Lost Her (Lost #1) Read online

  Rosalie pulls up in her Jeep looking over at me smiling, “Wow boy, you are up early and ready to work.”

  I smile. “As soon I make some coffee, yes. I did not want to wake Livi with the noise this morning.” Rosalie unlocks the door and we enter into the kitchen. I run to her Lacas machine brewing up some coffee. I find myself doing the Livi stare waiting for the machine to complete. Rosalie likes to pick my brain about the proper ways of cleaning the machine. I remember laughing when I saw it and telling Rosalie that the manufacturer is in New Jersey. My family had a few that I used to make espresso regularly. Rosalie pinched me that day when I told her she was under utilizing the machine. Then I began to teach her some of the other functions it had. I could never understand why Rosalie opened this place with no prior experience. Now is the time to ask her, “Rosalie, why did you open this Cantina?”

  She looks at me, “I had money to blow so I wanted to open a place where people could gather and have fun. I can do the short order cooking and bartending, but sometimes with the tourists it becomes overwhelming. Señor Marquis helps me greatly with running this place.”

  I pour us both coffees and I start to working. Rosalie is watching me like a hawk. She is trying to learn everything she can from me. I place the new gauge in her oven. I turn it on waiting for the oven to be evenly hot. While I wait, Parker rolls into the kitchen pulling the marinating pork from the refrigerator. I watch him quietly not speaking a word to him. He looks over at Rosalie and she throws her Jeep keys over to him. He leaves through the back door carrying the meat. I watch Rosalie’s expression as Parker leaves. She looks angry with him.

  “Rosalie, what is up with Parker?” I question her. She smirks over at me with a look of not wanting to discuss it. Then she looks into the oven to see if the gauge is working taking a sip of her coffee.

  Her eyes meet mine, “Parker and I got a little heated yesterday. He always gets a little depressed when his friends leave. He was livid that Olivia was not here on Friday to say good bye to them when they left. Then he drank himself stupid as you saw when you got back after dropping Henry off. He was ranting about it yesterday when I dragged him into the kitchen to prepare the pork for the smoker. Parker, for a man thirty seven years old now, he sure whines a lot. I got into it with him that he does not own Olivia nor does he really know her at all. He swears she has feelings for him, but he does not see that it is only a friendship. I told him that he needs to back off and he declined. He thinks that he knows what is best for her.”

  I feel the blood boil in my face, “Why every Sunday does he start drama for me? I am going to put the trays in the oven now and run home to see what Livi is up to. Now that Parker knows I am here cooking, I do not want him going anywhere near Livi alone.”

  Rosalie nods, “Hurry back, I do not know how to cook those trays like you do.” I glance at her with a quick smile going out the kitchen door.

  I walk back up to the house kind of jogging to get there quickly. Once at the front door, I take a moment to control my scattered breathing. I slowly open the door walking into the house. Livi is still sleeping. I walk into the bedroom to sit on the corner of the bed trying my best not to disturb her. I watch her sleep so still and she is so beautiful. Her long blonde loose curls draped all around her pillow. I watch her chest slowly rise and fall while she breathes. This is a reminder to me of when I used to watch her sleep back in school. I loved her then but I love her much more now.

  We were lost for a long time with our busy lives, but I feel lost no more. She stirs opening her eyes and slowly lifts her head to look up at me. Her lips rise to a gentle smile. I smile back at her playing with her hair bunching the locks together. “Hi,” she speaks softly.

  “Hi,” I respond back to her. She stretches raising her chin to expose her neck. I bend down slowly kissing her neck. She places her hands on my shoulders caressing me and nipping at my ear. She is wiggling underneath me, but I cannot get to her body since she has the blanket wrapped around her. I stand up undressing myself as she watches my every move. I pull the blankets from her to find that she was sleeping in a lacy camisole and panty. I think to myself for a second on how I could have missed seeing her last night in this sexy attire.

  It didn’t matter right now; I remove her panty and leave the lacy top on her. I rejoin her in the bed to resume what I was doing. She is getting all grabby with her hands as she does when she gets overexcited. I clutch each of her wrists pulling her hands up over her head. I was able to use one hand to hold her there while my other hand went exploring to her breasts. I was massaging her breasts and deeply kissing her while she kept letting out little moans. I allow my fingers to move down to her navel feeling her soft skin beneath my fingertips. I continue further between her legs. She is hot and wet. I move my hand back up to where I have her wrists pinned in her pillow. I slowly climb on top of her pushing her knee open with my leg. She is wiggling in desire under me. I take her in a deep kiss not stopping as I enter her. She purrs a moan into my mouth while I slowly move into her. Livi wraps her one free leg around my waist. I push up on my elbows still holding her in place while I slowly roll my hips methodically. She is trying to move so she can control me but I stop her by applying more of my weight to her body. She finally stops fighting me and lying still feeling my movement. Her breathing and moans increase then I feel her muscles pulsating around me. She is peaking but I keep going. She moves her head to the side to break away from my kiss. Her moaned screams come deep within her chest with her climaxes. I just keep moving until she goes limp under me. Her legs fall to the side. I move a little faster and deeper. She screams out biting down on my shoulder. I am so excited and close when I feel her body tense up again around me in another orgasm. She is panting and her breath is so hot on my neck - then I lose myself into her. My body jerks several times while all my weight is on top of her. I lie there for a few minutes without moving.

