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She nodded. He parted with one last look. She must have looked like a love-struck lunatic watching as he made his way to his bike. Not even lightning striking her could have made her turn away. Love at first sight? With him, oh God no. Right?
“I’ve been alone too long,” she muttered.
****
The ride did nothing to clear his mind of Marissa. She was all he thought about. He hadn’t lived an easy life, he’d had his share of hard times, some really fucking rough, but he had his family and his people. She didn’t. I’m lost. He didn’t just hear her words…he felt them to his core.
It had been a long time since a woman, let alone a stranger, had taken up so much space in his head. For the past three days, she was all he had thought about. Then seeing her again and hearing her talk about her life. Fuck, he was doomed. If he thought too long about her and the feelings she was evoking, it might scare the shit out of him.
His past with women had been one disaster after another. He blamed his mother. She had set the bar extremely low from birth. He was probably a psychologist’s wet dream. Fuck, he had mommy issues. Those same issues carried through adulthood, first with his kid’s mom and then countless meaningless fucks that followed. He did his best to spare his son from getting attached, which was his smartest decision since not one of his relationships wanted anything to do with Trevor. It was his deal-breaker until he finally gave up.
He rounded past the house. The office and apartment units, along with the trucks, were all spread out over four acres of property. He was damn proud of the mini-empire he’d built from nothing. Until it started to crumble.
He pulled in front of the office. It was an enormous shed-style building that housed the tools and equipment with a loft-style office upstairs. He swung open the door and pulled out his phone. He hit Send and then the speaker. It rang once.
“What’s up?”
“Need you home in thirty.”
“Is it Pop?” His son’s voice trembled slightly. Shit! He tried to keep Trevor shielded from his dad drama, but the kid was smart and observant. He knew things with his grandfather were on a downward spiral.
“No, Pop is good. Just need help.” He took the stairs two at a time and made his way past Grady, the office manager. “Unit two. Clean it up and open the windows. I want it aired out.”
“New tenant?” Caden wasn’t prepared to answer the questions.
“Yeah.” His answer was clipped in hopes Trevor wouldn’t press harder. He knew better, though. At sixteen, the kid was all about the who, what, and whys. Pain in the ass.
“Who?”
“You don’t know her.”
“Her?” Here we fucking go. Any mention of the opposite sex and his ears perked up. “Is she hot?”
Caden shook his head. “I’m not answering these ridiculous fucking questions whether she’s hot or not. Just get it done.”
“Oh fuck, she’s hot, isn’t she?”
Caden halted, lifting his hand to rub his eyes. Yeah, she’s fucking hot, my dick is hard just picturing her in her hotel room, in the diner, and on the bench. The same bench where he had visions of bending her over and fucking her in front of all Turnersville.
“Trevor, watch your fucking mouth, get home and clean the shit out.”
He chuckled. “Yes, sir.”
Caden ended the call and tossed the phone atop the mounds of paperwork. He dropped to his seat and eyed Grady, who was watching him curiously with a sly smirk.
Caden snapped. “What?”
Grady grinned. “So, is she fucking hot or what?”
“No,” Caden snapped. It was a lie. Probably the biggest lie of his life.
Oh, fuck me
Chapter Five
This was not going at all the way she had planned. She sunk her hands in her pockets and stared up at the scowling man. She’d arrived at Rister’s garage ten minutes ago. He was all smiles when she walked in, but his demeanor abruptly changed the second she opened her mouth.
He squinted, and he stood from his stool behind the counter. She was thankful for the separation.
