Maid to Order (12 page)

“I know and for the first time since I became his
guardian
… or whatever… I want to spend time with him too, Rusty. I really do. I’m just not sure what kind of compromise I can live with myself,” she said.

“This stuff would fit in the room he’s using at my house. He can stay with me for a while if that would help you out… for as long as you need to get things…
situated
… for you both. It has to be cheaper than that home. Plus… you can visit him there just as easily as you can visit him at the home,” Rusty said.

“What about… me…
us
?” she asked, closing the door shut and then leaning back against it.

“You and I both know that should never have happened. Hell, I’m practically old enough to be your
dad
. Don’t let any fears of awkwardness between us prevent you from asking for help where Danny is concerned though. I can make myself scarce if necessary when you do come to see him,” he said, unable to even look at her.

“At twelve… you could have been my dad?” she asked sarcastically. “Are you just not interested? Is that it, Rusty? You don’t want me? Be honest, I can take it.”

“No… of course I want you! Who wouldn’t… it’s not like that. Look… I’m just not relationship material, Amy. I never have been… even when I was younger… and now that I’m older that’s even truer than it ever was. You need a man closer to your own age who can keep up with you. You’re going to make some lucky man
very
happy though… that I can promise.”

He realized too late that she wasn’t hearing a word he said. She was watching his mouth move, but only as part of the full perusal of his body. God give him strength. He’d never in his whole life had a woman who was so feminine, sweet, and
young
possess such an appetite…
for him.
It was time to go before he yet again took her where she stood.

“I should go… I’ll come get Danny in the morning. We have a job not too far from here,” he croaked out and prayed she didn’t notice the inflection in his voice.

The mention of Danny’s job seemed to do the trick in getting her to let up with her five star attempts to seduce him. The teasing look on her face vanished as quickly as it had appeared and she stepped away from the door and opened it for him. He walked back down the hall to the living room and his eyes immediately went to the small bench in front of the window.

“I don’t want him working,
especially
at a job that is probably physically demanding. I appreciate you offering to let him stay with you but absolutely no on the job. I’m adamant about that part, Rusty. I mean it. He has a heart condition and… just no,” she said sternly.

Turning around to face her, he could tell by the look on her face that not only was she serious but he risked Danny not getting to stay with him if he pushed her on this. It made Rusty angry that she wouldn’t relent on the job at all.

She could have put all kinds of stipulations down but instead… much like Sylvia had always done… she’d just shut down the whole thing. He’d fight his battles one at a time with her, just like he had with Sylvia. For now, getting Danny out of the home that hired workers like ‘Les’ was a bigger and more import fight in his eyes.

“Fine…” he huffed. “At least let him hang out with me while I work then.”

“Why don’t you take him to the rec center while you’re working? He has a membership there and they are open from eight until four weekdays. They have art classes, offer transportation to the library and various other activities that he enjoys. He has friends that go there,” she replied. “Or I’ll take him up there before I go to the shop and you can pick him up when you get done with work. He has a couple of outfits back there in that room and I have an extra toothbrush he can use.”

Danny was a
man
, not a young child, a teenager or even a young adult. Rusty of all people knew what it felt like to not have a purpose… to have nothing to offer. It took the pride right out of one’s sails and he recognized that in Danny. It was in much smaller quantities in Danny than it was for him but it was still there.

Danny wanted a job so he could feel like he was contributing just like any other man. Buying candy for Amy with his own money should have shown her that but obviously not.

Rusty never wanted Danny to feel as worthless as he felt some days. To go from being a decorated soldier that people saluted and highly respected, to working as a
maid,
which often made people frown and in some cases roll their eyes as though he was a loser… it was hard to handle. Hell no would he allow Danny to ever sink to that level of frustration about his life.

Rather than arguing with her though, Rusty instead said, “Whatever you say. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Then he left without another word, even though Amy’s mouth had gaped open as though she couldn’t believe he was upset at her for not allowing her brother to make his own way in the world. If that wasn’t bad enough, he slept like crap once he finally did make it home, so by the time he picked up Danny from the rec center the following day, he was in a real mood.

“I need to go to AmyCakes and make sure that Amy is okay, Rusty. Can you drive me there?” Danny asked Rusty as soon as he got in the car.