  My ears perk up to hear a knock at the front door. I release her wrists rolling myself up to get off the bed. I grab a towel wrapping it around my waist. Livi is motionless on the bed, so I cover her body over. I walk from the room to the front door opening it to see Parker standing there.

  “What do you want, Parker?” I ask him in my most annoyed tone. He looks at me in a towel, then over my shoulder toward the bedroom. I know damn well he can see Livi on the bed.

  His eyes are wide, “The wood chips that you purchased from the market for the smokers for me.” I look at him trying to process what he is saying since I am still coming down off my intimate high.

  Then it occurs to my mind what he is talking about, “Oh yes, on the counter in the kitchen.” I let him follow me into the house. I again want to rub in his face that my wife is all mine, so I do not care if he sees her all sprawled out on the bed barely covers by a sheet. I pick up the chips off the counter turning to hand it to him. I look at the coffee maker hitting the button knowing Livi is going to need some caffeine.

  “Is that all?” I ask while Parker is reading over the packaging.

  Just then Livi emerges from the bedroom wearing my t-shirt that barely covers her. Her hair is a wild mess and her eyes are still transfixed while she walks to the table shakily. Parker turns watching her movements as well. Livi sits down at the table staring forward. I know that look on her face all too well.

  I call over to her, “Your coffee is coming honey,” and I turn to Parker, “Anything else you need?” Parker looks away from his gaze on Livi.

  He glances to me then I see a flush of red come over him, “No, this is good, thank you.” He turns to leave and I hear the door pull closed. I am not sure if that red on Parker’s face is from embarrassment arriving at the house when we just had made love or angry that it was not him that just turned her in to a sex ravished zombie. It really does not matter to me; he knew I had her today. So hopefully that ruins the rest of his day and stops his advances.

  I pour Livi her coffee telling her that I need to get back to the Cantina to check on th
e food. “Livi, take a shower and get ready. I will be back for you in an hour. I am taking the truck.” I press a kiss to her forehead. She does not even look up at me just staring toward the wall.

  She moves looking up, “Gotcha, shower, I know.” Then she gives me thumbs up. I laugh giving her another kiss goodbye. While I get cleaned up and dressed, she turns on music cranking up the volume. She sits in my chair waving at me while I am leaving. I smile at her and just shake my head as I close the door behind me.

  I help Rosalie back at the Cantina place the townspeople’s food in the refrigerator as they head off to church in the school building. Someone that runs the church comes into the kitchen. He had brought paper plate supplies and other items. Rosalie is talking with him in Spanish and I listen closely to see if I can figure out what they are saying. I can’t, so I occupy my time with washing pots in the sink.

  I completely lose track of time. As I am scrubbing the one pot deep in thought, I feel an arm wrap around my waist. Taken by surprise I whip around seeing Livi. Oh no, I forgot about her and she walked here. I feel horrible, but seeing the smile on her face I know she is not upset with me. I hold her in my arms rocking her back and forth. She looks up kissing me. She pulls back to speak, “I needed the walk, so don’t be mad that I did not want to wait for you to come back to pick me up.”

  I look at her confused. “No I am late. I told you an hour and I got wrapped up cleaning, so sorry.”

  She kisses me again, “No worries, I am going out to the beach to wait for Chris and everyone.”

  I look around the kitchen and say to her, “Hurry back.” She laughs and turns to leave.

  People start to pour in after church. Rosalie has a kitchen full of people who are either heating up their food or taking food out to be set on the bar. I check my baked ziti which is cooked and bubbly. I place it on the bar heading to the beach to locate Livi. She is sitting on the sand waiting on the dinghy to leave the yacht. I walk toward her taking a seat next to her to wait on everyone else.

  About twenty minutes later, the small dinghy loaded with people leaves the yacht. Everyone is slightly quiet then Wreck speaks out, “Olivia, we have to go back on Tuesday for a planning session for the tour on Wednesday in New York City. We wish you would come back with us, but we know you want to be in the background and only appear when needed.”

