Molly

TWO WEEKS LATER AND it was really feeling like summer. Well, as summery as it could for June in Washington. Despite some random rain clouds here and there, the sun had made an appearance every single day. I was spending more time outdoors, laptop in hand or a good book. The beautiful weather was conducive to my writing.

I heard some commotion over my shoulder while I was out in my Adirondack chair. Tipping my sunglasses down, I saw Blake coming over. I had no idea he’d be hauling so many tools into my backyard. There was a wet table saw, which he said was for the back splash, a stack of boxes, and a rolling tool box with an assortment of other things.

After our hardware store trip, we decided one of the ways we were going to cut costs was salvaging my current cabinets. By sanding them down and repainting, I was going to save a boat load. He’d also found a way to move them around, so I’d have an island to work with, and I’d knock out the upper cabinets.

“Hey.”

“Hey back,” he replied. He was focused on searching for something in his tool box.

I pushed my sunglasses back up the bridge of my nose. I liked that he and I had graduated to warm pleasantries. I hadn’t seen him a whole lot recently, but enough that we both said ‘hey’ and did whatever we were doing. I focused back on my screen and began typing.

“Molly, have you seen my drill bit kit?”

I paused and looked over at him again. “What’s a bit kit?”

He dropped something metal into the drawer and it made a clinking sound. Standing up and turning to look at me, he said, “Drill bit kit. And it’s a little black box that has small pieces I can attach to my drill.”

“Oh.” I shrugged. “Nope, I haven’t seen it.”

He raised a skeptical brow. “Are you sure? I could’ve sworn it was right here.”

“I don’t have the slightest idea where it is.”

“What in the hell… I know I left it in here.” He was talking to himself. “Have you heard any commotion or had anyone over?”

Now I was the one bunching my brows. “Yeah, right.” I nearly laughed. “Blake, nobody’s been over here.”

He stood for another second longer. “So strange.”

Must be because I’d never even seen what he was talking about. I didn’t know tools, so this drill kit could have gotten up and walked out right in front of me and I wouldn’t know what it was. He started his work despite his missing pieces, and I sat back and tried to wrap up another chapter. Sandra and the publishers were going to be pleased with the amount of work I’d been managing every single day. While it was customary for an author to write one to two books a year, I was somewhere in the three to four mark. When the characters were talking to me, my fingers were moving.

It was later in the evening and the sun was going down. I hadn’t eaten anything since this morning. Writing was consuming me, and until I heard my stomach gripe at me, I hadn’t realized it. I stood up and gathered my water bottle and laptop. I was going to head inside, but I stopped while holding the screen door open.

“Hey, if you haven’t eaten anything for dinner yet, I was thinking about getting some take-out.” I shifted on me feet, a little uncomfortable with my own words. “I can get you some too if you’d like.”

He stopped working and looked at me, puzzled. “Are you asking me on a date?”

Huh? “No, I’m asking if you want me to order extra so you’re not out here starving.”

“I’m pretty sure you just asked me to dinner.” He tilted his head.

I blew my hair out of my face. “It’s not dinner, just extra food.”

The side of his mouth tipped up. “It’s an extra food date.”

“Oh my God, you’re ridiculous,” I said, annoyed, but I knew what he was doing. “It’s a yes or no question, Blake.”

“Do you realize your nose crinkles when you’re flustered?”

“It does not.”

He approached me. Reaching up, he tapped right where he was referring to. “This spot.”

I looked in his dark eyes and tried my hardest to fight the little hint of desire that started to stir. I shook my head. “Yes or no.”

“Sure.” He turned on his heels, completely unfazed. He slid on a pair of safety goggles and I had no idea those ugly plastic things could look so sexy. “From where?”

“Erm.” I was distracted by his low cut jeans. “Fat Smitty’s?” I phrased as a question.

“They deliver?”

“They just started. I got a flier in the mail.”

