Undeniably You

by Jewel E. Ann

  “Oh jeez, that sucks. There’s nothing like being sick a million miles from home. Been there, done that.”

  “Yeah, he’s kind of a germaphobe so hugging the hotel toilet and lying on the bathroom floor about killed him.”

  I laugh thinking of Trevor’s OCD. Even his look says OCD with his head shaved for optimal cleanliness and his clothes perfectly pressed, tucked in tight, and buttoned to the top. Elizabeth can downplay it and call him a germaphobe, but I’ve seen him in true form. The thought paralyzes me with anxiety. I have less than twenty-four hours to make this place fit for their return. Not good!

  “So when will you arrive? And do you need me to pick you up from the airport?”

  “Not until 9:15 p.m., and no, we’ve arranged transportation home.”

  “Okay then, I’ll just see you tomorrow night.”

  “Bye, Sydney.”

  “Bye.”

  The adrenaline kicks in and my day in the sun has officially been canceled.

  “You’re on your own, Swarley. I’ve got some major cleaning to do.”

  My mental pen starts making a list of everything that needs to be done: laundry, bathrooms, dusting, sweeping, mow the lawn, clean the dog hair out of the back of Trevor’s Escalade, and replenish some of the food and alcohol I consumed. Just as I make it to the laundry room with the sexed-up sheets, I receive a text.

  You’re welcome for breakfast. I’m sure I just missed your “thank you” text :) Because there’s no way you could possibly still be upset about last night. Right?

  Am I still upset about last night? I don’t know. I can’t think about that right now. There’s too much to do. I’ll deal with Lautner later.

  Thank you.

  I stare at the message and contemplate elaborating, but I don’t know what I should say so I just send the two words.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  June 27th, 2010

  Twelve hours … ticktock. I’m up and Swarley’s had his walk and breakfast. My uniform for the day is old denim short shorts, a black tank top, and yellow rubber gloves. Laundry is done—their linens and my clothes. Elizabeth and Trevor have a cleaning lady who comes every two weeks, but I told them I would take care of the cleaning while they were gone. Now, I’m wishing I wouldn’t have made that offer.

  It’s a big ass house, or at least it seems big when it’s time to clean everything. It took me two hours to dust everything yesterday. Let me rephrase. It took me two hours to dust to Trevor’s perfectionistic expectations. The wide, wood trim work is beautiful but a nightmare to dust. I might have to skip lunch and bathroom breaks, but I think I can have everything whipped into shape by the time they get home tonight.

  The doorbell chimes while I’m on my knees scrubbing the toilet in the upstairs hall bathroom. With an exasperated huff, I climb to my feet and go downstairs. The last person I need to see is standing in front of the daylight window melting my panties with his huge grin. I peel the glove off my right hand and open the door.

  “Hey, beautiful.”

  I roll my eyes. “Now you’re just being stupid. Look at me.” I hold out my arms so he can get a good look at my old clothes, makeup-less face, and hair pulled into a messy ponytail high on the back of my head.

  “I graduated top of my class in medical school. I assure you I’m not stupid.” His tongue lazily grazes his bottom lip while his fucking Medusa eyes rake over my entire body. He steps forward and I take a step back.

  “Don’t you have to be at the hospital today?”

  He shakes his head just once. The lust in his eyes is predatory.

  “Well, I’m busy so I’ll call you later.” I back up another step.

  “Sydney …” He grabs my gloved hand and pulls off the glove, dropping it to the floor.

  “I don’t have time—”

  I’m in his arms tasting mint, smelling his aftershave, feeling large hands palm my ass lifting me off the ground.

  I turn away from his kiss. Lips attack my neck.

  “They—they’re coming back—tonight. I have to clean.” Unconvincing words come out with each labored breath.

  Thunk.

  My back hits the wall as my legs search for leverage around his hard body. His hands skim under my shirt until they find my breasts.

  “God, Sydney. Where’s your bra?” he moans against my neck along the sensitive skin behind my ear. He rocks his hips up and my breath hitches when the erection beneath his shorts rubs against the apex of my thighs.

