Out of My League: a Hope Valley novel

by Prince, Jessica

  I wasn’t going to cry. I wasn’t. He was being mean for the sake of it alone, and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing my tears. That was what he wanted.

  “Get. Out,” I repeated, pulling my phone from my back pocket. “You have two seconds. Then I’m calling the cops.”

  Shep gnashed his teeth, and for a second I actually feared he’d take a swing. I wouldn’t have put it past him to do just that. But all he did was stomp to where I was standing by the front door, stopping long enough to bite out, “Fuck you,” before storming through.

  Hopefully he’d never cast a shadow over my new life again, but something told me I wouldn’t be so lucky.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Eden

  I wasn’t sure how long I paced my house after Shep left, trying and failing to get control of my anger, but it was a wonder I hadn’t worn a hole in my floors.

  It hadn’t done a damn thing to lessen my anger.

  A quick trip to my kitchen showed I was out of wine, and since I started eating healthier, there wasn’t a single snack cake in the house. Both were necessities after dealing with my asshole brother, so I stomped to the door, grabbed my purse, and headed to my car.

  I was a woman on a mission, and I didn’t give a damn that it wasn’t my allotted Thursday shopping day.

  As soon as I hit those sliding glass doors, I made a beeline straight for the snack cake aisle. With a box of Ding Dongs tucked under my arm, I went for the wine, grabbing two bottles of my favorite red, and stomped to the checkout, slamming my items on the conveyer belt.

  “Junk food and two bottles of wine? Either you’re workin’ to repair a bad day or preparin’ for a good night.”

  I’d been so immersed in my task that I hadn’t realized Gypsy was working the register until just then. “The former, unfortunately,” I grumbled as she began scanning.

  “Sorry to hear that, babe. Hope it gets better.”

  Grabbing one of the wine bottles she’d just scanned, I held it high and gave it a little shake. “Oh, this’ll go a long way in helping.”

  A beautiful smile lit her gorgeous face. “Sounds like an evening I can get behind.”

  “You should!” I chirped, standing tall as the sudden thought hit me and filled me with excitement. “I mean, not tonight, obviously. You’re working, and it’s totally last minute, but we should definitely set up a girls’ night. We could have wine and some finger foods. Oh, and my friend Nona lives right across the street! We could invite her too. She’s awesome at girl talk—”

  “Whoa. Slow down before you pull something, babe,” Gypsy said on a giggle. “You’re really excited by the idea of a girls’ night, huh?”

  “Well… yeah,” I said, biting my bottom lip. “I’ve never, uh… I’ve never had one before,” I admitted in embarrassment.

  Her face pulled into a frown while she tilted her head to the side. “You’ve never had one what? A girls’ night?”

  My face burned with shame as I answered, “I never had many girlfriends growing up. Women can be….”

  “Cruel? Flaky? Judgmental bitches?”

  I let out a giggle. “So you get it.”

  “Oh yeah.” Her eyes warmed and that hardness she wore like armor softened a touch. “I totally get it. And girls’ night sounds great, count me in. I make a mean seven-layer dip. Tomorrow night work?”

  My face spit into a beaming grin. My first ever girls’ night. Who would have guessed my need to break my diet after my dickhead brother’s visit would lead to something good? “Awesome. I’ll talk to Nona and get her on board.”

  We said our goodbyes, and I grabbed my stuff and headed home so I could decompress. I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell my brother was doing in Hope Valley, and what kind of damage could be in store with his sudden appearance. Those were questions that would plague me, especially since I knew him well enough to know he wasn’t gone for good.

  Pouring a glass of wine, I changed into a pair of gray leggings and a large slouchy pink sweater with my furry white slippers, pulled my hair in a loose knot at the top of my head, put on one of my detoxifying cucumber face masks, and cued up Midnight, Texas on my DVR. I was three episodes in when I finally discovered what it was about that show that I liked so much, other than it was awesome. It was the fact that the dude who played Bobo kind of reminded me of a shorter, blue-eyed Lincoln. The actor wasn’t quite as good-looking, but pretty damn close.

