Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Collin
I don’t think I’ve ever been this comfortable—not around another person, except maybe my twin, and definitely not a woman.
I took her to all my favorite places and shared stories associated with them.
We even ran into my good friend, Wyatt, who wasn’t at the little impromptu thing yesterday, since he was finishing up getting the crops in.
He took great pleasure in telling her as many stories of our younger days as he could fit in a ten-minute conversation.
Thankfully, he really needed to get back to the field with the lunch he grabbed for his guys.
Now, we’re walking through the downtown area, after having lunch at the diner. “That’s where Charli works,” I say, pointing to the white brick building across the street.
“It is? Is she there?”
“Actually, it looks like she is,” I state, noticing her car in the lot. “The hair place is closed, but I know Charli will work some on Monday afternoons.”
We cross the street, Lizzie’s hand tucked firmly in my own, and head for her building. As luck would have it, Charli is finishing up with a client inside and is standing at the counter. She spots us and holds up a finger, asking us to wait a second.
When she completes what she’s doing, she walks her client to the door and releases the lock. “Have a wonderful afternoon, Ginny.”
“You too, Charlotte. Say hello to your mother for me,” the older woman I remember from school states. She nods at me as she passes, but I don’t miss the way her lips curl up in annoyance.
“What’s her problem?” I ask when Charli steps aside and waves us in.
My evil sister barks out a laugh. “What? You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?” I ask, suddenly very afraid of where this is heading.
“That’s Mrs. Gilmore, the home ec teacher. You glued all her cabinets shut the night before the cooking class final. No one could get in to retrieve their utensils and pans.”
I groan and shake my head. “I forgot about that. And technically, that was Wyatt, Cade, and Vic. I was just along for the ride.”
Charli snorts and shakes her head. “Right. You were always the innocent one.” Then, she turns her attention to Lizzie and gives her a hug. “It’s so good to see you. What are you doing out and about with the ugly ogre?”
Lizzie grins before replying, “We just had lunch at the diner. He’s been giving me a little tour of the town, since I really only know a few places.”
“Well, don’t blink or you’ll miss it all,” Charli chirps with a chuckle.
“This place is beautiful,” Lizzie sings, glancing around and taking in the space.
“Isn’t it? It was the old bank, and when Jenn bought this place, it had been an office of some sort. She completely transformed it into this gorgeous salon and spa. Aren’t the ceilings to die for?”
“They really are,” Lizzie agrees as my sister grabs her by the arm.
“Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”
I remain where I am and lean against the counter as they walk off, Charli chatting a mile a minute.
I’ve already seen the place and take the opportunity to check out Lizzie’s ass as she goes.
I’m trying not to be a pig, but it’s a great ass.
I remember exactly how it felt in my palms as she rode my cock earlier this morning on my couch.
“Seriously, you’ll love it, I promise,” Charli says as they reenter the main salon.
“What will she love?” I ask, inserting myself into the conversation.
“A massage.” My sister moves to her scheduling app on her phone and says, “What day do you have off?”
“It can vary, based on when everyone else can work,” Lizzie says. “I don’t go in until four on Thursday, but that’s kinda last minute.”
“No, actually, that’s perfect,” Charli insists. “I have an eleven o’clock that just opened up on Thursday.”
“Okay, I’ll take it.”
“Great! And then when you’re here, you can talk to Lila about getting on her schedule,” Charli adds, referring to her friend who is also one of the stylists.
“Perfect,” Lizzie agrees, slipping her own phone back into her pocket.
“I don’t know why you have to pay someone for a massage,” I say, mostly because I know it’ll piss my sister off, and I love to push her buttons.
Charli rolls her eyes. “Because I’m amazing at my job and it feels phenomenal.”
“I could give you a massage for free,” I argue, looking at Lizzie, whose face is suddenly getting red.
“Oh, please! Men think they’re these great masseuses, but I beg to differ. After thirty seconds of rubbing, they’re hard and just want sex!”
Lizzie bursts out laughing.
“Not true. I could totally make it five minutes,” I insist, my eyes scanning her sexy body. “Okay, maybe three minutes.”
Charli waves her hand. “I rest my case. A woman doesn’t want to be getting felt up while she’s trying to relax.”
“Why not?” I ask, clearly not understanding. “I would. I think a massage sounds amazing.”
Charli rolls her eyes. “That’s not relaxing.”
“You’re right,” I confirm. “The relaxing comes after.” I waggle my eyebrows to punctuate my point.
