Page 57 of The Soul of Archer
“Yeah buddy. Go home and take care of things for your woman.”
Lance clapped Tony on the back in thanks and hurried to his truck. He had the best teammates, friends and brothers and man, that anyone could ask for. Last night they had all given him ideas for making up with Alora, even Danny. When they left that morning, he sat at the kitchen table and over breakfast made his plan of attack. He just hoped it was the right course and would prove to Alora that he loved her, and he was genuinely sorry for what he had said the night before.
***
Alora sighed as she climbed out of her car. The day had been busy and productive. She had got her inventory orders done and sent, three birthday and two wedding cakes finished and took a consult for a retirement cake due in two weeks. All in all, it was a typical day. Just before she had left the shop, she had received a call from the organizers of the South by Southwest Music Festival. Even though their event wasn’t until March, they wanted to place a themed cake order, and were ordering four cakes, enough to feed nearly a thousand people. She was meeting with them tomorrow to discuss details. She pulled out her house keys and before she could unlock the front door, it was pulled open and Lance stood in front of her.
“Oh. You’re home.”
“Yeah, I’ve been home a few hours.” Lance replied. He reached out and took the messenger bag she carried. “Why don’t you head up and grab a shower. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour.”
Alora licked her lips and nodded. There was so much she wanted to say, but the words seemed to die on her lips. She walked into the house and went straight upstairs like he said. When she entered her bedroom, she gasped. The room was bathed in soft candle light. Her bed was made with white and yellow rose petals scattered across the turned down sheets. There was also a beautiful midnight blue dress draped over the foot of the bed with matching sandals on the floor. She approached the bed and found the note beside the dress.
I hope you like the dress. I would love to see you in it at dinner.
Lance
Her heart melted. Alora smiled as she turned and entered her bathroom. Stripping, she dropped her clothes in the hamper before starting the shower. She meticulously washed and conditioned her hair and decided she would wear it down. While in North Carolina, Lance had commented he liked it when she let her hair down. She shaved and lathered her body with her wildflower scented shower gel. Ten minutes later, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in one of her fluffy towels.
***
Lance had just placed the last of dinner on the table when he sensed her. He straightened up and turned toward the kitchen doorway and his breath died in his lungs at the vision in midnight blue before him. Alora’s luxurious mahogany hair fell straight around her shoulders and down to just above her elbows. God, he loved her hair down. The dress that Krista had picked up for him that morning hugged every curve. Alora was how he thought a woman should look like. Curvy where a man liked it. Full hips he could hold when he drove into her, or when he pulled her to him for a kiss. Her breasts were high and filled his hands to perfection. She wasn’t one of those damned stick figures, that for some asinine reason, women thought they had to be. Nope, she was perfect. He walked toward her and when he reached her, took hold of her hips, pulled her into him and kissed her. He kept the kiss slow and gentle.
“You look beautiful. I knew that color would suit you.” He said.
“Thank you for the dress. Did you really pick it?” She smiled.
He nodded. “Yeah, I did. I spotted it right before we went to Jacksonville. I called Krista this morning to go pick it up for me though. She seemed surprised at my taste.”
Alora giggled, “I can imagine. Most men aren’t very good at choosing women’s clothes. Of course, you’re not most men.”
Lance smiled and with his arm around her, led her to the table. He had found a white lacy table cloth in the hall closet and had laid it over the table. There were two long candles, a vase of wildflowers as well as an open bottle of sweet red. He had chosen his mom’s chicken tetrazzini, fresh honey yeast rolls from his favorite bakery, and roasted asparagus. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit. He poured her a glass of the wine before he took his own seat across from her.
“This smells delicious Lance. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ve only ever cooked for my mom and sister, well I did cook for Krista last year, but that’s because I stayed the night at Ethan’s place after that fucker Ingram had killed her agent, Jerry.”
Alora frowned slightly, “My heart broke for her when I heard about that. I was at the book reveal last year. I was surprised when she told everyone about what had been happening to her.”
Lance fixed her plate, “You were there?”
“Yes. That’s why when Ryan said he had called you guys I knew I would be safe from Sam and his family.”
Lance handed her the plate and started on his own. As they began eating, Lance tried to find the right way to segue into what he needed to say but decided to hell with it and just went with his gut. “Alora, look, I’m not great at the whole apologizing thing. I’m sorry. About the stupid shit I said last night. I didn’t mean it. I know you’re not her and you could never do what she did. It’s not in your character. I hurt you and I can’t think of anything I can say or do to make it up to you. I can’t lose you Alora.”
Alora started to speak but he stopped her. “No, let me finish. I know it makes no sense, seeing as how we’ve only known each other a couple of weeks, but I need you. I need you in my life Alora St. James, anyway I can fuckin’ have you. I want to go to bed with you in my arms, wake up with you still there. Please tell me I haven’t completely pushed you away. Have I lost you?”
Tearfully, Alora pushed away from the table and moved to him. She sat in his lap and cupped his bearded face. “No. No Lance Archer you haven’t lost me. I know that bitch hurt you and hurt you deep. I swear, I will do everything I can to heal that. For as long as you’ll have me Lance Archer I’m yours. I love you and I need you too. Every bit as bad as you need me.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Lance’s arms encaged her, pinning her against him as he returned her kiss. His fingers sliding through her unbound hair, sending wonderful shivers through her. Shifting a little, Alora was now straddling him, the kiss turning hotter and wetter. Mewing sounds escaped her when his fist gripped her hair and his other hand possessively planted on her ass. God, she loved when he got all alpha like this. His strength was such a turn on to her she wanted more. Her hips started undulating, pressing herself against his erection over and over, making him growl in hunger.
“Fuck yeah baby. Rock against my cock.”
“Lance. God you’re getting so hard.”
“You make me hard. Hard as fuckin’ steel.”
His southern accent became thicker she noticed when he was getting turned on. Another thing she loved about him. “Lance?”