  Maybe it was the wine, or the fact that the guy on TV had just taken off his shirt, but whatever the case, I started to get hot and had to pause the show to crack one of the windows allow allow the breeze inside.

  I had just sat back down when I heard a familiar bark getting louder and louder as it got closer. A quick glance out the window showed Rocky bounding through my side yard at a full run.

  “Shit!” Jumping to my feet, I rushed to the door and threw it open, hoping to catch his attention before he scampered past. “Rocky, you little monster.” He lumbered up my front steps with his tongue hanging from the side of his mouth as I squatted down to give him a pet. “Did you get out again? Huh? Was this supposed to be your great escape?”

  “Nah, he just got excited when I told him where we were goin’ and ran ahead of me.”

  My head shot up in time to see Lincoln taking the three stairs that led up from my front walk. He was carrying a cardboard box under one arm and a toolbox in his other hand.

  “Linc, hey. What’s going on?” I asked as I stood from my hunched position, surprised to see my sexy neighbor standing on my front porch.

  “Came to install that security system we talked about the other day.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I frowned up at him. “What alarm? We didn’t discuss an alarm.”

  “Sure we did. When I dropped Rock off. Told you I’d see what I could do when I got back in town. Well, I’m back in town now.”

  “That wasn’t… I… how was that a discussion?” I sputtered incredulously. “And I really appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure I could afford one of your systems.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that, Edie.”

  “What do you mean, I don’t need to worry about it? Lincoln, I know those things are expensive.”

  “I mean you don’t need to worry about it because I got you covered.”

  This conversation wasn’t getting any less confusing. “What does that mean?”

  He let out a little chuckle and reached up to brush a lock of hair from my forehead. “It means you’re not paying. I’m taking care of this pro bono. So, like I said, I got you covered.”

  “Linc,” I said in a quiet voice, the kindness of his gesture making it difficult to breathe. “It’s too much. I can’t let you do that.”

  “I’m doin’ it, baby. No sense in arguing. Besides, you have bigger problems to worry about.”

  My god, I really loved it when he called me baby. “I do?”

  “Yeah. Hate to tell you this, but I think you’re growin’ some kind of fungus on your face.”

  “What? I don’t—” I reached up to touch my cheek. My eyes bugged out the instant I realized I’d been standing there the whole time with my face slathered in a thick layer of mint-green goop.

  “Shit!” Turning on my heels, I bolted back into my house, skating along my wood floors in my slipper-clad feet as I rushed into my bathroom. I scrubbed so hard my skin was pink by the time I got all the green off it.

  I wanted to camp out in the confines of my bathroom until Lincoln left, but something told me he and Rocky weren’t going anywhere. The first time I met him, I was sweaty and covered in soil from a day of gardening, the second time I was standing in the middle of a pile of trash, and now this. I was a freaking disaster.

  I hesitated as long as I could before slowly making my way out of the bedroom and down the hall. When I got into the living room, Rocky was curled up on the middle cushion of my couch, and Lincoln was standing at the end of my couch closest to the door, pulling
a bunch of stuff out of the box he’d been carrying.

  “So, uh… how’s your day been? You know, since I last saw you a few hours ago.”

  Turning his head, he gave me a smirk that made my lady parts quiver. “It’s been good, baby.” His attention turned toward my coffee table, where the box of snack cakes lay open with empty wrappers scattered around and an uncorked, half-drunk bottle of wine sat beside my empty wineglass. Then his eyes went to my TV, where a sexy Bobo stood paused on the screen in all his shirtless, muscled glory, and his smirk got even deeper, making the shadow of a dimple form in his cheek. I hadn’t even realized he had a dimple. God, he was driving me crazy! “Seems you’ve been having a good day too.”

  As if my embarrassment wasn’t bad enough, now he probably thought I was watching porn while binge-eating chocolate and getting drunk at home alone.

