Knock on Wood Read online

As I scrolled through my feed I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I lifted my head, glancing around. At first I didn’t see anyone, but then my gaze locked on his. Johnny. Sitting in a booth in the corner.

  Shadows partially covered him from when Rickie must have turned off the lights, preparing to close the diner. He was fully leaned back against the chair, one denim-clad leg kicked out, the other bent, his foot tapping almost nervously. His work boots were scuffed, as were his jeans.

  I lifted my gaze up his tree-trunk-sized legs and stopped at his chest. He wore a dark button-down shirt, one that was well worn and faded from the sun. It was clear he’d been working all day. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t turn me on.

  I felt my body heat, my pussy becoming wetter, my nipples hardening. I felt my breathing increase, and prayed he couldn’t see the effect he was having on me. I shifted on the seat, pressed my legs together, and tried to control the arousal pumping through my veins. I could picture myself with him in the filthiest ways, ways I’d only ever read about or seen in movies. They were things I wanted Johnny to do with me...to me.

  “Your order is up, Johnny.”

  My focus snapped to attention, back to reality when Rickie hollered out to him. He stayed seated for long seconds, his focus on me. And then he stood, his huge body unfolding to its full height. I actually felt myself gasp. It wasn’t like I didn’t know what he looked like, or how big he was; it was just that in this moment something claimed me. I couldn’t describe it, didn’t even know where to begin.

  He watched me the entire way up to the front counter. Once his back was to me, I exhaled roughly and leaned back against my chair. My heart was thundering, running a mile a minute, threatening to break free through my ribs. I stared at his broad shoulders, the muscles bunching under the material of his shirt. I lowered my gaze to his ass. I’d never been obsessed about that part of the body on a guy, but when it came to Johnny, all bets were off.

  His pants were slightly loose, but it didn’t hide much. Thank God for that. I knew my panties would be soaked by the time this was all said and done. I felt my face heat at the thought.

  “Your order is ready, Flora,” Rickie hollered out.

  My hands were shaking as I braced them on the table and stood. My legs felt like pudding as I walked up to the counter. Johnny still had his back to me, and as I stood just a foot from him, my head barely reaching the center of his back, all I could do was remind myself to breathe. And then all that did was make me inhale the masculine, woodsy scent of him. There were undertones of citrus, and I had to force myself not to moan.

  He grabbed his bag and turned so we were now facing each other. Everything in me stilled as I came face-to-face with him. I swear nothing else mattered. It felt like it was just him and me standing there, that Rickie and Sean were gone, that I could do anything I wanted in this moment and nobody else would know.

  The truth was I wanted everybody to know that I was Johnny’s and he was mine. I loved him.

  “How are you doing, Flora?” His voice was deep, so deep it caused goose bumps to form on my flesh. “It’s been a long time.”

  My heart stopped. I couldn’t even talk, couldn’t have formed a coherent word if I’d wanted to. My throat tightened up, my mouth went dry. I swallowed and licked my lips, forcing myself to nod. “It has been a long time.” My voice sounded strained.

  The silence stretched on for another moment.

  “We should get together and catch up.”

  I let out a slow, long breath. I was so wet, my nipples so hard. Could he see them pushing through the material of my shirt? On instinct I lifted my arms and crossed them over my chest. I noticed his gaze lowering, saw him register what I’d just done. I felt my face heat even more, and knew it was probably as red as a tomato.

  And then the moment was over, almost like it hadn’t even happened. I think I said something, mumbled how I’d like that, or we should definitely get together. I couldn’t be sure, didn’t even remember anything aside from staring into his eyes. He smiled slowly, and my heart lurched harder behind my ribs at the sight.

  He gave me a nod and walked past me, his arm lightly brushing against mine. I was drunk off the scent of him, the feel of him. I glanced over my shoulder and watched as he left the diner. A slight breeze came in when he opened the door, teasing my hair.

