Chapter 37
Grim
I tighten the last screw on the cabinet door and step back to admire the work. The hinge no longer squeaks or hangs at that weird angle. It’s straight. Solid. The way it should be.
“Can you hand me the level?” Wren asks from behind me.
She is standing on a step stool, holding a picture frame against the wall we painted yesterday. She’s wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail.
I grab the level from the toolbox and hand it up to her.
“Thanks.” She positions the level on top of the frame and adjusts it slightly to the left. “Perfect. Can you mark it?”
I grab the pencil from the coffee table and make two small marks where the nails should go.
“There you go,” I tell her.
She climbs down from the stool, and I hand her the hammer.
Wren taps the first nail in with careful precision, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. It’s fucking adorable. She’s adorable.
“You know,” she says, positioning the second nail, “I never pegged you for the handyman type.”
I snort. “What did you peg me for then?”
“The brood-in-the-corner-and-glare-at-people type.”
“Fair enough.” I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “I can do both, actually. I’m multi-talented.” I bob my brows at her.
She giggles, her mind going straight to the gutter. I fucking love it.
“Yes, you are.” She hangs the picture and steps back to examine it. It’s a photo of Falkor and Luna on their wedding day, both of them young and radiant. “That looks great.”
“It certainly does.” I manage to force my gaze from her ass and actually look at her handiwork. “Really great.”
We stand there for a moment, looking at the picture. At the love captured in that frozen moment. The way Falkor is looking at Luna like she hung the moon and stars.
“They were lucky,” Wren says softly. “To find each other like that.”
“Yeah.” My voice is gruff. “They were.”
She glances at me, something unreadable in her expression, then turns away. “So, where did you learn all this handyman stuff anyway? Did your dad teach you?”
“Some of it.” I pick up the hammer and test the weight of it in my hand. “But mostly I taught myself when I built my cabin.”
“You own a cabin?” She looks interested. “I didn’t know that about you. Is it where you live? Or where you go on vacation?”
“It’s nothing fancy.” I shrug. “Just a small place out in the middle of nowhere. Right on the edge of the jungle, actually. I live there. It’s a bit of a commute but worth it.”
“Really?” She tilts her head, studying me. “It must be really peaceful.”
There’s a pause, and then her brow furrows. She’s got that look on her face like she’s working something out in her head.
“It is.” I nod. “You might not have noticed, but I’m actually not much of a people person.”
Wren lifts her eyes in thought and then pushes out a breath, frowning. She looks confused.
“What is it?”
“If you live in a cabin right by the jungle, surrounded by nature…” She looks up at me, still frowning hard.
I make a sound of agreement.
“Why did you go to that park by my house that day? You said you were running an errand in the neighborhood. That you decided to go there to be close to nature so that you could unwind. Why not just go home to your cabin in the jungle?”
My stomach drops.
Fuck.
She laughs a little, but there’s genuine confusion there. “It doesn’t really make sense, does it?”
Every muscle in my body tenses. My mind races, scrambling for something to say. Anything that won’t make me look like the stalking piece of shit I was.
Because that’s exactly what I was. A stalker. Sitting in my car, watching her house. Following her to the park. Engineering a “chance” meeting so I could befriend her and get access to her keycard.
Using her, like an asshole.
“I…” I start, then stop. My jaw clenches. “I meant being close to water helps me relax. Not necessarily nature.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Oh…okay…water?”
“Yep, that’s why I went to sit by the lake.”
More lies.
I fucking hate this.
“Oh.” She nods slowly. “Okay, yeah. That makes sense. I guess water has a calming effect on people.”
“Exactly.”
She’s quiet for a moment, then smiles. “Well, I’m glad you were there that day. It was nice running into you.”
Her smile is so genuine.
And I’m standing here lying to her face.
I wish I could tell her the truth. Wish I could explain everything.
But I can’t.
So I swallow the truth and nod. “Yeah. It was.”
“It’s a pity I had to work, or I would have gone for coffee with you. Talking about work, what’s next on the list?” Wren asks.
I grab the notepad, grateful for the distraction. “Looks like we need to replace some of the rotted molding.”
“Hello, young folk.” Falkor appears in the doorway, fully dressed in khaki pants and a button-up shirt. He’s holding a piece of paper in one hand and his car keys in the other. “Well, don’t you two look like a proper little work crew,” he says with a warm smile.
“We’re making good progress,” I tell him.
