Before I could make my way to the door, Shiloh suddenly spoke up. “Teddy, wait.”
I turned to look at him, my heart racing in my chest.
“I mean it. I’m not saying no, just not yet.” He placed a hand on my chest. “I don’t want you walking out of here thinking I’m blowing you off. It would be so easy to beg you to stay but if things go sideways it’s going to be awkward as hell having to see you every day.”
“Yeah, I get it,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “And I happen to agree with you. That’s why I’m going to head out before I try changing your mind. You deserve better than a rushed orgasm.”
“So do you,” he said, stepping closer to me. Our eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. He lifted a hand to my beard, and I leaned into the touch. My eyes drifted shut as I tried committing the feel of his fingers in my beard to memory. “When the time is right, we’ll get together because we decide to, not because it’s convenient in the moment.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I found myself drawn closer to Shiloh, our faces mere inches apart. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, and the intoxicating scent of him filled my senses. As my eyes flicked to his lips, my breath hitched.
“Goodnight, Shiloh.” I closed the last bit of distance between us, brushing my lips across his cheek this time. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“Night, Teddy.” He waited until I was at the end of the walk before disappearing behind the closed door.
As I hopped into my truck, I had the feeling waiting was going to be easier said than done.
8
TEDDY
“Morning, Teddy!”Shiloh greeted me with a warm smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way I found utterly endearing. He handed me a fresh cup of coffee, the steam from it wafting up like an aromatic greeting. We’d fallen into an easy morning routine where I showed up after his breakfast rush finished and convince him to take a break with me. “You’re here earlier than I thought you’d be.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” I confessed, taking a sip of the potent brew. It was exactly how I liked it: dark and bold, with a hint of sweetness. Just like Shiloh’s personality, I mused to myself. “Thought I might as well get started.”
Not sleeping well was becoming almost as common of an occurrence as jerking off every night as I imagined all the things I couldn’t wait to do to Shiloh. Yesterday, I’d walked into the storage room only to find him on his knees taking inventory. I’d rubbed one out almost as soon as I got home to the memories of how he’d looked up at me through those long lashes, his cheeks pink with desire.
Great. Now, I had an ill-timed boner. Again. While I’d never dream of cutting corners to get the work done quicker, I couldn’t guarantee I’d be able to make it to completion without shoving Shiloh against the wall and kissing him breathless.
As Shiloh grabbed the keys to the other side of the building, I noticed he looked a bit worse for wear, too. It wasn’t comforting to think he might be struggling the same way I was.
“Sounds good.” Our hands brushed as he handed me the keys, and I was certain I hadn’t imagined the way he shivered. “I had a look over there last night. You’re making progress faster than I thought you would. It’s really coming together.”
“Yeah, it’s been easier than I planned for.” I tried to brush off the compliment, my cheeks warming under his gaze. I had never been good at accepting praise, even though I knew deep down that I deserved it.
“That’s great.” Shiloh set his own cup of coffee on the counter, “In case I haven’t said it recently, I’m grateful for all the hard work you’re putting in. Would you mind having some company later today?”
Would I? I wasn’t sure. I’d found a groove that worked for me. As much as I wanted to spend more time with Shiloh, he was a distraction. Then again, when we’d discussed the scope of the job, part of the price had been based on his helping. It wouldn’t do much good for me to refuse assistance now.
“Yeah, I’m sure I can find something for you to do.” I mentally kicked myself when my thoughts plummeted straight into the gutter.
“Great. I’ll come over when Jayden gets in.” The timer started blaring in the kitchen, sending Shiloh back to work. I swiped the keys off the counter and tucked them into my pocket so I could finish my muffin as I walked to the other side of the building.
* * *
I couldn’t helpbut steal glances at Shiloh, marveling at how effortlessly he seemed to handle each new challenge. I hadn’t expected him to be much real help with the remodel but he’d proven more than capable. My admiration for him only grew with each passing hour, fueling a longing I was trying desperately to ignore.
“Teddy?” Shiloh called my name, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What do you think about this paint color for the walls?”
“Um,” I stuttered, trying to regain my composure as I looked at the swatch he held up. It wasn’t that much different from the three other shades of buttery yellow he’d asked about but the smile on his face said he noticed a difference between them. “Looks great to me.”
“Good,” Shiloh smiled, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before returning to the swatch. When he’d first started asking for my input, I’d reminded him he was the one who had to like the end result, not me. But then, I noticed the way his face lit up whenever I gave my opinion, so I started responding without hesitation. “I think this is the one we’ll go with.”
Shiloh’s smile lingered as I turned back to the renovation project, leaving another fracture in my already weak conviction to wait until we were done.
Mornings had quickly become my favorite time of day to work in the empty storefront. The sun cast a warm glow over the space we’d been working on for weeks. As I sanded down the edges of the wooden countertop, Shiloh stood nearby, paint roller in hand, applying a fresh coat to the walls. The smell of coffee and sawdust filled the air, creating an atmosphere that was both comforting and invigorating.
“Did I ever tell you about the first time I tried to make croissants from scratch?” Shiloh asked, his laughter echoing in the nearly empty room. It had been a while since I’d heard him laugh like that —unrestrained, genuine, and brimming with warmth. It was a sound I wanted to hear more often.