  How in the hell did I think I could ever be honest with him about how I felt? It was hard enough just standing a foot from him. I was losing my mind.

  Then again, losing it because of Johnny Ash wouldn’t be so bad.

  Chapter Two

  Johnny

  I stepped outside, a cold gust of wind slamming into me. Fuck, I was harder than damn steel. I adjusted my cock, which was digging into my fly, not giving two shits if anyone saw. I turned and glanced back into Rickie’s. I couldn’t help but stare at Flora, at the way her clothes molded to her curves, at the fact her ass was popping in those skintight pants. Shit, I might be a virgin—a proud one at that—but the dirty things I thought about concerning Flora and me would put any porno to shame.

  Her spread out on my bed, naked, bared for me in every possible way. Her legs would be open wide, her pussy on display. She’d be so wet for me, her arousal glistening, showing me that she was good and primed for my cock.

  Shit, I felt like my dick was about to explode. My balls were drawn up so tight if I adjusted myself again I feared I might actually come. I glanced at her once more, hoping she would take me up on my offer, although she’d seemed a bit dazed when I’d said I’d like to catch up. I’d meant it. Fuck, I’d meant that and so much more. In fact, I was tired of being weak about it all, sick of my own bullshit and not being honest with her. I wanted to. I would. And if she didn’t call me up and make plans, fucking hell, I would take the initiative and do it for her. I was tired of running from how I felt. I was tired of living a life that was empty, lonely. Ever since that one monumental, if not brief encounter all those years ago, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, hadn’t been able to stop wanting her. I loved her, dammit, and it was because of her that I’d stayed a virgin. I wanted to give all of myself to her, wanted her to do the same.

  I wanted her as mine.

  It was during her year back in town that I’d forced myself to stay away, although that had been one of the hardest fucking things I’d ever done. She’d been so close, yet so far away. With her acclimating to her internship, getting the hang of it all, I hadn’t wanted to rush her, hadn’t wanted to pressure her into anything. Hell, a part of me had been afraid to tell her how I felt, not knowing if I’d cross boundaries with her and ruin everything.

  So I’d stayed away, let her do her thing, get comfortable in her position. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I couldn’t stay away from Flora.

  Too many years had passed. Too many damn opportunities where I could have just opened up and not been alone. She didn’t have a boyfriend, not one that I saw her with or heard through the fucking Rockbridge rumor mill, anyway. I didn’t even know if she’d have me, but I wouldn’t know unless I actually talked to her.

  I fished my car keys out of my front pocket and headed across the street to my truck. I’d probably take a hot shower when I got home, jerking off as I thought about Flora and the things I would do to her.

  Truth was I’d jerked off plenty of times thinking about her over the years. Maybe it was a dirty thing to do, made me a bastard, but when no women interested me, when Flora was the only one I wanted in my bed and in my life, my hand was my only option.

  I glanced up when I heard the front door of Rickie’s open. Flora came out, her bag of takeout in her hand, her focus on the ground. She was so damn beautiful, with her long hair blowing behind her from the breeze, this small smile on her face...one that I hoped I’d put there. God, I just wanted to haul ass across the street, take her into my arms, and kiss her senseless. I wanted to
tell her that she was mine.

  She is mine.

  She made her way toward the edge of the sidewalk, about to cross the street, when I saw a flash of headlights to my right. I snapped my head in that direction and saw a car turning the corner, music blasting, loud voices coming from the open windows. It was like everything happened in slow motion.

  I glanced from the car to Flora and then to the car again. I ran across the street just as she was about to step off the curb, possibly getting hit by the vehicle. I didn’t know for sure if she would have seen them in time, and I wasn’t taking a fucking chance.

  Just as the car sped by I reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her against me. The air rushed out of her when her back met my chest, the impact substantial. Her bag of food dropped to the ground, spilling across the concrete. The car raced by, the driver and passenger screaming out the window.

  Rage boiled inside of me.