His tongue snaked out and he wet his lower lip. I gripped the metal doorframe. “Huh. I’ll take a number one. But crinkle fries, not onion rings.”

“Okay,” I said, taking a couple extra seconds to admire him.

When I went inside, I leaned against the counter and sucked in a deep breath. Seriously, what was wrong with me? Was I overheated? Everything Blake was doing seemed so sexual. Jesus, when was the last time I’d gotten laid? I wasn’t one to do the act because I needed it to take the edge off a rough day or anything, but having this man in my house was causing a build of need I refused to accept was lurking. I rubbed my fingers under my eyes.

Sleep. Maybe I needed more sleep.

After calling in the order and waiting for it to get here, I brought out a plastic bag that had a new shower head and a tool that the man at the store said I needed. I booted up my laptop and searched for a self-help video that would show me how to install this model. Blake came in through the back door with a sander and set it down on the counter.

“What are you watching?” He peeked over my shoulder.

I tried not to look at him. When I did, things happened, and I’d just simmered down from earlier. “I’m learning how to put in my new shower head.”

He scoffed. “A shower head is the easiest thing in the world.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe for you. For me, it’s a little intimidating.”

“It doesn’t have to be. Here, let me show you.”

Blake tried to reach around me to grab the bag, but I snatched it off the counter before he could get his hands on it. Holding it behind my back, I faced him.

“No way. I’m doing it.”

He chuckled. “Molly, you’re being ridiculous. I don’t even have to touch anything. You can do all of the work and I’ll tell you what to do.”

“So can”—I looked at the name of the vlogger I’d picked to watch—“Sam. He’s explaining it just fine.”

Blake leaned against the counter and shook his head. “All right, you stick with your little videos. But don’t come crying to me if you don’t get it right and you end up with water everywhere.”

My arms dropped to my sides. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got this.”

I continued watching when the doorbell rang. I was pausing it when Blake went ahead of me and got the door before I could. He took some cash out of his pocket and tipped the driver before he pushed the door shut with his foot. I was standing there with money in my hand.

“I was going to pay for that.”

He brushed past me and into the kitchen. “It’s not a big deal. You can get it next time.”

Next time? There was going to be a next time? I kind of liked the sound of it, but my stomach was now roaring at me. The scent of burgers and fries wafted to my nose and I felt ravenous. I dug into the bag and pulled out mine and put it on a paper plate, then did the same to his food. I started to fill two plastic cups of my ten-dollar boxed wine. Sandra had introduced me to the stuff before she left and said if I told anybody her sophisticated ass drank it regularly she’d throw my body into the Sound. I had no idea how much I’d actually like it. Blake looked at me weird.

“Sorry, I’m lazy and don’t feel like doing dishes.” I shrugged.

“Cheap date,” he stated.

I was mid-bite. “It’s not a date.”

He slyly smiled. “Yeah, okay.”

I set his plate and cup in front of him, but he slid the cup to the side.

“Sorry, I don’t drink.”

Oh. I don’t know why I assumed he’d want some, but I probably should have bought some beer when I was at the store, knowing he was over here as often as he had been. Maybe he meant he didn’t drink at all. Which was odd, but not totally unheard of.

I set his already poured cup next to mine. I’d drink them both. I filled another cup with ice water, which he gladly accepted.

We ate in amicable silence. Our food was too good to interrupt chewing with conversation. The only uncomfortable part was being unsure where to look. My eyes darted every which way they could without directly looking at Blake. At one point I felt l like I was being watched. I finally looked at him and he was staring at me.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked, very direct.

I felt like my reaction was a little over the top. I squinted my eyes and pointed at myself. “What? Me, uncomfortable? Because of you? Psh… no!”

One of his brows rose. He stuffed a fry in his mouth. “Uh-huh.”

I flipped him off and he laughed. I was feeling the effects of the alcohol as my legs became warm, and it traveled up the length of my body. I wasn’t drunk by any means, but I was slightly buzzed. These box wines had a decent alcohol percentage in them.

