Page 5

Chapter Five

Juno

Calder’s been quiet all afternoon. The sun is setting, and he’s barely said three words to me.

Any hope I had of getting down and dirty with him is slowly fading with the day.

Maybe it’s for the best. I’d rather dream of being with Calder than living the reality of him straight up breaking my heart.

Silence fills the living room, granting me a moment’s peace from the constant buzz of power tools. Heavy work boots thud against the hardwood, coming closer to the kitchen where I now stand. I suddenly don’t know what to do with my hands.

“Hey.” Calder peeks his head in as I pretend to scoop crumbs from lunch off the counter.

“All finished?” The pitch of my voice is too high.

“For today.” He rests his hand on the back of the kitchen chair.

His white t-shirt sticks to his massive pecs.

I swear he’s the only man I’ve ever seen sweaty that I want to lick clean.

“And if it’s okay with you I think I’ll take the weekend off.

Give you some space so you can actually live here without me mucking around. ”

His icy eyes lack the warmth I’m so used to seeing. “Oh, I mean if you need a break.”

“I think it’s best.”

“Oh.” My mouth opens and closes a few times before I can devise a sentence. “Best for me?”

“Yeah, you’re young. Don’t you want to paint the town red?”

“Green Valley?” I laugh. “There’s like two bars and one of them is a V.F.W.

“I don’t know, Juno. I just thought you needed a break.”

“From construction?”

“That.” The tip of his tongue brushes his top lip. My pussy clenches. “And from me.”

“What?”

“I mean, I know your friend is gay, but I don’t want to cramp your style.”

A laugh escapes me. “Cramp my style? Look at me.” I gesture to my cutoffs, old college t-shirt, and hair in the messiest topknot to date.

Calder stares at me. An awkward beat passes between us and I know in my heart he wants to say something but I can’t for the life of me determine what it is.

I wish he’d just either throw me on the table and fuck me until I beg him to stop or quit with all of this cryptic shit and stop flirting. Be my handyman and that’s it.

“Do you like pizza?” Calder breaks the silence.

“Um, duh.” I feel my muscles ease. The tension in the room thinning slightly. “Everyone likes pizza.”

“Why don’t you come to my place tonight and we’ll have some.”

I’m stunned. “Like a…” I’m about to bite the bullet and say date.

“A chance for me to show you how all of this work is going to pay off. I refurbished my place with my own two hands.” He holds them out, large, paw-like. I imagine them caressing every inch of me, cupping my breasts before he takes my nipple into his hot and hungry mouth.

Gah! Pizza, pizza, pizza…think only of pizza.

“Oh, yeah. That’d be great.”

“I mean, if you don’t have plans.”

“I don’t have plans.” My words cut off the end of his sentence. “And I’d love to see you tonight.” My eyes bulge out of my head. “Your place. ” I correct myself, choking on my words. “I’d love to see your place tonight.”

“Great.” He writes down his address on the notepad near my landline. Yes, I have a landline. Cell phone reception gets spotty near the water. “Come over in like an hour. Gives me time to shower and clean up.”

That’s an image I can’t get out of my mind. Suds running down Calder’s muscular shoulders, tapering in past his narrow waist and strong lower back, dripping down the crack of his...

“Sound good?” He asks.

“Yeah.” I’m not sure what I’m agreeing to, but I don’t care.

Our fingertips brush as he rips off the piece of paper and hands it to me. My heart flutters like a teenager with a crush. That’s exactly what this whole thing feels like, a massive, incurable crush.

“See you then.” I nod, and Calder smiles before heading out the front door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I wish I were better versed at dating in general because I’m tired of wondering if he’s into me and stringing me along or if he really does just want to take care of me, replacing a father who isn’t here.

I head to my room, undoing my hair as I prep for a shower—with the best water pressure I’ve ever felt in my life, thank you. One thing I do know is that this confusion ends tonight. I’m not going to sit around and wonder if Calder wants me. I know that I want him.

So what if I’m not a sophisticated woman closer to his age? So what if he just wants to fuck me, which in all honesty is probably the case. I need to scratch this daddy-itch I’ve got pulsing between my legs and he’s the only one who can truly do it.

I choose my outfit with care, comfy but sexy, and easy to slip out of. Not the t-shirt and shorts he’s been seeing me in for the last few weeks. Tonight I’m going to throw myself at him, that’s the only way I’ll know for sure if he wants me as much as I want him.

And if, God forbid, he rejects me? I’ll find myself another handyman.

An old, fat, bald fart who does his job and doesn’t make me feel like melting with every passing glance.

Yeah, it’s scary but at least by the end of tonight I’ll know.

Does Calder Holden want me or is he just interested in being a father figure?