Chapter 16 #2
‘Yeah, well, don’t tell her that. Let her think her plan worked and she just happened to show up tonight when you were there.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Yeah, whatever.’
‘I need to go. I’ll see you tonight.’
‘Yeah, see ya.’ I end the call.
‘Your mom wants to meet me?’ Kate asks.
‘Sounds like it.’
‘What did you tell her about me?’
‘Nothing. Whatever she heard about you she heard from one of my brothers, probably Nick, since he works there and sees her every day.’
‘Did he tell her we’re dating?’
‘I don’t think so. I don’t know why he would. He knows we’re just friends and that you’re leaving soon.’ I glance at her. ‘Did you decide what day you’re leaving?’
‘Not yet. Jill’s going to pick me up so it’ll have to be when she’s not working, so Saturday or Sunday. I should probably go back earlier and look for apartments, but that would mean leaving next weekend.’
‘That’s really soon. And you paid me for three weeks.’
‘You can keep the money. You deserve it for putting up with me.’ She laughs.
‘What do you mean? I’m not putting up with you. I like having you here.’
‘You do?’
‘Yeah.’ I glance at her. ‘I might even miss you when you’re gone.’
She looks down. ‘I’ll miss you too.’
The way she says it, all sad and quiet, makes me think she’s getting attached to me.
I think I’m getting attached to her, too.
I know I am. She hasn’t even left yet and I’m already dreading having to go back to living alone.
I could find another girl, start dating again, but it wouldn’t be the same.
When Kate’s around, the house feels warm and inviting.
I actually like being there. Before she arrived, I was starting to really hate that house.
Being there just reminded me how stupid I was for investing in a house I couldn’t afford to fix.
I still think about that, but then Kate smiles or hugs me or falls asleep on me on the couch and I forget all about the stupid house and how in debt I am.
The good news is I was able to make the mortgage payment with the money Kate gave me.
I had money left over which I used to pay off my bill at the drugstore and some other bills.
The money I made plowing driveways is starting to come in, which will cover next month’s mortgage.
I could use what’s left to pay back Jason or start repairing the house.
I haven’t decided what to do yet. I’ve considered selling the house as is, but if I do, I’ll be selling it at a loss and I need to get Jason to agree to that since he owns half.
When we get home, Kate goes into her room to get ready for tonight.
I need to take a shower. I spent the day shoveling sidewalks and worked up a sweat.
I go into my room and get undressed, dropping my clothes in the hamper.
Kate got it for me when she was out shopping with Gina.
She insists it’s easier than tossing my clothes on the floor.
I’m not convinced, but I’ll do it when she’s here because I know how much it bothers her to have my clothes everywhere.
I leave my room and cross the hall to the bathroom. I get the shower going and hear Kate behind me.
‘Sorry! I didn’t know you were in here.’
Turning around, I see her standing at the door with a towel around her. Her eyes lower to my body, which doesn’t have a stitch of clothing on because I was about to close the door and get in the shower.
‘I wanted to shower before we left.’
‘Yeah, me too,’ she says, sounding flustered. ‘Go ahead. I’ll get in when you’re done.’ She hurries off.
‘Kate!’ I yell.
She appears at the door again. ‘Yeah?’
‘If you want to join me, you can. I was planning on a long shower. There may not be any hot water left when I’m done.’
I shouldn’t be doing this, but damn, I’ve been good all week. I haven’t even kissed her since Tuesday. And if she doesn’t want to do this, she can always say no.
She chews on her lip as she tries not to look at me.
‘I’m just kidding,’ I say with a laugh. ‘I’ll keep it short.’
She drops her towel and is on me so fast I didn’t see it coming. I pick her up as she wraps her legs around my waist. We kiss as I walk us into the shower, going slow so I don’t trip. I back her against the tile wall, under the stream of hot water.
She reaches down and strokes my cock.
‘Fuck, that feels good,’ I groan.
