Awakened

by Shey Stahl

  It was then I took a closer look at him. He was definitely taller than me, but wasn’t what I would classify as tall. He was muscular, every muscle in his forearms defined, meaning he worked with his hands or worked out. As he moved around the room, his polo shirt clung to his back and shoulders, cotton stretching over his body.

  Those forearms were met with muscular arms and shoulders, too.

  Jesus, I could stare at him all day.

  My heart thumped a little louder, a clear indication my body had been deprived for too long. As I watched him work, something about him seemed familiar. Maybe it was the eyes. I recognized them from somewhere. Given Olympia was a small town that wasn’t impossible, still, where would I have ever met this guy?

  “Something like this?” Josh asked, drawing my attention to his mouth and the iPad he pushed my way.

  Looking down, I reached for the iPad, sitting down at the table Stevie and I usually ate lunch at. It was cramped, pushed up against a Tiffany blue wall with old reclaimed wood wrapped around the bottom four feet.

  Dropping my eyes to the screen, Josh had basically drawn out the entire remodel on the iPad and converted it to a 3D drawing for me to see what it would look like as if I was walking through it.

  “Wow, how the hell did you do that?”

  If those meticulous hands could do that with an iPad, imagine what they can do in my panties…

  Josh laughed, taking a seat across from me. “It’s just a program my company has. My business partner actually designed it. He’s the tech in all that. Not me. I’m just good with a hammer and nails.”

  I’ll be the nail. You be the hammer.

  Jesus Logan, keep the thoughts clean.

  Josh smiled as if he heard my internal thoughts. “Do you like it?”

  “Yeah.” Shaking my head, I took one more look at the patio, envisioning every tiny detail in my head from the stone floor to the iron tables and twinkle lights. “It would be amazing.” And then it hit me, I might not be able to afford something this extravagant. “How much would something like this cost?”

  “I’d have to check material costs and do up an estimate for you.” He reached for the iPad, our fingers brushing one another. I’d be lying if it didn’t give me a little thrill, a jolt straight to my center.

  Clearly it’d been a while.

  “Okay,” I finally said, attempting to keep my mind focused. Josh was eating this up. I was pretty sure he was a mind reader at that point because with the smirk plastered on his face, he knew. He had to. “Set me up with an estimate.”

  “Will do…Logan.”

  Watching him stand, again, I still felt like I knew him from somewhere. “Have we met before?”

  Josh laughed, a deep chuckle that gave his shoulders a shake, turning to face me. “I was wondering when you’d notice.”

  “Where?”

  Raising the hand that wasn’t holding the iPad, it ran down his scruffy jaw. “You went to Olympia High School, right?” I nodded. “I went there for six months before my parents divorced and moved out to Lacey.”

  “And you played baseball, didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “Yep. You’re boyfriend played, right?”

  “Yeah…” The thought of my high school boyfriend tugged at my heart a little.

  To this day I wondered what Caleb was up to, but I hadn’t heard from him since shortly after graduation when I left for college and he did too. Friends told me he went onto play minor league baseball but sorta dropped off the map a couple years ago.

  “You still seeing him?” Naturally, Josh’s eyes dropped to my hand, looking for a ring.

  “No.”

  Thinking of Caleb had me thinking about Josh and how even back then, something drew my attention to the confident short stop who never missed a ball in any of the games I watched. He was certainly impressive. Given, he was a senior and I was a naïve freshman who was never ever on a guy like his radar. He didn’t even look my way back then. Not even a glance.

  “Did you stop playing baseball?”

  “Yeah.” Leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and I was granted another view of the tattoo. “Playing ball doesn’t exactly lend well to a career. Had to think of my future.”

  “Looks like you’re doing well though.”

  A smile played at his full lips that dipped in the center, his upper lip crooked when he smiled and that dimple present. “I do okay.”

  He’s lying. He’s probably rich.

  “Looks like you’re doing well, too.” He motioned with a tip of his head around the shop.