  Snatching the remote off the table, I turned the TV off. “Oh, well… uh, you want one?” I asked, picking up one of the Ding Dongs and holding it out for him. “Or maybe a glass of wine?”

  His brilliant white teeth popped out in the first full-blown smile I’d received from him, and that dimple grew more prominent as his green eyes glinted. It was a thing of wonder to behold, like a double rainbow, or a unicorn, or the McRib when it came back. “No thanks, but I’ll take a beer if you have one.”

  Note to self: make sure to keep beer in the fridge at all times… just in case.

  “I don’t, sorry. But I have water.”

  His face got this soft, warm look as he answered in a low voice, “Water works, darlin’.”

  I escaped into the kitchen to get his water and used the time to work on deep breathing before I made an even bigger fool of myself. I was just starting to wonder if I had time to stick my head under the faucet to cool off when my cell phone rang from its place on the kitchen counter.

  Nona’s name popped up on my screen, and I quickly swiped to answer. “Hey, No, what’s up?”

  “Oh my god! Lincoln Sheppard is totally in your house right now!”

  I pulled in a dramatic gasp. “And you didn’t call 911 to report the break-in? Some friend you are!”

  “Very funny. Now stop bein’ a smartass and gimme the scoop. What’s going on? Why’s he there? Has he taken his shirt off yet?”

  “What?”

  “Sorry,” she said. “Got a little carried away in my fantasy world. So what’s going on over there?”

  Peeking into the living room and getting a bird’s-eye view of Lincoln’s perfect ass as he bent over, I lowered my voice to answer. “Nothing’s going on. He’s just installing a security system.”

  Silence came across the line for a few seconds before she declared, “Please tell me security system is a euphemism for sex.”

  “Will you cut it out?” I whisper-yelled. “It’s not like that. He’s just being nice.”

  “Doll,” she said in that who you kiddin’ tone of voice, “he took you on a lunch date, then showed up at your place only a few hours later? He is into you. When are you gonna get that through your thick skull?”

  “He’s not into me,” I insisted, even though I really wanted to believe what she was saying. “I mean, I thought maybe we had a moment earlier, but it was just wishful thinking.”

  “What do you mean, you thought you had a moment? What happened?” she asked with eagerness infusing her voice.

  Looking down at the pretty white marble of my countertop, I traced the veins of gray with my fingertip as I thought back to those seconds we stood by Lincoln’s truck. “Well, I thought….” Blowing out a sigh, I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity as I admitted, “I thought for a second that he was gonna kiss me. But like I said, it was just wishful thinking. I seriously doubt Lincoln Sheppard has any interest in kissing me.”

  The sound of someone clearing their throat startled a jump out of me. When I spun around, Lincoln was standing there, one shoulder propped against the wall and a wicked smirk on his face as he stared at me with those heated green eyes.

  Well son of a bitch.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Eden

  “Uh, Nona… I have to go.”

  “What? Why?” She pulled in a sharp gasp. “Holy shit. He’s standing there right now, isn’t he? He totally just heard you.”

  My whole face felt like it was a moment away from catching fire. “Gotta go,” I blurted. I hung up on Nona’s protests and dropped the phone to the counter with a clatter. “Uh… h-hi. Um… what’s up?” Oh god, kill me now.

  He pushed off the wall, that dimple in full effect as he took a step closer. “Just checkin’ on that water, darlin’.”

  Shit! I’d forgotten the whole reason for coming into the kitchen in the first place. “Crap! Sorry.” Rushing to the fridge, I jerked it open and grabbed a bottle of water from the top shelf. “I’m so sorry. I got sidetracked,” I said as I handed Lincoln the water. “Nona called, and, well….”

  “So I heard.” His deep chuckle made my belly swoop but did nothing to alleviate my humiliation.

  “Exactly how much of that did you hear?” I asked with a wince.

  “Enough to know you got it all wrong.”

