“Yeah, wow.” She slowly traced her fingers over my stomach, and I could see more teasing comments dangling on her lips.

  But before she could say anything more, I turned it around on her. “Seems like you’re the one who has it bad for this woman,” I said, grinning. “The way you talk about her.”

  “Oh, I do,” she confessed, leaning back on her hands. “I mean, she sort of does that to people, don’t you think?”

  She leaned closer, whispering, “I’d love to see you take her. With that big dick of yours? You could make her scream.”

  Sofia squealed, collapsing against me with laughter. “Carolina! What is wrong with you? You are crazy!”

  “Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Caroline’s hand slid up my thigh.

  “The way Kate walks around with those big boobs, acting like she’s commander of the town or something. And all the men snap to attention like nervous little boys.”

  “Ay, no. Ryan wouldn’t be like that.” Another soft giggle escaped Sofia’s lips as she ran her hand across my pecs.

  “Exactly,” Caroline purred, brushing her fingers over my hand. “He’s just what she needs. A man stronger than her. Exactly what she’s been waiting for.”

  “How do you know?” I smirked.

  “Oh, I know. I know she’s been single for a long time. A woman like that has a hard time finding a man to meet her match. But she’d get down on all fours for you.”

  Sofia watched me with glazed eyes. “Maybe she would, if you show the same confidence you show us. What Carolina say is true.”

  I could feel the playful mood shifting into something more charged. Caroline took my hand, guiding it to Sofia’s thigh.

  Sofia’s breath caught. Her skin was so soft, still cool from the water. When I squeezed gently, she let out a little moan.

  “Mi amor…” she whispered, but then suddenly stiffened. “No, no. We shouldn’t. Not like this.”

  Caroline’s voice was gentle. “Not out here. Let’s go to my place. We all want it.”

  Sofia gripped my wrist, squeezing her thighs together. But she bit her lip and made one of her theatrical faces. “I don’t know…”

  I squeezed harder, making her gasp. I thought she was about to come with us, but she stood abruptly, water droplets glistening on her thighs.

  “Not today. Is too… too crazy. I go inside.” She gathered her towel. “Thank you for the wonderful time swimming. I really enjoy.”

  Caroline and I watched her hurry up the stairs, her butt swaying.

  “She’s almost there,” Caroline murmured, pressing against me.

  “You think she’s okay?” I asked, watching Sofia disappear over the top of the stairs.

  “Oh, she’s more than okay. Trust me, she’s probably going inside to take care of herself right now.”

  “Really?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  I launched myself back into the water, swimming across towards a rock jutting out on the other side.

  “I’m heading back,” Caroline said, wrapping her towel around her hips. “You want to join me for coffee?”

  I climbed onto the rock, feeling its sun-warmed surface under my feet. “Actually, I need to do some work.”

  Caroline raised her eyebrows. “Work?”

  I smiled, eyeing a deep part of the river. I dove in, crashing through the surface. When I came back up, taking in a deep breath of air, Caroline was still watching.

  “Yeah, work. Got a few ideas.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows. “Ohhh, very mysterious.”

  I watched her climb the stairs, treading water, thinking about all that had already happened since I’d arrived here.

  Tomorrow would mark one week since I pulled into Caroline’s driveway.

  That was long enough to know I wanted to help Sofia and Caroline. The town development plans were a complex problem. That one would take some thinking.

  Sofia’s situation, though, was more manageable.

  I already knew that Jim, my former investor and good friend, was interested in Riverdale. Maybe he’d want to invest in Sofia’s restaurant? And if not, he’d at least have some ideas about what to do.

  Carrying the cooler back to Caroline’s house, I headed upstairs with a purpose.

  ***

  The mere sight of my laptop made my jaw tense up, but I started it anyway, throwing on some jeans and a T-shirt.

  I settled into the sturdy wooden chair and drummed my fingers over the wide, rounded armrests. It was the sort of chair I liked— not too comfortable, with solid back support.

  The problem was with the desk. It was too high, making typing very uncomfortable.

  But I wasn’t going to work here anyway. I just wanted to fire out that email to Jim right away.

  I started typing, telling him about Sophia’s restaurant, how popular it was, and explaining the situation she was in.

  Caroline appeared in my doorway. She’d changed into a frilly cotton skirt.

  “Whatcha doing?” She came up behind my chair, draping her arms around my neck and resting her chin on my shoulder.

  “Just writing an email.”

  “To whom?” She pressed her lips against my neck, right below my ear.

  “I think I told you about my investor friend Jim?”

  “Mm-hmm. The one who told you to come here.” She noisily kissed my cheek a few more times. “What are you writing him about?”

  I tried to focus on the screen, but Caroline’s lips were moving down my neck, her breasts pressing against my back.

  “About Sofia’s situation. Maybe he can help.”

  “Really?” She leaned closer to read, her hair falling forward, blocking my view of the screen. I took a deep whiff of its fragrance.

  “Hopefully. Worth a try anyway.”

  She resumed kissing me. “That’s sweet of you, trying to help Sofia.” I could feel her smile against my skin as her fingers moved lower.

