Page 14 of Ravished By Her

“Okay, I’ve already selected colors I think will work,” I said, sending her a text message with the exact brands and color names. “Let me know if you run into any issues at the paint store.”

“Yeah, will do,” Lacey said, glaring at the full bed of her truck. I couldn’t believe how many trips she’d made to the storage unit already.

“Be careful with those figurines,” I said.

“I will,” she said. “You sure they’re worth something?”

“Unfortunately.”

She made a face and I couldn’t help but laugh. There was that attraction again, making it hard for me to think.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said.

“Have a good night, Gwen,” she said. She spoke my name softly and it felt good. I liked the way she said my name.

My skin tingled as I got in my car and I mentally scolded myself to get it together as I drove back to the van.

* * *

“Any plans this weekend?” I asked Lacey the next day as we worked on the first bedroom. The words sounded so artificial coming from my mouth and I wanted to take them back, but it was too late. What was it about being around her that made me unable to function sometimes?

“Not really. Catching up on all the shit that I didn’t get done while I was here,” she said, pulling open the bottom drawer of the dresser in the room. It was empty, except for some dust and a few random items. This hadn’t been the main bedroom and I sensed that Lacey was saving that room for last.

“You?” she asked after checking the drawer and then closing it. I was handling the closet, which was a mix of tools and collectibles and other oddities.

“Not sure. I hang out with my sister a lot, but she and her girlfriend will probably be doing something. They like to do road trips on the weekends.” That would leave me alone and they’d said that I could use the house if I wanted, but it felt wrong being in their space without them, so I usually just kept to myself in the van if I wasn’t out somewhere else.

At least it was summer, and I could escape to the beach if I wanted to. I could spend all day on the sand with a book, or wading into the water, or collecting shells. Being near the ocean just did something to me. It revived my spirit in some kind of way.

“That’s sweet,” Lacey said.

“They’re disgustingly in love and I would hate them for it, but my sister is so happy that I can’t.” I hadn’t said those words out loud to anyone.

Lacey didn’t respond to me and I almost wondered if she hadn’t heard me, but then she said, “you could always come to the storage unit with me to make sure the figurines haven’t formed a rebel army and escaped only to swear vengeance on any human they encounter.”

Her words surprised me so much that I gaped at her for a second before I burst out laughing.

Lacey gave me an actual smile, her cheeks red.

“We’ve been working together for how many days and I’m just now finding out that you’ve got jokes?” I said and couldn’t help but hear the flirty tone of my voice. Hopefully Lacey didn’t pick up on it.

Her smile faded. “Don’t get used to it.”

Fine. I’d hold onto those jokes when I heard them. Fold them up and tuck them into my brain so I could keep them safe.

Lacey fell back into her comfort zone of almost total silence and I let it happen, holding back on all the other things I wanted to say to her. I’d built up a whole list of things about her I wanted to know. There was no way around it: Lacey intrigued me. She intrigued me a little too much.

She’d brought me another turkey sandwich, this time on a croissant.

“I couldn’t resist them at the bakery,” she said, almost as a confession.

“They are irresistible,” I said. I’d gotten addicted to them myself and hid my stash from Sterling in the van.

“Where do you stay when you’re not here?” I asked, wondering if she’d answer me.

“I have a rental not that far away,” she said. “You’re staying with your sister, right?” Lacey seemed to do that anytime I asked a question. Flip it back so I was the one talking.

“That’s right,” I said. “She’s living with her girlfriend and I’m living in her converted van.” I braced myself for her reaction.

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