Salted Caramel: Sexy Standalone Romance Read online

  Beneath the table, where no one could see, he slid his hand beneath my dress and caressed my thigh as his mouth covered mine. That’s when it dawned on me, the location meant nothing. It was the man holding me who fulfilled the dream. Everything else fell away, and all I could think about was Beck, holding me, kissing me and simultaneously stealing my heart.

  We kissed, just as I’d imagined, like two teens stealing away in the backseat of their parents’ car. I’d missed those opportunities, always trying to do what was right, or at least what I considered to be right. It was strange how straight and narrow I’d marched, and, all the while, my mom had been laying a wildly, curvy path for me to follow. I was rebelling, in every sense of the word, but it was my mom who had been the true rebel. And she’d always been happy to be just that. Even when times were tough for us, she smiled and laughed through it all, never taking life too seriously. Deep down it had bothered me, that she never fretted about where we would live next or how many schools I had to move to. So, I’d played the adult, and she’d played the carefree, indifferent child. Now I saw it. All this time, she’d had the secret to a happy life, only she hadn’t kept it secret at all. I’d just ignored her advice.

  I lifted my face. My lips tingled with numbness as I gazed down at the brown eyed man who had deftly charmed me into deviating from that dull, straight path. I was finding my way back to the unexpected right and left turns and enjoying the new, uncharted path. Of course, it helped that my guide was completely irresistible.

  “Thank you for that,” I said.

  “Was it all you imagined?” Beck asked with a tilted grin.

  “Considering the arms that are holding me—yes, it was, and more. I need to head to the ladies’ room. That, unfortunately, was never part of the fantasy, but nature calls.”

  Reluctantly, I climbed off Beck’s lap. His beer was empty. “I’ll go order another beer. What do you want?”

  “Wine would be nice.”

  I got up from the table. Plenty of glances were still being shot our direction. The make out session might have attracted more attention than I wanted. Two guys, both who looked as if they were a good beer pitcher past drunk, stared openly at me from their pool table as I scurried toward the restroom.

  I finished my business and stopped for several moments on the way out of the restroom to straighten my hair and beam proudly at my particularly swollen lips. The woman looking back at me was a whole different person. I was having a blast. There was no denying it. It was the complete opposite of how I’d been feeling with David. The one item that weighed heavily on the whole thing was that I had no idea how this would end. Would Beck just give me a peck on the cheek and ride off into the sunset or would plans be set to see each other once we left the Silk Stocking Inn? The notion of driving off and never seeing him again left me feeling nothing short of despondent. I needed to ask him. A glass of wine and I might find the courage to find out just what he had in mind.

  I slipped back out of the ladies’ room and headed into the pool hall. I hadn’t gone three steps when a firm hand took hold of my arm. It was the drunken pool player who’d leered at me on my way to the bathroom.

  I pulled my arm, but he tightened his grip. Beer fumes flowed from his mouth as he leaned closer. “Shame you’re wasting all that kissing on a biker when you could be sitting on my lap instead.” He could barely keep his heavy lids open as he lunged toward me with his gaping mouth.

  I pulled hard just as he lost his slipshod grip. I flew sideways and landed painfully on the edge of the pool table. He came after me, but before he managed to touch me again, the man went sailing backward against the wall. Beck spun around and lunged at him, even though the inebriated man had been stunned by the blow against the wall. Unfortunately, he was still drunk enough to stupidly fight back. He pushed up to his feet and waved his arms uselessly. The beer had dimmed his aim. His opponent was big and fast. Beck easily ducked out of the reach of his fists.

  “You can keep the slut all for yourself,” the guy spewed as he lunged toward Beck. I could sense the anger in Beck’s shoulders as they tensed hard like iron. He grabbed the man and pulled his arm back to hit him.

  “No!” I cried.

  A loud cracking sound snapped the air behind us. Everyone’s attention, Beck’s included, turned toward the oversized and extremely mad bar owner. He’d cracked a wooden pool stick over a chair and held the broken end with its shards of splintered wood in the air.

  “Beck, that’s twice in the same weekend. Get the hell out of my bar.”

  Beck reluctantly released the man, who slumped to the floor dead drunk. Beck turned around and looked at me. His face was still tight with rage, but he shook his head. “Damnit, Emmie, what the hell have you done to me?”

  I fled from the room and the bar. I heard Beck’s footsteps behind me, but I didn’t stop to find out how close he was. I ran all the way to the inn without looking back. I flew through the front door.

  “Back so soon?” Coco called from her kitchen.

  I didn’t stop to chat. I raced up the stairs to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I guess I had my answer without even working up the courage to ask the question.

  I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror with the too tight dress and the swollen lips. What the heck was I doing? Why did I think I could step so far out of my comfort zone? It was all just a desperate mistake. I flopped onto the bed and cried.

  Chapter 20

  There was a knock on the door. I looked around the dark room through bleary eyes. It took me a second to remember where I was. Another few head-clearing seconds and the ugly end of the night came back to me.

