"You're going to make some girl very happy someday. You're like a perfect-ten boyfriend," I said, trying to sound flirty and not desperate. "Fixing my heater, running to protect me from the cold water, and you aren't afraid of crickets."
He smiled grimly. "Yeah, I've had a little too much experience with crickets." He looked back at the basement door.
"Like onFear Factor?" I joked. "You have a ton of money. You should just pay someone to deal with crickets."
He looked back at me.
"NotFear Factor." He looked down and rubbed at the dirt on his hands. "I guess I shouldn't tell you this…"
"Tell me."
"Never mind."
"I'm not going to judge you," I said, sitting down next to him. "You've seen the state of my life. I don't even have a real bathroom."
Archer glanced quickly at me then out the window. "At the compound, my father would fly into these rages if we put a foot wrong. There was this hole in the ground. He would lock me in sometimes if he thought I was being too obnoxious. It was infested with crickets because it was damp," Archer said, trying to sound as matter-of-fact as possible.
I felt tears prick my eyes. "That's awful," I said, leaning over to hug him. He held me tightly, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck.
"I should be over it. I am over it," he said lightly. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?"
"Yeah," I said, "but sometimes it doesn't make you stronger. It just makes you sad."
"I upset you," Archer said, rubbing away a tear. "Wait, here's a joke. What is warm, wet, and pink?"
I started to feel a little wet.
He grinned. "A pig in a hot tub."
I laughed. "Since you gave me hot water, I thought you were going to ask me for something else as a thank-you present," I said. "I want to make you feel better."
"Look," Archer told me seriously, "if you can pull off these paintings and win me the chocolate factory site, I will get on my knees and literally eat you out until my jaw locks and then cook pizza rolls for you."
24
Archer
She stammered unintelligibly after I made my offer. Was it a joke too far? Except I wasn't really joking.
Hazel was looking up at me, panting slightly. Her nipples were hard through her shirt, little pebbles against my chest. All I wanted to do was kiss her then take her like I would take her mouth. The phone alarm shrieked.
"Better flush out your water heater before the acid eats it away," I growled.
Hazel nodded as I stood up. Her eyes were a little dilated.
The hot water heater looked about as good as could be expected for something almost a hundred years old.
"You're probably going to need a new one soon," I told Hazel as I tested the sink at the bar to make sure the water came out hot.
"I guess I'll take a shower now," she said. "I'm still a little wet."
I blinked. I wanted nothing more than to let my fingers trail up her leg and see just how wet she was.
"I mean wet like sweaty because I was outside all day and I started to take a shower but it was cold." She gulped. I wanted to push her against the bar, pull down her panties, and fuck her tight, hot pussy until she screamed.
"I should go shower too," I said, turning abruptly to walk upstairs.
"You're showering here?" she squeaked.