  “I do okay.”

  He laughed at my repeat of his words. “Well, Logan, I’ll get back to you with this estimate and we’ll see if we can work something out.”

  The way he said the words “work something out” made me feel like his version or working out and mine were completely different. It was then I contemplated handing out sex for payment.

  Not in a hooker way.

  In a friendly discount way.

  Nah, still sounds dirty, Logan.

  Watching him leave, Stevie made clawing motions at him as he left. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, easing her back.

  “Go ahead and say it,” she teased, “You’re thinking about him naked right now, aren’t you?”

  “If thinking of him hovering over me with my legs up in the air classifies as that, then yes, you caught me.”

  “I knew there was a naughty side in you.”

  If only she knew there was no naughty side to me. There was only a woman deprived of sex. And for that reason alone, I was thinking in ways I’d never imagined.

  My life changed that day. It may not have made sense to me at the time, but it changed all right.

  I had never been one to wait.

  In fact, I rarely did. Just wasn’t my thing.

  Maybe that was why I hadn’t had an actual relationship since high school.

  Maybe.

  I was also fairly stubborn. If I was set in my ways, you might as well get used to them because I’d make them your ways eventually. God forbid I change my mind.

  When Josh said he’d get back to me with an estimate, I was thinking days. Maybe even weeks. I went into it knowing he was a business man and had customers ahead of me.

  Never did I think it would be hours later.

  Instead of calling—like I thought he would—he came back to the shop around one that afternoon.

  As he parked in the same spot in front of the store, Stevie smiled at me, nudging my ribs as we stood at the display cabinet gently setting the Lemon Swirl cupcakes on a white platter.

  Josh came inside and the door chimed with a whistle drawing my attention. A smile twitched at the corners of my lips as I watched him walk toward me, every step controlled.

  I didn’t want to lead on that I was looking forward to his return.

  Calm and cool, with a certain amount of confidence only men like Josh had, he offered me a nod. “I just need to take a couple extra measurements.” And then he held up a tape measure.

  This wasn’t one of those movies when the hot guy comes into your life and sweeps you off your feet. Those were for the movies, and people like Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake.

  Okay, well that was the ending of that particular movie, but still, you got my point.

  This wasn’t a movie.

  This was real life and he was simply doing his job.

  Right?

  Walking by, I caught wind of his scent like a dog in heat, sniffing the air obsessively behind him. He smelled so good, like vanilla and cedar mixed together deliciously.

  Stevie’s eyes widened, either noticing my sniffing, or smelling him herself. “Please hire that guy,” she whispered, hopeful he'd be spending more time here.

  I followed him back there, I only did so because I wanted to find a reason to be next to him, maybe smell him again.

  “I thought I had a measurement off,” he noted, taking his tape measure in his hand and meas
uring counter height and then the doorframe.

  “And did you?”

  “Nope.” Hooking his tape measure on his pocket, a boyish smile tugged on his lips. “Just had to be sure, though.”

  “A man of skill.”

  Curiously, his eyes found me, deciphering the meaning behind my words. But even I wasn't sure what the meaning was.

  What the fuck did I just say?

  “I think it should be a fairly straightforward remodel.” Taking his iPad in hand, he went to pass me it, and then drew back.

  “Have lunch with me and I'll go over the bid with you.”

  Lunch?

  “Lunch, with you?”

  “Yes.” His expression was assessing.

  “Now?”

  “Yeah, I’m starving.” He gave a nod next door, one hand raised to lean into the wall. I think it was a ploy to get me looking at his arms and the definition in them.

  It worked. My eyes zoned in on the ridges and protruding veins that puffed up like they were swollen. A man with veins in his arms was entirely too sexy to explain. “Let’s go next door to Mercato’s and I’ll go over the bid.”

  Lunch.

  What was the harm in that?

  I mean, look at his arms.

  If anything, I could have lunch, stare at his arms, and go over the bid. No harm done.

