Clover

by Cole, Braxton

  “That’s it for today. You two head on back to the house.”

  Clover told Brandon thanks and climbed out without a fuss. Jake didn’t know what to do. They were in the middle of a field. He couldn’t remember how they got there or where the Watson house was from there. How would they get back? He looked at the door, then at Brandon. The only thing he could say was “thank you,” as he climbed the short ladder down to the ground.

  “You know where to go, Clover?” Brandon asked, his voice high above them and disembodied.

  Clover pointed vaguely and said she could figure it out. She set out across the field and Jake ran to catch up. When they were far enough away that he couldn’t really hear the combine anymore, she turned to Jake and said, “You did really good.”

  Suddenly he wasn’t so worried about being lost in the field anymore.

  Chapter 5

  Present Day

  Jake drove to the hardware store and thought the least sexy thoughts he could come up with. So far, however, none of them had worked to make his erection subside. Clover Watson. Damn, that girl was sexier than ever. Why she’d decided to pay attention to Jake when she’d been oblivious to him before was a complete unknown.

  Right now, however, he needed to get inside the store and buy a length of chain and some metal washers. That was the list his aunt had given him. He’d already been gone longer than expected with the detour to the pool, so he couldn’t afford to spend any more time in the parking lot trying to get his parts to behave properly for public.

  He’d thought about cleaning the stalls. Nothing. Then he’d tried the picture his friend sent him of a giant woman with saggy tits. That had only made him think about what Clover would look like naked, which made him even harder. Then he’d tried thinking about how mad his aunt would be if he didn’t hurry his ass up. But that had led to him wonder if he could just hang out at the pool and watch Clover for the next four hours like he used to do when he was thirteen. Only this time, he’d give her a ride home, not the other way around.

  He might have been able to convince himself that was a good idea when he was a kid and first developed this crazy crush on Clover. At nineteen, he knew better. His aunt depended on him. She needed the work he provided during her busiest season and he needed the money she paid him. It helped him pay for school. He worked full time during the summer, then part time during the school year. Even so, he was stretched to pay tuition. He didn’t know what he would do if his dad followed through on the threat to start charging him rent. If it was too much, he’d find a cheaper place to live, but either way, it meant that he’d have to cut back on classes and go only part time.

  When he had opened his door and invited Clover to climb in, he’d been mostly kidding. He thought she would glare at him, probably call him a perv, and walk around to the other side. The last thing he expected was for her to take him up on it.

  He’d caught one whiff of her perfume, seen a glimpse of her thigh as she stepped up, and he’d gone instantly hard. He’d died then, trying to hold perfectly still and praying she wouldn’t feel it. When she’d gotten out of the truck the same way, there was no way she hadn’t. She’d sat in his lap for far too long for his erection to go unnoticed. The longer she sat there, the more he thought about how close he was to her and how little effort it would take to slip inside her. That was exactly the wrong thing for him to think about and he’d grown harder by the second until he was afraid he would burst out the top of his jeans.

  Jake’s cell phone buzzed in his front pocket and startled the crap out of him. He scrambled to get the phone before it could go off again.

  He forgot to check the caller ID before answering. “Hello?” His voice was strained and tight, just like his crotch.

  “Jake, what the hell happened to you? I’m standing here waiting with my dick in my hand for you to get back.” His Aunt Tammy was a rough, colorful woman, who never bothered with the niceties that others clung to. It didn’t matter that she didn’t actually have a dick, or that Jake was her nephew. That was the expression that popped into her head, so that was what popped out of her mouth. There was absolutely no filter in between.

  The benefit of hearing his aunt’s voice was the immediate and complete shrinkage of his cock. There was absolutely nothing about his aunt that inspired sexy thoughts for him.

  “Sorry. Clover and R.J. were broken down on the highway. I gave them a lift. I’m just headed into the store now.”

  “Move your ass. I can’t wait all day.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The click of his aunt hanging up came in the middle of his response.

  Jake pulled on his T-shirt and ran into the store. The quicker he finished his chores, the quicker he could get back to pick up Clover.

  #

  Clover shouldered her bag and ran for the door. She couldn’t believe she’d made it all the way through her shift without running into Vince again. As a bonus, she could see Jake out front, leaning against his fender. She hoped he hadn’t been waiting too long. She’d had to stay longer to make up for arriving late and she hadn’t had a chance to call.

  Jake smiled and waved when she made it to the exit. He looked excited and hopeful, so clearly he wasn’t upset about her taking too long.

  “Clover, wait a minute.” Vince came up behind her. Unlike the other lifeguards, Vince remained in his Speedo rather than changing into shorts and a T-shirt. He even wore his aviators inside of the building, despite the fact that the interior was dark and damp.

  She forced herself to smile. Vince was an ass, but he was also her boss. “What’s up?”

  He leaned in closer than Clover wanted him. He wore a smile that she might have found sexy if she were forty-two instead of twenty-two, but she doubted it. Slimy was slimy, no matter the age. “Where are you running off to?” He touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers, then slid them down to her neck. He pulled a piece of wet hair from her skin and leaned even closer. “What’s your hurry?”

