Page 50 of The Burbs and the Bees
“Why do you think someone would take my stuff?” I hold my phone up. “Thank God they didn’t see my cell. It was on the rock over there.”
“I don’t know. It’s not like anyone around here to steal clothes.”
“They even took my boots.”
“You can’t walk back to the house in your bare feet.” Jay reaches down and starts untying his boots.
I touch his arm to stop him, and electricity sizzles through my body, warming it up all over again, despite the cold dip. “I’m not going to take yours,” I say and pull my hand back.
“The only other option is for me to carry you.”
I glance at my bare feet. “I should be okay.”
“Fine then.” Jay scoops me up, and I gasp in surprise. “You’ll shred your feet, and you need them in good shape on a farm.”
He starts through the orchard, and I wrap my hands around his neck to hold on, acutely aware of his hands on my body. The warm scent of his skin teases my senses—as well as other things a little farther south.
We reach my house, and he carries me in. I slide down his body, and my feet hit the floor, but his hands are on my back, pinning me to him, preventing me from leaving. His eyes are latched on my mouth, and for a second, I can’t think, let alone breathe.
“Jay,” I finally manage to croak out.
“Yeah.”
“Thanks,” I say, and before I even realize what I’m doing, I go up on my toes and press my mouth to his, the driving need to feel his lips on mine shutting down my ability to think with any sort of clarity. The second I taste him, note his lips are firm, unmoving, one working brain cell reminds me this isn’t a good idea. I’m about to jump back and apologize profusely—maybe even claim insanity. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I mean, he did say madness burrows like a tick in these parts, right? But then his hands tighten on my back, dragging me closer, his arousal evident by the thickening of his cock against my stomach.
Oh, my God, yes.
Wait, what?
No. I mean no.
This is so not a good idea. I’m a quitter with no focus, and my sole purpose for being here is to find myself and prove I can stick to something, and that something is not the honeybee farmer next door. Which means I should put a stop to this…need to put a stop to this. And I will, the second I figure out how to untangle my tongue from his.
Until then, however…
Chapter Ten
Jay
I walk along my property and check on the corn. When the permits finally come through—and I hope they do before this year’s crop is ready for picking—I’ll be the first and only farm in the valley to offer U-Pick corn. I’m looking forward to opening the homestead up and teaching customers about sustainability and the importance of buying local. I hope it meets with great fanfare.
After a quick check on my bees, I find Beck sitting cross-legged, playing some game on his phone. I’m surprised he can get service way back here. I chuckle. It’s crazy how Alyson relies on Google for just about everything.
Kissing however… She was a natural at that, and it’s been six days since she pressed her soft lips to mine, six long days since I last set eyes on her. I’m still surprised she hasn’t packed up and put us in her rearview mirror. She must be missing her friends, family, and civilization by now. Don’t even get me started on exhaustion. Farm work is hard for those born into it, and for those who haven’t… It’s brutal. Chances are she won’t even show up tonight to help Colin with the dance.
“Where’s Tyler?” I ask and glance around. Last night, I asked my brothers to meet me here so we could get some work done on the cattle barn. The structure needs to be in place before the end of summer. Winters are cold around here, and I need to protect the steer from the elements.
“I’m not his keeper, bro,” Beck says and shades the sun from his eye as he glances up at me. “But my guess is he’s helping out the hottie next door.”
“Don’t call her that,” I say. “Her name is Alyson.”
That’s right. Her name is Alyson Reid, who just happens to be the hottie next door—who kissed me. And what did I do in response? Oh, kissed her back. Yup, that’s exactly what I did. You know what else I almost did? I almost carried her up the stairs to her room and had my way with her.
Thankfully, footsteps on her deck shook some sense back into me, and I broke the kiss seconds before Colin’s fiancée Sara and a group of her friends all stopped by with a bottle of wine to welcome Alyson to the farm. I’d have been the talk of the town if we’d gotten caught, and I don’t want anyone, least of all my mother, getting the wrong idea. I might need to get laid, but I am not looking for any kind of relationship—especially with a city girl who isn’t cut out for this life.
So, get laid already.
I’ve had offers, but now, after kissing Alyson, she’s the one I think about at night when I wrap my hand around my cock. Fuck. Me.
