“Not really. I could probably go for that sandwich, but no telling where it ended up.”
“When we get out of here, I’ll make you your own.” Thinking about how my life would change when we got out of the shed filled my heart with warmth.
“You will, huh?” His chest rose and fell with a laugh.
“Of course.”
“I sure hope your cooking’s improved since you burned up the kitchen during our Independent Living class.” His smile came through in his voice. Even with my head on his chest, I could picture the smile spreading wide across his lips.
“Yes, my cooking’s improved.” I rolled my eyes. “But please tell me you don’t expect me to be the type of woman who’s an expert in the kitchen and does all the cooking.”
“Lucky for you, my cooking’s improved a lot too. And I only need you to be an expert at one thing, Pey.” He rolled over again, putting me on my back and hovering over me with his cock nudging into my thigh. “Good news is, you’re already the best.”
He made love to me then… slowly… with intention. Like he was trying to make up for the years we’d spent apart.
Light shone through the cracks in the boards, and I woke to the sound of a vehicle approaching. Huck was already awake and already dressed.
“Good morning, beautiful.” His eyes crinkled at the edges as he smoothed my hair away from my face. “Time to get up and face the day.”
“How long have you been sitting there watching me sleep?” I sat up, pulling the tarp over my chest.
“Long enough to learn that you still make the cutest little noises when you’re dreaming.” He handed me my clothes. “You might want to put these on. We’re about to get rescued.”
Nerves had my hands shaking as I pulled on my pants and top and tried to do something with my hair.
“You look gorgeous,” Huck said, as he pinned my hands behind me and gave me a long kiss.
If I’d been worried that what happened the night before was just a fluke, his kiss set me at ease. Still, I needed to know we were going to try again. “Are you sure about this? Are you sure about us?”
The confidence in his eyes chased any lingering fears away. “I love you, Peyton. Whatever happens out there, we’ll face it together.”
“Okay.” Nodding, I brushed my fingers over the scruff on his cheek. “I love you, too.”
“Good. Then let’s get the hell out of here.” He let go of my hands to start banging on the door. Footsteps approached, and I had to cover my ears as metal shrieked against metal.
The door opened, and we stood there looking at my most recent mistake. Mr. Franklin lifted his dark shades and stared at the two of us. “What the hell happened here last night?”
I brushed past him, needing to free myself from the shed before I could summon the energy to fire him. “We got stuck in the shed overnight. The wind blew the door shut, and the latch stuck.”
He had the nerve to chuckle. “Sorry about that. I’ll have someone replace the latch today so that doesn’t happen again.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said as Huck moved to my side. “I got a good look at the work you’ve been doing. It’s not up to code.”
His upper lip curled into a sneer. “I suppose he’s the one who told you that. Some guys will do anything to cheat another man out of a job.”
“It is what it is. You’ve had plenty of time to get the job done to the specs we agreed on. As of right now, you’re fired.” I held my ground as I held his gaze.
“Fuck this.” Mr. Franklin kicked at a clod of dirt in front of him. “I shoulda let the two of you rot in that damn shed.”
For a moment, it looked like he wasn’t going to let it go that easily, but then he tossed my keys on the stage and stalked over to his truck. I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with air.
“That went better than I expected,” Huck said. “What do you want to do about finishing the stage?”
“Any chance you have time to take on the contract?” He’d earned it. I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it before, but I’d heard he’d been doing solid work with Levi.
“I’d love to, but I don’t want to put you in a compromising position. I’d rather have you for the rest of our lives than a job that will only last a few days.” He rested his arm on my shoulders as we watched Mr. Franklin’s truck disappear down the road, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.
I could appreciate his concern, but there were only a few other options and, with time so tight, a decision needed to be made as quickly as possible. “I’ll talk to Mayor Nelson and call an emergency meeting if I have to, but I’m going to recommend we give the contract to you.”
