Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
APOLLO
“ O kay, that’s enough of the mushy stuff.” June pushes away from me and pulls the trucker cap she always wears off her head, shakes out her red curls, and then secures them once more under the hat. “I have work to do.”
“I’m here to help.”
She narrows her eyes at me, and I just smile at her. “Don’t let that beautiful talk we just had go down the drain, Juniper.”
“Fine.” She blows out a breath and props her hands on her hips as she surveys the space. “What do you need to do in here to get ready for the electrical work?”
“Well, I’d like to get down into that basement so I can see just how easy it’s going to be to run the wires under the house and if it’s worth it for you to finish the space and make it livable. If it is, and that’s something you want to do, my plan might change a bit.”
“Okay, down we go.”
“You don’t have to go down with me. You can do whatever you need to do up here.”
“No, I’m curious to hear what you think, so let’s do it. Besides, I don’t really like going down there alone, so this works.”
I grin down at her and brush my fingers over her cheek. Christ, I can’t stop touching her. “Are you afraid, Juniper?”
“Pssh. No. I’m not scared of the basement. I just don’t like it.”
“Right.” I chuckle as she saunters past me to open the door that takes us through the existing office that she plans to convert to the mudroom, which I really think is a good idea, and to a set of steep stairs that lead down to the basement. “Is the water table high in this neighborhood? You might get flooding once in a while.”
“I don’t think so,” she says, shaking her head as she heads down the stairs. “I didn’t see any evidence of water down here before, and it doesn’t smell mildewy, you know?”
She’s right. It doesn’t smell like there’s been water down here, which is a good thing.
It’s a regular, unfinished basement with a cement floor and stud-exposed walls. A bare bulb hangs in the middle of the room, and strategically placed pillars hold up the floor above.
“If you decide to use this as living space, it would need some work.” Propping my hands on my hips, I glance over at June, who has wandered over to a bookcase on the far right wall. “What’s wrong?”
“Why do you think, in this big empty room, there’s a bookcase over here?”
“I have no idea. Maybe it was too big to move, so they left it. You could store paint cans and stuff on it.”
“I think something’s behind it.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Are you psychic now?”
“No, smart-ass, I just think that something’s behind it. I don’t know why.”
She tries to move it, but it won’t budge, so I walk over to help. “You push that end, and I’ll pull.”
“Deal.” With some elbow grease and a little grunting, we manage to move the case out of the way, and sure enough, there’s a door. “Looks like you were right.”
June doesn’t look entirely happy about that, so I do the honors of opening the door, unable to see much beyond the doorway because it’s pitch-black inside the space.
“There might be a light,” I mutter and feel along the inside wall. “Yep, there’s the switch.”
The room lights up, and June and I just stand here, stunned.
“Is that a mausoleum? ” she demands.
“Looks that way.” I step inside first, completely enthralled by the plaques that mark each of the crypts. “But they’re small. No way a casket would fit in there.”
“I think they’re cremated,” June says, looking around. “This is a place to bury cremated remains. I’ve seen these aboveground in plenty of cemeteries. I wish there was something about this in the paperwork so I knew what in the hell is going on. Apollo, there are people buried in my house. ”
“Well, to be fair, people were buried in churches all the time.”
“Yeah, in Europe. ”
“Obviously, it happens here, too, because here we are. Technically, they’re not in your house since we’re under your side yard right now. I bet that’s why they never added on to the building over here.”
“What am I supposed to do with these people?” Her voice is shrill with panic as she asks me a question I don’t have an answer for.
“I work with electricity,” I remind her. “I’m not a coroner or a city official.”
“Look, I’m fine with the dead people in the backyard. I was expecting that. But this is too much. I don’t like it at all. ”
“Okay. I get that. I think you need to call the city and find out what to do. I’m sure this can be relocated to the city cemetery, but there might be a lot of red tape to make it happen.”
“If they won’t let that happen, I can’t live here.”
“June, the graves out the back door are closer. What’s the difference?”
“I don’t know.” She throws up her hands and walks in a circle. “It’s just creepier. If there are ghosts outside, they’re outside. These people could be roaming around the whole house.”
“I don’t believe in that.”
“You’ve smelled Rose at the lighthouse.”
