by Cathryn Fox
“I don’t want to put Mommy in the picture.”
“Well, you don’t have to.” My heart hurts for the little girl as I put my hand on her head and run her ponytail through my fingers. “Who are the people beside you?”
“That’s Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma always wears pretty beads.” She adds in a bunch of circles around the neck.
I gaze at her grandparents. She only drew one set, and I wonder about that. Are they from her mother’s or father’s side of the family? If the mother’s, does Jaxon not have his parents, or any siblings, or is he as alone in this world like I am?
“Do you have any cousins, Cassie?”
“What’s a cousin?”
Guess that answers my question.
A noise at the door catches my attention. “How’s it going up here?”
The second I look at Jaxon, take in his hard, athletic body and gorgeous blue eyes, my damn ovaries contract. Jesus, no man should walk around looking that good. “Cassie was just telling me about her grandparents, and how her grandma likes to wear beads.” Unable to help myself I ask. “The in-laws you mentioned?”
He gives a curt nod, and then says, “Thanks, Rachel.” Clearly not wanting to talk about them, he steps past me, and his warm scent reaches my nostrils. “I really appreciate this.” He grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and cracks it open, and I watch carefully—too carefully—the way his muscles pull tight as he swallows. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and casually says, “I’m making spaghetti for supper. You can stay if you like.”
“Thanks, but I have to hit the books before I go to work. I’m going to toss a load of laundry in the washer for you, then take off. I can come back tomorrow and do the floors and whatever else needs to be done. On my nights off, I can even prepare dinner for you both, too. I’m a pretty good cook.”
“Then I might take you up on that, because my only specialty is spaghetti and it comes from a jar.”
“I like spaghetti, Daddy.”
“I know you do, honey.”
Grinning, I set the dishtowel down, and make my way to the laundry basket. Once I get the load of laundry going, I peek into the kitchen. “See you both tomorrow.”
Jaxon’s eyes lift, and when he directs those bedroom blues at me, it’s possible to forget every sane thought. “I look forward to it,” he says.
I look forward to it.
Oh, God, so do I and I really wish that wasn’t the case. I give a finger wave to Cassie and take off like the hounds of hell are chasing me. I hurry home, grab a quick sandwich, study for a bit, then head into work. The pizza shop is just around the corner so it’s a quick walk.
Many hours later, after a long night of marinara sauce and pepperoni, I head home, but as I walk toward my place, I can hear the music. I groan. The damn sorority party is in full swing this time of night. Jesus, I wish I could afford my own place.
Head down, I step inside and hurry upstairs. I knock on the bathroom door, desperate for a shower, only to be answered with giggles. Great. I stomp down the hall, go into my room and slam the door shut. I toss my purse on the bed, and flop down beside it.
Just then my phone pings, and I grab it, but when I see who the text is from, I jackknife up, my heart climbing into my throat.
Hey.
Should I answer? Maybe this is the text Jaxon had been meaning to send me all day, to exchange contact information, and he’s not looking for a response. I touch my screen, and run my fingers over that one word and a warm shiver I don’t want to feel travels through my blood. I slowly climb from my bed, and inch forward to see if he’s in his bedroom. When I catch him standing at his window, staring directly into mine, my nerves fires.
OMFG.
I inch back, and my phone pings again. You there?
I run my thumbs over the screen. Yes, just getting in from work.
I know.
My pulse jumps. How did he know? Was he waiting up for me? Wait, maybe he needed his bathroom cleaned right away or something. I did tell him anything he needed, right? But seriously what could he possibly need from me at midnight?
Sex.
Shit, don’t go there, Rachel.
Saw you coming home. Kind of noisy over there.
Worry zings through me. Are they keeping you awake?
No, I’m a night owl, and Cassie’s room is on the other side of the house. She’s asleep.
I exhale a measure of relief. I don’t want him calling the cops and bringing attention to us…to me.
I wish I could say the same. I’m never going to get any sleep.
Come to the window.
Oh, shit.
Still dressed in my ugly brown work uniform with sauce in my hair, I slowly walk to the window. My heart crashes against my ribcage as he comes into view.
I watch him as he texts me. Open it.
I slowly slide the pane up, and give a stupid wave. “Hi,” I say, feeling far too breathless when I see him standing there in nothing but his jeans.
“Hi,” he returns, and leans toward me a bit, his body lighting up beneath the big full moon.
I run my hand through my hair, painfully aware of the state I’m in. “Excuse the mess of me.” I give a nervous laugh. “I…work…Pizza Villa.” I roll my eyes. “I seriously need to find another job.”
He grins, and my blood rushes. “You look great.”
He thinks I look great!
“Yeah, well you’re only saying that because you can’t really see me in this light, and be thankful you’re not in the same room. I smell like pepperoni.”
His laugh is low, rough, like a woolen blanket being slid across my nipples. “I like pepperoni.”
“Maybe I should bottle it, use it for perfume.”
What the hell am I saying?
“Guys would go crazy.” He laughs. “We could call it Meat.”
“I think we’re on to something.”
He gestures with a nod behind him. “You want to come over until the noise dies down?”