  If the ground could have opened up beneath me, I would have been more than happy to be sucked into its dark oblivion right then. “Oh god,” I groaned, covering my face with both hands. “This is so embarrassing. Is it possible for you to forget this whole thing happened? Like maybe bump your head really hard and give yourself amnesia?”

  I heard the water bottle hit the counter, and my body jerked in surprise when his rough fingers wrapped around my wrists and pulled them down. When I looked up at him, Lincoln’s face had that same soft warmth as earlier. “No, baby. You’re not getting it. I mean you’re wrong about what you just told Nona.”

  “I… huh?”

  He took a step closer. The delicious muskiness of his cologne filled my nose and made it impossible to think. “I said, what you told Nona was wrong,” he repeated in a low, gentle voice as his hand came up and his fingertips traced along my jawline. “It wasn’t just wishful thinkin’, baby.”

  “It wasn’t?” I managed to ask in a shocked whisper.

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  I couldn’t feel my legs, and I was pretty sure I was two seconds from having a heart attack. “So… you were… I mean, we… you were really going to kiss me?”

  The air between us began to crackle, and I watched in fascination as his emerald eyes grew darker by the second. “Been kickin’ myself in the ass for not doing it since you drove away. Not gonna make the same mistake now.”

  With that, his fingers on my jaw dragged down and wrapped around the side of my neck, and his lips lowered against mine.

  My body locked as my brain tried to process what was happening, but when Lincoln’s tongue darted out and ran across my bottom lip before demanding entry, I quickly got with the program and opened wide for him.

  It was by far and away the best kiss I’d ever had in my life. His lips were full and soft, his fingers on my skin pressing deeper as his arm circled my waist and pulled me even closer, forcing me to my tiptoes to give him more. My arms looped around his neck, and I held on for dear life as the kiss that started off sweet and gentle turned carnal in a beat. I couldn’t get enough.

  A moan worked its way up my throat as my nails raked through the hair at the back of his head. I’d been dying to touch those blond locks since I first laid eyes on Lincoln months ago, and it was just as silky as I’d imagined it would be. Everything about the kiss was perfect. Everything about him was perfect.

  If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up. I could have died in his arms right then and been totally happy with that. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the cards.

  Just as things were getting really good, Rocky let out a small yip and butted his head against our legs.

  Lincoln let out a frustrated growl when Rocky gave us a second head butt. As much as it pained me to do so, I pulled away from Lincoln’s lips and lowered
from the balls of my feet, looking down at the cock-blocking dog with a glare.

  “Fuck me. You gotta be kidding,” Lincoln gritted. When I turned back to him, he was looking at his pooch with the same agitation I was feeling. “You’ve got shit timing, buddy.”

  Rocky yipped again and plopped his butt on the floor, his tail swishing across my floor happily.

  There was just no way to stay mad at that cutie. “Guess he doesn’t like not being the center of attention,” I said, smiling up at Lincoln.

  His arms dropped to his side, and with a force of will I didn’t know I was capable of, I took a step back. Space was required if I was going to get my brain to function and my lungs to pull in a full breath.

  “Probably best he interrupted,” Lincoln said, making my heart skip several beats before he continued. “We keep this up and I’ll never get your system installed. But after….”

  A goofy smile stretched my cheeks so wide they ached. “After works for me.”

  “Good,” he said softly, brushing my swollen bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “’Cause now that I’ve had a taste, pretty sure I’m addicted.”

  He turned and exited the kitchen, moving to my living room to get back to work on my new alarm. I gave myself a few moments to get my bearings, and as I worked to slow my heart rate, Rocky stood and padded over to me, giving my hand a lick.

  Looking down at the playful pup, my grin grew even wider. “Well, that was unexpected.” He gave me another lick. “But damn nice.”

  Damn nice didn’t even cover how amazing that kiss was. And I couldn’t wait for after.

  * * *

  I got through a few more episodes of my show while Lincoln worked, but if someone were to quiz me on what happened, I’d fail miserably. As hard as I tried not to, staring at Lincoln’s ass and the muscles in his back as he bent over or squatted or hunched was just too damn tempting.