3. Big Zucchini

Chapter 3

Big Zucchini

Noah

The very last thing I expected to see standing on my patio was my new neighbor. It had taken me a minute to figure out who had almost made me shit myself—since she looked different with her hair down—but her lips were unmistakable.

And her boobs.

Did the woman walk around all the time in tight tops that flaunted her nipple rings? I didn’t want to look, but even with the distance and the glare on the window from the lights, they were like a beacon, calling me home.

I really should have gone out to find a hookup, instead of coming home and throwing myself into a workout.

Jade stared at me through the window with wide eyes before she turned and ran. Unfortunately for her, I loved a good chase.

My muscles were already primed from my workout, and there was no way she’d make it off my property before I caught her. Especially since she’d run the wrong way.

I slid open the sliding glass door and ran out onto the patio. “Hey!”

Jade’s head whipped in my direction. She was at the waist-high gate blocking off the side of the house. It was locked as a precaution, since the pool equipment and AC unit were over there. I didn’t want my niece wandering into that mess or people over there during parties.

Jade stopped fumbling with the lock and nearly fell as she turned and ran toward my garden. Committing a crime wearing flip-flops and pajamas wasn’t the best choice.

“Jade, wait!” It wasn’t like I was going to attack her, but then again, I was a man chasing her, so I could see why she would run.

My garden was set far enough away from the house that it didn’t get much light, so it was difficult to see her among the raised beds and the arched trellises full of vegetation.

“Ow, fuck!”

Jade’s pained cry made my heart lurch. “Are you okay?” I found her sitting on the ground against a planter, clutching her toes. “Shit, what happened?”

She made a whimpering noise as she tried to get up. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her and crouched beside her. “You don’t look fine. Let me see the damage.” Gently grasping her wrist, I pulled her hand away from her foot. “Ouch. That looks painful.”

She shot me a withering glare with tear-filled eyes. “You don’t say? I ran into one of the bricks, of course it’s going to fucking hurt.” She sniffled.

I fought back a grin at her sassiness. Despite the rough landing, her fiery spirit was intact. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

I slipped an arm under her knees and behind her back, lifting her up against my chest. She let out a surprised squeak as her arm went around me and gripped my opposite shoulder.

“Gross, you’re all sweaty!” She had a death grip on her cell phone as she held it against her chest. “I don’t think carrying me is necessary.”

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I left you out here?” I carried her into my house and set her on the counter by the sink.

“I can take care of this myself.” She started to move to get down, and I placed my hands on her knees.

I wasn’t one who believed in fate or any of that mushy love shit, but as I met her eyes, it was like the world stopped for a brief second. I felt as though I knew her, yet I didn’t. The goose bumps that spread across her skin said she felt it too.

I cleared my throat and backed up, my hands lingering because all I wanted to do was touch her. “Your toes are bleeding. Sit tight for a minute while I go get my first aid kit.”

She rolled her eyes, and the trance was broken. Maybe the feeling was just a need for electrolytes after my intense workout.

I ran upstairs to the bathroom and grabbed what I needed and hurried back down. She hadn’t moved and was turned to face the sink, running her foot under water.

Captain slipped in through the open sliding glass door, tail held high.

“I’m guessing he’s why you were creeping around my yard and not because you wanted my zucchini?”

With a sigh, she turned off the faucet. “I wasn’t creeping, and I definitely don’t want your zucchini.”

“I don’t know, Jade. Looking through my window might be considered creeping, unless you’re voyeuristic, in which case, you just have to ask if you want to see my zucchini. Or do you not like zucchini?” I smirked as I turned off the faucet and lifted her foot so her heel was on the counter in front of it.

“I love zucchini,” she whispered, and I thought I misheard. “But yours probably isn’t big enough.”

I snorted. “I assure you, it’s plenty big. Blue ribbon worthy, even.” I patted her foot dry with a washcloth. “I’m happy to show you, and you can judge for yourself.”

“I’ll pass.” She hissed as I dried off where her toes were scratched up.

Captain meowed and jumped onto the island. He flopped down, stretching out to an impressive length, and watched us. As annoyed as I was at the cat, he was also the reason I’d seen Jade twice in one day.

I opened the first aid kit and pulled out what I needed. “Looks like he’s making himself at home.”

“I think he’s confused from the move.” She rubbed her forehead. “I really don’t know how he got out again.”

“Maybe he can open doors. My brother’s dog can do that.” I gently dabbed at Jade’s toes with an antiseptic wipe, and she gripped the edge of the counter.

“Locked doors? He’s not Houdini.” She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. “Fuck, that hurts.”

We fell into an awkward yet comfortable silence as I cleaned her wounds. Her big toe and the one next to it had taken most of the damage, but they didn’t seem to be broken. I gently wrapped each toe in a Band-Aid.

“That should do it.” I held onto her ankle, my thumb sweeping across her soft skin. I had the temptation to lean down and kiss her toes but knew that would be going too far.

“Thanks.” She tried to pull her foot away, but I tightened my grip without even thinking about it. “I should, uh... get home.”

I glanced up at her, our eyes locking. The air between us crackled with tension, and I quickly let go, busying myself closing up the first aid kit.

Jade flexed her foot and carefully got off the counter. Captain meowed and jumped down, winding himself around her legs.

She slipped on the flip-flop that had come off and picked him up before grabbing her cell phone from next to the sink.