  It wasn’t like it was dinner.

  “Okay,” I agreed, giving him a tender smile.

  Fuck, Logan, might as well have bit your lip while you were at it.

  Returning my smile, his stare went to my freckles and then my mouth. “Let’s go.”

  With him in front of me, we made our way to the front of the shop as I reached behind the counter for my purse. “I'll be back in an hour. I’m gonna go over the bid with Josh.”

  Josh?

  Is that what I should call him? Or should I say Mr. Daniel?

  This isn’t high school English class Logan, you don’t have to say that.

  Stevie gawked at me, one wayward curl falling from her messy bun, waiting for me to say something else.

  When I didn’t, Stevie quirked an eyebrow at me, unsure what to make of it.

  “Don’t burn the place down,” I added when I was at the door.

  “That was one small fire, Logan.” Rolling her eyes, her focus remained on me. “No need to remind me every day.”

  “I don’t remind you every day. Just a few days a week. And it wasn’t a small fire.” I gestured to the picture on the wall of when we had to completely redo the kitchen because Stevie turned the oven on and forgot about it. Wouldn’t have been so bad if there weren’t cupcakes in there.

  You’d think at some point she would have smelled the burning cake, right?

  Nope. Not when she was outside flirting with the greener from the watermelon stand at the farmers market.

  Stevie drew in a deep breath. “In my reality, it was small.”

  Walking toward the door, I waved to her. “And in your reality, anal doesn’t count as losing your virginity.”

  Outside, Josh grinned when the door closed behind us. “Doesn’t count as…” And then his smile grew into a laugh, one where it seemed he was struggling to maintain his composure. “…a small fire?”

  That wasn’t what he wanted to ask.

  Raising my eyebrows, my head twisted, giving him another smile. “Well played. But I know what you wanted to ask.”

  Josh reached for the door to Mercato Ristorante and opened it for me, giving me a nod to walk in before him. “No, I really was referring to the fire.”

  “Sure you were.”

  The hostess greeted us, menu already in hand. “Two for lunch?”

  Usually I knew most of the staff here, though this girl with wide brown eyes and wavy black hair wasn’t one I recognized.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Josh said. With the deepness in his voice and eyes focused securely on the hostess, she blushed, nearly immediately.

  It seemed I wasn’t the only one having reactions to his voice and looks.

  Inside Mercato’s, creamy orange walls met red concrete floors accented by dark-wood trim and exposed ceiling beams. Carnival art covered the walls giving the restaurant a sophisticated feel, despite the darkness. Stevie and I ordered in for lunch frequently but I hadn’t been inside since they completed the addition.

  The hostess led us inside, Josh following behind me with a casual grace. Sitting across from the bar in a booth, Josh sank down into the seat, setting his phone on the table near the wall, and then took the menu the hostess handed him.

  “Can I get you two started with drinks?”

  Josh nodded, looking to me, waiting for me to order. “I’ll have a ginger peach tea.”

  The hostess smiled, and then glanced at Josh, the warmth in her cheeks present. “I’ll take a Coors Light,” Josh said, giving her a wink.

  Total player. He winked at the hostess.

  When she left, there was a moment of silence, both of us fixing our attention on the menu. I kept glancing up at him, waiting for him to say something, or look at me. Only he didn’t.

  “Simple beer choice,” I noted, never looking up from the menu.

  He laughed once, the sound amused but stiff. “I like the original beers. Bud, Miller, Oly.”

  Just as I was about to make conversation, the waiter stopped by, placing our drinks on the table. He was tall, with dark hair and wearing the standard all-black attire the waiters wore here. “Have you decided on what you’d like for lunch?” And then he recognized Josh. “Oh, hey, Josh. How have you been?”

  “I’m good, Chris.” They shook hands and then Josh looked at me, finally, blue eyes sparkling over his beer he’d just brought to his lips. “Ladies first.”

  All right, so he was polite and had some smooth moves for a construction worker.

