Page 41 of Mister Curb Appeal
The next morning, I text my dad, asking if the Airbnb can extend another night and explain the storm. I don’t have the contact information to do it myself, so when he texts me back later that morning to confirm, I sigh with relief. I should’ve probably mentioned that I won’t be at work in the morning, and neither will Lexi, but I guess we have another day to figure out what we’re going to say. The bonus being that I get Lexi to myself for a whole other day.
When she rouses an hour after me, I swear her nose can smell the coffee. I’ve been cooking bacon and eggs, so it could bethat, too. The power is also still off, so I had to improvise with the coffee making and put a pot on the stove.
She yawns and I smile to myself. I love how disheveled she is, and I know one hundred percent I had a lot to do with that. I could wake up to this sexy woman every day of the week and never grow tired of it.
“Good morning.” I wave, then feel like an idiot.
She giggles. “Good morning yourself. You’re an early riser on a Sunday? Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Lots actually. I can’t ride a horse, or fly a plane, or poach an egg.” I point to the pan with my spatula. “Fried is my specialty, and we have no power still, so I brewed a pot of coffee on the stove.”
She fans herself. “A man after my own heart.”
I grin. “I certainly hope so.” She moves closer and I bend toward her, needing a kiss. She plants one on me, shying away. I drop the spatula and push her against the sink. “That wasn’t a kiss, Princess. You gonna give me some sugar?”
Her eyes glisten with warmth. “God, you’re sex on a stick in the morning, too?”
“I don’t know about sex on a stick, but sex on the kitchen counter could be arranged.”
I kiss her softly, delicately, desperate to show her that I’m not just an animal in the bedroom. A small groan leaves her throat, and I pull back, satisfied.
She rolls her lips and it’s adorable. “That sounds like an awesome way to wake up.”
“But first, food.” I nod to the stool. “Plant that fine little ass over there and let me feed you.”
“You know, if you keep treating me like this, I won’t let you go.”
I glance up at her. I can’t stop the fucking idiotic grin plastered across my face. “That was the whole idea, plus, I hopeyou don’t mind but I extended the stay. The roads are flooded, and quite frankly, I don’t want to go to work.”
Her eyes grow wide. “You don’t?”
I shake my head. “Not in the least bit interested. What I am interested in, though, is kissing your entire body once we’re done here, and making you count how many times I make you come.”
“Holy shit.”
I laugh. “You look frightened.”
“No,” she amends quickly. “Not frightened, I swear. But it’s like you just dropped down from heaven and I don’t know what to do with that.”
I flip the eggs, turning the stove off. “You don’t have to do anything. I’m nuts about you, and I know you think I’m just turning on the charms, but I’m not. I meant everything I said last night, including your ex being a fucking dick.”
She smiles as she slides her hand around the mug of coffee I set out for her. “I know you’re not like other guys, Josh. I’ve been around you long enough to know. I think keeping you at arm’s length was a ploy on my part, because then I could never get my heart broken by you. Silly really, but after my ex, I really didn’t trust men or even want to date anyone.”
“I get that. I’ve been cheated on before, too, many years ago, and it doesn’t feel great. People make all kinds of excuses, but there are none. That’s on them, not us.”
“I completely agree with you. I’m not girlfriend of the year, but I would never cheat, and with my best friend? What kind of monster does that?”
“A cold hearted one, on both their parts.”
“The thing is,” she says, “I’m truly over it. Both of them. They hurt me, and at one point I thought I’d never recover, but I did. The world saw him for who he truly was, and I didn’t need to do anything. Falling out of love with someone is allowed, but goingbehind their back and sleeping with your best friend? That’s out of line on all fronts.”
I wish he hadn’t hurt her like that, more than anything. She’s a precious soul, an angel that any man with a pulse would be a complete idiot to try and not woo. But she’s mine now, and I have no plans on letting her go.
“You were destined for better things,” I say. “For someone who can truly appreciate you.”
She licks her bottom lip. “Know anyone who fits that bill?”
I pull the toast from the toaster when it pops. “Actually, I do, but he’s very overbearing, grumpy too, especially when the power is out and he can’t make his girlfriend a proper coffee.”