  “Emmie, it’s me.” How could his deep, soothing voice already sound so familiar? “Just want to make sure you’re all right. Open up.”

  I scooted off the bed and caught yet another reflection of myself in the mirror. I’d fallen asleep in the dress, and my hair was bunched up like a bird’s nest. Puffy eyes smeared with mascara topped off the entire look beautifully.

  I rubbed my thumb beneath my eyes to minimize the raccoon impression and shuffled to the door. I took a deep breath and opened it. Another deep breath followed, this one because it was hard not to pull in oxygen when Beck was standing in front of me. He’d pulled on his jeans, but he was shirtless, unless you counted ink as fabric. Then he was fully clothed.

  “I’m sorry about what happened tonight,” he said. “When I said that—” he hesitated. “That thing about what you’d done to me—”

  “Three times. I’ve heard you say it three times.” His voice had sounded so familiar, but mine sounded completely foreign to my ears. There was a touch of despair, heartbreak in my tone, and I’d never heard it there before.

  He scrubbed his fingers through his hair and reached up to lean his arm against the door jamb. I knew he did it inadvertently, but it immediately made my knees weak. “Right. I’ve said it three times. And I’ve never said it to anyone before.”

  I sniffled once. “If this little chat is supposed to make me feel better—”

  “I’ve never said it because I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. When that guy put his hands on you, all I could think was that I was going to pound him into pulp. Just like the night before with that fool you played pool with. Can’t stop thinking about you, Emmie.”

  I stood there in the doorway, my heart telling me to jump into his arms but my head telling me to walk away from this. This wasn’t what I needed. A man like Beck, as I’d already proved to myself, would be nothing but heartbreak.

  My chest felt as if it had been filled with sand. “I’m tired, Beck. I’m going back to bed.” I closed the door, and the sand in my chest turned to solid rock. Tears flowed again as I crawled back onto the bed and buried myself with the quilt.

  Chapter 21

  A knock on the door drew me, o
nce and for all, out of a restless sleep. I sat up. My heart. I’d ignored it again. My hard and fast rule of remaining sensible had once again snatched true happiness away from me. I jumped out of bed. I needed to let Beck know how I felt.

  I yanked open the door with every intention of throwing myself into his arms, but Coco was standing on the other side. She had a basket of croissants and a cup of coffee in her hands.

  Her green eyes rounded as she glanced down at the dress. “You must have been tired last night. I have good news. Your car is ready.” She winked and held up the croissants. “Mitch, the mechanic’s favorite. He said he’ll bring the car by this morning.”

  I fussed with my tangled mass of hair, but it was futile. “Thank you so much. If you don’t mind, I just need to go across the hall and talk to Beck.”

  “Beck?” She walked into the room with the breakfast. “He left early this morning.”

  I spun around. “Is he coming back? Did he say anything?”

  “He won’t be coming back here. He’s probably heading to work.” She looked at me, and it seemed some of those mysterious age lines had made their way back. “I thought it was rather strange he left without saying anything. Still, men are like that,” she said flippantly. “Enjoy your breakfast.”

  I nodded but was too distraught to reply. I closed the door and headed to the bathroom. A long, hot shower and climbing back into my own clothes and shoes would prepare me to head back to reality. This had all just been a bizarre dream, a dream that had left me feeling bereft and unhappy. It had started out so beautifully, but I’d strayed from my usual life. I’d never take a wrong turn like that again.

  Chapter 22

  I was sure being back at work, back in the library where I always felt happy and peaceful, would take away some of the ache. But it hadn’t. At least not yet. It was going to take time, it seemed.

  Two calls from David, trying to figure out how we could work this out hadn’t helped. I couldn’t even pinpoint what this was anymore. All I knew for certain was that David was not what I was looking for.

  I was moving slow, as if bricks had been attached to my feet. I could still feel the effects of the weekend with Beck. I could still hear his voice and feel his touch on my skin. I wondered just how long it would take to forget a man like Beck.

  Not in the mood to do the usual exchange of weekend stories, even though I had a hell of a unique one to tell, I slipped quickly into my office with just a few morning nods and hellos. I turned on my computer and was instantly reminded of the mysterious website for the Silk Stocking Inn. I still hadn’t figured out any answers to the flurry of questions I had about the place and the owner and all the unusual coincidences. But if I wanted to push Beck from my mind, I was going to have to let all those questions go.

  Lois, the reference desk librarian, shot by the window of my office and knocked seconds later.

  “Come in,” I called.

  Lois stepped inside, looking flustered, but that was certainly not out of the ordinary for her. She looked back in the general direction of the reference area as if something sinister had followed her to my office.

  “What is it, Lois?”

  She picked up her necklace, a giant colorful string of beads and baubles, and fiddled nervously with it. “Well, there’s been another incident with David and his favorite table.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I sure wish he’d find a different library to work in. I’ve only just diffused the trouble from the last time. What’s happened now?”

  She moved closer as if the walls could hear. “This time the person didn’t move. Well, he wasn’t exactly the type of person you ask to do anything. Big, rough guy. Downright rowdy looking.” She pulled her lips to the side in thought. “Striking though. Handsome, if you like the bearded, tattooed type.”