“Right. She’s haunting the lighthouse, not where she’s buried. These people have better things to do than scare the bejesus out of you in the chapel.”
She narrows her eyes at me menacingly, and I want to kiss her senseless, but knowing her, she wouldn’t let me do that among the dead people around us.
“Are you mocking me?”
“No, ma’am. I wouldn’t dream of it, mostly because I plan on romancing you later. Let’s close this back up, and you can make some calls tomorrow.”
I lead her out of the mausoleum and close the door, and June lets out a sigh of relief.
“Do you want to talk about the rest of this basement?”
“I won’t be using it as living space,” she immediately decides. “I’ll use it as storage, but I won’t be hanging out down here.”
“Not even after they’re gone?”
“Not even then,” she confirms. “So, you can run the wires any way you want.”
“Makes my life easier.” I head toward the stairs, but when she doesn’t follow me, I turn back and see that she’s still staring at the now-closed door, frowning. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t like it,” she whispers, sighs, and then follows me to the stairs. “I guess it would be worse if they were in caskets, but still.”
“If you don’t want to work here alone, just call me whenever you’re going to be here. I’ll come over and help.”
“Isn’t it lame that I’m now afraid to be here alone when they were down there the whole time? Nothing has changed, so it shouldn’t matter.”
“You’re wrong.” I close the door to the stairwell, and she takes another visible breath of relief. “It has changed because now you know it’s there, but hopefully, it won’t be for long.”
“I hope you’re right. With my luck, the city will tell me that there’s so much red tape to exhume and move them that it could take years.”
“I think you watch too much television.” I cup her face in my hands and pull her in for a light kiss. “Breathe, babe. It’s going to be okay.”
“You’re right. I’ll ignore it for tonight. That usually works for me. I want to get a couple more walls framed in.”
“Let’s get started.”
“Where are you taking me?”
It’s been three days since we found the bodies in the basement of the chapel, and aside from seeing June on the job, I haven’t had the chance to spend very much time with her.
“Well, I haven’t seen much of you lately.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot to do for Grandma with the party coming up in a few days, and work’s been busy. I just crash at Grandma’s in the evening.”
“It’s not a problem.” I reach over and take her hand in mine, lifting it to my lips so I can kiss her knuckles. “I want to spend some time with you that doesn’t involve work. So, I’m taking you out on a date, but I’m not telling you where we’re going.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” she demands. “I would have dressed a hell of a lot nicer than this.”
She’s in blue jeans and a green sweater, and the way she has her hair loose around her shoulders makes me want to run my fingers through it. She’s even wearing a bit of makeup, and that makes me smile because June usually hates makeup.
“I like you just the way you are. You look fantastic.”
“I could have looked better,” she says with a little pout, making me laugh. “Where are we going on this date? Just tell me.”
“Up to Lincoln City to look around town, play tourist, and have dinner. We can enjoy each other without being worried about starting rumors that you’ll have to deny.”
“Does it really hurt your feeling so much?” she asks, turning in her seat so she’s looking directly at me. “That I don’t want to announce it to the world that we’re together?”
“It’s not the world that I’m worried about.” I merge to the right lane so a little speedster can pass me. “I just don’t like lying to my sister.”
“You’re not lying,” she insists. “You’re just not telling . There’s a difference.”
“I don’t see the difference, and I’m not ashamed of you.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, so I glance her way and find her frowning at me.
“I’m not ashamed.”
“In my experience, if you keep something a secret, it’s because you’re ashamed of it or embarrassed by it.”
“Maybe a person just wants to keep something fun to themselves for a while so people don’t ruin it for them.”
“Do you think Luna and Sarah would ruin what we have? Do you think they’d tease us or mock us or make us feel bad?”
I feel her shift beside me. “No, but I don’t like eating crow, that’s all.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know, having to admit that I was wrong and apologize. I don’t like it when I’m wrong.”
“And just what were you wrong about, Juniper?”
There’s that silence again. When I see the scenic turnout just ahead, I pull my truck into it, throw it into park, and turn to face her.
“What were you wrong about?”
“You.” It’s a whisper, but it has such an impact on me that it might as well have been a scream. She bites her lip before saying, “You. Okay? Is that what you want to hear?”
