My Sweet Valentine (19 page)

Allen looked down at Sara, asleep with Beast curled up beside her. He knew she was probably emotionally tired. He'd been shocked when Robert had pulled him into her bedroom and he’d seen the destruction there.

“Apparently it was much worse in Seattle.” Robert flipped his file opened and shook his head. “They sent me her file full of pictures when I was warned about her stalking case.”

Allen had looked around her room and felt himself growing mad. Someone had not only destroyed everything she owned, but had viciously ripped everything to shreds.

“They used Josie's sword,” Robert said behind him. “I haven't told her roommate yet, but he hacked at her bed frame until the sword broke in half.” Robert pointed to the corner of the room, where half the sword lay among a pile of Sara's clothes.

Red paint or blood had been splattered over every inch of her room. A large picture of her face had been stapled to her wall and they had hacked at her face until only long shreds remained.

It was obvious to Allen that whoever had done this wanted to hurt Sara, not just scare her. He knew Robert and the Seattle police detective who had shown up felt the same way. Sitting in the chair next to the couch, he picked up the bowl of chili he'd heated up and started eating. Flipping on the TV, he made sure it was muted and watched a basketball game until Sara stirred an hour later. Then he walked in the kitchen and heated her bowl of chili again. By the time he walked back into his living room, she was standing by the back door. Beast was outside running in circles.

“
Here.” He set the hot bowl on the table. “I have some crackers if you want, instead of the bread.”

“No, thank you. This is fine.” She walked over and sat down. “Thank you.”

He walked over and whistled for Beast, who trotted back into the house.

“Cool trick.” She smiled. “Does he know any others?”

Allen laughed. “Not really. I wanted to teach him to sit and beg, but I don't have the patience.”

Sara leaned over when Beast ran to her. She broke off a piece of her bread and said sit. The dog surprised him and sat down quickly. “Shake.” She picked up the dog's paw and shook it, then set the paw back down and repeated the command. The dog looked at her like she was crazy. She repeated the command and motion a few times before the dog finally got it.

“He's smart,” she said as she tossed him a chunk of the bread. “Now see if he remembers it with you.”

Beast walked over to him when he called. At first the dog looked at him like he was crazy when he told him to sit. His doggie eyes went to Allen’s hands and when he realized they were empty, he walked back over to Sara. Allen laughed.

“
Here, try it with this.” She handed him a piece of bread. He repeated it, and this time the dog did everything he asked.

“Now, puppies are ruled by their stomachs. But soon he will want to please you and love will be the reward.” She smiled.

“You know a lot about dogs. Have you ever had one?”

She shook her head. “My mother has allergies. I wanted a dog, though, and read up on them one summer. I thought that I could find a way to work around my mother's allergies.”

He smiled. “We had an old dog when I was a kid. He didn't know any tricks and farted a lot.” She laughed and he smiled. He wanted to make her forget about her stuff. About the mess. She finished her chili and stood to take the bowl to the kitchen.

“Thank you for letting me stay here.” She washed the bowl and set it in his dishwasher. He walked up behind her and took her shoulders.

“Sara, I'm letting you stay here because I'm selfish.” He smiled. “I want you here, with me. In my kitchen, napping on my couch, sleeping in my bed.” His body heated as he pulled her closer and kissed her. He meant to show her tenderness, but when her hands sneaked under his shirt, he felt a piece of his control slip.

“Allen,” she moaned under his lips. “Please.” She tugged at his shirt until he pulled back and removed it, tossing it across the room. Then his mouth was back on hers as she ran her nails up and down his shoulders and back. She rubbed her body next to his until he pulled her up, letting her sit on the countertop. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he rubbed himself against her jeans, enjoying the friction until he had to have her naked. His hands pushed at her sweater until he pushed it up and over her head, exposing her bra. He stood back and enjoyed the view. Her red lacy bra begged for his attention. He dipped his head and ran his mouth over the soft material. Her head dropped back and she moaned as she ran her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer.

Then she was reaching for his jeans. He was breathless and felt the last shred of his control snap when she leaned back on the countertop and her marvelous breasts were finally exposed. He pulled at her jeans until she helped him remove them, while she still balanced on the marble countertop. Her red panties matched her top and he dipped his head to taste them and to taste her. Her breath hitched and she let out a groan when he dipped his finger under the lace and felt her silky skin. He hitched her legs over his shoulders, exposing her even further to his torture. Pulling her panties aside, he touched his mouth to her and had her squirming and moaning. Then, when he thought he couldn't control himself anymore, he yanked his pants down, sheathed himself, and slid into her, slowly. Twin moans echoed in the large room.

