Fallen Too Far (3 page)

              There was a note stuck under the windshield wiper of my truck. I pulled it out and read:

              “Tank is full. Grant.”

              Grant had gotten me gasoline? My chest felt suddenly warm.  That was so nice of him. Rush’s words “mooch” rang in my ears and I realized I would need to pay Grant back as soon as possible. I would not be thought of as a mooch like my father.

              Getting into the truck, I cranked it up easily and backed out of the driveway. Several cars were still outside, although not as many as last night. I wondered who all stayed the night. Would they always be here? I hadn’t seen anyone this morning but Rush and the girl he’d run off.

              Rush wasn’t a very nice person but he was fair. I had to give him that. He was also sexy as hell. I’d just have to learn to overlook that. It should be easy enough. I didn’t expect Rush would be hanging around me often. He didn’t seem to like to be around me very much.

              I’d decided that I’d get a job in Rosemary to save on gas. Then I could move out of Rush’s house quicker. I had found a local newspaper and I’d circled several different jobs. Two were waitress jobs at local restaurants and I’d stopped in to apply. I had a feeling I would get a call back from one or both but I wasn’t sure I wanted to work at either. I would if it was all that came available though. It just didn’t look like the tips would be that good and with a job like that you need the tips. I also stopped by the local pharmacy to apply for the front register position but they had already filled it. Then I’d gone by the local pediatrician’s office to apply for the receptionist job but they wanted experience and I had none.

There was one last job I’d circled and I had put it off because I figured it would be a harder job to snag; a serving position at the local country club. It paid seven more dollars an hour plus the tips would be much better. I could be out on my own even sooner. Plus, there were benefits. Health insurance would be great.

              The help wanted ad had said to come to the main offices behind the golf course clubhouse to apply. I followed the directions and parked my truck beside a fancy Volvo. I adjusted the rearview mirror to check my face. I had picked up a small tube of mascara while I was at the pharmacy. Just a little mascara helped my face look older. I ran a hand through my pale bond hair and said a quick prayer that I was able to get this job.

              I had changed out of my shorts and sleeveless top when I’d gone to get my purse. I figured a sundress was more likely to help me get a job. Rush said I looked like a kid. I wanted to look older. The mascara and dress seemed to help.

              I didn’t bother locking the truck. It wasn’t in danger of being stolen here. Not when most of the cars parked nearby cost over sixty thousand dollars. The steps up to the office door were few. Taking one last deep breath I opened the door and stepped inside.

              A petite woman with a short brown bob and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses was walking across the reception room when I stepped inside. She glanced over at me as she made her way to one of the offices but stopped in her tracks when she saw me. She gave a quick glance at the rest of me and then nodded her head in my direction.

              “You here for a job?” she asked commandingly.

              I nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I’m here about a server position.”

              She gave me a tight smile. “Good. You have the appeal. The members will overlook mistakes with a face like that. Can you drive a golf cart and can you open a bottle of beer with a bottle opener?”

              I nodded.

              “You’re hired. I need someone on the course right now. Follow me; we’ll get you changed into uniform.”

              I didn’t argue. When she spun back around and started stalking toward another room I followed behind her. She was a woman on a mission. She opened a door and walked inside.

              “You wear a size 3 in shorts? Your top is going to be smaller than what you’re wearing. The men will love that though. They like larger chest sizes. Let’s see…” She was talking about my boobs. That was awkward. She grabbed a pair of white shorts off the rack and shoved them at me. Then she grabbed a pale blue polo shirt from the rack and shoved it at me. “That’s a small top. It needs to be tight. We are a classy establishment here but our men like to have eye candy too. Therefore, we offer it up in a pair of white shorts and tight polos. Don’t worry about paperwork. I’ll have you fill all that out after work. You do this for a week and do it well and we will see about moving you into the dining room. We are short-staffed in there too. Faces like yours aren’t easy to find. Now, get changed and I’ll be waiting to take you out to the drink cart.”

              Two hours later, I’d stopped at all eighteen holes on the golf course twice and sold out of drinks. The golfers all wanted to ask me if I was new and comment on my excellent service. I wasn’t an idiot. I saw the way the older men were leering at me.  Thankfully, they all seemed careful not to cross any lines.

              The lady who hired me had finally told me her name when she’d all but pushed me up onto the cart and sent me off. She was Darla Lowry. She was in charge of hiring staff. She was also a whirlwind. She’d told me that I was to return in four hours or when I ran out of drinks, whichever came first. I’d run out of drinks in two hours.

