Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (14 page)

     Tension seeped out of me at getting my way. “That
sounds good.” I tossed the wet cloth into the sink. “Luka, Seth is taking me to
get my car. You and Issy need to pack up what you need tonight since we will
probably be leaving early tomorrow.” I looked at Seth for verification.

     “Around nine.” He confirmed.

     “No problem.” Luka responded as we stepped into our
shoes.

     “I’ll be right back.” I told him as we walked out the
door. Making our way down the stairs Seth unlocked his truck and then assisted
me in. This was the third time he’d helped me in and I found it strange. I was
so used to doing things myself that having someone help me was tantamount to saying
I was helpless. I wasn’t.

     “You know, I’ve been getting inside a vehicle all on my
own for years. It’s not that difficult.” I said climbing in.

     Seth moved in close reaching over me. I sucked in my
breath as he did and received a heavy dose of his scent. It went straight to my
head.
Bog(
God
)
! He smelled good…dark and intoxicating. His bare
neck was directly in front of my face and I couldn’t stop myself from inhaling
deeper.  

     Seth’s head whipped my way and then I was staring him
straight in the eyes. The blue of his gaze latched onto mine and the breath
froze in my lungs at the heated intensity in them.

     “I’m sure you can get into a vehicle just fine, but is
it so awful to receive a helping hand now and again.” His breath washed over me
spilling a faint sent of sweet cake and chocolate from the dessert he’d just ate.
I bet the taste of him would be just as sweet. I nearly groaned at that wayward
reflection. I did not need to be contemplating those types of thoughts.

     Seth’s hand had taken a hold of the seatbelt and was
drawing it over my body slowly. He didn’t touch any part of me physically, but
the resulting effect felt like he did. When he finally moved back my skin felt
ultrasensitive.

     “I’m used to doing things on my own.” I voiced huskily.

     “But does it have to be that way all the time?” His gaze
searched mine. 

     “I’m just used it.” I repeated inanely.

     Seth’s hand came up toward my face. I froze again as
his finger moved over the skin of my cheek to the back of my ear and realized
he was smoothing hair behind my ear. The contact left a tingly burn in its
wake.

     “You need to let some of that control lose sometimes.”
He proclaimed.

     “That’s easier said than done. I’ve been managing
things for five years now; I can’t just let the reigns loose after all that
time.”

     Seth’s gaze sharpened. “Five years? That’s the time you
came to the States. When did your parent’s pass away, Nadia?”

     Pain hit me at the mention of my parents releasing me
from the spell of Seth’s scent and stare. “We should probably get going so I
can get back and pack for tomorrow.” I said looking away from him.

     I could feel Seth’s broodingly stare before he relented
to my deflection. Shutting the door he moved around to the driver’s side. I
gave him quick directions as he pulled out of the parking space.

     “So, how long…”

     “How many people are going to be at this beach house?”
I asked interrupting whatever Seth was going to say. He might have been
repeating the same question or asking a different one, either way I wanted to
get control of this conversation.

     His mouth twisted realizing my ploy. “All five of us
guys are going as well as another teammate, plus Nic’s girlfriend, Carrie, and
Noah’s girlfriend, Amanda. You’ve met Carrie. She was the one that let you in
the house that first day. She took quite a shine to you; all impressed with
your plumber status.”

     I looked at him in surprise, ignoring the relief that
poured through me at finding out the black haired girl wasn’t his girlfriend.
“Really! She’s going to college and is probably going to be something so much
more remarkable than a plumber.” Right before the last word left my mouth I
realized that I was belittling my career…and every other plumber out there with
what I’d just blurted. “Not that I think my career isn’t important, but why
would she be so impressed?” I amended.

     He returned my look of surprise. “Are you kidding me?
You’ve achieved so much for how young you are. Shit, you’re already established
in your career while the rest of us haven’t even finished school yet. Even
thought I’m older I feel like a babe next to you.”

     Astonishment rolled through me. I couldn’t believe someone
who came from money and was going to college would be awed by my career choice.
“Well, thanks.” I said gawkily, and because I was uncomfortable with this
sudden turn I turned it around on him. “What are you going to school for?”

     “Business and Architecture. My family owns a
construction company and I’m expected to take the reigns. That’s why I know a
thing or two about plumbing. Every summer I work on my dad’s crews learning
every aspect of building development. He’s made sure that I work my way up from
the bottom.” He threw me a crooked grin.

     “Do the guys make it hard on you or kiss your ass as
the son of the owner?” I asked grinning, but also curious. Tom’s son had
already been an established plumber when I joined the team so I hadn’t really been
able to critique him starting out.

     “It’s a little of both. The new guys tip-toe around me
afraid to get on my wrong side in case I take my complaints to my father, but
the old timers have no problem ordering me around. I’m the grunt and the
gopher.” Seth grunted out a laugh.

