Everything I Never Wanted

by K. Street

  “Whatcha doin’?”

  The sound of Shayne’s voice made me jump.

  “Shayne, you scared the crap out of me.” I pressed a hand over my heart.

  “Oh, you said crap,” she singsonged and covered her mouth. Her long brown hair was in low pigtails, Tucker’s ball cap perched backward on her head. She wore a black tank top, which had white powder on it, and a pair of pink shorts with pineapples on them.

  “Sorry,” I said, though I was sure she’d heard worse.

  “I’m just kidding. Crap isn’t really a bad word. At least you didn’t say shit.”

  I was so stunned that I could only laugh. “I was worried there for a minute.” She wasn’t my kid, which meant it wasn’t my place to correct her. “Hey, Shayne, did you have powdered doughnuts for breakfast?”

  “Yep. Why are you sitting here?” She waved her index finger between me and the steering wheel. “Are you sad?”

  “A little. I think Lucille is broken.”

  “Oh no! That’s horrible. Um, who’s Lucille again?”

  “My car.”

  “You named your car? I thought only boys did that.”

  “Yes, Lucille is my car, and I’m pretty sure she’s broken.”

  “I’m sorry, but don’t be sad. I bet my daddy can fix it.”

  Just then, Tucker’s voice came across the lawn. “Shayne!”

  “Over here, Daddy.” She frantically waved her arm.

  “Watch out, sweet girl. I’m going to open the door.”

  Shayne moved, and I got out of the car.

  Tucker came to a stop in front of us. “Good morning, Camryn.” He folded his arms over his broad chest. The black T-shirt he wore pulled taut over his muscled arms.

  It should be illegal to look that damn good.

  “‘Morning, Tucker.”

  He directed his attention to Shayne. “I thought you were supposed to be watching cartoons while I was in the shower.”

  “I was, but then I got bored, and I asked you if I could come outside to play on the porch. You said yes really loud through the bathroom door.”

  Tucker tilted his head skyward and muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was embarrassed.

  He scuffed a hand over his face and then knelt to get on Shayne’s level. “Bug, next time, just wait until I get out of the shower. You aren’t allowed to go outside by yourself. You’re only five.”

  “But I’m almost six, and I wasn’t by myself.” She pointed a finger at me.

  My teeth bit into my lip to hide the grin that threatened to escape. I was pretty sure she had a bright future as a criminal defense attorney. One who specialized in getting her clients off on technicalities.

  “That’s not the point, Shayne. Never again. Do you understand?” His tone was firm, but he didn’t raise his voice.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy.” She tightly hugged him and then pulled back to see his face. “Lucille is broken.”

  He looked at her, puzzled. “Who’s Lucille?”

  “Camryn’s car. And guess what else? Camryn is a witch.”

  “Shayne, that’s not nice.”

  “I don’t mean it in a bad way. I just mean, she’s magic. She knew I had powdered doughnuts for breakfast.”

  Tucker laughed, and I joined in.

  “That’s because you have the powder all over your shirt,” I told her.

  “Aw, man. I was hoping you were really magic.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, kiddo.”

  “That’s all right.”

  Tucker rose to his full height and met my eyes. “Car trouble again? Ever think about getting a new one?”

  His words struck a nerve. He had no way of knowing how much my car meant to me. To some, it didn’t seem like a lot, but to me, Lucille was everything. Something in my expression must’ve made Tucker aware there was more to it than that.

  He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m just giving you a hard time.” He squeezed gently and then dropped his hand. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “It needs a tune-up, and I’ve been putting it off. It won’t start, and I’m pretty sure it isn’t the battery this time.” Not that I needed to remind him of that.

  “I’ll have a look. Pop the hood.”

  “See? I told you Daddy could fix it,” Shayne chimed in.

  “Tucker, you don’t have to do that. I can have it towed to the shop.”

  Tucker’s eyes met mine for a brief second. Then, he stepped around me, leaned in close, and whispered, “Let me help you.” His warm breath danced across my skin. He was too close and not close enough.

  Without waiting for permission, he opened my car door and pulled the hood release. Then, he turned the key that was still in the ignition.

  Shayne’s hands went to her ears when the car tried to kick over. “Yep, she’s broken.”

  Tucker turned the ignition off and walked around to the front of the car. He unlatched the hood and peered inside the engine compartment. “I’m going to go grab some tools from the house. I’ll be right back.” He looked at Shayne. “Are you going to hang with Camryn for a second or come with me?”

  She glanced up at me. “Can I hang with you?”

  “You sure can, sweet girl.”

  Shayne and I entertained ourselves by telling knock-knock jokes until Tucker returned a few minutes later, carrying a toolbox.

  “I’m positive it’s your alternator, but I’m going to check to be sure.” He set the metal box on the ground.

  I knew alternators weren’t cheap, but it could be a lot worse. “Thanks for doing this, Tucker. I appreciate it.”

  “It’s no problem.” He wiped sweat from his brow and then looked at Shayne. “Hey, Doodlebug, you want to help?”

  “I get to be your assistant?” She punched a fist into the air and brought her arm down. “Yes.”

