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Her lips tighten, another hammer to my chest is felt.What the hell is wrong with me?
She mumbles something I can’t catch, and I step closer. The smell must be coming from behind her. “I think it’s behind you,” I say.
“It’s me.” Her voice is slightly louder. This time I take in her appearance. Her chest is the same pink that matches her cheeks. She looks more embarrassed than anything.
“How the hell is that you?” I ask without thinking of filtering my word choice. She visibly flinches, and we get a few looks.
Her wide gaze flicks back to me and her eyes darken with a rawness I don’t expect. My spine tingles, hearing desperation in her voice, and fuck me. It has me wanting to do bad, pleasurable things to her, even with the stench clouding around us.
“It’s skunk. I was out when a bobcat came into my yard and I wasn’t looking where I was going because I was trying to get out of the way. Thenbam! A skunk is in front of me with its tail lifted and warm liquid is spraying me. I’m never going to be the same again,” she groans. “The worst part is, I’m getting used to the smell. I won’t know if I still stink for days.”
I force myself not to laugh. Her pout is adorable. I want to ask how that is even possible, but I force my mind to focus on what’s important instead: getting her out of here and cleaned up so she won’t be embarrassed any further.
“Come on. I have an outside shower I’ve rigged up. I’ll help you.” The offer is out of my mouth before I realize what I’m doing. I could kick myself. I can’t have her over.
I suppose if this is how I’m punished for the choices I make in life, I shouldn’t complain.
“You don’t need to do that,” she argues, taking a step to push her cart.
I step toward her, even though the smell has my eyes tearing, and I take charge. I move her cart to the cashier.
“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life,” she mumbles, watching everyone staring at us.
Her comment has me smiling, but then I realize it’s not because she’s embarrassed but it’s because this is the one way I can help her.
“I got this. Wait outside so you don’t have to go through explaining what happened to everyone.”
“I’m sure everyone knows by now.” She sighs. “Thank you, Max.” She walks out of the store, looking defeated.
“Douche, good choice, sir.” A young male rings up the items. He says it with a straight face. I have to give him some credit; I don’t think I could have said the same thing with a straight face.
“It gets the rectum nice and clean,” I reply, looking as serious as the kid. He stops what he’s doing and stares at me for a moment. I can’t keep myself from laughing though, and he does the same. “It’s to help with skunk smell.”
He nods, but his face shows his mind is going somewhere dirty, like a smelly vagina or something. Who knows how kids think these days?
“An actual skunk. Get your head out of the gutter.” I roll my eyes playfully. The act forces my attention to Sienna outside. This girl doesn’t have a lucky bone in her, it seems.
The items are loaded into a large brown paper bag and I meet her outside. She tries to take the bag from my arms but I refuse to allow her. That smell is awful. I want to ask if she can still smell it, but I don’t want to come off as insensitive.
“I don’t think we have to worry about a bobcat sneaking up on us,” she tries to joke.
I don’t respond. Really, what is there to say? We walk back to our places in silence. I like that she doesn’t try to cover it with small talk.
“Would you mind going into my house to get me clothes? I don’t want my stench to linger in there.” Her cheeks grow rosy as she asks.
“Sure.” I hand the bag off to her and she drops her keys in my hand. Walking in, her suitcase is open on the floor, looking like she’s living out of it. That’s new. It wasn’t like that the other day.
I grab her shorts and a shirt, purposely omitting any underwear. There’s a part of me that wants to walk right back outside and demand she wear one of my shirts. The thought hits hard. I can’t have thoughts like that now. She has to be a job. I’d almost forgotten.
Shit. I rub my hand down my face, and for the first time ever, my eyes feel tired, overwhelmed.
I march out of her house and close the door with more force than necessary. I would love to wield a knife in my hand, but since I can’t do that, I wish I could crack a textbook open. My thoughts are too jumbled, and I can’t stand that. Too many thoughts are never a good thing.
“All good?” I glance up and see Sienna staring at me.
My lips try to lift into a believable smile. “Of course.”
We make the short trek to my house, and I place her clothes on my back porch as I turn on the propane to heat the water for the outside shower.
