Birthday Girl

But I think they already skyrocketed when I wasn’t paying attention.

I smell the grill in the backyard, but I’m not hungry anymore.

Jordan

The following Thursday I have my summer class, and Pike lets me use his truck. He’s been catching a ride with Dutch to and from work all week, so I have a reliable vehicle to get around, and he even mentioned buying another car for himself under the guise that he should have something nicer for ‘going out’, but I know it’s just his excuse to get me in something better than the VW.

I refused. He almost has my car running, so I’ll make do with however much longer that will last and cross that bridge when I come to it again.

I pull up alongside the curb and park the truck out of the way, seeing Dutch and Pike in the driveway, working on my car. Actually, Pike is working on it, and Dutch is camped out in a nearby lawn chair with a beer in his hand.

I grab my backpack and stroll across the street and up our driveway.

“Hey, guys,” I chirp. “How’s it going?”

Pike glances over his shoulder at me, his eyes trailing up and down my body. I bite back my smile and so does he as he quickly turns back to work under the hood.

I woke up to his mouth trailing down my stomach at two o’clock this morning, ending between my legs and remaining there until I came twice.

And then we didn’t get back to sleep until four. The man has more energy than I can take, and I’m so tired today, but in the best way possible. Every inch of my body is being well-used, and it’s hard to concentrate on anything else except the need to be with him when I’m not with him. I don’t want to fall for him.

I mean, I want to, but not until I know exactly what’s happening here. Cam could be right and this is just a fling.

“We’re good, honey,” Dutch replies, his beer can resting on top of his knee. “Just about got you ready to go here.”

I walk past the car and the guys, seeing Pike tightening or untightening something with a wrench.

“Really?” I pinch my eyebrows together. “It’s nearly done?”

Pike shoots his eyes up. “Soon.”

Well, yay. It’ll be nice to not have to bum rides. For a while, at least.

“Thank you,” I tell them and then look to Dutch. “What can I do for you? Sandwich? Beer? Free babysitting?”

He just chuckles. “Aw, that’s okay. I saw how nice the house looks, so Pike must be working you pretty hard already.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” I tease. “I’m working up a sweat way past my bedtime lately.”

The wrench in Pike’s hand falters, and he loses his grip on the bolt, shooting me a look.

I fold my grin between my teeth and turn around, walking up the steps and disappearing into the house.

I carry my bag into the kitchen and set it next to my model on the table, and then I grab a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and head upstairs. Taking a towel out of the hall closet, I walk through Pike’s bedroom and into his master bath. The main bathroom is finished being retiled, but I still haven’t moved my stuff out of this one, and I don’t have any plans to.

Closing the door, I strip down to my bra and panties, start the app on my phone, playing Hurts So Good, and wet my toothbrush before swiping some toothpaste on it.

The door opens, and I jerk upright, momentarily startled until I see it’s Pike.

He closes it behind him. “That wasn’t funny,” he says, looking at me sternly.

“I wasn’t trying to make you laugh,” I mumble over the toothbrush.

His lips curl with mild amusement as he comes up behind me, turning me around and pressing me back into the sink. “Trying to shock me out of me comfort zone then?”

I smile.

“You do that a lot,” he accuses, but I know he’s not angry.