The Apple Tree (24 page)

The sight of Bianca sitting across from him was stunning. Her soft red hair draped over her shoulders, contrasting beautifully with the navy t-shirt. A shower of freckles covered the delicate ivory skin on her neck and arms. He wanted to memorize each and every one.

“
I’ve been talking about myself a lot. Tell me something about you.”

She smiled and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. “What do you want to know?”

“
What made you so interested in food?”

She scrunched her lips over to the side, like she was thinking. “Before my dad left, my mom used to cook all the time, wonderful food. It’s sort of connected in my head with happy times, you know?”

He nodded. It was a shame her entire life hadn’t been happy times. She was such a kind person, that’s what she deserved.

“
And now, I see all these big super farms draining the soil of nutrients and polluting the land with pesticides, not to mention our bodies. I just feel passionate about bringing back real food. The way it used to be produced, which I guess you’re familiar with.”

“
Back then we didn’t call it organic food, it was just food.” He smiled.

“
Exactly.” She set her fork on her empty plate, and then placed her elbows on the table, resting her head in her palm. Her tongue ran along the edge of her lips. It slid along her top lip and then across the bottom before her teeth pulled the swell and she gave it a tiny bite. She sighed and slid her hand through her hair. The fiery strands fell over her toned shoulders. His gaze traveled down her neck to the delicate skin on her collarbone where it disappeared beneath the t-shirt he’d worn many times.

“
If you’re done, we could go sit on the couch,” she said.

Shit. He was in no condition to get up from the table. He cleared his throat. “Maybe we could just sit here a bit longer.” Heat flooded his cheeks as he looked down at Aldo, sleeping by his feet and took a few deep breaths.

“
My clothes probably need moved to the dryer.”

How could she be so completely clueless of the effect she had on him? “I’m just going to finish my water first.” He took a sip. Baseball, baseball, baseball.

A
fter Levi moved Bianca’s clothes to the dryer, he lit the fire in the hearth. The flames crackled, popped and enveloped them in warmth as he joined her on the couch.

She tucked her legs underneath her and leaned against the armrest. Too far away.

His arms itched to pull her against him. But the liquid courage he’d had before had long faded. “I hope you don’t mind staying so long. I guess I’m sort of holding you hostage since I took your clothes.”

Her face flooded with color. “I don’t mind at all. Actually, I like spending time with you.”

He smiled and his fists squeezed to keep from reaching to cup her blushed cheeks. She had a lot to deal with right now, trying to process the curse and he wouldn’t make things any harder by getting too close. But, damn, it would feel good to touch her.

Bianca played with the worn threads of the plaid upholstery as the orange flames danced in the fireplace. Levi’s thigh rested only a few inches from hers and every nerve on the left side of her body had come alive in response. Her body begged to crawl into his arms and lean against his square shoulders and hard chest. When he’d held her before, it’d felt so right, so safe and good. And it’d made her want so much more.

“
Do you want to play cards?” he asked.

“
Sure.” Her mind immediately jumped to strip poker. She cleared her throat. “I like Rummy.”

He stood and grabbed a deck of cards off the mantel. “Rummy it is then.” When he sat back down, he’d moved a few inches closer.

This level of attraction was completely new to her. The fantasies of crawling on top of him and ripping his clothes off invaded her brain until she couldn’t focus on anything else.

He shuffled the cards on the coffee table.

Every other man she’d dated had wanted to push the physical relationship before she was ready and she’d been attracted to them, but not like this. Not like a magnet, not like a deep sea diver out of oxygen would yearn for the surface.

But he didn’t seem to be making any moves. After everything he’d told her, maybe he wasn’t interested in her as anything more than a friend? He did have more than a hundred years on her and tons of experience. She bit the inside of her cheek. Why would she think he’d be interested in her? Sure, he’d said she was ‘hot’ before, but he’d been drunk. You couldn’t trust anything people say when their drunk. Most likely, he just wanted a friend, someone he could be himself with.

