Page 4 of Boxer Next Door

“Oh,” I said after a long silence.

Ken’s eyebrows shot up like he’d expected more of a reaction, and I could feel my face warming. I cleared my throat and thought frantically for a minute.

“Um, I mean, it’s fine. The fence was old when my husband and I bought the place, anyway, years ago. So I’m not surprised it got knocked down easily. I’m sure you didn’t mean to do it. You can just leave it, I’ll take care of it.”

I arched an eyebrow at him as he chuckled.

“I still feel responsible, though. It was, after all, my mistake that caused the damage. I don’t think I can just ignore it.”

His voice… it was so deep and smooth. Every time he chuckled, the sound sent a shiver up and down my spine. I could feel my body stirring with a desire I hadn't felt in a while, and if I weren't so fascinated by this guy, I would have panicked because of it.

I didn’t need to fall for a stranger, especially one as young this. I was a thirty-eight-year-old woman, and this kid didn’t look older than twenty-five! Feeling attracted towards him made me feel like I was robbing the cradle. He was a grown-up but just too damn young.

“You don’t have to do anything,” I said again, feeling a growing desperation I didn’t let out for him to see. My experience as a lawyer was coming in handy outside of work. “It’s a little late right now, and I don’t think anyone will be taking advantage of the broken fence too soon. I can look at it in the morning and think of what to do then. You don’t have to do anything.”

My treacherous mind was already arguing with me. I can pay for the damages, but I wouldn’t see him if I handled it myself! Let him work on it and fix it himself!

Now that I’d seen him this close, I was getting greedy. I could just picture it. Him working in my backyard with only a tank top on. The sun would be up, it wouldn’t be too hot, but he would be sweating from all the work he was putting in.

Just the image in my mind made me tremble.

“But I really wouldn’t feel okay just leaving it,” Ken insisted. “Old or not, your fence would still be standing if not for me. Let me help you out.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. There was no way I could let him. Even if I tried to keep myself away, the temptation would be too great. I’d never looked at another man since Mike and I got married and then had Bryson years later. I had large windows in my kitchen that showed a clear view of the backyard; there was no way I would pass up the chance to drool over such a fine male specimen.

Get it together!

Ken was stubborn. “If you won’t let me work on the fence,” he started slowly. “Then, I could fix anything else, whatever you want to take care of. Anything you need.”

Anything I need… my mind repeated.

I wondered if he was wording it intentionally, or if I’d become a pervy old woman. Here was a young man insisting on trying to offer me help, and my mind was jumping to dirty thoughts. His expression was so clear and earnest, but he had my thoughts rushing in another direction, thinking about what other less innocent situations he might have that look on his face.

My mind needed to get out of the gutter, I chided myself. But wait… did he just give me a once over? And was it my imagination, or did his voice just get a little bit deeper, smokier… I could have sworn…

I shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind and smiled up at him.

“Yes, actually, I have noticed that you’re handy around a house. Your place was left alone for too long, and it was practically falling apart when you moved in. I’ve seen how you’ve changed it.”

Ken pursed his lips in thought, and my eyes unconsciously fell to them. My eyes rose up to meet his just as quickly, but I was sure he’d noticed. Damn it! I didn’t want him thinking badly of me. I gave him an uneasy smile that he returned with one of his own.

“At this point, I think you could say we’re at a stand-off,” he said, sounding amused, his smile crooked.

Fuck, his smile just got hotter. I smiled innocently up at him. “I guess you could say so. There is no need, but if you’re going to insist, I guess we can talk about it.”

He opened his mouth to say something when our conversation was interrupted by the sound of something blowing up. A squeal followed, and I looked into the living room. The angle wasn’t right to see much, but I’d just remembered my son wasn’t that far away, waiting for me so we could get back to our movie night.

Damn it. How could I forget?

That thought made me panic a little. No one was more important to me than my son was, not even this hot, new neighbor that was insistent on making himself useful to me.

As if to make sure I would go back, Bryson spoke up.

“Mom, get back here already! We’re almost at the best part of the movie!”

“I thought you hadn't watched this one before,” I called back, feeling amused.

“Mom,” he whined. “My friends already watched it! I asked them for some spoilers, and they told me something awesome happens when the explosions start! Hurry up!”