  “They’re all clean—I—didn’t want to—dirty them.” I grab his hair and yank on it until his face is level with mine again.

  A breath away, we just stare at each other. My full breasts are supported by his hands, thumbs brushing over my nipples. I force a deep swallow and wet my lips. Heavy eyes drowning from his touch.

  He feathers his full lips over mine with calculated restraint. “I’m sorry about last night, baby.” A soft kiss. “I wasn’t trying to be insensitive.” Another kiss to the corner of my mouth. “God, I love you so much.” The gentle slide of his tongue along my top lip relaxes my jaw allowing him access to my mouth, and he doesn’t hesitate.

  Our bodies flow in sync: his pelvis moving up again and again; mine matching his, vying for a little more friction each time. He’s sucking and licking my tongue, claiming all of my mouth. I resent every thread of clothing that’s separating our naked bodies. His right hand moves from my breast to grip the top of my leg. He eases his thumb up my inner thigh sliding it under my shorts and dipping it under my very wet panties.

  “Jesus, Sydney … you’re drenched,” he moans into my mouth.

  “Hmm …” is all I can manage.

  He slides his thumb in and out of my wet channel then circles it over my clitoris.

  “Ahh …” My head falls back against the wall with a thump.

  A knock at the door stops us both. We’re frozen in place, our desperate breaths the only sound slicing through the silence. We’re hidden from the visual path of the daylight windows by mere inches.

  “Expecting someone?” Lautner whispers with one hand still on my breast and the other planted firmly on my leg, thumb still pressed to my core.

  My eyes bug out as I shake my head. Then I remember the call I made yesterday and blow out a frustrated sigh.

  “Shit!” I whisper.

  Lautner raises one curious brow.

  “It’s Dane.”

  I’m quickly dropped to my feet. I adjust my top and shorts while Lautner draws in a controlled breath.

  “Dane?”

  I walk toward the door. “Yes, Dane.”

  Opening the door, I pray my face is not painted as red with embarrassment as it feels.

  “Hey, Dane!” I smile. “Thanks for doing this for me.”

  Swarley comes running for his Dane fix. He squats down to greet him, accepting his enthusiastic licking.

  “Hello, Dane.” Lautner’s arms snake under mine as he pulls me back against him.

  “Lautner.” Dane looks up and smiles.

  Both of their greetings are a few notes shy of friendly.

  “What brings you by?” Lautner asks.

  Dane stands but before he can answer, I speak up. “I called Dane last night to see if he’d be so kind as to take Swarley for a few hours so I can vacuum and mop the floors.”

  I grab Swarley’s leash by the door and hand it to Dane.

  “Well that’s very kind of you.” Lautner offers a tight-lipped grin.

  “Yes, it is.” I wriggle out of Lautner’s possessive grip, making sure to look back and give him a warning sneer.

  “You must be part of the cleaning crew?” Dane directs at Lautner.

  “Yes,” I say with a big grin. “Lautner came by to mow the lawn and clean out the Escalade. Then he’s going to skim the pool and check the chemicals.”

  Lautner purses his lips and squints his eyes at me with a slow nod. “Yeah …” He draws out the word. “That’s exactly why I’m here.” He crosses one arm over his ch
est resting the elbow of his other arm on it. He makes a fist and brushes his thumb—that thumb—over his lips letting just the tip of his tongue out to graze it.

  NOW, I’m red—bright red.

  “So, I should be done in a couple of hours.” I offer a nervous smile to Dane and pat Swarley on the side a few times.

  “Sounds great! Don’t work too hard.” He turns and leads Swarley down the stairs.

  I shut the door and Lautner is on me in a heartbeat, pinning me firmly against it with his body. His hands pressed to the door on either side of my head.

  “Now … where were we?” He breathes into my neck.

  I shove his chest and duck under his arm. “No way! I—scratch that—we have to clean up. Elizabeth and Trevor will be home by ten.” I grab my gloves from the floor. “The lawnmower is in the garage. Do you need me to show you how to put gas in it and start it? Oh, and don’t forget to pick up the dog shit first.”

  He swats me on the ass eliciting a yelp then shrugs off his shirt. My hungry eyes take in the firm chiseled terrain of his drool-worthy torso. His shirt hitting my face snaps me out of my daze.