  Clover took a step back. As much as she hated to back down in any situation, she didn’t want to give Vince the impression that his advances were welcome. Besides, the man set off every alarm in her head. He might have been harmless, but when her instincts screamed things like crazy stalker and date-rapist, she had no choice but to respond.

  “My boyfriend is waiting for me.” She pointed toward Jake. He wore a perplexed frown that was transitioning quickly to an angry, get-your-hands-off-her glare. She waved to him and he smiled briefly, before going back to glaring at Vince.

  Jake pushed away from the truck and made his way across the parking lot, his gaze steady on Vince. He looked ready to punch a wall and, as he started up the steps, Vince straightened abruptly. “Boyfriend?”

  Okay, so ‘boyfriend’ wasn’t exactly accurate, but it was the easiest thing to say to get Vince to back up off her. She was all about the path of least resistance. Not to mention, if she had her way, Jake would definitely be something to her before long. She wasn’t sure boyfriend was the best description of a relationship that couldn’t possibly last beyond summer, but it worked very well in the current situation.

  Rather than answer Vince with another lie, she just shrugged and smiled.

  “I wanted to talk to you about how you’re going to make up for being late.” Vince kept an eye on Jake as he spoke.

  “I stayed late like you asked.” Clover hitched her bag up on her shoulder. With Vince next to her, she wished she’d picked a less revealing outfit.

  “Yes, well, you promised to do anything. I want to talk about that part.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean.” She knew exactly what he meant and would be damned if she followed through on what he wanted. She searched for the easiest way out.

  Jake reached the top step and joined them. “Hey, you ready to go?” He slipped his arm around Clover’s shoulder and pulled her body close. His hand was warm against the bare skin of her shoulder, but the work-worn calluses were rough and scratchy. She’d never been more
grateful to have a man touch her in her life. His presence was calming to her, yet established clear, unmistakable boundaries for Vince.

  “Clover, why don’t you come to my office so we can finish our conversation?” Vince spoke with a hint of menacing undertones. It made her hair stand up and she knew she would do anything to avoid going into that office with him. Ever.

  “I’m sorry, Vince, but I already clocked out and my ride is here.” She curled her body into Jake’s and flattened her palm against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding, but he looked utterly calm on the surface.

  “I don’t need very long. Come with me. Just for a few minutes.” Vince held out his hand, but Clover didn’t take it.

  “I really can’t. My daddy is expecting me home and I’m already late. You know my daddy? Randall Watson? He’s on the city council. This year he voted to increase the budget for Parks and Rec. You received a raise because of it.” She hated bringing up her father, but she also understood how much power he had in the area. Vince probably knew her father’s pedigree and his influence over his wage, but Clover was willing to use anything she could to her advantage in this situation. Men like Vince both feared and hated her dad for what he had, and for what he could do if he put his mind to it. At this point, she’d throw her dad at Vince every day for the rest of the summer if it would convince him to back off.

  “Another time then.” Vince lowered his hand and stared at Clover. His eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You best be getting home.”

  Jake’s arm tightened around her shoulders and he guided her out of the building. She could feel Vince watching her all the way to Jake’s truck.

  Clover climbed into the driver’s door and slid to the middle of the bench seat. Even without her brother there, she didn’t feel like sitting on the passenger side. It was too far away from Jake. Vince had rattled her and Jake soothed her.

  He didn’t speak until they were out of the parking lot and on the way home. “What the hell was that about?” He sounded angry, but not like it was directed at Clover. “Who was that guy?”

  “My boss.” Clover didn’t want to talk about Vince. She wanted to sink into Jake and forget all about the way Vince made her skin want to crawl off her body.

  “What did he want? He gives me the creeps.” Jake rubbed his hand over her thigh briefly. It was comforting.

  “A blowjob.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “That’s what he said.” Sometimes Clover hated being a woman. No, she hated men who treated her like she was a snack food to be consumed and forgotten because she was a woman. Like she couldn’t possibly be good for anything unless she was on her knees with her mouth wrapped around a cock. Vince was by far the most blatant she’d encountered, but he certainly wasn’t the first.

  Jake found her hand and laced his fingers together with hers. He held her hand tighter than she normally liked, but in the moment, it was perfect.

  “I’m going to kick his ass.” Jake stared out the front windshield, his jaw tight.

  “I think he’ll back off. Most men want to stay clear of my dad.” Her dad was a bit of an enigma to most folks. He lived on an active farm because he liked the open space and clear skies, yet he took no part in the farming. He was a quiet, soft-spoken man who had enough financial and political connections to be frightening, and he’d exercised those connections enough times to make people just a little bit afraid of him. She liked to think that people saw him as levelheaded and fair, because he was, but sometimes fear skewed people’s perceptions.

  “Promise you’ll tell me if he tries anything else.” Jake looked into her eyes with such earnest conviction, but she really had no idea what he thought he would do. Frankly, she’d be better off telling her dad. She knew that, yet she wanted to believe Jake would protect her. She trusted him.

