Charlotte
Well, now my focus is out the window. I shake my head a few times, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can still smell Jack’s cologne. Musky, but with an air of something warm and… No. It doesn’t matter that I could fall deep into his chestnut eyes, that he’s astoundingly muscular and handsome, and that his jaw could cut a diamond. It doesn’t matter because he’s a dick.
A condescending, manipulative, unprofessional asshole.
I have zero tolerance for assholes. Especially considering how hard and stressful this move has been on me. A five-day delay cost me quite a bit of money. Then, I get here and can’t put anything in the leaky, uncleaned fridge. The sink is backed up, the A/C makes a lot of noise but cools nothing. And when I tried writing the handyman, I got nowhere—just a long wait with no reply.
It’s summer. On Hayden Island. With no A/C. That alone should be considered a crime against humanity, and Jack the Jerk just made it worse. Sexy as hell or not, a creep is a creep. Skulking around on Facebook, named after his cat, to fish for unhappy tenants is definitely creepy.
Groaning, I fall back on my couch and run my fingers through my hair. My mom would know how to deal with this. She handled everything with grace and poise and kindness. Maybe that was a different world though, where being nice and sweet got you places. Now, it only gets catcalls and guys taking advantage.
I glance at the photo I have of us together. We’re laughing together at Christmas, planning for the future—the best version of the future. The future she never got to have. I shake my head and set it down. I’m stronger than the nostalgia and depression. I’ve learned how to be strong and keep both in check or I would never have been able to leave that small-town life.
I nod and slide out of my sundress, leaving me in a bright-red bikini. It’s an improvement, but I still wish I could cover my body with ice to stop the beads of sweat. Two knocks on my door interrupt me.
Hiding my body behind the door, I open just enough to see who it is. It’s Jack. Of course. Two buttons on his shirt are undone, but he doesn’t look any less stylish. He’s rumpled, still a little heated, but so well put-together and in control. How in the hell is this guy a maintenance man?
“What do you want?” I hiss, unwilling to be any nicer just because I enjoy looking at him. His good looks only seem to piss me off even more.
He takes a slow breath and smiles slightly. It looks almost painful for him, so I just arch an eyebrow. “Yeah, see, this is why you hide behind a black box on Facebook.”
Rolling his eyes, he exhales and drops the fake smile. “Look, you’re right. I was unprofessional and I apologize. I checked your A/C before I left, but something must have malfunctioned. I have my best handyman stopping by tomorrow morning.”
I fake a gasp and put my hand to my chest. “You’re admitting you’re wrong? Shocking.”
His eyes harden as if to warn a warning that excites my body. Clearly, my libido and brain aren’t on the same wavelength when it comes to this one. Especially if his presence alone is making me feel about ten degrees warmer.
“I could have handled things better, but you…”
“If you have more insults, go ahead and throw them online. But only the creative ones, since I’ve heard the normal shit to the point it bores me.” I look him over. He has a toolbox? “Are you Mr. Fix-It now?”
“Since I know there are issues other than the A/C, why don’t you show me what’s wrong?”
I blink a few times. His offer makes sense. I know it’s an apology for earlier, but I also know I’m wearing almost nothing. Not that I’m ashamed of it, every woman should be confident in her body. But I can practically hear him teasing me more about my job. And it’s not his place to judge as long as I can pay my rent and my bills.
Hell, it’s not his place to judge even if I can’t. What am I thinking?
“Now isn’t the best time.”
“I want to at least clean out the fridge.” He insists.
Fuck, that’s tempting. I do want some cold air and I definitely want to be able to get some groceries. I sigh and point at him. “You better behave, though. And work quickly.”
He rolls his eyes and heads into my condo. Jack is definitely hot, but he’s also clean and a good dresser. Nothing about this guy screams maintenance man. It’s confusing. The slacks he’s wearing are pressed and fit his hips perfectly. The button-up shirt, even if from the condo, highlights his muscle and build. He must take care of himself when he’s not working—spending time at the gym, keeping up with the most basic fashion trends, and making an effort to look his best.
I wonder what he looks like under the layers. If he could be a model. If he’d be good fuel for my fantasies.
I close the door and pulled a robe over me. But I can’t make myself do the sash. It’s just too hot in the condo, even with all the windows open. Jack glances at me, then pauses, looking me over again. I arch an eyebrow despite the fact that his appraisal makes me gooey.
“Would you like a list of the problems, or…”
He stands across the counter from me and nods, hands heavy on the granite. I take a deep breath. “I’m not just whining for attention. I know that’s what you think.”
“Oh, you can suddenly read minds? That’s useful. What am I thinking right now?”
Based on how he’s standing and the fact that his eyes haven’t left me, I think I know. But if I say it, then I have to admit that I care about how hard his dick is…or how big it is…or how cliché it is to fuck a man who’s coming to solve problems in the house.
