The Perfect Stroke (8 page)

Which is why when my cellphone
(a number I gave him after he kissed me again on our horrible date)
rings for the fifth time today, I ignore it.

“That lover boy again?” Jackson asks, and I ignore him, finally getting the last bolt on the radiator assembly we’re installing tightened.  “He seemed like a nice guy, C. He made you smile. Cut him some slack.”

“You know anything about golf, Jackson?”

“Golf?”

“Yeah. You know, little white balls being whacked with a club…”

“I try not to watch anything that involves balls being whacked, C.”

“Well, it seems Gray is, like, a mega golf star.”

“Mega?”

“Sponsors, tours, trophies, lots of money.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“Damn. What’s he doing in Kentucky? We’re not exactly the golf capital of the world.”

“Courting David Riverton as a new sponsor.”

“Fuck.”

“That about sums it up.”

“Still, woman, just because he’s working with that fucker doesn’t mean you have to write him off.”

“He’s got money…”

“So?”

“By ‘money’ I mean he’s
loaded
. Hell, if he didn’t need Riverton to smooth over his black marks with the tour people, he probably could be his own sponsor.”

“Black marks?”

“Sex tape of him with two other women, one being the daughter of one of the major tour sponsors.”

“Jesus.”

“He’s bad news, Jackson. So, can we just forget it? In a few days he’ll go back to wherever they have golf games and it will be over.”

“I’m sorry, C. Seems you’ve inherited your old man’s ability at picking partners.”

“Yeah, it appears that way,” I tell him with a sigh.

We work for a couple more hours getting caught up, for the most part. The phone has finally stopped ringing and I’m doing my best not to feel sad about that. I can’t be. There’s no room for Gray in my life, even if he wasn’t a player.

“Want some lunch from the diner?” Jackson asks, and I’m not really in the mood, but I say yes anyway.

“Sure. Chicken salad?”

“Ugh, rabbit food. I expect better of you, Claude,” Jackson says, using my name because he knows it irritates me. In response, I flip him off. He’s laughing as he slams the door behind him. I busy myself picking up tools and trying to clear my head when the object of my thoughts makes an appearance.

“Your phone not working, sweet lips?”

My head jerks up at Gray’s voice. He’s wearing a worn Metallica t-shirt and jeans and he looks like anything but a golfer, which pisses me off. His hair is ruffled with these soft curls on top of his head that are starting to hang loosely because his close cut is growing out. Somehow, it looks even better on him now—another thing to piss me off.

“I hated that nickname back at the bar. It made me write you off immediately. I should have listened to my gut,” I tell him.

“Sweet lips? But it fits you, because woman, your lips are the sweetest I’ve ever tasted.”

“I guess I should be flattered because from what I’ve read, that covers a lot of territory.”

“Aww. You’ve googled me. I guess
I
should be flattered.”

“Whatever,” I mutter, going back to picking up tools and ignoring him. It works pretty good until he comes up behind me and wraps his arm around me, pulling my back into him and not letting me move. I try to jerk away, but he still doesn’t let me go.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Asking you if your phone is working,” he whispers against my shoulder. I can feel the heat of his breath, even against my coveralls, but it’s not enough. I suddenly wish I didn’t have them on. I wish I didn’t have anything on. I wish it was just the two of us, skin against skin…

“You need to let me go. You’ll get
filthy
,” I tell him, stressing the word he used when I worked on his vehicle.

“But CC, I love getting dirty with you.”

The words piss me off  because it sounds like a line. Then I realize who I’m dealing with and admit that everything out of his mouth is probably a line. We had a one-night stand and that was all it was and that’s over. Just because we had a good lunch date…
an awesome lunch date
… and just because he made me smile, and just because he makes me laugh and his kisses melt the clothes from my body, none of that means anything. It’s just a game. It’s meaningless and I might be tempted to bite for however long it lasts until he leaves, but I will not become one of his play toys.
I am not my mother
.

I bring my elbow back and deliver a blow to his gut. It’s weak and nowhere near what I’m capable of, but it’s enough so that he gets the point and lets me go.

“My phone works just fine.”

“Then why aren’t you answering it?”

“Gee. Maybe because I don’t want to talk to you?”

“Bullshit.”

“Whatever.”

“You wanted to talk to me enough to give me your damn number.”

“That was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before I…”

“Before you saw shit on the internet about me.”

“Maybe. Is it true?”

“What if it is? What’s it matter? It happened before I met you. Hell, we’ve only really had one date. Why is your nose out of joint about it?” he asks, sounding agitated.

“Maybe I just don’t want to see my picture on the internet as another notch in Grayson Lucas’s bed post.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“So, if you don’t mind—Wait. What did you say?”

“I don’t particularly want you to be plastered in tabloids either. Believe it or not, I don’t even enjoy that shit.”

“For a man who doesn’t enjoy it, there sure are plenty of them there.”

“And most of them are put up there by the women in question.”

“What? Why?”

“Because believe it or not, some women live for being seen as one of Gray Lucas’s exploits.”

“Gross.”

“Thanks.”

“Well, you know what I mean.”

“I do. Which is why I want to go out with you. Well, one of the reasons. I want to get to know you more, CC. Is that so bad? You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met and, more importantly, I actually like you.”

“And it has nothing to do with sex.”

“It has everything to do with it.”

“Which is exactly why my answer is no.”

He growls and moves back towards me, pushing me up against the concrete wall and holding my hands against it so I can’t push him away. My eyes are captured by his and I swallow at the look of intensity on his face.

