Chapter 3
Humiliation – when the sexy cop next door wants nothing to do with you
Chloe
“A ll right, Addy. Let’s see what the big deal is about my new neighbor.”
The waitress couldn’t wait to tell me a hot guy was moving into the house next door to mine. Not merely a hot guy but also a police officer. She knows I have a thing for men in uniform.
I pause with my hand on my doorknob when I notice a man run past my house. Holy mermaid tails. Is this the man my waitress was panting over?
I get what the big deal is. He’s wearing shorts and shoes and nothing else. I missed his front side but his back side more than makes up for it. His shoulders look wide and strong. And his ass fills out those shorts to perfection.
But the best part is his calves. I never knew calves could be sexy before. How wrong I was.
Christmas has come early for this girl! Time to get to work.
I dig around in my closet for a pair of cut off shorts that are nearly indecent. I put them on and twirl around in front of my mirror. My legs are pale white. Tanning and being a redhead do not go together.
No worries. I’ll give my new neighbor something else to focus on. I pick out a Smuggler’s Hideaway tank top with the words I believe in mermaids on it.
Time to fluff up my hair and do my make-up. Once I’m finished, I return to the front window to make certain my sexy cop neighbor is home before putting my plan into effect. I notice him running toward his garage from the other side of the street.
I wait ten minutes before enacting the next step of my plan to seduce my sexy cop neighbor. I dig through my garage until I find the lawnmower hidden behind some gym equipment, I bought but never used.
Usually, I pay the kid down the street a few bucks to mow my lawn twice a month but not this month. There’s no way my new neighbor can resist a woman mowing her lawn in this outfit.
After thirty minutes of mowing the front lawn, I’m beginning to think I’m wrong. I’m hot and sweaty but thus far my sexy neighbor has not made an appearance.
Does he not hear me out here working?
I want to give up, but I might as well finish the lawn as long as I’m out here. I do one more row and when I come around the corner, there he is. Standing on his front porch with his arms crossed over his chest. Too bad he’s got a shirt on now. I’d love to examine those muscles up close and personal.
He marches off his porch and across the lawn toward me. This plan is working better than I expected. I notice his mouth is moving but I can’t hear him.
“What?”
When I still can’t hear him, I switch off the lawn mower.
“Hi.” I smile at him. “You must be Lucas.”
The sight of him up close is positively drool-worthy. My new neighbor is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. He has dark brown eyes, the color of a stout beer. I do love a good stout. And dark brown hair I’d love to pull on while his mouth explores my body. He can give me beard rash as much as he wants. I’m down for it.
And the best part? He’s tall. Several inches taller than me. At five-foot-nine, it’s not easy to find men who are taller than me.
“How do you know my name?”
“Welcome to Smuggler’s Hideaway,” I say instead of explaining how there are no secrets in a small town on a small island. He’ll learn all about our nosy ways soon enough. “I’m Chloe.”
I don’t offer him a hand. The first time we touch won’t be when I’m all sweaty. Although, I do hope we touch when we’re both hot and sweaty. Something to look forward to.
“Chloe.” He grunts. “What are you doing?”
My smile falters at his angry question but I muster on. “What do you think? I’m mowing my lawn.”
“At eight in the morning on a Sunday.”
My nose wrinkles. I didn’t realize it was so early. Usually, I’m a night owl but I didn’t sleep well last night. I had a nightmare and couldn’t get back to sleep. Stupid childhood memories.
“The early bird gets the worm,” I quip since I have no idea why he’s bringing up the time. I don’t know what the problem is. He was up earlier than me to go for a run.
“The early bird gets a citation from the police for noise pollution.”
Is he serious?
“Since when is mowing the lawn considered noise pollution?”
“The city ordinance clearly indicates any noisy activities should not be conducted before 10 a.m. on a Sunday.”
“What did you do? Memorize all the city ordinances?”
“I’m a police officer. It’s my job to know the rules.”
I waggle my eyebrows. “All the better to break them.”
He scowls. “I enforce the law, not break it.”
Someone’s a fuddy duddy. But I bet I can get him to loosen up.
“I’m done mowing now anyway.”
“Good.” He glances at the lawnmower and scowls. “Are you wearing flip-flops?”
I lift up my foot to show off my sandals. “You like them? They have little seals on them. Aren’t they cute?”
“What they are is dangerous. You shouldn’t be wearing flip-flops when you’re mowing. You could chop a toe off.”
“Ew. No thanks. I wouldn’t want to ruin my pedicure.”
