After perfunctory greetings were made and Nate presented the group with the bakery items he’d procured, the presentation began.Lottie listened with rapt attention as Nate went over every part of his plan.From the new stage for live music to the sculpture made from the reclaimed wood of the benches that currently resided there, each addition to the town square would add a new form of beauty and function, giving the town and its gathering place new life while appreciating it for what it once had been.The logistics of construction and the permit approvals required were a little lost on her, but even when she didn’t understand the words Nate was using, the passion in his voice was easily recognizable.
The way Nate spoke so forcefully about anything he set his mind to was something Lottie had always admired about him.She could make small talk and had a mind like a steel trap when it came to remembering little facts and pieces of information about people, but the way Nate could command an audience was awe-inspiring.When all of that directness and fierce attention was directed at her, she stood no chance of resisting it.Persuasiveness was his business but Nate had convinced her of his merits long ago.Even as she listened to him speak, his tone both compelling enough to demand attention yet amiable enough to show he was open to suggestion, Lottie watched as the expressions of the three people across from her changed from skepticism to acceptance.With one exception.
When Nate finished, Anthony Gutierrez, the one clear hold-out, was the first to speak.“I don’t know, Nate.I still think this project is too ambitious for our small town.”Lottie could see the minds of Marshall Thorpe and Jenny Ballinger start to turn back, the small seed of doubt Anthony had planted starting to sprout.She opened her mouth to dispute his claim, but her mind was suddenly blank.
Luckily, the man who had spearheaded this whole passion project to begin addressed the concern.“It is ambitious, but that’s what makes it great.When this town was founded over one hundred and fifty years ago, it was pretty bold of people to settle in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a small hope that they could do something with the land.My ancestors were some of those settlers and they managed to get a whole orchard going.Other families followed until the area was surrounded by agriculture, then the business district popped up, and the rest is history.”
Anthony leaned back in his chair.“Exactly, and it’s that history that we’re trying to preserve by not redoing the town square unnecessarily.The town will survive without it.”
Nate’s expression started to harden, something Lottie recognized from their time in high school whenever he felt backed into a corner, but then he looked over at her and his features softened.“Yes, the town has survived for a long time and will likely continue to do so, but don’t we want it to thrive?Business is good, but it could be great.The town comes together often, but having a better gathering spot would encourage more tourism from surrounding areas and beyond.That’s what makes this project so necessary.What makes Applewood so wonderful isn’t the old benches or historic cobblestone, but the people.People make Applewood great and that’s what I’m trying to bring in more of.”
Anthony sat back in his chair, either processing Nate’s impassioned speech or thinking of a rebuttal.Before he could talk, Marshall and Jenny were already nodding their heads in agreement.“That’s exactly right, Nate,” Marshall said, extending his hand for a shake.“You have my vote.”
Jenny nodded.“And mine.I would love to see more people in town and this sounds like a creative yet practical way to do that while still honoring what we already have.”She smiled at Nate and offered her own hand to shake.“Well done, Mayor Kemp.”
Lottie stifled a giggle as she watched Nate turn to Anthony with a smirk, knowing he didn’t need the man’s vote because the other two had already approved but wanted it anyway.“What do you say, Gutierrez?Can we make it unanimous?”
Anthony looked like he was currently chewing glass, but finally he extended his hand as well.“Fine.”He rose from his chair to leave, but not before snagging one of the cinnamon rolls Nate brought.“Just make sure you come to us with any delays or alterations that will affect the businesses downtown.”
“Will do,” Nate promised.After more hands were shaken and the three left the room, Nate pulled Lottie up into his arms and swung her around.“We did it.”
Lottie laughed, feeling lighter than air as they spun around the room both from the high of Nate’s success and enjoying the way he held her.Smiling down at him, she planted a kiss on his lips when they finally stopped moving.“You did it.I was just her for moral support.”
