by Alison Bliss
Seth froze in place, looking as puzzled as I was. “Why not?” he asked.
“Because the airplane crossed through the force field and now the wood has poisoned it.”
I held my hands up as Seth glanced at me. “Don’t look at me. I’m not touching it if it has wood poison.”
He grinned. “Wood poison, huh?”
“Yep, it’s pretty deadly,” I told him, keeping my face serious. “That rickety old barn has a lot of wood poison which is why Austin isn’t allowed to go inside of it. Right, Austin?”
He shook his head. “No way. I’m never going in there.”
I grinned. “Good.” The things parents do to keep their child safe.
Seth eyed the airplane and then gazed back at Austin. “Well, someone has to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. I guess it’ll be me.” He reached for the airplane and lifted it from the wooden chair.
Austin’s mouth dropped open. “That’s not good. Now you’ve been poisoned.”
Seth shook his head. “Nah, I’m fine. There’s no such thing…as wood…poisoning.” His hand clutched at his heart as he staggered around, groaning and moaning, then he fell to the ground with a loud thud and rolled onto his back with his eyes closed.
Austin’s eyes widened. “Oh no!” He ran over to me and pulled at my arm. “Seth’s dying, Momma. Quick, save him!”
I stifled a laugh. “Um, how?”
My son scrunched up his face and thought about the answer to my question way too long for anyone to make it out of this scenario alive, but I waited patiently for him to come up with a solution. Finally, he said, “Well, Lily says that when the princess ate a poison apple that the prince woke her up by kissing her on the lips.”
Seth lifted his head from the floor. “Just for the record, I’m down with that.” Then he let his head fall once more, closing his eyes as if he were sleeping.
A giggle slipped past my lips, and I placed my hand over my mouth and turned away to compose myself. But my son was adamant. “Momma, hurry and do something before he dies.”
I smiled down at him. “Okay. Maybe a Popsicle will wake the sleeping princess from his nap. And of course, since you bravely tried to save Seth, you get one, too.” I reached into the freezer for two Popsicles, and Austin let out a whoop.
Seth instantly sat up. “Popsicles? That’s all I get for that stellar performance?”
“You don’t like Popsicles?”
He smiled. “I like them just fine, but I think the kid was on the right track with the first idea.”
I cleared my throat and shook my head to stop Seth from saying anything more in front of my child. “Well, since you’re sitting up and talking, I think you’ll live. No further treatment will be necessary.” I held out a cherry Popsicle to him. “You’re cured.”
“Figures,” he said, rising from the floor and taking the frozen treat from me.
I shrugged. “Better than nothing.”
“I guess,” he said, ripping the wrapper open down the seam and pulling out the Popsicle by the wooden stick. Then he grinned. “How come this wood isn’t poisonous?”
“Because the Popsicle is the cure,” I reasoned, and then began to help Austin open his.
But my kiddo wasn’t having it and shook his head furiously. “Momma, I can do it all by myself.”
“Oh. All right.” I handed it over to him but cringed internally. There was nothing more frustratingly boring than watching my child slowly do something that I could do for him in mere seconds, all because he wanted to do it “all by himself.” But I knew he’d never learn how to do anything on his own if I didn’t give him the opportunity to try. So I watched quietly while he worked on it. It took him forever, but he finally got it open. “You did it. Great job.”
We sat in silence while Austin finished his Popsicle, but I couldn’t help but be a little taken aback. Watching Seth playing with my child had seemingly sent a hormonal flux running rapidly through my system. Maybe my attraction to Seth manifested itself at the wrong time, but I couldn’t believe how charismatic and personable and completely at ease he was with Austin.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t let myself be distracted by Seth. No matter how sexy his tolerance of kids was, I needed to keep the cognitive ability to make smart, rational decisions around him. Because Lord knows I hadn’t thus far.
After Austin finished his dessert, I washed all the stickiness from his hands and his face. Then I went to check on the towels in the dryer while the boys cleaned up the scraps of paper on the table, leftover from their airplanes. The towels were dry, so I stood there folding them while vaguely listening to Austin asking Seth in the kitchen if he’d ever flown on a real plane before.
“Sure, lots of times,” Seth replied. “I don’t have a fear of flying. I have a fear of crashing.”
“What would you do?” Austin asked, the suspense in his voice making me giggle as I bent down to grab the last towel from the dryer.
“Well,” Seth said. “I’d probably shit myself to death before we hit the ground.”
I stilled. What the hell?
Austin chuckled as Seth continued. “Either that or I’d just be cushioned enough to make it through the crash. But even if I lived, I’d be too embarrassed to be found so I’d have to hide out in the woods when the searchers came to rescue me.”
Worried that Austin was going to take him seriously, I straightened quickly and forgot there was a wooden cabinet directly above the dryer. The top of my head bashed into the corner of it, and pain lashed through my skull. I cried out, the sound reverberating through the room, as my fingers went straight to my smarting scalp to check for signs of blood.
Within seconds, Seth appeared at the laundry room door to check on me. “Are you okay?”
Still a little dazed, I shook my head. “Not really. I hit my head,” I said, swaying back and forth. “Now the washing machine looks like it’s breathing.”
