Page 20 of Inked Craving

ChapterSix

Paige

Ipaced around my house, dictating things I needed to get done for the day into my notes. I’d had a long morning dealing with Montgomery Builders’ issues, but I thrived on it. I loved working with my family and finding answers to problems that others couldn’t. While I might’ve teetered on the edge of a nervous breakdown, wondering if I fit in with my family and if I was too stupid because of my taste in men, I knew my worth. I had just needed a moment to breathe and to wonder why Colton was the way he was.

I had only heard from him once in the past few days, saying that he didn’t know what to say and needed time to think. That was fine with me. I needed time to consider things, as well. I had another doctor’s appointment coming up soon, and then, after that, maybe I’d have answers for myself, as well as answers from Colton. It still surprised me that Lee, of all people, had been the one to say he’d help me. And while I had agreed to it, I didn’t think Lee had fully thought about the offer. It was in the moment. Lee was there for me to have someone to lean on since everything seemed to have gotten a little gray around the edges—especially when it came to my feelings.

Everything felt weird. As if I were reaching the end of an abyss that wasn’t truly there. Things were up when they should be down, sideways when they should be right-side up. I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing, but work could settle me. I needed to focus on getting a few things out of the way for an upcoming project so I could possibly make plans for being a mother. Strategies were helpful. I had watched my sister and sister-in-law work through their pregnancies, and while I had been a bystander and bounced from room to room during the labors, I was going to do this on my own, and I would find a way.

I wouldn’t put all of my worry on my family’s shoulders. Nor would I let myself lean too hard on Lee. That would lead to too many issues.

My doorbell rang, and I quickly shut off my notes app, annoyed with myself for once again splitting my focus when it came to working. It was a Friday evening, and at one point, I might’ve been out at Riggs’, partying with my siblings. Tonight, I was at home, planning to indulge in junk food for dinner since I didn’t have groceries—something that never happened when it came to me, but I’d been distracted. My family wasn’t going to be at Riggs’ either, for that matter. They all had their spouses and families at home tonight. Evenings at Riggs’ seemed like a far-off memory at this point, and now that I was more than likely going to remain a single mother until the end of time, something that scared me and yet thrilled me simultaneously, I probably wasn’t going to go to Riggs’ again. Unless Riggs somehow let babies come into his bar.

I opened the door and frowned as I looked up at Lee. I blinked, studying his face. “Lee?”

“Hey there.” He leaned forward, kissed my cheek, and moved past me into my house. I closed the door behind him, ignoring the tingling feeling on my cheek from where his lips had pressed against my skin. That was enough of that thought. When I looked down at my sweat capris, my two tank tops, and my lack of bra, I wished I’d at least put on a sweatshirt. I was a damn hot mess, but I always seemed to be around Lee these days.

I looked down at my boobs and cursed. My nipples were hard, and it had nothing to do with the aching that came with pregnancy, and everything to do with a certain man in my vicinity. I’d always had that problem when it came to Lee, and I figured it was just a natural reaction. He was hot, single. As was I. Yet neither of us was available for that—especially not together.

I looked down at my treacherous nipples and then back up at Lee as I realized that he was staring at me, his gaze on my face, not on my breasts. See? He didn’t want me like that. He wasn’t even looking at my nipples.

And I really needed to stop thinking the wordnipples.

“Why are you here? What did you bring?” I asked him and wondered why my voice was so high. “Sorry, that was rude. Hi, Lee. I didn’t know you were coming over. And you brought something? That’s nice, but you didn’t need to.”

“Hi, I told you I’d be by.”

“I thought you meant like in passing or eventually. I didn’t think you meant tonight.” I ran a hand through my hair, grateful that I had showered when I got home so I wasn’t a greasy mess. Still, though. “Sorry, I was working.”

“I’msorry. Shit. Did I interrupt?”

I looked down at my phone and then set it on the kitchen counter. “No, not really. I was just going through a few notes. Dictating.”

“I tried to do that for my job once, and while it understood my voice just fine, the scientific terms, not so much. You’d be surprised by the garbled mess that came out.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Yeah, I could see that being a problem. I have enough issues when I dictate building terms since it tends to censor me if it thinks I’m getting too dirty.”

His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. Not that Iamgetting dirty, but you know all the innuendos when it comes to plumbing.”

He laughed outright, and I ignored how it lit up his whole face. Hell, were hormones supposed to do this to me already? I was usually pretty good about holding back my desire and want when it came to Lee.

Only right then, it was a little more difficult than usual. I pressed my thighs together, hoping that Lee didn’t notice. Damn hormones.

“Anyway, I brought dinner.”

I finally looked at the bag that he’d set on the counter and beamed. “Is that Tex-Mex?”

“The best and only Tex-Mex in Fort Collins, Colorado. From a family that moved up from San Antonio. I’m calling it a win. Eliza’s brother, Eli—who’s still in town, by the way—said that he would actually eat there, so I counted that as a plus.”

“They’re Texan. They’re picky about their Tex-Mex. Just like we Coloradans are picky about everything else.”

Lee shook his head and then began unpacking the bag. “I got fajitas, rice, beans, and a few other things. I figured we could just share everything and see what you think.”

“Did you get the carnitas?” I asked while rubbing my hands together.

“Yes, the carnitas, as well as a pepper medley, carne guisada tacos, and carne asada tacos. Did you know the only way I could remember what was guisada and asada is that the G in guisada means gravy for me?”

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