by Hope Ford
She wraps her arms around her chest and holds herself in a hug, nodding her head.
“Can I have your keys?” I ask her.
Her eyebrows lift. “Keys?”
“Yeah, to your car. I’ll get it over here tomorrow.”
She holds her hand to her chest, shaking her head. “How could I have forgotten about my car? No, I’ll get someone to bring me to get it tomorrow, it’s no big deal. I can’t ask you...”
“You’re not asking. Keys please?” I ask with a harsher tone than I should probably be using, but hearing her say she’s going to call someone else has me thinking all kinds of things. For starters, I don’t want her calling anyone else. I want her calling me when she needs things. Just as soon as I think it, I start to walk toward the door and open it, standing in the doorway so the night breeze hits me in the face. All of this is just too much. “May I have your keys please? I don’t do things unless I want to, and I want to do this. Lane’s not going to feel like doing much tomorrow. Just let me do this for you.”
She wants to argue with me, and I can tell she’s not used to asking for help, but thankfully she walks over to her purse and digs in before getting out a set of keys and hands them to me. “Thank you, Trey.”
“You’re welcome, honey. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I barely get the words out and I’m hustling out the door and down to my truck. It’s either get away as fast as I can or stick around and kiss her. Leaving is probably the right thing to do.
5
Katie
“What’s that noise, Mom?” Lane asks me from his position on the couch. He’s milked this injury for all it’s worth. I called into work and am using a few vacation days until I get him settled and feel that he can go back to school, and this morning he was up bright and early asking for a bowl of cereal as he lounged back on pillows on the couch.
I thought I heard pounding a few minutes ago, but now the sound is even more clear, and there’s no mistaking the fact that there is definitely something happening in the backyard. “I don’t know. I’ll go check. Stay right here and I’ll be back.”
I set down my cup of coffee on the kitchen counter and open the back door, and there’s nothing that could have prepared me for what I’m seeing. Trey is up in the treehouse. He has jeans on similar to the ones he had on before, but today he’s shirtless, and I feel the need to fan myself with my hand as I take in all the tattooed muscles he’s showing off. Thank God he’s in the backyard like this because I can just imagine all the gossip the neighbors would be saying if they could see him now. My word, the man is delicious looking.
I step into the house and slide my sandals on and then trek back outside to stand under the tree. “Trey!”
He leans over the same rail that Lane broke through last night, but now it’s sturdy and is holding Trey’s weight without any problems. “Morning, honey. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
I shake my head, speechless.
He tilts his head to the side and asks me, “Are you okay?”
I laugh and cover my mouth before the snort comes out. “Do you know how many times you’ve asked me that in the less than twenty-four hours you’ve known me?”
He just lifts his shoulders in a shrug. “I just want you to be all right.”
His words send a tingle down my back. “Yeah, I’m good.”
He takes his hand and wraps it around the fixed railing, trying to push it back and forth, but it doesn’t budge in the least. “The railing is secure. I went through and double checked it all. I replaced a board in the flooring too because I thought it was getting weak. I’ll have to bring some paint next time, or I can wait if you think Lane would want to help me paint it.”
He’s talking the whole time he’s coming down the ladder, and I can’t even focus on what he’s saying because all I can seem to see is his tight butt in his jeans and watching the muscles in his back work as he climbs down the ladder. I’m stumped for words until he’s standing right in front of me. I have to force my eyes up to his face. “Uh, I’m sorry, what did you say?”
He has the nerve to chuckle, and I can feel my face flush. I’m definitely busted. He knows exactly what I’m thinking, and it’s obvious by the way his eyes darken and his nostrils flare as he towers over me and his eyes are riveted to me. “I said the treehouse should be safe now.”
I shake my head as if I’m trying to clear my thoughts. “Yeah, thank you for that. You keep doing all these nice things for me. What can I do for you?”
As soon as the words are out, I realize how they sound, especially since I’ve been standing here ogling his body. I bring my hand to my forehead and step backwards with my head down. “I mean, can I make you some pancakes or fix you something for breakfast?”
I don’t have to turn around to know that Trey is right behind me. I can feel the heat coming off him in rays. His voice is right next to my ear, and his breath spans my neck as he whispers in my ear, “Yeah, breakfast sounds good.”
I suck in a breath and nod my head as I walk into the house. Get it together, Katie. He’s just a good guy that likes to help people. You’ve got way too much drama going on, and you shouldn’t read any more into his kindness than what it is.
Treyton
When I got home last night, I made a plan to get Dawson to help me get Katie’s car to her house and then leave. It started out all right. Dawson followed me here and then took me back to the shop for my truck. He grumbled about having to get up earlier than normal, but Dawson grumbles about everything. As soon as I got back to the shop, I told myself to go home, get my motorcycle, and head up into the mountains. Instead, I found myself at the lumber yard buying wood and then driving back over to Katie’s. I have to fix the railing on the treehouse. And the whole time I’m working on it, I convince myself that I’m doing it so the kid doesn’t get hurt again. And then I look down and spot Katie staring up at me. The look on her face and the appreciation in her smile is thanks enough. But I don’t miss the way she’s looking at me. I can see that she’s attracted to me, and I was stupid to think that I was only doing this for the kid... I did it for her too. I like the way she looks at me.
