Chapter Five
Tucker
“What are you doing here?” Tilly narrows her gaze as she taps the glass on the passenger side door of the pickup truck I’ve had since my grandpa handed it down to me in high school.
It’s seen three new transmissions and I’m pretty sure it’s about time for another, but the memories in his old Chevy are worth the cost of the repairs.
I roll down the window and stare at the girl I shouldn’t have hired, trying not to memorize every fucking shade of blue in her eyes. “Thought you quit nursing?”
“I did.” She huffs loudly and drags her hands up to her hips. “You ever heard of a two-week notice? Didn’t think you needed the exact details of every step I take. Also, don’t you think it’s weird to follow me around?”
It’s possible that she’s telling the truth, though I highly doubt she is. “So, you’re coming to work in this skirt?”
“No,” she snaps, her eyes driving daggers into my soul. “I have scrubs in my work locker. Do you think maybe you’ve overstepped by following me here?”
I hold my gaze on hers for a long second, studying the way her almond-shaped eyes narrow and her nostrils flare as the setting sun illuminates a tiny scar on her chin.
Immediately, I want to know every detail about its origin.
Even angry, she’s gorgeous. Gorgeous in a way that it’s hard to look away from.
I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone like that before.
I flash the inhaler that I found on the desk earlier. “Hadn’t seen this before, so I figured it was yours.”
“Oh,” her twisted face relaxes as she reaches up and through the truck window, her soft fingers sweeping against mine as the engine rumbles, “thank you.” She tucks the tube of medicine into her pocket and turns away without another word, her sandy blonde hair blowing back in the breeze as she makes her way toward the small hospital where a set of automatic doors open five feet ahead of her.
It’s then that I notice a man following close behind. Shaggy black hair, T-shirt, jeans, round physique, about six feet tall. He lands his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugs him off and keeps walking as though she’s done this before.
What the fuck?
I stay focused on the situation, watching as Tilly disappears behind the double doors of the hospital and the man begins pacing back and forth like a caged animal, like a man unhinged.
This is none of my God damn business, and I have enough fucking shit going on, but I can’t drive away. I can’t leave her here with… whatever the hell this is. For all I know, this guy is a fucking psychopath.
Fuck.
I turn off the engine of the truck, tuck my unlicensed pistol into my jeans, and stalk toward him as the wind picks up, blowing red leaves across the paved parking lot. There aren’t many others parked out here today, which might be why the psycho doesn’t notice me until I’m speaking.
“There a problem here?”
The man pauses his pace and darts his gaze toward me. His brows narrow heavily as the automatic doors open again, though no one is behind them. “Who the hell are you?”
I’ve never been a huge fan of answering a question with a question. “You’re following Tilly,” I groan. “Why?”
He shakes his head and feathers his fingers back through his hair. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s in his late twenties. No wrinkles, clean shaven, soft hands. “Who the fuck are you?”
There it is! Another question with a fucking question!
I put my hand in the pocket of my jeans, slightly pushing the handle of my gun out from my waistband for all to see. “Last chance to answer the fucking question. Why the fuck are you following Tilly?”
He pauses for a moment, the bravado on his face turning pale as his gaze drops to my pistol then up again. “She’s my ex. I’m trying to get her to talk to me. I’ve tried everything.”
This guy ain’t shit, but for some reason a streak of jealousy rushes through me, and for a brief second, I contemplate taking his life here and now for ever looking at her to begin with.
“Well,” I groan, “probably time you stopped. Doesn’t look like she’s interested.”
“She’s like that. She acts like she’s not into me, but she’s looking for effort. If I keep showing up, she’ll eventually—”
“If I see you around her again, I’ll break you’re fucking legs.” The words slip out before I think them through, and though I know I’ve gone over the top, I don’t have any intention of apologizing.
The guy looks at me cross-eyed and takes off across the parking lot toward his little, bitch boy car that I’m sure gets great fucking gas mileage.
This is bad. I better get out of here. I’m supposed to be lying low. If Atlas has things his way, we’ve got another guy moving through the system soon. I can’t be causing a bunch of fucking drama around town. I can’t be giving Sheriff Williams more reasons to be rooting around in my business.
When I’m back at the campground, I kick off my boots, lock the front door, take myself into the back room, and I start to jerk off.
