Chapter 3

Aurora climbed onto the seat of Rob’s Jeep, her mind still trying to catch up to what was going on. The last coherent thought she had was a second before Rob’s lips had connected with hers. Then all she could remember was the perfectly delicious heat that shot through her lips and became a pleasant tingling in her breasts and core. A delightful heat that melted and tightened at the same time. She knew she’d put the flowers up and made small talk, but all she could think of was if a simple kiss could feel like that, what would it have been like if he’d plunged them into a deeper kiss, or if his hands hadn’t stayed on her face but had traveled over her body. Just the thought of it sent a shiver through her that promised the reality would be so superior to anything she could imagine.

Sure, she had experienced kissing and sexual activities before, but none of them had made her feel how Rob’s simple kiss did. If his modest kisses turned her to goo and a very lovely goo, too. What would an intentionally passionate one do? How long would she have to wait to find out?

She didn’t want to seem to be one of those easy fan girls whom she was sure he had. One of the desperate housewives who gathered to hear him read and hope to get a fantasy to carry them through at home when their husbands were busy. She wanted to stand out, to be different.

Aurora desired for him to ache for her as badly as she wanted him. So, she’d go slow and play the chaste princess her daddy thought she still was. Until he was as smitten as she was. That sounded like the perfect plan. Now if she could just get her body to agree to it. She thought as a shiver reached places deep inside her that screamed to just jump him right here in the parking lot.

Oh, they were at Java Cupid already. She hoped she’d held a coherent conversation with him. She didn’t remember a thing about the drive. He came around to her door and opened it, taking her by the hand as they walked into the coffee shop. “We meet on the other side in a corner as far away from the stage and bar as we can. Do you want to just go on over or grab a coffee first?”

He looked from the line at the counter to the darkened entrance from the bar side of the building. “Tell me what you normally do.”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I normally grab a drink when I come in, then head over to our corner. We’ll all order appetizers and share them with each other, and the server will refill the drinks we want.”

“Then let’s do that.” He got in line and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her in close. “I’m hoping for a few more of those sweet kisses before you go home tonight.”

She blushed. “We’ll see. I’m not normally the girl to kiss on the first date, you know. I am royalty, after all.” She lifted her head until her nose pointed up, and let her voice take on a snooty air. “We must endeavor to convey that everything be done with decorum and poise, as is fitting for one of our station.”

“Well, since we were together this morning, I’m declaring this our second date. So, kisses will be in order, Princess.”

“I’m not sure if this morning’s activity could be classified as a date.”

“I have pictures and Facebook posts to prove it. Yours and mine.”

She looked at him very seriously. “I never said it was a date.”

He squeezed her tight. “Neither did I, but both our feeds are blowing up with people asking if we’re an item. Maybe I should tell them yes. Then I won’t have to worry about some fan girl trying to seduce me next month when I go on tour.”

Her heart sank at his mention of going on tour. “You’re leaving?”

He smiled.

Darn it, she didn’t want to come off this attracted so soon. “Just for a week, Princess. I have to go push the next Phantom Horse book. You know, read a few paragraphs, take some photos, sign some stuff. Flirt with all the housewives and wallflowers. Normal stuff.”

She looked up into his eyes. They were like pools of creamy chocolate just waiting to pull her in and smother her, but what a way to go. “You don’t sound like you enjoy it very much.”

He sighed. “I love it on one hand. I mean, there’s nothing like having people line up to see me. Their energy usually boosts my creativity, but some of them get too personal. They all think of me as a friend, and I can see why. After all, I’m in their house, on their shelves, in their baths with them, in bed with them every night, until they finish my book. But in reality, I don’t know them, and they don’t know me. It was okay when I had my assistant, Julie. But she quit to be a stay at home mom last month. I miss her here in town, but I’ll really miss her on the road. She could give me a reason to step away when a fan got too personal. My agent won’t be like that. She wants me to make them all happy.”

“So hire a new assistant. What does your assistant do?”

He started to answer, but it was their turn to order. “Welcome to Java Cupid, where we Heart our coffee. What can I get you today?”

He focused on the barista. “Hey Jaime, how’s your niece doing?”

She smiled up at him, and Aurora felt a stab of jealousy at this woman, with her red hair and sparkling green eyes. Obviously, she and Rob knew each other. “Oh, she’s a real corker, that one, Mister Donovan.”

“It’s Rob, or Robin, none of this Mister Donovan stuff. Well, good, I hope she liked the unicorn and the book?”

“Like them? She’s wearing them out. She takes that unicorn everywhere with her, and I have to hide that book. I’ve read it so many times, I have it memorized.”

“Well, maybe I can get her the next one. I think my friend is about to put out a new one.”

“Wow, really? That would be outstanding!”

