Twist of Fate (Taking Chances #2) - Tia Louise Page 0,19
left is the plumber.”
Glancing towards the window, it’s dark out. We’ve been working several hours, and she leans her neck side to side.
“Here.” Stepping behind her, I put my hands on her narrow shoulders. She’s like a bird, and I press with my thumbs into her shoulder muscles, making small circles without being too forceful. I don’t want to break her.
“Mm…” Her head drops forward. “That feels good.”
I keep doing it, and she lets out a low moan that has my cock perking up. Sliding my hands lower, I massage the muscles along her spine, and she makes another sex noise. I clear my throat and take a step back. We’re venturing into dangerous territory again.
“I’d better take off, but I can help you paint tomorrow. If you want me to.”
“That’d be great. I could use the help.” Turning around, she blinks up at me, and her brown eyes are relaxed and happy.
I imagine her freshly fucked by me, flushed and sweaty. It’s hot.
And I’d better go.
She follows me down the stairs, but when we get to the back door, I can’t leave it that way. Stopping at the door, I put a hand on her shoulder.
“Listen.” She stops, her brow furrowing over her eyes as she looks up at me. “I’m a pretty good judge of potential performance, and I’ve kissed you twice now. If some dickhead said you were bad at it, either he has issues of his own or he didn’t do it right. With the way you’ve kissed me… I expect you’re very good at it.”
Her eyes blink faster with every word and that pink fills her cheeks. I lean down and kiss her forehead before heading out the door. This kind of talk is bound to lead to the bedroom, and I’m still not sure where that would end up.
I’m halfway down the back steps when she calls after me. “Thanks, Scout.”
I do a little wave and take off.
“Now every year on May 17, I lose my voice.”
Daisy’s sitting on the floor in the master bathroom painting the baseboards and trim white while I roll the bottom half of the walls. Her Spotify is playing the new Taylor Swift album, which I think is too sad, and it’s almost eleven-thirty. I’ve been here since nine. She had coffee waiting, and then we got started.
“How long does it last?”
“A day at least, sometimes longer. Aunt Regina says it’s just allergies, but a few years ago, I started tracking it in my calendar. It’s the same day every year.”
“May 17,” I repeat. “The day your mother left.”
“The very day.”
I finish my last roll and carry the tool to the pan of white paint on the floor. “It’s pretty strange. It makes me feel like I’m not mourning my mother right.”
She leans forward, using that wallpaper edger to keep the paint off the wood floors. “I’m sure you’re doing what’s right for you. I’ll tell you, though, it’s a pain in the ass. I think it happens because I wanted to beg her to stay, but I couldn’t find the words. I couldn’t make my voice speak.”
“Damn, Daisy.” I’m starting the cleanup. “That’s pretty dark. Give me your brush.”
I pause beside her as she makes her final pass over the baseboard, then I hold out the pan of used brushes and rollers.
She stands and shrugs, brown eyes wide. “It’s just what I do.”
“I’m going to go wash these outside. Then I’m buying you lunch. Get changed.”
Thirty minutes later, we’re sitting in Donzelle’s Diner off the road leading down to Oceanside Beach. Daisy’s studying the plastic menu, but I know what I want.
“I’ll have roast pork with green butter beans and fresh collards.” While the scowly waitress writes down my order, I scan her shirt for a nametag. Janeen.
Daisy reads off the sheet. “I’ll have the roast pork also with green butter beans and sweet potato soufflé.”
“That all?” Janeen snaps.
“And two iced teas.” I lean back, giving her a teasing grin. “Be sure to dip your little finger in mine to make it sweet. And skip the lemon.”
Her eyes rise to mine, and she seems confused. Or annoyed.
I exhale a laugh. “Just messing with you, Janeen. I will have a lemon.”
Another moment, and a smile cracks her face. She points a chubby finger at me. “You’re a stinker.”
I notice she has a gold tooth. “You’re a gangster.”
That makes her laugh more, and she shakes her head as she walks away. “I’ll get this right out for you.”