“Hey, I was trying not to wake you.”
She sat up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Did I fall asleep?”
I couldn’t help but grin at how adorable she was sitting there with her glasses askew, looking around sleepily. She stood and the blanket fell to the ground as she stretched her arms over her head. The motion caused her sweatshirt to crawl up revealing a sliver of skin on her belly. It was just the slightest hint of flesh but it lit my entire body up with awareness.
When she lowered her arms, she asked, “Is Luna—”
“She’s asleep,” I rasped as my throat constricted with arousal.
Skylar tilted her head to the side and rubbed her neck like she might have a crick in it. My hands itched to work out that crick and any other that she might have on her body.
Oblivious to the internal chaos she was causing in me, she dropped her arm and a half-grin pulled at her lips. “Did she talk you into more than four books?”
“No,” I answered honestly. Technically, I’d only read four books. I’d just read the last one two times.
“Well, thanks again. For the pizza, for today, for everything.”
Instead of verbally responding, I just nodded. I didn’t trust myself not to tell her that I’d do anything for her, which would be a totally inappropriate thing to say. Even if it was true. Knowing that I needed to get out of there, I walked to the front door and when I turned back, I saw that she’d followed and stopped up short behind me.
There were mere inches between us. Neither of us said a word. Every part of my DNA was screaming for me to wrap my arm around her, pull her close to me, and crush my mouth to hers. My heart was thudding violently in my chest and I was practically choking on arousal.
I cleared my throat. “I, uh, noticed a few repairs that need to be done around the house. Would you mind if I stop by and work on them this week?”
She stared up at me and blinked several times like she wasn’t sure how to respond.
“I’m a contractor,” I explained. It was strange to talk to someone who didn’t know anything about me. Although, she knew more than I’d like thanks to that damn trolley ride. She hadn’t brought up the curse yet, but I had a feeling she probably had some questions about it. “A licensed contractor.”
“It’s not that. I’m sure you’re very,”—she licked her lips and my dick jumped in my pants as she inhaled slowly—“qualified. It’s just, I’m having a little bit of a cash flow issue and I can’t really afford—”
“I won’t charge you.” I hadn’t even considered that before I offered.
She shook her head and her brows creased. “But…why would you do that?”
“Part of the perks of a small town.” I lifted my hands and adjusted the glasses on her head so they were straight. “Neighbors help each other out.”
My fingertips grazed her cheek as I lowered my hand and I noticed that she sucked in a shaky breath. Her lips parted, her eyes dilated, and a flush colored her fair skin. If this were any other woman, I’d lean down and kiss her. But if this were any other woman, I wouldn’t want to kiss her more than I wanted to take my next breath.
Before I did something stupid, I dipped my head and I walked out the front door into the crisp night air. I turned back and smiled. “Have a good night.”
“Have a good night,” she repeated, still looking adorably dazed.
I already had a good night. One of the best nights I’d had in a long time.
CHAPTER 12
Skylar
“Why can’t I just go to Miss Milly’s?” Luna asked from the backseat as we drove along the coastline into town.
“Because, sweetie pie, Miss Milly still lives in Seattle. Remember?”
My heart ached in my chest. Milly had been Luna’s babysitter since she was a newborn. I’d hit the lottery in the neighbor department when I moved next door to Milly. Her kids were all preteens and teens and she’d just started a small daycare out of her home. Luna loved her. She would even beg to go to her house on the weekends when I wasn’t working.
Two of Luna’s friends at daycare had both started kindergarten this year, but Luna wasn’t old enough yet. The only thing that made up for the injustice was that she got to spend her days with Miss Milly and her newborn baby Tyson, who was six months old now.
Two weeks after she started pre-K her teacher had her tested and she’d said that she could skip kindergarten altogether and be placed in first grade. Not only that, she’d said that Luna was tested for the GATE (gifted and talented education) program and had been accepted. I’d known that Luna was bright since my pediatrician had given me books on raising gifted children, but I’d never thought she’d be in first grade at age four. That was getting into Doogie Howser territory.
I’d talked to Luna about it and asked her what she wanted to do. She’d considered it until she found out that being in first grade was Monday through Friday six hours a day. Once she realized that would mean fewer hours in the day she’d get to be with baby Tyson, her decision was made. She was going to stay in pre-K.
Turning down a chance to skip a grade at school wasn’t the only thing baby Tyson had inspired. The tiny bundle of joy had made Luna’s campaign for me to have a baby go into overdrive. I couldn’t blame her. I’d been the same way with my parents. I’d begged them for a baby sister and I got Ashley. I don’t know what I would do without Ash, and I wanted that same bond for my baby girl.
She even wanted to change her birthday party theme from Trolls to a baby shower. She said it was because she’d had so much fun at Miss Milly’s shower that that was what she wanted for her fifth birthday. But I suspected my genius of a daughter had ulterior motives related to me catching the “baby bug” a term that she’d heard Miss Milly use when she told Luna that she’d been the reason she’d had Tyson after her own kids were in high school. After caring for a newborn, Milly had gotten the “baby bug.”
“Momma, when are we going home?”
When it’s safe.
Which might be never.
“We’re on an adventure, remember?” I tried to keep my tone upbeat.
“Why can’t I just go to work with you?”
“Because, Lu Lu, that’s not allowed.”
“What about Mr. Hank?”
Oh boy. I had a bad feeling that Luna was getting way too attached to our ruggedly handsome, ridiculously sexy neighbor and she wasn’t the only one. Last night, I’d been certain he was going to kiss me and I was going to let it happen. If I was being honest with myself, I was disappointed it hadn’t. My body had been primed and ready. He’d reached up to fix my glasses and when his calloused fingers brushed along my jaw I almost had an orgasm. Which I was telling myself had more to do with my lack of human contact and less to do with the man the fingers belonged to, but even I knew that was B.S.
“Why can’t I stay with Mr. Hank when you’re at work?”
“Because Mr. Hank has to work, too.” And that was a sight that I was sure had inspired many a desperate housewife’s fantasies. Hank owned a construction company. Just thinking about him in a tool belt had me breaking out in a sweat. If there was anything that was hotter than a man in a hoodie, jeans, work boots, and a ball cap, it was adding a tool belt to the ensemble. I did my best to erase those images from my mind because they would lead me right into the gutter. “That’s why we’re going to meet Mrs. Birch. To see if you want to stay with her.”