Caught Up In Love Read online

  He laughed and shook his head, and suddenly, his face lit up with a friendly glow. “Don’t sweat it. I’m just fucking with you. Seriously, this place is really something. I heard about what happened with the paint and thought I’d give you a hard time. I do love the car.”

  “Thanks. It’s not really practical. I’m debating on something better to get me around. Maybe a Jeep. Something that’s been well-loved.”

  “Trying to fit in, huh?” He laughed, and I tried not to be offended by the truth.

  “I do kind of stick out, don’t I?”

  “Like a turd in a punchbowl. But hey, that’s okay. You’ll find yourself. How many weeks are you here?”

  “Weeks?” I didn’t understand the question.

  “Yeah, until you go back to New York. This is your weekend house, right?”

  I shook my head. “Nah, I’m here for good. Care to come in?” I had a gallon of milk that needed to find the fridge.

  “Sure. I’m anxious to look around.” And look around he did. As soon as we went inside, he walked through the kitchen and to the living room, running his hand along my driftwood mantle and then stepping into the dining room which was empty. “You should do a little shopping and fill this place up with furniture. I’ve got the name of the best furniture store in the area.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh yeah. Vance Furniture, owned and operated by me and my old man, and my grandfather before us.”

  “I saw that place in town.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, we’re hard to miss.” There was a large inflatable gorilla on top of the place announcing a “HUGE SALE.”

  “I’ll check it out, thanks,” I said. The guy seemed okay. I wouldn’t mind giving him my business.

  “I like your place. Once they get the color straight out there, this place is going to be a palace.”

  “Thanks. I guess I just got a little carried away. But I wanted to make it a place I could stay in a while. A real home.”

  “Hey, I get it. You’ve obviously worked hard in your young life. Enjoy it. You’re from New York City, right? What do you do? Software? Are you in IT?”

  “No, I’m actually in marketing. Or was. I’ve retired.” As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn’t. This was a man, who, while wealthy in his own right, was probably going to have to work until he was at least fifty or sixty. And if my big house hadn’t already made me look like a major douchebag, telling him I was retired under thirty wasn’t going to do me any favors.

  “You’re what, thirty-something?” he asked.

  “I’m actually twenty-nine.” There wasn’t any sense lying. If I got to know him, he’d figure it out sooner or later.

  “Damn, man. It must be nice.”

  I had been fortunate to be hired by my best friend’s dad at a young age, and I had done a lot for the success of the company, including creating and selling several Superbowl ads. “Yeah, I’ve worked hard for years.”

  Christian got a look on his face like he hoped that I wasn’t offended. “Oh, I’m sure you did, man. I admire that, is all. I just recently took over for my dad. He’s spending more time out on the boat himself.”

  “Congratulations.” I could tell by the way he held his head up with pride how much his position meant to him.

  “Thanks. So, what do you do for fun? You like to fish? Sail?”

  “I’m actually into both.” I had only gotten my new fishing gear days earlier, but I couldn’t wait to use it.

  “Do you have a boat?” He pointed out the window toward the boathouse.

  “Not yet. My grandfather used to take me fishing and sailing years ago. I helped him build a boat, but it sold after he died. My uncle didn’t think I needed it. So, I’m going to build my own.”

  “I admire that too. If you need any help, let me know. Or if you want a break, you can come out in my boat sometime. There are several events throughout the year, and we have a lot of parties on the water.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “It is. Hey, have you met anyone else in town?”

  “No, I haven’t actually been anywhere.” Other than the lumberyard where the hottest redhead in town works.

  “You should try Anchor Management. My girl Lissa works there. She’s a pistol.”

  I wondered what his girl looked like and decided that no matter how nice or attractive she was, I wasn’t going to try and sleep with her. New town, new leaf. Besides, Christian was an all right guy and one of my only friends in Camden so far. And since he was my neighbor, I knew better than to shit where I slept. “I’ll have to check it out sometime.”

