“So you really are a recluse up here.”
“I guess.”
“Don’t you get lonely?” she asked.
I could see her eyes raking up and down my body as I leaned against the counter.
“Not as lonely as you would think,” I said.
“Now that I’m here?” she asked, a slight teasing tone in her voice.
She looked up at me from underneath those long lashes of hers, and I heard my blood pulsing in my ears. I could feel my cock growing with every word that fell from her lips. I was just beginning to notice the outfit she had on. The low-cut shirt with her tits hiked up. Her dark-wash jeans that clung to her legs. The dangling earrings that accentuated the length of her neck.
I took a step back from her before I cleared my throat.
“Speaking of you being here, how’s the state of that cabin of yours?” I asked.
I saw Amanda’s face drop, and I tried not to let it make me feel guilty. I couldn't get wrapped up in her. I couldn't allow my surging urges to fuck anything up. She was a stranger and a young woman who didn’t know where she was going or what the hell she was doing with her life. I already had one child I needed to raise. I didn’t need two.
“It’s rough,” she said as she hopped down from the counter. “I’ll have to go into town this week and talk with some people about it.”
“You thinking about repairing it?” I asked.
“I could do some of the topical repairs, but there are bigger issues that need to be addressed.”
“You got the money to pull off something like that?”
I saw her shoulders stiffen and I began to regret even asking the question.
“I have my savings and a bit of inheritance money. The cabin means a lot to me, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
“You said it was your childhood home?” I asked.
“Yep,” she said.
I could tell by the tone of her voice that I’d hit a sore spot, so I dropped the topic and moved on.
“What kind of repairs does it need?” I asked.
“Lots,” she said. “The staircase, obviously. The porch. The kitchen needs to be updated. I haven’t even gone upstairs yet because I’m afraid to walk the rest of the way up, but I’m sure it needs some shit done to it. Thankfully, the pipes and the electrical wiring don’t seem to be bad.”
“That’s good,” I said.
“I need to find someone I trust with the repairs,” she said. “I won’t let just anyone in that house to work on it.”
“Understandable.”
“And I’ll have to figure it out soon because the longer the cabin sits like that, the worse it’ll get.”
“I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” I said.
I could see Amanda eyeing the door before she turned her gaze back toward me.
“Well, thanks for dinner,” she said.
“I didn’t cook, so thank you for dinner,” I said.
“It was nothing. An easy soup. I hope you and Lanie enjoy it.”