The chill in the morning air left Anna's cheeks rosy pink and her nose chapped, a feeling she had oddly come to love as she strolled the quiet neighborhood streets of her small cul-de-sac lined with maple trees beginning to lose their leaves. The house felt strangely empty, even if the cul-de-sac was anything but, and she had to remind herself that it was only temporary. Three months offshore was enough to make it feel like she was returning to a brand-new life, a different world.
Anna welcomed the solitude when she was away, but felt an ache within her chest every time she stepped back onto her small property, which should feel like the definition of home after each shift on the oil rig. Yet, the quiet felt too loud.
Shaking off her thoughts, she pulled her fuzzy coat tighter around her and stepped inside the cozy coffee shop beckoning from a few houses down. The warmth wrapped itself around her like a cashmere blanket; the quaint interior was like a gentle embrace she had so missed.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee made her eyes heavy, excited to indulge herself in the simple pleasure after weeks of Valium-filled nights. The low hum and mingled pitter-patter of the chatter filled her ears, and she smiled, in awe of its calming sensation.
Anna greeted the barista with customary pleasantries while ordering her favorite latte, adorned with Minnie Mouse foam like a playful wink. While waiting, a figure caught Anna's eye; it was a man, intriguingly handsome, who fixed his attention on her.
She studied his sculpted jaw, angled just so, betraying the faint confines of a smirk, and his eyes—crystal blue, seemingly ignited by the radiating heat from the nearby ovens. She noticed the gentle waves of his shoulder-length blond hair, the way each tress curled so effortlessly. He was striking, a stark contrast to the shy, mumbling men she typically met back on the oil rig.
The aroma of a strong, dark roast snapped her out of her stupor.
Michael. That was his name; she heard it as he broke the silence between them.
"I beg your pardon?" Anna Swedish massage her brows in question as the heat climbed to her cheeks. He flashed her a breathtaking smile, dimples and all. The intensified allure had her questioning whether he was some sort of devil in disguise, or perhaps a long-lost memory from her dreams.
Michael laughed lightly. "I asked if I could join you. I promise I don't bite."
A delicious shiver ran down Anna's spine as she looked into his mesmerizing blue eyes, her heart skipping a beat as she felt an odd mix of anticipation and hesitation.
"Um, sure. Please, have a seat," she stammered, her cheeks flushed.
Michael unexpectedly leaned in close, placing his warm, calloused hand on hers.
"You have the most captivating eyes I've ever seen," he whispered lazily, his voice dripping with curiosity.
Anna inhaled sharply, her body quivering from the heat of his breath. Before she could respond, his lips met hers, soft yet demanding. He was the kind of man she'd only fantasized about while tossing alone in her bunk bed offshore.
She couldn't help but unload the burden of her wants onto Michael. She craved the sensation of human contact, to be claimed, if only for a while. And Michael seemed more than willing to comply.
Without breaking their deepening connection, he guided Anna from her chair, away from the quaint bubble of the coffee shop, and into the cold, autumn air.
The leaves crunched beneath their hurried footsteps. The crisp wind didn't stand a chance against the rising heat between them as they stumbled onto Anna's front porch, limbs tangled.
Michael reclaimed her lips in an urgent, I-need-you-now brand of kiss that shook Anna's very core.
She melted into his arms, reveling in his rough yet tender touch. Her hands fought to explore the contours of his muscular upper body, to learn the short, crisp hairs coating his sculpted chest. Her fingertips played with the cold silver chain that nestled in the valley between his sculpted pecs, bearing the weight of his golden crucifix.
He fumbled with the keys she had unknowingly dropped, and all the while, his lips never wavered their intense but deliberate onslaught.
He coaxed her mouth open, and his tongue thrust in, dancing with hers. Her breath hitched at the taste of the coffee on his tongue, a shockingly intimate sensation.
Once inside, Michael kicked the door shut and grabbed Anna's waist, hoisting her up so fast that she gasped. The suddenness of the action would normally have fueled uncertainty, but Michael caught her eyes, unwavering and radiating focus. Heat victoriously pooled deep within her, melting her apprehensions.
With another groan, Michael pressed her back hard against the cold, unforgiving walls of the house. Her sharp intake of breath at the contrast of her back to the rough, brisk feel of his chest against her breasts.
Anna's heartbeat quickened with every flick of authored his tongue, every conquest of her mouth. He had an animalistic possessiveness that intoxicated her, made Anna yearn for him to entreat every inch of her.
She didn't want to deny him anything - needed more of his insatiable taste, craved the feeling of his hands stripping her naked.
"Please," Anna gasped out, trembling with anticipation, meeting Michael's intense gaze. "I want you now."
And just like that, he ripped away her coat, almost violently tearing her shirt open. Cold air hit her skin, but she barely felt it. The only thing swirling in her mind was Michael's body against hers, inside her.
He dropped her back onto her feet and hurriedly kicked off his shoes, prying her flannel pants down her legs. Their hearts raced, as they both struggled to get naked; clumsy, gasping for air, and unable to tear their eyes away from each other.
