The mental foghad lifted to a light haze whenIawoke mid-afternoon.Thesun hung high in the sky, slicing through the blackout curtains as the whirling ceiling fan made them dance from side to side.
I stretched, feeling the ache in my bones that resonated after a long shift.Asmuch asIwanted to lie in bed until it was dark,Iknew thatIneeded to get up and get going or my sleep cycle would be completely fucked.
Reluctantly,Ipulled back one of the curtains that faced the oldWhitlockplace and winced at the sharp smack of sunlight.Ipeered through squinted lids to see ifAurorawas still outside.
She was nowhere to be found, but her walkway from the house to the beach had been cleared.Theboardwalk planks needed a lot of work, butIcould handle that for her.Iwas almost out the door to see if she needed a hand when my stomach growled.
Food it was.
Nothing in the fridge sounded good, soIheaded up the island toErnie’s.Aurora’scomment about her beer preference lingered in my head whileIwaited for my order.Aftera quick stop at the grocery store,Iheaded back.
The front door toAurora’shouse was open whenIpulled into my driveway.Shehad sheets hanging off the deck railing, pinned down with random objects from the house so they could air out without blowing away.
She was in the process of planting a creepy angel statue on the corner of a sheet asIclimbed out.
“Hey,”Ishouted asIhefted the pizza and beer out of the passenger seat.
Aurora’s head snapped up, andIswearIsaw the faintest smile cross her lips.Loosestrands of hair whipped around her face as the wind blew.Hercheeks were flushed a sunset coral.
I lifted the pizza box and case of beer. “Youhungry?”
She looked down at her cotton shorts, work boots, and sports bra. “Ineed to change.”
“Nah.Comeon over.”Icocked my head toward my house. “Myplace tonight.Itsmells better.”
I heard her howling laugh as she turned and slipped back inside.Iheaded into the house and dropped the goods on the kitchen counter.Aminute later, the slam of my front door was accompanied by footsteps.
“No knocking?Nodoorbell ringing?”Iteased asIrummaged around for some paper plates.
“Why shouldI?”Aurorasassed as she strutted through with a swing to her hips. “Youdon’t knock when you show up atmyhouse.”
“I could have been naked,”Icountered asIslid a cold beer bottle into her hand.
She paused, those eyes flicking up and down, taking me in. “Andwhat a shame that would be.”
BeforeIcould think of something coherent to say, she turned and took a long drink while she assessed the house.
“Make yourself at home,”Isaid asIcleared my throat.Icouldn’t help but stare at her ass as she peered out the bay window at the ocean.
Aurora sipped her beer in silence as she snooped, pawing through my bookshelves and running her hand over the throw blankets on the couch. “Niceplace.”
I cracked a half-cocked smile. “Tooka few years of work.”
“You even have throw pillows.”
I chuckled asIhanded her two slices of pizza on a paper plate. “Iam civilized, yes.”
She glanced around. “Areyou an ‘eat on the couch’ kind of guy, or a ‘food only belongs at the table’ kind of guy?”
I grabbed my plate and beer and cocked my head toward the living room. “Couch.”
We settled, making small talk about the progress she had made on the house today while we ate.
“I’m curious,” she said as she wiped her fingers with a napkin and reached into the case for another bottle. “How’dyou know my favorite kind of beer?”
“I didn’t,”Isaid with a laugh. “Butit was the fanciest shitIcould find at the store.Usually, it’s just silver bullets andBud.”
Aurora popped the top, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes.Herbare stomach flexed, breasts straining at her bra as she slowly inhaled and exhaled. “Ineeded this.”
