Dirty (13 page)

             
Clara held her finger in the air, indicating she’d thought up something brilliant. “That’s it…you take him dinner and you wear a jacket. Under the jacket you’re wearing skimpy, sexy lingerie and nothing else.”

             
“Shit, Clara. My life isn’t a Hollywood romcom.” No, but Clara had given Courtney an idea. “Anyway, back in the real world a neighbor of ours has a liver-colored lab that just had a litter. Pups should be about ready to be weaned from the mother. I was thinking it may help Sawyer to get over his dog if he had a puppy.”

             
The floor of Clara’s mouth fell. “Oh my God! It’s just perfect!”

             
“You think?”

             
“I do. When he said he was going to be late because he had to bury his dog I started crying and I think he was too.”

             
Courtney’s body yearned to comfort him in his moment of need. The lump in her throat was burning and rubbing her esophagus raw. She couldn’t eat her lunch because she was in pain for him. Nauseated, she pushed the cheese board setup away. She cared for him and she knew he cared for her too. She’d felt evidence of it the night of her ordeal and even during their sexcapades. She wouldn’t let their connection be denied or extinguished just because they lived in two different realms. She would fight…she’d fight hard and she’d be getting to the bottom of whatever it was he was hiding.

Chapter 9

             
Jessica sighed, “You put corn in the sloppy joes?”

             
“I thought you would like it. You guys like corn.”

             
“Not in sloppy joes.”

             
“You can pick out the corn.”

             
Jess lifted the spoon from the pan and took a bite, chewed, and then swallowed, nodding her acceptance. “Who wants tea?” She asked as she stirred in the sugar.

             
“I’d like a glass,” Sawyer answered.

             
“I don’t like tea. I want Kool-aid,” Riley pouted.

             
Sawyer squeezed her shoulders. “We’re out of Kool-aid. I’ll go to the store this week. What flavor would you like?”

             
“Blue raspberry.”

             
“Done, but tonight it’s water or tea.”

             
“I’ll take tea,” she mumbled through a frown.

             
“Ouch!” Jess waved her finger in the air to take out the sting. She’d burned it while trying to warm the buns.

             
Sawyer grabbed her hand and inspected the burn. “You okay?”

             
“Yeah, but I wish we had a pair of tongs.”

             
“Put it on the shopping list. I’m doing construction right now. Money is good.”
             

             
Jess walked to the pad on the counter and wrote the item down.

             
“M-A-S-S-A-S.” At the table Riley slammed down her pencil in a frustrated move. “How do you spell Mass-a-shoe-sits?”

             
Carrying the tea and tumblers to the table, Jess sat next to her. “First of all, it’s Massachusetts.” She poured tea for three, and then focused on Riley’s troubles. “Let me see.” She took the pencil and helped her complete her homework. “And what is the capital?”

             
“Boston.”

             
“Good.”

             
“What about Delaware?”

             
“Oh, that’s a hard one.”

             
“It’s still going to be on the test.”

             
“Can I have a clue?”

             
“Starts with the same thing as the state.”

             
“Oh! Dover.”

             
“Okay. I’ll be quizzing you later. Make sure you’re ready.” Riley’s head flopped to her forearm as she groaned.

             
Sawyer dropped three plates of sloppy joes on the table and sat to join them. “Riley, you’re up.”

             
They folded their hands and listened. “Bless us, Oh Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bounty. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

             
“Good girl.” He nodded. “Ladies, tell me what we have up and coming—schedules, expenses, needs, wants. Let’s hear it. I’d like to stock up while we’re in the money.” He took a huge bite of his sandwich and chewed with purpose. He’d said goodbye to his dog today and he just wanted to be surrounded by his little family.

             
“I wanna get a puppy.” Riley offered.

             
Jess slapped at her arm. “Hush. Eat your food.” Jess turned solemn eyes on Sawyer. “I’m sorry, Murph. I told her to shut up, but she can’t help herself.”

             
“It’s okay Jess. Thank you anyway.”

             
“I’m sorry. I forgot.”

             
“It’s okay, Riley.” Sawyer chuckled in spite of his loss. The girls could always be counted on to make him smile.

             
Jess cleared her throat. “So uh…there’s a Winter Wonderland dance coming up and I uh…I got asked and would like to go.”

             
Whoa!
His little sister who was thirteen was invited to go to a school dance?
An eighth-grade dance. He remembered attending one himself, but found this news of Jessica’s tough to take because it meant she was growing up.
And who was asking her to a dance?
“Who asked you?”

             
“Dallas Garner.”

             
“Chuck’s boy?”

             
“Yeah.”

             
Well at least he knew of the kid. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. And Chuck, being ex-Army, wouldn’t tolerate any shenanigans.

             
“I’d need you to take me for a dress and shoes. And I’d need somebody to fix my hair, but if we can’t afford it I’ll tell him no.”

             
“We’ll go this weekend and have a look.” Shit!
Where would he take her to get those items?
He’d seen some nice stuff at the supercenter, but he didn’t think a dress for a dance could be found there. She surely couldn’t get her hair done there. Maybe he could ask Courtney.
Fuck!
Why did his mind constantly go to her?
He’d been fixated on her since day one—no matter what he tried he couldn’t shake her blue jewels out of his head. After the way he’d treated her she’d never speak to him again.

             
“I know a lot of girls like Forever Twenty-One.” Riley added.

             
Riley was quite girly where Jess on the other hand was a total tomboy. Jess and Sawyer shared a quizzical look before Jess asked, “Is that in the mall?”
             