  Clover regarded Jake, considering her response. He looked so angry, to the point of fuming. She knew that kind of anger should be frightening, but instead she found it endearing. He was ready to charge into battle to protect her honor and that made her heart beat a little faster. How was it possible that she’d never really noticed him before?

  When she didn’t answer, he gripped her hand a little tighter. “Promise me, Clover.”

  “I promise.”

  Chapter 6

  Nine Years Ago

  “Jake’s here.” Brandon called from the living room. He’d been reading a book about beekeeping and had a perfect position from his spot on the couch to see anyone walking up the driveway.

  Clover stared at the bag she’d just finished packing. She had a book and snacks ready to take with her to the pond. She’d planned a day of resting next to the water and reading. It was bad enough that her dad had insisted that she take R.J. with her, but she understood. He needed to focus on work more than she needed to focus on her book.

  “Clover! Clover!” R.J. ran into the kitchen. “Jake’s here! Can we take him with us?”

  No matter how many times she’d explained to R.J. that the pond was special, that she didn’t want to share it with anyone else, he just didn’t understand. He figured if all his favorite people--Clover, their dad, and Brandon--knew about the pond, then that was enough people to mean it wasn’t really a secret.

  Jake was a good kid. Even though he was four years older than R.J., he still played with him like they were best friends. The more attention he paid to R.J., the more Clover could focus on her book. As promising as that was, Clover still wasn’t ready to show him her special hideaway spot.

  Clover sighed. It didn’t matter if she wanted to take him or not. He was here and that meant she’d be responsible for both boys for the rest of the day. She started unpacking her bag. She wasn’t going to need it after all.

  “How about we stay here instead? I’ll set up the sprinkler in the backyard.” They had a trampoline and R.J. loved to bounce on it with the water spraying straight up from beneath it. So did Jake.

  “I’ll tell him.” R.J. tore out the back door. She could hear him running around the outside of the house, his footsteps echoing against the deck that skirted the perimeter of their home.

  She took her book with her and made her way to the front of the house. Brandon sat with his own book closed in his hands, his finger placed between the pages to mark his place. “No pond after all, huh?”

  “Not today, no.”

  “Maybe tomorrow.” Brandon smiled in sympathy, then went back to reading. She sometimes thought he was the only one who really understood how special the pond was. Her dad had promised to put in a picnic table for her, but that was mostly to keep her happy, not because it meant anything to him.

  When Clover opened the front door, Jake was standing on the porch talking to R.J. He had a small bouquet of daisies in his hand. One hung limply to the side, but the others stood up properly.

  “Hi, Jake.”

  Jake stared at her wide-eyed, like her greeting had caught him off guard. He didn’t respond until R.J. smacked him in the arm and said, “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Oh, um, hi, Clover. These are for you.” He thrust the flowers out so hard and fast that the momentum forced her backward. She stumbled slightly and Jake’s face turned bright red.

  When she recovered, she took the flowers from him. Daisies grew wild along the road and she loved the way they looked, but hated the way they smelled. She had no idea why Jake had stopped to pick flowers, but she liked that she’d have flowers on the table during dinner that night. She thought it added a nice touch. Her dad and R.J. didn’t really care, but Brandon would like it, too.

  “Thanks. I’ll just,” she gestured toward the kitchen. “Be right back.” She put the flowers, bent one and all, in a small vase and set it in the middle of the table. It did look nice.

  “That boy brought you flowers?” Brandon watched from the entry with a small smile on his face.

  “Yes. I don’t know why.” It really was odd, no matter how she tried to think about it.

  “Maybe he
has a crush on you.” Brandon shrugged, then crossed to the table. He’d left his book in the living room. He adjusted the flowers until they looked just so. Clover couldn’t be upset with him fussing with her arrangement because she couldn’t deny that they looked much better when he was done. “Time for me to get back to work.” He left by the back door.

  Clover stared at the flowers and tried to figure out what Brandon had meant. Jake was only ten, three years younger than her. He wasn’t old enough to have a crush on her, was he? And what difference did it make? By the time he was old enough for it not to be completely gross to think about, they both would have forgotten all about it.

  She shrugged off Brandon’s comment and headed toward the door. The quicker she got the sprinkler turned on, the quicker she could get to her book.

  Chapter 7

  Present Day

  Jake held Clover’s hand as he drove and didn’t even think about letting go. It was a little awkward to shift gears, but he made it work. When they passed his aunt’s driveway, he realized where they were. He’d finally gotten the cutest girl he’d ever seen to notice him, and he wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. What if tomorrow she woke up and remembered that she was out of his league?

  “Do you have to get home right now?” He knew she was an adult, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need to report in to her dad.

  “No. Why?” Clover asked.

  “I thought maybe we could...I don’t know, go for a drive?” He sounded like an idiot. They’d been driving for the last thirty minutes and it was getting close to dinnertime. She would never say yes to such a lame invitation.

  She smiled at him, soft and thoughtful. “Yeah, okay. But can you drop me at my house long enough for me to shower and change? And I should probably check in with my dad to make sure he hasn’t made other plans already.” Clover released his hand so she could use her phone. He missed the feel of his fingers twined with hers, but liked the feel of her leg beneath his hand almost as much.