              I walked inside the office and Darla stuck her head out of one of the rooms. “You’re back already?” she asked, walking out with her hands on her hips.

              “Yes ma’am. I ran out of drinks.”

              Her eyebrows shot up, “All of them?”

              I nodded. “Yes. All of them.”

              A smile crossed her stern face and she let out a laugh. “Well, I’ll be damned. I knew they’d like you but those horny men were willing to buy whatever you had just to get you to stay longer.”

              I wasn’t sure that was the case. It was hot out there. Every time I stopped at a hole the golfers looked relieved.

              “Come on, I’ll show you where to restock. You need to keep serving until the sun goes down. Then come back in here and we will get that paperwork filled out.”

              It was dark by the time I arrived back at Rush’s house. I’d been gone all day. The extra cars in the driveway were now gone. The three-car garage was closed and one expensive red convertible was parked outside of it.  I made sure to park my truck out of the way. Rush might have more friends coming over and I didn’t want my truck to be a problem. I was exhausted. I just wanted to go to bed.

              I stopped at the door and wondered if I should knock or just go inside. Rush had said I could stay here for a month. Surely that meant I didn’t have to knock every time I came back.

              I turned the knob and walked inside. The entrance was empty and surprisingly clean. Someone had picked up the mess in here already. The marble floor even looked shiny. I heard a television coming from the large open living room. There wasn’t a lot of other noise. I made my way to the kitchen. I had a bed waiting on me. I’d really like a shower but I hadn’t talked to Rush about which shower I was supposed to use yet and I didn’t want to bother him tonight. I’d just sneak out tomorrow and use the same one I’d used this morning when I woke up tomorrow.

              The smell of garlic and cheese met my nose as I stepped into the kitchen. My stomach growled in response. I had a pack of peanut butter crackers in my purse and a small container of milk that I’d bought at a service station on my way home. I’d made some money today in tips but I couldn’t waste my money on food. I needed to be save everything I could.

              There was a covered pan on the stove and an open wine bottle sitting on the counter. Two plates with the remnants of a tantalizing pasta dish were also on the counter. Rush had company.

              A moan came from outside followed by a loud noise.

              I walked over to the window but as soon as the moon hit the backside of Rush’s naked bottom I froze. It was a very nice naked bottom. A very, very nice one. Although I hadn’t really seen a guy’s naked backside before. I let my eyes travel up his back and the tattoos that covered it surprised me. I couldn’t tell what they were exactly. The moonlight wasn’t enough and he was moving.

              His hips moved back and forth and I noticed the two long legs that he had pressed to his sides. The loud moaning noise came again as he moved faster. I covered my mouth and took a step back. Rush was having sex. Outside. On his porch. I couldn’t turn away from it. His hands grabbed the legs on either side of him and he pushed them open further. A loud cry caused me to jump. Two hands came around his back and long nails clawed at the tattoos that covered the tanned skin.

              I shouldn’t be watching this. Shaking my head to clear it I turned and hurried into the pantry and my hidden bedroom. I couldn’t think about Rush that way. He was sexy enough. Seeing him actually having sex made my heart do funny things. It wasn’t like I wanted to be one of those girls he had sex with and then tossed away. Seeing his body like that and hearing how he was making the girl feel made me just a little jealous. I’d never known that. Being nineteen years old and still a virgin was sad. Cain had said he loved me but when I’d needed him the most he’d wanted a girlfriend who could sneak out and have sex without having to worry about her sick mother. He’d wanted a normal high school experience. I’d hindered that so I’d let him go.

              When I’d left yesterday morning to come here he had begged me to stay. He’d claimed he loved me. That he’d never gotten over me. That every girl he’d ever been with was just a poor substitute. I couldn’t believe all that. I’d cried myself to sleep alone and scared too many nights. I’d needed someone to hold me. He hadn’t been there then. He didn’t understand love.

              I closed the door to my bedroom and collapsed on the bed. I didn’t even pull back the covers. I needed sleep. I had to be at work at nine in the morning. I smiled to myself because I was thankful. I had a bed and a job.

              The sun was exceptionally hot. Darla didn’t want me to pull my hair up in a ponytail. She seemed to think the men liked it down. Unfortunately for me, it was so freaking hot today. I reached into the cooler for an ice cube and rubbed it down my neck and let it slip down into my shirt. I was almost to the fifteenth hole for the third time today.

              This morning no one had been awake when I’d come out of my room. The empty plates had still been sitting on the bar. I’d cleaned it up and thrown out the food in the pan he’d left out all night. It made me sad to see it wasted. It had smelled so good last night when I’d come home.

