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  Well, that’s going to change, thought Scott determinedly. I’m going to appreciate her every damn day from now on, and a couple times a night, if she’ll let me. It’s all going to be flowers and chocolates and very nice sandwiches for her from here on out.

  He was going to romance the pants off of Frederica, conquer her heart, and love every part of her. But first, he had to get through the rest of this meeting.

  The question and answer portion of the evening seemed to take forever. How could anyone have any questions after what was obviously a superior presentation that should have answered all of their piddling concerns? They needed to shut up, get out, and go home already. Scott had plans for the evening’s main presenter.

  Sadly, no one was obliging enough to shut up, get out, or go home already, and Scott was forced to sit through the rest of the scheduled meeting. On the bright side, its main presenter was amazing.

  As soon as the community meeting was over, though, Scott was the first one up and out of his seat. He didn’t rush the stage, as was his first impulse, but headed swiftly up the main aisle to the exit. They had come separately – him from work and her with her boss – but they had agreed to meet up at his place later. Scott’s was the first car out of the parking lot.

  Scott’s place was mostly empty, save for a couple of folding chairs, a wok, a couple of towels, a few changes of clothes, the tiny grill that he kept for emergencies, and his mattress, box spring, and bedding. When he finally left, the mattress and box were going outside for bulk pick up. Everything else would fit in the trunk of his car.

  While Scott waited for Frederica, his need to show Frederica just what he thought of her was a relentless simmer in his blood. To busy himself, Scott quickly tidied up his place and threw together a dinner using the wok. And the longer that he waited for Frederica to come home, the higher his need for her burned.

  Scott had just finished dinner and set it aside, when he heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. He didn’t even bother with the front door or steps.

  The garage door opened off of the kitchen, and it was through that door that Scott darted. He flipped both switches to one side of the door, both turning on the lights and sending the garage door rattling up on its automatic tracks at the same moment.

  The glare of Frederica’s headlights briefly shone into the garage before she killed the engine of her rental car. Scott was there a moment later to open her door and help her out of her vehicle.

  Frederica’s hand was still warm in his when Scott pulled her into himself and kissed her as filthily as he knew how. Frederica certainly didn’t seem to mind. Moaning, she melted against him, her free hand coming up to cup the back of his neck.

  Wrapping his free arm around her waist, Scott pulled Frederica off of her feet. Staggering backwards, he carried her into the garage, still kissing her. They passed his car, and Scott let go of her hand long enough to slap a hand in the general direction of the pair of switches on the wall.

  The lights flicked out at roughly the same time that the garage door lurched into motion, its motor grinding noisily. The garage plunged into semi-darkness, the only light filtering in from the kitchen door, which was still open.

  “Something smells good,” panted Frederica against his mouth.

  “Dinner’s ready,” said Scott, as he set Frederica on her feet. She took all of two steps toward the door before he caught her by the wrist and reeled her back to himself.

  “Shouldn’t we go in and –”

  “I’m not done with you yet, babe.”

  Chapter 17 – Frederica

  The first time that she had laid eyes on Scott’s car with its sleek lines, burnt orange paint gleaming in the sunlight, and wide black racing stripe, Frederica had known that she was looking at what was known as a muscle car. What precise brand or model, she couldn’t have said, but it was definitely sexy.

  Until Scott, Frederica had never ridden in a muscle car, much less made out in one. But then, until Scott, she hadn’t had much sex or any sex with all her clothes on, much less against a door. Until she had found her soul mate, she had been a very boring woman with a thriving work life and a practically nonexistent sex life.

  Thank goodness for Scott! Frederica thought as she was spun around and unceremoniously bent over the warm hood of Scott’s muscle car.

  Her hands instinctively landed wide apart to brace herself, and Scott gently urged her legs further apart. Frederica’s nipples were hard, aching points against the harder surface of the hood, the warmth radiating off of it almost soothing. Only almost, though, because Scott was running his big hands up the back of her legs again, his thumbs just skimming the sensitive skin on the inside of her thighs. Frederica shivered at the gentle glide of sensation.

  Scott rucked up her skirt around her waist, his hands taking advantage of the opportunity to squeeze her butt. There he paused, his fingers stroking the curves of her butt in a way that made Frederica’s face hot. Embarrassed and aroused, she squirmed against his hands, and he squeezed her again.

  “Is that satin, I’m feeling?” he asked, his voice a low, luscious rumble. His fingers dipped between her legs, stroking warm, tingling lines along the length of her labia. “And… lace?”

  “Surprise?” offered Frederica weakly, her cheek warm against the hood of that pretty car of his. Shamelessly, she squirmed back onto Scott’s stroking fingers. Frederica was already so wet that her panties clung to her sex, something that allowed Scott to dip his two fingers between her labia.

  Scott parted her folds, teasing her and stroking her as his fingers made their way up the length of her slit to her clit. He rubbed her there, the slippery slide of her satin panties against her clit feeling so unspeakably good that Frederica couldn’t help the noises that she made as she rocked helplessly against his fingers.

  Closing her eyes only seemed to make the sensations sharper, more immediate. They had only just gotten started, but already she was so, so deliciously close to coming.