“Oh, did you need me to clean for you? Pack Cassie’s lunch?”
“No, tomorrow is Saturday. She doesn’t have school. I thought, well, since I can’t sleep and you’re not going to get any sleep with that noise, that maybe we could watch a movie or something.”
Or something…
“I…uh…been waiting to get a shower. I wanted to get out of these clothes right away, but the door is locked and when I knocked all I heard were giggles. I don’t even want to know what’s going on in there.”
He soft chuckles curls through me and settles deep between my legs. “Sex in the bathroom at a sorority party. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
As soon as the word ‘expect’ leaves his mouth, every dirty little thing my roommates said earlier comes rushing back in a whoosh.
“… expecting you to bend over the coffee table for him.”
“…expecting you to get down on your knees and take him deep.”
I swallow. Hard.
“You can shower over here, if you want. I even have clean towels, thanks to you.”
I visualize myself in his shower, and picture the curtain sliding open and Jaxon joining me, soaping my body with those big hands and then carrying me to his bed, where he does the most delicious things to the needy juncture between my legs.
Yes, please…
But I shouldn’t get involved with my neighbor. I’m trying to keep a low profile, and he’s the kind of man that draws lots of attention. And not only do I have school to concentrate on—he’s a sexy distraction I don’t need—I don’t know him. He could end up turning out to be crazy like my ex. I’m just getting settled in here, and would hate to have to find another place to live if he turns into a crazy stalker because we got intimate.
Then another thought hits. Maybe, I’m making too much of this. Maybe he’s just being friendly, and doesn’t have sex on the brain like I do. But what if he does…
Say no, Rachel.
Say no, and go to
bed with sauce in your hair.
“So what do you say?” he asks.
“Yes.”
Dammit.
4
Jaxon
Jaxon
What the fuck am I doing?
Inviting my sexy neighbor over to my house is one thing, but offering up the use of my shower, well, that’s something else entirely—something stupid. Why the fuck am I pushing to spend more time with her? What we have is a business arrangement, and Cassie doesn’t need someone in her life who might up and run at a moment’s notice. Besides that, how the hell am I going to keep my dick soft, and my hands to myself knowing she’s in there naked, running my soap all over her lush body? I might not have had a woman beneath me in a long time, but the truth is, until now, none had ever made me so painfully aware of my abstinence.
What the fuck is it about the sorority girl next door that’s gotten under my skin, invaded my thoughts? I’m a father, for Christ’s sake—at least seven years her senior—trying to raise a child alone. I’m overprotective of my little girl. A dutiful dad who is careful who he brings into her life.
But you’re still a man.
The soft knock on my front door drags my thoughts back. I pad quietly across the room and try to pull off casual when I open it, but seeing Rachel standing there on the stoop, her clothes stained from work, her cheeks a sexy shade of pink, and some kind of red sauce in her hair, it’s all I can do not to drag her to me, and kiss those full lips until she’s gasping for breath. I suck in air, expecting the smell of pepperoni to tame my cock, but what I get instead is peaches. Goddammit, she still smells like sweet peaches, and it’s fucking with me, hard.
“Hi,” she says, her voice low, as she gives me another one of those awkward, nervous waves that kind of turns me on.
Yeah, I know. There’s something seriously fucking wrong with me.
I open the door and wave her in. “Want a drink first, or do you want to get out of those clothes right away?”
“What?” she asks her eyes wide as her hand tightens on the edge of the doorframe.
“You said you wanted out of your clothes right away, so I was wondering if you wanted a drink or did you want to get right into the shower.” I take in the tension in her body as she lets go of the doorframe and straightens.
She nods fast, and her ponytail bounces. “Right.”
“What did you think I meant?”
“Shower,” she says quickly. “You wanted to know if I wanted to shower right away.” As she rambles, I’m not so sure that’s what she thought at all. From the way her chest is heaving, to the heat in her eyes—not to mention the tension arcing between us—I’m beginning to believe she wants me as much as I want her.
So, what am I going to do about that?
Nothing.
Zilch.
Zero.
We both agreed this was a business deal, and there are many reasons I have to leave it at that.
“So what is it?” I ask, and rake my hand through my hair. Her gaze follows the movement, then drops to my chest. “Rachel?” I ask.
She tears her gaze away. “I think I’d like to get cleaned up.”
“Sure. Follow me.”
She stays close as I lead her down the hall. I lower my voice. “That’s Cassie’s room, the spare room is beside her.” I jerk my finger to the right. “I’m over here, and right at the end you’ll find the bathroom.” I step to the side so she can go by me. “You’ll find towels in the cabinet.”
“Thanks, Jaxon,” she says quietly. “I really appreciate this.”
“Not a problem.”
I stand there until the bathroom door closes. I hear her fumble around for a moment, then I realize what she’s doing.
“There’s no lock,” I say. “I took it off years ago when Cassie accidently locked herself inside.
“Oh, okay.”’
I listen for a moment, hear the rustle of clothing, then exhale painfully as I try not to picture her getting undressed, climbing into my shower—the same shower I jerked off in after I dropped her off at school.