He doesn’t need to worry about me mowing again. There’s a reason why I hire the neighbor kid to do it. It’s hot and sweaty work. There’s only one time I enjoy getting sweaty. Hint. It’s not when I’m pushing a lawnmower.
A drop of sweat falls down my forehead and I lift the bottom of my tank top to wipe it away.
He clears his throat. What’s his problem now? His eyes are filled with heat as he stares at the skin exposed above the waist of my shirt. Oh, yeah. Someone’s interested. I decide to test my theory.
“I’m going to go have a shower,” I say. “I’m all hot and sweaty.”
His eyes flare but he coughs before retreating toward his house. “Enjoy your shower.”
Does he want me to chase him? Game on, Officer Lucas. Game on.
While I shower, I plot how I’m going to get my sexy new neighbor to notice me. This week is going to be fun.
On Tuesday, I spend an hour pumping up the tires on my bike until I’m afraid they’re going to explode. Lucas doesn’t show.
On Thursday, I wash my car. I go all out with a revealing top, tiny shorts, and end up wet and covered in soap suds. No Lucas.
On Saturday, I strut around my lawn watering my flowers while wearing the shortest skirt I own. Still no sign of Lucas.
On Sunday, I decide it’s time to pull out the big guns. Go big or go home is my motto.
I dig through my closet for a raincoat. I undress before donning it. I add a pair of strappy high heels to my ensemble. The final touch? An empty dish bowl for the ‘butter’ I’m going to ‘borrow’ from my sexy neighbor.
Is this move cliché? Yes. Does it work? I’m betting on it.
I check my look in the mirror and nod in approval. “You got this, Chloe girl. You got this.”
I march next door to Lucas’s place. I don’t give myself a chance to chicken out before I ring the bell.
The door flies open and a little girl answers. “Hello.”
I check the house number. Yep. I’m at the right place. I didn’t accidentally end up at Mrs. Agatha’s house. Lucas lives here. Or, at least, he did last week.
“Natalia!” Lucas hollers from somewhere in the house. “Don’t answer the door.”
This is definitely the correct house but why is Lucas hollering at this little girl? No one mentioned he had a child.
Is he married? Hold on, Chloe. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Maybe he’s babysitting for a friend.
“Too late!” the girl shouts before smiling at me. “I’m Natalia. Who are you?”
“I’m Chloe. I live next door. What are you doing here?”
She giggles. “You’re silly. I live here of course.”
“You live here?”
“Why are you wearing a raincoat? It’s not raining.”
Because I came over here naked to seduce the man I now fear is your dad? Nope. Not the words I’ll ever speak to a small child. Not in this lifetime.
“Is Lucas your dad?” I ask instead.
An arm wraps around her waist and she disappears from view as Lucas shoves her behind him. “I told you not to answer the door.”
“Dad,” she whines. “What do you think is going to happen? I thought we moved to this Podunk town because it’s safe and boring.”
My jaw drops open. Dad? Lucas is a dad? Where’s her mom? Has he been hiding her, too? I shake my head and force those thoughts away.
It doesn’t matter. Lucas is officially off the menu. I don’t get involved with men with children. Chloe and children is equal to oil and water. Incompatible.
Instead, I take issue with Natalia’s statement. “Excuse me, but Smuggler’s Rest is not a Podunk town. It just so happens to be the coolest town on the coolest island on the East Coast.”
Natalia peeks around her dad to roll her eyes at me. “Adults always say things are cool even when it’s not true.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise an eyebrow. “Have you been to Mermaid Mystical Gardens yet? Or what about the boardwalk? Have you tried a muffin at Pirates Pastries ?”
“What’s Mermaid Mystical Gardens ?”
“The coolest amusement park in the world.”
She giggles. “You say cool a lot.”
I shrug. “What can I say? I’m a cool person.”
Lucas clears his throat. “Is there something we can help you with?” He rakes his gaze over my raincoat and I feel my cheeks heat.
Damn. I forgot I was standing here naked for a minute.
“I was going to ask to borrow some butter from you to bake a cake but now I’m craving a muffin from Pirates Pastries . I’ll catch you later.” I wave as I back away. “Nice meeting you, Natalia.”
As soon as I’m off his porch, I motor over to my house as quick as I can in these shoes. When I’m home, I put on some clothes before jumping on my bike. I don’t know where I’m going but I want to be far, far away from Lucas and his daughter.
Humiliation, my old friend, has come for a visit but I’m not answering the door.