Sure, why not?

Rusty’s day had been hand delivered from the devil himself. Why not add icing to it by arguing with the hottest woman he’d ever had the pleasure of being with. Then he could roll around for the second night in a row, in misery over wanting something he should have never had in the first place.

The previous night had been torture of another kind. Instead of being awake in the middle of the night fighting memories, he was awake battling himself over not giving in to his need for her. Leaving her to find someone better suited for her was the right thing to do. It was getting harder and harder to convince himself of that though.

At least he could look around for a good place to install the security cameras he’d picked up after work from a buddy who was a video and audio genius and who sometimes did contract work for Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Parking in the back, Danny was again out of the car with no prompting and almost to the bakery door before Rusty even managed to get out of the car. Rusty released a sigh of frustration upon watching Danny just open the unlocked back door and go on inside.

Needing a minute to get himself together before facing the woman who had spent all of last night in his dreams, he walked the perimeter of the building looking at the outside cameras and the angles for each.

He quickly figured out why there hadn’t been any video of the person who’d busted out the windows. Security video recordings were grainy on a good day but from that high up and at night… they had probably been completely useless. The responding deputy’s comment about there not being anything useable on the video provided by the maintenance company for the building made complete sense now.

Having friends in law enforcement only went so far… lack of evidence was an adversary not easy to defeat… for anyone. Rusty would have to see about convincing the maintenance and security company of some necessary changes and perhaps do some of the work on his own to fix the outside camera situation.

Knowing that to avoid her any longer would only give her additional ammunition to use with her weapons of seduction, he went in through the shop’s front door and looked at the still broken window. Then he checked out the main shop, behind the counter and the area behind the fake wall for the best places to put the cameras.

Amy came out from the bakery and watched him for a second. He finished looking around and finally asked, “When is someone coming out to fix the window?”

“It’s a specialty window so it’ll have to be ordered,” she replied. “So not today… obviously.”

“How much?” he asked.

“Let’s just say that unlike with you, I won’t be getting dinner first… I’m also pretty sure it won’t be
nearly
as satisfying,” she replied with a saucy wink.

Upon hearing her words, his mind immediately conjured up memories of how she’d felt wrapped around him… all sticky and satiated. Rusty turned his back to her so that she couldn’t judge how much her words affected him. And also so he wasn’t also assaulted with long blonde hair and warm eyes that could very easily annihilate what little control he had left.

“Come on, Danny. We need to go get a new window for AmyCakes. You can call Ronnie, Seth and Ian on the way to see if they can meet us here in a couple of hours and help get the window installed,” Rusty said after pulling himself back in check.

“I have
their
numbers in my phone now too, Amy,” Danny said, coming out to the shop area.

“First we have to measure the window to see how big of a pane we need. Can you go get the tool bag out of the trunk of the car?” Rusty asked, handing the keys to Danny.

Danny only smiled and was soon heading out the back of the bakery. This was a perfect opportunity to show Amy just how capable Danny really was. Rusty understood her concern for Danny’s health and safety… but he’d already spent years under Sylvia’s suffocating care.

Supervision was one thing… Sylvia dominated and left no other choices but hers. Rusty could still remember how much Danny disliked that about his mother, even all these years later. He didn’t want that kind of tension between Danny and Amy.

While he waited for Danny to return with the tool bag, he attempted to ignore the sway of Amy’s hips as she moved from one place to another. He tried to pay no attention to the way her hair swirled as she moved or how angelic her features really were. It wasn’t until he noticed the smear of icing on her right arm that he felt his body really come alive at her nearness.

Not soon enough Danny returned with the bag and Rusty instructed him how to take each measurement and then waited for Danny to write them on a piece of paper.

Then he turned back to where Amy stood, watching them with her arms crossed as though she either didn’t believe that Danny’s measurements were correct… or maybe because she was pissed at Rusty. He wasn’t sure which but, rather than push his luck any further, he headed toward the back door.

“Let’s get going, man. You’ve got some phone calls to make now and I’ve got to drive us there before they close,” Rusty said as he passed by Amy on the way to the door.

“Don’t I at least get a hug before you guys go?” Amy asked sweetly.

Danny laughed loudly and hugged Amy saying, “You can hug Amy goodbye too, Rusty. She’s a good hugger.”

