“We all start at a different time. I mean it. You were on one path, and now you’re on another.”
“We’ll see, since you seem to know it all.”
I ran a hand through my hair, noting I needed a cut, or a “trim” as my mom liked to say in disdain. She’d prefer I kept it neat and short, but I guessed this was my way of being me, especially in a sea of robots at Pressman. The habit stuck afterward.
With Murphy’s volatile mood, it felt like a bad time to tell her about the land. She was in a down place, and throwing my success in her face felt wrong. It’s not something I would ever do intentionally, so I skipped that little tidbit.
“I also happen to know of the greatest drive-in theater about an hour from here. So funky, it’s a must. We can make an adventure of it. Really experience Vermont on a scenic drive and all that.”
“See?” Murphy said with a grin. “There you go again. Perfect suggestion. It’s like you always know what to say.”
“How about, you look so gorgeous?” I blurted.
She scoffed. “I just worked at a coffee house. I hardly think that’s what you really think, and I’m not fishing for compliments, Jonesy.”
“Well, you look absolutely radiant, which is why I’m going to do this.”
Without hesitation, I leaned in, and my lips met hers for a closed-mouth kiss. Breathing in all that was Murphy, I took my time, savoring, promising ... until she pulled back.
“I work here, remember?” she said.
Taking her hand in mine, I walked her down a hillside and backed her up against a tree. This was a small town and I was the doctor in the next town over, but I didn’t care. Pressing myself into her smaller body, my hardness met her softness, and I couldn’t keep from groaning. Our mouths moved together like we’d done this forever, and then she opened for my tongue.
We stayed like that for a while, grinding into each other, doing with our mouths what we’d like to do with the rest of our bodies, until my lips broke free and ghosted across her cheek, sucking on her ear before traveling down her neck. Her head fell back, and I couldn’t resist running my tongue down her smooth skin to her clavicle and back up.
“Christ, Murphy. You make me take the Lord’s name in vain. My mom wouldn’t be happy.”
Murphy ran her lips across my forehead. My messy hair must have been tickling her, but she didn’t seem to mind.
“You also make me want to drag down those prissy white shorts and see what’s underneath. Thong, bikini, whatever, I want to rip it off and devour you.”
“Ben!”
I stepped back slightly and placed a quick peck on her lips. “But I won’t, not now. Because we’re adults. Now, I can’t promise what may or may not happen at the drive-in.”
This earned me another fake punch.
“Kidding,” I said with a chuckle. “Sort of. Now, when are you off next? Since it might be a late night.”
“Friday. But what about you?”
“I’m used to little sleep, and I don’t operate on Fridays, so that’s perfect. I’ll pick you up Thursday around six?”
She nodded, straightening her tee shirt and smoothing her hair.
“You still look gorgeous,” I said, and led her back to her car, waiting for her to get in and drive away.
As I got into my own car, I glanced toward the Bean and caught Audrey and Roderick ducking away from the window. Knowing they’d been watching, I had to chuckle. It didn’t bother me a bit.
14
Murphy
“See ya on Saturday,” I said on Thursday while walking out of the Bean, too jumpy with nerves to even let theyabother me. The old Murphy would have never used such slang. Good old Mom would have been sitting on my shoulder, shaking her head.
With anxiety rattling through every bone in my body, I tried to still my mind. Perhaps the latte in my hand was a bad idea, but Ben was picking me up later, and I couldn’t recall being this nervous in a long time. It was hard not to keep thinking about high school, because that was the only reference point I had when it came to him.
During those years, our relationship came easy. But then again, it was mostly behind closed doors.
