15.
J ANIS
I saw Corey’s motorcycle as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, and by the time I got out of my truck, he was waiting just outside my door with a frown.
Before he could say anything, I put my hand up and said, “I’m sorry that I’ve made your life a living hell over a stupid fucking misunderstanding.”
“I didn’t want you to find out like that.”
“You knew?” When Corey nodded, I asked, “For how long?”
“Since the night me and the twins came to help you in the bakery.”
“How did you . . . How did that . . .” I stumbled over my words, not even sure what question I was trying to ask.
“I mentioned to Lawson that I didn’t have any idea why you hated me, and he told me the story about Spin the Bottle and that dog puke, of all things. I set him straight, and we wondered how to tell you. Actually, I had decided to just never mention it because I didn’t want to see the look on your face that I see right now.”
“What look?”
“It’s kind of pitiful, to be honest.” When I glared at him, he said, “That’s much better!”
“What are you doing here, Corey?”
“Well, after my brother came over and told me what happened at Zoey’s and that she called in the cavalry, I figured I better get to you before you had too much time to think about it.”
“Too late. I barely got any sleep last night because every mean thing I’ve ever said to you was playing through my head.”
“Isn’t good rest important to keep you healthy?”
“It is, so as soon as I get everything done this morning, I’m going to take a nap in my office.”
“Put me to work.”
“Again?”
“And then I’ll take a nap with you.”
“Corey, you don’t have to hover over me. I’ll get over my . . . whatever this is. Shame is the only word that comes to mind. I promise that I’ll be extra nice to you from now on and . . .”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“But I . . .”
“I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed the nicer, gentler Janis, but I sort of miss spicy Janis.”
“Spicy Janis?”
“Yeah.”
“Your antenna doesn’t pick up all the channels, does it?”
“There she is!”
“God, that felt good!” I whispered in relief.
“Hit me with another one.”
I resisted the urge and asked, “What are we doing right now, Corey?”
“Making you late for work, obviously,” Corey said as he turned so he could put his arm over my shoulder. “Let’s go get your things done so you and I can curl up and take a nap. I promise to keep my mouth to myself so you can get some rest.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I asked, mimicking his question from earlier.
“I think flirting with you is going to be fun.”
“Why do you think that?” I asked as I put in the code to open the door. I walked through and disabled the alarm before I said, “I would have never guessed you’re into masochism.”
“I know that there have been years of misunderstanding between us, and I am more than happy to admit that it’s all your fault because you couldn’t tell the difference between me and Garvey or pick up on obvious clues that night.”
“Obvious clues?”
“Well, we are identical and looked even more alike back then before facial hair and tattoos were an option, but I’m sure at least one person at that party called him by name at some point.”
“Probably.”
“Obvious clue, Grissom.”
“Bite me, Forrester.”
“Later, but I’m gonna make you beg for it.”
When I scowled at him, Corey burst out laughing before he said, “So, I’m gonna flirt with you like there’s a clean slate between us while you do your thing and play nice. Is that even still on the table?”
“I’m not very good at it and I want to be the best I can be, so I’m still going to try.”
“Interesting.”
“What’s interesting about that?”
“You like a challenge. That’s good because I do, too, and you are nothing if not a challenge. So, we’ll flirt with each other between kisses and other things and see where this takes us.”
“I don’t know how to flirt, but I know how to argue, so that’s what you’re getting. Deal with it.”
“A month ago, that tone of voice would have pissed me off. I’m not sure why I find it so damn sexy now.”
“Masochist,” I accused.
“Maybe.” Corey walked ahead of me into my office, and I had to stifle a moan when he pulled his shirt off in that sexy way.
If I reach over my head and . . . Does my arm even bend that way? Never mind. Why does he look like an underwear model when he pulls his shirt off like that, but if I tried that, I’d get all tangled up and need someone to cut me out of the damn thing? I’d probably come out looking like Medusa when it was all said and done.
Seriously, does my arm even do that? And why in the hell is that so fucking sexy?
“Well?” Corey asked.
I was too mesmerized by his bare chest to answer him. Hell, I didn’t catch what the question was in the first place.
“Huh?” I asked, very inelegantly.
“Eyes up here, perv.”