Yep… that she was. Turning back, Rusty watched as Danny finished hugging his sister goodbye and gently kissed her cheek. When she turned and looked at him expectantly he lost the struggle to keep his smile contained.

“Why don’t you wait until I get back with the window? Then I’ll hug you extra good… once for leaving and once for coming back again,” Rusty offered.

He felt the muscles of his face working overtime as his smile widened. She was shocked that he’d even responded to her teasing… he could tell by the expression she now wore.

“That’s a good idea, Rusty,” Danny offered as he carried the tool bag out the back door.

The look of shock on her face changed to one of interest, daring and pure sex appeal.

Nope… hugging her was definitely not a good idea but maybe she would forget about it between now and when they returned with the window.

Rusty could only hope and pray because his resolve hadn’t lasted more than a couple of days where she was concerned. If he hugged her, he would also be getting a taste of those lips and then savoring anything else she’d allow him to.

Chapter Ten

Rusty could charm the panties off of any woman alive. Amy was sure of that. All he needed to do was smile or laugh a little bit. The real problem with that was that she rather enjoyed flirting with him while he tried in vain to ignore her suggestive comments and frowned at her in response.

However when he flirted back she actually felt weak in the knees from it. Especially since underneath her teasing was a big dose of possibility. Where somehow his teasing felt like just that… teasing. Rusty had absolutely no intentions of ever being with her again. She felt that in her bones.

She stood in the back doorway of the bakery area watching him drive away with her brother in the front seat. It had only been a couple of days since he’d captivated her with warm kisses, a firm, sure touch and immense pleasure.

In some ways it seemed like ages ago and her body felt like it was starving for him while on the other hand it was recent enough that she could remember every exquisite moment of it. Sex with Rusty Hawkins was a thing of beauty… an original masterpiece.

Forcing her mind away from Rusty she got busy finishing up the birthday cake she was working on for a customer. Then she began cleaning up while waiting for the patron to pick up the cake. Once the customer was gone she started closing duties.

Just as she headed to the door of the shop to lock up so she could start boxing things up from the display cases and get finished up, she noticed Rusty and her brother walking down the sidewalk toward the door. Ian Hamilton was with them along with two other men Amy didn’t know.

One of the two men with them was a big guy with movie star good looks. He wasn’t as big as Ian by any means but was the next biggest in comparison to the others. With brown wavy hair and a chiseled chin, he probably didn’t lack for dates. The other man oozed sex appeal like he’d rolled around in it. He was dressed like he’d stepped out of a fashion magazine with accessories that included a lopsided grin and piercing green eyes.

She held the door open for all of them instead of locking it. Amy nearly asked the group to stop and pose for a picture so she could send it to Renee just to rub in the fact that by not being at the shop at the moment, Renee was missing all the eye candy.

Ian was carrying a large box that, by the looks of it, contained a new window for the shop. Mr. Handsome carried a plastic bag from a local hardware store laden with caulk, a caulking gun and some other items. Mr. Sexy was carrying a tool bag. Rusty was carrying a large empty trashcan and her brother was carrying…
an application.

Along with having the power to make her into a big puddle of lust with a simple smile, Rusty could also kill a mood quickly.
What was his problem?
Why was helping her brother get a job so important to him? Why couldn’t he just let it go? People were exceptionally rude at times and working with the general public could be a nightmare. Danny didn’t need to experience that… especially if it put his health at risk!

“Look at my friends, Amy! This is Ronnie,” Danny introduced Mr. Handsome, who held out his hand to shake hers. “And this is Seth,” Danny finished pointing out Mr. Sexy who also held his hand out.

Then Danny turned to Ian and said, “Do you remember, Ian? He helped move my things to the home, Amy. Remember him?”

“Yes, I remember Ian,” Amy assured him.

“He’s friends with Rusty! They were friends all along… even back when Ian moved my stuff to the home,” Danny laughed.

“Yep… small world, huh?” Ian said smiling at Danny.

Amy could only stand back and watch in amazement as the four men helped her brother install a window. There were plenty of opportunities where any one of them could have just taken over the task and been done much faster.

