Chapter Twenty-Two

Evie

Everything had changed and Evie was terrified she’d fail the college placement test.

“Two plus two equals you’re screwed.” She groaned and stood, stretching her arms over her head. Using her pencil, she twisted her hair up off her neck and secured it in a bun and walked across the kitchen. She poured herself a cold glass of lemonade and took a long sip, pausing to look out the window at the yard next door.

Holy hotness, her heart stopped. Right there in her chest.

It was possible she was losing her mind.

The afternoon sun was high, creating clear blue skies, green grass, and temperatures hot enough to melt the rest of the clothes right off a man’s body. Something she hoped would happen because there was Jonah, all heat-slicked biceps and glistening abs on display that even a cold glass of lemonade couldn’t quench.

With one last thump to the chest, her heart went on standby, and Evie knew that she wasn’t over that kiss.

No matter how many times she told herself to get back to studying, she couldn’t help but stare. One look out the window and her mouth went dry—the exact opposite of what was going on in her panties.

What. A. Sight.

Across the fence and directly in front of her was the location of Jonah’s new flower garden. And standing in the middle, in a pair of low-slung shorts and no shirt, his skin slick with the day’s rising temperatures, was the troublemaking man next door and that I-run-marathons-for-fun body of his. The one that had every single mom in the neighborhood straining for a better view.

Women like me, she thought and watched as, in one fluid motion, Jonah bent over—all the way over—so he could pull a tree from its plastic pot. She wasn’t sure what this obsession was about. Didn’t care. All she knew was that the best ass in the state was practically begging her to look her fill.

And look she did—until the ice in her glass had all but melted. He kept digging so she kept staring, amazed at just how well he filled out a pair of shorts.

You are in so much trouble. How was she going to keep up the ruse and not jump his bones? Oh, that’s right, because hooking up with your fake boyfriend, who happened to be your neighbor, was a dangerous move. Even thinking about him like this was dangerous. They’d struck this ridiculous deal for a reason—that reason being she didn’t have the time, nor desire, to date.

“This is all for show,” she reminded herself, rising even higher up on her toes when he lifted the large tree and settled it in the pre-dug hole, causing his calves to flex. The sheer amount of exposed muscle was enough to make her hyperventilate. “And so was that kiss.”

But in the moment she had thought it was real, and she had kissed him back. What did that say about her frame of mind? That she was a crazy woman. Who had better things to do—such as study for her placement exam so she could sign up for classes.

No exam. No college.

Not to mention, she had to pick Camila up from cheer practice in an hour. And her parents would be here when she got home. Which meant she needed to take advantage of the rare private time she had left. Only Jonah took that moment to glance behind him—and directly into her kitchen window.

Even though the sun was shadowing most of his face, she could still feel those intense blue eyes as they zeroed in on her. Ass of the gods still to her, he straightened and, Lord help her, gave a shake of his bootie.

Evie could have panicked and ducked down, but what was the point? It would only add to his smugness. So she dialed her expression to bored and pretended as if she were refilling her glass with water. He wasn’t buying it. In fact, he abandoned his flower bed and walked closer to the fence line, his gaze never wavering from hers.

Her palms began to sweat, and her heart kicked back into gear, going from zero to stroke-out in two seconds flat. He leaned over his workbench and when he came back up he was holding a notebook. Scribbled in all caps was a message.

Are you checking me out, Sunshine?

She made a big deal of laughing, then walked to the table to grab her own notebook. Shaking her head, she responded—with a big, fat lie.

Just admiring your flower bed.

He lifted a brow and, flipping the page, wrote her another message and held it over his head like it was a boombox and they were reenacting Say Anything.

So was I. And I have to say, Sunshine, your flowers are looking extra perky this morning.

Evie looked down at her shirt, which was more fitted than she usually wore, and praised the bra fairies for inventing the pushup. She quickly answered back.

I really was just looking at your new landscaping.

He threw his head back and laughed and she found herself laughing back. Not ironically, but an honest to God from-the-gut laugh. And it felt good—freeing. A lightness settled around her and she realized that she enjoyed his company. Even when there was a fence and window between them, he could still make her laugh. And that had to mean something.

He held up his notepad.

There we go again with your interest in my landscaping. My tree is impressively big. Don’t you think?

She gave an unimpressed shrug, but inside she wanted this game to continue. She responded…

It looks like a sapling from here.