  “Definitely. Come out and find me. We’ll drink a few beers, and I’ll introduce you to some of the locals.” He looked at his phone. “I should get going. I’m serious about coming out, man. I’ll show you around. Camden isn’t as bad as it looks on the surface.”

  “Thanks, I can’t wait.” I shook his hand and then walked him out. After he left, I walked out to the boathouse. It had been a fairly decent day, and aside from the house still being blue, I no longer was.

  6

  Sage

  Lunchtime at the lumberyard took preparation, and even though I’d handled it every day since my first day, there was always someone changing their order at the last minute. This was usually Tommy, the rookie, who had only been working with us a short time.

  So as I walked out to the truck, he ran after me. “Hey, tell them no mayonnaise. I hate the stuff. And no onions. I don’t want bad breath if some young hottie shows up.”

  “I already told them. I’ve been taking your order for months now. Besides, it’s already called in, and if I know Paddy, he’s got your order nearly ready.” The man was a whiz in his kitchen.

  “Fine. Do you need me to ride along? It’s a tall order.”

  “Nope, you can meet me here when I get back, though. And help me carry it in.” I shut the door before he could protest and fired up my old truck.

  I headed into town, and when I passed the bank, which had a bright red Corvette sitting out front, my head turned. “There you are, Greyson Young.”

  I had seen the car at the lumberyard earlier that morning, and I had his name from his order slip, which was set for delivery at 255 Lincoln, the periwinkle structure that was the talk of the town.

  He had seemed normal enough, though extremely gorgeous, and I couldn’t wait to get to the bar and tell Lissa about him and find out if Christian had gotten back into town and met his new neighbor.

  I parked out front of Anchor Management, which was more like the bustling restaurant this time of day than the popular bar it was by night. The fact that it was both had put it on the map and kept the locals and tourists equally happy.

  I went in to find Melissa tying on her apron at the bar. “Paddy’s running slow today. We had a group of fishermen come in before you. It will be a minute.”

  “It’s okay,” I said, bellying up to the bar. Even though it wasn’t to get wasted, I was feeling pretty giddy from just having something new to share.

  “What’s got you smiling like a cat?” She narrowed her eyes as she wiped down the bar.

  “I saw him.”

  She made a face at first like she didn’t know who him was, and then her face lit up as she realized who I meant. “Him? The man from the purple or blue or whatever colored house?”

  “Yeah, and I know his name. Greyson Young. He’s having a rather large delivery of cedar delivered first thing in the morning.”

  “Really? And I thought I’d be the first one with the goods on him. Christian is back in town, and I’m going over later. I thought I might talk him into walking over and greeting the new neighbor.”

  I shook my head at her and gave her a scolding look. Surely, she wasn’t going to flirt with the man right in front of Christian. But I never knew what she might do. She and Christian had been open before, but they’d been so close that I didn’t think that agreement still stood. “You already have one good-looking, rich man. Save some for
the rest of us.”

  “Oh, he’s all yours. I’ll keep my claws out of him for your sake. You walking in with that ear to ear smile was enough to tell me you’re smitten.”

  “Smitten? You’ve been hanging around Paddy too long. No one else talks that way.”

  “See, that wasn’t a denial.”

  “Honestly, I’d be crazy to think I’ve got a chance. His car is worth more than my house, and he’s probably got some rich-ass model girlfriend back home in New York.”

  “Did he say anything to you? What’s his voice like? How old is he?”

  “He’s maybe thirty. I don’t know. And I wasn’t really listening to his voice. My heart was beating too fast from seeing him.”

  “He’s that fine?” She tilted her head as if she didn’t want to believe it. “I wasn’t sure the rumors were true, especially coming from Beth Ann. She’s got sorry tastes when it comes to what’s fine.”

  “She wasn’t wrong about him,” I said, shaking my head. I could picture him in my mind perfectly. “He’s got dirty-blond hair and blue eyes.”

