I Flipping Love You (Shacking Up #3)(54)

So that’s how we’re playing it. I’m sure he can see my arched brow.

Ms. Barber giggles, much like a teenage girl, and waves her hand around before she allows it to settle on his forearm. “Now you stop it with the Ms. Barber business, you make me feel old. It’s just Muriel.”

She’s never asked me to call her by her first name. But then, I haven’t offered to oil myself up and strut around her pool in the equivalent of underwear.

“Of course, Muriel. My apologies.”

Her hand flutters around in the air. “This Ri-anne. She’s stopped by to bake some cookies with me this afternoon.”

“Is that right? I love cookies.” He extends a hand, which I have no choice but to take. His fingers slide along the center of my palm. “The sweeter the better. I’m actually really good with cookies. What kind of cookie do you have, Ri-anne, is it?”

I’m pretty sure my face is on fire. “Rian, yes. I brought sugar cookies.”

“Sugar cookies are my favorite.” He presses his lips to the back of my hand and grazes my knuckle with his teeth.

“Well, isn’t it your lucky day?” Muriel claps her hands.

“Seems that way.” He winks at her.

“Do you mind pouring me a glass of that lemonade? Ri-anne, why don’t you relax a little and have one with me?”

“Sure, I can do that.”

I don’t have much to do this afternoon apart from cookies and Pierce, and since he’s already here and mostly naked, I might as well enjoy the view and the entertainment. I make a move to stand, but Ms. Barber stops me with a hand.

“No, no, Pierce will get it for you, won’t you, darling?”

“It would be my pleasure to serve you both.”

I have to fight a laugh, because he’s seriously laying it on thick here. He poses as he pours the lemonade into the glass, every hard muscle tightening as he flexes. It’s hilarious and yet, I worry he’s giving Muriel a case of the vapors.

I accept the lemonade.

“Aren’t you going to pour yourself a glass?” Muriel asks.

“I should finish cleaning the pool before I do that.” He motions to the leaves floating close to us.

“You’re too good to me.” She pats his thigh.

“Anything to make it easier for you.”

I take a sip of my lemonade and nearly spit-spray it back into the glass. “Is there vodka in here?”

Muriel pinches her fingers together. “Just a touch.”

It tastes like a heck of a lot more than a touch. I’ll have to sip slowly if I’m going to bake cookies without passing out in the batter. Or getting my cookie eaten by the pool boy later.

He swaggers—it’s definitely not a walk or a strut—around the pool, grabbing the net. He starts at the other side, giving me time to ask some pertinent questions. I have an idea as to why Pierce is here—likely for a similar reason I am. We both want the house. I want to sell it or flip it, and he wants to buy it and rent it. It could end up working in both of our favors, unless Marley thinks this is a better house to flip—then I really will be sleeping with the enemy.

He’s definitely got a leg up, or at least another, more enticing appendage. And showing up in a Speedo is a new level of playing dirty. I can’t compete with his six-pack.

“Does Pierce stop by often?”

“Every few days or so. He helps me water the plants and take care of the gardens between the landscaping company visits. He usually brings his dog, Trip.”

“Trip?” I feign a questioning look.

She laughs and takes another long gulp of her drink. “Poor little broken mutt has three legs. You’d almost think they’re twins.” She nods in Pierce’s direction with a wink and nudge.

I stifle a choke-snorting laugh.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you checking. And he wouldn’t be wearing that banana hammock if he wasn’t wanting us to look.” She takes another hefty sip of her drink and sighs. “That boy has all the best attributes. He makes me remember I’m still a woman, I can tell you that. I haven’t felt so much as a tingle below the waist since Herb passed away. Enjoy this body while you have it, and make sure you let someone enjoy it with you.” She pats my leg and winks again. “That boy is a fine, fine specimen. Takes good care of himself. My Herb was the same way when we were your age. Balls hung down to his knees by the end, but gravity is a bastard like that. If I didn’t have osteoporosis and my vagina wasn’t as dry as the desert in the middle of July, I’d take that out for a ride.”

I want to laugh, but she actually looks quite serious.

“You’re in your prime, dearie. I hope you’re not saving yourself for marriage or anything. You need to ride all the horses you can before you get tied to one of them.”

“I’ll keep that under advisement.”

I finish my vodka and lemonade a lot faster than I should. I’m blaming it on the combination of the heat and Pierce in his Speedo. My favorite part is when his sunglasses accidentally fall into the pool and he has to go in after them.

His dive is virtually splashless, and when he comes up, he’s right in front of us. He slips his sunglasses back on and pulls himself out of the pool in slow motion, water sluicing down his chest. He sets one knee on the edge, highlighting his magic package.