great time on the slopes.”
I hurried out and got dressed as quickly as possible. Chances were, Dalton had already left the shed on the snowmobile, but it was worth a try. And I really did need to get out and exercise.
The sky had cleared so the temperature had dropped. I kept my face down to avoid the biting cold. Ethan had been excited about the fresh snow, but I found that it made the trudge across the yard that much harder. Well worn foot paths had disappeared, and I had to blaze a new trail to the shed. I heard a clanging sound coming from the inside, and my heart raced ahead with the prospect of seeing him.
Dalton looked up from the workbench and smiled. “I see you’ve unchained yourself from the computer.” He lifted the ax, and the silver blade gleamed in the sunlight that seeped through the slats in the shed wall. “The handle broke off as I chopped down the tree. My dad’s not big on taking care of his tools. Looks good as new now.” He put down the ax and motioned for me to come closer.
I walked up to him. Heated tension filled the air between us. It was the same intense heat I’d felt in the kitchen this morning and in the dining room where we’d both pretended to be interested in our breakfast. He pushed to his feet, and without warning, he took hold of my waist and perched me up on the edge of the workbench.
Dalton stood between my thighs. He took hold of my face and kissed me softly at first and then with more urgency. His hands reached up between us and he unzipped my coat. His fingers were cold as he reached beneath my sweater.
I squirmed away from his touch. “Your hands are like ice,” I said breathlessly between kisses.
He pulled out his hands and looked down at them. “Hmm, I guess I should warm them up first.” I sucked in a gasp as he tucked them between my thighs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sighed softly into his ear as he stroked his fingers against me.
I pushed against the pressure of his hand.
Dalton pushed the coat off my shoulders. The temperature in the shed bordered on freezing, but the searing heat spreading between my legs and through my body made it easy to ignore.
“Ethan went snowboarding, but what about your dad?” I asked.
Dalton pulled away his hands and mouth and I nearly fell forward off the bench. He walked over to the shed door and slid it shut and then returned to me. “Dad hates the cold. He rarely steps out of the house in winter.”
He looked down at my boots and jeans. “Damn this winter clothing.”
I reached for the top of his jeans and my fingers slid under the fly and popped open the buttons. “If we were in California, I’d probably be wearing a cotton dress . . . with easy to remove panties.” I pushed his jeans halfway down his hips. My fingers wrapped around him. His eyes closed as my finger traced the hot, moist tip.
“Shit, Auggie, you’re making me crazy.” His mouth came down over mine.
He felt thick and hard as my hand moved back and forth. A small moan of agony rumbled in his throat as I unwrapped my fingers. I hopped down from the bench and walked over to the stool. He watched me through heavy lids as I sat down. “Come over here, soldier.”
His green eyes darkened as he approached me. I pushed his jeans down farther, and as I took him into my mouth, his fingers tangled in my hair. My tongue and lips slid along his hot skin as my hand pushed him farther into my mouth. “Damn, Auggie,” he said hoarsely, “I’ve been hard all day just thinking about you.” My movements quickened, and his fingers tightened almost painfully in my hair. He groaned and shuddered with release.
His hands fell away from my hair and I peered up at him. His chest rose and fell as he stared down at me. “You are full of surprises, my sweet, little coed.” I stood and he took hold of my wrist. “I always return the favor.”
This time he reached for the button and zipper on my jeans. “It’s too cold,” I insisted, but I wanted it badly. Taking him in my mouth, tasting him and hearing him groan in pleasure because of it had made me want it more than ever.
“If there’s a will,” he said quietly. In one motion, he pushed my jeans and panties down to just below my bottom. The cold air felt shocking and thrilling all at once. “Turn around,” his voice was deep and rough with desire again.
He took hold of my wrists and braced my hands on the workbench. His hot breath warmed the side of my face as he came up behind me and his hands reached around me. His fingers slid between my thighs and they probed in the moist heat, teasing me with such skill that I had to keep from screaming out again. His long, thick fingers pushed deeper inside of me, and my hips moved instinctively against the pressure of his hand. I gasped as I suddenly felt his mouth on the bare skin of my bottom. His tongue caressed my bare skin and explored every intimate part of me while his fingers moved in perfect, delicious rhythm. I gripped the table edge and pushed hard against his mouth and hand. I turned my face to muffle the scream against my shoulder as my body splintered into a million trembling pieces around his fingers and mouth. My arms wobbled as I leaned on the table for support.
He took hold of me and I collapsed against him. “We’re supposed to be naked and tucked under a warm quilt in my bed right now, not standing in this freezing, dark shed,” he said.