It was getting a little late and I figured he’d be leaving soon. It was Wednesday, and he had work tomorrow. I did too, but I had the luxury of waking up when I wanted. I started cleaning up by picking up the wrappers and putting them in the paper bag. He watched as I moved around him, attempting to keep myself busy. Eventually he pushed off the counter. He grabbed the bag from my hand and the faintest of touches brushed against my palm.

“I’ll finish up, if you’d like to go take care of your showerhead.”

I was holding my breath. “Oh, are you sure? Seems kind of rude for me to duck out before you go.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Nah. I’ll head out in just a second. Besides, I may need to stick around to laugh when you find out you watched the wrong tutorial.”

My jaw dropped. “Always the asshole, aren’t you?”

“Usually.”

I yanked the bag off the counter. “Help yourself out when you’re done.” I walked down the hall and shut the bathroom door behind me.

Setting the bag in the sink, I looked up in the mirror. My cheeks were pink, and my eyes were a little heavy from the wine. “Wrong tutorial schmorial.” I glowered. I saw the right one. He was just trying to get under my skin as per usual.

Getting everything out, I set it all on the floor. First thing I needed to do was get my wrench and start unscrewing the base of the old showerhead off. I climbed into the tub and got to work. It took a little elbow power, but I managed to feel it budge before the entire thing came loose. I smiled.

Progress.

Patting myself on the back, I moved on to the next step. My new showerhead was a lot wider than the old one. It was meant to cause a rain-like simulation. The nut at the top of the metal was similar, but I had to adjust the wrench to fit. I hooked it on, twisting my wrist till it was nice and tight. I tried to remember if there were any more steps. I climbed out of the tub and looked at my handiwork. It seemed a whole lot simpler than what I was anticipating. It was maybe four steps in total.

Blake could eat my dust. I wonder if he’s still here, so I can drag him in here and see this thing of beauty. I yawned, covering my mouth. He was probably gone, and I needed a shower. No better time to test this puppy out than right now. Stepping out, I pulled out a towel from under the sink and undressed. When I bent over to turn the water on, things went horribly wrong.

In less than a second, a metal piece went flying, hitting me in the shoulder, and the whole showerhead went clanging down to the floor. Water from the pipe coming out of the wall started spraying everywhere, and I swear I was having déjà vu. I screamed and blocked my face from getting soaked. I tried to reach up and plug the pipe with my right hand, but it was only causing it to shoot out all around my palm. The water was freezing cold.

That’s when the bathroom door flew open and Blake came charging in like a bull.

“What the hell?” He managed to say before everything got worse. I saw the shock on his face as he took in the situation. Part of that situation were my exposed lady parts.

I screamed again. My naked body was completely exposed as he fumbled to get past me. I pathetically attempted to cover myself with my arm across my chest, and a hand over my vagina. But between the alcohol in my system and water all over the floor, I tried to move away from him so he didn’t touch me, and I ended up slipping. Before my head could hit the wall, I flung my hands outward to try and catch myself on anything I could grab. Blake moved faster than I could, and he slid two arms around my waist and turned me before my head connected with the towel wrack.

If I had any moment in my life that I knew I would close my eyes in the future and relive over and over again, feeling every ounce of embarrassment… this was it. This was going down in history as the dumbest thing that will have ever happened to me. My stark-naked body was currently pressed against my asshole neighbor and water was pooling at my feet.

Leaning over, Blake turned the nob on the tub, and the water was cut off. He still kept one of his arms snaked around my body. He stood back up and looked at my face. I had droplets of water running into my eyes, and I knew I probably looked like a drowned rat.

“Are you okay?” His mouth was moving, but I didn’t want to answer.

My palpitating heart went into a full gallop. His eyes scanned my face then down to my shoulders and tops of my breasts. I pushed into him, using the front of him to keep myself covered. It brought his attention back to my eyes. His shirt felt a little scratchy against the most sensitive areas of my body and I shivered.

