Page 26 of Strong Side

Nancy spots me over Rocky’s shoulder. “Find everything you need,sweetheart?”

He does a double-take before turning to face me. It’s then that I see it, though; for a split second, his entire body relaxes, and he inhales a deep breath like his entire being is relieved to see me.

And those five seconds are enough to quiet the anxious thoughts running through my mind… at least for a few moments. It’s enough to give me hope.

Hope that he truly wants me as much as I want him.

“Clay?” he asks, brows pinching in confusion.

Walking up next to him, I put my overflowing basket on the counter. He looks down at it and chuckles lightly before looking back at me. “What are you doing flirting with my girl?” I ask him.

“She’s notyourgirl, Clayton,” Kevin grumbles, not even sparing me a glance. “See, Nancy. This is why I like this one better.” He points up at Rocky while simultaneously flipping through his papers.

Gasping, I answer dramatically, “I’m hurt, Kev, really. I thought we were friends.”

Kevin doesn’t dignify me with a response. Instead, he starts scanning my groceries as Nancy and I laugh among ourselves.

“Organizing a bake sale?” Rocky asks with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. I didn’t realize how much I missed that in the span of three days until just now.

“No bakesale. Just trying out a new raspberry chocolate mousse recipe.”

Rocky’s face morphs from mischievous to genuinely perplexed in the span of two seconds. “Did you just say the words 'raspberry chocolate mousse'?”

“Sure did.” I puff my chest out proudly.

“Clay here is an amazing baker,” Nancy interjects, equally as proud. “His cannolis are literally heaven on earth. I don’t know what he puts in that cream, but it is the most delectable thing I’ve ever tasted. You should try it, Rockwell!”

I can’t fucking help it. “Oh, he has, Nanc. Rocky was a big fan of my cream.”

Rocky’s face snaps toward mine so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave himself whiplash. Curling my lips in, using every ounce of my self-control not to burst out in uncontrollable laughter, I stare into his mortified eyes, all while pulling out my card and handing it to Kevin.

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Nancy claps in excitement. The sweet lady has no idea she just set up the world’s most perfect double entendre. “I didn’t know the two of you knew one another.”

I clap Rocky on his muscular shoulder, savoring the way he inhales a ragged breath at my touch. “Rockwell and I have gotten to know one anotherverywell.”

“Alright, well, I gotta go shower. You have a good day, Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins,” Rocky quickly blurts out, clearly wanting to remove himself as fast as possible.

I watch in amusement as Rocky’s perky ass bolts out the front door, all while Nancy calls after him. “It’s Nancy!”

Snatching my card out of Kevin’s outstretched hand, grabbing my bags off the counter, and kissing Nancy on the cheek, I race after Rocky. I laugh as I hear Kevin’s grumbling in the background.

By the time I catch up to him, Rocky is rounding the corner of the building. “Rock! Wait!”

For a moment, I think he’s going to bolt up the metal staircase, but I am grateful when he turns around to face me with a wide-eyed smile plastered across his face. Before I can get a word out, he’s stomping toward me, and in the next second, he has my face in his hand. Squeezing it so hard, he purses my lips. He brings his face close enough to mine that I can feel the hair from that goddamn mustache ghost against my lips.

“Embarass me like that again,Garotão,and I’ll chop your balls off, grind them to dust, and mix them into your precious cream. Understand?”

I’d take his threat more seriously if he wasn’t still grinning at me like the Kool-Aid Man. “Sorry. She set up the shot. I had to take it.”

Leaning forward a fraction of an inch, his lips graze mine.“Essa maldita boca.”

Much to my disappointment, Rocky takes a step back. Remembering what I heard him say to Nancy, I ask, “So, rent check, huh?”

Scrubbing a hand down his face, he answers, “Yeah. I rent out the apartment upstairs. But, had I known you were the Pillsbury Doughboy, I would have braved the dilapidated apartment above the pizzeria down the street.”

I bark out a laugh. “First of all, nothing about my impeccable physique says ‘Pillsbury Doughboy.’ Second of all, now that I know you live above one of my favorite places on earth, all the more reason to show up more often.” I didn’t think it was possible, but Rockwell Campos fucking blushes. “So you gonna invite me up, or what?”

I don’t know when I’m going to get another opportunity like this with him, but I’m sure as hell not going to waste it.

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