Claire
“Wanna go for a boat ride?” Aiken hollered over the fence when I returned from my run.
He’d promised to leave me alone for the day…
“I thought you said you were going to let me get stuff done today?”
“I changed my mind. I let you run, have some time to your thoughts. Now I want to go on a boat ride. With you.”
“A boat ride? What the heck? Where?”
“I’ll show you…go get changed. We’ll take Smitty. Hurry.” He winked.
With my head cocked, hand on my hip, I tried to look formidable.
“It’s Sunday. You can get stuff done on Monday when you go to your office. Let’s go have fun.”
Sweat dripped down my cleavage and the backs of my knees. “I need a shower, and I have to grade papers.”
“Bring ’em. Come on, the clock’s ticking.”
Aiken sat on his back stoop, coffee mug next to his thigh, no shirt on, those beat-up flip-flops on his feet.Lord, help me, he was no match for my wavering mind. Not to mention my quickening libido.
Oh, and his running shorts sat low on his hips. I was a goner.
“You have an answer for everything.” I leaned against my side of the fence, still pretending to put up a fight. I’d capitulated moments ago.
“You’re not changed…either.”
He jumped up, snatching his mug. “Race ya.” And he disappeared into his house.
Smitty lapped at his water bowl as soon as we made it inside, and I grabbed a cold water from the fridge.
“Yep, my sentiments exactly. Gotta cool off after seeing that guy.”
Before I struck up an entire conversation with my dog, I stripped while walking up the stairs and jumped in the shower.
“Boo—”
“Eeek.” I jumped two feet in the air while toweling off. “Holy shit, Aiken, you scared me.”
“I’m ready.”
“What are you doing in here? How the hell did you get in here?” I clenched the towel tight to my chest.
“I’ve seen it all, Richards, and I like it quite a bit. No need to cover up.”
“Where did you come from?”
“The hidey key,” he said with a smirk, looking edible in a white T-shirt and khaki cargo shorts, bare feet. “You should really hide it better.”
“Tell me about it. Is this a Midwestern thing? Using other people’s hidden keys?”
“Nope, there we just walk in. No one bothers to lock their door.”
“Well, here we lock our doors for a reason.”
“Noted. Now, are you almost ready?” He sloughed off my protest, and I didn’t care enough to argue. I hadn’t had someone check on me for a long time.