“I’m not a perv. I’m just irritated at the unfairness of the world,” I replied without looking up from his chest.
Sweet baby Jesus in a sidecar. I wonder how much I’d have to pay him to flex his muscles and roar before he yelled, “This is Sparta!” Is there such a thing as a spontaneous orgasm? Let’s find out.
“What’s unfair?”
Without thinking, I asked, “Why do all the really pretty ones have to be so damn stupid?”
Corey laughed, which was not a good thing because it firmed up his abs and gave me a chance to count them . . . and I would have if I possessed the ability to do things like count right now.
Obviously, anything but drooling was beyond my ability and probably would be until he put a shirt on.
Oh, fuck it!
“Donut, will you do me a favor?”
“Sure, babe.”
“Do that bodybuilder pose where they put their knuckles together in front of their waist and flex while you yell, ‘This is Sparta!’”
I glanced up to see his reaction and wasn’t surprised to find his eyebrows raised in question as he stared at me like I was crazy.
However, it boded well for our future that he could take simple directions when asked nicely, because what he did next was enough to keep me and my vibrator in business for years to come.
“This is Sparta!”
Without looking, I quickly lifted my hand up to brace myself against the doorframe while I tried to catch my breath, but somehow missed it and started to fall. I couldn’t catch myself since my eyes were glued to his abs, and I had a moment of terror before Corey sprang into action and wrapped his arms around me.
Naturally, my arms wrapped around his neck, and my legs felt like they needed to join in the fun and wrapped around his waist, which left me nose to nose with Corey Forrester as he lifted me up with his hands on my ass.
“This is definitely a position we’re going to have to explore.”
“Well, call me Christopher Columbus because I’m all about showing you my Mayflower.”
My body shook as Corey started laughing, and I couldn’t help but blush when I realized what I’d just said. When I tried to squirm out of his arms, he held me tightly and pressed me against the wall before he said, “As much as I’d like to do this right here and now, I know that we’d both regret it.”
“No regerts,” I said loudly, quoting a popular commercial with a humorous tattoo mistake.
Corey chuckled again before he said, “I know you’re on a tight schedule, and that’s going right out the window if we start this, because I’m not down for having a quickie in your office this morning. We’re going to do this right and . . .”
I heard what he was saying, but the words didn’t really register because all I could focus on was his lips until he started blabbing about history, and I knew I had to set him straight.
“I apologize for jumping to conclusions, so if you can forgive me, we don’t have to worry about our history anymore.”
“I already forgave you, Grissom. You really weren’t listening to me?”
“I lost focus. Apparently, my brain glitches when you're shirtless.” I wiggled against him, pressing myself against the very hard cock that was being strangled by his poor pants when it should be deep inside me. Hoping that nibbling on his lips might redirect this situation where I wanted it to go, I asked, “What were you saying about history?”
“That you should brush up on yours because Columbus brought over three ships and none of them were the Mayflower.”
“What?”
“They were called the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.”
“Saint who?”
“The ships Columbus brought over.”
“Are you serious right now, Donut?”
“I was just saying that the Mayflower was . . .”
I put my feet on the floor and frowned at him, but Corey didn’t seem to notice. He was still giving me a goddamn history lesson while every part of me was aching for him to touch me. I almost got distracted by his chest again, but saved myself by grabbing a shirt out of the bin and throwing it at him.
“Listen, Donut,” I interrupted as he caught the shirt before it fell to the ground. “If I’ve got my legs wrapped around you and you’re not interested, then just tell me instead of giving me a history lesson.”
“I was trying to . . .”
“If you can think of obscure history facts right now, then I’m obviously doing something wrong.”
“Obscure? Every kindergartener in America learns that while they make turkeys out of paper plates.”
“Again, I’d like to reiterate that you should just say you’re not interested if you’re not.”
“Oh, I’m interested, but I’m not going to fuck you against the wall like this is a one-off thing. I’m going to help you bake, take a nap with you, get cleared by my doctor so I can go back to work next week, then help your crazy friend and my brother get started on their chicken addiction.”
“Oh, so you are attracted to me?” I asked.
Corey pointed to his cock and asked, “You think?”
“For all I know, you get hard when the wind blows. That might not be for me.”
“Well, it is.”
