After what felt like an hour of restraint, but was probably only fifteen minutes, I stood to head to the house.
“Be safe out here,” I said looking down at her. My eyes had adjusted to the dark, and I could easily make out her form laying there. “Goodnight, Emmy.”
“Goodnight, Luke,” she replied lazily as though she were so relaxed she was already half asleep. It was a soothing, beautiful sound.
I walked away, leaving her to the night.
Chapter Eight
Emerson
It was the first time I’d heard my name spill from his lips and something about it sent tingles through every nerve in my body. I laid out in the cool night for another hour trying to read, but honestly, I wasn't getting much accomplished. I was thinking about him.
After reading the same paragraph three times, I dropped my tablet to my chest and let my thoughts wander. I thought back over the list of men I had dated in the past. Most of them were what my granddad would call city boys—sophisticated, aware of their appearance, and didn't treat me like someone who needed a man to help her with everything. But my thoughts kept going back to one thing: in hindsight, they really weren’t all that considerate. Luke wasn’t like them at all. He always offered to help, never asking for anything in return, so why was I being so cold toward him? I kept telling myself he wasn’t concerned with the environment and that his profession was in direct opposition of mine, but deep down, I had known better since Ryan’s grandmother told me Luke uses the scraps from their lumber yard for his projects.
And if I was honest with myself, I liked that he was always trying to be helpful and kind. Granted, his schedule grated my last nerve a bit—the early morning workouts and the late-night shops noises were aggravating. Truth was, I could probably really like the guy if I wasn't mad at him all the time because I was grumpy as hell due to a screwed-up sleep schedule, but I was beginning to get used to it. I had even started running in the mornings while he was working out and chopping things in the backyard. I’m sure it didn’t help that I was frustrated my furniture had been delayed by weather and I was more than ready to sleep on my own mattress and be surrounded by my own things.
I shook my head at myself as I thought of the way I’ve acted toward the poor guy.
“He probably thinks you hate him,” I said aloud, talking to myself.
I decided to try to be a little nicer to him. After all, my grant had been approved, and that meant I was here for as long as Ryan was willing to rent to me... or until Luke bought him out. And if that happened, the decision to let me stay was his. And I wanted to stay. I liked it. It was surrounded by miles of forest, it was quiet—most of the time—and I had a neighbor who wasn’t a complete ass. Not to mention, every morning there was a pretty damned good view out my back window.
I smiled, thinking about the way Luke’s muscles bulged as he was swinging an ax. Then the night I stormed into his shop popped into my head. I had to catch my breath just thinking of the knot that formed in my stomach when his eyes locked on mine. I pushed the thoughts away and gathered my things to head inside. I needed a cold shower and long conversation with Rachel. She always helped me put things into perspective.
***
I came down the stairs the next morning dressed for a run. I walked out onto the porch, and to my surprise, I found Luke and Ryan stretching. I hadn’t expected to see Ryan since it wasn’t one of the mornings he was usually here.
“You gonna join us this morning?” Ryan asked as he hopped on his toes, warming up.
“I don't think so. You guys have fun.” I gave him a small smile then started walking toward the end of the driveway. When I hit the pavement, I started to jog. I had found a good trail by accident when I was driving around one day. I measured it when I left the driveway one afternoon, and it was just shy of four miles.
A couple of minutes into my run, I felt someone’s presence by me. I looked over my shoulder and jerked to a stop.
“What the hell, Ryan?” I said as I bent over, pulling the ear bud from my left ear. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“Well, you wouldn't join us, so we joined you,” he smiled. It was easy to see why he was so popular. Aside from being crazy attractive, he oozed charm, and his washboard abs didn't hurt either. I looked up and saw Luke still running, creating distance between us that grew with every step. I watched the muscles in his back ripple as he ran.
“He’s really a nice guy, ya know,” Ryan pulled my attention back to him.
“I know.” I nodded then started running again.
“Then why are you so standoffish toward him all the time?”
I didn't want to talk, I wanted to run... alone.
“I'm not.” I said trying to put my ear bud back in my ear. I wanted him to stop talking to me, and I didn't know any other way to make that happen other than to try to run ahead of him. He passed me with ease and then slowed so that we were in step again. He tapped me on the shoulder, and I finally just stopped, looking up at him.
“What?” I put my hands on my hips.
“Do you carry mace with you when you run or go out into the woods? Luke told me you venture out there alone all the time.”
“I do, now can I finish my run?”
“I would just hate to see you get hurt by something out there.”
“I can take care of myself, Ryan, I promise,” I snapped.
“Well, okay then. Sorry for trying to care about you. Jesus, can any of us get a break? You know... this is why Luke thinks you don’t like him. You have to understand something, Emmy,” he said with a kind tone. “We’re a small community that takes care of our own, and since you live here now, you have become a part of it. It isn't about you not being able to do things; it's about not having to do it alone. Think about that next time someone offers you help.”
He offered a smile that I didn’t deserve and then took off running, catching up to Luke who was pretty far ahead of me in no time. I felt small and a little ashamed of myself. I had been fighting something that I didn't need to fight. I understood what he was saying, but I had always just done things for myself.