  I stared off in the direction the car had gone, disappearing in the horizon. I felt my hands tighten around Flora at the very thought that she could’ve been struck, could’ve been taken from me. I slowly turned her around, my heart beating so hard it was painful. Everything in my body was on alert, adrenaline pumping through my veins, and the need to hunt down those motherfuckers riding me hard.

  “Are you okay?” My voice was strained. I realized I was breathing hard. She nodded slowly, her eyes wide from fear. It was clear she was shaken. “I should go after them, find them.” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice. I wanted to fucking beat their asses for putting that look of fear on my woman’s face.

  She slowly shook her head, blinked a few times, then exhaled. “I’m fine, and going after them won’t solve anything.” She glanced down at the ground, where her soup was spilled. “Like bring back my French onion soup.” She looked in the direction that the car had gone. “I’ve been wanting that soup all damn day. Bastards.”

  I chuckled softly and looked over my shoulder at Rickie’s. The lights were already off. Shit. I realized I was still holding onto Flora, and that she was doing the same in return. I didn’t want to let her go. I wanted to hold on to her, to keep her close, make sure she was protected. I wanted that more than anything now after she’d almost gotten hit.

  But I reluctantly let her go. She cleared her throat, and I noticed her hands shook as she bent down to pick up her sandwich, which was still wrapped securely. “I really wanted that soup,” she joked.

  “Maybe I should take you—”

  “I don’t need a doctor. I’m fine.” She stood, her sandwich in hand.

  When Flora looked at me my heart stopped. Fuck, I wanted to bring her in close, cup the back of her head, and kiss her until she was breathless. And because I was an asshole, more sexually explicit thoughts came to mind. Ones that had me envisioning pressing her up against the side of Rickie’s Diner, wrapping my hand in her hair, pulling her head back, and devouring her. I was already starting to get hard again, my cock pressing to my zipper, demanding to be free, to be buried deep in her body.

  I wanted to claim her, to mark her like an animal, a predator landing his prey. Flora was my prey. Flora was mine.

  “Thank you again, Johnny.” She sighed softly, and my heart broke. God, I didn’t want to see her like this, didn’t want her to go home to an empty house. Hell, I didn’t even know if it was an empty house. Maybe she had someone. Maybe she could be with him, have him comfort her.

  Anger built in me, raw possessiveness, and a dose of obsession claimed me. She went to turn, to head to her car, but I found myself reaching out and taking her hand in mine. It was like I was running on pure instinct. Her hand was warm in mine, and her eyes were wide as she looked up at me.

  “I don’t like the fact you’re going home...alone.”

  I was testing the waters, seeing if she’d tell me she had someone, that she wouldn’t be alone. It wouldn’t have surprised me if she were taken. Flora was beautiful, smart, everything that I wanted.

  “I don’t want to go home alone either,” she said on a sigh.

  I felt the tightness in my body dissipate. “How about you come to my place, hang out, and we can watch a movie, or just talk?” I didn’t want to make her feel like I wanted more than she was willing to give. We could be friends, and I’d pray to God that something more happened, because Lord knew I couldn’t walk away from her, not now.

  Chapter Three

  Flora

  I still couldn’t believe I was sitting right next to Johnny, in his house. It seemed almost dreamlike, or maybe that was my emotions coming through in crippling waves, making me feel like a giddy teenager who’d just gotten asked to the prom. Maybe I was still in shock from the near accident.

  I glanced over at him, seeing the way his huge body seemed to take up the couch, how his jaw was set hard, his dark hair almost inky in the shadows that played across his features. My hands were shaking as I leaned forward and grabbed the beer off his coffee table. I took a drink, the beer semiwarm, but the alcohol exactly what I needed in this moment. A little liquid courage would go a long way in helping me feel normal, and not like I was walking on this tightrope.

  I still couldn’t believe I’d agreed to spend time with him, not because I didn’t want to, but because I was so damn nervous I knew I’d make a fool out of myself. My emotions when he’d asked me had been running high, had been threatening to burst free. I can still remember him holding me, his hands gripping me tightly, his arm around mine like a band.

