Page 28 of Bolo's Curveball
It’d been a tough week. We’d been texting and talking on the phone over the last four days so he knew I hadn’t been feeling great. Not that I was complaining to him about how miserable I was, he just seemed to pick up on it. Sophie said it was because they could kind of hear it in my tone as I spoke. And Bolo was clearly the observant type.
“I think it’ll help to get out and get some fresh air, honestly.” I’d ended up taking a couple sick days and just sleeping the days away, but I needed to save my leave for later in the pregnancy, so I didn’t plan to do that much. At least I was hoping I wouldn’t have to take more days. I didn’t like missing work. I enjoyed what I did. It was like a real life puzzle that I got to solve.
“Good.” He reached over and took my hand, linking our fingers together.
It was so smooth and efficient I didn’t even know what was happening until we were holding hands. I hid my smile and didn’t say anything about it. Though I wasn’t sure he’d let go if I did point it out. But I liked having his big strong hand linked with mine. Despite working in a firehouse and doing dangerous work this was nice. It reminded me I was still a woman and I had always liked the protective kind of a man. “What do you do for a living?” I asked, because I realized his hand was rough and work-worn, and that I hadn’t asked him that before.
“I work construction, building houses mostly, with my dad and brothers,” he told me.
That explained it. I loved a man who worked with his hands. We made small talk as he drove us to the river. He found a close parking spot since we were here pretty early. This was the first float trip of the day and most of the college kids wouldn’t be out on the river until mid-day. It was going to be mostly families here this early. That was fine by me.
“Wait here,” he told me, opening the back of the SUV. “I’ll go pay and then haul all this over to the bus stop.”
I nodded, staring with wide eyes at all the stuff he had piled in the back. I’d brought a container of water, some small snacks, sunglasses, water shoes, and a hat. And of course my phone and wallet. He’d brought…a lot more. Of everything. He’d even brought his own tubes. That was a good thing, because the black inner tubes they rented out burned the crap out of your butt and legs once the sun beat down on you for a while. The tubes he had were white and would help reflect the heat.
Slipping on my water shoes, I left my flip flops in his vehicle so I wouldn’t lose them. I took off my tank and shorts and left them as well, piling them on top of my wallet so it was out of view.
“We’re all set. Bus should be here in… Fuck me.” The last two words were mostly said under his breath, but I caught them. I bit my lips to keep from smiling as I faced him fully.
His eyes roamed all over my body and a thrill raced over my skin as hunger flared in his gaze. I wanted him to want me. This was supposed to be the fun part. The getting to know you phase. Of course we’d skipped a couple steps, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t enjoy ourselves along the way. He swallowed hard then cleared his throat. “You look great.” he said, his voice deep and gravelly.
I smiled. “Thanks. I can take-”
“No. I got it. You go sit on the bench in the shade there.” He motioned toward the one bench over at the stop where the buses picked people up.
Nodding in agreement, I didn’t bother to argue. Again, it was nice to be taken care of for a change. I was going to soak it up. “Can I get a picture first?” I asked.
“A picture?”
“Yeah. Of us. Together.”
“Oh. Yeah, sure.” He set down the bag he’d picked up and turned to where I was holding up my phone. Wrapping an armaround me he grinned in a way that I was sure was going to make my sisters all melt. “Hang on,” I said after I took a couple.” My eyes scanned the lot and I found my target. “Excuse me?”
The older couple passing by paused and looked at me expectantly.
“Could you please take a photo of us?”
“Oh sure, dear,” the lady said, taking my phone from me. “This one?” she asked, pointing at the button.
“That’s it. Thank you so much.” I turned and nearly swallowed my tongue. Bolo had taken off his shirt and was standing there in just board shorts and flip flops, showing off abs you could clean laundry on.Holy…wow.I was ready to whip my bikini top off and rub it against his abs to test if that phrase was true. Didn’t even matter that I’d be flashing the whole parking lot. It’d be worth it. I didn’t, of course. We didn’t need to spend the day at the police station for indecent exposure. Plus, there were kids piling out of vehicles all around us as more people showed up. I locked down my inappropriate thoughts as much as I could.
I’d been really drunk the night we’d had sex and didn’t remember a whole lot. I knew, from hugging him, and just the way he looked in clothes that he had muscles, but jeez. You could grate cheese on the guy. Even the old couple were staring with their mouths hanging open.
Swallowing hard, I went back to him and wrapped my arm around his waist. His went around my shoulder and I tried not to look shell shocked for the photograph. “Thanks,” I said with a smile at the couple, taking my phone back, then turning it off and putting it in the back of the SUV.
“What?”
“What?” I repeated his question, hoping it didn’t come out as a squeak.
“Why are you looking so…”
Soph had made me promise to give him a chance. Flirting was a part of that. “Nothing. You just look really good,” I told him, side eyeing him.
He chuckled. “Thanks. But trust me. No one is going to be looking my way.” His eyes roved over me again.
Laughing, I gave into impulse and touched his bicep. Rock hard. “Thanks. Sure you don’t need help with anything?”
“Nope. Here.” He handed me a tumbler.