I grab my shirt that’s hanging on her back deck and pull it over my head as I follow Katie into the house.
“Trey, you came back!” Lane says as soon as he sees me from his spot on the couch.
I walk over and sit on the couch next to him, holding my fist out for him to fist bump me. “Heck yeah, I’m back. I had to fix the treehouse, and I brought some art pens so we could tat up your cast if you’re feeling up to it.”
Lane’s eyes get big, and they bounce from me to his mom in the kitchen. “Mom, can we, please? Oh, pretty please?”
She laughs as she pulls things out of the cabinet. I try not to stare as her shorts mold to her ass, or the bare skin that shows at her midriff when she reaches up into the cabinet, but I can feel the effect on my own body. I adjust myself as Lane and I both wait for her answer.
“Uh, first, I’m going to fix some pancakes. Trey has been working on the treehouse and fixed it for you, don’t you have something to say to him?”
Lane nods his head. “Yes, thank you, Trey. So can we tat my cast?”
Katie and I both laugh this time. “After Trey eats, okay.”
“Yippee!” he says as he jumps off the couch, and I catch him around the waist before he falls into the coffee table.
“Lane! Please, honey, no more jumping. I can’t handle any more broken bones today.”
Lane at least has the sense to look sheepish. “Okay, Mom. Sorry.”
6
Katie
He came back. That’s all I kept thinking as I moved around the kitchen to make the pancakes and bacon. Well, that and the fact that I could feel his eyes following me everywhere I went. Lane and Trey devoured the pancakes, and Lane even begged for seconds. Once I started cleaning up the kitchen, there was no more putting off Lane. Trey grabbed his art pens, and the two of them huddled together at the dining room
table working on the art of his cast tattoo.
“Will you two be okay if I shower real quick?” I ask Trey more than Lane. I feel bad asking Trey to basically babysit my kid, but I would love to have a shower about now.
“Yeah, we’re good Mom,” Lane says, completely distracted as he puts the finishing touches of some kind of shield on his arm.
Trey’s looking at me over Lane’s head, and his eyes travel from my eyes down to the light pink color of my toes. I can feel the heat from his gaze all the way across the room, and I clench my thighs together as my clit starts to throb. His voice is husky when he answers me. “Sure thing, honey. Take your shower.”
Dammmmn. Just the way he says it makes my nipples tighten in response. I nod, completely flustered, and about trip over my own feet as I make my way down the hall. I grab everything I need for my shower and make quick work of getting cleaned up. The desire to stay in there longer to satisfy my suddenly sensitive body is strong, but there’s no way I’m going to take advantage of Trey’s niceness. Fifteen minutes later, I’m back in the dining room and thank goodness too because as soon as I hear the knock on the front door, I know exactly who it is. I probably need to talk to Craig about just showing up unannounced like this.
I take a deep breath and open the door. “Good morning, Craig.”
“Did he spend the night?”
I grab on to the edge of the open door and lean against it and decide to play dumb. “Did who spend the night?”
“The tattooed Neanderthal from last night. That’s his truck still in the driveway.” I lean out the door a little and spot his truck right next to my little red Honda. Aww, Trey already got my car here for me.
“It’s none of your business if he spent the night. And that Neanderthal has spent all morning fixing the railing on the treehouse.” I take a deep breath. Don’t engage, Katie. “Do you want to see Lane?”
I don’t wait for his response. I leave the door open and walk back toward the dining room. Both Lane and Trey look up at me, and I smile, trying not to let Craig’s asshole ways get to me. “Your dad is here.”
Lane looks at Trey. “I’m going to go show my dad. Okay?”
Trey ruffles the top of Lane’s head. “Sure thing, bud.”
As soon as Lane leaves the room, I start to busy myself with wiping down counters.
Trey stands up and walks into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets. “You okay?”
Treyton
She snorts, and I’m glad she doesn’t try to hold it in this time. It’s adorable the way she snorts and then scrunches her nose up afterwards. “You have to quit asking me that.”
I shrug. I’ve never been more observant about another person in my life, but the few rare, real smiles I’ve gotten from Katie make me want to try to get them all the time. “I like to see you smile. It worries me when you don’t.”
She looks toward the door to the other room and back at me. “So my ex seems to think there’s something going on between us. If he says something... well, I’m sorry, but instead of correcting him, I just told him it wasn’t any of his business.” She starts putting the dishes away, and I move closer to her and don’t stop until I’m right next to her. I reach for the plates and put them in the open cabinet.
When both our hands are empty, I reach for her. “Is it a problem... if he thinks we have something going on?”
She stares at me, wide-eyed. “No, I mean not for me, but I don’t want it to be a problem for you.”
I lean in and press my lips to her forehead and then rest my chin on her head. I should run or talk to her about things, but I don’t. “It’s not a problem for me at all,” I mutter.
She leans into me, her head cradled against my chest. I want to kiss her. For real kiss her, but I don’t want our first kiss to have the possibility of her son or ex-husband barging in at any minute.