  “Okay, grab the voltage meter from the toolbox.”

  Shayne flipped the metal latch and opened the lid. It made a clanking sound when it smacked the concrete. “Here, Daddy.” She held up the plastic rectangle and placed it in Tucker’s palm.

  I couldn’t hide my surprise. “Wow. She really knows her stuff.”

  “Daddy teaches me a lot about cars,” she proudly declared.

  “I can see that. My dad taught me about cars, too.”

  Tucker looked up from his task and raised a questioning brow.

  “I know how to change a tire, and I can even change the oil,” I imitated Shayne’s tone.

  “Impressive.” He wrapped the wire back around the meter box. “Here, Bug, put this back, please.”

  He gave it to her, and she did as she had been asked.

  Then, Shayne busied herself, playing on the lawn and attempting cartwheels.

  Tucker grazed my arm to get my attention. The split second of contact caused goose bumps to rise on my skin.

  “You need a new alternator. It’s not charging the battery; that’s why it won’t start.”

  Mentally, I recalled the balance of my bank account and how much cash I had on hand. “Any idea how much that’s going to run?” I tried to keep the concern from my voice. Lucille needed more than an alternator, and I was well aware of it.

  “You need new spark plugs and wires, too. Ballpark? About three hundred.”

  That was doable.

  “All right, I’ll see about getting it towed to your garage.”

  “Why would you do that? I’ll just run into town for the parts and fix it here.”

  “Tucker, I can’t let you do that.”

  He folded those glorious arms across his chest. “Why not?”

  “Because it makes me feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

  “You’re not.” He took a step forward, getting in my personal space. “I offered. Besides, I’m not sure when my guys could get to it. We’ve been slammed this past week. I’m off today, which means I can fix it here. It’ll take a few hours, but you’ll have
your car for work on Monday.”

  “Are you sure? You really don’t have to do this.”

  “I know I don’t have to. And, yes, I’m sure. I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.”

  “All right, but you have to let me pay you.”

  “Not happening.”

  Arguing with him had proven to be pointless so far, but I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

  “Tucker, if you’re going to spend practically an entire day working on my car and you refuse to let me pay you … at least let me make dinner for you and Shayne.”

  He looked thoughtful for a minute, as though considering it. “Well … that depends.”

  “On?”

  “Can you cook?”

  “Of course I can cook.” I laughed.

  “A woman who can change her own oil and cook? Damn.” He raised a brow. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  11

  Tucker

  Camryn’s laughter hit my ears and sent a jolt to my cock. And that smile? It took my fucking breath away. Every time I was in her presence, I wanted more.

  An errant strand of hair escaped her ponytail and blew across her face. Without a second thought, I reached for it and tucked it behind her ear. For a brief second, she leaned into my palm, and my touch lingered for an instant longer than was appropriate. I was headed into dangerous territory.

  I dropped my hand, and we stared at each other for several beats. Camryn’s tongue darted out, licking her perfect pink bottom lip. My dick was already halfway hard, and after that little move right there, it took every ounce of restraint I had to keep from bending her over the hood of her car. Except I couldn’t do that for several reasons, not the least of them being that my daughter was feet away, playing in the grass.

  “All right, I need to get to work on this.”

  “I should go change clothes. I’ll be right back,” Camryn said.

  A better man would have turned his attention to the task at hand. My eyes stayed glued to her as she walked inside. She had on this little dress-looking thing over her swimsuit that hit about an inch below her ass cheeks. Damn.

  When she closed the door, I glanced over to Shayne and then got to work on the alternator.

  A few minutes later, Camryn returned with three red plastic cups. “Here, I brought you some lemonade.”

  She held out the cup, and I nodded my thanks. She’d changed into a pair of shorts and a V-neck tank top that pulled my eyes straight to the valley between her tits.

  “I’m going to hang out with your kid.”

  I watched as she walked over to Shayne, offering her one of the cups. She said something to Shayne that I couldn’t quite make out. Camryn set her drink on the ground, and the next thing I knew, she was taking off at a run. She completed a perfect cartwheel, flung herself into the air, and landed on her feet. It was sexy as hell.

  And that dangerous territory? I was already fucking there.

  12

  Camryn

  I closed the door behind me and leaned against it.

  Tucker and Shayne had just left to head into town for parts. I’d given him the cash I had on hand, which should cover the costs. He’d invited me to go along, but I’d told him I wanted to start dinner. He had given me a strange look, but the truth was, I needed a few minutes alone to pull my shit together.

  Tucker Jaxson ignited all my nerve endings. Not only was he gorgeous, but also the way he was with his daughter only made him that much more attractive. If I didn’t put a little bit of space between us, I was convinced I’d spontaneously combust.

  I moved away from the door and went into the kitchen to start prepping the spaghetti sauce. Nonna had taught me to make it when I was younger. I’d been feeling nostalgic earlier this week when I went to the market, so I’d picked up the ingredients to make a few of her recipes. She was the closest thing I’d had to a mom since mine had left around my third birthday. Nonna had passed a few years ago, but making her dishes always made me feel close to her.