He placed the cards into two piles and handed her a stack. “Count and make sure you have ten.”

Her fingers brushed against his and the innocent contact ignited her hand. She glanced up at the painting over the mantel, trying to distract herself. On the canvas, a deer stood peacefully in the woods, almost like it was mocking her. She took a deep breath and began counting the cards.

As they played, the tension in her body continued to escalate. Maybe it was the fire, maybe it was the way the sun had drifted down the horizon outside or their new closeness since she learned his secret, but every movement between them sent an electric current through her. Their easy banter dissipated, replaced by an awkward silence.

She jumped when the timer on the dryer went off.

“
Sounds like your clothes are ready,” he said.

Did that mean she had to leave? She hardly remembered the outside world and she had no desire to do so. She wanted to stay in this little cabin. Stay the night. She glanced toward his bedroom down the hallway. Stay the week, stay the month, forever.

Levi’s chest plummeted when the dryer buzzer went off. She’d probably want to go home now. It was getting late and she’d had a long day, but everything felt so right with her there.

“
I’ll get your clothes.” He walked to the bathroom where the washer and dryer stood opposite the shower. Damn dryer buzzer, ruining his night. He opened the machine and pulled out her jeans. The warm fabric would soon be hugging her thighs. He ran his hand over the soft threads and then tossed them over his arm and grabbed her green knitted sweater. The color had looked beautiful against her skin, when she’d been wearing it before.

He slammed the dryer shut and walked back into the living room.

“
Here you go, they’re nice and warm.”

“
Thank you.” She took her clothes and walked toward the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”

Levi plopped on the couch and waited. He tried to focus on the fireplace but his mind kept drifting to Bianca, undressing in the next room. If he was a bolder man, he’d slam the door open and throw her against the wall, kissing every freckle on her smooth skin. He’d lift her hips and place her on the counter. Stand between her open legs and push her against the mirror, devouring her body like the flames on the logs.

He groaned and buried his head in his hands. His thoughts were completely inexcusable. She was a respectable woman and he had no right to her. After all, she was not his wife.

She came out of the bathroom, dressed in her own clothes again. The sweater had shrunk slightly and it clung to her body, the way he wanted to cling to her. So, he was jealous of a sweater now, marvelous.

He stood and grabbed his jacket from the hook by the door. “I’ll drive you home.”

“
Okay.” Her face dropped. Was she disappointed to leave? She had to be tired. “Wait, you don’t have to drive me. I have my bike.”

Oh, he’d just hurt her pride by offering a ride. He rolled his eyes. “It’s dark outside. I’m not letting you ride down these pitch black country roads. We’ll throw your bike in the back of the truck, it’s no big deal.” He nodded toward the door.

The ride home in the tiny pickup cab did nothing to calm the electricity running through him, but it added something new, sadness, because the night was over and they’d soon have to separate.

He gripped the steering wheel. “So, this probably goes without saying, but don’t tell anyone about the curse.”

She turned to face him. “Oh, I know. I wouldn’t. It’s not my secret to tell.”

He nodded. He could trust her. “And whatever you do, don’t tell Peter that the apples are what started it. Please, that’s the most important thing.”

“
I won’t.”

He wanted to add that she shouldn’t see Peter again at all, but he knew he had no right to ask that of her. His teeth gritted at the memory of Peter’s hands on her at the farmer’s market, of his mouth on hers.

“
I hope I can see you again soon,” she said.

A huge grin spread across his face. “I want the same.”

“
Come over in the morning and I’ll make you breakfast. I have to work at eleven, but… I want to see you again before that.”

After everything he’d told her tonight, she still wanted to see him again! “It’s a date.” He turned away from the road and held her eyes. “I can’t wait.”

She shifted in the seat as they pulled up to her apartment. He pulled along the curb and hopped out of the car, lifting her bike out of the truck and setting it gently on the ground.

They walked together in silence down the dark stone pathway leading to her door, Levi rolling her bike along. When they reached the porch, he leaned it against the support beam and turned to her.