Page 105 of Between Desire and Denial
“You betcha.” He waved us on, and Lucille waved back.
“I just have to get it out of the garage.” She disappeared for a minute and then came back. I looked at the mower and she chuckled. “Here’s how to get it started.” She explained how to fire it up and stop it. “Good luck.” She winked at me, and I scoffed. I couldn’t believe none of them thought I could do this.
I had mowed a lawn before. It was probably only once or twice when Kee and I were traveling and we’d stayed at a friend’s. I’m pretty sure it was more of a dare sort of thing. I wasn’t that much of a princess though. I could handle this.
I smiled big when I found the primer that Lucille told me about. It didn’t seem to be doing anything, but I grabbed the handlebar and yanked the string thing with my other hand and it revved to life.
I glanced up at Lucille who was clapping and then at Jameson who was giving me a thumbs-up. I was so proud that I got right to work by engaging the other handle that supposedly helped to propel the mower forward.
A small chore like this brought me such joy that I didn’t even notice I’d conquered half the lawn until I heard, “Olive. Cut the mower! Why are you mowing the fucking lawn?”
Hearing his voice over the mower meant Dimitri was yelling. The man never truly yelled at anyone. I heard him on the phone talking sternly, but he had such an even keel nature, that was as harsh as he got—except when he was talking dirty to me.
I tried not to consider what it would be like if he was really angryandtalking dirty as I turned to see him standing in his three-piece suit. The scowl on his face made him look powerful and dangerous. I wanted him even more now.
Truly, my body was starting to be completely disconnected from any logical way of thinking. I knew he wasn’t good for me, yet he was all I craved every single part of every single day.
I turned off the mower and took a deep breath. Then I swiped away some of the sweat on my brow before turning around to face him. “You concerned about your girlfriend when you’re at work?”
I glanced around just so he was aware there may be an audience. “Work?” He frowned and then shook his head like he didn’t seem concerned about that. “I hired a lawn service, Honeybee.”
“I know. I invited them in for lemonade and then told them they could go home." I didn't think Dimitri would mind that I canceled the lawn service. What did he care as long as it was done?
Yet, his stare was vicious as he said, "And they just left?”
“Well, what did you expect them to do? Stay?”
He growled, “Get inside now.”
“Dimitri, the lawn is only half done and—”
“You won’t be finishing the lawn. I hired those men to do a job. I expected them to do it, not let my girlfriend do it instead.”
“Guess the show’s over,” Jameson announced as he stood from his chair on the porch. “See you on Tuesday, Olive?”
“If you see her, you’ll also be seeing me,” Dimitri made it known. “Happy to have lunch with you too, Jameson.”
Jameson cracked his knuckles but didn’t say another word for the time being.
"You’re being absolutely ridiculous right now. I can mow a lawn and go to lunch by myself.” I spun back to the lawn mower and turned it on.
He stomped over, balanced the two cups he was holding in one hand, and turned the mower off. “I was getting you a coffee. And you’re not mowing the damn lawn.”
“Okay… well, you weren’t even home,” I pointed out and crossed my arms. “Is this some weird male thing?”
He walked up and kissed my cheek before handing me the coffees. “Please go set these inside, Honeybee,” he grumbled while unbuttoning his suit jacket. Knowing my lack of control with him, I should have looked away, especially when he undid the top button of his freaking collared shirt.
“What are you doing?” I squeaked, my eyes widening.
“I’m not mowing the lawn in a long sleeve.” He handed me his jacket and collared shirt and then proceeded to take off his undershirt too.
And there he stood in slacks and no shirt on, a billion abs on display for the whole neighborhood to see. He yanked the pull cord of the mower and was off. He buzzed up and down the lawn and not one woman looked away. Not Lucille. Not me. Not Melly. Even Zen stopped to watch as she walked by.
Thankfully, he was much faster than me and was done within twenty minutes. I wasn’t proud to admit that I hadn’t moved the whole time. I leaned against one of our porch posts and tried to keep the hunger in me at bay as the sweat glistened across his chest.
Dimitri Hardy was a perfect specimen with ten million abs, biceps and forearms of steel, and tanned skin that almost shimmered in the sun. There was no way I was leaving him outside by himself while he did this. I understood the need to mark territory now, understood why he maybe didn’t want men watching me while I did manual labor, because watching him was freaking intimate. My body heated and my thighs clenched while I stood there, consciously rigid, trying to not walk up to him and stop the mower.
Finally, he pushed through the last line of grass and the sound of the engine ceased. Right away, Lucille and Melly started walking over. Melly basically had her claws and teeth out, ready to pounce on him. I saw how she sauntered, wearing the shortest shorts ever. I frowned at him. “Great job drawinghalf the town’s attention by mowing the lawn half naked,” I whisper-yelled at him.