  I chuckled. “Um, what are you doing?”

  “You know what I was thinking about?” She moved around to face me, perching on the edge of the desk.

  She rested her hands in her lap, making the skirt ride up her thighs. It was a more enticing sight than my computer screen.

  “When we were talking about Kate earlier… You remember?”

  “What about it?” I put a hand on her smooth legs, lazily feeling the shape of her thigh.

  “Well, The way you looked when we mentioned her. I’ve seen that look before.”

  I made a face. “What look?”

  She leaned forward, running her fingers through my hair. “The same one you gave me the first time we were in this room together. Just admit it.”

  I met her eyes. “Alright, you got me. Kate’s hot.”

  She pinched my chin. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

  “It doesn’t bother you?”

  “No, baby.” She slid onto my lap. “Actually, it really turns me on.”

  Her weight settled on my lap as she twisted around to cup my face with one hand. “The way she carries herself... so commanding. Imagine what a conquest it would be to make a woman like that submit to you.”

  “So kinky, Caroline.” Our lips met in a slow kiss.

  She held my face, stroking my cheeks with her thumbs. “Don’t you think it’s hot? A woman with such authority, a woman so desired by every man and boy, giving in to you…” She rolled the soft cushion of her ass against my lap. “Letting you take control?”

  “What makes you think she would?” I murmured, remembering how Kate became a bit flustered when I’d interacted with her.

  Caroline’s eyes sparkled. “We’ve talked before.”

  “About me?” I looked at her in surprise.

  “No, not about you. It was a while ago. But I know you’re her type. Not only does she like successful, masculine men—she also likes handsome young men.

  “That’s a rare combination. She gave me the impression she hasn’t been with a guy in years because she’d rather be celibate than settle for less.”

  “I didn’t know you knew her so well.”

  “Everybody kinda knows each other. She taught a pilates class a few years ago, so I got to know her a bit through that.”

  Her fingers played with my shirt. “I think you’re just what she’s been looking for.” She ground against me slower now, more deliberately.

  I squeezed her thigh. “You’re just trying to get me worked up.”

  “Is it working?” Her lips found my neck again. “Thinking about having all three of us?”

  “You really want that, don’t you?” I grunted, gripping her hips and pushing her off me. “To watch me with both of them?”

  Caroline breathed heavily, her eyes glazed with desire. “I want you to have everything you deserve.”

  I stood, feeling my cock filling up, pressing hard against my jeans as I guided her to the large window.

  She turned around, lifting her skirt, exposing her perfect ass. She was not wearing panties. My hands rapidly undid my belt, letting my jeans fall to the floor.

  My shaft was hard against the softness of the backs of her thighs. I pushed her roughly against the window frame, making her cry out.

  Outside, the trees swayed while the river slowly floated by, and the brilliant blue sky was harsh against my eyes.

  “Oh yes, baby” she gasped, leaning forward, her hands on the window ledge, sticking her rump towards me.

  Spreading her wetness with my fingers, I lined myself up and pressed into her.

  She moaned, writhing her hips. “God, I love your cock.”

  I gripped her thick thighs, driving deeper. “Think about how good it would feel inside Kate…”

  I caressed her soft, round ass cheeks. Then, raising a hand, I smacked one firmly, the clapping sound sharp in the air.

  Caroline moaned. “Oh my god, Ryan.”

  “That’s what you get for being such a perv.”

  “I am.”

  “Be careful.”

  “I am a perv!” she whined, pushing back against me.

  I spanked her again.

  “Is that what you want?” I said, pumping in and out, the soaking wet sounds filling the room. “You want to watch me do this to Kate?”

  “Yes! I want that”

  I landed three crisp slaps against her ass cheek, leaving it red. Then I did the other one.

  Her pussy clenched around me. She was getting close, her breathing ragged. “I want to see you spank Sofia too. Want you to come inside us all.”

  Caroline’s whole body trembled as I drove into her harder. “Oh god, Ryan... I’m…”

  “Come for me, Caroline,” I commanded, gripping her hips tighter. “Show me how much you want it.”

  She shattered, crying out my name as her body convulsed. The sight of her losing herself against the vivid brightness of the blue sky was incredible to behold.

  I shouted as my load streamed deep into her. Caroline moaned at the sensation, reaching back to touch my wrist as we both caught our breath.

  The afternoon sun streamed through the window, warming our skin as we held each other.

  “I really should finish that email now,” I murmured against her neck.

  She laughed softly. “Thanks for letting me distract you.”

  Chapter thirty-one

  Iheaded to the ‘gentrified’ part of town and found a restaurant to do some work. It looked a little too trendy for my taste, but it had a coworking area.

  A couple guys were sitting there at the bar counter doing code on their laptops—a familiar sight.

  I claimed a spot, opened my laptop, and ordered a coffee. It came in a square mug.

  Taking awkward sips from one of its corners, I dove into the town’s website and found some documents about the development plans.

  Half an hour’s reading gave me an appetite. “I’ll see the menu, please.”

  The waiter tapped a QR code plastered to the counter. “You can see it here, on your phone.”

  “Oh. Do you have pancakes?”

