Before I could, I was blinded by the sudden beam of a flashlight shining directly into the car. I recoiled back and shielded my eyes, squinting at the shape hovering outside Cletus’s window.
“Dammit, Jess. I said we’d be right there.” Cletus released me and tugged his jacket out from behind him.
“What happened to your shirt, Cletus? And who is that with you? Are y’all making out? Did I interrupt?” The laughter in Jessica’s voice helped to ease my mortification.
Her light shone directly on him, dimly illuminating his body in high relief, and my gaze dropped to his naked torso. I felt my eyes widen, marking my surprise but also my appreciation.
I couldn’t help myself. I stared at him.
I don’t know what I thought he would look like without a shirt on, but the reality of his bare chest, arms, and abdomen affected me like another glass of champagne. He was . . . well, he was beautiful. I wanted to touch him again, and this time I wanted to do it in a well-lit room.
And I want him to lie perfectly still while I kiss and lick and touch and bite and do whatever I want to his gorgeous body.
“What’s wrong?”
The irritated edge to his words yanked me back to the present and I blinked at him, startled.
“Nothing is wrong,” I said too quickly.
Jess tapped impatiently on the glass of his window. “Come on, Cletus. Put the condom down and let me meet your lady friend.”
His gaze flickered to mine, then away, his expression grumpy but otherwise unreadable. “You’re going to pay for that, Jess.”
She laughed, the flashlight swinging away from the window. Actually, she cackled.
Cletus zipped his jacket to his neck and moved as though to exit. Remembering that I had on the wrong top, I reached for his hand.
“Wait. I’m wearing your shirt.”
“I know,” Cletus said, not looking me as he popped open the driver’s side door. “I wanted to see what you’d look like wearing it.”
***
“So . . .” Jessica was beaming. Her big brown eyes bounced between Cletus and me. “Good to see you, Jennifer,” she gushed. Again.
She’d brought us to her cabin—or Duane’s cabin, I didn’t quite know—and Cletus sat on one of the chairs adjacent to a small table. She asked us to remove our shoes, so we did, placing my heels and Cletus’s boots by the front door.
I sat on the second chair, the table between us, and tried not to twist my fingers while I stared at the dichotomy of our shoes: my high heels and his muddy work boots. For some reason the image of them together sent a thrill through me.
Meanwhile, Jess was sitting on the bed. The cabin was one room and quite small. Just the aforementioned table, two chairs, a bed, and a fireplace. It was cozy and meant for two. I liked it.
“Thank you. And thank you for your help.” I returned her big smile.
“Has Duane called?” Cletus—who wore his red and black-checkered jacket zipped over his bare chest—glanced at his phone. “He should have called by now.”
“He texted me before I left to find you. He made it to the station.”
Cletus nodded once, slipping his phone into the pocket of his jacket. “Good. That’s good.”
“Do you want to tell me what happened? Why were those bikers chasing you?” Jessica’s gaze bounced between us.
“They were upset I switched their tampons with Depends.” Cletus sounded so serious and reasonable, I almost believed him. And I’d been there.
“Cletus.” I shook my head and wrinkled my nose at him, then turned to Jessica. “My brother was there and he—” I swallowed, the words catching in my throat, so I cleared it. “He was being unpleasant. Cletus appeared and things escalated.”
“I punched him in the face,” he explained, his tone pragmatic like he’d just admitted to clipping his toenails. “Also, Tina says hi.”
Jessica’s mouth dropped open and her eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “You punched Isaac?”
“I did.” Cletus nodded. “In the face. And Tina says hi.”
“Cletus, I don’t care about Tina,” Jess sputtered for a moment, blinking and frowning. Her gaze moved to me and softened with concern. “I guess Isaac must’ve been saying some real ugly things?”
“He did.” Cletus’s jaw ticked, his eyes narrowing just briefly. “But he won’t be saying much of anything for a bit. I think I broke his jaw.”
“Oh my God.” Jess covered her mouth and addressed her next question to me. “Are you okay? That couldn’t have been easy to see.”
“I’m okay. Just a little,” emotionally exhausted, “tired.”
She gave me a sympathetic nod and sighed. “Well, if y’all want to stay here, feel free.” Jessica stood and reached for her coat on the end of the bed. “The sheets are clean and there’s plenty of firewood.”
Heat crawled up my neck. My cheeks flared at her words. I couldn’t decide if her assumption—that Cletus and I were sleeping together—inspired embarrassment or pleasure. Either way, I felt hot, oddly delighted, and agitated.