“Jesus. How hard did you hit it? Maybe you should sit down.”
“No, I’m fine,” I said, noting that my vision was starting to clear. I rubbed at the knot that was already forming on my scalp. “Damn it. That hurt.”
“Let me see,” he said, moving closer and taking my face into his hands to hold my head still. His fingers ventured through my hair until he found the sensitive spot.
I winced. “Ouch. Don’t touch it.”
“You’re not bleeding, but you’re going to have a big knot there. And probably a massive headache.”
“Already have that,” I told him as he released me. “That was instant. I’m sure it’s fine, though. I’ll put some ice on it once I get these towels put away.” I started to reach for the stack I’d just folded, but Seth grasped my arm to stop me.
“I’ll do it. I’m sure I can manage to figure out where they go. Just take it easy for a minute, would you?”
I gazed up at him. “Okay, thanks. Where’s Austin?”
“He’s looking for the spaceman in the living room.”
“Spaceman? Um, maybe I should sit down.”
Seth grinned. “I didn’t want him to get upset that you were hurt, so I told him that I saw a spaceman orbiting the couch earlier. He’s in there looking for him. I figured it would keep him busy long enough for me to make sure you were all right. I didn’t want him to see you if you were seriously injured.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Then I remembered what he’d told my child that made me hit my head in the first place. “Could you do me one more favor, though?”
“Sure.”
“Could you watch the colorful language around him? Shit and hell aren’t that bad, but I definitely don’t want him graduating to anything worse than that.”
“No problem. Anything else?”
I nodded and then immediately regretted moving my head so much. “Yeah, maybe not tell my child that you would shit yourself to death if your plane crashed and that you would have to hide from the rescuers to keep from being embarrassed. Even though Austin is pot
ty trained, he still has occasional accidents.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean any harm. I was just trying to make him laugh.”
“I figured. Just be careful what you say around him. Your stories are getting a little too…candid, perhaps? Just remember, he is only four and takes everything to heart.”
“Like wood poison?” Seth asked, lifting one brow.
I laughed. “Hey, it’s kept him far away from that old barn. When we first moved onto the property, he was fascinated with it and kept asking to go inside. I told him no, but I was afraid if I turned my back even for a second that he would end up in there. So the wood poison was extra insurance that he would stay out of it. So far, it’s worked.”
“Smart move.”
“I thought so. Sometimes a parent has to get a little creative. Kids are so impulsive.”
He winked. “And gullible.”
Yes, that, too. Thank God.
Chapter Six
I sat back on my haunches and looked over my hard work. I’d spent half the morning pulling weeds, spreading red mulch, and pruning dead leaves from the rose bushes, all of which had given the flower beds new life. But there was still so much more to do.
Before I bought the property, the natural vegetation had slowly taken over the land and closed in on the house, surrounding it with tall grass, vines of poison ivy, scrub brush, and prickly cactus. Most of that had already been cleared out, and I continued to mow often, but the weeds always grew back so fast.
I headed for the barn to get out the old riding lawn mower that Hank had fixed up for me. It wasn’t much to look at, but it ran well, which was all that really mattered. As I crossed the yard, though, I stopped to check on the elephant ears I’d planted to make sure they were growing okay and not needing more water.
Nearby, Austin peered through the branches of our blooming Oleander bush. “I seeeee you,” he said in a singsong manner.
I already knew he was there, but I faked my surprise by throwing a hand to my chest and widening my eyes. “Get out of my bushes, you stalker!”
Austin giggled and poked his head around the side. “It’s just me, Momma.”
Still pretending, I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Oh. Thank goodness. I thought someone was watching me.”
Unfazed, Austin ran over the picnic table and started playing with his toy trucks, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. And really, he didn’t…which was exactly what I’d always wanted for my child. For him to grow up in a safe, healthy environment surrounded by people who loved him. And I was damn proud of myself for providing that for him.
It wasn’t until I turned back toward the barn that I realized someone was actually watching me. But it wasn’t fear—pretend or otherwise—that rushed through me. More like a hot wave of desire that left my nerves feeling raw and swollen. Or was that a different part of my anatomy?
A shirtless Seth stood next to a charred metal drum where he was burning rotten barn wood and dead branches that he’d thrown off the roof earlier this morning. It was hard to believe that he’d been staying with us for almost three weeks and I still hadn’t gotten any better about hiding my reaction to his bare skin.
He grinned playfully at me, but the intensity in his eyes didn’t match his smile. The way he looked at me disturbed me on some level. Not because I worried that he wouldn’t be able to control himself around me. It was more like I worried that I wouldn’t be able to control myself around him.
Whether I liked admitting it or not, something ran hot and deep between the two of us. And that something lit a fire inside me every time I was near him. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before which was scary, since I knew he wasn’t the type of guy who stuck around. Unfortunately, longevity was not something he seemed to be looking for.
Sighing, I walked past him on my way into the barn.
“Need something?” he asked, following me inside.