Instead they each took turns explaining the next step in the process to Danny and helping him with it. A little more than an hour later, her brother finished calking the window and listened intently as Seth explained that the window shouldn’t be messed with until the caulk dried… which Danny then explained to her, even though she’d already heard the instructions.

If Rusty was trying to prove a point to her in that Danny was capable, he’d made a pretty good showing of it. Amy knew Danny was capable… that wasn’t the issue that she had with him getting a job. The hesitation came in not knowing what he could do as far as a job that wouldn’t potentially cause more problems with his heart. However, she wasn’t about to tell Mr. Know It All that.

“My wife and I are having a cookout this weekend, you and Danny are more than welcome to come out for some burgers, swimming and a really good time,” Seth offered. He wrote some information on a piece of paper and handed it to Danny.

“Amy makes the best cupcakes in the
world
,” Danny supplied. “Maybe I can help her make some to bring to your house, Seth.”

Seth looked first at Danny, then at her and finally to Rusty who tried to look anywhere but at Amy. In that moment Amy realized two things. Her brother was beside himself with excitement over the invitation and Rusty was praying they would say no. These guys had done enough to help her out by putting in the window.

“I have to work this weekend. Thanks for the invitation but we can’t,” she replied placing a protective hand on Danny’s arm.

“I don’t have a job so I could go,” Danny said, looking at her.

“I can’t drive you, Danny. Besides, I thought maybe you could help me out here at the shop for a couple of hours this weekend,” Amy said, attempting to sweeten the deal.

Danny looked confused for a moment but then said, “Maybe I can go to the cookout with Rusty this time and help you at AmyCakes the
next
time.”

“I don’t think so, Danny. Not this time,” she said, hoping he would drop the matter since she could see that Rusty was uncomfortable with the invitation and the ensuing argument between her and Danny.

As happened often when he’d lived at the home, Danny’s expression turned to one of frustration but this time he didn’t have a bedroom to escape to so he said, “I’m a grown up now, Amy. I can go to the cookout if I want to and I want to go. Can I ride with you, Rusty?”

“Listen. I need to get home,” Seth said, obviously uncomfortable with the tension his innocent invitation had caused. “It was great to see you again, Danny, and it was nice to meet you, Amy. If you guys can come, that’s great. If not, maybe some other time.”

Ian and Ronnie also made quick excuses and even faster goodbyes and soon the three of them were outside and heading down the sidewalk toward their vehicles. It was then that Amy realized she hadn’t offered them some cookies, cupcakes or even money for their help with the window. She could only assume that Rusty was the one who’d actually paid for the window but them coming out to help was appreciated and in the ensuing argument with Danny she’d lost her manners.

“Will you take me with you to the cookout?” Danny asked Rusty yet again once the guys were gone.

“If that’s what you want… sure,” Rusty replied.

Amy felt her whole face heat up from the anger and frustration she felt. Instead of letting her and Danny work things out for themselves, he’d once again stepped in and taken over. Giving Danny his way every time wasn’t right and would only make things worse in the long run.

Sure, Danny lived with Rusty and it wouldn’t be anything for him to catch a ride … but what about her getting to spend time with Danny? Not to mention, five minutes earlier he’d looked like he didn’t want either one of them at the cookout… so why not back her up in this?

“How much do I owe you for the window?” she asked Rusty angrily.

He handed her a receipt so she wrote him a check for the amount of the window, thanked him, and then busied herself finishing up closing duties for the shop. Rusty took the hint that she was mad so he and Danny left. By the time she made it home, took Grudge outside and then fixed herself a sandwich, she was really mad.

Forget mad… she was downright pissed off. How dare he constantly butt into her business? Whether he lived with her or not, Danny was
her
business… not Rusty’s! He might know Danny from twenty years ago but he didn’t know him
now
. Aside from the fact that Danny took medication for his heart problems, Rusty didn’t know
anything
about his so called
friend
.

After cleaning up from dinner and taking Grudge outside once more, she grabbed her purse and keys and then headed to Rusty’s house. It was late but what she had to say to him wouldn’t take long. She could call him but that gave him the option of hanging up on her and what she had to say needed said face to face anyway.

As she marched up the driveway and started down the sidewalk, he suddenly opened the door and stepped outside, closing the front door behind him.