  As I was speaking, someone took the spot next to mine. With a glance, I saw long blonde hair, a delicate waist, and shapely legs in tight yoga pants. Amber.

  I got a whiff of her fresh scent—cinnamon and flowers.

  “We have house-made gluten-free johnnycakes,” the waiter answered. “They come with your choice of bacon or vegan ham.”

  “Bacon, please.”

  I noticed Amber looking at me as she opened her laptop. She quickly turned her head away, mild panic on her face. But then she looked back and smiled, “Hi. Ryan, right?”

  “Hey, Amber. Working on a Sunday?”

  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Just catching up on some listings. You?”

  “I’m reading up on all these development plans. Trying to piece together what’s happening to the town.”

  She sat up straighter, her eyes sharpening with interest. “Oh yeah? And what do you think?”

  “Seems like they want to completely transform the riverfront. Turn it into some kind of tourist party zone.”

  She gave a business-like grin. “That’s one way to put it. But I think it’s exciting. Our council really has a vision for moving this community forward.”

  “Forward to what? It looks like it’s just going to be trendy restaurants and overpriced housing.”

  She shook her head passionately. “No. This is a plan for growth.”

  I smiled, trying to be gentle. “Hey, I’m pro-business. But rapid and massive development isn’t necessarily good. It can be a steamroller crushing everything unique about a place, just making it bland and generic.”

  A flush came into her cheeks. She started to speak, but struggled to find words.

  Finally, she huffed, “I know Caroline is against it, but it’s going to happen. I mean, everything changes. That’s the only certainty in life, right?”

  I rolled my eyes. “More platitudes.”

  My breakfast arrived—four tiny johnnycakes on an oversized square plate, with something resembling butter on the side, except it was whipped and stuffed with herbs.

  “Excuse me,” I called the waiter back. “Do you have any normal butter?”

  He blinked at me. “This is our butter… It’s house-made with fresh herbs and spices.”

  “But do you have just regular butter?”

  “Um, let me check.”

  I turned to Amber. “I rest my case.”

  She wrinkled her eyebrows at me, as if I was unsophisticated. “What do you mean? You don’t like Essence?”

  “Essence… Wait, this place is Essence?”

  I had a habit of not looking at names of restaurants, so I didn’t realize until that moment that this was the place Benson had wanted to bring Sofia.

  I shook off a shiver of revulsion.

  Amber gave a little laugh. “You didn’t even know what restaurant you were in? Anyway, it’s the best in town. They’ve won awards.”

  I scoffed. “I don’t care about awards. That’s meaningless. But we all have different tastes, I guess. Personally, I much prefer Sofia’s place.”

  Her eyes widened slightly, her cheeks coloring. “Sofia’s restaurant is…cute. But Essence represents something more modern. More sophisticated.”

  “Dumping excessive herbs into butter and serving tiny portions on square plates doesn’t make it sophisticated,” I said, as the waiter delivered some real butter.

  Again, Amber gave me a slightly horrified look, not knowing how to respond. Apparently these views were heretical in her circles.

  She let out a nervous laugh. “Well, we definitely have different tastes, like you said. But I think… I think you don’t quite appreciate what we’re trying to do here.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Making Riverdale a hub of tourism and business. That means having the amenities people expect from a world-class location, going forward.”

  I laughed, spreading butter on my johnnycakes.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You’re just repeating PR jargon from the town documents.”

  She repositioned herself, crossing her legs. “You know what? I’m actually surprised.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you’re from the big city, right? Well traveled? Own your own business, I think?”

  “Something like that.”

  “So, I’d have expected…” she trailed off, clearly frustrated.

  “You’d have expected me to drink out of square cups? And eat miniature pancakes on square plates?”

  She giggled in spite of herself. “You really hate squares, don’t you?”

  “I hate pretentiousness,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I hate phoniness.”

  Amber listened intently, her cheeks blazing red, apparently both irritated and intrigued by my challenge to her beliefs.

  “The town needs to evolve,” she insisted, her voice wavering. “You can’t just... come here and criticize everything we’re trying to build.”

  “I’m not criticizing everything. I’m just saying there’s value in what’s already here.”

  She took a sharp breath. “You know what? I had no idea you’d be like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “So judgmental! I mean, you of all people…” She caught herself, biting her lip.

  “Me of all people? What does that mean?”

  She waved for the check. “Never mind. I gotta go. Some of us actually have to work for a living.”

  “Unlike those of us who built successful companies from scratch?” I said calmly.

  She closed her laptop. “That’s not what I… I just meant I have a regular office job, that’s all.”

  “I get it. Don’t worry about it.” I turned to face her fully, trying not to smirk. “But tell me what you were about to say just now. Me of all people...?”

  Her eyes rapidly looked me up and down, and she raised her chin. “Well, it’s just... you show up from nowhere and start living with Caroline like... like that. And now Sofia too?”

  “So?” I teased. “I thought you were Miss Cosmopolitan. All sophisticated and modern.”

  She straightened her spine, anger flashing in her eyes. “There’s nothing sophisticated about sexualizing older women.”

  I sighed, giving her a weary look. “What are you talking about?”