  “I’ll have the ravioli.” My voice sounded squeaky, annoyingly so. Reaching forward, I took my glass in my hand to sip on my tea as he ordered.

  Josh smiled, somehow entertained by my meal choice, handing the menu back to the waiter. “I’ll have the tagliatelle.” He nodded to the waiter, barely taking his eyes off mine.

  “Why are you smiling at what I ordered?” I giggled a bit as I set the napkin from the table on my lap.

  His gentle smile was endearing, but I knew enough already that gentleness wasn’t a trait this man had. Look at his calloused work hands. They’re meant for pulling hair and spanking asses. I was sure of that. “Most girls order a side salad.”

  “Fuck that. I’m starving.”

  “Good for you.” He leaned back in the booth, slouching a little to the left as he kept one hand on his beer tapping his fingers against the glass. He paralyzed me with the look he was giving me, my mind swimming and trying to justify reaching forward to touch him. “I like a girl with an appetite.”

  I bet you do, Mr. Daniel.

  There I went again with the formal name.

  “All right.” I waved my hand at him, leaning forward on my elbows so I was appearing interested in anything he said. “Let’s get this over with. How much?”

  There was a problem when I leaned forward. My shirt was low cut and I gave Josh a clear view on my cleavage.

  Surprisingly, he never looked, or at least I didn’t catch him.

  “Well, my pricing for me varies,” he teased, laughing, as if that was supposed to be a joke.

  “You’re funny.” If he was trying to break the ice between us, the unsettling awkwardness in the air any time you discussed money, he’d achieved that. “But I meant for the remodel.”

  “I was teasing,” he murmured seductively, his eyes lifting from the beer in his hand and then slowly to mine. “How’s ten grand sound?”

  I was expecting something like $30,000. When Mercato’s had their banquet room added on, it was $30,000. And mine was more complicated than that. So how was I getting a deal like this?

  And then I realized he was probably doing me a favor.

  What did he want in return? />
  “Is that too much for you?” he asked when I didn’t reply, a touch of hesitation in his rumbling tone.

  “No, I’m just worried that you’re giving me too good of a deal.”

  “Well…” He leaned back in the booth before taking a drink of his beer. When he was finished, he replaced the glass on the table. “…how about you make me some cupcakes too. I like chocolate.”

  “I can certainly make you some, though I don’t do much of the baking anymore. I hired a baker to work in the shop for that.”

  He winked, playing into my comment and twisting it on me. “I like a girl who can give orders.”

  “Wow, you’re kind of inappropriate. Are you like this with all your clients?”

  “No.” A smile twisted the corners of his mouth, his eyes dropping from mine, to his beer. Raising it to his lips, he stop short, continuing, “Not all of them.”

  I was quiet, trying to decide if this was going to be a good idea. Should I hire him?

  Looking at him, I didn’t want to because I knew where this would head. I’d watch him work, he’d flirt, and before I knew it, I’d be flat on my back with him between my legs.

  Drawing in a deep breath, I blew it out slowly, weighing the business design aspects as well. I’d been saving for a remodel for over a year and we needed it. If I wanted to expand the store, I had to consider this and it was an amazing offer. Anyone else would have been upwards of that $20,000 mark and might not have done as good of a job. I’d seen Josh’s work before. He was good.

  “Okay.”

  Leaning back in the booth, his gaze locked on mine. “You accept my offer?” His voice was confident, sliding over me until the full meaning hit me like a slap to the face.

  “Yes…” and then I realized I should make myself clear, “for the remodel.”

  “The remodel was all I was offering.” His brow raised. “You know that, right?”

  Sure you were.

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “I know.”

  WHEN THE FOOD arrived, our small talk continued, though the chaos of the lunch rush filled the silence between us. After a while, it seemed Josh was attempting to keep it more about me, than him.

  Picking up his fork, his eyes remained on his food, as did mine. “How’d a girl like you get into making cupcakes?”