Nate shook his head, his eyes filled with affection.“No, you were way more than that.You were everything.”He leaned down and kissed her again, deeper this time.Lottie moaned when she felt the tip of his tongue against her lips and parted them eagerly, needing to have the taste of him in her mouth again.Nate’s hands found her hips and he pulled her against him, the evidence of his desire digging into her pelvis as he whispered in her ear.“I need you, Charlotte.”
Lottie nodded against him, trying to think of anywhere that existed close by where they could have some alone time.“Your place?”It was downtown, but still a good ten minute walk.From the hardness she felt against her, Nate was needing herbadlyand might not make it that long.She felt just as needy as he did and her mind spun as she searched for ideas.
“Too far,” he mumbled against her lips.Looking around, Nate spotted the back entrance to the conference room and led her through it.“There’s got to be a closet around here somewhere.”
Chuckling, Lottie followed him down the narrow hallway.The buildings downtown were connected with a kind of labyrinthine maze, each business or office having one or more back entrances that led to middle halls and basements that had always existed.As they passed by one of the ghost ads that had been painted on the brick at least half a century ago, an idea came to her.
“Wait.”She looked around and spotted the back entrance to Branch and Brew, smiling as she remembered something from when her high school history class did a tour of downtown.“In here.”
Nate looked at the sign for his brother’s bar and started to shake his head.“What if Felix is inside?”
Lottie looked down at her wristwatch and smiled.“He might be, but there’s no way he’ll come down to where we’re going.”Even if he did, the place she was thinking of was more than hidden enough for what they planned on doing.
Smiling, Lottie led him through the door and down the spiral staircase to the level below the bar.Passing by barrels of cider and beer kegs, Lottie found exactly what she was looking for and turned to Nate.“In here.”
Nate looked from her to the blank wall in front of them and raised his brow.Lottie chuckled and reached to the side, pulling the lever she’d found back when she’d first started tending bar for Felix.After a dry clicking sound, the wall moved to reveal what was essentially a large storage space.It was nearly empty at the moment and the only light offered would be from the flashlight on her phone, but it was private and it was close.
Nate stepped inside as Lottie flashed her phone light up to the ceiling and placed it on a small crate.“What is this place?”
Lottie removed her coat as she pushed the button for the wall to close.“My best guess is that it’s some sort of hiding place for bootleg liquor.I found this one when I first started working here, but we learned about them existing in some places around town in Ms.Mason’s history class, remember?”
Nate turned to see her hiking up her skirt and started to unbuckle his pants.“I’ll be honest, I was probably paying more attention to you than whatever Ms.Mason had to say.”
Lottie stopped, her undergarments completely exposed.“Really?”What he’d said touched her deeply and she didn’t want to wait any longer to be with him.Most of her high school career had been spent trying to get good grades to impress her teachers and doing everything else she could think of to impress the man in front of her.“That’s really sweet, Nathan.”
Nate nodded as he freed his cock from his trunks, the head red and angry looking as he stroked the thick length with his large hand.“I can be sweet, but not right now.”He nodded to the wall, his expression brokering no argument.“Hands on the wall, facing away from me.”
Lottie’s body trembled as she did exactly what he asked.Peeking over her shoulder at him, she smiled slyly.“Am I finally seeing that bossy side of you come out in other ways?”
Nate didn’t answer, merely flipped her skirt up and snapped the elastic on the string of her garter belt, the light sting making her panties dampen.“One of these days, I’m going to fuck you in nothing but these stockings.”He ran his hand over the area he’d stung before palming one cheek of her ass.
Lottie whimpered and pushed her backside into his hand.“Not sure they’ll fit you.”
Nate huffed a laugh before swatting her lightly on the ass.“Not what I meant, and you know it.”He rubbed the sting away again before pulling her panties to the side.“I would punish you a little more, tease this out for you being so sassy, but damn it, Charlotte, I need you too much.”In one thrust, Nate was buried inside of her to the hilt.Lottie cried out, Nate making shushing noises near her ear.“Ah ah ah, not too loud, Lovely.We don’t want to be interrupted.”