“I can see that.” Falkor surveys the room, his eyes lingering on the freshly painted walls, the straightened pictures, the repaired cabinet. “The place hasn’t looked this good in years. Luna would be so pleased.”
Wren wipes her hands on her shorts. “We’re happy to help.”
“Which brings me to why I’m here.” Falkor waves the paper. “I’m heading out to do some shopping. Thought I’d grab the things you two mentioned you needed. I made a list. I thought I would double-check with you so that I don’t miss anything.”
“That would be great,” I say.
“Let me see…” He looks down at the list. “From the hardware store, we’ll need wood glue, wood screws. Then there’s—”
“Quarter-inch and three-quarter inch wood screws, please, Falkor,” I interject. “For the cabinet work.”
“Right, right.” He makes a note. “Then there’s sandpaper… What grit?”
“Get a variety pack,” I suggest.
“Perfect.” He continues down his list. “Paintbrushes, drop cloths, wood filler. Is that all?”
Wren steps forward. “Actually, could you add picture-hanging strips to that? The heavy-duty kind? There are a few more frames I’d like to put up, and I don’t want to put more holes in the walls if we don’t have to.”
“Excellent idea.” Falkor nods. “Anything else from the hardware store?”
We both shake our heads.
“All right, then. Now for the grocery items.” He flips the paper over. “You both requested some specific things. Let’s see…energy bars, fresh fruit, eggs… And you wanted Lucky Charms cereal.”
Wren’s face lights up. “Yes, please. I haven’t had those in forever.”
“I could murder a bowl of Lucky Charms,” I say. “That’s a great call.”
“And last but not least,” Falkor says, “peanut butter.”
“The crunchy kind,” Wren and I say in unison.
The words hang in the air for a beat. We turn to look at each other. Smiles spread across our faces.
Falkor chuckles, making another note on his list. “I’m smooth myself, but for you two, crunchy it is.” He folds the paper and tucks it into his shirt pocket. “Now, don’t work too hard while I’m gone. Take breaks. Have some lunch. Take a nap.”
“We will,” Wren assures him. “You be careful out there.”
“Always am.” He pats his pocket where the list is. “If I see anything suspicious, I’ll just keep driving. Won’t lead anyone back here.”
“Thank you, Falkor,” I tell him. “For everything.”
He waves a hand. “Nonsense. It’s nothing.”
“Do you need some more money?” I ask.
“You already gave me five hundred dollars, which is more than enough.” He shakes his head. “See you later.”
I nod.
“Bye,” Wren calls after him.
Falkor heads to the door that takes him to the garage. He gives a wave before disappearing behind it. There is a mechanical whir of the garage door opening, then the car starting. It isn’t long before he is driving away.
Silence settles over the house.
I glance at Wren. She’s looking at me, her eyes wide and dark. Her chest is rising and falling just a little faster than normal. Her pulse jumps at her throat.
The air between us changes.
Three seconds is all the restraint either of us has before we launch ourselves at each other.
Wren’s hands are already yanking at her shorts and underwear, shoving them down her hips in one frantic motion. I barely get my jeans unbuttoned and shoved to mid-thigh before she’s jumping up, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I press her back against the wall, and my hand finds her pussy. She’s already wet. So damned wet I almost lose my mind right there.
“Fuck,” I growl against her neck, my fingers working her clit in tight, fast circles. We kiss. It’s frantic.
She gasps into my mouth, her nails digging into my shoulders through my T-shirt. Her head falls back against the wall with a soft thud.
I keep strumming her clit, feeling her get wetter, feeling her thighs start to shake. I need to be inside her. Need it more than I need my next breath.
I position myself at her opening and thrust into her in one motion. Her mouth drops open, and her eyes turn hazy.
I start moving, hard and fast, driving into her heat. We groan. The sound is raw and desperate.
Her legs tighten around my waist, and she makes small, breathy sounds with every thrust. I kiss her neck…her mouth.
It feels so damned good.
So damned right.
Her pussy is tight and hot and perfect, gripping me like she never wants to let go. I angle my hips, making her cry out.
“Yes,” she gasps. “Right there. Don’t stop.”
I don’t. I keep grinding into her, the wall shuddering with each thrust. Driving into her harder and faster.
I’m glad we made the decision to fuck like rabbits every chance we get. I know there’s a definite shelf life to this arrangement. I know it’s going to come crashing down on us soon.
But for now? I’m going to enjoy every single moment of it.
Wren cries out, her head falling backwards as she starts to clamp around me. Then she is coming on my dick.
I’m right behind her, losing myself in her.