She was leaning back on his countertop so that her elbows were resting on the back of his bar area. The soft lighting and the sweet motion of their movement was almost his undoing. Finally, he felt her convulse under him and let himself go.

It didn't take him long to realize they need to move. His socks kept slipping on the tile floor so he pulled her up and carried her upstairs and set her gently on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. He didn't know if she was sleeping or if she was still recovering. He stood over her and looked down at her. She was beautiful. Her long curly hair splayed out over his bedspread. Her skin was glowing from the day in the sun and from the heated sex.

“What?” She opened one eye and smiled.

“Just looking.” He ran his eyes over her and smiled. “I'm allowed to do that, I think.”

“Yes. You are.” She smiled up at him. “As long as it's me you're looking at.”

He crawled onto the mattress and wrapped his arms around her. “Honey, there's no one else I'd rather be looking at than you. You're beautiful.” He placed a kiss on her neck then traveled his mouth up to her ear where he whispered, “I love looking at you after I've made you come. Your skin glows.”

“Oh, God!” She wrapped her legs around him and held on.

“Your hair is a mess from my hands, your lips are pink and swollen from mine.” He kissed her mouth, lingering there for a moment. He felt her hips starting to move against his hips and slid slowly into her.

“Oh, Allen.” She closed her eyes and rolled her head back for him to rain kisses along her skin. He enjoyed every inch of her, taking his time this time, spending minutes on every inch of her until he felt her tighten around him. Then he started it all over again until finally, much later, he joined her again and fell asleep holding her, his face buried in her hair, a smile on her lips.

S
ara woke to barking and for a moment was disoriented.

“Quiet. You'll wake Sara.”

“Too late.” She smiled and stretched her arms over her head. It had been a week since the break in at the house. Today was the grand opening for Sara's Nook. Rolling over, she looked at the alarm and almost shot out of bed.

“It's four o'clock. How can it be four o'clock?” She pushed out of bed and forced herself to take a deep breath in, then out. Stress was not her friend. Not on opening day.

“You said you wanted to be woken at four. It's five til. You still have five minutes.” Allen frowned at her as he opened the door for Beast to come in. The dog rushed in, ran in circles and barked.

“He needs to go out.”

“Yeah, hang on buddy. I've gotta put some boots on. It's snowing out there.” Allen stepped into his other boot. He was wearing the bottoms of flannel pajamas. No shirt. She sighed and wished she could spend the whole day exploring that chest. But when he strolled out the door, the dog closely following, the alarm went off and she jumped from the bed to hit the shower.

When she walked into the bakery, Josie was there already rolling out the dough for the sweet bread.

Josie stopped what she was doing and rushed over to her. “Opening day!” They jumped up and down laughing. Rosalyn, the other baker they had hired just two days ago, stood in the corner smiling. Sara didn't know the woman very well, since she'd moved here from Seaside, but her resume was impressive and she knew her way around the kitchen.

“Okay,” Sara sobered, “enough of that.” Josie followed her lead.

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. Then the two of them were jumping up and down laughing and singing, “Opening day” again.

An hour before opening, Sara felt all the nerves bubbling up. Becca arrived in her uniform, a Sara's Nook t-shirt, which had come in the mail yesterday, and black jeans. Her sister looked good and Sara knew she would do her best to present the bakery in the best light. Even though she could only work weekends, Becca looked forward to helping out as much as she could.

They still were looking for someone part-time to cover the front during the day. Until then, Sara or Josie would have to fill in.

Fifteen minutes before they would open the doors, she looked out front and was shocked to see a line growing outside. Even in the cold, people were lined up around the street corner.

The place smelled great and the food looked even better. They were just putting on the finishing touches when she signaled Becca to open the doors.

Four hours later, Sara sat down and closed her eyes, a huge smile on her face. “I'd say that was a successful opening.”

There had been a steady stream of people for the first two hours. After that, people came and went. Some people ordered and took it to go on their way to work, others ordered and ate in, filling the place so that, at times, the only room was standing room. People utilized the bar area she’d had the Timothy's build along the window wall. They had run out of blueberry muffins and Death by Chocolate cupcakes, and they’d had to quickly rush and make more.

“
The lull before lunch.” Josie sat down next to her. They sat at a high-top table, watching Becca clear the rest of the tables.