So, I toss my hair and ignore the fact that my robe is sliding down over my shoulder, revealing more and more of my cleavage. I don’t ignore his eyes following the robe or the way my skin heats under his gaze.
“That I’m a whiny brat,” I say instead. “But look at the sink, or just take a whiff. It stinks! There are two dents in the granite, both with stains. I’m not being ridiculous. I’m paying a lot to live here, and my viewers are going to notice every little detail. I can paint and decorate and do all that, but come on.”
“Charlie—”
“I don’t like being called Charlie.”
“Charlotte is a mouthful.”
Yeah, I bet he is too. A delicious mouthful that would… No! “They have the same number of syllables. Look, my viewers will pounce on every single little flaw and problem.”
“Sounds familiar.” His eyes pin me. I notice the smug look on his lips as my breathing quickens under his stare.
“We just talked about professionalism.” I cross my arms under my breasts.
His gaze drops, then almost immediately jumps back up to me. Like ping-pong. He looks away for a moment, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip. He has better control of his tongue now than he did at my door. I wonder what else he could do with it.
I shake my head again.
“Jack, I just want what I paid for. That’s all. Please, fix what you can, and the A/C repair man can come tomorrow to ensure the rest is done. Then we don’t have to talk to each other again.” I smile brightly. “’Kay?”
He shrugs and motions for me to go on. “I’ll take care of the kitchen. Go ahead and…work or model or whatever.”
“Do you know how to talk to women without being condescending?”
“Do you know how to ask for help without whining?”
I grit my teeth take a deep breath and let out a deep sigh. Rather than do my photos out in the living room, like I planned, I go to the bedroom. It’s impossibly hotter in here, but it will have to do. I spend time posing to show off the swimsuit, then do a short clip about body positivity, showing the roll in my stomach, then how to get rid of it for those who don’t want it in their photos.
Before posting it, I glower at that imperfect little section. I know it’s natural to have just a bit of belly fat. I know it’s going to be there in certain positions no matter what, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I bite my lip, watching the video again and again. My followers will enjoy it. It will remind them of the content I used to post before I lost a little weight, and it will maybe make them feel better about their own bodies.
I sigh, then post it. Round two—time to take pictures for OnlyFans.
I set up my camera and show off the swimsuit on the balcony with the water and yachts behind me. Then on the bed, steadily taking it off while not showing anything I can’t take back. I flip on some music to help me stay in the mood.
I stroke my hands down my body as the shutter of the camera keeps going off. Different positions, angles, levels of teasing. I even take pictures of my beautifully manicured feet. I learned last year exactly how much that can improve my income.
Just as I’m about to make a short little video of me smacking my ass, there’s a knock on my door. I get up and bounce over, opening the door wide, forgetting how little I’m wearing.
Jack looks me over and arches an eyebrow. “Influencer?”
“There are plenty of ways to influence.”
“A/C is definitely stuck.” His eyes peruse me again and he squirms slightly. He has a light sheen of sweat on him, and he’s unbuttoned his work shirt to reveal the black tank top below. He swallows. “I got the sink taken care of and the fridge and freezer. All clean. I bleached the stain in the granite as well.”
“Look at that.” I walk beside him, enjoying his frustration and discomfort.
I adjust the bow on my bottoms, pulling it higher on my hip with a snap. Just to tease, I stand on my toes to look along the top of the fridge, then bend down to review the freezer drawer. He practically hisses between his teeth.
The cool air feels amazing on my skin, hardens my nipples, and sends a shiver through me. Turning around, I stroke over the counter with a lazy finger and smile at Jack. Even if he is a dick, he gets shit done.
“Thank you. This is already a huge improvement.”
“Your voucher has been increased as well. Two free meals with one complimentary alcoholic beverage per meal.”
He must really want those comments I made taken down. I lean my head to the side, looking him over. “You have the authority to do that?”
“Let’s be civil, Charlotte. Okay?”
“Alright. Thank you. I’ll take full advantage.”
Even though I’d like to take advantage of him. Maybe it’s the sexy music I’ve been using, or the boudoir-style photoshoot, but I’m twice as horny as I was earlier. I squirm a little bit as he walks toward the door. He’s taller than I am, his body big and strong, not to mention the sharpness of his eyes and the way his attention makes me feel.
“If you need anything else…” Jack turns around and swallows. One more lingering gaze that he tries to hide with a cough. “Just come to me.”
I bite my lip and nod. “Sure. And if I want another screaming match, I’ll just post my issues on Facebook.”
With that he jerks the door shut behind him, leaving me in peace. Well, more like hot and bothered. Really, I just want to pull out my vibrator and take care of myself. Something about Jack has me riled up and turned on times ten. I can practically feel how wet I am just by walking through my house.
I’m definitely going to have to take care of this before I do anything else with my day.