He squeezed me a little tighter. “Are you okay?” he asked again.

I closed my eyes and blew out a full breath of air. I wasn’t physically hurt, but my ego had taken a beating. I tried to muster some semblance of civility before I spoke.

Opening my eyes, I said, “I’m all right. I don’t think my bathroom is though.”

Was it an appropriate time to crack a joke? I waited for a reaction. He leaned over a little and looked down at his feet and then the walls. He barely lifted his lips to smile.

“Nope… I’d say it’s a little disastrous in here.”

“Understatement of the century,” I mumbled, more to myself.

I didn’t know what was expected in a situation like this or how long it was ‘socially acceptable’ to be held naked by your super-hot neighbor. My towel was right behind him, though it may be dripping wet. I didn’t know. But the longer he was standing here flush to my body, things started happening. Every ounce of movement and my pebbled nipples got harder. I was sure he could feel them through his thin shirt.

Blake’s nostrils flared, and his pupils were huge. His beautiful high cheekbones made me want to reach up and touch them, but so did his wildly out of order dark hair. His eyes were drowning me in their muddy brown depths, and his lips had never looked so luscious. The pout of his lower lip was almost too much to bear. Would it be such a bad thing to push up on my tiptoes and suck it into my mouth for a small taste?

His chest rose and fell, and I quickly picked up on something pushing against my stomach. He was aroused. I swallowed to try and wet my parched throat. His fingers curled into a fist behind my lower back then splayed out, dipping a little farther than their original position. His fingertips grazed the top of my butt, and I nearly groaned.

Such simple contact, and it made me nearly feral for more.

“Molly.” He said my name, but I had no clue why.

Was his need building as much as mine? I had no time to ponder any further. Blake’s lips came crashing down to mine in a brutal meeting. This time I did moan. One of his hands released my back and held the back of my head as he pressed me into the wall and pinned me in place. I opened my mouth, and his tongue swept inside. It wasn’t soft and sweet. He tasted a little like French fries. I would have smiled, but he wasn’t allowing anything other than the clashing of our tongues. This kiss was not tender. It was straight desire and need.

He nipped at my lip. The pain was sharp and I sucked in a breath. But then he drew the flesh into his mouth and soothed it with his tongue. His hips ground into me, and I could tell he was driving forward to get some relief. The only relief either one of us was going to get was if he were naked and thrusting inside of me. My fingers traveled up the front of him, and I attempted to get even closer. He caught on and I climbed his body, wrapping my legs around his waist. My fingernails bit into his shoulder, and he deepened the kiss. His exhale sounded like a growl.

I’d never been this way before. Ravenous to feel someone else. I wanted every inch of him on me if it was physically possible. It was borderline insane. He was intoxicating with his smell, how he coaxed sensations out of me. How he made me feel so angry sometimes I could strangle him. Blake Whitmore was an anomaly. He was a statuesque man who commanded attention wherever he went. While I’d barely known a thing about him besides what I’d read and his behaviors around me, he was a stranger. A stranger I wanted to fuck me so hard I’d be sore for days after. And I oddly trusted him enough to do these things.

Who am I?

Either way I was welcoming it with open arms… and open legs. Blake pushed up against me and the thickness behind his pants pressed on my clit.

I pulled away from his kiss that was drowning me. “Oh God.” My head fell forward.

“Like that?” he whispered seductively.

“Don’t stop,” I begged.

“I don’t plan on it.”

His hips came forward as I pushed down. His jeans were so rough on my most sensitive areas. I wanted the barrier gone, but I also didn’t want him to stop what he was doing. One of his hands were palming my ass, helping to hold me against him, and the other came up and grasped my breast. A thumb swept over my nipple, and I shook.

“Yeah, you fuckin’ like that, don’t you?”