“So, you’re telling me that even though I’m ready and willing to participate in said quickie, you’re denying me that?”
“Because I’m going to do this right. We’re going to date, and I’m going to make you fall for me before I give you the good stuff.”
“The good stuff?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a grown-ass woman who knows good and well when I want the good stuff , Donut.”
“Well, I’m not giving it to you until . . . Well, I can probably hold out until after our date on Saturday.”
“You’re about as sharp as a mashed potato, Forrester.”
“There you go, saying sweet things to me again.”
“Masochist.”
“Let’s get started so we can come in here and make out some more.”
“You’re seriously going to say no when I’m telling you that you don’t have to wait - you can fuck me right here and now?”
“That’s what I’m telling you.”
“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, Donut, but I’m not really good at being told what I can and can’t do.”
“You should probably find a way to deal with that issue because I’m sure it’s going to come up again.”
“You know what’s going to come up again? Your dick. And you know what? I’ll tell you what!”
“Please do.”
I pointed at my chest and yelled, “The Nina, Pinta . . .” I pointed at my crotch and yelled, “And the Mayflower are no longer available for Columbus!” Corey chuckled and reached for me, but I shook my head. “Nope! You and Columbus can go back to England for all I care. The port is shut down!”
“Technically, it was Spain that sent . . .”
I put my hand up and glared at Corey before I interrupted, “I’m tired, and I don’t have the energy to deal with your bullshit right now. Everything that comes out of your mouth gives me another reason to start planning your painful death.”
“You’ve got blue balls.”
“Sweetheart, I know you haven’t had a chance to explore my cave of wonders, but let me assure you that there are no balls, blue or otherwise.”
“What’s the woman’s equivalent of blue balls called?” When I just stared at him, he rubbed his chin and asked, “Vajay delay? Blue bean? Cliterrupted? Pussy pout?”
I managed to hold my smile at bay but had to turn around so he couldn’t see it in my eyes. In the hopes of teasing him at least a little, I unhooked my overalls and took my shirt off - the natural way - and then turned around, holding my uniform T-shirt in my hand as I faced him in my bra.
Corey’s eyes bugged out for a second before he asked, “Where have you been hiding those?”
Hence the reason for my love of overalls and oversized hoodies. The look on his face told me all the blood had left his big brain and his little brain was now fully in charge.
“And to think, you could have had your hands on these babies a few minutes ago, but you just had to be all noble and shit,” I teased as I pulled my shirt over my head. While I hooked my overalls, I said, “You missed your chance, Donut. They’re off limits now.”
When he started my way, I put my hand up and shook my head. He stopped and looked at me with such a forlorn expression that I couldn't help but laugh.
“You’re a cruel-hearted woman, Grissom.”
“I’m also a woman who is late getting her day started. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, Donut, but I could really use your help.”
Corey took a deep breath before he said, “You’ve got me, Grissom. Just tell me what to do.”
“The fact that you can say that without twitching bodes well for the future.”
◆◆◆
COREY
Thanks for helping me out this morning, Donut. I enjoyed cuddling during our nap too. I hope your appointment goes well.
I smiled when I saw the text from Janis but was so surprised at the content that I had to tease her.
The penalty for stealing someone’s phone is even harsher than impersonating the owner.
I haven’t stolen anything since
I watched the three dots that told me she was typing and laughed out loud when her next text came through.
I’ve watched enough true crime shows to know better than to finish that sentence.
Well, you are texting a cop, so that might be an issue, too, don’t you think?
Code Blue in effect. Got it.
I hope your appointment goes well.
Color me surprised, but that seemed like a very supportive and downright cheerful text.
How can I be sure this is really Janis and not an imposter?
The picture I received of Janis sporting her best sneer and flipping off the camera was enough to make me guffaw, garnering a glare from the red-nosed woman in the chair across from me in the waiting room.
For so long, you made me mad enough to spit nails, but now you’re making me laugh, Grissom. I like this new version of you.
Well, I like that you aren’t afraid to get dirty helping me in the bakery, so there’s that.
The fact that you aren’t willing to get dirty in other ways still irritates the hell out of me, just so you know.
After our date tomorrow night, I’ll get as dirty as you want.
Promises, promises, Donut.
You’ll see.