“He’s asleep, so you’ll have to bitch at me out here,” he said gruffly. “I don’t want you to wake him because he’s had a long day. Working tires a man out.”

Even all moody and confrontational… why did he have to look
and
sound so good? She was mad as hell but that didn’t stop her from appreciating a frustrated or even
angry
Sergeant Hawkins… just
yum
. Forcing her mind away from all the testosterone dripping from the man, she instead focused on his face.

Unfortunately that wasn’t working either as her eyes found his mouth first… firm lips she could remember well. Then her gaze followed his strong jaw which was covered in a reddish colored shadow of beard growth.

“That is exactly my point, Rusty!” She managed to say amidst the distraction he presented. “Working wears him out, which can’t be good for his heart!”

“He’s more mentally and emotionally worn out than physically, Amy,” he replied. “You’re looking for trouble where there is none.”

“I just want to know why, if you didn’t want Danny and me to go to the cookout, you would then go and tell him that you will take him?” she asked. “I was trying to give you an out for having to take him! All you had to do was back me up! Take my side for once! Instead, you agree to drive him over there. I don’t get it…”

“Take your side?” Rusty said in disgust. “Are you kidding me? What are we? In grade school or some shit? There aren’t sides here, Amy! If there were, then I side with Danny getting to make some decisions about his own life for once. There’s a novel idea! He spent most of his life having Sylvia control his every move only for the string to be cut just long enough for you to tie yours on! He’s a grown ass man! Down Syndrome doesn’t make him incapable, regardless of what you may think or what Sylvia always said.”

“I never…
ever
… said he wasn’t capable,” she ground out in frustration. “I’m just saying that his heart may not be able to handle a job.”

“His heart can’t handle him having a job? Or
you
can’t handle him having a job?” Rusty asked. Then after a pause he said, “Have you even
asked
his cardiologist about his limitations?”

“Danny has regular checkups with him, but all he ever says is to keep an eye on his diet, mild exercise like walking and to make sure he takes his medicine,” she replied.

“Did. You. Ask. Him. About. Danny. Working?” Rusty asked emphasizing each word as though Amy had ignored his question completely, when in fact she’d answered it fully. Well… mostly.

“No… I haven’t,” she finally admitted. “Happy now?”

“Your job is to
help
him and
support
him in his choices… not make them for him,” Rusty said, glancing around the neighborhood and then heading for his front door. “We should take this inside before we wake not only Danny, but the neighbors too.”

He was right but some sick part of her liked how Danny rushed outside, in his excitement, to find her sometimes or waited for her in the doorway of the group home. It wasn’t all shameful like Rusty made it sound. Danny
wasn’t
her pet… he was her brother.

She enjoyed how Danny gushed about the decorations in the shop, the smell of the bakery and the taste of the different cakes she made. Getting to know him after all these years was a privilege and if he had his own job… what if they ended up working different hours from each other and it messed up their visits?

Sure she didn’t enjoy arguing with Danny but they didn’t
always
argue. Okay… so they did argue a lot but again it was one of those things she secretly loved and hated all at once. Having grown up an only child she’d missed not having a sibling to both argue and share secrets with. In his own special way, Danny fulfilled that for her in a way even Renee couldn’t. It was selfish but she wanted his undivided attention for just a little while longer.

“No… Rusty. No job… at least not now,” she replied, stopping in the middle of his living room while Rusty closed the door.

She could see the waves of anger rolling off of Rusty but she was mad too. He approached and stood only a couple of feet away from her with his hands on his hips. He was breathing heavily as though trying to control himself. God help her… between his looks, the spicy smell of his aftershave and the angry vibes radiating out from him… it was exciting the hell out of her.

“Damn you, woman… you are going to push him away if you don’t learn to compromise with him. If that’s what you want… then who am I to stop you from driving that wedge home? So just go for it, Amy,” he said, stepping up close to her so his quiet angry words could rain down on her. “Some other advice I doubt you’ll take but need to hear is that you need to put surveillance cameras inside the shop. I think that broken window was a message from Les that worked at the home. His way of getting even with you over him losing his job.”

“I don’t listen to
you?
I don’t answer
your
questions? What about
mine
, Rusty?” she asked. “Why didn’t you back me up over this cookout at your friend’s house? Why did you give in and agree to take him if you didn’t want him to go?”