Fourteen
Stepping out of the kitchen, Lola walked towards the front with a frown.
Why would she have a visitor at Erik’s shop? Then she saw him, his golden eyes blazing as he looked at her and her mouth went dry.
Puca stood stiffly by the front door, his jaw clenched as he looked from her to Erik. She knew that he found her attractive, that he may have said that they wouldn’t sleep with her. The look in his eyes said something else, that he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to the apartment.
Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she tried to quash down the thrill that thought sent through her. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way for someone she’d just met.
“Erik, this is my friend Puca.” Lola said introducing the two before she turned back to look at Puca, “Puca, this is my boss Erik. What are you doing here?” She said barely holding her smile in check as she spoke through her teeth.
“I came to offer to escort you back home.” Puca stood taller. Smoothing the front of his shirt as he looked from Lola to Erik, he didn’t like the way the other man’s eyes kept traveling back to Lola. Didn’t like the way that his eyes met his with a silent challenge.
“It’s good to meet you, Puca.” Erik said, extending his hand out for the other man, his lip quirking in a half smile. Lola held her breath as she watched Puca’s eyes slowly move from Erik’s hand to his eyes.
“Aye, you as well.” Puca said, finally taking the hand extended towards him. Puca’s jaw clenched and Lola knew if she hadn’t been watching him, she would have missed it. Looking back down at Puca’s hand, she noticed the burn marks on his skin as he released Erik’s hand and tucked his own back at his side.
“Erik and I were just wrapping up here, then we can head home. What happened to your hand?” Lola asked, watching the two men stare each other down.
She moved to lean over the counter, looking at the box she had brought in earlier as she grabbed Erik’s notebook and a pen. Opening it up, she frowned at the strange symbols she saw scratched onto the crisp white paper. Shaking her head, this was not her business. She flipped to a blank page, writing her number down. She left it open for him, her cheeks heating up with a blush. “I wrote my number down so you can call me later.”
She moved away from the counter, unaware of the eyes that had been watching how her dress had lifted up, giving both men a brief flash of her bare legs.
Unaware that Puca was fighting with himself, with the ache he had felt since he woke up. The urge to push her over the counter and press himself against her soft curves was one he was fighting with. He wanted to taste the soft flesh of her exposed shoulders, to tease her until she begged for his touch. Or for him to taste her. He felt his body respond to the thought of tasting Lola.
“I’d like that. Maybe we can have dinner later.” Erik said, pulling Puca from his fantasy. The bells above the door chimed and a tall, lithe woman came into the store. She pushed her blonde locks out of her eyes as she looked at the three.
“Good afternoon,” Erik said in greeting. Turning to look at Lola one last time before he moved to talk with his latest customer.
Lola bit her lower lip as she watched him walking away before she turned to look up at Puca, “I said I’d be home after I came here. Why did you follow me? And what happened to your hand?” She asked as she pressed her lips together.
“Because go halainn, I’m very taken with you.”
“What?” Lola asked in shock as he stepped closer to her.
“I plan to court you.” Puca said as he reached up, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I want to though,” Puca said as he reached down to grab her hand and lace their fingers together. He pulled her towards the door and Lola looked down at their joined hands. She couldn’t help but think about the way her heart beat faster at his words. Butterflies flared to life in the pit of her stomach as he pulled her from the store, the door closing behind them as they left.
Erik came back to the front of the store with a frown. Looking towards the bells above the door, his frown deepening before he moved to the counter. His fingers tracing over her hastily scribbled number as he pulled out his phone, he saved her number and sent her a text.
Meanwhile, outside, Merrow watched from a shaded stoop as Puca pulled Lola down the sidewalk, “Do you think she knows?”
“I don’t think she does. Good thing Puca was with us. Or she’d still be in there.” Lu said, wishing for a drink. He looked at the buildings around them, wondering which one contained a tavern. He could use a strong ale after the morning they’d had.
“Iron bells.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
“And door knob from the way Puca flinched.” Merrow said, hoping they were okay. He too was glad Puca was with them. Out of the group, he was the oldest and strongest and could handle things that they could not. Bodach pushed away from the shade where they stood.
“Where are you going?” Lu asked as he watched Bodach’s retreating form.
“After them. Our darling has a temper that could easily match Puca’s.” He said with a smirk as he shoved his hands in his pockets, ready to watch the sparks fly.