“Gray…”

“Can you deny that you don’t remember the weekend we shared and want more of it? That the kiss we shared a few days ago doesn’t haunt you? That you don’t wake up in the middle of the night wishing I was there so you could wrap your legs around me and pull me deep inside of you…?”

“Damn it, Gray, it was just—”

“Because
I
do, CC. I do, and it’s driving me
crazy
. I’ve never done that before in my life and you, goddamn it, are haunting me all the time. I want to be with you again. It has everything to do with sex and…”

“I’m not going to be like those two women you did that video with. Go find sex with whoever—”

He pushes his finger against my lips. My eyes go wide, but I hush because his face is intense and there’s something there that…
I like
.

“It has everything to do with sex because I want that again… with
you
. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. But it’s more than that. You might be the first woman I’ve liked outside of sex. You’re funny, you’re intelligent, you keep me on my toes, and you don’t try to flatter me just to get what you want.”

“That’s because you’re an asshole.”

He laughs, and somehow that’s an even better look than the intense one he wore a few minutes ago.

“That’s exactly what I mean, CC. You don’t give a fuck about who I am. I want that. I want you, all of you, even your mouth which is delectable and annoying at the same time.”

“Wow, that’s some sweet talking you’re doing there, Grayson.”

“So what do you say, sweet lips? You willing to go out with me?”

“If I see a camera within a mile of me, I’ll geld you.”

“Ouch. That’s a bit drastic, don’t you think?”

“I’m serious.”

“Point made. So you going to go out with me tonight?”

“No.”

“CC…”

“I have something planned already, but… I will go out with you another night if you call.”

“If I call, will you answer?”

“I guess you’ll have to just try it and see.”

“You’re going to keep making me work for it, aren’t you, Claudia Cooper?”

“How do you know my name?”

“Well, Cammie mentioned it, but I knew before that. Claudia ‘Claude’ Cooper, born January third…”

I hold up my hand to stop him. I don’t care how old you are, a woman never wants her age given out to the man she’s slept with, at least not this early on—
not that I’m planning on anything with Gray being long term
…

“Okay, that’s enough,” I tell him, trying to stop my brain from dreaming. Although, I’m thinking it’s more like my libido.

“You aren’t the only one who knows how to research on the web. I’m calling you tonight, Cooper. You better answer,” he says, turning away.

I don’t answer. I watch him walk away, wondering what I’m getting myself into.

Me:

Are you naked?

My text is simple and straight to the point. It has been two days since I saw CC at the garage. We talked on the phone last night and, as much as I’d love to tonight, I’m out with Riverton and his annoying as hell daughter. The thought of CC in bed naked makes my dick feel like a bottle rocket all set to blow. Damn, I have to get ahold of this girl soon. I’m starting to think I might have imagined how great it was between us. I’m not sure reality can live up to the dreams I’ve been having of her.

CC:

And if I am?

I read her text, feeling a thrill run through my body. My hand practically shakes as pictures of CC naked on silk sheets flashes through my mind.

Me:

I need you to not move for about thirty minutes.

CC:

Why thirty minutes?

Me:

That’s how long it will take me to get there.

CC:

Go back to your business dinner.

You’re interrupting my alone time with Bob.

Me:

Bob?

I feel a stab of jealousy that I try to ignore.

CC:

Battery operated boyfriend.

Me:

Don’t you dare! Your orgasms are mine.

CC:

Sorry. I’m afraid the phone signal is going out.

“Grayson? Did you hear me?” Cammie asks, and I reluctantly put my phone down.

“I’m sorry, dove. My manager wanted my opinion on some contracts he got in today.” My eyes automatically go to the wall across from me and the large clock that proclaims I’ve only been here for an hour.
How long do I have to stay before I can make an excuse to leave?
If I don’t get out of here soon, I may go crazy. “What was it you were saying?”

“I was asking if you’d like to go out with father and I sailing.”

“Sailing?” I’m pretty sure Kentucky is nowhere near the ocean.

“A hobby of mine. I have a couple of sailboats docked in the Kentucky Lake. I’m going to take them out this coming Sunday and stretch the sails. Hell of a way to relax,” Riverton says, and I nod. The last thing I want to do is go sailing with Riverton and his daughter. I can hear Seth in my head demanding I agree, though.

“Sounds fun. I’d love to join in,” I lie through my teeth.

“How grand! I can hardly wait. Sailing is one of my favorite pastimes. Isn’t it marvelous how much we have in common, Grayson?” Cammie asks.

“Amazing,” I tell her, hoping the sarcastic intent is somehow hidden enough it goes over her and Riverton’s heads.

“I think I’m going to leave you two kids alone and find my bed. I’m not as young as I used to be,” Riverton says, standing up. He reaches out his hand to me, but I’m feeling my stomach drop to the bottom. The last thing I want to be is alone with Cammie. I shake his hand, clearing my throat.

“I was hoping we could discuss the upcoming tour, sir.”

“I’m much too tired for business tonight, son. We’ll talk about it this weekend and then we’ll take the boat out.”

“Sounds good,” I tell him, inside calling him an asshole. It’s not that I’m wanting to leave Kentucky. With CC here, I’m finding the last thing I want to do right now is leave. It’s just I don’t like being dicked around, and I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what Riverton is doing. I’m not sure why he would want someone like me for his daughter. Fuck, if I was a father, I’d be the last type of man I’d be searching out for her.

“You want to retire out into the garden?” Cammie asks.