“Sort of, yeah.” I take off my seat belt, unbuckle hers, and pull her over onto my lap.
“This is so uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine.” I brush her hair over her shoulder. “I think you’re amazing. I always did, but I also thought you were a pain in the ass.”
“So, now I’m just amazing?”
“No, you’re still a pain in the ass; it’s just different now.”
She may narrow her eyes at me, but she can’t hold back the surprised laughter that bubbles up in her throat.
“Yeah, well, you’re a pain in my ass,” she says as she tips her forehead against mine. “I guess we can tell the others sometime soon-ish. Maybe next year.”
“That’s only a few months away. I guess I can wait that long. Or, and hear me out here, we could tell them on Christmas. Make it extra festive.”
“But Luna’s having her special holiday party, and I don’t want to make that about me.”
“I don’t think she’ll mind.” I kiss the tip of her nose and then her lips, and she tightens her arms around my neck, pressing closer to me. My hands slip under her sweater, up her sides, and around to her back so they can trail up and down her spine. “I fucking love your skin. It’s so smooth, so warm.”
“Thanks, but I’m not having sex with you on the side of the highway,” she informs me, but she doesn’t stop kissing me. “No way.”
“I bet I could talk you into it.”
“No. Someone could see. A lot of people drive this highway.” She sinks in for one last, long kiss, and then she climbs her way back over to her seat and grins over at me. Her eyes are full of fun and lust, and I wish that I had her at home so I could have my way with her.
But there will be plenty of time for that later.
“Come on, let’s go.” She fastens her seatbelt, but when I don’t start the engine, she asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head slowly. “I just can’t stop looking at you. You’re so damn beautiful.”
Her cheeks flush, but she frowns. “I’m a sure bet, Apollo. You don’t have to flatter me.”
“Whoa. I’m a lot of things, Juniper, but I’m no liar. If this is going to work between us, you need to get used to my compliments, because I don’t plan to stop giving them. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, and that’s no exaggeration just to get in your pants. Whether that happens or not, it doesn’t change the truth. Now, let’s get up north because we have reservations.”
“We do?” She blinks at the abrupt change in conversation. “I thought this was just a casual date.”
“It’s both.” I wink at her, start the engine, and pull back onto the highway.
“I didn’t pack a bag.” June is standing in the doorway of the house I rented for the night. “I didn’t know this was an overnight date.”
“Don’t worry, okay?” I take her hand and pull her the rest of the way inside. “We’re going to enjoy the view and have some fun away from home.”
She doesn’t protest when I lead her to the living room and she gets a look at the view through the big picture windows.
“Wow. Ocean view. It’s pretty.”
“I like an ocean view. Maybe it’s from all those years that I lived at the lighthouse.”
“Why don’t you live in a place like this?” she asks, wandering around and checking out the place.
“I may love the view, but I don’t want to live this close to the ocean. The weather takes a toll on the buildings and cars, so I prefer to live in town. We still have salty air, but it’s not quite as bad.”
“Yeah.” She opens the cabinets in the kitchen. “I agree. I know that Luna and Sarah both love living right on the water, but I’m more of a land-based animal myself. Plus, I can always visit them and enjoy it.”
“Exactly. Are you hungry?”
“Hell no, you just fed me an hour ago. Why?”
“Well, you’re looking through that kitchen as if you’re starving.”
She closes the fridge and then leans against the island with a rueful smile. “I guess I have nervous energy.”
“Why?”
“Because this is the first time I’ve spent the night away from normal life with you. It’s like a mini vacation.”
“We stayed at the inn last weekend.”
“Yeah, but that’s like a second home to me, so it doesn’t count.”
“Ah, I get it.” I nod and slowly walk around the island and pull her against me. “Being in a strange place with me makes you nervous.”
“Yes, but not in a bad way.” She turns and presses her hand to my chest, her eyes wide. “I don’t mean it to sound bad.”
“I get it.” I take that hand from my chest and kiss her palm. “It’s just nerve-racking.”
“Yeah.” She swallows hard. “I know that’s silly.”
“Not silly.” I kiss the inside of her wrist, and her pupils dilate. Yeah, the sexual tension has been high since that moment in my truck on the side of the road. “I want you, Juniper.”