“Gross,” my sister says. “I don’t want to think about that. It’s bad enough when a man gets an erection on the table. I don’t want to know how he takes care of it after he leaves.”
My mouth falls open. “What?”
Again, my sister waves off my outrage. “It’s biology, Collin. Happens all the time. It doesn’t mean they’re sexually aroused with me.”
I groan and run my hand down my face. “We need to go. I don’t want to think about that.” But then something else hits me and I stop, facing my sister. “You’re safe here, right?”
She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Of course I am, big brother. Like I said, it’s human nature, especially for men.
Most pop boners easily when a woman is rubbing all over them, and the ones who don’t get an erection are so tense from trying to stop it, they don’t really enjoy the massage. Relax. Literally. I’m fine.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. When I open them up, I turn my attention to Lizzie. “She’s going to kill me. One day, my headstone will read Died of a Heart Attack Thanks to Charli.”
Lizzie giggles and reaches for my hand, threading her fingers in mine. “Well, I promise not to get a boner while she’s giving me a massage.”
My eyes narrow.
“Well, at least not a boner, boner. A lady boner is an entirely different thing,” Charli announces.
“Come on, we’re leaving. And you’re never allowed to be around my sister ever again,” I tell Lizzie, who is laughing and waving to Charli as we head for the door.
“Bye, you two little lovebirds. Have a boner-tastic day!”
The door closes behind us, and I don’t stop walking until we’re back at my truck. “She’s a menace,” I grumble.
Lizzie leans against the passenger door and offers a smile. “She really only said all that to get under your skin.”
“She makes my eye twitch,” I grumble, hating how easily she gets a rise out of me.
Wrapping her arms around my waist, she draws me against her body and smiles up at me. “That’s what sisters do.”
“Not just sisters. Cam is the same way.”
“I get it. Three younger siblings, remember?”
Unable to resist any longer, I lean forward and press my lips to hers. Lizzie’s mouth opens, her tongue darting out and colliding with my own. “How was your tour?” I murmur against her lips. “If we hurry back to your place, we have enough time for a massage before you have to head down to work.”
A burst of laughter seeps from her mouth as she smiles up at me. She slides her thumb over my lips, which are turned upward like her own. “I like seeing you smile so much.”
My heart is galloping in my chest. “I feel like I can finally smile when I’m around you.” The confession is deeper than it should be, considering how new this whole thing is between us, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
“Come on,” she says, shifting to the side so she can open the passenger door. “I need to get ready for work.”
My eyebrows arch.
“After, big guy. Massages after.”
I’ve been sitting at the end of the bar, nursing a glass of Coke, for the better part of an hour. Watching her.
I need to head home, to finish laundry and pack for tomorrow morning.
But I can’t seem to get up off this barstool and leave.
That’s why I’m still sitting here when Cade comes strolling through the door. He throws a wave to some of the regulars at the other end and flashes a big grin at Lizzie while she mixes a rum and Coke before sliding onto the empty seat beside me. “I knew I’d find you here.”
“Excellent detective work, Sherlock,” I mutter, taking another sip of my Coke.
Just as I place it on the coaster, Cade reaches over and steals it, taking a drink. “Eww, there’s no liquor in this.”
“Some people act like respectful, responsible adults and don’t drink when they have to work the next day,” I state, even though I know that’s not my brother.
He’s not a huge drinker, despite hanging out at this place off and on throughout the week.
Frankly, he’s a social butterfly and comes up for the atmosphere and the fact he’s not at home, alone.
He scoffs at my comment. “Who are these people? Sounds boring,” he states as Lizzie walks up. “Hey, Lizzie Lou.”
“Hello, Cade. What can I getcha?”
“I’ll have what this party animal is having,” he says, flinging his thumb in my direction.
“Virgin Jack and Coke it is,” she replies with a grin before spinning around to retrieve the drink. As she’s scooping the ice into the glass, she asks, “No hot date tonight?”
“You know I’m a one-woman man, Lizzie,” my twin replies, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Lizzie snorts as she pours the Coke from the soda gun. “Whatever,” she sasses. “You couldn’t handle me.”
I keep my eyes forward, feeling my cheeks heat up in a blush. What the hell? I never blush. Of course, my brother notices right away and smacks me on the arm. “I don’t know about that, Lizzie Lou. Good thing my brother is the spittin’ image of me. We’re practically the same person.”