“That does sound far more appealing than this, but I think we’re both pretty darn resourceful.”
He tightened his arms around me. “Hey, let’s go out to dinner tonight,” he said suddenly. “I know this great little steak place and the owner is a family friend. He’ll make sure to give us the quiet, secluded booth in the back.”
I smiled at him. “I’m not eating steak in the nude.”
He laughed. “No, it’s not that secluded . . . unfortunately. I’ll give him a call and tell him to reserve a table for us.”
/> ***
I brushed my hair one final time and checked my reflection in the mirror. I’d shared every intimacy with the man, and, yet, I was nervous as hell about the date. It might just have been because dating back at the university had never seemed to be an intimate, romantic affair. Trenton always ended up inviting hordes of his snobbish friends along as if he realized he was too boring to sit with alone on a date. Or maybe he thought I was too boring.
More than likely, tonight’s extreme case of nerves came just from the fact that my date was with Dalton. Every part of me, physically, mentally and emotionally crackled with excitement when he was near.
I startled at the knock on my door. “Are you ready, Auggie?”
I took a deep breath, smoothed my hands over the rather snug fitting sweater dress and opened the door. He was wearing a navy blue sweater and his freshly washed long hair was combed back. He looked down at the dress and nodded with approval. “Nice.” He leaned forward and I could feel his breath on my cheek as he spoke quietly. “Hope you’re wearing some of those easy to remove panties underneath.” He straightened again.
I smiled slyly at him. “How do you know I’m wearing any at all?” Never in my life had I flirted so brazenly with any guy, but I couldn’t help myself with him.
His green eyes widened with the possibilty.
“I’m kidding. It’s already cold as heck wearing a dress, and I’m not that daring.”
“I guess we’ll have to work on that,” he said. He swept his arm in a half circle to motion me out of the room.
“My dad lent me his car, but he seems pissed that I’m taking you out. I got the lecture. I’m twenty-three and I’ve been in battle and I got the lecture.”
I glanced over at him. “What lecture?”
“About how women are people and that they should be treated with the utmost respect. He acts like I drag women around by their hair and beat them with clubs.” He stopped suddenly and pushed me up against the wall of the hallway. His mouth drifted over mine. “I told him I would never treat Auggie with anything but respect.” His knee pressed between my thighs. “Except, at the moment, I can’t stop thinking about those panties, or the lack thereof.” He kissed me softly before stepping back.
In that short span of time, he’d flustered me completely. He continued down the hallway, and I peeled myself, dazed and light-headed, off the wall. “Sometimes, I think respect can be overrated.”
It had taken nerves of steel not to jump into Dalton’s lap the moment we left the driveway. We could barely keep our hands off each other. As we pulled into the restaurant parking lot with windows so fogged no amount of defrosting could clear them, it occurred to me that I’d never had such a profound physical reaction to anyone else . . . ever. My mind kept falling back to the worry that this was all just physical. Dalton was stunning to look at and his sex appeal was undeniable, but I’d never been one of those shallow girls to fall for a guy just because he was hot. I wasn’t completely sure what it was about Dalton that had me so starry eyed, but it was there.
Dalton turned off the car. “It’s a good thing my coat is long.” He reached for the door handle but then stopped and looked over at me. “I think you should become more daring.”
“What do you mean?”
His gaze drifted down the length of my dress. “The hem of that dress reaches the middle of your thighs.” He looked over at the restaurant. “It’s a short walk to the door and I assure you it’s warm and cozy inside. Take them off.”
“What?” I asked incredulously, but, truthfully, the thought of it thrilled me.
He leaned over and kissed me. “Please.”
I needed no further coaxing. He watched as I reached under my dress and slid my panties off. I tucked them quickly in my purse. “The last thing I need is to leave them inside your dad’s car.”
He stared at me in a way that made me want to lift my dress and straddle his legs and he knew it. “Let’s go.”
We stepped inside the small restaurant, and instantly, I felt nervous and self-conscious as if everyone was looking at me, knowing that I’d just walked in with no underwear. Instinctively, I took hold of Dalton’s arm to ease my nerves. I glanced around. It had not been my imagination. We had drawn a great deal of attention, but quickly, I realized that it wasn’t me and my lack of undergarments that had caught the other patrons’ attention— it was Dalton.
“Dalton!” an elderly man called from across the room. He wiped his hand on his apron as he scurried through the dining area. He was completely bald but he sported a thick goatee. His brown eyes sparkled with admiration as he reached Dalton. They hugged.