Lane walks into the kitchen, takes one look at Katie, and runs toward us. I have to release Katie to catch him before he falls. “Dad loved my cast art. He said I was a natural.”
I release a breath. At least his father is not a complete douchebag anyway. “That’s great, Lane.”
He nods. “Can we finish now?”
I look up at Katie, and she has a worried look on her face as she stares between Lane and me. “Mom, Dad wants to talk to you before he goes. He said he’s waiting on the porch.”
Katie clenches her hands together and gives us a brave face. “I’ll be right back.”
I stop her with my hand on her shoulder. “You want me to go with you?”
With appreciation in her eyes, she covers my hand with hers. “No, I’m fine. But I appreciate you offering.”
I should just let her go. Lane’s already back at the table in the dining room, and I lean in to whisper to her, “If I hear him raising his voice, I’m coming out.”
She shakes her head, no doubt wanting to reassure me, but there’s no need. “Just stating facts, honey,” I tell her as I briefly touch my lips to hers. She gasps, and her eyes widen. I let her go and walk back over to Lane. “I’m ready, buddy.”
I sit tensely in my seat, waiting for just an inclination that I may be needed outside as I entertain Lane. He’s a smart kid, and I notice he keeps worriedly looking at the door too. “Your mom’s pretty special, huh kid?”
He nods. “Yeah, I like that she’s smiling again.”
There’s a tug in my chest when he says it, but I don’t have time to examine it before Katie is walking back in the door. She smiles at us both as she sits down at the table. “I hope you left an open square for me to add some artwork.”
I hand her a pen as Lane starts to cheer. I’m going to have to watch it... I could start to get used to this.
7
Katie
A week. It’s been a whole week since I met Trey, and he’s been over at my house almost every day. If I’m working a late shift or something, I still talk to him on the phone. There haven’t been any more kisses besides the peck he gave me the day he fixed the treehouse. That’s it... and it’s super frustrating.
My phone rings as I’m driving home from dropping Lane off with his father for the weekend. As soon as I see Trey’s name, there’s a tickle in my tummy, and I hit the answer button on the steering wheel. “Hello.”
I shake my head. God, that doesn’t even sound like me. It sounds like I’m about to go tape a porno with my husky, lust-filled voice. I say it again, this time more normal. “Hello.”
“What are you doing tonight?” Trey asks.
“I just dropped off Lane at his father’s. I’m going home to shower the hospital filth off me and then I’m going to probably order takeout from Red’s Diner and watch some TV.”
He groans, and I ask him, “Are you okay?”
“Honey, don’t talk about showering while I’m trying to drive.”
I can’t stop the smile from filling my face. He hasn’t kissed me in a week. I was beginning to think he’d friend zoned me, but comments like that give me some hope.
“Sorry,” I tell him, even though I’m not really sorry.
“It’s okay. You want to make it up to me?”
“Uh, sure.” I say it more like a question than an answer. I’m always cautious and have to analyze everything. I can’t just say yes to something I’m not all that sure of, but I don’t think Trey would lead me wrong.
“Great. Shower and I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
My heart starts to race. Is he asking me out on a date? “Where are we going?”
“The shop.”
I pull into my driveway and put the car in park as my hope deflates. Not a date, a tattoo. “No, I’ve thought about it, and I just don’t think it’s meant for me to get a tattoo.”
His voice deepens. “Do you trust me, Katie?”
I grab my purse, flip the call from my car to my phone, and walk up the front steps to my house to let myself in. Do I trust Trey? Absolutely. There’s no way I couldn’t. Not after the way he’s helped out an
d taken care of Lane and me this week. “Yes.”
He breathes heavily over the phone. “Good, I was getting nervous there for a second. I’ll see you in an hour, Katie. Be ready.”
And before I can answer him, he’s already hung up. Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?
I rush around and get ready, even taking the extra time to shave all my parts. Not that I’m expecting anything, but a girl should be ready anyway. Yes, I’m hopeful. Even though I know it’s too soon and Jamie thinks I should treat Trey as the rebound guy, I just don’t know. It seems like more than that.
I’m sitting on the front porch when Trey pulls into the driveway. He walks up the porch and sits next to me on the stoop. “Evening,” he says huskily.
I nod, because when he’s this close, I’m sort of a mess. Plus, this is the first time it’s just been the two of us all week, and I have so many things going through my head.
“You okay?” he asks, nudging me with his shoulder.
I laugh, because now it’s like a joke because of how many times he’s asked me that exact question in the last week. “Can we talk about the tattoo?”
He dips his head and steals a kiss. “Sorry, I’ve been dying to kiss you again. Continue, we can talk about the tattoo.”
My lips are warm from the brief touch of his lips. “I don’t want to get one.”
“Why?”
I look down at my hands in my lap, and he touches his chin to bring my eyes up to his. “Tell me why.”
I shrug my shoulders, but I can’t look away. I can feel my face heat as I say what’s been on my mind this whole week. “I don’t want you to see me.”
His eyes widen. “You don’t want me to see you?”
I shake my head.
