after they sting?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry,” she says and crinkles up her nose. “Can I replace them or something?”
“Thank you, but it’s okay. My hive is very healthy.”
“Still, I feel bad that I killed them.”
“I know you do.” I spot the tub of salve on the kitchen counter. “Come here. I’ll get the spots on your back for you.”
“I suppose that would be a good idea. Thanks.”
“Lift your shirt,” I say.
She grabs the hem, and I drop down onto the stool and touch her hip to tug her closer. She backs up toward me, and I dip my finger into the salve. “This is going to be cold.”
“Then it will feel good against my back.”
“Are you hot?” I touch her soft skin, and she visibly quivers.
“I worked up a sweat trying to move, Sid,” she says. That might be the reason her body is hot, but what’s my excuse?
Like I seriously have to ask.
“How did you get into bees anyway?” she asks.
“They are the world’s most important pollinator of food crops, and since crops are important to me, I started an apiary. I’ve only been at it a couple years, actually. I really enjoy it. I could show you how it all works sometime if you like.”
“Ah, getting molested by a swarm once is quite enough for me, thank you very much.”
I laugh. “I know, but I have suits that protect you. We could get you a fresh honeycomb. Nothing tastes as good, and it has health benefits.”
“I wouldn’t get stung?”
“I wouldn’t intentionally put you in danger.”
“Unintentionally, however… But honeycomb. Yum.” She glances at me over her shoulder, and her eyes light up. “Can I get a big one, all for me?”
I chuckle. “If that’s what you want.”
“I do like honey.”
“I’ll get you one big enough to put you in a food coma.”
“Well, then…”
“That’s a yes?”
“When you sell it like that, how can it not be a yes?” She glances away for a moment, deep in thought, and says, “I think I might like to see the apiary in action. See how it all actually works.”
“You like learning new things, huh?”
“I never really thought I did.” She goes quiet again.
With that strange answer, I lightly rub the salve onto her sores, using slow, small circles that send my thoughts off in a direction they have no right going. I work to marshal my cock, and I’m proud of my restraint, proud that I have full control over myself—until a soft, sexy moan escapes her throat.
Fuck me.
Walk away, Jay. Get the hell out of Dodge.
I swallow. “Done here. Do you…ah, want me to check on the other spots?” I ask.
She turns to me, her eyes wide, dilated, and she wets her bottom lip, like she’s preparing it for my mouth. My gaze drops, and my control frays like the cuff on an old pair of worn coveralls.
“Alyson.”
“Yeah.”
“Your lips… Are they still sore?”
“Only a little.”
I dip into the salve and brush it across her bottom lip, then run my thumb over my own to taste the remnants of her. Unable to fight the pull, I move toward her, her breathy little whimper curling around me. Heat arcs between us, and I tug her closer, position her between my thighs. I’m seconds from kissing her, from making a huge mistake, when a loud boom sounds in the distance. I jerk back and glance out the window to see fireworks in the distance.
“Fucking Tyler.”
I take a fast breath, and with oxygen back in my brain, I realize Tyler interfering was for the best. Why, then, do I want to hunt him down and strangle him?
Chapter Nine
Alyson
By the time I peel my eyes open, the sun is blaring into my room. I jackknife up and glance at the clock. “Oh, crap.” I throw my covers off and jump up. I tossed and turned so much last night, my body a hot quivering mess after that near kiss, I slept right through Cluck’s rise-and-shine call. Poor Sidney must be bursting, and the market opens in less than thirty minutes. I have no idea how I’ll manage to get myself cleaned up, feed the animals, and get the market open on time.
Forgoing a shower, I climb back into Jay’s heavy clothes. I’m going to sweat to death in these things, but I won’t have a chance to get to Trader Tim’s before customers start coming. My plans for this morning had been to wake early, get my chores done, and be on Main Street at seven, standing on the