Free Bookish by Olivia Hawthorne, Olivia Long

basement, love?”
    I pointed to the door and threw a couple towels under the table where water was pooling.
    He was back in moments, ducked under the sink and started to work. I heard him grunt, admired his straining back muscled and long, thick legs, and the fact that he wasn’t afraid to dive in and help out in a crisis.
    I looked over and caught Auntie Abby staring at me. She gave me an approving look and raised her eyebrows at me. It made me feel warm to know that she liked him.
    The water stopped all at once and a very wet Isaac pulled himself from underneath.
    “Well, that should do it for now,” he said and stood. He grabbed one last dry towel from me and mopped his face dry. “Do you have a good plumber?” he asked Auntie Abby.
    “If I did, I wouldn’t have had this happen,” she said.
    “Do you have good insurance?” he asked.
    She shook her head, “They won’t cover this. The house is too old.”
    “I’ve got a guy,” Isaac replied and turned to wink at me.
    Great, he just moved into town and already had a guy. I’d been here for years and knew nothing about finding anybody reliable. Just last year we’d hired somebody to fix a leak on the roof, had paid him up front and never heard from him again. I’ll bet that idiot would have never ripped off a man like Isaac.
    “That’s good news,” Auntie Abby replied and kept mopping up the water.
    Isaac pulled out his phone, which thankfully survived his apparent soaking, and placed a call. When he was finished, he assured us, “He’ll be here in half an hour.”
    We all set to mopping water, squeezing towels into the sink and repeating our motions. It was almost midnight by the time Isaac’s guy made it to the house. It was after one in the morning by the time it was all fixed and we had a brand new faucet.
    Isaac waved Auntie Abby’s wallet away and told the guy to put it on his tab.
    Serious heart breaking material, right there. I wondered if he had been like that with everyone he’d dated, then shoved the thought down before I allowed myself to think about the models and beautiful actresses he’d been with.
    My flabby body, their razor sharp edges and perfect bodies. What was I thinking? I couldn’t let him see me naked!
    “Are you okay?” he asked and rubbed my back.
    “Yeah, just a little tired,” I replied. We were still mopping the kitchen, but it was about ninety nine percent done. My flare up of insecurity was threatening to kick my ass, I must have been more exhausted than I had considered.
    “Me too,” he said and nuzzled the back of my neck with his perfect lips. His stubble grazed my sensitive skin and made me shiver. The hairs on my arms stood on end and I felt my nipples harden in response. “What do you say we go back to my place and get some…sleep?”
    I turned in his arms and faced him. The insecurity was talking now and I would do anything it took to keep him from seeing my nude form at that moment. “I’m exhausted,” I said, and it was true but I’m sure a night of sensual sex would perk me up, but I wouldn’t let myself give in. “I don’t think it’s going to happen tonight, I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be,” he said and lifted his thumb to my cheek as if brushing away another eyelash, “I can wait to find out if my wish will come true…all of it.”
    I blushed and didn’t have time to reply, he kissed me. Gently at first, then with more insistence, more need. I was completely lost in his kiss, the soft and firm feel of his lips, his hot tongue snaking around mine, the little growls of need he made against my mouth. I didn’t hear Auntie Abby come in until she cleared her throat.
    “Ahem,” she said, “this isn’t a brothel I’ll have you know.”
    He stepped back but held my hands. “I know,” he replied with a grin, “I’m quite aware of the respectable nature of your fine establishment. I was simply saying good bye.”
    “Well you can do it on the front step, or in your car,” she