Chapter Thirteen
Lucy
The way his clothes clung to his body pissed me off. What the hell was he thinking wearing shit like that? His chest pulled at the top buttons of his button-down shirt, and his jeans sat perfectly over his sculpted ass. His thighs flexed every single time we stopped and went at a stoplight. The forearms he’d exposed by rolling up his sleeves had the perfect balance of thick veins along his roped muscles. I had to squeeze my hands between my thighs to keep from reaching out for any part of his body, and I thought it was absolute bullshit.
This night was supposed to suck. He was supposed to come over in tattered clothes like he didn’t give a shit and automatically want to get in my pants. He was supposed to push me into my house, and I was supposed to knee him in the dick before telling him he was the perfect match for Megan. He was supposed to be rude and insult me, but instead, he threw me compliments on how beautiful I looked while he sat there in his body-hugging clothes.
My toes curled with anger in my boots while my pelvis burned at how incredible he looked tonight. The sun was painting its rays on the side of his face, and every time he looked over and smiled at me, his teeth shone just a tad bit brighter. His hand was settled on the gear shifter of his truck, and a part of me wanted to settle my hand right on top of his. I bet his calloused hands would feel oddly good against the palm of my hand, and the moment that thought ran through my mind, I slipped my hands underneath my thighs.
When we took the small road out of town, I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. There were very few things to do between here and the next town over, and he didn’t strike me as the kind of man to drive over an hour into the next town and leave his daughter behind at his home. The only few things that sat between here and the other town were a couple of lakes and a few lookout points, so he still had some time to prove to be a complete asshole so I could write him and his chiseled muscles off for good.
I reached down for my purse and started going through it. I clocked my phone, turning it on to make sure I had service, and I sighed with relief when my eyes glanced upon my pepper spray. This man was easily twice my size, and if he tried to pull something funny out in the middle of nowhere, I wanted to know I had a way to defend myself. If my cell kept service, I could spray the hell out of him and call for 911, so that settled my bones.
At least for a little while.
When we took the first road to our left, I knew exactly where we were headed. My heart leaped into my throat, and I tried to blink back the tears stinging my eyes. I hadn’t been to the lake since David had passed because it reminded me too much of him, and that was exactly where Jason was taking me.
He was taking me to the lake David had taken me to on our first date.
“Are we headed to Crossroad Lake?” I asked.
“You recognize the path? Yep, that’s where we’re headed.”
“You know we could’ve just gone to a restaurant, right?” I asked.
“I know, and up until a little while ago, that’s where we were headed. But, the night is beautiful, and the air still smells like apples, and tonight’s supposed to be a full moon, which means the lake will look gorgeous. I figured it’d be more fun to have some sandwiches at the lake or something.”
“But I thought you said you made the decision a few minutes ago? How do we have sandwiches?” I asked.
“Well, I didn’t make the actual decision until a little while ago. I packed the sandwiches in case the weather held out and stayed pretty, but if you came out in a dress or something, I would’ve taken you to the restaurant.”
“Oh,” I said.
“I wanted you to wear whatever made you feel beautiful without feeling like you’d somehow ruined plans with what you wore. I was wanting to go to the lake, but I didn’t want you to feel like you had to change if you’d come out in a dress, that’s all,” he said.
Why the fuck couldn’t he be a dick? Just one little dickish comment, and I could scratch off his insatiable, mind-consuming lust I had for my neighbor dripping in sweat and covered in grease. Instead of being pissed at the terrible date, I was simply more impressed. He’d come up with two different date ideas that hovered around what I was going to wear because he wanted me to feel comfortable and beautiful at the same time. He was more than willing to set aside what he would’ve rather done just to make me feel like I’d gotten something right. Jason probably wasn’t a bad guy at all.
Screw the reputation he might have had or whatever the hell he might have had going on with Megan; good guys didn’t do that shit.
“Well, good thing I gave us an hour for the cheaper route,” I said.
“You would’ve been well worth the money,” he said.
“I think you would’ve taken me to the lake even if I had worn a dress.”
“And why’s that?” he asked.
“Because sandwiches are a hell of a lot easier to do than formal dinners.”
“You a formal dinner kinda gal with that dirty mouth of yours?” A cheeky grin spread across his face, and I was pissed when it made me smile, too. I wasn’t supposed to be smiling during this transaction.
None of this was supposed to make me smile.
“And anyway, it doesn't take money to impress a woman. Not really. At least, I’ve never used it that way. Impressing a woman is more about getting to know her and listening to the things she wants rather than showering her with gifts whenever you piss her off.”
He really needed to stop with all these answers and compliments and perfect comments. Those perfect lips of his needed to come up with something dickish to say, or they needed to shut up.
“Do you always do different dates like this?” I asked.
“Honestly? No. I’m usually a dinner and a movie kinda guy. Not because I’m not creative, but because that’s usually what women expect. But, tonight, I didn’t wanna do what someone expected, I guess.”
“Why not?”
“That, I can’t really answer. You just stepped out onto the porch, and the situation screamed lake, so here we are,” he said.
“What if I screamed help?” I asked.
“Then I’d come running until I found you.”
“Oh, come on. Be honest with me. This date is just a requirement because you said it was payment for the car repairs you did,” I said.
“Only because you said you didn’t have money. I’d honestly never turn down money,” he said.
“So, you don’t wanna be on this date. I knew it.”
“Why the hell wouldn't I wanna be on a date with a kind, nice, gorgeous woman who my daughter happens to like?” he asked.
He had me hooked. Not only was I impressed by his ability to take my curious jokes in stride, but he also seemed very genuine. I’d met my share of playboys who traveled through this town looking for their fantasy country girl fling, and Jason didn’t strike me with any of those attributes. At this point, I was beginning to suspect he was more than just a playboy looking for his latest notch, and something inside of me relaxed.
Until that damn rumor popped into my head.
“I’ve heard a rumor going around town about you,” I said.
“Oh, really?” he asked.
“Hm. And I gotta ask, is it true you’re known by women as Maximum?”
“Well, Lucy, I suppose you’ll just have to find out for yourself.”
There was the douchebag statement. The one statement that should’ve stopped this entire charade in its tracks. He’d just admitted to laying a whole bunch of women and being proud of it, and everything inside of me should have come to a grinding halt. But, as the truck began to bob and weave as we approached the lake, all I felt was a raging ball of fire roaring to life in my stomach.
And my hand twitched closer to his as we continued to approach the lake.