“I don’t know,” he admitted.

             
“Yes. There’s one in the mall and one next to Costco,” Riley said.

             
Jess gazed dumbfounded at her sister. “How do you know these things?”

             
“I wanna be a designer.”

             
They laughed and finished off the sandwiches. Jess jumped up from the table, “Who wants chocolate pudding?”

             
Two hands went up.

             
They shared pudding, and then the girls went to work on homework while Sawyer cleaned the kitchen. As he cleared the table his mind wasn’t far from
her.
He’d thought about sending her a bouquet, but he really wanted to try and put some of this money away for when they were really desperate. When he’d called
Flowers by Rachel
and had been told it would cost seventy-five dollars to deliver a half dozen roses he declined.

             
He shouldn’t have used her body in the way he had. His only explanation was that they’d both been skirting around their attraction for days and the pent up tension broke free like a dam had been removed.

             
During sex she’d been as frenzied as he was. That didn’t excuse the way he’d left things. If not flowers maybe he could send her a text. Something simple…How are you?
How do you think she is after you fucked the hell out of her and then told her to get lost?
Okay, so not how are you? Maybe I’m sorry. Or can you forgive me?

             
No. Definitely no to both. He was drying dishes when he heard the door. With the dish towel in his hands he walked to answer it. There really was nothing he could say to Courtney in short of
I’m sorry
and he decided he’d do that first thing tomorrow after he arrived at the cheese shop.

             
Opening the door his eyes settled on a very wet, very blue-eyed angel holding a white basket filled with a liver-colored lab pup with a red bow tied around its neck. He was frozen in the very spot where he stood in the doorway. Water dripped from her hair and slid down her face. She smiled, but he didn’t return it because he couldn’t. One million things were coursing through his mind…

             
…the dog, her wet cream-colored blouse, the crystal blue of her eyes, her perfect smile that sent sparks straight to his cock, the gentle clearing of her voice, his sisters. Shit! His sisters! He stepped from the house and pulled the door closed.

             
Her smile had diminished to be replaced with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. “I uh…I have a…um…friend. Her dog’s had pups. He’s just like Liver.”

             
He tried to talk. He felt the knot in his throat bobbing up and down, but it wasn’t working to produce speech. She looked anxiously down. “If you don’t want him I can take him back.”

             
He heard the pitter patter of feet inside the house. The evidence of her cocked brow indicated she’d heard it too. Hard not to—they sounded like a heard of rhinoceros. How would he explain them?

             
“I see. Well I’ll just be going then. Sorry to bother you.” She stepped from the dry porch and out into the pouring rain.

             
“No.” His voice was a whisper.
Should he invite her in? Would it upset the girls?
He couldn’t let her leave. He shook out his shock and ran after her, whistling loudly. When he tapped on the trunk of her car her brake lights lit up. She rolled her window down a fraction. The rain drenched him as he stood before her car. “I’m sorry. Please, come inside.”

             
“It’s okay, Sawyer. Really. It’s not a big deal.”

             
“No, please. I want you to.”

             
“It didn’t seem like you did.”

             
“I know, but I do. I really, really do. Please.”

             
The window rolled up, and for a second he thought she was going to drive away but the car’s engine died and he heard the crack of her door. He helped her with the basket and they made it onto the porch. “I’m sorry, Courtney. I was just a little shocked.”

             
“Well that’s okay. I can see you have company so if I need to leave just tell me.”

             
“No. I don’t have company.” Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Come inside and I’ll get you a towel and you can meet my sisters.”

             
“Sisters.”

             
From a basket of laundry in the living room he reached for towels and passed her one. They dried their hair and arms, and then she cuddled the little pup in a towel—well she attempted, but he was only interested in biting the corners of the towel.

             
He watched her play with the little guy and his heart swelled. “You brought him for me?”

             
“Yeah.” She shrugged. “Clara told me about Liver. I’m so sorry.”

             
He reached down and picked up the pup. He stilled immediately as Sawyer held him out at face level and they summed up one another. He chuckled. “Cute. Very cute. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

             
“I’m glad. I was hoping you’d want him. I know his mother is a great hunter.”

             
“I’m sorry, Courtney. I’m sorry about everything. I uh…when you arrived on my porch I was a little shocked.” He set the dog down. “Those responsibilities I have are my sisters. I’m their guardian. I’ve more or less raised them, but a few years ago we were left completely on our own. I work days and sometimes nights and then I come home and cook dinner, get baths out, do laundry, supervise homework, and get them in bed by nine. I don’t know where a girlfriend would fit into the equation, but if one could…” He rubbed at his chin. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I’m rambling.” He chuckled. “I guess I’m a little nervous, and you haven’t said a word.”

             
She grabbed his hand in hers. “I haven’t spoken because I’ve been listening. You’re amazing. I’d like to meet these sisters of yours, if I could.”

             
“Of course.”

             
He pulled her through the house and toward the room the girls shared. He pushed the door to their room open. A large box covered with a sheet vibrated with giggles. “I thought you were doing homework.”

             
A flashlight shone from beneath one flap on the box, “In the box, Murph. Relax. She’s got the state capitals down…except for West Virginia.”

             
“Charleston!”

             
“Hey…high five.” The snap could be heard outside of the box.

             
His eyes met Courtney’s. “I’m guessing we’re going to have to enter the fort if you wanna meet them.”

             
“I love forts…back in the day, I was quite the builder.”

             
She
. Was. Amazing. He was aware of the big dumb smile on his face that was currently beaming at her.