Bully Next Door

****

Verity didn’t know what it was that Hector did, but it worked. From that night onward, she was so focused on creating recipes. She still took the time to teach Hector, but all her spare time went to creating new recipes.

Every other day, she had no choice but to go to the grocery store, and Hector was always there, ready to take her. He also became her taste tester, which he didn’t seem to mind. She somehow managed to keep her rules of not staying over, and Hector always made it hard for her to not want to break her own rules.

By the third week after Hector’s help, she finally had the introduction and at least twenty recipes ready. All of them had been properly tested, and Hector had approved them all. She didn’t know if he was just being nice, but once her cookbook was done, she would send a few recipes out to testers she trusted to get their opinion as well.

“So, I wanted to ask you something,” Hector said, coming up behind her as she brought her lentil dahl back up to a simmer.

“Sure.”

He put his hands on her waist. Each time he touched her, she found it impossible to think. This was what Hector did to her. He made it hard for her to do anything else.

“Sean wants to come by for a visit.”

“That’s great.”

“I was wondering if you could help me cook a meal for him,” he said.

Verity pulled the spoon out of her dahl, gave it a small whack on the side, and turned toward him. “Of course. What’s the matter?”

“I … did you ever have a crush on Sean?”

“Don’t be silly.”

“No? Because you didn’t have a crush on me, and now you’re saying you didn’t have a crush on Sean. Who did you have a crush on?” he asked.

“You want to know who I had a crush on back when I was a kid in high school?” she asked.

“I never saw you with anyone. You didn’t seem to make your feelings obvious.”

“Hector, high school was over ten years ago. Why does this bother you?”

“I’m curious is all. Everyone had crushes on everyone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Not me.”

“You didn’t?”

“Nope. I hated guys back then. Especially in a romantic way.”

“Did you have a crush on girls?”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t have a crush on anyone because my dad had just broken my mother’s heart, and to be honest, all guys were just … wrong. They were weird, and it stayed that way for a long time.”

“You never had a boyfriend?”

Verity laughed. “Of course I’ve had boyfriends. I wasn’t a virgin the first time we were together.”

“I guess I’m trying to know more about you.”

She sighed. “Why?”

“Aren’t you curious about me?” he asked.

She tilted her head to the side. “Sometimes.”

“Well, ask me anything you want. I’m an open book.” He held his hands open.

“Fine, have you ever had a girlfriend?” she asked.

He winced. “One that doesn’t make me sound like a total asshole.”

“No, I like this game a lot. I think we should keep on playing it.”

“You’re doing this to tease me now, aren’t you?” he asked.

She raised her brow. “I don’t know, Hector, what do you think? If you want to ask me a bunch of questions, then you’re going to have to answer some yourself.”

“Fine. I have never had a real girlfriend. I’ve never had the time. The women—” He stopped, knowing there was no delicate way to say this. “The women I was with in the past knew the score. They knew I wasn’t the marrying kind.”

She nodded her head. “Okay. I figured as much.”

“You did that to torture me.”

“No, I was curious if I was right about you.”

“I’ve never found the right woman who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

That shouldn’t hurt but it did, a little. She was used to wearing a mask, so she didn’t let it show. “Ask your questions.”

“How many boyfriends have you had?” he asked.

“Two.”

“Only two?”

She shrugged. “I take dating very seriously. I don’t believe in just jumping into bed with the first man I see. I like to take my time.”

“So I’m the exception?” Hector asked.

“I’m not really sure what is going on with us. I never … I’ve never … sex is something that I need to be comfortable with someone, and what we have, it’s…”

“Amazing? Great? The best sex you ever had?” he asked.

“It is pretty amazing,” she said. “It is a new feeling for me.” She wasn’t going to admit that she was a little unnerved by how fast their relationship was moving either. The sex was incredible. She had never felt so satisfied and fulfilled.

Hector was just incredible, but she feared if she told him that, then she wouldn’t hear the end of it, and well, she didn’t need him to get a bigger head than he already had.