Miss Fix-It

No mention of their mom.

Hmm.

Was he single?

Damn it, Kali. Put your thirsty vagina back in its cage.

“Don’t worry.” I smiled. “Shall we go upstairs?”

He glanced back in the living room. “While they’re still quiet? Absolutely. I doubt it’ll last long.”

I swallowed a laugh and grabbed my things. I’d been here less than five minutes, and already I could tell that was totally true.

I followed him upstairs, and I swear, I tried not to look at his ass. It was literally a mantra inside my head.

Don’t look at his ass. Don’t look at his ass. Don’t look at his ass.

It didn’t work. It was hard not to look at his ass. It was round and peachy and goddamn it, I was a heathen!

What was going on here? Was it a hangover effect?

That was it.

It was a lingering, painful trace of that fucking vodka.

Still…It was a really, really great ass. And I was an ass girl. And an arm girl. And an eye girl. And a mouth girl. And a cock-like-a-god girl.

Basically, I was easy to please unless you spoke like a cock.

“…really worked,” Brantley said, reaching the top of the stairs.

Oh, shit. I hadn’t heard a word he’d said.

“Good.” Was that the right thing to say? Goddamn his mesmerizing ass.

“Yes—the mold on the walls is almost completely gone, but I think it’s just staining now.” He pushed open a door. “This is Ellie’s room. Her’s was a little worse than Eli’s.”

I stepped inside the room after him. The pictures really hadn’t done it justice—the paper was ripping, the floor was in desperate need of an overhaul, and the windows still held the signs of the mold in the way it was etched into the edges of the windows.

I put down my things and went to take a closer look. “It’s just staining,” I confirmed. “I need to look more, but I think it’s just black mold, which is a problem all the houses in this neighborhood have.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The original contractors screwed something up, but since you bought from someone else and not them, management is on you.”

“Great,” he drawled. “Is there anything you can do for it?”

“Honestly,” I said, turning around. “If it’s just surface mold, no. It really is just management. Making sure the room is aired out—especially in colder months—and that you give the windows a wipe down with the solution you already used.”

“Really? That’s it?”

“Well, since I’m painting… There is a mixture you can get that you can put into paint. It won’t help the windows, but it’ll counteract the mold trying to form on the walls.”

“Can you buy that?” His turquoise blue gaze settled on me intently.

“I can, but…” I paused. “It can be expensive, and if you need it for more than one room…”

“I can, but…” I paused. “It can be expensive, and if you need it for more than one room…”

“I can write you the deposit check today.”

Well, that changed things. “I can order it as soon as it’s cashed.”

He nodded. “Perfect. Shall we see Eli’s room?”

I nodded and followed him, feeling like one of those stupid bobby-head dogs people put in their cars.

Eli’s room was much the same as Ellie’s in terms of what it needed. New floors, new walls, mold treatment. That was all standard, though. It was everything else I needed to know that wasn’t.

“What else are you thinking? I can see you’re hoping for more than just a bit of paint and new carpet fitted.”

A wry smile twisted his lips. “How did you know?”

“It’s my job to know.”

He motioned toward the stairs. “I need to check the twins. Can I make you a coffee?”

“Sure.” We both went down. By some miracle, at least judging by his relieved sigh, the twins were quiet and still picking their paint colors. Who knew it was such a complicated job for such tiny people?

He led me into the kitchen and waved his hand at the table. “Take a—hold on.” He shifted two boxes from a chair and put them by the back door. “Sorry. Unpacking is damn hard with two kids around.”

“Are you by yourself?”

He nodded briskly and turned on the coffee machine.

“You don’t have family here?” I frowned. Nobody moved to Rock Bay if they didn’t have family here.

He gripped the edge of the counter. “No family. The twins’ mom passed away two and a half years ago.”

I opened my mouth, closed it, and opened it again. Nothing came out.

Oh, that’s right. Nothing came out because my foot was in my mouth.

“I’m sorry,” I finally managed to eke out. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

He waved his arm dismissively, setting a mug in front of me. “Two and a half years is a long time.

“I’m sorry,” I finally managed to eke out. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

He waved his arm dismissively, setting a mug in front of me. “Two and a half years is a long time. You didn’t know. I can see why you asked. Rock Bay is a little…quieter…than I’d expected.”