27. 27
27
The memories of last night simmered on the back burnerof his mind, threatening to boil over. Even after a full nightofsleep and a cold shower, the thoughts of Ava grinding on his lap, hands buried beneath his jeans, massaging his cock, blazed a trailthrough his brain.
The pain of the too-tight suspenders digging into his shouldersanchored him back to reality. He was cleaning the stove housed in LenaPutnam’s farmhouse-style kitcheninlittle more than soaked fireman’s pants and a helmet. Sweat glistened off his bare shoulders and abs as he used elbow grease to remove charred bits of food fromone of the burners.
“Francesca makes such a mess,doesn’t she?” Lena asked from her perch on the counter. Her leathery cleavage and overdone facefullof makeup seemed off-putting beneath her recessed lights.
Will continued to scrub away, faking a smile to his most loyal customer.“She can be as messy as she wants.That’s what I’m here for. ”
“You’re here for more than just toiling awaywith a scouring pad, and you know it. Any dipshit canscrub my burners, William.I’m paying to watch that sculpted body.”She groaned like she was eating something delicious.
“Oh, please. You haven’t been down on your hands and knees in, what, a decade or so?”he teased.
“On the contrary, my love.It’s one of my favorite positions to be in.”She winked.
He shook his head.“You’re such a flirt.” He rinsed the scouring pad in the sink.“When is Mr. Putnam coming back from his trip to Japan? I thought he was due home yesterday.”
“He was, but they had to iron out some of the fine print. Something about adverse side effects,I honestly stopped listening.” Mrs. Putnam hopped down from the counter and leaned against the cabinet beside the stove, crossing her arms in a not-so-subtle attempt to hoist her cleavage.
“When are we gonna stop playing games and get down to it?I know this is allegedly alook-but-don’t-touch service, but everyone’s got a price, William. What’s yours?” She gently pinched his ass.
Will jumped, smile fading in an instant.“The rules haven’t changed , Lena.” He pointed a sponge at her, speaking tersely, “You know better.”
“Why can’t we have a little fun?”She pouted dramatically, reminding him of a character from Gone with the Wind .
“Do you know what they call paying for sexwhile I’m on the clock?”
“’ Worth it? ’” she joked.
He was less-than-amused. “ Prostitution .”
Lena looked dejected, leaning her slight frame against the pristine cabinets. “Oh, come on, Willy.” She pouted again. “I won’t tell anyone.It can be our little secret.”
“ I would know, Mrs. Putnam. That’s not what I am herefor. So,you can either enjoy the show and how clean your home is after, or I can leave.Your choice.”
“So stern .” Lena teased, “I like it when a man bosses me aroundlike that.”
Will’s eyes dropped to the stove, and he fought the urge to walk out.
“How much for just a little bare-assed spanking?” Lena shrugged. “It can be you or me. I’ll take what I can get.”
Will fought to keep a pleasant smile on his face.
Lena huffed. “Whois she?”
“Who? ”
“Oh, come on, Willy.I’m sure there’s someone if you have the balls to turn downmoney being in this line of work. Is it Marsha? She’s always been one for whoring around.”
“There is someone. Nobody you know. She doesn’t run in your circles.”
Mrs. Putnam crossed her arms. “Does she know what you do for a living?”
“Of course.” He started scrubbing again.
“And she’s… just… what… fine with it?”
“Yep.” Will took a wet ragfrom the counter and wiped down the area around the cook-top.
“Does your boss haveany fresh meat he could send me? Maybe someone a little more eager to play ball? I’m getting rather boredof this game.”
“I am the boss, Mrs. Putnam. It’sa one-man operation.”
Lena leaned in toward Willandgrabbed the crotch of his fireman’s pants.
Will jumped back. “Lena!”
She laughed.“Oh, come on. I was only playing around.”
Will snatched up the cleaning suppliesand dumped them in the sink with a clatter. “Mrs. Putnam, I warned you not to cross the line.”
He waltzed toward the front door, plucked his hefty fireman’s coat off the rack, and grabbed the knob. Lena grabbed his shoulder .
“Wait, where are you going?I paid you for three hours.You can’t just leave.Willy, I’m sorry. I took it too far! Charles hasn’t touched me in months. I got carried away.”
“Mrs. Putnam, you know the rules, and yet, you continue to break them. Find another cleaning service.”
“Oh, come on. You’re not walking out in the middle of a job, are you?”
“Mrs. Putnam, I’m firing you as a client,”Will growled before openingthe door and makinghis way out to the stoop.
“Fine. It isn’t prostitution if I don’t pay you for it. And since I’m no longer your client...” Lena grabbed his jaw and whipped his facetoward her, planting her lips on his.
Will jerked away, appalled. “What the hell has gotten into you, Lena?!”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a black Denali — Ava’s black Denali —idling in front of the house he was fleeing. His stomach flipped as he saw the look of horror on Ava’s face through the window. Her eyes were wide, jaw ajar, with an expression of utter shock.
As she registered the scene, her expression warped to fury.
Dammit! What the fuck was Ava doing here?
How did she know where I was ?
How much of that did she see?!
Will bolted toward the street. “Ava! That was not—”
The tires squelched in the snow, spinningand struggling to gain traction. Ava was distraught, jamming the accelerator repeatedly, only to feel the tires slip again.
Will ran to her window and rapped his fist frantically on the glass.“Ava, please, just listen…”
Ava’s eyes flashed fire as she stepped onthe accelerator once again. This time, the tires caught. The Denali roared away, flinging snow at Will’s fire-retardant pants.
With tears welling in her eyes, Ava sped down the snowy blockand out of sight.
Will looked up at Lena Putnam and then back in the direction Ava had sped off.
“ Fuck! ”