Page 97 of Love Thy Neighbor

“So, I had an interesting morning,”River says by way of greeting as she waltzes into Making Waves, coffees in hand like always.

We’re just two days away from the Harristown Jubilee, and we’re working around the clock to make sure everything runs smoothly during the event.

Maya’s on advertising duty on top of running our normal online orders. River’s working out inventory and keeping up stock. And I’m in charge of holding down the fort in the shop. I think River gave me the easy job because she’s still holding out hope that I’ll let her display my work.

“Oh, please tell me you found me an extremely hot and wealthy guy to date.” Maya folds her hands together in prayer.

“Sadly, no. But if you happen to find a hot and wealthy guy who happens to have a brother, please send him my way. I’m about two hours away from kicking Dean to the curb.”

Maya scoffs at her best friend. “Right. And I met Henry Cavill yesterday.” She pouts. “Dammit. Now I really wish Ihadmet Henry Cavill yesterday.”

“What’d Dean do now?” I ask.

“Breathed too loudly,” she complains, but her lips pull into a grin anyway. “Fine. The bastard told me they ran out of cherry pie at The Gravy Train when he came back with coffee, but I was just there talking to Darlene and he’s a damn liar. He lied about pie. Fairly positive that’s a cardinal sin.”

“Fairly positive you’re being dramatic,” Maya says, reaching over the counter to grab a coffee from the to-go tray.

“Was that your interesting morning?” I ask, grabbing my own coffee.

I already had one cup, but another might not be a bad idea with how much still needs to get done…and with how tired I am after Cooper kept me upwaytoo late last night.

“Actually, no.” River’s lips curl into a mischievous grin. “My interesting morning started in the elevator when Mailbox Betty hopped on two floors below me. She had some remarkably noteworthy things to tell me.”

“Mailbox Betty? Isn’t that the busybody who won the pot about you and Dean dating and is always up ineveryone’sbusiness?”

“Unfortunately,” River pouts, remembering the building-wide pool Cooper and I may have taken part in. “But she actually had some good gossip this morning.”

“Ooooh!” Maya claps her hands together excitedly. “I love good gossip. Lay it on us.”

“There I was, minding my own business, when she starts telling me about the two horny neighbors she caught making out in the elevator car.”

Oh no.

I sit up straighter, my heart beginning to hammer in my chest when I realize what she’s getting at.

Crap, crap, crap.

Me and Cooper.

We’re the horny neighbors.

Two nights ago, we walked down the street to grab dinner from The Gravy Train. On the ride down, I mentioned that I’d always wanted to be kissed romantically in an elevator like in the movies and my romance books.

He poked fun at me like he always does, and I didn’t think about it again.

The moment we stepped on the elevator when we were headed back home, Cooper’s lips were on mine. He pushed my skirt up around my waist, ripped a hole in my tights, and fingered me to completion right there in the car.

The thought of being caught made me come fast…andhard.

A blessing because when we reached our floor, Mailbox Betty was there waiting to catch a ride down. We were still kissing when the doors opened.

I blush at the memory, clenching my thighs together…realizing how badly I want to do it again.

I wonder if we’ll always be like this, ready and eager to rip one another’s clothes off no matter where we are.

I hope so.

“So, Caroline,” River says, still grinning like a fool, “anything you’d like to share with me and Maya?”

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