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“You’re clearly unhappy.”
“Nah, I’m fine, you know. Nothing to worry about. Totally fine.”
“Talk to me,” he said.
She straightened up and dropped a bottle into the trash bin she’d been carrying. “My hours have been reduced. There was a chance of a reduction. I was only hoping it wouldn’t come to that.” They’d cut her hours in half.
Half the hours.
Half the income.
She’d budgeted on a full-time income.
Right now, she wasn’t behind on her mortgage, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t going to happen. She had next to no savings. She needed another job or three to stay afloat.
“You were going to job interviews?”
“One interview at the bank in town, but it’s fine. It was a last-minute thing and to be honest, I phoned them for the last couple of days, and they really weren’t interested.”
She didn’t even want to phone them now to see if she can make alternative arrangements with them for another interview.
The diner wasn’t hiring either. It would seem jobs were scarcer than they were when she moved in.
“How bad are things?” Eli asked.
“Not bad yet, but I can work this out. Believe me. I know how to work my way around a strict budget.” Only her budget could usually pay for everything, and she just had to decide on noodles for dinner, or more noodles.
No freaking out, though. She wasn’t going to admit defeat or say she had screwed up until she had to put her house back on the market.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
She held her hand up and shook her head. “No, nothing. I got this handled.”
She wasn’t used to people willing to help her. Whatever problems she faced, she would do it alone.
They cleaned up the mess in his backyard, and she offered to help clean his home.
He handed her a mop while he took care of cleaning the floors and carpets.
Within a couple of hours, it was late, and they both sat on his sofa, drinking a beer. She didn’t usually like beer but today she was going to make an exception because she really needed one.
Tipping the bottle back against her lips, she took a long pull, closing her eyes afterward.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I will be. I’m sure you know what it’s like for your life not to go to plan. First, there’s college, and you’re supposed to have so much fun.”
“You didn’t have fun?” he asked.
“I did. In the beginning, but it started to affect my studies so the parties came to a complete stop with me. I didn’t even get to the part of enjoying crazy sex.” She burst out laughing. “I’m probably one of the few women to leave college still a virgin.” She emitted a large laugh, even though she didn’t find it funny. Then reality dawned on her. “Oh, boy. That was an overshare.”
“You’re still a virgin?”
“I better go.”
“You don’t have to, Ann.”
She turned to look at him. His dark eyes, their intensity trapped her into place, keeping her from running, moving, doing anything.
He had her, all of her.
“Yeah, I’m a virgin. I better go.” She got up, finding one of the trash bins to put the empty beer bottle in. She went to the door and he was close by. So close.
This was wrong.
She went to open the door but he slammed his palm against it, stopping her from leaving.
“Do you want to remain a virgin?” he asked.
She closed her eyes, counted to five, and turned to look at him. He captivated her like no man or boy ever had.
“No.” She licked her lips. “I’m not propositioning you.”
“I know. I’m propositioning you,” he said.
This couldn’t be happening, but he stepped closer. The small distance they had ceased to exist. He pressed his body against hers, and she had to tilt her head back to look at him. He was taller, bigger, and heat flooded her body. The touch of his body sent hers even higher.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“How about you start by telling me what it is you want from me?”
“I don’t … know. I’ve never done this before.”
“Well, Ann, I can tell you that I want to fuck you. I want to pop your cherry and show you how good it can be between a man and woman. I’m good. I’ll have you screaming my name and aching for my dick.”
“Wow,” she said.
“What I don’t want is you thinking this could be any more than that. I’ll fuck you and you’ll fuck me. Katie will never know. I don’t want any other woman, just you in my bed, at my beck and call.”
“No other commitments?”
“If that’s a problem, we’ll stop talking, pretend this never happened, and go about our lives.”
“And if I want it to happen? If I don’t have a problem with this being some fun?” she asked.
“Then next Friday. Katie’s back at my parents’. I’ll have the house alone, and you’ll come to me. I will expect you completely naked and wet. I’ll make it good for you. I won’t hurt you.”