  “I like them,” said Scott, breaking into her thoughts. “I almost can’t wait to see you in them. And lick you through them. Later though.”

  Scott’s fingers abruptly disappeared, and Frederica whimpered, her whimper turning into a long moan as he pushed into her. His dick was long and thick, forcing her sheath to stretch exquisitely around it.

  Scott didn’t give her much time to savor the sensation though. He pulled back again in a rush of sensation, and then slammed back into her again, knocking her forward against the hood of his car. Scott withdrew almost all the way again, and, bracing her hands against the car’s hood, Frederica pushed back to meet his next thrust.

  They moved against each other, Scott’s long strokes deep and hard and so good that it made Frederica sob for her next breath. The hood of the car was warm against her breasts, and her palms were slick with sweat against it. Their groans and gasps seemed to echo around the enclosed space of the garage, inescapably reminding Frederica of where they were doing this. Frankly, that only made it hotter for her.

  She came quickly, the building tension in her belly abruptly snapping through her, and Frederica cried out. Her back bowed and her legs shook, the only thing holding her up Scott’s grip on her hips as he thrust into her. And as she came, he continued to thrust into her, prolonging Frederica’s orgasm with rolling waves of pleasure.

  Slowly, Frederica came down from her high. Scott was still stroking into her, his rhythm lost as he chased his own completion. Helpfully, Frederica clenched around his length one more time, and Scott came, broken syllables of love spilling from his lips.

  For several long moments, he slumped heavily against her back. Eventually, he straightened and slowly began to pull out of her, and feeling mischievous, Frederica clenched one last time around his softening member.

  Scott groaned, long and ragged and heartfelt, and his hips jolted forward against her butt. Idly, Frederica wondered if she could get him going again like this.

  “Babe, you are a
menace. I meant to carry you inside and make love to you on an actual bed – preferably after undressing you and worshipping your body like you deserve.”

  Laughing, Frederica straightened.

  “That sounds nice,” she admitted. Now that the mind-blowing sex was over, her feet were killing her – stupid high heels – and the garage was hot. Turning to Scott, she added, smiling, “But this was fun too. I’ve never done it over a car before.”

  Scott laughed.

  “Stick with me, babe, and you’ll get done in a lot of interesting places,” he promised, his arm snaking around her waist. Pulling her back, and flush against himself, Scott kissed her, first on the mouth and then on her half against her temple. The other half of that kiss landed in her hair.

  Catching his chin between her thumb and first finger, Frederica half turned to kiss Scott as sweetly as she knew how. Against her mouth, Scott hummed happily.

  When the kiss broke, Scott murmured, his lips brushing against hers on every word, “I made Chinese, but keep that up, and dinner’s going to be stone cold by the time you get any. We’ll have to heat it up in a microwave.”

  That was a risk that she was willing to take.

  Daringly, Frederica kissed him again – and then shrieked, laughing, when Scott hauled her up and over his shoulder. One of her shoes fell off, clattering noisily against the cement floor.

  “I warned you,” growled Scott, before carrying her off to bed, caveman style.

  Frederica loved it.

  And she had always had a weak spot for cold Chinese food.

  The next morning, Scott rolled over in bed and asked Frederica, “So how long can you stay this time?”

  And Frederica bit her lip, suddenly feeling terribly nervous.

  “As long as you like?” offered Frederica.

  Scott blinked at her. He looked thunderstruck.

  Frederica rushed on, saying, “It’s just that there are a lot of things that need to be done and overseen around here for the university project. And I’ll still have to commute up to Tallahassee sometimes, but – umph!”

  She broke off there, as Scott’s mouth claimed her own. And she hadn’t even told him yet about her eight point plan for their future together!

  Frederica kissed him happily, murmuring between kisses, “I don’t know when you’re out of here, but when you are… Do you want to move in together?”

  Scott froze. Pulling back, he smiled that slow and sweet and sexy smile at her. It was the very same smile that had lured her into bed with him their very first time together. Frederica felt her heart give a peculiar double thump.

  She just loved him so much!

  “Frederica Hale, are you proposing to me?”

  “Maybe? No? I don’t know?” hedged Frederica.

  Laughing, Scott tipped her onto her back.

  “Too bad,” he said as he settled over her. “I would have said yes.”

  Frederica was still grinning what felt like a wild and silly grin, her heart soaring within the confines of her ribs, when Scott kissed her again.

  When he asked her, she was going to say yes too.

  Chapter 18 – Scott

  A few days later, Scott took Frederica’s smaller hand in his and said, “C’mon. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  To his pleasure, Frederica’s face lit up, and she bounced on the balls of her feet.

  “I love your surprises! What is it?”

  “If I said, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore.”

  Frederica gave his hand a little tug.

  “Well, come on then and hurry up! I’ve got a surprise waiting for me! Where are we going?”

  Scott laughed.

  “I’m coming. Haven’t you ever heard that slow and steady wins the race?”

  Turning to walk backwards, Frederica raised her eyebrows and said archly, “That’s not what you were saying last night.”

  “That was different,” he growled, then reeled that woman in for a kiss full on her laughing mouth.