Motherfucker.
Despite the heat inside my place, I go to my room and tug on a t-shirt, then plop down onto the sofa. My mind is racing as I flick through the stations, unable to keep my focus on anything other than Rachel naked in my shower. I reach down and adjust my cock in my jeans, and listen to the water run.
Ten minutes pass, and I’m so damn restless I jump up and go to my tidy kitchen. I stare into the fridge, memorize the contents, then grab a beer. Shit, I wish I had wine on hand to offer her. There hasn’t been a bottle in the fridge in years, not since my ex took off. I make a mental note to find out what Rachel likes and pick some up. As I take a pull from the bottle, I walk down the hall, listen outside the bathroom door for a second.
I’m about to turn when I hear a loud shriek. Shit.
“Jaxon,” she cries out and I reach for the doorknob, but stop myself before opening it. “Oh, my God,” she yells. “The cold water tap broke off, and I can’t get it turned off.”
Fuck, I meant to tell her it was loose.
“I’m coming in,” I say. I open the door and avert my eyes. I grab a towel and hold it up. “Here, climb out. I’m not looking.”
She jumps from the shower and her teeth are chattering as she wraps herself in the towel. I step around her, grab the broken handle and screw it back on, getting soaked in the process. After a few good twists, I manage to get the water turned off. Christ, this place is falling apart around me. Between Cassie and work, I’ve had little time to get everything fixed. Maybe I needed help more than I realized.
“I need to get this replaced.” I turn back to her, and her eyes are wide as she stands there staring at me, her body shivering. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I never even thought to tell you.”
Yeah, because all I could think about was her naked.
“It’s okay….” she says and shivers some more.
“Come here.” Without thinking I pull her into my arms, and run my hands up and down her back to create heat with friction. Only problem is, I’m suddenly aware that I have a naked Rachel pressed against me, and she’s quivering all right, but now I’m not so sure it’s because she’s chilled. “Better?” I ask and step back.
“Yes, thanks. And the shower was great until I tried to turn the tap off. I used your soap. I hope you don’t mind.” She brings her arm to her nose. “I smell like you now. I mean not that I know what you smell like. Oh, and you’re not going to believe this.” She gives a nervous laugh and rolls her eyes. “I didn’t even bring any clean clothes with me. I think all that music and the partying distracted me.”
Walk away dude.
“It’s okay, you can borrow something of mine.”
Don’t go down that road, Jaxon. Seeing her in your clothes will be a total mind fuck.
“Oh, are you sure you don’t mind?” she asks and pushes a wet strand of hair from her face.
“No,” I say and take a small step toward her, until our bodies are almost touching again. Her breathing changes, becomes faster. “They’ll be a little big on you.”
She gives a breathy laugh. “I can’t believe I forgot clean clothes.”
“I probably would have forgotten too. Been a bit distracted myself.”
“The music?”
“No.”
“What then?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Once I start down this road, there will be no turning back, but fuck, I can’t seem to help myself around her. “You,” I say, and run a wet strand of hair between my fingers. “I’m distracted by you, Rachel.”
“Oh,” she says breathlessly, her towel slipping a bit. She grabs it, holds the knot in her hand, and I cup her cheek.
“When I saw you come home, moving around inside your bedroom, all I could think about was tasting you, feeling you beneath me.” I give her a nudge and she starts walking backward as I guide her out of the bathroom and into my room. “I spend way too much ti
me at that window waiting to get a glimpse.”
“Oh,” she says again, and wets her bottom lip likes she preparing it for my mouth.
Bodies in sync, like we’ve been doing this dance for years, she matches my steps, until we’re in my bedroom.
“To be honest, I’ve been distracted by you for a long time. I’ve wanted you since you first moved in and I saw you moving around your room.”
She glances around, her gaze lingering on my window—the one that looks directly into her room—then she looks at my bed.
“Since we’re being honest, I…uh…don’t think it was just the music that distracted me, Jaxon.”
“No?”
“No, I think it had more to do with you coming to your window shirtless. You can’t keep walking around like that. It’s turning my roommates into dim-witted moths.”
I chuckle, and give a little tug on her wet hair until her mouth is open. I put my lips close to her ear, breathe her in. “And you, Rachel. What’s it doing to you?”
“Dim-witted moth,” she says, and when I laugh against her ear, she quivers against me.
“So, this distraction. What do you think we should do about it?” I ask.
“Well, I think there is only one thing we can do. Otherwise we’re going to be doing stupid things, like forgetting our clothes.”
“Or hanging out at our window all day.”
“Exactly.”
“So one thing, huh?” I nudge her, until her knees hit the edge of my bed. “Like sleep together?”
“Yeah, like a no-strings, one-night affair to help get our heads on straight.”
“That’s very logical thinking.”
“I am going to be a lawyer, you know.” She taps her head. “Logic is a necessary skill.”
Jesus Christ, there is nothing logical in what we were doing, and we both damn well know it. But that isn’t stopping either of us, obviously. And honest to fuck, if she wants me to stop, I will, but it’s going to have to be soon, before we go too far down this road.