Page 24 of Second Chances

After getting her set up, he walked back into his bedroom and pulled off his soaking shirt to put on a dry one.

When he turned around, Olivia was standing in the bathroom door, watching him, a smile curving her lips upwards.

“I wasn’t expecting to get a show.” She crossed her arms over her chest as she ran her eyes over his bare chest.

Hearing Simona sing along to the movie in the next room, he slowly walked towards Olivia and pulled her closer until her chest was up against his own.

She felt so good in his arms. How long had it been since he’d allowed himself to just let go and be with someone he wanted?

Her tongue darted out slowly and ran across her bottom lip. A low groan built up and escaped him as his anticipation grew.

He waited, just a heartbeat, before dipping his head down and taking her mouth. She tasted better than he could ever remember anything tasting in his life. She was soft, warm, and fit perfectly against his own body.

Her arms wrapped around him, holding him close against herself. He could have sworn he felt her shiver, but it could have been his body shaking instead.

When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless, and he was more turned on than he’d been in years.

“I think we should…” He heard Simona laughing in the next room and took another step away from Olivia.

“Work on fixing your pipes.” Olivia nodded. “Water pipes,” she corrected as her face heated.

He chuckled as he grabbed a dry shirt and pulled it on over his head.

“May I just say, yum,” she said.

He met her eyes. “You taste like cherries. I can’t wait to get another sample, soon.”

She swallowed and her eyes went dreamy, then she shook her head and nodded. “Work first.”

“Yes,” he agreed.

A half an hour later, he was more than impressed with Olivia’s knowledge of plumbing and of electric work as well. She talked as she worked, and since it was obvious that she knew far more about the repairs that needed to be done than he did, he stood back and watched her.

“So, I guess watching too many home repair shows on television does pay off,” she said over her shoulder.

“If you learned all this while watching TV, then I should be one of the best football and basketball players ever.” He smiled.

She laughed. “Something tells me you’re really good at sports.” She shifted so she could run her eyes over him. “With a body like that.”

He smiled. “I like what I see too.”

Just then Simona stepped into the bathroom. “I have to go potty.”

Todd jumped up from his spot on the closed toilet lid. “I’ll just…” He walked out the bathroom door and checked his phone. There were two messages. One was from Rory with an update on the sale of the rest of his mother’s assets, and one was from a blocked number that simply said.

“Found you.” Reading it, he felt his blood turn to ice.

Chapter 7

Something changed in Todd’s behavior after Simona interrupted their flirtatious conversation. It had been years since she’d used her skills to lure a man into liking her. At least that’s how she thought of it.

He’d been laughing and having a good time while he continued to try and help her fix the broken galvanized pipes. She had suggested that he get the rest of the old plumbing in the house checked out and replaced. He’d taken down the name and number of the plumber that had updated her house.

When he’d come back into the bathroom after Simona returned to watching her movie, he’d seemed… off. Distant. Worried somehow.

“Problems?” she asked him.

“Hm?” He sighed and shook his head. “Nothing that I can’t handle.” He turned and motioned to the wall. “Think she’s going to hold up?”