AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Waitin in a noisy public dining room for the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen is no exercise in calm. I’m not a high-strung fella, but I’ve never felt anything quite like this. Some question how a red-blooded man can simply lie next to a woman like Fiona, but my answer is simple. If you know how to truly love then there is no absolute need for anything more. The emotion of connection is soul food, in and of itself. And the desires of my body are secondary to the nourishment of a heart bond like that.
With that thought, a blaze of light drifts through the entrance and across the room. She’s all legs, long and bronzed, as she strides toward me with purpose.
“Good afternoon Big Bo. Long time no see,” Fiona says with a laugh as I stand to embrace her.
Now that she’s in my arms again, I don’t know if I can let go of her. We pull back just enough for eye contact, and I can hardly stand not to kiss her. The way she smiles at me… her entire face simmering with need, her eyes blazin through me like bullets. I wanna make the room disappear.
“Shall we fix ourselves some plates?” I force myself to ask, out of politeness.
“Okay, sure. That’s probably a good idea if I want to survive the afternoon,” she replies without movin an inch.
I pull Fiona’s waist tighter against me before releasing her, and feel her breath against my face as she sighs. This woman will be the end of me if I can’t figure out some way to cope. I already wanna tell her she’s comin home to live with me. It’s all I can do not to toss her into my truck and hit the road.
Once reseated, I tear into my potatoes au gratin while Fiona picks self-consciously at her coconut shrimp and glazed carrots. I can see she’s got those first-date nerves; she’s quiet and bashful about eatin in front of me. It’s damn cute, but I’ve gotta fuel up good for the day. I demolish my plate and go back for a couple more trout filets.
“So, what are you signed up for this afternoon?” I ask her once my mouth isn’t stuffed.
“Just checking out the Supply Expo until three, then the retailer workshops go on till almost dinner. I’ll try not to fall asleep.”
“Someone keep you up last night?”
“Tried to,” she answers, giggling.
“I’ll walk on over to the Expo with you then, if you’re ready to go,” I tell her as we rise and make our way to the doors. She smiles, nods, and links her lovely arm in mine without a word. I love it when I can render a woman speechless.
***
No sooner than we arrived at my booth, Fiona was waived off by other admirers. Clearly she’s got a solid base of friends and contacts from her years attending the conference. And I’ve had a steady stream of retailers checkin out my orchids and brochures all afternoon, but I steal a glance around the room every chance I can get…doin my best to keep an eye on Fiona’s whereabouts.
Finally I spy her makin her way in my direction. I busy my hands in order to look like I wasn’t keepin dibs on her, and she’s standin in front of the booth in less than a minute. I’ve a mind to reach over and pick her up, set her down back here beside me. Just as fate would have it, three women approach with an exhaustive list of questions. Fiona steps back to wait patiently, but I hate for her to feel like second fiddle. After ten long minutes, she approaches again.
“I could have answered ninety percent of those questions,” she says coyly. “I guess I have a pretty good handle on your business.”
“Is that so?” I ask. “Well why don’t you just come on back here and help Big Bo run this booth.” She laughs like she appreciates the gesture. “I’m perfectly serious. That is… unless you’re gettin antsy on me already.”
“Oh no,” Fiona answers with haste. “I think I’ve seen most of what I need to see in the room.”
“Well come on back then if you like. You can help me fend off all these intruders.”
She laughs again and takes my extended hand, as I guide her around behind the booth. Suddenly standing within a foot of so much woman, I wonder how I thought I was gonna pull this off. Fiona prances nervously for a while, fingering orchids and studying flyers, lookin as spunky and streamlined as a Tennessee Walkin Horse. I lean against the countertop and watch until she finally settles down and looks up at me. One hot moment later, she’s thrown her arms around my neck and we’re duckin behind the tallest edge of the booth for a kiss. After glancin around quickly and determining nobody’s headed our way, we give ourselves over to another kiss…this one deep and still, mostly breath and little movement. Fiona pulls away as I stroke down the lengths of her gorgeous, silky mane. She looks around again but the masses are dyin down. People must be filing away to various other activities; our corner of the room is pretty quiet.
Just as she begins to pull me back to her, I notice Maxine entering through the far doors. I have the feelin Fiona wouldn’t wanna be seen in any compromising position. I don’t understand why she’s such a private woman, but I’m pretty sure she is.
“Look who’s comin this way,” I announce calmly, givin her plenty of time to back out of my arms. She does and then stands next to me, smiling unnaturally as Maxine gradually approaches. It takes her about five minutes to work her way over to us and we get mobbed by a couple small groups in the meantime. But it’s worth it to see the sneaky looks Fiona gives me between customers…grabbin my hands under the booth and wigglin over to me, then darting away like a skittish goldfish.
Finally Maxine walks up and I have to laugh. “Hello you two lovebirds,” she says with no qualms.
Noticing Fiona’s agitation, I jump to the rescue. “Well hello Maxine. I heard you were the star of the show this morning.”
“Ha…I hope so. We’ll see!”
“Fiona and I were just back here lookin over my new inventory lists, and choosin some new beauties for you to work with this winter.” I can’t explain what’s come over me, but I have a wild impulse to make some demonstration of my feelins. “And we’re havin a dern good time doin it, too,” I say, as I wrap my arm around Fiona’s waist and pull her in faster than she can react.
Quickly I notice her concern disappearing. Yep, I had the feelin that was all she needed.
“Well, I won’t distract you two from your important business back there,” Maxine says with a witty smile.
“Okay hun, see you at the party tonight?” Fiona pipes in, lookin so much more relaxed than before.