“Rocko, this is August Stonefield. She’s one of Dad’s students at the university.”
The man’s smile was even more welcoming than the gleam in his eyes. He took my hand and shook his head at Dalton. “You always have had an eye for beauty.” He patted my hand and released it. “Where is that purple heart, Dalton? You promised to bring it in to show me.”
Dalton looked uncharacteristically shy. “Yeah, some day, Rocko. So is our table ready?”
“Of course, of course.” Rocko smiled slyly my direction and then turned back to Dalton. “The quiet one in the back.” He winked at me as he took our coats. We followed him through the homey little dining room that was filled with white linen covered tables, dripping candles and vases brimming with fresh flowers. The fragrance of hot bread, steaming onions and steak filled the air. The other patrons nodded and grinned with admiration at Dalton as he walked past their tables. Rocko showed us to a small booth that was somewhat hidden from the rest of the dining room. A vase of pink roses sat in the center of the pristine, white table cloth. Rocko turned over the wine glasses that were set out. “I will bring you our best bottle, on the house, of course. It is not every day when our hometown hero comes in to dine.” He walked away.
I reached forward and took hold of Dalton’s hand. “I have to go put on my underwear.”
“Why?”
“Because of sweet, old Rocko,” I waved my hand around “and the flowers and expensive table cloths and the homey atmosphere. I feel like I’m sitting naked on my grandmother’s doily covered couch. Plus, I’m sitting with not just any guy but the hometown hero.”
He leaned toward me. “Yeah, the hometown hero who is going fucking nuts knowing that the most incredible girl on the planet is sitting across from him in a skin tight dress with no panties.” He smiled at me. “And the way she blushes just makes her that much hotter.”
Rocko returned with the wine. His weathered cheeks wrinkled as he grinned. “You know, Dalton, this girl reminds me a bit of my niece back in Italy.” His wink reminded me of Kris Kringle in the Christmas poem. Rocko walked away and I took Dalton’s hand again.
“I remind him of his niece,” I said pleadingly.
“So?”
“So, I’ll bet that his niece never sat in his restaurant without panties.”
Dalton laughed. He pressed my palm to his mouth. “All right.” He sighed disappointedly. “Go put them on.”
I picked up my purse.
“Besides, this prim, proper side of you is almost as big of a turn on as the wild side.”
I slid out of the booth and stared down at the floor as I walked through the dining room. I was sure that the blush in my cheeks was darker than the pink roses on each table. I dashed into the bathroom and pulled on my panties.
Feeling my old self again, I walked back out with my chin up. A framed newspaper article hung in the hallway, and I glanced quickly at it and then stopped. I stepped back in front of it. The article had been lovingly saved behind a piece of glass and oak frame. There was a picture at the bottom. Dalton was standing in his army uniform next to another soldier. There was a mischievous twinkle in the other guy’s eye that matched Dalton’s. Hesitantly, my eye
s drifted down to the caption. Private Dalton North and Private Bryce Colton, Baghdad, Iraq. I began reading the article, not completely convinced that it was a good idea, but also not able to look away.
“It’s not easy to pull the pieces back together after losing your best friend. I left a piece of my soul back there,” Private Dalton North commented from his hospital bed where he has been recuperating from the fourth surgery to save his leg. It was his only comment. The young Private had lost muscle and bone fragment from his left leg when a nearby IED exploded. He’d been injured carrying his mortally wounded friend, Private Bryce Colton, to safety. Colton succumbed to his injuries on route to the medical facility. “Our lead vehicle had been hit. North jumped out and ran to save his friend without any concern for his own safety,” Private Tex Felton commented. “That kind of loyalty, that kind of bravery, sticks with you. North definitely earned our permanent respect that day. We’d all like to think we’d risk life and limb for a friend, but I don’t know how many of us would dive headlong into a field of explosives.” “Nothing about it surprises me,” Dalton’s father, Professor Thomas North, commented. “Dalton has always been the type of person who would do anything for the people he loves. He loved Bryce like a brother. They were inseparable growing up. My son’s unselfish act was not extraordinary. It’s who he is. That’s why people love him.”
My throat tightened as I ran my finger lightly over the picture of Dalton’s face. That’s what it was. It wasn’t just because he stole my breath away with his kisses and his touch. Dalton North was the kind of guy you could trust with your heart, your soul and your life.
“I thought you got lost,” his deep voice drifted down the narrow passage. He looked at me. “What’s wrong? You look upset.” And then he noticed the frame on the wall. “Jeez, does Rocko still have that article up?” He walked up next to me and looked at the picture.