Dean had just finished an afternoon round of golf at Turtle Point and was enjoying a post-round cocktail when he received a rather unusual text.
MISS REEDMOORE LIBRARY: Dean, did you send Natasha over to do some research?
DEAN: No. Is she there?
MISS REEDMOORE LIBRARY: Yes. Can I call you?
Dean excused himself from the bar and took the call.
“Hello, Dean?”
“Hello, ma’am. How are you?” Dean spoke as if he had known the woman for many years.
“Hi! I’m good.” She seemed a bit flustered. “How are you? Anyway, Natasha.…”
“Is everything ok? This is very unusual.”
“I’m sorry, Dean. I normally wouldn’t call you, but this is a most unusual situation. Frankly, we don’t get a lot of activity here anymore except during the summer.”
“Ok, Miss Reedmoore. What’s the situation?”
“Dean,” she giggled. “You’re such a jackass. You just call me Miss Reedmoore because it somehow gets you hot. Right?”
“It is your name,” he chuckled. “But, yes, it does get me a little excited. It’s not like you aren’t hot, and we do have a past.”
“Dean, name one woman on this island you don’t have a past with,” she grumbled into the phone, trying to shield her voice from the library patrons.
“That’s irrelevant. To what do I owe the pleasure of this highly unusual call?”
“As I was saying, Natasha came to me for directions to the classics. I was puzzled, but she was persistent.”
“The classics? That’s odd.” Dean wandered the pro shop. “Oh, I know what it is. She had a meeting with Miss Needlove today at the house. That must be where she got the idea from.”
“Miss Needlove?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Yes. She’s an associate of ours,” Dean answered matter of factly. “So what’s the problem?”
“Well, you know I love Natasha and think she’s beautiful,” she responded with a hint of jealousy.
“Yes, as do I.”
“Well, her outfit is a bit…how should I say this? Revealing. Which I don’t have a problem with, obviously.”
“So?” He placed what he thought would be a very cute, tight-fitting golf shirt for Natasha on the counter in front of the woman who knew him well. She shook her head knowing who the garment was for. “I still don’t see the problem.”
“Dean, the problem is that we have a group of young men and their fathers being shown a presentation in the classroom and she’s a bit of a distraction.” She giggled, “Ironically the topic of the discussion is sexual harassment and how to treat women in work and school environments.”
Dean had returned to the bar and nearly spat out his drink. He coughed and tried to respond, “I’m sorry, but that’s a bit amusing. I’ll be right over. I’m just down the street.”
“Couldn’t you just call her?”
“Think about it, Miss Reedmoore. She’s in the library. Of course, she wouldn’t have her ringer on. She wouldn’t want to disturb anyone. Seriously,” he laughed. “See you directly.”
“What’s so funny, Dean?” one of the other golfers asked him.
“Apparently, Nat’s not dressed properly for a visit to the library while a group of tourists is trying to take a class.” Dean took the last of his drink down in a gulp and threw some money on the bar. “I’ll tell you the whole story later.”
Dean drove the short distance to the small island library, imagining the looks on the faces of the unsuspecting tourists. I hope she didn’t wear the outfit she had laid out on the bed before I left for golf. God help us if she wore the bikini she had on! He couldn’t help but laugh as he pulled into the small parking lot of the one-story building.
He was greeted by a beautiful, younger woman with a contemptuous smile. “Good afternoon, Miss Reedmoore.” Dean tried to control his snicker. “I understand you have something for me to collect.” He noticed the vertical blinds to the classroom had been pulled, but a few were pushed open slightly to allow for gawking.
“Shh,” She tried to keep her composure as the librarian. “What took you so long?” she asked in a whisper as she came around the desk and grabbed his muscular arm.
“Come on, it can’t be that bad.” He allowed her to lead him to where Natasha was reading what he assumed would be either “Great Expectations” or “Crime and Punishment”. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there.
“Where the fuck could she have gone?” blurted a surprised Miss Reedmoore. “She was just here.” She scanned the aisles. “Oh, shit!”
Dean chuckled as they looked across the room to see her reaching for another book on the bottom shelf. “Nat, can I help you with something?” He left the grip of the librarian and started toward her.
He heard a stir of blinds in the classroom behind him as he collected her.
She looked at him through her legs. She was fully bent over, certainly knowing what she was doing to the raging hormones in the other room. “Hey, love. What are you doing here?”
“I just came to pick you up. I thought we might have dinner.” They shared a snicker as he kissed her. “You’re a naughty little girl.”
Natasha coyly answered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just catching up on some reading.”
“My ass!” Dean took her hand and walked her down the aisle away from the audience.
“Your ass? I think it was my ass they liked,” she laughed. “Actually, I think they were particularly fond of my tits.” She juggled them softly and shot him a mocking grin.
“You’re so bad!” He shook his head.
“So tell me, Mr. Dean. Am I going to have to be disciplined?” She chuckled as they rushed to the door. “Are you going to spank me?”
