Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Cutting Tension
Noelle
My morning coffee was in my hand, and I went outside into the cold with the hot vapors swirling into the chilled air.
I enjoyed the warmth of the mug against my skin as I wandered out onto my back deck to take in the early view of the crisp forest behind my house.
The nearby woods were beautiful this time of year with ice built up on the branches and snow covering the ground.
There were faint chirps in the distance of birds who could survive the harsh winter climate, and the sunshine mixed with a vibrant blue sky.
The day was fabulous and a wonderful time to be outdoors.
It was the perfect place to relax, put dreadful, unwanted thoughts aside, and stop adulting for a while.
I loved how quiet this time of day was, and I intended to take in every damn minute of tranquility.
The stillness, serenity, and absolute nothingness.
I should go get a romance book and take the time to read before Faith wakes up.
She’d be hungry and ready to fill her belly with a good hearty breakfast. Rye toast topped with peanut butter, scrambled eggs with ketchup, and tenderized breakfast sausages. Two, to be exact.
I inhaled the fresh air, catching a hint of the scent of pine trees, and blew out a misty breath. The condensed steam disappeared as quickly as it came, and I leaned against the railing. I closed my eyes and faced the sun’s rays as the warm beams hit my skin, and I let it soak in.
This was life. My world. This was the peace and quiet I had been waiting for all week long. Nothing would break the calmness...
My eyes shot open at a loud thud.
What the fuck?
Another whack.
Did I imagine the sound?
A loud chop. The sound of grunting. A woman gasping.
Holy fuck!
I glanced over at my neighbor’s fence. The noises came from his side and echoed off into the forest. I shook my head and walked a few steps closer to ensure I was hearing things right. I listened carefully, but it wasn’t long before another snap sounded mixed with the erotic sound of a woman.
Jack was having sex in his backyard or engrossed in watching porn! How dare he when he knew a child was next door?
“Harder!” yelled a woman.
I fumed with intense rage, appalled by the size of Jack’s puny brain. He thought only with his cock. He should know better, but this was irresponsible Jack we were talking about. Another reason to hate him, and I was ready to give him a piece of my damn mind.
I stormed inside, leaving a blazing fire of fury in my path, and put down my coffee mug, still half full, on the countertop.
I strode straight for the front door, and I hurried through the snow in my red housecoat with reindeer on the fuzzy material.
The bun on top of my head bounced with each powerful stride.
I was on a mission to destroy Jack Timber, fully armed to fire his ass straight up the chimney stack.
The back gate to my neighbor’s backyard was slightly ajar without the latch locked up tight.
I didn’t waste a moment contemplating whether I should invade my neighbor’s privacy and welcomed myself onto his property.
Jack had intruded on mine by partaking in whatever fucked-up sexual fantasy blasted loudly enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.
I glared all the way past Jack’s stupid decor and went straight toward the disturbance, directly for Jack Timber, who had the television on.
Ah-ha! I knew Jack was watching porn! I was right to march back and give him a piece of my mind.
Until I saw a woman’s curling competition on the TV. Jack had his back to me, chopping a wooden stump with an axe. His large bulging forearms were exposed, with veins protruding out of his skin that would leave any woman drooling after him for days—the woman was me.
I couldn’t turn away as Jack lifted the blade above his head and swung the axe down hard with a loud grunt. The woman gasped on television at the exact moment, and I couldn’t help the way my body reacted to the grouchy man and the delicious sounds coming out of his big mouth.
Goddamn.
I should’ve known better than to charge over enemy lines and into King Lumber Jack’s territory.
I was in too deep, judging by how soaked my panties were at the sight of him.
I stared at the way he tightly gripped the handle in his muscular hands, with his hair all messed up on his head.
His plaid shirt was unbuttoned, displaying a magnificent set of washboard abs and sweat rolling down his chest.
Good God. Jack Timber looked like a man who belonged in his backyard having sex. I bet he’d be amazing at pounding pussy too. My cunt, to be exact—the one aching between my thighs when I shouldn’t let my slit drip for him.
Thwack!
The harsh crack of wood caused me to jump, and I let out a gasp. The noise broke me out of my haze. I’d been gawking at Jack for far too long. Sixty seconds was too much to get the hots for a man I should stay far away from.
Jack spun around.
“What the hell are you doing in my yard?” He glared at me.