“Yeah, the riding lawn mower,” I said, walking over to it where it was parked against the wall. “I’m going to plow down all those weeds that have been invading my yard.” I shoved the gear shifter on the mower into neutral and pushed it away from the wall, steering it backward out the barn door. I stopped once I got outside.
“Um, it’s going to take you a long time doing it that way.”
Shaking my head, I laughed. “The reverse on it sticks sometimes so it’s easier to just push the mower free of the barn before getting on it. There’s too much stuff in there to turn it around inside.”
“I see,” he said, reaching his hand up to scratch the back of his neck. His muscled bicep tightened and his abs flexed from the movement.
I tried not to look, but my eyes automatically fixed on his smooth, broad chest, and I scowled. Damn it. Why couldn’t I stop looking at him like that?
“Problem?” he asked.
My gaze lifted to his. “I’m starting to think you don’t own any shirts.”
He shrugged. “It’s hot out. What’s the big deal? Does it bother you that I’m not wearing one?”
“Not at all,” I told him truthfully. “It just makes it a little hard to concentrate at times when you’re walking around here half naked.”
He chuckled. “Half naked, huh? Well, this isn’t quite what I would consider half naked. Besides, it can’t be all that distracting. I’m sure you’ve seen a shirtless man before. Maybe even a pantless one, too.”
I bit my lip and lowered my head. “Um, yeah. Probably.”
One eyebrow rose. “Been a while, has it?”
“You have no idea.” I cranked the mower and throttled the machine up to end this rather embarrassing conversation about my nonexistent sex life.
Seth raised his voice so I could hear him over the machine. “I could take care of that for you.”
God, he sounded like Jeremy. But why were the words so much hotter coming from Seth? “I already told you we aren’t having sex, remember?”
He grinned. “Okay, but I was actually talking about the mowing.”
Oh. “I, uh…”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it for you,” he said, putting himself in between me and the mower.
I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I can do it.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t do it. I said I’d do it for you.”
I shielded my eyes from the bright afternoon sun to make sure he could see the indignation blazing through them. “Is this your sexist way of telling me that this is a man’s job?”
“No. This is my way of telling you that I’m better at it than you are. And it has nothing to do with me being a man and you being a woman.”
“How do you figure? It’s not possible that you’re better at it. The lawn mower is going to cut the grass the same no matter who’s driving it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
I raised a questioning brow and folded my arms. “Okay, explain, then. And this better be good.”
“All right. Well, I watched you mowing last week. For one, this isn’t NASCAR. You don’t have to drive on the highest gear. If you slow down, you’ll get a better cut.”
“Okay, is that all?”
“Not exactly. You don’t drive in a pattern like I do. You should cut the grass in one direction rather than the way you do it.”
“And how exactly do I do it?”
“Halfway around the yard, you turn the wheel and start mowing in a completely different direction that has no rhyme or reason to it. Like you’re making designs or something.”
Austin lifted his head from the trucks he was playing with. “Cool! Hey, Momma, can you do Sponge Bob next time?”
I laughed. “Honey, I don’t think that’s what Seth meant by—”
“Close enough,” Seth said with a smirk. “You’re all over the place when you mow. Pretty soon, these crop circles you’re creating are going to start drawing the alien enthusiasts out here.”
I wanted to be aggravated by his comment, but my driving need
to fix the place up and make it look nice overwhelmed my need to be butt hurt over something so trivial. “Okay, fine. Then you do it this time, and when you’re finished, we’ll see if it looks better than the mowing job I did last week.”
“All right,” he agreed, sliding onto the seat of the mower.
With his back to me, I could see all of the faded scars, as well as a bit of perspiration clinging to his tanned skin. “I’ll just go make you something cold to drink.”
“That’d be great. Thanks.”
Seth took off on the mower as I made my way back to the house. I hollered for Austin to join me inside so that I could keep an eye on him while I made Seth something to drink. A few minutes later, we headed back outside. Austin ran straight back to his toy trucks while I carried a tall glass of cold blackberry lemonade out to Seth.
He saw me coming and steered my direction, meeting me halfway. He turned off the mower and used the back of his arm to wipe away the beads of sweat on his brow. “That looks great,” he said, taking the lemonade from my hand. “Thanks.” Then he guzzled down about half of it.
“You’re welcome,” I told him, eyeing his broad shoulders and muscled chest. “It’s, um…really hot out today.”
“That’s because there’s no breeze.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Or perhaps it’s because your body is fucking amazing.
“At least I haven’t run across any snakes in the grass yet.”
Before I could respond, a rumbling sound coming from behind me nabbed my attention. I glanced in the direction of the driveway and watched as a newer-model silver Chevy truck pulled slowly up the drive and onto my property. An older gentleman sporting a mustache and wearing blue jeans and a plaid button-down top slid out of the truck with a large white envelope in his hand. With a friendly wave, he headed our direction.
“Who’s that?” Seth asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before.”
As the man reached us, he said, “I’m looking for a Bobbie Weston.”
“Yes, that’s me.”
He handed me the envelope. “You’ve been served,” he said, then turned and walked away.
I blinked. Alarmed by what just happened, my heart started racing in my chest. “Served? Who the hell is suing me? And what exactly for?”