“Goodbye, Miss Reedmoore. Thanks for the tip. I’ll put the book in the dropbox.” Dean helped Natasha through the automatic doors.
They both burst into open laughter the second they were out of earshot of anyone inside the library.
“Please tell me you didn’t know the group was going to be there and that’s why you came to the library.” Dean hugged her in the middle of the parking lot. “You do look fucking hot in that outfit, though.”
“Of course not!” She kissed him and smirked, “What do you think I am, a floozy who would show off her body?”
His eyebrows raised. “Of course not. I’m sure Miss Needlove had something to do with it.”
“Funny you should mention that. I can tell you the whole story at dinner. Where are you taking me?”
Dean opened the passenger door of his car for her. “Well, seeing as neither one of us is really dressed for fine dining, I thought we might go to Red’s and watch the sunset to discuss the day’s events.”
“That sounds very nice.” She kissed him again as she slid into the convertible. “What about my car? Is it ok to leave it here?”
“It’ll be fine. They have security cameras and everyone knows it’s our car.” Dean calmed her as he stroked her knee and pulled out of the lot.
The handsome couple took their normal seats at the end of the bar that afforded them the best view of both the harbor and TVs. They were greeted cheerfully by a lovely young bartender, Alex. “Hey, guys. How’re you today? Didn’t really expect to see you on a Wednesday.”
“Hi, Alex. I didn’t plan on being here, either. Apparently, I got into some trouble at the library,” Natasha innocently joked.
Alex, who looked both confused and curious, inquired, “The library? I have so many questions. I’m sure, based on the look on the face of your man, Dean will be happy to answer.”
“Of course! I’ll be happy to satisfy your curiousity, just as soon as you satisfy my need for a Beam and Coke.”
“Certainly.” Alex put some coasters on the bar and asked Natasha, “Jack and Diet, dear?”
“Yes. Wait! Actually, I think I’m feeling a bit Tito’s and Cran today,” decided a smiling Natasha.
“Oh no, here we go. You’re fucked now, Deano,” the spunky bartender replied as she pushed his drink across the bar. “So what kind of trouble can you possibly get into at the library?” Alex asked with an air of sarcastic skepticism.
Natasha started to explain, “I didn’t.…”
“Alex, you will please notice the outfit. And I use that word loosely,” Dean joked. “The outfit that this lovely young lady is wearing today.” He stood up, took a drink, and circled his lady friend.
Alex, being a height-disadvantaged woman, lifted herself up so she could see the short shorts and sheer top in question. “Yes, she looks very nice. Very sexy. I like it.”
Dean stood up and said, “I agree with you. I think she looks spectacular, just as she does in almost any mode of dress.” He reached across Natasha and took another sip. “However, would you consider this to be proper attire for a woman as beautiful as this to wear to a public library?”
Alex leaned back and appeared to ponder the question and her answer carefully before she said, “With all due respect, sir, I have been to the library here and I would be surprised to find anyone in it on a sunny afternoon in July.”
Dean paced behind Natasha with his hands clasped behind his back. “On any other day, you would be absolutely correct. However, on this particular sunny, although it looks like a storm is coming in, Wednesday in July, there’s a certain golf camp for young men and their fathers being held in this community. Hence, the library is filled with hormonally charged men in their late teens up to mid-fifties.”
Natasha couldn’t contain her laughter. “Wait, Dean. I knew nothing about that!”
Alex, who was likewise laughing, walked to the end of the bar and grabbed a piece of paper from the bulletin board. “I have no idea how anyone would possibly know that any such group was in town.” She returned and placed a flier for the group on the bar in front of Dean’s open chair.
“Thank you for the evidence, Miss Bromfeld. I believe I’ll have another and you should probably make one for the guilty party as well.” Dean sat on his stool and finished his drink.
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Natasha said, choking back laughter. “This doesn’t say anything about an event at the library today.”
“You’re right, it doesn’t. But the fliers have been all over town for a month and on the community calendar. I know you check that calendar since it posts all the events for the island.” Alex chuckled, “Sorry, sister. You’re busted.”
“Not only that,” Dean interjected. “I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that if we check the telephone of our suspect, we’ll find the record of at least one text or phone call to a Miss Reedmoore Library.” He tickled her as he reached for her phone. “Shall we go to the phone?”
“No! You stay away from my phone, you nosey parker!” She smirked and clutched her phone. “I maintain my innocence. Now, what were you saying about a storm?”
“Excellent misdirection. What am I, a child? Look there’s a squirrel!” Dean laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “Seriously, I’m glad you’re taking an interest in reading, but don’t we have a bunch of books back at the house?”
Alex pulled one from under the bar. “Right, love. I’ve seen your house. There are books all over the place just like this one. I know you like reading this Hawthorne guy.”