I jerk off to the images of Tilly in that tight little skirt, bent down on the ground scrubbing the floor.
I jerk off to thoughts of her big, round ass arched up as she pushed back and forth.
I jerk off as I think about kicking her thick thighs open to stuff my cock inside her tight, little pussy.
What sounds would she make?
What would her silky hair feel like twisted up in my fist?
How hard could she take it before she begged me to stop?
I’m a fucking mess, but it’s the relief I need to act like a normal fucking human come morning. At least that’s what I tell myself as I come all over my stomach, hollering out her name.
Jesus Christ, I’m a fucking mess.
In my head, the whole thing seems like a rational decision. A great decision in fact. And even as I drift off to sleep for the night, I can’t help but feel content, like suddenly every filthy thought I’ve been having has been exercised from my body.
*****
When my new employee pulls into the campground with the morning sun in a tight pair of jeans and that fitted camp T-shirt, I’m having a different feeling than last night. The urges that I thought had gone away, only seem stronger. Now that my brain has pictured us together, it wants the real thing.
“Morning,” she says, pushing through the office door as she juggles a canvas tote bag and a water bottle the size of her arm.
The instinct to bend her forward over my desk and fill her up overwhelms me. It’s all I can think about. Her soft skin, her long legs, that pretty little mouth dropped open as I lift that ass and plow into her over and over again.
Fuck.
“Good morning,” I manage, clearing my throat.
She sets her bag down on the chair in front of my desk and her water bottle on my table before making her way to the coffee maker. “How was your night?”
Thoughts of jerking off to her sighing fill my head, but I push those away as well.
“Good. Got a lot of work done. Hopefully today will be as productive.” I turn away and sit at my desk, occupying my eyes with paperwork, though they slip up more than once to catch her bending over near the coffee maker.
This isn’t right. I’m losing control.
“Yeah?” Her tone is bright. “What’s on the agenda?”
“We’ve got a few campers coming, so I’ll show you the system to get everyone checked in.
I expect the store will be busier today too, so I’ll need you to take care of all the shoppers that come through as well as taking any new reservations that are booked through our website.
It’s all fairly easy. I’m sure you’ll catch on quickly.
How was the hospital last night? You must be tired. ”
She pulls two mugs down from the cabinet above the sink and leans against the counter as she waits for the machine to finish its brew.
“Honestly? Yeah, I’m exhausted. Friday nights are notoriously insane, but last night takes the cake.
For some reason every teenager in town was up at the jumping rock taking turns doing stupid stuff, so the emergency room was chocked full of sarcastic kids and miserable parents.
” She pauses and pours a cup of coffee before handing it toward me.
“I saw you talking to Victor. What was that about?”
“Nothing.” I shrug and take the mug from her hand as she twists back toward the counter. “Just wondered who he was.”
“Why does it matter who he is?”
“He was talking to you, and you didn’t look like you were enjoying it, so I asked him to leave.”
“Well… it worked.” She shrugs and reaches for the sugar in the top cabinet.
“He’s been bugging me for months. He usually hangs around the hospital until my lunch break and tries to talk to me as I walk out to my car.
The hospital has banned him from the building barring a medical emergency.
” She laughs under her breath as the coffee drips.
“One conversation with you and he disappears. What did you say to him?”
“Oh,” I chuckle. “Well, I may have threatened to break his legs.”
Her eyes widen, and that blue I’m not supposed to notice is back. “Yeah, that’ll do it.”
“What happened between you guys, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She shakes her head as she glances toward the coffee maker that’s filling slowly. “Ugh, it’s a whole thing. He’s weird.”
“Weird how?”
Her brows narrow dramatically as she crosses her arms over her chest. “You really want to know my ex-boyfriend drama?”
“I want to know what kind of weirdo you have following you around. If he’s a threat to you, I need to know how to help.”
She shakes her head and hides a grin. “I appreciate it, but I don’t need your help with Victor. He’s harmless. Stupid, but harmless.”
I shrug. “Maybe, but what happened between you guys? I’ll decide for myself.”
She sits at the desk across from me and crosses one leg over the other as she leans forward, balancing the steaming cup of coffee in her hand. “He just wasn’t my type.”
“What does that mean?” I fumble through papers on my desk as she talks, trying not to act as interested as I am.