  I never wanted him to let me go, never wanted to envision myself not close to him. It was a shame it had been because of that situation, of some probably drunken assholes driving too fast and not giving a shit.

  * * *

  The movie that was playing was lost on me. I couldn’t even explain what it was about because my mind was so consumed with the fact that I was actually here with him. Every time I inhaled I smelled him, that woodsy yet slightly spicy and citrusy aroma that made me feel drunk.

  I cleared my throat and tried to focus on the TV. It was safer that way, because as far as I knew he was just being friendly. I felt like I was in this alternate dimension, one I’d only ever dreamed about, but never actually thought I’d get to experience.

  It was hard not to glance at him, and so I did. I wanted to tell him how I felt, saw it all playing out in my head, how I’d be smooth about it, poetic even. But I knew I didn’t have the guts to say anything. So, even though I wanted to tell him I loved him, I instead told him the first thing that came to mind.

  “You really didn’t have to invite me back.” I meant to have it sound like he didn’t need to help me out, maybe thinking I’d be lonely...which I would have been. But it came out more like I didn’t want to be here. “Um, God, that came out weird.” I attempted to smile, but it felt forced, which probably meant it looked like that too.

  Johnny looked over at me, one of his dark eyebrows rising, a smirk on his face. “I wanted to invite you over, Flora. I didn’t want you to be alone after that. And you would have been, right?” he asked gently.

  I nodded slowly.

  “You don’t have someone to be there for you, a...boyfriend?” His voice got deeper on that last part.

  I licked my lips and shook my head. “No, I don’t have anyone, Johnny.” My cheeks got hot, and my heart started racing.

  “That’s real good, Flora.”

  I felt something shift between us, so I smiled, but I felt like it might look awkward again, so I faced the TV. I tried to focus on the movie, but the notion of Johnny so close to me, the heat coming from him, and how he smelled so damn good made concentrating nearly impossible. “You’re not with anyone?” I felt my throat tighten uncomfortably. I glanced at him once more.

  He was already looking at me. He shook his head slowly, his eyes lowering to a half-lidded expression. My body was on fire at this point, my pussy wet, my
muscles contracting.

  We sat in silence for the rest of the movie, and I held my now empty beer bottle, the glass warmed from my hands. A part of me was trying to work up the courage to just say what I wanted to say. Keeping my secret was tiring, stressful, and left this void in me that I loathed. Even if he didn’t want anything with me—which I expected—admitting I loved him couldn’t be any worse than how our things were playing out now. He could shut me down, turn me away. It wasn’t like we’d been close. And that one moment, that little blip in time where we’d sat beside each other, our families seeming miles away, had meant more to me than he’d ever know.

  The words played through my head like a broken record.

  I love you, Johnny. I’ve loved you since I was a girl and my teenage feelings consumed me. I’ve wanted you in my life, as mine, for more years than I even want to admit to myself. Please tell me you feel the same way, that this love isn’t only coming from me.

  In that moment I was very aware of my surroundings, of how my body reacted to having Johnny so close. I felt myself heat further when I thought about how he would feel touching me, taking my clothes off...taking my virginity. I could picture him being wild, untamed.

  I became even more aware of Johnny sitting beside me. I looked over at him, hoping he hadn’t noticed that I kept glancing his way. His chest was rising and falling faster, a little harder than normal. I felt like it wasn’t just me affected by being together, that maybe, just maybe he was feeling something too.

  Or maybe it was wishful thinking that Johnny would see me as anything more than the daughter of family friends.

  His body was so hard, so powerful. He was the biggest man I’d ever seen, with muscles stacked on top of each other. And then he turned and stared right at me. Our gazes locked, the electricity and chemistry slamming into me like a tidal wave. And while the seconds ticked by I felt beads of perspiration dotting my skin as my body reacted the only way it knew how where Johnny Ash was concerned.