Fall Into Love

by Melody Anne

  He looked over and raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t?”

  “No. Never.”

  Seth stopped and turned to face me. “You’re fucking with me, aren’t you? Seriously, never? How is that possible? Sneaking out? Stealing your parents’ booze? Skipping school?”

  “No, no, and no,” I ticked off. God, he probably thought I was some kind of shut-in or something. “I had the opportunity; I just never thought it was all that important.”

  “Every teenager thinks that shit is important.”

  I shrugged and looked away from his stare. I had goals in high school or, more accurately, my parents had goals for me that I agreed with, and bad behavior would have just gotten in the way. Not to mention my father probably would have had me homeschooled if I had ever pulled anything crazy.

  Seth didn’t ask any more questions, and we went back to working side by side. Every once in a while I caught him looking at me, like he was trying to figure something out. I sort of liked being an enigma.

  Grant and I had known each other for years before we became a couple, since our parents were close friends. We’d played in the kiddie pool together, although at Grant’s house it was more like an infinity pool complete with a gigantic waterslide, and we had taken family vacations together almost every year.

  There was no thrill of discovery with him. No getting-to-know-you period. We already knew everything about each other. That had been our entire childhood, and it was naturally expected we would transition into more when we were old enough.

  Everything with Seth was new, and I was enjoying it.

  The sun grew hotter and sweat rolled down my face. I wasn’t the only one feeling the heat. Mike, an overweight bald guy with a million tattoos everywhere, was beet red and panting just behind us. I looked over my shoulder a few times, and he kept getting redder and redder.

  “Is he okay?” I asked Seth, pointing back to Mike.

  Seth turned to look, and his eyebrows drew down. “Hey, Mike, man, you doing okay?”

  Mike started to stand up, but his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed.

  “Shit, someone get Rick,” Seth yelled before sprinting to Mike’s side.

  I went with Seth and stood over Mike, trying to shadow his face as best I could.

  “Do you have water?” Seth asked me, ripping off his blue gloves. I grabbed my bottle and handed it to him.

  “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. Mike’s breath was coming out shallow and quick. “Should I call nine one one?”

  “Yeah, you better. Looks like he might have heatstroke or something.” Seth poured some of the water over Mike’s bald head and patted his cheek. “Mike, can you hear me?”

  I pulled off my gloves and got out my phone. While I gave the 911 dispatcher directions, Rick started yelling for everyone to get back. “What the hell happened?”

  “He just collapsed,” Seth said.

  “Shit. We need to call for help.” Rick glanced around, and when he met my gaze, I motioned I was already on it. It took only ten minutes before we heard the wail of sirens, and though Mike had opened his eyes, he was mumbling incoherently.

  “Everyone back on the bus,” Rick yelled as the paramedics came rushing over with a stretcher. “We’ll head back to the Works building and call it a day. I have to get in touch with Mike’s emergency contacts and let them know what’s going on.”

  We all tied off our bags and left them for pickup before climbing onto the bus. I watched out the window as the EMTs loaded Mike into the ambulance. His eyes were open, but there was a clear mask on his face.

  The air was thick inside the bus, making it hard to take a full breath. Sweat dripped into my eyes, so I unzipped the coveralls and pushed them off my arms. I blew out hot breaths trying to cool off my forehead.

  God, no wonder Mike passed out.

  This should fall under cruel and unusual and unnecessary punishment.

  “So, boys and girls, once you get back to the Works building, remember to pick up your time forms before you go. Because of the circumstances, I’ll give you all credit for a full day today.”

  Seth had slid into the seat across from me when we boarded, and his head was tilted back, resting against the seat. His coveralls were peeled down to reveal a dark gray T-shirt that hugged his chest.

  I tried not to stare too much. I was already hot enough as it was.

  “So, you got big plans for all this free time?” I asked him.

  “Nah. Probably just head across town since I have to end up there by five thirty anyway.”

  Right. Friday. Seth had to check in with his parole officer.