My eyes were level with his, and I pleaded silently for more. His face was serious, as all the sharp angles were even more defined this close. He rolled the hardened bud with his finger and thumb. I arched my back, giving him more of me.

I felt him take a step back and started moving us toward the bedroom. This was really happening. Blake wanted me as much as I wanted him. A thrill shot through me. I’d been in relationships with attractive men, but I’d categorize them more as average. They had a slightly nerdy edge to them. Blake, however, was a fifteen on a scale of ten. He was a Greek god with his tan skin and chiseled abs. Between his ruffled hair, almond-shaped eyes, and sharp jawline, he truly looked like he belonged in a GQ magazine. Except he was definitely more muscular than any Calvin Klein model. With all the manual labor he did it was no wonder.

As we moved through the hall, cool air hit my back. He was trying to determine where the master bedroom was. I was about to tell him straight ahead and to the left when he stopped in his tracks. His cell phone started ringing, cutting through the silence. It may as well have been a tornado warning saying ‘stop and take cover’ with how shockingly quick my brain decided to start functioning. My body was still heated, and I could feel the wetness between my legs. The need was still there, but the bubble of desire had popped.

I loosened my legs and slowly went down till my feet were on the floor. I was even with the linen closet, and I reached inside to pull out a sheet and wrapped it around my body. Blake watched me warily, but I couldn’t read a single thing he might have been thinking. That stupid ringing kept going off. I messily brushed my hair back and tucked it behind my ear. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the offensive noise maker. He looked at the screen and his entire body stiffened. Whoever it was, it was not a welcomed call.

“I’ve got to go,” he said with a sharpness in his tone.

I wrapped the sheet a little tighter, clinging to it for comfort. Nodding, I said, “Okay.”

He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t even looking at me when he said, “I can stop by tomorrow to fix the shower.”

I felt very cold and the weight of what had just happened was sinking in. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out.”

His brown eyes flashed to mine. “Molly, it’s fine. It’s going to be a tricky one and you need to let someone who knows what they’re doing take care of it.”

That made me bristle. “Whatever you say, Blake.”

An argument was brewing within me, and it was the only way I felt I could defend my actions the minutes before. He took a step toward me and I squared my shoulders, ready to take him on, but his phone rang again.

“Fuck!” he ground out.

There was a warring battle going on in his eyes. He definitely wanted to say more, but instead he walked down the hall and out the front door. I had no idea who rang him, or why it made him snap, but his mood to spar with me ended when his phone chimed. Like I said before, I didn’t know Blake. Not really.

I picked up on random bits here and there, such as his sarcasm we usually used to bounce insults off one another. I knew he had two other siblings, but I had no idea if he saw them. Did they live here locally? What about his parents? None of these things ever came up in conversation while he’d been here working on my house. I suppose I didn’t want to feel intrusive by asking. I probably would have started asking little things here and there, but after what had just happened my comfort level had plummeted.

I gathered the parts of the sheet that were dragging on the floor and trudged back to my bedroom. Tossing on whatever was the first thing I could grab, I went back to the bathroom to clean up. I sighed heavily when I saw the watery mess. I didn’t feel like cleaning up. In fact, I didn’t feel like doing any of this. I’d just taken part in something that was only for Hollywood actors in Fifty Shades of Grey. I wasn’t Ana in the elevator scene, but I sure as shit acted like it. It wasn’t me. None of this is me.

I wasn’t a repair person. I crafted, sure. But a whole mess of a house after Blake being in here, having his calloused hands all over my body, touching me in a way I was begging to be touched… the house could go fuck itself. How was I supposed to let him back in here and look him in the eyes without seeing what had happened? I didn’t sleep with strangers.

Instead of being a responsible adult, I gathered all of the towels left in the linen closet and chunked them on the floor of the bathroom. I barely spread them out before I walked away and went to bed. It was good enough for right now. The towels would eventually soak up the water that was left over and maybe parts of my damn dignity too.