“What are you doing? It’s five thirty in the morning,” I say, circling the strange toy totem.
“Oh, you know… I have nothing better to do than make pretty lawn art out of your kids’ toys left in my yard… again. Nothing wakes you up more than cleaning after your neighbors’ children. It’s not like I have a job or anything.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I’ll talk to them about their mess again. Next time, come grab me, and I’ll pick up their stuff.”
Calvin ignores me, takes another sip of his coffee, stands back, tilts his head, and examines his handiwork. I try not to stare at his boxers and wonder what’s inside them. Good thing they’re the loose-fitting kind. Try as I might not to stare, my eyes drag downward to those sexy gutters and the light brown happy trail, which travels underneath the elastic band of his underwear to an area I’m trying not to think about.
I bet he’s good in bed, too. Men sure seem to like him, judging by those who come and go from his house. Once, I saw a woman leaving. So, he must be bisexual or something.
Stop thinking about his package and sex, Seth.
God, I need to have sex. It’s been way too long. I’m so danged touch-starved that I’m wondering what it would be like to sleep with my jerky neighbor and imagining his dick.
Calvin points at his package after catching me staring. “Like these? They’re Ralph Lauren.”
I avert my eyes, and my face incinerates. Thank god the sun isn’t up yet.
“I wasn’t staring.”
He scoffs at me. Yeah, I wouldn’t believe me either. “Sure, you weren’t, but that’s okay. Iamimpressive.”
I roll my eyes harder than when Harrison does it to me. “Jesus. Cocky much?”
Calvin chuckles, bends down, picks up a baseball, and precariously places it on the very top. I have no idea how he manages to keepeverything balanced without toppling over. Honestly, it’s kind of cool looking, like those stacked stone sculptures you see whenever we’re hiking.
He puts the mug to his lips, tilts his head back, and finishes off his coffee. “Not bad, if I do say so myself. Nice to see my master’s in architecture paying off.”
“Anyway, I’ll talk to my kids.”
He huffs an annoyed laugh at me, or maybe I’m just projecting. “You do that. I’m sure it’ll work as much as all the other times you’ve ‘talked’ to them.”
He says nothing else and walks away, his open bathrobe billowing behind him, exposing a perfectly round and solid butt.
“Jerk,” I whisper. It goes against my nature to be rude, but Calvin Abernathy doesn’t make politeness easy.
As soon as he steps into his house, I dismantle the totem and bring the toys back to my yard. When my boys get home from school, I’ll have them put everything away. Emily can help, too.
I head back inside, make myself a cup of coffee, and sit down to read the paper. It’s routine, and I can’t start my day without either. I need the quiet time before my kids wake up, and it becomes pure chaos.
But I love every minute of it. I’d have it no other way.
Chapter 3
Calvin
WhenIstepoutsidelater in the morning, ready to go to work, I’m hit with bright sun and a humidity that can peel your flesh off if you aren’t used to it.
I slide on my shades and set my sights on Seth Griffin, my neighbor, as he comes out at the same time, rushing to put his boys on the school bus at the street corner.
I moved into my house five months ago after living in a smaller home for years. I wanted something larger and in a quieter neighborhood. Despite being an architect specializing in historical design and restoration, I prefer to live in a new home that doesn’t require remodeling or repairs. My hours can be long, and I want to relax on my weekends, not work more. Even then, sometimes I have to bring it home with me, depending on the job.
Since I’ve been living here, whenever I see my neighbor, he looks harried and stressed as he wrangles his three children. What a perfect reminder of why I don’t have any.
His little toddler bursts off in a run, trying to climb on the bus with her big brothers.
“Schoo! Schoo!” she yells.
I grin at the chaos. “You should buy her a leash,” I yell to him.