“Thank all the gods because I’ve been struggling not to jump you.”
I grin and push the sleeve of her sweater up so I can kiss the inside of her elbow.
“I’m going to savor you.”
“No.”
That has me raising an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“No. No savoring or lingering or going slow. I want you to fuck me, Apollo. Right here on this island, if you’re so inclined.”
She pulls back and strips out of her clothes, tossing them aside. Then she returns to me, pushes her fingers into the hair at the nape of my neck, and kisses me, hard.
“We always go slow,” she says between kisses. “But I want it like that night after the bar. I want it a little crazy tonight.”
Unable to resist her, I lift her onto the counter and grin when the cold granite against her skin makes her squeal.
Then I drop to my knees in front of her, spread her legs, and move in to devour her.
She cries out, leaning back on her elbows and scooting to the edge of the counter. When her hand fists in my hair, holding me to her, I almost smile.
She has nothing to worry about because I have no intention of moving away from this very spot.
She’s already dripping wet, her clit hard and ready for the tip of my tongue to gently move back and forth over it, playing it like an instrument.
I push two fingers into her, and her hips buck up off the counter. My free hand cups her ass, holding her up as I eat and suck and pull as much from her as I possibly can.
“Apollo!” She slaps the granite beside her hip. “Holy shit, I can’t. I can’t. Holy shit.”
“You can.” I go in for more, curling my fingers inside her over and over again until she’s crying out from the ecstasy of the orgasm as it moves through her.
I glance up, and her eyes are bright with pleasure as she catches her breath.
“More,” I growl and cover her completely with my mouth, pulling and sucking as she shrieks in surprise and starts to shudder once more.
“I swear to god,” she mutters, but the thought dissipates as she succumbs to yet another climax. “Holy fuck.”
Unable to wait any longer, I pop the button on my jeans and work them down over my hips far enough to unleash myself, pause just long enough to protect her, and then plunge into her. There is no stopping to let her adjust to me before I’m pounding in and out of her at a hard, harsh pace that has us both groaning with pleasure.
“Do it,” she says, sitting up and wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “Come. Come. ”
“Jesus,” I groan and can’t hold myself back from doing exactly that as her silky core contracts around me, milking me dry.
When I can open my eyes again, I’m pretty sure I haven’t just had a stroke, but I see June smiling with immense satisfaction.
“Yeah,” she says before swallowing hard. “Like that.”
“I’m afraid of going too hard and hurting you.”
“I like it a little rough.” She laughs and bites my lower lip before kissing me tenderly. “If I’m being honest, I like it all the ways.”
“That’s comforting.” I kiss her nose and then slip out of her and help her to her feet before I search for the closest bathroom. Once I’ve cleaned myself up, I find her redressed and sitting on the couch, watching the water.
“I never know what to do with downtime,” she admits as I sit next to her and pull her against me. “Especially in the past year.”
“You worked your ass off this year,” I agree and kiss her head, taking a breath and drawing the scent of her shampoo deep into my lungs. “Aside from building amazing things, do you have any hobbies?”
“It used to be annoying the shit out of you.” She laughs and pokes me in the ribs. “Ruined that pastime.”
“I’m not sorry. What else? Do you knit? Make jewelry? Do the geocache thing?”
“No, no, and no, but I did randomly find a geocache once. I guess I just work and hang out with the girls. What about you? Do you play any instruments? Scuba dive? Have you written the next great-American novel?”
“I used to the play the guitar very badly. I had myself convinced that I would be the next Richie Sambora.”
“Who’s that?”
I stare down at her, floored. “You don’t know who Richie Sambora is? You know, the guitarist for Bon Jovi?”
She shakes her head.
“You know who Bon Jovi is, though, right?” I ask before singing a few lines from one of his most popular songs, but she just continues to shake her head. “Who was in charge of your musical education?”
Finally, she dissolves into giggles. “I know who it is. I just wanted to get you to sing. It’s probably good that the band thing never worked out.”
I can’t help myself. I roll on top of her and begin the tickle attack, making her shriek and laugh until she cries out, “Uncle! Uncle!”
“You’re a smart-ass, Juniper.”
“Oh, yeah. I totally am.”