I finished my run, thinking about what Ryan had said. When I made it back to the house, I walked the long driveway trying to figure out a way to apologize to Ryan and Luke, but they weren’t there. Luke’s truck was gone, so I knew they had to be driving down one of the roads on the property. They would have passed me on the road had they headed for town, and Ryan wouldn't take his truck into the woods.
I grabbed a shower, put on a pair of pajama shorts and a t-shirt, made myself a bite to eat, and plopped on the loveseat. The sound of chainsaws echoed in the distance, and I wondered if they were practicing for the competitions Ryan and his grandmother had talked about. I wasn't exactly sure what the competitions were, but I knew a little about it based on a few conversations I’d had with Ryan.
Since I didn’t have any actual work that had to be done, I got comfortable and began reading the book I had tried to read the night before. A couple of hours in, Ryan and Luke returned. It sounded like they’d both left again in Ryan’s truck this time. I thought about trying to catch Ryan and apologize, but I decided to give it a little time and apologize later.
After a few more chapters of my book, I heard an unfamiliar truck coming down the driveway. A bigger truck. I jumped from my seat and ran to the door. The big orange logo let me know that my things were finally here. Since I didn’t want to answer the door in my PJs, I ran upstairs, pulled on a pair of jeans, and made it to the door just as the driver was about to knock.
“Miss Myers?”
“That's me.” I wanted to bounce up and down and clap, but I restrained myself.
“We can leave the truck here for two days to give you time to unload it. I can show you how to work the plank that should make things easier to unload. I'll back the trailer up as close as I can to the door.” He handed me a form, and I signed it, handing it back to him.
“Do you have someone to he
lp you?”
“I can get most of it by myself.” He looked at me and then looked back at the truck.
“Okay, then.” He turned and walked back to the truck. I pulled my phone from my pocket and quickly called the closest moving company I’d researched before the move and was informed that the soonest they could provide a couple of guys to come out would be three days from now.
I hung up and glanced next door. I could ask and he and Ryan would probably help me, but I didn't want to. I watched as the driver turned the truck around and slowly backed up until he was less than a foot from my steps. He hopped out and placed blocks at the tires, pushed some buttons, and then disengaged the truck from the trailer.
“I’ll be back early on Thursday morning to pick up the trailer. Here’s our card. If you find you need help unloading anything, let us know, and we can arrange something for Thursday when we come back to pick up the truck. Have a nice day.”
“Thank you.” I took the card and considered that hiring them to unload my furniture might be my best option.
I cut the zip tie on the latch that I had placed before they left my apartment in Maine and pushed the door up. I extended the ramp and placed it on the porch so I could walk straight across. The truck wasn't even half full, and I was having a hard time getting the placer moved. I wiggled and shimmied it, but it wouldn't budge.
“Son of a...” I mumbled.
“You need some help?” I heard from behind me. I looked over my shoulder, and Luke was standing there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His beard had been trimmed, and he had on a white button up shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows. I sucked in a breath, trying not to be obvious, but the man was beautiful.
“I—I can't get this loose,” I sighed.
He walked over to me. “Here, you have to push this in and then up.” He made easy work of the placer and moved it to the side. I saw my favorite lamp teeter and start to fall, but he turned and caught it before it crashed to the floor. He handed it to me, and I turned and walked down the ramp and took it in the house. I unhooked the spring from the door and let it drift back to the wall so I wouldn’t have to worry about the door shutting on me as I brought boxes in. When I looked up to start back to the truck, Luke had several boxes in his arms and was walking toward me.
“You don't have to help me,” I said as he looked around the boxes making sure he was on the ramp.
“I know that, but I'm here, and I’m going to help if you’ll let me,” he said, giving me a look that was both questioning and affirming.
“Well, thank you.” I smiled up at him.
He sat the boxes down and removed his button-up, revealing a white v-neck t-shirt beneath that pulled across his broad shoulders in all the right places. I forced myself to look away.
We worked for the next three hours, moving most of the stuff into the house. He must have sent a text to Ryan at some point because he came over and they moved all of my bedroom furniture upstairs and the larger pieces of furniture as well. It hadn't taken very long with the three of us working. A little less than four hours after we started, I was pulling the last of the stuff from a box in the kitchen while the guys put my sofa, the last of the furniture, against a wall in the living room.
I heard someone outside, pushing the ramp to the truck back in place, as I reached into my last kitchen box and pulled out the glass pitcher my grandmother had given me years ago. I was pushed up on my tiptoes, trying to push the pitcher onto the shelf above the stove when I felt the warmth of him behind me. Taking the pitcher, he set it on the shelf for me, pressing closer to me in the process. The closeness was alarming and settling all at once. When he stepped away, I turned to say thank you, and heat flushed through my cheeks.
He stared down at me, his body barely an inch from mine. My pulse pounded in my chest.
“I need a beer or twelve,” Ryan said, breaking the moment.
Luke quickly took a couple of steps back as Ryan entered the kitchen.
“I bought a six pack the other day,” I replied and moved toward the fridge.
