Candy Cane Cocktail

by Kitty Barstow

  Seven & Seven

  My buddies warned me about the seven year itch. I would never be unfaithful to my wife. Why screw around behind her back when it's more fun screwing around with others together? But even swingers get bored sometimes. So to combat the seven year itch, I've planned the perfect seventh anniversary surprise for my wife. Seven 'O's' in seven hours. Wanna come along for the ride?

  SNEAK PEEK

  Bushwacker

  “What the hell was I thinking?” I muttered as I looked up the ladder propped against my house. Sweat glistened on my brow and I swiped it away with the corner of my ratty t-shirt sleeve. The sun beat down on my face and neck. It was unusually warm for the first week in November, but I was still comfy in sweatpants.

  Taking a deep breath, I trudged up the ladder. This should be my last trip to clear out the leaves stuck in the gutters. Ugh. My father was right. I should invest in gutter guards because there was no way I would cut down the gorgeous maple trees in my back yard.

  At the top step, I quickly got to work while pretending the ground wasn’t twelve feet below. A dog barked nearby and I jerked around, glancing over the wooden fence into my neighbor’s backyard.

  “Morning, Jagger!” I called out to the English Mastiff.

  The dog jumped and barked again in greeting. He probably wanted to play fetch with one of the branches from my maple trees. Just last week his owner Liam had asked me to keep an eye on the dog while Liam ran to the store. I was doing yard work, so it wasn’t a big deal. Leaving the mastiff cooped up inside would’ve been hell for the poor thing.

  “Sorry, but I’m busy this morning buddy.”

  He barked again and rested his front paws against the fence separating our properties. His huge tongue lolled at the side of his open mouth. Jagger was an absolute beauty. Kind of like his owner, except I rarely caught a glimpse of Liam. The Aussie had moved in next door around three months ago but pretty much kept to himself when he was home. Which arguably wasn’t often. Not that I kept tabs on him, but it was hard not to notice him coming and going in a Hummer with his big dog’s head poking out the back window.

  We always exchanged friendly waves at a distance, especially early in the morning as we both headed off to work. Me to the Rockville High School, him to … I had no clue. But wherever he worked required him to wear a flashy suit and hip sunglasses. The guy was hot-as-fuck and way out of my league.

  I set my mind back on my task and swept out the vibrant red leaves from the gutter with a handheld broom. They fell over the edge and drifted to the ground. Jagger barked even louder and began jogging the length of the fence.

  A smile curved my lips. Maybe someday, after I had the chance to travel to far off places, I’d get a dog.

  “Jagger! What’s gotten into your knickers?” Liam suddenly shouted. The sound of my neighbor’s patio door sliding open resonated in the air. I glanced over my shoulder to tell him not to scold the dog. But the words lodged in my throat.

  Holy fuck! He was pulling a t-shirt over his head. Those abs were impressive. I swiveled a bit farther to catch a glimpse of the dark hair at his navel ... The ladder suddenly teetered precariously.

  “Oh shit!” I screamed, grasping at the air for one heart stopping moment.

  The ladder toppled sideways and I leaped, clinging to the gutter for a split second. The thin metal edge cut into my fingers, forcing me to let go. I fell to the ground with F-bombs flying from my lips as my feet trampled the lovely creeping phlox in my garden. I bent my knees to absorb the jarring impact but the momentum was too great. I fell backward, landing on my ass with a jarring thud. All of the air whooshed out of my lungs and I collapsed on my back.

  “Ow, that hurt,” I whimpered. At least I wasn’t seriously injured. My head swam with an adrenaline high.

  “Are you okay, Dakota? Don’t move.”

  Liam’s sexy Australian accent penetrated my addled brain. Lord, strike me dead. My hot neighbor saw every humiliating second of my fall. Worse, he was close enough that I felt his minty breath tickle my dirt smudged face. I peeked out of one eye as heat flooded my cheeks. He was kneeling beside me with one hand braced on the ground, staring intently at my face. Oh god. His eyes were as dark as brownies and a thick layer of stubble covered the lower half of his face.

  “Can you hear me?” he asked.

  His lips were beautifully crafted and looked so soft. I might have daydreamed a few times already about his mouth on mine. But in those dreams, I was wearing a sexy nighty and not covered head-to-toe in dirt and sweat.

  “I’m fine,” I said with a sigh. “Just a little mishap. I got distracted.”

  He grinned and sat back on his heels, holding out a hand to help me sit up. “Sorry about that.”

  Kill me now. Was I so obvious that he knew I’d been checking him out?

  “I don’t know what got into Jagger this morning,” he continued. His hand closed around mine, all warm and strong. He pulled me into a sitting position. “He rarely barks that loud.”

  “It wasn’t …” My voice trailed off and I cleared my throat. Why embarrass myself even more? “Thanks for checking on me, Liam. But I’m okay. Really.”

  I hobbled on my knees and then stood. Every muscle in my body protested and stars suddenly filled my vision. Whoa! I swayed on my feet.