  I had nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon, and the thought of grabbing my things and hitting the pool at the apartment complex sounded like heaven right about now. I must have been smiling because the next thing I knew, Seth poked me on the arm.

  “Whatever you’re thinking about must be damned good.”

  “Definitely,” I said with a grin.

  I glanced at Seth out of the corner of my eye and pulled my bottom lip between my teeth. The urge to ask him to come with me clogged in my throat and made my heart beat faster. It was the perfect opportunity.

  Shari said I needed to let go a little, to have some fun.

  And I really didn’t want to say goodbye to Seth just yet. Especially when I wouldn’t see him for an entire weekend. There was no denying that things had shifted between us. He didn’t glare at me now. There was something else in his eyes, something that made me want to rip off all my clothes and lie down at his feet for the taking.

  My palms grew sweatier. What if I asked him and he said no? What if he laughed at me? Sure, he almost kissed me, and sure, we spent the morning talking like actual friends, but maybe it meant nothing more to him than passing the time.

  By the time the bus pulled into the parking lot, I was a hot mess. Literally. With my hair plastered against my face, I went into the locker room to take off the hideous jumpsuit. Air hit my bare legs, and I sighed in relief.

  I usually never wore cutoffs away from the pool, but after that first week encased in polyester, wearing minimal clothing underneath the jumpsuit was essential for survival. The tank top I had on stuck to me like a second skin, but there was nothing I could do about it. A quick stop at the sink to splash some cold water on my face and retie my ponytail and I was good to go.

  I pushed out of the locker room slowly, hoping to catch a glimpse of Seth, but the lobby was empty except for Rick. I had dragged my feet on purpose, but now that I could see Seth wasn’t there, all I felt was disappointment.

  I walked slowly over to Rick’s desk, my flip-flops slapping against the linoleum.

  “Here’s your time slip for this week.” Rick handed me my paper. “I need to head to the hospital. Avery, do you need me to walk you to your car?”

  Rick glanced at the doors and I saw Seth already halfway across the parking lot. Clearly he had forgotten all about me already. Probably had a date or something tonight.

  “I’m going in that direction. I really don’t mind,” Rick said.

  He must have mistaken my silence for agreement.

  He pushed out of his chair, walked over to the glass door, and held it open for me. I followed him out, and the blast of hot air took my breath away. The blacktop sucked up the sun and radiated it back up, making it feel a hundred degrees hotter. Even in my shorts and tank top, a layer of sweat covered my face in no time.

  “See you Monday.” Rick left me at my car and walked over to a bright red Mini Cooper.

  “I’ll be here,” I answered with a half wave. Not like it was a choice. I slid into my car and blasted the AC until the interior was cold enough to freeze water to ice. I wanted nothing more than to put the top down, but I couldn’t take any more of this heat today. Home. Pool. Drink.

  That was my afternoon plan.

  But as I backed out of the parking spot, I saw Seth leaning against the driver’s-side door of his truck. I pulled up alongside a
nd hit the window’s Down button.

  “Hey there.” Way to be casual, Avery.

  Seth leaned down and ducked his head in the window. “Hey.”

  We stayed like that, just looking at each other, until Seth quirked his eyebrow. I felt my cheeks grow hot despite the AC.

  “So, is that thing broken again?” I squeezed the steering wheel nervously, not able to keep eye contact for more than a few seconds.

  “Why?”

  Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.

  “I thought maybe we could grab a coffee, or something?” I blurted out. Now my cheeks burned from fiery embarrassment. I’d given him a chance to tell me no. Shit. “If you’re busy, that’s okay, though it is Friday, after all, and most people usually make plans on Friday night and impromptu coffee dates aren’t normally something people do . . . impromptly. And you have your truck and . . .”

  Oh, God, I needed a seriously large pothole to swallow me up right now. I was stuck. If I drove away in a squeal of tires, I’d look like a complete idiot, but I already looked like one because I was babbling something about improptu Friday nights.