Jack’s deep stare was full of intensity, swirling on the edge of madness with something I couldn’t recognize.
He wedged the blade in the crack in the stump while his chest rose and fell with each heavy breath.
He placed his arms at his sides and curled his hands into fists. Jack was pissed, but Christ, I was too.
If this asshole had only turned down his goddamn television and realized there were other people around, I wouldn’t be crossing the property line.
I’d be safely on my side of the fence, sipping my morning brew and enjoying the view.
I’d be far away from this overbearingly hot hunk of a man, who was as fit as a damn ox, instead of staring him down with barely anything on other than my housecoat.
I didn’t want to be here, and this was all his fault.
“Turn that down!” I shouted while pointing at the television.
I had to yell, or else Jack wouldn’t hear me over all the women yelling all at the same time through the speaker.
“What?” Jack questioned.
Jack walked over toward the television and grabbed the remote. The dick had the audacity to turn the sound up a notch. He tried to tune me out.
I marched toward Jack and yelled, “You’re such a dick! Do you know that? Here I actually thought an asshole as old as you would be in his backyard having sex!”
Jack had turned off the power before I had finished my enraged rant.
“What now?” Jack crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at me with a delicious grin.
“I... I mean, uh—” I fumbled to find words, but nothing wanted to come out.
“Could you repeat that for me, sweetheart?” Jack tapped his ear. “My hearing aid mustn’t be working.”
Jack could hear fine. He was physically fit and extremely able to do anything. Including sex and throwing around sarcastic remarks.
I huffed, “Never mind.”
I went to turn around, but Jack grabbed me by the wrist.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Jack pulled me up flush against his chest and glared down at me. “I want an answer before I take you over my damn knee and spank one out of ya.”
Jack wasn’t kidding. The fire in his heated I don’t give a fuck stare blazed down at me, and flames of desire rose inside of me. He was too close. This was extremely dangerous, and alarm bells were jingling in my head.
“Let go of me.” I heaved.
I yanked my arm, but Jack wouldn’t release me.
“Not until I hear you say it,” Jack argued.
“Fine, Jack...” I leaned in close enough to smell the sweat on his chest. “I came over here because I thought you were having sexual intercourse with a woman. There. Are you happy?”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Extremely.”
Jack let me go.
“You’re such an egotistical prick.” I shook my head. “How any woman could ever want you, I’ll never understand.”
Suddenly, Jack grabbed the back of my neck, and his face was inches from mine.
His breath was hot against my cheek as he turned my head to the side, and I let him.
He touched me, trailing his hand down the side of my body at an excruciating pace that left me quivering.
He went straight over my midsection and stopped at the knot of my robe.
Trapped as I was, I didn’t want to leave because I was far too curious about what my neighbor might do to me next.
“Well, let me see...” Jack whispered hoarsely into my ear as he wandered beneath my housecoat and touched bare skin. “You are a woman, Elle. Pure, vibrant, and I bet, willing.”
My eyes went wide, but I didn’t stop him. I couldn’t. I froze. Shocked by Jack caressing me intimately when he shouldn’t be, I had no power to end the chill running down my spine.
“Jack—” He shushed me.
Jack dipped his fingers between my trembling thighs.
I gasped.
“Fuck. You want me, little Elle.” Jack made me stare him straight in the eye. “Don’t you?”
I pushed away from Jack. His hand left my slickness, and he brought his fingertips to his mouth. He licked them.
“How dare you?” I glared.
“How dare I?” Jack raised his hands and took one step back. “You’re the one who wants to fuck me.”
I gasped. “I do not!”
Before I could breathe, Jack pulled me right back into him, with my backside flush against him.
His hands wrapped around my forearms while he held me in his embrace.
My heart raced, beating loudly in my ears until I thought I might faint.
The woodsy scent of him took over me and everything spun, but he held me upright.
“Does watching me chop wood turn you on?” Jack questioned with his breath against my ear.
I shook my head. Unable to speak. Jack had me lost in a fucked-up trance.
Slowly, Jack guided me forward, straight to the axe, and I followed his lead. He ran his hand gently down toward mine and he extended my arm to reach for the handle. His fingers traced over mine to wrap over the handle and lock a firm grip around it with both hands.
“Why don’t I teach you a lesson?” Jack said.