“Do you want some help? I can carry you.” It was a long trek around the hedge. The damn thing was becoming more and more inconvenient.

“I can manage.” She limped toward the front door. “Thanks for not calling the cops. ”

I snorted. “Who’s to say I didn’t when I went upstairs?”

She shot a glare over her shoulder. “You wouldn’t.”

“A single man all alone in a big house can never be too careful.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to tell her I was single.

Maybe it was because I’d just spent hours watching my brother and his girlfriend be disgustingly in love, and I was a tad bit jealous. I’d never felt the desire to attach myself to someone until seeing Gabriel with Josie.

“Right.” She was unfazed by my comment. “Thanks again.”

Jade slowly shuffled down the walkway to the driveway. She was going to fall again walking like that in flip-flops. Besides, I couldn’t let her walk home alone so late, right?

At least, that’s what I told myself as I walked out of my house and shut the door. “Jade, wait up!” I jogged and caught up to her.

She turned her head, squinting at me in the darkness. “What?”

“Let me walk you home. It’s late, and you’re hurt. I don’t want you falling again.” I reached for her cat. “Let me carry him.”

Jade let me take Captain, and I was surprised when he nuzzled in against my chest. It was a bit of a risk to hold a cat who had a history of violence, but sometimes the risk was worth the reward.

She reached over and scratched Captain’s head. “He likes you, although I don’t know why.”

“It’s my glowing personality and rock-hard abs. Isn’t that right, Captain?” I rubbed under his chin, and he purred. “See? He agrees.”

“Doubtful they’re that hard.”

Oh, something was definitely getting hard, and I practically had to bite my tongue to stop myself from saying it out loud.

As we made our way around the hedge, our arms brushed, and I had the urge to take her hand. An urge I ignored by petting the cat.

I found myself sneaking glances at her out of the corner of my eye as we drew closer to her gate. When I moved to open it for her at the same time she did, my hand brushed against hers. A jolt of something crackled between us again, and I jerked my hand back.

Jade looked up at me, her eyes wide. My gaze dropped to her lips that looked impossibly soft and kissable. I found myself wondering what they would feel like pressed against my own... among other things.

Jade reached out to take Captain from me, breaking the spell. Her fingertips grazed over my bare chest, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

I was unable to resist teasing her a little. “If you keep touching me like that and trying to get ahold of my zucchini, I might have to knock some money off your ever-growing bill.” I winked, my voice so low, it sounded like a thirst trap on TikTok.

Jade’s eyes flashed with irritation, and the fiery look on her face was insanely attractive. “Excuse me?” She was practically growling, and I couldn’t say I hated it .

A smart man would apologize immediately and run with his tail between his legs, but I seemed to have lost my mind when it came to her. “What? I’m just saying, all this flirting has a price, babe.”

“Babe? Flirting?” She laughed in a way that both excited and terrified me. “You’re delusional if you think I was flirting with you. I was taking my cat.”

“Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Doesn’t change the fact that you practically touched my nipple.” I opened the gate for her and stepped to the side.

Jade glared at me like she wanted to chop my zucchini into a million pieces. “You’re such a pig!” She stormed past me as fast as her injured toes would allow her, leaving me to watch her hips sway in her tempting little pajama set.

“I was joking, geez!” I stood there for a moment, squeezing the back of my neck as I let out a frustrated sigh.

Clearly, this woman was immune to my usual tactics. As irritated as she seemed, something crackled between us, even if she wanted to pretend it didn’t.

Shutting the gate, I turned and headed back toward my house, replaying our interaction. Maybe I had been a bit too forward and crass with the zucchini comments, but so had she.

I let myself into the house and locked the front and back doors. The silence was deafening after the banter I’d shared with my feisty neighbor. As I climbed the stairs, I couldn’t stop imagining the scathing looks and fiery retorts she loved to send my way.

And those tits. Jesus, how I longed to kiss the swell of each one before driving her mad with her nipple piercings .

In my bathroom, I turned on the shower and stripped off my shoes, socks, and shorts. I stepped under the warm cascade of water, and despite my best efforts, I pictured Jade in the shower with me.

The image of water sluicing over her curves, those hard nipples I’d caught a glimpse of earlier begging to be touched, made me hard as stone. My hand drifted down, wrapping around my length.

I’d back her up against the tiled wall, and she’d put up a brief resistance, but I knew she wanted me as badly as I wanted her. Stroking myself slowly, I fantasized about the feeling of those soft lips trailing hot, open-mouth kisses along my neck and shoulders.

A low groan escaped me as I tightened my grip, pumping harder and faster. I could practically hear Jade’s breathy moans in my ear as I pinned her hands above her head, grinding my hips against hers. Those gorgeous eyes would be dark with lust, daring me to take what I wanted.

And I would.

First, each nipple with my mouth, making her beg me to touch her between her legs. Only after she was a whimpering mess would I touch her pussy, which would be so fucking wet for me.

“Fuck me, Noah,” she’d whimper, and I’d comply, slamming into her hot, tight cunt.

“Jade,” I rasped as I reached my peak, my release shooting out of me.

I braced myself against the wall with one hand, riding out the waves of pleasure. As the high faded, I couldn’t believe how fast I’d come .

How was I ever going to look at that woman again and not think about what I’d just done?

The hedge was definitely staying now.