              Then I’d thrown away the empty wine bottle and found the glasses outside on the table beside where I’d watched Rush going at it with the unknown female.  After putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher I’d turned it on and wiped down the counters and stovetop.

              I doubted Rush noticed but it made me feel better about sleeping there for free.  I pulled up beside the group of golfers at the fifteenth hole. They were a younger crowd. I’d seen them when they’d been on the third hole. They bought a lot and they were really good tippers. So I put up with their flirtatious behavior. It wasn’t like one of them would really date the cart girl at the golf course. I wasn’t an idiot.

              “There she is,” one of the guys called out as I pulled up beside them and smiled.

              “Ah, my favorite girl is back. It’s hotter than hell girl. I need a cold one. Maybe two.”

              I parked the cart and got out to go around the back and take their orders.

              “You want another Miller?” I asked him proud of myself for remembering his last order.

              “Yeah, baby I do.” He winked and closed the distance between us making me a little uncomfortable.

              “Hey, I want something too Jace. Back off the goods,” another guy said and I kept my smile on my face as I handed him his beer and he handed me a twenty dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

              “Thank you,” I replied tucking the money into my pocket. I glanced up at the other guys. “Who’s next?”

              “Me,” a guy with short curly blond hair and pretty blue eyes said waving around a bill.

              “You want a Corona, right?” I asked reaching into the cooler and pulling out the drink he’d ordered last time.

              “I think I’m in love. She’s gorgeous and she remembers what beer I drink. Then she opens the damn thing for me.” I could tell he was teasing as he stuck a bill in my hand and took the beer from me. “Change is yours beautiful.”

              I noticed the fifty as I stuck it into my pocket. These guys really didn’t mind throwing money away. That was a ridiculous tip. I felt like telling him not to give me so much but I decided against it. They probably tipped like this all the time.

              “What’s your name?” one asked and I turned to see the dark haired one with an olive complexion waiting to give his order and hear my answer.

              “Blaire,” I replied reaching into the cooler for the fancy beer he’d requested. I popped the top and handed it to him.

              “You got a boyfriend, Blaire?” he asked, taking the drink from me while running a finger along the side of my hand in a caress.

              “Um, no,” I replied, not sure if it might have been better to lie in this situation.

              The guy took a step toward me and held out his hand with the payment and tip inside of it. “I’m Woods,” he replied.

              “It’s, uh, nice to meet you Woods,” I stammered in reply. The intense look in his dark eyes made me nervous. He could be dangerous and he reeked of expensive cologne. Expertly bred. He was one of the beautiful people and he knew it. What was he doing flirting with me?

              “Not fair, Woods. Back off, bro. You’re going all out with this one. Just ‘cause your daddy owns the joint doesn’t mean you get first dibs,” the blond with curls kidded. I think he was kidding.

              Woods ignored his friend and kept his focus on me. “What time do you get off work?”

              Uh-oh. If I understood them correctly then Woods daddy was my ultimate boss. I didn’t need to be spending time the owner’s son. That would be a very bad thing.

              “I work until close,” I explained and handed the last of the four his beer and took his money.

              “Why don’t you let me pick you up and take you for something to eat?” Woods said, standing very close to me now. If I turned around he would be only a breath away.

              “It’s hot and I’m already exhausted. All I will want to do is get a shower and crash.”

              Warm breath tickled my ear and I shivered as beads of sweat rolled down my back. “Are you scared of me? Don’t be. I’m harmless.”

              I wasn’t sure what to do about him. I wasn’t good with the flirting and I was pretty sure that was what he was doing. No one had flirted with me in years. Once I broke up with Cain, my days had been consumed with school and then my mom. I had no time for anything else. Guys didn’t bother with me.

              “You don’t scare me. I’m just not used to this kind of thing,” I replied apologetically. I didn’t know how to respond properly.

              “What kind of thing?” he asked curiously. I finally turned around to face him.

              “Guys. And flirting. At least, I think that is what is happening.” I sounded like an idiot. The smile that slowly stretched across Woods face made me want to crawl under the golf cart and hide. I was so out of my league.

              “Yes, this is definitely flirting. And how is it that someone as fucking unbelievably hot as you is not used to this kind of thing?”

              I tensed at his words and shook my head. I needed to get to the sixteenth hole. “I’ve just been busy the past few years. If, uh, you don’t need anything else the golfers on the sixteenth hole are probably angry with me by now.”

              Woods nodded and took a step back. “I’m not done with you. Not by a long shot. But for right now I’ll let you get back to work.”