She keeps doing it, and I’m loving every second, but if she doesn’t stop, this will be over before it starts. I take her hand off me and guide my cock inside her, slowly inching my way in as I kiss her.
She breaks from my lips, breathing hard, her eyes shut. ‘Oh God. So good. Why haven’t we been doing this?’
‘I thought you didn’t want to.’
She opens her eyes and looks at me. ‘I only said that because I thought you didn’t want to. ’
‘Are you kidding?’ I say, my hands gripping her ass as I thrust into her. ‘This is the best sex of my life.’
‘Me too.’ She shuts her eyes again, holding onto me as I go faster. ‘Yeah, right there. Keep going.’
I keep it up until she’s screaming so loud the neighbors probably heard. I pause a moment to kiss her, then get going again.
‘Shit,’ I say, almost dropping her as I come. It’s a workout having to hold her up, but I’m not complaining. This was a very nice, very unexpected surprise. I kiss her, then gently set her down.
‘I need to wash my hair.’ Kate turns around and leans down to grab the shampoo bottle, her ass bumping into me.
‘You trying to go for round two?’
‘What do you mean?’ She pours shampoo in her hand.
‘You put your naked ass in front of me like that, we’ll be doing it again.’
She laughs and turns toward me. ‘You’re really into butts.’
‘Just yours.’ I wrap my arms around her as she washes her hair.
‘So does this mean we can go back to doing that?’
‘Is that what you want?’
‘I attacked you when you were trying to take a shower. I think that’s your answer.’
‘I’m happy you attacked me. It was a nice surprise. And my answer is yes, I’m totally up for doing that again. But if we do, it’s just sex? Nothing else?’
‘Well, yeah, we can’t date.’ She leans her head back under the water, washing the shampoo out. ‘I don’t live here, and even if I did, we’re not a good match. ’
‘Why aren’t we a good match?’
‘You’re messy. I’m a neat freak. I’m organized. You’re disorganized. You hang pictures with tape. I spend weeks trying to find the perfect frame. You throw your clothes on the floor. I like everything put away.’
‘Hey! I’ve been using the hamper.’
‘I know.’ She smiles at me. ‘And I’m happy about that, but I also know the clothes will go back on the floor after I leave. And that’s okay. We’re different people.’
‘You really don’t think we could work?’
‘Brody, why are we talking about this? I’m only here for a couple weeks, maybe not even that. And you don’t want a girlfriend. You’ve told me that like ten times since I got here.’
‘It wasn’t ten times.’
‘Okay, but it was enough to make it clear that’s not what you want. Like you said, you have a lot going on with your business and fixing up this house. You don’t have time for a relationship. Can you hand me the soap?’
I grab it and give it to her. ‘Why didn’t you get your own when you were out shopping the other day?’
‘I guess I forgot.’
‘That’s hard to believe. When you got here, you were all freaked out about using it.’
‘And then I kind of liked it,’ she says, rubbing the soap over her body.
‘You liked using my soap?’
She slowly smiles. ‘I imagined you rubbing it over your body as I rubbed it over mine.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me that?’ I take the soap from her and finish where she left off, sudsing up her tits .
‘It wouldn’t have been appropriate as your houseguest.’
‘What we’re doing now isn’t appropriate for a houseguest.’
‘We could stop anytime and go back to being tenant and landlord.’ She looks up at me. ‘If that’s what you want.’
I kiss her. ‘I’m good with this.’
At seven, we leave the house and head over to Sawyer’s place.
I’m in a really good mood after having a great week with Kate that ended with us having sex.
But I’m a little bothered by what she said about us not working as a couple.
I know it’s not going to happen, but I wouldn’t say we’re too opposite to make it work.
I like that she’s different than me. Her need to be organized has inspired me to be more organized, not to the extent Kate is, but more than I am now.
Having her organize my snowplow route nearly doubled how many jobs I got done that day.
I’m really going to miss her when she leaves.