“Is that all you need? I’m busy.”
I kept my eyes on the water behind him, retreating to my safe space. Looking at him coiled my stomach in knots, and I wasn’t sure if it was anger or attraction, making me hate him ten times more.
“I’m offering help, and you’re getting spicy with me?” he shot back. “Last I checked, that’s rude, Josie.”
So was blaming your misdeeds on someone else.
“I don’t need your help.” Nor did I need his scent wafting over, another uninvited guest disrupting my peace, a mix of smoke, denim, and man.
“Sure, you don’t.” He crossed his arms, seeming to double in size in an instant, the limbs rippling with muscle. I knew he’d never hurt me, physically at least, but the sheer mass of him screamed danger, as did his eyes.
A nervous jolt flicked through my belly, desperate to have space between us and air to breathe that wasn’t drenched in Luke. “I’m fine.”
His eyes met mine, the enchanting blue well on its way to whisking me under its spell. “Your eyes are red. Allergies?”
“Something like that.” I was allergic to the crap life was throwing my way. Particularly the towering figure standing on my front porch.
“Mrs. Sutton was never one for dusting,” he noted, shifting his weight between feet. “Just in case it makes you upset, you’re more than welcome to sit on my dock. It’s nice and smooth –no splinters.”
God knows the rickety old dock gave us more than our share of them when we were younger, so much so we kept an old tarp handy to sit on.
“I’m sure your dock is nice and smooth, but I don’t need to sit on it to feel better.”
I was a terrible liar.
That dock was my saving grace as a teenager. We talked through our pain on its planks, finding solace in one another and the water. It was the one place I was at home, other than at his Nan’s kitchen table, chatting while she French-braided my hair or taught me the latest recipe she’d found in Good Housekeeping.
He grinned, firing a wink my way. “Sitting on my dock makes everything better.”
A pop of red behind him caught my eye, Dan’s corvette pulling in to park behind my Explorer.
Talk about bad luck.
I sighed, reluctantly stepping onto the porch beside Luke and shutting the door. I wouldn’t chance Dan thinking he was welcome inside. He’d already proven to be someone who didn’t understand boundaries.
“Hey there, Josie!” he called, sliding out of the sports car with a wide smile, one that faded as his eyes fell on Luke. “Oh, and hi to you too, Luke!”
Luke offered a grunt and a nod, remaining planted where he stood.
“I was driving through the area and saw the storage container. Need help moving anything, sweetie?” Dan strolled over, his slender arms swinging.
“We’re almost done,” Luke declared coolly before I could say anything.
Dan glanced between us but kept coming, stopping at the base of the porch, crisp and clean in his pressed khakis compared to the battered denim wrapped around Luke.
No one drove our way without meaning to, but I kept my mouth shut and a friendly smile plastered on my face. “Thank you, Dan. I appreciate the offer, but Luke’s right: I’m almost finished unpacking.”
Dan parked his hands on his hips, riding his polo up to expose a polished leather belt. “Well, let me help. Leave the heavy lifting to us men.”
Luke seemed to inflate beside me. “Thanks, but the man has it covered.”
“The man?” Dan cocked his head, sneering.
“Don’t mind him,” I interjected, swatting at Luke’s chest, hitting solid muscle. I wasn’t in the mood to watch the two get in a pissing contest; I had work to do. “He’s an ogre.”
“She was about to sit on my dock,” Luke informed, a grin cutting through his beard, a surprise pop of playfulness glossing over the undercurrent of aggression. “She hasn’t sat on it in a long time.”
I whirled to face him, suddenly catching onto his little dock innuendo. As if I would ever.
Dan turned, studying the pier behind Luke’s property in the distance. “You do have a nice dock over there. Can I sit on it?”
Luke chuckled, shaking his head, long locks dragging along his shoulders. “Sorry. Women only.”
Dan huffed, “Well, that’s sexist.”
I smacked Luke again, not sure how much longer I’d be able to contain the laughter that trampled over my anger.
Dan continued to look between us, frowning. “Where’s Logan?”
“Lincoln,” I corrected. “He’s with Olivia.”
“Date night?” Dan turned his attention back to Luke, eyeing him up, lips pulled tight.
I shook my head furiously. “No, not at all. Luke dropped by for the same reason you did.”
A smirk replaced his frown. “Well, let us finish moving everything, sweetie.”
“Dan, I’m fine,” I insisted. “I was just telling Luke the same thing.”
“Don’t be silly. I’d be honored to help.” He went to come up the stairs toward us, but Luke stepped forward, blocking his path.
I cleared my throat, desperate to get a handle of the situation that was quickly spiraling out of control. “I have work to finish- ”
Luke took off down the steps and blew passed Dan, the sudden movement of the large man more than jarring. He bounded over to the storage container, opening the heavy sliding door with ease, not a full-body extension as I’d needed.
“Almost done my ass!” he hollered, disappearing into the metal bin before I could object.
I hurried off the porch, wincing as I did, the knot on my shin from earlier more tender than I cared to admit. “Luke, I said I’m fine!”
I just wanted to finish my work for the night while I had free time. I didn’t need two wannabe alphas fighting over playing the hero.
He ignored me, appearing with my ivory headboard over his shoulder, the queen-sized monstrosity not phasing him. It took two people to load the damn thing while he didn’t break a sweat, balancing the delicate piece high above.
The stark contrast between the pristine upholstery and the gritty man