  She looks at them. “Yes, I have to stay here. Sorry guys.”

  Chris doesn’t look surprised. “No worries, we have it covered. Please check your e-mail for details or Skype me every few days.”

  “Not a problem,” she says walking to the Cantina. I can feel the band’s tension. I think they really do want the front woman involved, but I know Livi and she trusts them completely to coordinate the tour.

  We all eat together enjoying our conversations. Parker is alone speaking with some local. He has not looked over at us at all. I am feeling more than confident that he will get his demented idea out of his head that he and Livi belong together.

  It is getting late and the band and boat crew leave. I start cleaning up and Livi walks over to me. “Rye, Señor Marquis is going to take me home now. We have to leave at five in the morning and it is a long drive. I need to get to bed,” she says as she wraps her arms around me.

  I embrace her back. “Go on ahead. I am going to wash pots and cleanup for Rosalie.” She kisses me leaving down the stairs and climbs in Señor’s truck.

  I finish cleaning up and I head out to the bar to find Rosalie looking at some accounting ledgers. She looks confused. I grab a beer and sit at the bar. She looks over at me perplexed carrying her ledger over to me, “Ryan, there is a problem with my books. There is way too much money.” She points to the balances and I see immediately her issue.

  I show her the register column, “When Señor Marquis is here, he takes his tips. Since he was not working for you and you have been having volunteers not taking a salary or tips, including yourself. You have been putting all the tips in the register making it appear you have income. You have been hopping lately with Parker’s friends here for a week and Livi’s band mates patronizing the bar. If you want the books to be straight, tips must go under the draw in the register.”

  She looks at me shocked, “Ryan, I knew you are brilliant. That took you less than a minute to figure out and I have been staring at this for an hour.”

  She gives me a hug winking at me. “Oh Ryan, I cannot meet you to take you to my house in the morning to set up internet box. I have to take care of something with the church. Can we do it later in the day when Olivia comes home? It will be a slow Monday, maybe only one tourist catamaran,” She looks toward me.

  “Sure, that is no problem for me. I am going to take the guys hiking along the shore tomorrow for Livi. I will bring them by for late lunch here,” I finish.

  She laughs, “Are you positive that you do not want a job or go into a partnership here at the Cantina? You are always thinking on how to pull in more business.”

  I shake my head no, “I do not mind helping you out, but maybe when Livi goes back to teaching, I will need something to occupy my day. Maybe Señor can teach me how to make tables and we can set up a gift shop for him.”

  Rosalie jumps up grabbing my face squeezing it tightly and places a kiss where she is mushing my face. “Ryan, he would love that so much. Now you go home and I will see you boys for lunch tomorrow.” I nod leaving down the stairs to the truck.

  I park outside the house sitting in the truck taking in all the darkness. This place, her home that she set up for herself, it is working for me. I feel very comfortable here. When Katie described it for me I was worried that I would not be able to stand the isolation here. But I really do like it, the quietness - well not so quiet with the howler monkeys - but it is calming. Not my typical lifestyle with the New Jersey hardball mentality, the overly congested state with the aggressive drivers. This little town is perfect and I can do this with her. Once I purchase another vehicle down here, life will be perfect.

  I go into the house and Livi is sleeping. I open a bottle of wine pouring myself a glass. I look for her music CD insert and I sit on the couch. I am reading her crazy lyrics again. I sip my wine while reading and I feel myself smiling. I am completely happy. I am loving her for finding herself and being so passionate with her writing. I know when I read her songs that we might have been lost in our attorney lives, but we never stopped loving each other. I have come to the realization that we are lost no more.

  Message from the Author

  Thank you for reading Lost Her. Ryan and Livi’s story is continued in Lost Years (Lost #2) which is now available at Amazon http://amzn.com/B00FJOKAI4 and Barnes and Nobles http://bit.ly/Jc5h2W.

  Other Novels by Ginger Sharp

  Lost Her (Lost #1)

  Lost Years (Lost #2)

  Lost No More (Lost #3)

  Must Wait (Pedro’s Story)

  Upcoming Work

  Jaded Legacy (Parker’s Secret)

  About The Author

  There's really not a lot to tell!

  From New Jersey where I currently still reside. Hobbies include reading, writing and annoying my husband. I love to travel to see other countries learning about their cultures. I have 3 German Shepherds, 1 inside cat which none of them allow me to write in peace.

  I'm an avid supporter of animal welfare.

  You can follow me at

  Facebook: Facebook.com/GingerSharpAuthor

  Twitter: twitter.com/GingerSharp12

  Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/gingersharp

  Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/GSharpAuthor

  Website: GingerSharp.us

 

 

 
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