Free Small Town Girl by Linda Cunningham Page B

scent of the phlox. She watched while Caleb opened two bottles of the beer. Silently, he handed it to her. “Cheers!” he said, holding it up to toast her. “To a lovely lady who I’ve been privileged to meet.”
    “Why, thank you,” Lauren said as she tinked her bottle against his. “I haven’t done this since high school. And to a very chivalrous man I’m happy was home tonight.” She felt her mood lightening. They sat for a few minutes, not talking, sipping their beers, listening to the night sounds.
    The spring peepers, those shrill little tree frogs, had taken their summer sabbatical. The bullfrogs in the pond at the bottom of the meadow had taken over, sounding like a whole percussion section in a symphony orchestra. Nameless little insects tweeted and buzzed and chirped.
    “Oh, look! Oh, look!” cried Lauren, pointing excitedly into the darkness. “Fireflies! I haven’t seen them since I was a child!”
    “You won’t see many of those on Sixty-seventh Street,” remarked Caleb.
    “You know Sixty-seventh Street?”
    “Small town doesn’t mean small minds,” said Caleb quietly. “I get around.”
    Lauren reflected on this, then chose the safer topic of fireflies. “They’re so pretty,” she said.
    “You know, those signals they send are to attract a mate.”
    “Really? I’m not surprised. It’s such a beautiful evening.” Lauren turned to look at him. She wondered at how natural and at ease she felt, drinking beer here on the old porch with a man she hardly knew. “Thank you for suggesting this.”
    Caleb looked at her in a way that suddenly made her want to melt into his arms. The green lights sparkled in his eyes in spite of the darkness. “Ready for another beer?” he offered jovially.
    “Set ’er up,” replied Lauren playfully. Instinctively, she moved closer to him. She could feel the warm energy of him. He took her empty bottle and replaced it with full one.
    “Are you chilly?”
    “Oh, no,” she said, taking a sip. “I’m quite warm, thank you.”
    Their arms were brushing. Caleb leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. She felt his thigh pressing against her own, but she could not move away from it. She felt so safe. So protected. She was female to his male, and her heart thumped a little harder.
    Almost before she realized what was happening, they had turned toward each other, looking each other in the eye, finding no fault, no resistance. Caleb set his bottle down on the lower step and brought his hand up to cup her chin. Lauren trembled, but made no move to stop him.
    He spoke quietly, almost in a whisper. “It’s been so long since I kissed a girl,” he said. “I want to kiss you now. I want it to be you.” He leaned forward. Lauren closed her eyes as his full lips pressed lightly against her own. Her lips parted, surrendering to him, inviting him in.
    “ So long,” he whispered again, hoarsely. Then he bent his mouth to hers again, this time more intensely, his tongue probing between her soft, lightly sugary lips, seeking, searching, exploring. Lauren opened her mouth, flicking her tongue against his, savoring the taste of him, smelling the musky male scent of him. His day’s growth of beard prickled her gently, sending thrilling sensations through her body like she had never felt before.
    His left hand slipped down her throat, softly encircling her graceful neck. His right arm reached around her waist, pulling her firmly to him, pressing her against his chest. He held her there as his kisses traveled down to the fragrant hollow of her throat, to that silken valley between her breasts. Through her dress, he traced her erect nipples with a finger. She moaned softly, unconsciously. His lips were on hers again, more aggressively as his fingers drew a path across the top of her bodice. She could feel her skin burn with desire wherever he touched her. Almost timidly, she lifted her own arms around his shoulders. The animal strength of him overwhelmed