  When they broke apart some time later, she breathed, “Oh wow,” and Scott felt a flush of masculine pride.

  Leading Frederica around to the side of his house, Scott briefly ducked inside to grab a packed picnic basket and green blanket off of the counter.

  “A picnic?” asked Frederica brightly, when he emerged with his things. “Is that my surprise?”

  “Part of it,” admitted Scott, as he reclaimed her hand. “Sunset isn’t for another couple of hours. I thought we’d walk down to the beach, have dinner, enjoy the sunset, and then casually walk over to… our appointment. Sounds good?”

  “Great!” enthused Frederica and gave his hand a happy little swing. “Best date ever!”

  And to himself, Scott smirked, because she hadn’t seen anything yet.

  They laid out their blanket on the beach and then claimed their places on it. Frederica sat across from Scott, the light of the sun glinting in her dark hair. She helped him unpack the hamper, exclaiming with delight as either of them peeled the top of off Scott’s various Tupperware containers.

  They had grilled steak cut and made into sandwiches on crispy French bread, eggless potato salad, grilled corn, and little peach cobblers in ramekins, all of it homemade.

  Meats and pretty pastries were traditional gifts between a courting bear and his future mate. They demonstrated his regard for his lover. Gifts of meat and fish were to prove the courting bear’s prowess as a hunter, while fruity desserts were given to draw attention to the sweet sides of their relationship.

  In any other season, Scott would have hunted anything and everything for Frederica. She was worth it. But it was the wrong season for everything that he knew how to hunt, kill, and clean. Store bought proteins would simply have to do in lieu of anything fresh. To make up for that, though, Scott had put crispy bits of bacon in the potato salad. Bacon made everything better.

  He still wished that he knew anything about fishing in the ocean though.

  “I love everything! It’s all amazing!”

  “I’m glad,” replied Scott, feeling equal parts relieved and happy at her admiration.

  “Especially the potato salad,” declared Frederica as she dug into her potato salad. “I don’t even normally like potato salad, but I can’t stop eating it! It’s just so good!”

  “It’s probably my liberal use of bacon,” replied Scott, cheered by her positive response to his consorting overtures. Grinning, Scott stuffed a spoonful of his mother’s potato salad in his mouth.

  “Mmmm, and the steak is amazing,” Frederica said, and Scott swelled with instinctive pride. “Hey, why aren’t you eating?”

  “You were the taste tester,” teased Scott.

  “Then maybe I should taste yours too… just in case.”

  “If you like,” Scott agreed affably. They were consorting. She could claim all the meat as far as he was concerned.

  “I was kidding!”

  “I wasn’t.”

  Frederica blushed prettily. Looking at him through her lashes, she said, “I think I’d better save room for dessert.”

  In his pants, Scott’s cock twitched hopefully, public beach or no public beach.

  Trying to keep a straight face, he replied, “The peach cobbler and egg salad are my mother’s recipes.”

  “Really? Then cooking well must run in your family. Does she own a restaurant too?”

  “No, although I always thought that she would probably like it if she did,” said Scott. Hesitating a moment, he asked, a sliver of nervousness entering his heart, “I probably should have asked earlier, but… you do like peach cobbler, don’t you?”

  “I love it! I’d eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, if I could.”

  “I’m glad,” replied Scott, feeling deeply relieved. His mother had once said that homemade peach cobbler was how she had turned his father’s head. It had figured pretty prominently in how Scott had planned to win Frederica’s hand.

  When they were done, Scott and Frederica packed awa
y all of their leftovers as well as their used plates, cups, and utensils. It was still springtime in Florida, which meant that the weather was still pleasant enough to for them to curl up together on their blanket in the late afternoon sunshine. With Frederica’s head on his chest, her body pressed all along the length of his side, and his arm around her shoulders, Scott enjoyed the sunset.

  If there was one thing that Florida did well, it was sunsets.

  “This is the best day ever,” sighed Frederica, her arm briefly tightening across his waist. A moment later, she rolled on top of him. Frederica smiled down at him, her elbows framing his head and her dark hair hanging around their heads.

  “Marry me,” blurted Scott at nearly the same moment, his guard momentarily lowered by her scent surrounding her, her smiling face hanging over him, and the tattered curtain of her hair, which rendered them the only two points in their universe.

  The next moment, he wanted to bite his tongue. Scott had meant to ask her later, after she had enjoyed her surprise’s main event. He had meant to show her that he paid attention too, before he asked her to marry him.

  Over him, Frederica’s lovely eyes widened, and Scott rushed to add, “If we were together, then every day would be my best day ever, even if we didn’t go anywhere interesting and were too tired to do anything fun. And I would always, always try to make every day your best day ever too, because… because I love you.”

  Frederica’s smile was even more beautiful than the sunset behind her. At the sight of it, Scott caught his breath, his heart thundering in his chest and his lungs full of salt and sea air and her fantastic scent.

  “I love you too,” breathed Frederica, and too his surprise, he could feel how much she meant it. “You’re all I really want. Being with you would make every day into my best day ever too.”

  Then, before he could respond, Frederica leaned down and kissed him, her mouth soft against his own.