Something in his tone and the look on his face has my pulse speeding up. “Uh, okay?”
“Why the fuck aren’t you wearing any underwear?”
Choking on my own spit, my eyes go wide. “Excuse me?” I sputter through a cough.
He throws an arm in my direction, eyes widening. “You’re fucking free-ballin’ it in my damn gym, Josiah! I saw everything, and just… who the fuck goes commando to work out?In shortsto boot.”
Ooooh, fuck. My face warms, and I know without even looking, it’s flaming red. “Segan, listen…” This is so fucking embarrassing. “It’s not like I expected you to text me today and ask to hang out. I’m doing all my laundry, and all my underwear is currently in the wash. I didn’t think it would be a big deal to go without. Clearly, I didn’t think it through.”
“Yeah, you think,” he huffs.
“I mean, you should feel lucky. I usually make someone buy me dinner first before they see the goods,” I joke, not able to hold back my chuckle.
Segan’s eyes narrow, and he doesn’t laugh with me. His cheeks are flushed, but I can’t tell if it’s from the workout or from getting flashed. I can’t deny how fucking cute he looks flustered. “Well, as fun as this has been, I think we can call it a day.”
Nodding silently, I follow him to the exit. It’s pouring when we step outside, the rain coming down in thick sheets.
Lovely. The last thing I want to do is ride the forty minutes back to my house in a downpour. There’re puddles everywhere, and it looks like it’s been raining for a while, but we didn’t notice because the gym has no windows aside from the one on the door. Lightning strikes, making the now gray sky glow with its intensity.
He walks me in through the house so I can change back into my jeans and jacket before we head out front. The tension between us isn’t pleasant, and Segan’s body is tense, his shoulders squared. We stand several feet apart on his porch, and I feel like I should say something, but I don’t know what.
Sorry you saw my junk?
Did you at least like it? No, definitely not that option.
Blowing out a breath, I settle with, “So, uh, I’ll talk to you later?”
Segan rolls his eyes. “Sure.”
I nod, giving a half-hearted wave, albeit awkwardly, just as a loud clap of thunder sounds in the sky.Perfect.Jogging down the steps, I shove my helmet onto my head, throwing my leg over the bike, and sit down on my now drenched seat. My ass is soaked in seconds. I start the bike, giving one last look in Segan’s direction, and he’s watching me peculiarly. Like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.
Segan lives at the end of a long gravel road. It has to be at least a couple of miles long, and it’s not exactly the best road to drive down on a motorcycle in the middle of a rainstorm. As I near the end of the gravel, about to hit the main intersection, a fallen tree limb comes into view. It’s massive, and it’s taking up the length of the road.
“Fuck,” I hiss, shoving my kickstand down and climbing off. My clothes, my hair, everything, is fucking drenched, my jeans sticking to my legs. Not exactly the best feeling when you’re going commando. Too much longer in these, I’m going to start chaffing.
I try pushing the limb out of the way several times, but it’s not budging. It’s fuckingsolid.
How the fuck is this happening right now?
Pulling my phone out of the pocket of my leather jacket, I’m shocked it isn’t soaked too. I pull up Ash’s number, intending to call them to come help me, butof fucking course, I have no service and can’t make the damn call.
Not wanting to have to turn around and go back to Segan’s, where he’s clearly quite irritated with me and my free balls, I continue to try to no avail to move the tree limb off the road. It’s not like I can go around it. There’s a ditch on either side of the gravel, and beyond that is nothing but green terrain. Not exactly something I can ride the motorcycle across.
“Goddamnit!” Hands on my hips, chest heaving with ragged breaths, I throw my head back, rain pelting my face as I gather myself. I have to go back to Segan’s and ask for his help. It’s clearly the only way, but fuck me, if that isn’t the last thing I want to do.
Back at his house, I reach into my left saddlebag and pull out my bike cover. It’s already fucking soaked, but I don’t need it to get even more so. Blowing out a breath, I trek up the steps, banging my hand against the wood door. It only takes him a minute to open it, his eyes landing on me and face falling.
“What’s going on?”
“I need your help.”
His brows pinch. “With what?”
“There’s a huge fallen tree limb across the road toward the end of your driveway. I can’t move it on my own, and I can’t drive around it either. I need your help moving it out of the way so I can get out of here.”
Segan looks past me before heaving a sigh and stepping to the side. “Just get inside. You can wait out the storm here.”
“What? Why? You can’t just help me?” He’s giving me whiplash. First, he was so adamant I go, and now, he’s inviting me in? Not that I’m complaining, but he’s not making any sense.