  “Sapphire or topaz?” she asked, knowing that I’d compare him to a stone of some sort.

  “Topaz, for sure. They were so bright.” I realized I had my hand over my heart as Lissa chuckled and did the same.

  “He sounds dreamy. Are you in love? Love at first sight is a thing, you know?”

  I was certainly attracted to him, but I wasn’t sold on the love at first sight phenomenon. “I’m not in love. But I could be. If he’s not an asshole.”

  “Only one way to find out. Do you work tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, for a little while.” We were only open until two, but Chuck usually sent me home much earlier.

  She reached out and covered my hand with hers. “Then you should go along for the delivery.” She went back to wiping down the area.

  “Chuck usually goes to those, especially when it’s something as big as this one.”

  “Then go along. Tell him you want to see the house, or better, that you want to see how to handle a big delivery.”

  It wasn’t the worst idea in the world, and I did want to see where he lived and learn more about him. “He has always wanted to train me in case he needs backup. I’ll tell him I really need the experience and that I want to see the house.”

  She laughed. “Chuck is going to see right through that, isn’t he?”

  “Probably. It’s only out of curiosity. It’s not like the man felt anything from seeing me. I mean, could I have a less glamorous job? I’m sure my blue Woodchuck’s smock got him hot and bothered for me.” I thought of how much of a mess I was when he had come in. “Maybe I should just stay away. You could get Christian to get us the dirt on him. Maybe he could have us all over or something. It might be better that way.”

  “I can’t believe you’re going to chicken out. You have the perfect in with the delivery, and you’re going to spoil it. Besides, I want to know what’s in that house. If the inside is just as tacky as the outside, you might want to dodge that bullet. Good looks aren’t everything.”

  “He seemed well dressed. He was a little played down, but otherwise, I mean, look at his car.”

  “Yeah, I bet it’s hard to fuck in one of those. It’s definitely a blow job car.” She gave me a teasing grin.

  “To a man, all cars are blow job cars.” We both giggled, and she fixed me a drink while I waited.

  “You’re probably onto something.” She turned and went to wipe the TV screen and the other side of the bar.

  I couldn’t help thinking of what she had said and how I’d never even given oral sex to a man before. Maddox had been the only guy I’d dated, and he wasn’t worth the experience. “So, do you think you and Christian will ever get married?”

  She shrugged and made a face that didn’t look promising. “You’ll probably be married before me at this rate. And besides, I’m not sure I’m housewife material.”

  “Whatever.” I took a sip of my drink, and she went to the back to check on Paddy’s progress. She and Christian had been together for so long, on and off, that I wondered if she was afraid that their marriage would be a disaster.

  “He’s wrapping up the last of your burgers,” she said as she came back.

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, go to that delivery tomorrow, and then if you’re still interested and want to get to know him more, I’ll see if I can get Christian to host some kind of party. Maybe a dinner?”

  “Sure, I’ll think about it.” I wondered if I should be so bold as to just ask the man out myself. I was a strong, independent woman, and it wasn’t like it was unheard of. But then, I didn’t want to look like a desperate woman either. One who couldn’t get a date without asking. Why did it always have to be so complicated for me where men were concerned? Maybe because I worked with them every day? But if anything, that should have given me an advantage.

  Paddy rang his bell, and Lissa went back and brought it out to me. “It’s all there. I checked it myself.”

  “Thanks. I know the guys will love it.” I went to the register and paid with Chuck’s card. He bought everyone’s lunch on Fridays.

  “Let me know if you go.” She walked me out, helping me carry the large order. “I’ll be waiting for the dirt.”

  “If you hear anything from Christian, you better let me know, too. I’m not even getting my hopes up at this point. He might even be gay for all we know.”

  “In that case, maybe I better watch Christian. He’s liable to try and steal my boyfriend. We both know he’s the hottest guy he’ll find around here.” For someone who didn’t want to marry the guy, she was sure proud of him.

