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Chapter 5
Dina typedthe online order on the keyboard, then rocked back in the chair and said, “Have you heard from Josh?”
Natalie removed her hairnet, and tossed it on the desk. Ten more minutes and she’d be off the clock—she could finally leave and go back home. To her man, for as long as he’d have her. For as long as he stayed. “We’ve been through this, Dina. Dinner was a week ago, and you keep asking. I’m not seeing him again.”
Dina lowered her reading glasses and tilted her head, giving her a look full of attitude. “Did he do you wrong when he drove you home? You can tell me, mija. I know his father. I’ll kick his ass if I need to.”
Natalie sighed. “He’s a good guy. I like him as a friend. There’s just no sparks.”
Dina swiveled her chair, shaking her head. “Sparks don’t make a relationship last. Trust me, I know. Got infatuated with a younger man when I was in my twenties and should have known better,” she said, then glanced at the wall remotely, almost as if she had forgotten Natalie was in the back room with her.
She’s talking about Vincent. Natalie stood, removing her apron and hanging it on the hook. “Do you mind if I leave early today?” she blurted. “I, um, wanted to go to the store before it’s too late, and it’s been pretty quiet around here anyway.” Natalie managed to sound casual, and hoped the warmth she experienced didn’t break out on her cheeks and neck.
Listening to Dina talk about her broken marriage wasn’t right. She felt bad enough about sleeping with Dina’s ex-husband. No way did she want to be her soundboard too. That’d only make her feel even worse.
Dina blinked, as if yanked from her reverie. “Sure, you can go. How’s Vincent doing?”
Natalie looked away. How could she feel bad about sleeping with Vincent when he made her feel so good? Still, she doubted Dina would ever accept it. Not that she had much to accept. After he finished her house, he’d go back to his life in New York. Her stomach clenched. Best not to think about that yet. “He finished the roof. He’s good… I guess.”
“Has he told you about anyone he’s seeing in New York? Or did any of the town broads make a pass at him already? You know Lucy divorced her second husband last year,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
Natalie swallowed. Shit. What if he had someone else back home? She wanted to believe he wouldn’t cheat on a girlfriend, but how could she be sure? “Why do you care?”
“Humor me.” Dina shrugged. “Don’t you think it’s strange he never remarried or even got a significant other?”
“Well, you never remarried,” Natalie said, then her hand flew to her lips. She hadn’t meant to give Dina any attitude, but it came out wrong. She cleared her throat, shifting her weight from foot to foot. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. You’re an attractive woman,” she added truthfully.
A few white streaks blended in Dina’s smooth brown hair. Although almost a foot shorter than her, Dina had a nice figure, and a stunning mocha skin from her Mexican heritage. She owned a successful small business and was a hell of a cook. Why didn’t men ask her out more often?
“Thanks. I didn’t remarry at first because I wanted to be there for Clint. Then, he grew up and began making mistakes, and I guess I used them as a reason not to think about my love life,” she said, sadness touching her dark eyes as it did whenever she spoke about her lost son. Despite all the pain Clint had caused her, Natalie’s heart shrunk. A mother should never have to bury her own son.
“You can think about it now,” Natalie said, nudging her elbow. “It’s not too late.”
“Coming from a twenty-four-year-old,” Dina said, rolling her eyes. “It’s easy to be hopeful at your age.”
Could it be true? A part of her had stopped being hopeful for as long as she remembered. After living through a broken childhood and an abusive marriage, she’d slipped into convenient survival mode. And now… ever since Vincent had come into her life, she’d felt alive. Invincible. Hopeful.
Natalie walked into her house,following the annoying sound of the saw on the back porch. Because of daylight savings, sun still shone in her yard, breaking through the canopy of oak trees and spreading dappled light across the lawn.
A shirtless Vincent, complete with jeans and steel-toed boots, used the fancy machine he’d brought to fix some of the wood planks from the living room. Lord, his body was an invitation to sin. Pastor Abbott had talked about the misleading temptations of the flesh, and her father-in-law personified each one of them. Sweat glistened on his skin, sneaking down his jeans. His face remained unshaven, giving him an edge.
Her nipples hardened, remembering the way he’d taken her the past week. They hadn’t wasted time speaking much, but they sure had fucked like two wild rabbits. “What are you doing?”
He turned off the saw, removed his safety glasses and glanced at her. “Figured I can fix your floor, or most of it anyway. There’s a whole section in what’s supposed to be the dining area I want to replace.”
She stepped toward him. “Sounds like a lot of work.”
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “It is.”
“Do you want me to get you some sweet tea?” She offered. “Or a Shiner?”
He closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms. “I can think of a different way you can quench my thirst.”
Vincent slammed his lips on hers, his arms wrapping her in an airtight embrace. Her heart throbbed against her ribcage, the maddening pulse expanding to her ears. She linked her arms around his head, thrusting her fingers into his hair, loving his groan against her lips.
She squirmed against him, every female part needing more from her male counterpart. His cock poked her, hard and undeniable. She was thankful the overgrown trees were due for a trimming. Her fences faced a greenbelt no one visited this time of year, and her neighbors from either side usually arrived home much later. They had the privacy they needed.
“Let’s take this inside,” he murmured, nipping at her lower lip and sending a jolt of excitement through her.