  “If you need me or this…” he gestures to his half-naked body and smirks “…we’ll be outside.”

  Smart-ass!

  *

  Floors mopped and vacuumed. Bathrooms scrubbed. Kitchen restocked and cleaned. Then there is my heartbreakingly handsome hunk pretending to be the pool boy again. Swoon! The yard is perfectly manicured; Lautner may have a little OCD too. The Escalade is also detailed to perfection and free of Swarley hair.

  “Stirring the water, pool boy?” I lower my voice to a soft seductive tone.

  Lautner grins and winks. “Step back, ma’am. I’d hate for you to fall in. There’s no lifeguard on duty, which means I’d have to rescue you …. naked, of course.”

  I walk up behind him and slide my hands around to his chest. “Mmm … I’ve never wanted to be a damsel in distress so bad in my life.” I kiss his back while scratching my nails along his rigid abs.

  “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” he warns while working the skimmer along the top of the water.

  “Who said I can’t finish?” My right hand starts to slide under the waistband of his shorts.

  He grabs it and pulls it away. “One ‘almost’ today is enough. It’s nearly five o’clock and I’m sure your favorite vet will be showing up with your favorite pooch any minute. If you insist on starting something now, I will not … I repeat, I will not stop no matter who’s watching us.”

  He releases my hand and I slip both of them into his front pockets. “Why, Dr. Sullivan, how brash of you.”

  “Last warning, Syd.”

  I pull my teasing hands out and smack him on the ass the same way he did to me earlier. “You’re no fun.” I saunter back to the house.

  “Oh, I’m plenty fun … just wait,” he yells toward the house.

  As if on cue, the front door opens and Swarley runs to me.

  “Hey, Swarley. Did you have fun with Salt and Pepper?” I take off his leash and he runs out the dog door to see Lautner.

  “Thanks, Dane. I really appreciate your help. We got a lot done. Hopefully Swarley won’t mess up the floors too much in the next couple of hours.”

  Dane laughs. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Swarley is their dog after all. Unless you lock him out of the house or kennel him, you’re not going to be able to keep everything spotless.”

  “True,” I concede.

  “Well …” Dane rocks back and forth on his feet.

  “Yeah, well … in case I don’t get a chance to see you before I leave, it’s been fun.” I step toward him and give him a hug.

  “Hey, if you’re out west again visiting give me a call and we’ll do lunch or something.”

  I nod as he opens the door.

  “Enjoy Paris.”

  “I will, thanks!”

  The door closes and I turn. Lautner is leaning against the wall by the kitchen with his hands shoved into the front pockets of his shorts.

  “Stay with me.”

  I can’t read his face or the tone of his voice. “Stay” is a little vague and I don’t know how far to read into it.

  “Stay?”

  “Until you have to go.” His eyes fall to the floor. He is so big and strong, yet in this moment, I see a sad vulnerability that tugs at my emotions, my heart, my resolve.

  “That’s only five days.”

  He nods. “I’ll take all I can get.”

  “I’m sure Elizabeth and Trevor are expecting me to stay here until I leave. What am I supposed to tell them? ‘Hey, I met this guy who swept me off my feet with flowers, pastries, and sweet tea. We’ve been having mind-blowing sex in your bed and oh, by the way, I’m going to stay with him instead of you until I leave for Paris.’”

  He smirks. “Yeah, pretty much. Except the part about the pastries and sweet tea … that’s kind of personal. Don’t you think?”

  I’m struggling to keep a straight face. Elizabeth and Trevor blindsided me with their early return, now Lautner is doing it to me too.

  “If I don’t stay with them, then I should try and change my tickets and go home to see my dad.”

  He pushes off the wall and closes the distance between us. My heavy eyelids close as his hand caresses my cheek. His thumb whispers across my bottom lip.

  “You don’t want to stay with me? Or, you don’t think you should?”