“Great, I’ll call him tomorrow. I know he and his son were working on it the last time we talked. Hey, can you get me a large Hazelnut Iced and a large Cinnamon Caramel Latte with extra whip and extra caramel for my date here?”

“Sure thing.” The girl turned to make their drinks. Aurora tried to keep her smile under control. He’d remembered her order from earlier. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Well, maybe not. He seemed to enjoy giving people stuff. The barista’s niece seemed to receive gifts from him. Maybe he was just a nice guy.

Jaime gave them their coffees and Rob paid and asked, “Hey, do you know who’s waiting on the writers’ group next door?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I know they usually get a bunch of appetizers, and each of them pays. Can you tell whoever it is to put everything on one bill and give it to me?”

“Sure, you’re joining the group?”

“We’ll see. My friend here is part of them, so I’m checking them out tonight. I know they’re all still working and writing, so, my treat tonight.”

“I’ll let her know.”

“Great, thanks.” He slipped a ten into the tip jar as they headed over to the corner where all her group was already settling in.

“You don’t have to do that. They budget for this, you know.”

“I know that, but I’ve made it and can afford to be generous. Besides, it helps me remember where I come from, okay? Besides, this is our second date. I want to impress you.”

“This is our first date. You will not trick me into giving you any more kisses.”

He stopped just before they got to the booth and, putting his hand under her chin, tilted her head so he could look her directly in the eyes. “Princess, when I kiss you again, it won’t be a trick. It will be because you asked me to, either with words or body language. That’s a promise.”

She shuddered from the desire that coursed through her pleasure points at that thought. She turned to see the whole table watching them. Which caused her to blush as red as a lobster. “Hey guys, this is my friend, Rob. I think you all know him.”

They all slide around the corner booth, letting her and R.G. take the end. Then she made the introductions.

Aurora could see that Jan wanted to get started with the critiquing, but the girls started asking Rob questions. Some about his books and the Phantom Horse series, like the dedicated fans they all were. But some were about writing, publishing and marketing. He was kind and remembered each of their names, using them often as he answered every question except spoilers about Phantom Horse. Those he just smiled and held his hands up like he didn’t have an answer for them.

Jan let it go on so long that Aurora knew they would not go over everyone’s work. Then, after about an hour, Rob started asking the girls what they were working on, and things got underway. They got to everyone’s but Rob’s chapter when Jan mentioned it was getting close to time to end. They tried to keep their time together right at two and a half hours. Some of them had to get up for work early the next day.

Rob smiled when the server brought the check and insisted that he’d pay. Some others tried to insist they would, but he used the same line on them. That he remembered being where they were and wanted to make the night easier on them with his gift. Not one of them fussed after that and several asked if he’d sign their books for them. He smiled and signed every copy handed to him. He even gave them his email if they wanted to chat with him about anything writing, publishing, or book marketing related. It impressed Aurora that he was so kind and caring. Maybe his note was right. Maybe he could be her Happily Ever After.

*****

Rob was irritated, oh he’d known that going to this writers group wouldn’t help him. He was so desperate that he wanted to believe it would. Instead, he’d spent half the time answering questions and putting on his meet-the-fans persona. Then when he’d finally gotten them to talk about their chapters, time ran out before he could get help with his problem. Still, he smiled and told them how much he enjoyed meeting them, which was true. They were a great group of writers. He even gave several of them his private email and told them to contact him if he could ever help them in their writing career. But deep inside, his frustration was trying to break free of the box he’d put it in. Oh, he had more stuff he could add to his “Love at the Coffee Shop” book. The one that Aurora inspired, but nothing in the book he needed to be finishing. It was the last of his historical romances, and he wanted to put it to bed and be done with it. His creativity was still blocked, and the novices had not even started working on his manuscript.

He smiled as he and Aurora moved out to his Jeep. He tried to keep her from seeing his frustration as he drove her home. Nevertheless, after a few minutes, she asked what he’d been hoping she wouldn’t ask him. “So what did you think of my writers group?”

He tried to be diplomatic. “They seemed like nice people. Some of those ideas tonight have some potential.”

“I knew you’d like it. Will you come with me next week?”

“I don’t know. Let me think about it.”

“What do you mean? I thought you liked it.”

“It was a complete waste of my time. I’d have done better taking you out another night and staying home to stare at the blank page. For all the good this did me.” The minute the words escaped, he knew he’d messed up.

“I see, meeting the people that help me become a better writer is a waste of your time.”

He glanced at her to see her staring at him. He pulled over to the side of the road so he could look at her. “Aurora, they don’t help you become a better writer. The only person there tonight, besides me, that has any clue about improving their craft is Jan. The rest of them aren’t as good as you are, at least not from the stuff I saw tonight.”