  Seth chuckled. “How can I say no to an elaborate invitation like that?”

  “It was rather eloquent, wasn’t it?” I asked with a relieved grin. “You want to ride together? I have AC.” I waggled my eyebrows in invitation. “I can bring you back to grab your truck in time to get to your meeting. We have a couple hours.”

  “Sounds good to me.” He crossed in front of the car and opened the door, but then stopped halfway in. “Wait, what about the candy?”

  I giggled. “How about a cute puppy instead?”

  “You would have been very popular in my old neighborhood.” Seth climbed in and closed his door. The air moved inside the car and I could smell the faint aroma of soap. You’d think he’d smell like gross sweat after being in the sun all day, but he really didn’t.

  I clicked a few buttons on the GPS, and several places to eat popped up.

  “Oh, there’s an ice cream place a few miles from here. You in? I could go for a coffee milk shake right about now.” Already my mouth was watering thinking about that cold sweetness.

  “Works for me,” Seth said.

  I pressed another button, and a map popped up on the screen. I pulled out of the Works parking lot.

  He looked really good in the seat next to me. One arm draped casually over his knees, his body turned toward me. Two weeks of orange jumpsuits was not a good look for anyone. Seth looked delicious in jeans and a dark T-shirt.

  I tried to concentrate on driving and not staring at him from the corner of my eye.

  “So I’m thinking that you aren’t really a dancer,” Seth said.

  “Dancer?” I asked.

  “That night at O’Malley’s. You and your friend said you were dancers?”

  Heat climbed into my cheeks that had nothing to do with the temperature. I laughed so quickly it came out more like a snort. “Nope. In fact, I can’t dance at all. Two left feet.”

  “You move very well. From what I remember.” His voice got low and, God, it was so sexy when he did that. It reminded me of that night, when he was whispering in my ear as we danced.

  Shit. I tried to keep my hands from jerking the steering wheel.

  “You always say exactly what comes to mind?” I asked, turning the AC to high. Was it getting hotter in the car, or was it just me? It was easier to ignore his attractiveness when he was acting like a jerk. Now, confined in my car, with him smelling so good and the reminder of our semikiss earlier this week?

  I didn’t stand a chance.

  “Why not.” He shrugged. “Why bother hoping that someone else hears what you’re beating around the bush to say? Just say it. Simple.”

  “Yeah, but how many people actually do that? In real life people hide motivations behind words. It’s easier than telling the truth a lot of the time. Why is that?” God, I sounded like I was cross-examining him. “Sorry, bad habit.”

  “Asking questions is a bad habit?”

  “Well, I tend to ask a lot of questions. A lot. So yeah, it’s sort of a bad habit, I guess.”

  “Huh.” He kept looking at me, and I could see him in my peripheral vision.

  “What huh?”

  “Well, if you are a habitual question asker, and we’ve been alone for . . . fifteen minutes now, I’m just surprised you haven’t asked the biggest question yet.”

  I knew what he wanted me to ask him. I’d heard some of the others talking about what they did to get CS, but no one ever asked Seth. And he didn’t volunteer.

  Was he daring me to ask him why he went to prison?

  I swallowed nervously. Once I knew, I couldn’t unknow. That’s why I stopped my father from telling me. I was afraid it would be a deal breaker, and I was starting to like Seth. Really like him.

  “Do you want me to?” I finally asked.

  He shrugged. “It’s usually the first one anyone asks when they find out where I’ve been.”

  “Okay, I’ll go for something different, then. Mix things up a little. What’s your sign?” I waggled my eyebrows exaggeratedly, and he laughed.

  “Aquarius. You?”

  “Scorpio. Hotheaded and unpredictable.”

  Seth laughed even harder. “Those things are most definitely not you. Wound a little tight, maybe, but you strike me as superorganized, like clothes and shoes by color, and I bet there isn’t a scrap of clutter in your house, judging by how clean your car is.”