He studiously went to work on his reply.

Then you need a better look.

Evie didn’t feel like a college-dropout, stressed-out, frazzled single mom. She felt sexy and empowered. She felt like someone she’d almost forgotten existed.

Maybe it was the playfulness in his eyes or maybe it was because she enjoyed flirting with him, but instead of going back to work she scribbled a reply.

Our agreement didn’t include landscape show-and-tell.

It also didn’t include you objectifying me while I’m tending to my garden, he shot back.

You objectify me every time I wear blue.

I notice that you wear blue a lot lately. In fact, you’re in blue now.

So she was. Funny, that. Out of all the T-shirts she owned, she happened to pick the tightest, bluest one of the bunch. Not that she’d let him know that.

I own a lot of blue.

Lucky me. And for the record I objectify you every time I see you.

Evie was never one who liked overt sexual attention from men, but from Jonah she couldn’t seem to get enough. So his next comment sent her head spinning.

In fact I’d like to objectify you now.

His dark, hooded eyes said he wanted to do more than that and she found herself asking if she wanted to be objectified. Her nipples had no objection at all. But her brain? That was objecting like the opposing team at the O.J. Simpson trial. While her lady business was sustaining and entering damp panties and a thudding heart into evidence.

But could she cross that line with Jonah and still keep reality within sight? Because while this was all pretend, the butterflies tickling her stomach were real as hell.

Listening to the sane part of her, she wrote her reply.

Sorry. I’m busy studying.

If he were discouraged, he didn’t show it. In fact, his smile grew to cover his whole face as he held up his notepad.

I know this guy who is a wiz with numbers. I bet he’d be willing to help you find out where X and Y cross.

You need to keep your Y away from my X.

Evie waited with bated breath for his response, but before he could finish writing his phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket to answer. Taking that as a sign from the Universe to get back to work, she walked to the table and went back to studying. Only she couldn’t concentrate on the math problem in front of her. Her X was so busy wondering just how impressive his Y would be, she didn’t notice that someone was at her back door until there was a knock.

She nearly fell off her chair.

It was Jonah. Still shirtless, notepad in hand, his arms stretched over his head as if holding up the doorway. Shoulders were on display, flat stomach taut and rippling with sinew.

She considered ducking under the table but he’d already seen her. And by the smile on his face he’d read her mind. He plastered his notepad to the back-door window.

May I bother you for a glass of lemonade?

Only if I can pour it all over your body.

As long as you stay on the porch, she wrote back.

Afraid that you’ll tear off my clothes if you get me alone?

She made a big deal of rolling her eyes, then went to grab a glass, sure to sway her hips like someone was watching. And the heat on her backside burned hot enough to let her know he was watching.

Glass in hand, she strutted to the door, opened it. “Never even crossed my mind.”

He smiled. “Liar.”

She thrust the drink at him. “Here’s your lemonade.”

He didn’t reach for it. He just said, “It’s not for me. It’s for you. You looked a little parched.”

He was flirting with her, and she liked this open, playful side. In fact, stressed-out-single-dad Jonah was nowhere to be seen. In his place was an assured, animated, arousingly sexy man with enough swagger that had her lips daring her to invite him in.

He curled his finger through her belt loop and yanked her across the threshold. The liquid sloshed over the rim of the glass.

“What happened to keeping your distance?” she said haughtily.

“You said I couldn’t come in. That doesn’t mean that you can’t come outside.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against the shell of her ear. “Do you want to come, sunshine?”

“No.” Yes. Desperately. Her X was already thrumming with desire. She squeezed her thighs together, but the pressure only made things worse. Her breath came out in short bursts as his nose nuzzled the sensitive spot behind her ear.

He slowly pulled back, just enough so that she could see just how dark blue his stormy eyes were, smell the fresh sweat and cut grass on his skin, feel his breath brush her lips. “You sure about that?”

“Yes. I think you should go before we cross a line we can’t uncross.”

The corners of his lips hitched. “Will do. As soon as you let go of me.”

“You’re the one who’s holding—” She looked at her hand, which was wrapped around his bicep holding on for dear life. She told herself to let go, that she needed to let go, because eventually letting go was the plan, but instead she tugged him closer.

“So are you checking yes or no?”

“Are you asking if I like you?” she said to his lips.

“Oh, I already know you like me. I’m asking if you want me to devour you.”