  “Hey there!” Liam wrapped his arm around my shoulder, steadying me. “Maybe you should sit down for a minute. Get your bearings.”

  He led me to my patio, and we sank onto one of the benches lining the perimeter. Thankfully, he didn’t let go of me. And, yes, I took advantage of the situation, laying my head on his shoulder. Don’t judge me. Sweet girls like me didn’t get to snuggle hot-as-hell guys like him under normal circumstances.

  His cologne held a hint of worn black leather. He smelled so fucking good. I, however, smelled like dead leaves and damp earth. Why did I have to meet him up close with dirt smudges on my cheek and twigs stuck in my ponytail?

  “Better?” he asked.

  I nodded. “The fall wasn’t really that far. I’ll be good in another minute.”

  He brushed dirt off my elbows and shook his head. “That’s dangerous work. You should hire a handyman.”

  “Ha-ha. And who will pay for that?” I lifted an eyebrow. “Besides, I’m done with the worst of it.” My brothers should be here lending a hand but claimed they had yard work of their own. If I asked my dad, he would nag me about buying gutter guards. Nope. I was on my own.

  “I still need to cut the low hanging branches on the maples,” I said, stretching out my legs. “Have you ever priced that out? It’s insane. That’s not happening on a teacher’s salary.”

  He stood and folded his arms over his chest. His broad shoulder’s tensed while he sized up my maple trees. “Seriously. You should take it easy. Where is your saw? I’ll do it.”

  “That’s a sweet offer, but you don’t have to do my grunt work.”

  “Please, let me do this for you.” He stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “I see you busting your ass every weekend on your yard work. And you helped me out last week by watching Jagger.”

  He watches me mow my lawn and tend the garden? My belly flopped around like a fish on a dry dock.

  “Where’s your saw?” he prodded.

  How could I pass up the opportunity to hang with him for a bit longer?

  “In the shed, hanging on the right wall near the entrance.” I flicked my chin toward the corner of my yard where a beige colored shed stood.

  He disappeared inside for a minute and came out with the saw and a pair of gloves my dad always wore when he helped me out.

  “Which branches?” he asked. “You point, I’ll cut.”

  I grabbed a low hanging limb and shook it. “Start with this one.”

  Bracing one hand on the tree trunk, he sawed back and forth. His biceps bulged under the strain of the work. Even his ass cheeks tightened as he strained. That was really hot. Pinch me.

  “So what par
t of Australia are you from, anyway?” I asked.

  The limb he’d been working on fell to the ground and he tossed it aside. “Melbourne. What’s next?”

  I pointed out another limb and he took hold.

  “And what brought you to the U.S.?”

  “I’m on tour with an advertising firm for two years.”

  “Really? I didn’t know Rockville had an international advertising company.”

  “It doesn’t.” He grinned and threw another branch on the growing pile before moving on to another one. “I drive to Madison every day. It’s not that far. My real estate agent suggested I take a look at Rockville, and I’m glad she did. I love it here.”

  I found that hard to believe. “After living in a big city?”

  He nodded. “There’s something to be said about the charm of a small town. The downtown area is always hopping: Naughty Nights, Hard Stick, Rookies, Burgers & More. Not to mention you have a fantastic forest on the outskirts for hiking, as well as the lake. What’s not to love?”

  I snorted. “You sure get around.”

  His head snapped toward me, and I bit my lip. Ouch! That came out all wrong. I had seen him around town with a lot of different woman. I had no doubt that the guy was a player. Still, I shouldn’t judge. I really didn’t know him that well.

  “Around town,” I clarified. “I rarely see you at home. So you’re out enjoying all the sights with Jagger, huh?”

  He smirked, and I started breaking off the smaller pieces of the branches that were piling up.

  “Did you grow up around here?” he asked.

  “Yep. Born and raised in Rockville.”

  He paused to wipe the sweat dripping down the side of his face. Even sweaty he looked delectable.

  “Where do you teach?”

  “Rockville High School.”

  “That’s odd,” he said, cocking his head to the side in the cutest way. “You wear a dress to work almost every day. Can’t you go casual?”

  So he noticed me in the mornings too? “I want to look professional and make a good impression on the students. I’m only a few years older. The clothes make me seem older.”

  Right now I felt old. My muscles ached from my fall. I grabbed one of the thicker branches in the tree for support while I stretched. Liam’s gaze strayed lower on my body where the hem of my t-shirt was hiked up from stretching, revealing my midriff. I immediately let go of the branch and tugged my t-shirt back in place.

  “Um…” I looked away. My body was nothing like those of the women he dated. “So, I have to go shower and change. Tonight is girls’ night out. Thanks for the help, Liam.”

  “You’re welcome.” He stepped closer and picked a few dead leaves out of my hair. “Have fun tonight. Knock if you have any more handyman chores. I’m really good with a hammer too. Later!”

  He sauntered away and my jaw dropped. Was he flirting with me? I ran my hand through my ponytail, weeding out another leaf. No, I was imagining the flicker of interest in his eyes. But tonight in my dreams, I could pretend it was real.