“I do, but the problem is,” she lowered her head and took a nervous sip of her drink. “The problem is, I tend to get excited, you know, sexually, when I read those. Dean wasn’t home today and I didn’t want to use all of the toys, so….” Natasha actually looked a bit embarrassed. “So what really happened is this: I started reading Hawthorne’s book, Seductive Sparks, while I was sunning on the deck. I got a little hot, if you know what I mean, so I moved inside and fiddled about with that new, teal toy.” She signaled to Alex with a thumbs up that she approved of the toy. “So, then I took a bath and was reading another story about a couple in a library.”
“I get it,” A very interested and excited Alex chimed in. “So you thought, since the library is normally dead, it would be a perfect idea to have Dean join you in the stacks.”
Dean was putting the pieces together. “Then you called Miss Reedmoore, who informed you that there was a group of attractive men taking a class in the library today, but told you they would be secluded in the classroom. You still thought it might be an opportunity for fun of some kind.”
Alex poured herself a drink. “Hold on. I want to add another wrinkle.” She took a sip and prepared to present her option. “I think you called my good friend the librarian and she was very excited about the prospect of you and our guy, Dean, having relations in the library. Maybe because she wanted to watch. She’s like that. Maybe because she hopes you would ask her to join in. She’s like that, also. And by the way, she has a huge crush on both of you.”
Natasha spit her drink out and coughed. “What?!”
Alex casually responded, “Absolutely! Are you kidding me? We all think you’re hot.” She scoffed, “It’s a small island and the pickens of full-time residents are slim. You’re gorgeous and Dean here is certainly serviceable.”
Dean took a drink and nodded. “I can accept that.”
Natasha tried to compose herself. “You can accept what? The theory of our lovely mixologist or that you’re serviceable?”
“Both,” Dean stated with great confidence. “Do you feel differently?”
“Yes, I do. Very much.” Natasha was disgruntled and visibly upset. “I love you, Dean. I love the way you treat me. I love the way we are together, the way we can play games like this together.” She slammed her hand on the bar, spilling her drink. “I love the way you make love to me and fuck me. You’re not just serviceable, something I’m going to throw away!”
“Calm down, honey.” Dean stood up from his stool and hugged her. “It’s ok. I love you, too. I know how you feel about me and I love our relationship. Nobody was discounting our feelings for each other. We were just having a little fun. It’s ok.”
“I’m sorry.” She hugged him back and then tried to blot at her mess, which Alex was already tending to. “I also find it hard to believe that the librarian, or anyone else, wants to be with us.”
“Tash, I’m sorry.” Alex cleared the old drink and replaced it with a new one. “I didn’t mean to upset you, honey. I’m sorry.” She hid her giggle. “Why would you find that so hard to believe?”
Natasha squeezed Dean’s ass and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Alex. Did you just ask why I find that hard to believe?” She looked slightly shocked, but also curious. “I guess the thought never occurred to me.”
Dean diverted the conversation and relieved some of the tension. “Hey, do you guys have any specials today? Look, honey. I think the storm’s coming in.”
“Specials? You guys always get the same thing.” Alex looked at Dean as if he had three heads.
“You’re right. The usual.” Dean gathered Natasha and walked her to the railing that overlooked the harbor. “It’s definitely going to be a nice storm. Do you think we should watch it here or back at home?”
Natasha snuggled into him as the first slight gust of the pending storm blew across them. “This has me thinking.” She looked up at him, her lips curved in a quizzical expression.
“That can’t be good.” Dean hesitantly smiled. “What’s that big brain of yours thinking about?”
“Well, I have been reading that guy’s stuff, you know, on the website and in the book,” Tasha smirked.
“And?”
“I think I read a story or two about a couple doing it during a storm and maybe even in public.”
Dean tilted his head, lips slightly parted in query. “So?”
“I’m just thinking: It’s going to storm and we do need to go back to the library to pick up my car.” Natasha leaned back and presented herself as innocently as possible. “I mean, it is a nice car and we wouldn’t want anything to happen to it in the storm. Plus, do you think Miss Reedmoore might be stuck in there by herself? Or worse, she was with all of those men. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to her!” She winked.
Dean nodded his head and pursed his lips. “You do make an excellent point.”
Alex yelled across the sparsely crowded room, “Hey, guys. Your food’s up!”
Dean waved to her. “We’ll be right there.” He took Natasha’s hand and started back to the bar.
Tasha stopped him and pulled him close to feel his manhood against her tight tummy. “I wonder what time the library closes? Do you think Miss Reedmoore will still be there after we eat?”
Dean kissed her and then rolled his eyes as he escorted her through the tables. His look was not one of disdain, but rather intrigue. “This looks perfect, Alex. Thank you very much! I assume you’re going to share all of this with us?”
“Of course! You know I love picking at what you order,” the beautiful bartender responded.
“And we love sharing with you.” Natasha took her seat at the bar. “So, Alex. What time do you get off? Do you have a ride home? I know sometimes you like to walk.” Tasha looked playfully at Dean.
“Yeah, Alex. We could take you home if you need a ride. I would hate for you to walk in the rain all alone,” Dean generously offered.