  After I gathered the makings to prep the sauce, I lost myself in the mundane tasks of chopping, grating, dicing, and sautéing. The kitchen filled with the enticing aroma of the flavors marrying together, the scent so familiar that I felt like a little girl again. I put the remaining ingredients in and then transferred the sauce to the Crock-Pot.

  Before I had a chance to start the rest of the chores I’d let slide this week, my phone alerted me to a new email. I wiped my hands and grabbed my cell off the counter.

  To: Camryn

  From: Grayson

  Re: Subject: New contact info

  Hey, gorgeous. Congrats on the new job. It’s been a few weeks. Hope all is well. Does your new place have an extra bedroom? I’m thinking about coming back to the States soon. I’ll be in touch.

  Lots of love,

  G

  I typed out a quick reply.

  To: Grayson

  From: Camryn

  Re: Re: Subject: New contact info

  Tired of Europe already? I always have room for you. Come visit me.

  Miss you,

  C

  Grayson was the one friendship I’d made that stuck, and even though it’d been a couple of years since we’d seen each other, we’d remained close despite the distance. A visit was long overdue, and I hoped like hell it would happen soon.

  I set my phone on the counter and went to deal with the laundry. I just finished putting it away when a knock sounded on the door. I went to answer it and found Tucker and Shayne on the other side. His arms were weighted down with bags.

  “What’s all this? Is there more? Do you need help?” I opened the door wide and stood out of the way to allow them to enter.

  “I picked up lunch on the way back. I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I stopped at our favorite Chinese place and got a little bit of everything.” He walked into my kitchen with Shayne on his heels.

  “Thanks. I haven’t had good Chinese food in forever.” I went to the cabinet, grabbed paper plates, and set them on the island.

  Tucker emptied the bags, placing the assorted takeout containers on the counter.

  “Something smells yummy,” Shayne said.

  “It’s the homemade spaghetti sauce.”

  “I love spaghetti.”

  I looked at Tucker. “What do you want to drink? I have lemonade, water, sweet tea, and beer.”

  Shayne chewed on the end of her straw. “Daddy already bought me a drink.”

  “I see that.” I smiled at her and turned to Tucker.

  “Beer would be great.”

  I grabbed two beers from the fridge, opened them, and passed one to Tucker. I watched his Adam’s apple bob while he chugged half of it. I’d love to trace my tongue over his stubble. Feel the roughness against my lips. Tucker’s heated gaze landed on mine, as though he could read my thoughts. He pulled the bottle from his mouth and smirked at me. He was sexy, and he damn well knew exactly what he did to me. My face flushed because I’d been caught checking him out. To hide my embarrassment, I turned away to focus my attention on Shayne.

  She stood by one of the barstools at the island.

  “Do you need some help, or can you climb up by yourself?”

  “I can do it,” she said. Her drink wobbled as she stretched to set it on the countertop. She tugged at the stool and nearly sent it toppling over.

  “Here, let me pull it out for you.”

  She used the support bar on the bottom to boost herself up, and then she squirmed her way onto the seat. I carefully watched her, ready to catch her if I needed to. It took her a minute, but she finally righted herself, and I scooted her stool up to the ledge.

  While I was helping her get seated, Tucker made Shayne a plate of white rice and sweet and sour chicken. He reached for a pair of chopsticks that were banded at the top and laid them on the edge of her plate. Cautiously, he set it in front of her before filling another dish with food. He wasn’t kidding when he’d said he ordered a little bit of everything.
He passed the plate to me before he served himself.

  My eyes were fixed on him.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You made my plate.” The surprise was evident in my voice.

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just … nothing. Never mind. Um … thank you.”

  Tucker was considerate. It wasn’t something I was accustomed to, and he probably thought I was insane. I sat next to Shayne and opened my chopsticks.

  “You’re welcome.” Tucker sat on the other side of his daughter.

  “Daddy, can I have my fortune cookie?”

  “You have to eat first.”

  “Okay.” She used the chopsticks like a sword, speared her chicken, and ate it.

  I couldn’t help the smile that spread over my face. “Do you want a fork?” I asked her.

  “No, thank you. I’m resourceful.”

  “How are you going to eat your rice though?”

  “Like this,” she said. Her small fingers moved the sticks, and she scooped rice into her mouth. “See,” she said, her mouth full.

  “Bug, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Tucker chided.

  “You are resourceful. That’s a big word for such a little girl,” I told her.

  “I know lots of big words.”

  “What’s your favorite?”

  She looked thoughtful. “Exasperating.”

  “That’s a good one,” I told her.

  “Yep. Daddy says it all the time. He says, ‘Bug, sometimes, you’re exasperating.’” She dropped her voice low to mimic her father’s, and we all busted out laughing.

  Tucker ruffled Shayne’s hair. “You’re the best, Bug.”

  “So are you, Daddy.”

  I swooned so damn hard. The more scenes like this I witnessed made me realize it would only be a matter of time before I lost my heart. The thought terrified me.

  We finished eating, and Tucker was the first one to get up. “I’m going to get to work. It’s pretty hot out. Do you mind if she hangs in here with you?”