  Words died on my lips because he was dead-on. “Fine. Maybe you’re sort of right.”

  “If by sort of you mean absolutely, then yes, yes I am.”

  “Cocky much?” I asked.

  “Confident,” he answered with a grin.

  God, this was fun. I’d never had this kind of banter with anyone before. Grant was always so serious. He rarely laughed. Every time I made Seth laugh, my stomach danced like it was full of butterflies. I gripped the steering wheel tighter because I wanted to reach out and lay my hand on his.

  After a few moments of silence, I cleared my throat. I still wasn’t sure I wanted to know what he’d done to wind up in prison. Yet. “So how long have you been on the outside?”

  He dragged his fingers through his hair, a move I already knew meant he was uncomfortable. Part of being a good attorney was reading people. That was his tell.

  “The night at O’Malley’s was my first night out in a year. I got out earlier that afternoon.”

  Memories from that night flooded my mind.

  Oh.

  Oh.

  “So, when we . . . you hadn’t . . . in a year?” My voice sounded squeaky, like Minnie Mouse. Holy God, I’m glad I didn’t know that. The performance anxiety would have been way too much. “Don’t they allow conjugal visits in prison anymore?”

  Where the hell had that come from? Heat burned my cheeks.

  Seth laughed. “I’m sure they do, but there was no one on the outside to come be conjugal with me. And the guys on the inside, all that facial hair was a real turnoff.”

  It took a second for me to realize he was joking. I laughed and shook my head. “Good to know.” And then there was something else I wanted to know. Desperately. Something I had no business asking. It made my breath hitch in my chest, and a surge of desire so fierce stabbed my guts I almost drove off the road.

  This was it. My chance. Shari said he wanted me. I definitely knew I wanted him. I gnawed on my bottom lip. If he said no, it would make the next six weeks very awkward.

  “You’re going to make your lip bleed if you’re not careful.” Seth reached over and used his thumb to pop my lip from between my teeth. Then he ran it along the sore spot and I completely lost control.

  “So, uh, have you scratched that conjugal itch yet?” I kept my eyes glued to the road in order not to look at him. If he said yes, I’d have to play it off like I was kidding, no matter how disappointed it made me.

  I heard him inhale, and I tensed.

&nbs
p; Shit. It really was none of my business. He was hot as hell, and if he had an itch that needed scratching, I’m sure girls were lining up to take care of it. Hell, I’d be in the line with them if I knew where it was.

  He brushed his thumb over my jaw, and I fought the urge to close my eyes. He was good. And I suddenly did not want to know if he’d been with another girl.

  “Never mind. That was a really invasive question. It’s none of my business.” So why the hell were my eyes stinging? The AC must be on too high. I blinked rapidly before he could notice my completely irrational reaction.

  “Avery?”

  I plastered a fake smile on and glanced over at him. “Yeah?” My voice was all weird high-pitched again. Shit.

  Seth sighed and shifted so that he was sort of half turned and looking at me. “To answer your question . . .”

  I panicked. That is the only explanation for what I did. Because reaching over and covering someone’s mouth so you can’t hear him talk was something a five-year-old would do. If my other hand were free, I’d probably put it over my ear and start singing la-la-la as loud as I could.

  Under my hand, I felt Seth smile. Then . . .

  “Oh, my God, did you just lick me?” I squealed, jerking my hand away from his mouth.

  He laughed and reached over, taking my freshly licked and strangely tingly hand in his. He rubbed his thumb over the spot his tongue had just touched. “No. The answer is no.”

  I swallowed. Really loud. Oh. And then I couldn’t help it. I smiled. Maybe it was more of a grin, but hell, this beautiful man next to me had not had sex in over a year and . . . “I can help with that.”

  It came out before I could stop it and his thumb froze. Oh, God. My cheeks were on fire. What the hell was I doing? My filter totally disappeared around him. “Oh, God, that came out wrong,” I said, practically choking on my own spit. “Forget I said anything.”