“Honey, I brought my own,” he winked and smiled as he lifted a blue cooler and sat it on my kitchen table. He opened the lid and passed Luke a brown bottle then pulled out a dark green bottle for himself.
“I wasn't sure what your flavor of poison was, so I hoped you had something you liked here.”
“I actually found this at the grocery store.” I lifted the bottle and pointed at the label.
“Dead Guy, I like your taste. It's better than his,” he pointed at Luke.
“I have to drink the light stuff, calories dude,” Luke stated.
“Ohhhh, is poor Lukey afraid he is gonna put on the pounds?” Ryan teased.
“You’re just jealous because you know I’m better looking than you,” Luke jabbed back.
They made me laugh for the next hour as they took shots at each other. I let out a loud yawn covering my mouth and shaking my head.
“Ugh. That snuck up on me,” I admitted, wiping at my watering eyes.
“Let's get the bed set up so you can get some sleep,” Luke said as stood and sat his empty beer bottle on the table then turned and ran up the stairs.
“I think he’s in a hurry.” Ryan tipped his bottle back and drained it. He winked, then took off after Luke. I followed, still drinking my second beer. When I got to the doorway, Ryan had the mattress over his head and was pretending to use it as a weight set. Luke was shaking his head.
“You're going to hit the fan,” he warned and shook his head before putting the last base bar into the wood frame. He lifted the box spring easily and laid it on the frame. Ryan slid my mattress on top of it and then hopped on the bed.
“Bouncy!” He smiled as he pushed and bounced on my bed. I slapped his arm and ordered him off.
“Get out!” I said playfully.
“Fine,” he pouted and stomped jokingly out of the room.
“You want help putting the sheets and stuff on?” Luke asked.
“Nah, I’ll get it, but thank you.”
“Okay, I'll see you around.” He started toward the door.
“Luke, wait.” I took a few steps in his direction. “I really can't thank you guys enough for helping me.”
“It's what we small town folks do,” he winked and tipped his head then walked down the stairs.
I called a thank you down to Ryan and flopped on the bed with a smile thinking about Luke’s offer to help with the bed.
Chapter Nine
Luke
I have never wanted to be in a girl’s bedroom more than I wanted to be in hers, and for the first time it wasn't just about sex. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Every male fiber of my being wanted to have sex with her. I'm fairly certain every man in a thirty-mile radius wanted to have sex with her. I closed her front door, making sure I had turned the lock before I walked over to my side.
“You are in sooo much trouble,” Ryan laughed as he sat back in the chair closest to my front door, rocking on the back legs.
“You're going to break my chair,” I said and reached for the screen door handle.
“You really, really like her. I thought it was just a sexual thing, but nooooo. You seriously like her.”
“She’s nice,” I shrugged and pulled the door open, disappearing into my house.
“Dude, she likes you too.” He let the chair fall and then walked in behind me.
“I doubt that very seriously. We have had exactly two,” I held up two fingers and shoved them toward him. “Two conversations that didn't involve shouting. She isn't into me like that.”
“Did you not notice how red her face got when you asked about the sheets?” Ryan cocked his head.
I had noticed, but I didn't think it was because of me. “No, not really. I figured it was because you had made yourself at home on her bed.”
“No, she expects that shit from me,” he admitted.
“It isn't like that, so stop trying to make it like that, okay?”
“Aye, Aye, captain. Whatever you say. Just don't miss something great while you're out here trying to prove me wrong.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “Put the rest of the beer in the fridge for the weekend, okay?” He pointed to the cooler. “I’ll see ya tomorrow. Think about what I said,” he added, and then I pushed him out the door and shut it.
“Be that way!” he called out before I heard his truck start up and then slowly grumble down the driveway.
I walked to fridge with the cooler and put all of the bottles in but one. I thought about how the warmth of her body felt when I had walked up behind her to place the pitcher for her. The memory of her flinching slightly when she felt me rippled through me. Knowing that I wanted her wasn't the issue. Figuring out how to want her was.
I’ve never been the kind to flaunt my sexuality, unlike Ryan. I wanted something with substance, something real. Unfortunately, most women treated me as if I were like Ryan. You’d think after all this time, they’d realize I’m not like him at all. Over the years, I’ve slept with a few, but my numbers were not even in the same ballpark as Ryan.
My phone rang as I shut the door to the fridge. I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. Ryan.
“Hello?”
“Dude, if you don't try to figure out how to make that girl yours—” I hung up on him.
He immediately called back, and I sent it to voicemail. It rang again and again until I answered.
“Seriously man, are you a fifteen-year-old girl?” I huffed into the phone.
“Nope, but you are acting like a twelve-year-old boy who really likes a girl. The only thing you haven't done is hit her or throw rocks at her.”
“What’s your point?” I dropped into my leather chair throwing my legs up on the ottoman.
“That you’re stupid. Like really, really stupid. That girl is ripe for the picking, and you're so in your head about everything that you can’t even see it. I get the competition schedule is hard and you’re all focused and shit, and I know you’re gonna say it has caused trouble in the past, but this girl... this girl isn't the same kind of girl. She is made to compliment you. I just don't want you to miss something that may be the best thing for you, is all.”
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