  He still doesn’t have a shirt on, and I swear I can feel the heat radiating off his skin calling to me like the warmth of the sun. I lean in, wrapping my arms around him. Time is slipping away too fast. I should tell him that five days won’t matter. I should go home and spend time with my dad. I should let the heartbreak happen so the healing can begin. I should … I should … I should. It’s history repeating itself. The first day Lautner asked me to the beach my mind scrolled through all the reasons why I should not have gone, and yet I ignored every single one.

  “I’ll pack my stuff.”

  *

  I pack while Lautner feeds Swarley. The note I leave for Elizabeth and Trevor is brief but at least they won’t worry about me. However, my dear Aunt Elizabeth won’t let it slide. I expect a call from her first thing tomorrow demanding I tell her everything.

  Welcome home. Hope Trevor is feeling better. Staying with a friend until I leave for Paris. Text me when you get this so I know you made it home safe, and Swarley will be fed in the morning. Love, Sydney

  “This everything?” Lautner gestures to my two large suitcases, small carry-on, computer bag, and purse all stacked by the front door.

  “Yep.”

  “I’ll carry them out while you make sure the doors are locked and everything is shut off.”

  I nod and turn toward the kitchen to find Swarley.

  “Hey, buddy.” I squat down and he falls like a tree on his side, kicking his legs in the air. Swarley shows no shame when he thinks a belly rub is coming. “I’m leaving but I’ll be back to say goodbye again in a few days. Remember, sleeping on the bed never happened so don’t get me in trouble by putting so much as a paw on the duvet. Understood? And you’re back on dog food. I know it sucks but it’s the price you pay for a few weeks of paradise.” I release an emotion laden sigh. “I’m giving up something pretty great too, so you’re not alone.”

  “Ready?”

  I jump at the sound of Lautner’s deep voice. He’s waiting at the threshold to the kitchen. Standing, I clear my throat.

  “Yeah, I’m ready.” I take a deep breath and mentally say goodbye to yet another adventure in housesitting.

  After we pull out of the drive, Lautner breaks the silence that we’ve kept since walking out of the house. “Hungry?”

  I laugh, wondering if he’s been hearing my angry stomach growling. “Starving. But I look and feel pretty nasty after all that cleaning. There’s no way I’m going anywhere to eat.”

  He hands me his phone with a number already on the screen. “Chines
e takeout?”

  I take his phone and smile. “Sounds perfect.”

  We beat the delivery guy to Lautner’s by thirty seconds at best. It’s my first time being inside his apartment.

  “Eat then shower?” He takes the containers out of the bag.

  “Definitely.” I turn in a slow circle. “Your place is … surprising.” I look around the large open space filled with a charcoal upholstered sofa accessorized with amber red, white, and black throw pillows. A rectangular, white-top coffee table with black steel legs sits on a large black and white Persian rug. The rest of the floor is wide, dark planked wood. The walls are a light gray with framed abstract paintings and photographs.

  “Surprising? How so?” he asks, holding up a bottle of beer.

  I nod and we both sit on the couch to eat. “It’s all very Crate & Barrel.”

  “You don’t like Crate & Barrel?” He takes a long pull of his beer.

  “I love it. I guess I imagined more of a bachelor pad. You know, old leather sofa, team logo bean bag chairs, a weight bench in the corner, a TV about ten times the size of the one on your wall, framed football jerseys, pinup girls …”

  Lautner busts out laughing. “You’re describing my dorm room freshman year of undergrad. I’ve matured a bit since then.”

  Swallowing a bite of my vegetable fried rice, I wipe my mouth with a paper napkin. “Everything is clean too. Are you a neat freak?”

  He shakes his head. “No. I just haven’t been here much to mess anything up. I eat two, sometimes all three, meals at the hospital. I don’t remember the last time I sat on this couch. When I get home I either go straight to bed or work on my computer at the counter. You’ll see that my bed hasn’t been made and there may even be some socks on the floor in my closet.”

  “No roommate?”

  “Caden and I used to rent a house together, but then his fiancèe decided to move in too and that’s when I started looking for a place of my own.”

  “Three’s a crowd?”

  “Something like that.” He shrugs.

  “No live-in girlfriends of your own?” I’m entering into a subject I’m not sure I really want to discuss, but I can’t help my curiosity.