  I shot up from my chair. It startled Lois so much, she yanked on her necklace. The beads bounced across my office floor.

  I walked to the front of my desk and stooped down to help her retrieve her necklace pieces. “Did he say his name or what he was doing in the reference area?”

  “Nope. I’ve never seen him before.” Lois reached under my bookshelf and swept out several beads. “He certainly isn’t the type of person I normally get over in reference. Not exactly the academic type, if you know what I mean.”

  “I know exactly what you mean.” I handed Lois the beads I’d collected and pushed to my feet, taking a few seconds to dust off my knees. “When you left, what was David doing?”

  “He skulked away with his books to the table near the children’s library. Boy, what a pout that man was wearing. I was about to tell him to just go ahead and sit with the children, with the way he was scowling.”

  “I’ll go check on things right now.” I hurried out of the office and practically flew toward the back corner of the library where the reference books were housed. My heart was close to leaping from my chest at the thought of seeing Beck. Maybe the weekend hadn’t been a waste and bad mistake. The truth was, I badly wanted to see him again, to tell him how I felt about him.

  I reached the reference area and the table that David always sat at. My heart sank like a stone in thin air.

  David looked up over the top of his glasses and smiled. “Emmie,” he said. “I was hoping you’d come back here this morning so we could talk.”

  I hardly heard a word he said as I glanced quickly around. There was no one out of the ordinary and certainly no dangerous looking biker. Had I missed him or had Lois been over-exaggerating, a skill she had down to an art.

  “The man who was sitting here earlier—” I started.

  “I took care of him. Told him to move on.” A derisive laugh shot from his mouth. “It was obvious he wasn’t going to actually do any reading. Probably just hiding from the police or something.”

  I shook my head and turned around.

  “Emmie, don’t leave.”

  “I’ve got work to do, David.” I walked back through the library. As I passed one of the shelves, a book came flying off and landed at my feet. I leaned down to pick it up and glanced at the title. “Illustrative History of American Pool Halls.”

  “A guy could get used to those sensible shoes.”

  I swung around and looked down the book aisle. He was wearing a tight white t-shirt and his massive motorcycle boots and that smile that made my pulse race.

  Beck’s dark brown eyes dropped. “Especially on a hot pair of library lady legs.”

  I stepped right in front of him. He grabbed my hand and pulled me around to the back side of the stacks, where no one could see us.

  “You left without saying good-bye,” I said, working hard to keep the tremble from my bottom lip.

  “Stupidly, I convinced myself that you didn’t want to see me again. Only, then I got home, and I thought—” He reached up and brushed his finger over my lip to stop the trembling that I could no longer control. “And I thought—how the hell am I going to spend the rest of my life without kissing this mouth.” He leaned forward and kissed me. “No way I would ever be happy again without you, Emmie.”

  I threw my arms around his neck. “Only your heart can lead you to a happy ending. That’s something a napkin told me once. Turns out it was a very smart piece of linen.” I pressed my lips against his, and he tightened his massive arms around me.

  Salted Caramel Cupcakes

  Download a printable recipe card

  Ingredients:

  Cake

  •1½ cup all-purpose flour

  •¾ tsp baking powder

  •½ tsp salt

  •2 eggs

  •½ cup + 1Tbsp milk

  (2% or whole)

  •½ cup butter (softened)

  •½ cup granulated sugar

  •½ brown sugar

  �
��1½ tsp vanilla

  Frosting:

  Frosting

  •14 caramels

  •½ cup butter (softened)

  •1 tsp vanilla

  •¼ tsp salt

  •1½ cup powdered sugar

  •3 Tbsp + 2 tsp heavy cream

  Yields 12 cupcakes.

  Yields 12 cupcakes.

  Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare muffin pan with paper muffin cups.

  2. In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.

  3. In a separate bowl whisk wet cake ingredients: eggs and milk together.

  4. In a large bowl cream together ½c butter, ½c granulated sugar, ½c brown sugar and

  1½ tsp vanilla.

  5. Add half of the dry mixture and half of the wet mixture to the large bowl and mix to combine.

  6. Add remaining dry and wet mixture to the large bowl and mix just until combined.

  7. Spoon batter into muffin cups until ⅔ full.

  8. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

  9. Prepare frosting: Melt 14 caramels and 3 Tbsp heavy cream in microwave or over double boiler, stirring often until mixture is smooth. Do not overheat.

  In the meantime, with an electric mixer, cream ½c butter, 1 tsp vanilla and ¼ tsp salt. Add in 3 Tbsp of the caramel cream mixture, save the rest for drizzling on top of the frosting. Mix in powdered sugar and add the remaining 2 tsp of heavy cream. Beat until frosting consistency. Add more cream if needed.

  10. Frost cool cupcakes and drizzle with leftover caramel cream mixture. Sprinkle on a dash of sea salt.

  Enjoy!

  Now available from Silk Stocking Inn: