The Outskirts (The Outskirts Duet #1)

No matter what I did. No matter what button I pushed or how many pleas I sent out into the universe, water would not come out of my sink or shower. The tank was full. I’d checked three times. No leaks either. Something was either clogging it, or the universe was plotting against me.

Both had equal chances of being the reason why the water suddenly stopped working.

I checked the clock. I had to be at Critter’s in just under an hour. By my estimate, it would take me about a half of an hour to walk there so if I didn’t get showered and ready in the next ten to fifteen minutes, I’d be late for my first day.

The jugs I had bought days before were now empty and I didn’t know how to get water from the tank on the outside of the camper either.

I decided that as much as I didn’t want to, that I’d ask Finn if I could use his shower. Unfortunately, I was almost to his door when one glance was all it took for me to realize why asking him would be a very, very bad idea.

First, because Finn’s shower was outside on the left side of his porch.

Second, because he was already in it.

Third, because he was very, VERY naked.

Finn stood under the spray with his hands flush on the side of the house, letting the water cascade over the back of his head and shoulders, dripping down every inch of taut muscle on the way down to his rounded backside and strong thick thighs. His eyes were closed tightly as if he were deep in thought.

I’d meant to turn around and run the other way or at the very least cover my eyes. In my head, that’s exactly what I was doing.

In reality, I stood there, gawking, unable to look away until Finn cleared his throat, breaking me out of my trance. I looked up to find him standing there, now facing me as he lathered up his naked body. He stepped back under the spray, the suds washed away, trailing down to the deep V pointing to the private place between his strong thighs.

And then there it was.

Just hanging there.

Long.

Thick.

I stopped breathing.

“Let me guess, not only was the other night the first night you heard the word fuck, but today’s the first day you’ve seen a real cock?”

I couldn’t hear all of his words. I was heavily distracted by a clenching sensation going on in my pelvis.

“Did you need something?” Finn asked, walking up to the railing, dripping water all over the wooden deck and giving me a much closer view of what he had going on between his legs. He shook out his hair and mussed it with his hand.

“Uh.” I spun around, hiding my red face. “Never mind.”

“Are you sure about that?” When I turned back around to face him I assumed he’d be covered up, but no such luck. He had a towel but he wasn’t using it to cover up, he was rubbing it up and down his torso and legs to dry off.

“I was going to ask if I could use your shower,” I explained, keeping my eyes trained above his head. “Now I realize that wasn’t the best idea.”

“You can use my shower,” Finn offered.

“Really?” That was way too easy.

“Yes,” he said, wickedly. “I was just finishing up. You can join me.”

“That’s not what I…,” I tried to explain, although the glint in his eye told me he was aware it wasn’t what I’d meant.

He smiled salaciously.

“I got a job at Critter’s. The water tank on my camper isn’t working…you know what? I’ll figure something else out.” I stormed back off across the yard.

My cheeks heated with frustration and embarrassment and something else entirely. I fiddled with the tank some more, but still couldn’t get it to work.

After five-minutes, I spotted Finn out of the corner of my eye loading a small boat into the waterway behind the shack. He pulled the string on the small motor and after a few seconds he was gone and all that remained was the echoing ZING of the little motor.

It was now or never. There was no time left for hesitation.

I bolted across the yard, my feet sinking into the wet ground. I barely registered the blown-out window of Finn’s Bronco while I tossed my clothes on the porch steps. I ran over to the side of the house, stepped into the metal basin and turned the shower knob. I yelped under the cold spray, but after only a few seconds it began to warm.

There were two plastic bottles at my feet. One was a bottle of liquid soap and another was shampoo, both with farmer’s market labels. I squeezed a little of the shampoo into my palms and massaged it into my scalp. It smelled like cedar and clean laundry. I inhaled deeply but there wasn’t time to linger. I rinsed my hair in record time. Grabbing the bottle of soap, I rubbed it into a lather and smoothed it over every inch of my body and face.

I’d just finished rinsing and reached for the knob to turn off the water when it squeaked to a close and it turned off.

I hadn’t even touched it.

My hands shook as I wiped the water from my eyes. I didn’t need to open them to know who I’d find standing right in front of me. I felt him there. His eyes on me. On my body.

My naked body.

I shivered long before his glinting blue eyes locked on mine. I crossed my arms over my chest to try and hide as much as myself from him as possible, including my now hardened nipples.

“Too late, I’ve already seen it all,” Finn said with a grin.

“You,” my cheeks heated, “were watching me?” I looked around for somewhere to go, somewhere to run, but I couldn’t focus on what was around me and there was no way I was going to get anywhere without revealing more of myself.

Finn’s eyes darkened. He leaned in and I was so surprised by the move that I stumbled back against the wall.

“What are you doing?”

He inhaled deeply and stepped back. “I prefer the lavender.”

“What?”

“The other night. In your camper. You smelled like lavender.”

“I…I need my clothes.” I bounced eagerly and uncomfortably on my knees. Finn nodded to a plastic chair in the far corner of the porch where a towel was draped across the back.

I had no choice but to shuffle sideways to reach it, keeping my legs stiff and locked at the knee. I released myself for a micro second so I could snatch the towel and wrap it around my naked body. My stomach churned and when I turned back to face Finn again, I suddenly felt too warm and too cold all at the same time.

Finn’s brow furrowed. Lines formed on his forehead. He leaned back against the porch railing and frowned.

My father’s words seeped past the barrier that I’d put up in my brain to keep him out. A man is never to see your naked flesh besides your husband. Those women who allow themselves to be a feast for another’s eyes will burn in the depths of Hell.

Hearing father’s words caused something inside me to shift. Suddenly, I wasn’t just anxious and confused.

I was angry.