I sit up, smiling when I see a number I don’t recognize. It must be him. “Hello?”
Vince doesn’t answer right away, his breaths jagged, as if he’s trying to calm down.
“Vince? Is that you?”
“Can you… fuck, can you come get me?” His voice is rougher than usual. “My leg’s acting up. I don’t think I can drive.”
“Yeah, of course.” I’m already on my feet. “Where are you?”
“Still at work.”
That surprises me. Has he just been waiting it out, hoping he could drive?
“Okay. Hang tight. I’ll be right there.”
I slide into my slippers and rush out the door.
Vince’s beat-up Ford Escape is in the back of the parking lot when I get there, the lights off. I pull into the spot next to him. Vince moves stiffly from one vehicle to the other, avoiding my eyes.
“Thanks,” he mumbles, closing the door.
“No problem.”
Vince says nothing the entire way back to the house, but I can tell he’s hurting. He keeps rubbing his left thigh, like he’s trying to undo a knot. When he finally climbs out, it’s with immense effort. I walk beside him to his door, ready to offer support if he needs it.
He pauses before entering. “I don’t get it. I was fine all night. Just some dull pain. But the minute I sat down, my damn leg cramped up so tight I could barely breathe.”
I frown. “Do you think the hot tub would help? Maybe ease the muscle?”
He considers it. “Maybe. Don’t have a swimsuit, though.”
“I’ve got a spare. Give me a minute and I’ll grab it for you?”
He slowly nods. “Okay, yeah.”
After running inside to change, I take Vince the extra swimsuit. While he changes, I uncover the hot tub and start the jets. Steam curls in the night air, and the water glows a vivid blue from the colored lights. Before getting in, I go inside to grab a couple of water bottles from the fridge. I consider grabbing the cookies Georgie made, but decide against it. I don’t want crumbs in the water.
Vince is climbing in when I return to the backyard, and my heart skips a beat at the sight of his broad shoulders and smooth skin. I mean, I knew he was solid, butdamn. When he turns around, giving me a view of his front side, I nearly swallow my tongue.
What I wouldn’t give to lick that smooth chest… and some other not-so-subtle parts.
He sinks into a seat by a jet, shoulders dipping below the waterline. “Oh, that’s nice.”
His little moan does things to me I haven’t felt in a long time, and I adjust my swim trunks before climbing in.
Settling in across from him, I look up at the dark sky, if only to keep my eyes off him. “You know, you should feel lucky.”
“Why’s that?”
“Very few people get to enjoy my hot tub.”
He chuckles. “Is that so?”
“Mm-hmm.”
He stretches his arms out along the edge, angling his back against the jets. “Well, thank you.”
The cool fall air combined with the heat of the water is pure bliss. The stress of the day melts away.
