CHAPTER SIX

ALEX

I've been doing septic work for around ten years. The motions, the periods of waiting, the whole process is all muscle memory now. Which means there's plenty of time for my thoughts to wander. Normally it's sports, a show I'm binging, or an upcoming event that keeps my mind occupied. Currently my head is filled with Fern, her cute blush, and how much I'd love to get my hands on her hard little nipples.

Not that my mind hasn't been full of her for the past two months since I met her.

There's something about the little brunette that got to me. An itch I couldn't scratch. An ache that I couldn't put a name to.

She's small, thin, and at first glance, not particularly memorable. Yet remember her I did.

She looks thinner than she was last time. And as small as she already is, she has no business losing any weight. The urge to cook for her fills me. To feed her some good pasta and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

My house is tiny and the kitchen downright miniscule. I can still make a decent meal of spaghetti in it as well as a batch of cookies.

The only big part of my house is the roomy loft that holds a king-size mattress. There's plenty of room for me to explore those hard nipples that were pressing through the cotton of her shirt and teasing me in the kitchen. My damn cock engorged so rapidly it's amazing I could string two words together with all my blood leaving my brain and rushing to my groin.

I shouldn't have mentioned the shower because once I did, all I could think of was peeling the clothes off her and running my hands over every delicious inch of her skin before dropping to my knees to press my face between her thighs and tasting her.

The heat that simmered in her eyes was enough to let me know what I felt wasn't one-sided.

Seeing that spark in her big brown eyes was most welcomed for another reason.

She cried the last time I saw her. When she answered the door today, her eyes were clear and large and so wary that my chest ached.

Who had hurt such a gentle little doe?

If I found out, I would make them regret any harsh words or actions they had done to her.

We're on our fifteen-minute break standing around and leaning against the vehicle shooting the shit when her garage door rumbles up and a mid-sized blue sedan slowly backs out, stops, edges back in, and then creeps out another few feet before inching forward into the garage again.

Our trucks are scattered in the driveway and along the side of the road next to her mailbox sits the big trailer hauling our mini excavator. It's crowded, but there is plenty of room for her to back out of the drive and head wherever she needs. We wouldn't block her in.

I toss my empty water bottle in the open window of the truck I'm leaning against and saunter over to her car.

Her eyes are wide and that full pink lower lip of hers is clenched so tightly between her teeth I'm afraid she's going to draw blood. The car jerks to a stop and the window smoothly glides down.

Leaning down I peer in and breath in the clean scent of her. Which is a mistake as my damn cock jumps to half-mast. "Need to get out?" I ask, while subtly moving my dick to a more comfortable position in my jeans.

She obviously took my advice to shower. Her brown hair is still damp, with fluffy little wispy curls clinging to her temples and nape while the rest is pulled back in a long, slick ponytail. A light dusting of makeup covers up the cute freckles I noticed earlier on her nose, and whatever eye makeup she used makes her big brown eyes look wide enough for me to fall into.

Her neck is as bare as her ring finger and for a moment Angie's diamond engagement ring flashes in my mind.

I shake that mental image away like I would a pesky fly.

"I need to go to work," she says, and I take notice of the fitted black blouse and tight black pants she wears.

She was sexy in the little shorts and shirt she came to the door in this morning, but this ramps things up to a whole new level by teasing me of the curves that are hidden under her clothes. This woman could wear a sack and she'd look beautiful.

Her eyes dart to her rearview mirror and at the vehicles all around her driveway.

Giving a nod, I push up from her car. "I'll stand behind you and guide you."

Some color drains from her face as she jerks her head back and forth rapidly in denial.

It's easy to read her thoughts, and it takes real effort not to laugh at her fear of running me over.

My little doe is in need of some confidence. I would have offered to back the car out for her, but that's not the help she needs. This way she'll see she can absolutely do it herself.

"I might be getting older, but my reflexes are still good. You're not going to hit me," I soothe.

The look she gives me is full of doubt.

I shoot her the thumbs up and move a good three feet away from the back of her car and motion for her to come out.

At a snail's pace, the car eases out of the garage fully, which is a step in the right direction. Then she veers a tad to the left and worry twists her sweet face. Abruptly she puts the car in drive, shooting back into the garage and undoing almost all the progress we've made.

Several loud snorts and deep chuckles sound from behind me. Twisting my head, I shoot them a dark glower and other than a few raised brows, my jackass coworkers shut up and begin to get back to work.

I jog over to the still lowered driver's side window and place both hands on the car as I crouch down so my head's level with hers. "Did you think I'd steer you into one of our trucks?"

Her body tenses as her shoulders hunch up. "No," she whispers.

"Is the gas pedal going to stick to the floorboard and you're going to run over everyone?"

A broken laugh escapes her as she shakes her head, her silky ponytail whipping around and caressing her long neck like I long to do.

Taking a chance, I lift my right hand off the edge of the lowered window and carefully advance it into the car, laying it on top of hers. Her gaze drops to where my much larger sun cooked hand rests on her small, pale one and her slim fingers twitch beneath mine.

"You can do this," I say slowly in a low voice. "Keep your wheel straight and back right out."

Her brown eyes lift to mine and she gives a short nod.

I don't want to let go of her hand; it feels right being able to touch her. Now's not about me though, so I withdraw my hand and rise up to my full height and back away from her car assuming my former position.

My gaze meets hers in the rearview mirror, and I nod. Slowly, the car reverses. She keeps it straight and I walk backwards, keeping ahead of her progress as she makes it to the end of the driveway. Her eyes never once left mine, and pride puffs up my chest.

I move to the side so she can exit the driveway, and the smile she flashes at me is bright enough to rival the sunrise. "Thank you."

Shrugging my shoulders, I tip her a wink. "For what?"

Fern's nose scrunches up as she laughs. The sound is music to my ears and there is no doubt in my mind that I need to get to know this woman.

"Bye Fern," I say with a wave and walk down the driveway to rejoin my coworkers that have already returned to work.

"Alex!"

A shudder goes through me at my name. Turning, I face her again.

"See you later." She gives a big wave and drives away.

Later can't come soon enough.