  “I’m pretty sure you’re safe. Christian is a man’s man, but not in that way.”

  We shared one more laugh and stopped at my truck. “Have a good one. I’ll stop by later this weekend, if I can still walk from all the hot sex I’ll be having.”

  She gave a wicked laugh as she walked back inside, and I shut the door to my truck and put on my seatbelt, thinking of what it would be like to give myself to someone like Greyson Young. Would a man like him be worthy and able to appreciate a simple gift like my virginity, or would I be just another notch in his belt?

  There was only one way to find out.

  7

  Greyson

  As morning broke across the water, I dragged myself out of bed and got dressed in anticipation of my delivery that was due a half an hour later. I went down to my kitchen, where I fired up the Keurig and placed my cup in the dock. It was times like this that I found myself actually missing having a routine, and I knew that I’d have to make more.

  Morning coffee was a whole lot different now that I didn’t have to grab it on the run, and since moving into my new home, I’d learned to take it out on the back patio where the view of the dock was breathtaking as the sun rose over the water.

  All I could think about was my delivery and if I’d have a chance to see the redhead again.

  As I waited, sipping the strong brew as the morning sun hit my face, I walked down across the yard, expecting a quick trip there and back. But then my phone rang, and I got distracted when I saw Eric’s goofy grin on my screen.

  “Hey, are you missing me already?”

  “More like being nosey. Cassie had a dream that you’d met someone.”

  “Was she a redhead? Smoking hot body? Perky tits and a tight ass?” I closed my eyes and imagined the girl of my dreams without her blue smock; without much on at all except a wanton look of passion as she gazed into my eyes.

  “I didn’t ask, but I thought I’d see how it’s going.”

  “Well, it’s been rough, and you were right about that whole different-world shit. I’m not sure I fit in here. My house is a bluish-purple nightmare, and they won’t be here until Tuesday to correct it. Meanwhile, the old man next door, who I’m fairly sure thinks I’m gay, is up in arms about it and threatening to fine me if I don’t get it up to code. And then there’s Christian across th
e street who invited me out to a bar to meet his hot girlfriend. He’s not bad. Seems like a nice guy, and he offered to show me around, so I guess that’s something.”

  “Sounds like you’ll get it together. You’re just hitting a few snags, is all.”

  “I haven’t shaved since I got here. You wouldn’t recognize me.”

  “Damn, don’t tell me you’re going full Grizzly Adams, like some hipster lumberjack wannabe?”

  I stared out at the view as I approached the dock. The air was amazing, and I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with it as I made small talk. “Nah, but I might end up rocking a man-bun if I don’t go and get this hair trimmed.”

  “Do I need to call up one of your exes and send her your way? What was that titty dancer’s name again?”

  I chuckled. I even missed the way he ripped on me about my choice of exes. “Cinnamon. That was my Spice Girl’s phase.” At least, that was what he’d called it.

  I stopped on the dock and then walked into my empty boathouse for a moment, knowing I’d most likely hear the sound of the delivery truck, which was probably still about ten minutes out.

  “Oh, yeah.” He belly-laughed. “That was classic.”

  “Her father hated me. He’d hate me more if I called her up and had her come all the way out here.”

  “Well, at least he couldn’t find you, and it might beat being alone.”

  Maybe he was right about the lonely part, but Cinnamon wasn’t the girl for me. “Yeah, well, there is a new interest. I’m just not sure she noticed me.”

  “Not notice you? Holy fuck, man, you are slipping.” His tone turned suspicious. “Wait a minute. Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?”

  “I know, I guess I’m slipping. I didn’t even get her name.”

  “That’s pretty fucking bad, man. I’m starting to worry about you now.”

  “Don’t worry. I can find her again if I need to. She’s a redhead down at the lumber yard. She’s three-P material for sure.” Three P was pretty, perfect tits, and perfect ass, as well as an inside joke between me and Eric since we were prepubescent boys.