              I hurried back to the driver’s side of the cart and climbed in. The next hole was a bunch of retired men. I had never looked more forward to being leered at by old guys in my life but at least they didn’t flirt.

              When I walked out to my truck that evening I was relieved to see no sign of Woods. I should have known he was just teasing the help. I had made a couple of hundred dollars in tips today and I decided that treating myself to an actual meal was okay. I pulled into the drive-thru at McDonalds and ordered a cheeseburger and fries. I ate them happily on the way back to Rush’s. There was no car outside tonight.

              I wouldn’t walk in on him having sex tonight. Then again, he might have brought someone here in his car. I walked inside and stopped in the foyer. No television. No sound at all, but the door had been unlocked. I hadn’t had to use the hidden key he’d told me about.

              I’d sweated too much today. I had to have a shower before I went to bed. I stepped into the kitchen and checked the front porch to make sure it was free of any sexual escapades. Getting a shower would be easy.

              I ducked into my room and grabbed the old pair of Cain’s boxers and a tank top that I slept in at night.  Cain had given them to me when we were young and silly. He’d wanted me to sleep in something that was his. I’d been sleeping in them every since. Although now they were much tighter than they had been then. I’d developed curves since the age of fifteen.

              I took a deep breath of the ocean air as I stepped outside. This was my third night here and I had yet to actually make it down to the water. I’d come home so tired that I hadn’t had the energy to go out there. I went down the steps and put my pajamas in the bathroom before slipping off my tennis shoes.

              The sand was still warm from the sun’s heat. I walked across it in the darkness until the water’s edge rushed up to meet me. The cold startled me and I sucked in a breath but let the salt water cover my feet.

              My mom’s smile as she told me about the time she’d played in the ocean flashed in my memory and I tilted my head up to heaven and smiled. I was finally here. I was here for both of us.

              A sound to the left broke into my thoughts. I turned to look down the beach just as the moonlight broke free of the clouds and Rush was spotlighted in the darkness. Running.

              Once again, he was shirtless. The shorts he was wearing hung low on his narrow hips and I was mesmerized by the way his body looked as he ran toward me. I wasn’t sure if I should move or if he was done. His feet slowed and then he came to a stop beside me. The sweat on his chest glistened in the soft light. Oddly enough I wanted to reach out and touch it. Something that a body like his made couldn’t be gross. It was impossible.

              “You’re back,” he said as he took a few deep breaths.

              “I just got off work,” I replied, trying hard to keep my eyes on his and not his chest.

              “So you got a job?”

              “Yes. Yesterday.”

              “Where at?”

              I wasn’t sure how I felt about telling him too much. He wasn’t a friend.  And it was obvious I’d never consider him family. Our parents might be married but he didn’t seem to want to have anything to do with my father or me.

              “Kerrington Country Club,” I replied.

              Rush’s eyebrows shot up and he took a step closer to me. He slipped a hand under my chin and tilted my face up. “You’re wearing mascara,” he said, studying me.

              “Yes, I am,” I pulled my chin out of his grasp. He might be letting me sleep at his house but I didn’t like him touching me. Or maybe I did like him touching me and that was the problem. I didn’t want to like him touching me.

              “It makes you look more your age.” He stepped back and did a slow appraisal of my clothing.

              “You’re the cart girl at the golf course,” he said simply looking back up at me.

              “How did you know?” I asked.

              He waved a hand at me. “The outfit. Tight little white shorts and polo shirts. It’s the uniform.”

              I was glad for the darkness. I was positive I was blushing.

              “You’re making a fucking killing aren’t you?” he asked in an amused tone.

              I’d made over five hundred dollars in tips in two days. That wasn’t a killing to him but to me it was.

I shrugged. “You will be relieved to know that I’ll be out of here in less than a month.”

He didn’t respond right away. I should probably leave and go get my shower. I started to say something when he took a step closer to me. “I probably should be. Relieved that is. Real fucking relieved. But, I’m not. I’m not relieved, Blaire,” he paused and leaned down to whisper in my ear, “why is that?”

I wanted to reach out and grab his arms to keep from crumpling to the ground in a heap of mush. But I refrained.

“Keep your distance from me, Blaire. You don’t want to get too close. Last night.” He swallowed loudly. “Last night is haunting me. Knowing you were watching. It drives me crazy. So, stay away. I’m doing my best to stay away from you.” He turned and jogged back up to the house as I stood there trying to keep from melting into a puddle on the sand. 

What had he meant by that? How had he known I’d seen them? When I saw the door to the house close behind him I walked back and got my shower. His words were going to keep me up most of the night.