Dad: Call me when you get a chance.
Dad: I love you, Cammie, even if you choose to ignore me.
I took a deep breath and felt a little guilty, but not enough to text him back. I clicked my phone shut and slid it into my back pocket. I lifted my head and watched JoJo prance around her store, setting all of her merchandise on the highest shelves possible.
The hurricane was coming tomorrow, and I had to get home soon to start preparing. I’d been through hurricanes before, so I knew the protocol. Board up my windows, get things off the floor, gather candles and flashlights, store up extra food, etc.
I wondered if Luke was doing the same to his house. Would he even be at his house? I wanted to invite him over to my place, I really did. I wanted to ride the storm out with him (or on him…whatever), but I knew it was a terrible idea. If I got another taste of that man I’d be a dead girl walkin’, even more so than I am now.
“Are you sure you want to stay here? You can come to Ryan’s parents’ with us. You know they love you just as much as they love me.” JoJo smiled her warm, bright smile at me, but I wanted to stay home for more than one reason.
“I’m sure. You go and spend time with your future in-laws. I’ll be fine.”
She slumped her shoulders. “Fine. But call Ryan if you need any help with getting the house ready. We’re not leaving until tonight.”
“Okay, I will.” I started to walk out of her store only to hear her call my name.
“Love you! Call me when you can so I know you’re okay. And…” she grinned, “Even though we’re pretending that you aren’t going to end up with Luke tonight, use protection!” She laughed hard at herself and I scowled, hiding my own laughter. It was truly amazing how well I could lie to myself.
You know, I was pretty damn independent. I mean, let’s face it, I was twenty-five and I lived alone without a man. Even when I dated Grant, he wasn’t much of a handyman or dependable in any other sense…but nailing these fucking boards up on my windows was hella hard. I’d hit my thumb three times…in a row, might I add, and even though it was the middle of autumn, I was sweating like a whore in church!
My arm casually wiped my forehead, soaking it with my salty moisture, and down went my hammer...onto the grass below my ladder. Shit!
Yep, that’s right. Here I was, standing on my ladder, nailing boards onto the last three windows of my house, too stubborn to go over and ask Luke for help. I saw him in his kitchen window, but I played it off well. Only tripped once while climbing the rails.
“Need this?”
I whipped my head up from resting it against my ladder and yelled in surprise. I eyed Luke in his flannel shirt, rolled up on his forearms. Jesus, he looked freaking amazing with his tousled hair and wicked grin.
“Why do you insist on sneaking around? You’re like the big bad wolf who spies on the little piglets, ready to pounce at any given second. It’s creepy. Stop.” I rolled my eyes as his smile grew even larger. His teeth were so bright in between his lips, and they were so straight. Perfection, I tell ya.
He chuckled, “What is it with you and name-calling? First, I’m a pig, and now I’m the big bad wolf?” His laugh echoed through the air and then I heard a few snickers from behind him.
I held onto the ladder and peeked around Luke’s body, only to see a few of his friends that I recognized from the ball. I think their names were Dumbo 1 and Dumbo 2.
I ignored his question and snatched the hammer out of his hand.
“So, Doc, what does that make you?”
I exhaled, “What?”
He lowered his voice, moving closer to the ladder. “Well, if I’m the big bad wolf, does that make you one of the little pigs?” I peered down at him, eyebrows risen. “Are you afraid I’m going to eat you, little piggy?”
I gave him a puzzled look. “You are so dumb.” I grabbed a nail and went to hammer it into the plank board.
“You know…I’d love to have another taste of you.”
I hammered the fuck out of that nail, drowning out Luke’s chuckles and the burning desire between my legs. He’d already had a small taste of me, and him talking like that…it only made me want him more. I wanted him to taste me again. For a brief moment, while focusing on the hammering of the nail, I pictured his head between my legs, licking and sucking, tasting every bit of me.
Whew!
“I’m going inside to get a drink,” I said, climbing down the ladder. I left my hammer and other materials on top, planning to come back with a clear head.
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Because these idiots have been staring at your ass in those tight jeans while you work that hammer for the past ten minutes. It’s basically every man’s wet dream, Cammie.”