     I chuckled as well. Imagining someone of Seth’s largeness
allowing himself to be treated as an errand boy was too funny.

     “How did the guys treat you when you first started?”
Seth asked.

     I chuckled again. “I encountered a variety of attitudes
and neither age nor seniority denoted how they behaved toward me. Some treated
me like a daughter or a sister while others wondered why a girl was bothering
to do so called ‘mans’ work.” I shook my head at the archaic thought. “Plumbing
isn’t even all that much hard labor except for a toilet or tub now and then. Apart
from Jerry I still work with all of the guys I started the program with, and
now that they know I can do the work the same as them they all treat me as an
equal as well as a sister or daughter.”

     Seth chuckled at my comment on ‘mans work’ but then
turned serious. “What happened with Jerry?” He grumbled.

     I gave him a look. “Like you don’t know. I heard that
you called and complained about him. That was only the third time I’d worked
with Jerry and I’d basically reached my limit with him. I was planning to take
my own criticisms to Tom that night about him. I may have looked like a push
over that day allowing him to sit on his ass while I worked, but I was just letting
him dig his own grave. Tom questioned all of us on Jerry’s work ethics, and
while he wasn’t as bad with the other guys they also confirmed he was a bit of
a slacker with them as well. He’s been let go.”

     “The guy was a dick. I hate it when workers expect
others to pick up their slack, especially when they’re your superiors.” He
growled.

     “Yeah, I’m not such a fan of it myself. I’d rather work
alone than alongside someone like that.”

     “Hell, I can understand that, it only makes the work
environment more stressful.” He glanced my way. “You really like your job, don’t
you?”

     “I don’t hate it. I chose plumbing because it seemed a
relatively easy program to get into. I’d just moved here from Russia and it didn’t take me long to realize that I would need to depend on myself to take
care of me, my brother and my sister.”

     There was a slight pause in the conversation and I
abruptly realized what I’d just revealed.

     “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned the necessity
of a career while so young. Why is that?” Seth voiced.

    
Glupyy(
stupid
),
I hated it when my mouth
ran amuck. It was weird, while he caused my emotions to skitter
diko
(wildly),
Seth also put me at ease enough to where I revealed things I didn’t want to.

     “My dad died when I was thirteen and my mom at sixteen.
I knew I was going to have to take care of my brother and sister if I wanted us
to stay together so that’s why I needed a readily accessible career.” I said
hastily. It wasn’t that much of a secret even though I felt like I was ripping
off a bandage disclosing the particulars.

     “Did they put you in foster care?” He asked.

     “
Nyet
.” 

     When I didn’t disclose anything further he asked.
“Relatives?”

     If you could call them that. “
Da
.”

     He paused.

     “When did you take guardianship of your siblings?”

     “Eighteen.” I answered shortly again.

     “I take it these relatives of yours weren’t all that
great?” He queried in a dark voice and expression.

     I expelled a sigh. I didn’t want Seth to think that
we’d been abused, because we hadn’t been. We just hadn’t been wanted. “They
weren’t bad per say, just not…comfortable with the situation. Issy was only
five, Luka ten, and they both felt the lack of affection acutely after being so
loved by our mother. I wanted more for them.” Mother had wanted more for them;
she had just made the wrong decision. But if we would have stayed it might not
have been all that better.

     The past two years had improved for all of us so it
really hadn’t turned out that bad after all.
Rest easy
,
mat’
.

     “Luka and Issy are incredibly fortunate to have you in
their lives. Watching you with them tonight, it’s clear to see that you love
them and take your responsibility for them seriously. And they love you…like a
mother and sister.”

     I looked over at Seth gratified that he saw this. “
Spasibo
.
I promised my mother before she died that I would watch over them and I will
not fail her.” Not like my father had.

     Seth pulled into the parking lot of
Anderson
’s
alongside the only vehicle in the lot that didn’t have the business’s logo on
the side. It was also the only car in the lot, a 2009 blue Ford Fusion; paid
for free and clear.

     I turned to thank Seth but he was already hopping out
of the truck and moving around the front to my side. I grabbed for the door
handle to get out before he reached me but the lock was engaged slowing me
down. I pushed the unlock button, released my seatbelt, and exited the truck
nearly jumping into Seth’s arms as he rounded the door to stand in front of me.

     “Oops, sorry.” I moved around him quickly, edgy at his
closeness. I heard him give a deep sigh behind me and couldn’t help my grin at
the exasperated sound of it. I don’t know if he was making some kind of point
in assisting me, but I did like messing with him. “Thanks for dropping me off,
Seth. I guess I’ll see you around nine tomorrow.”

     I pushed the unlock button on my remote and was about
to open the driver’s door when a hand suddenly reached past me taking hold of
the handle. “Let me get that for you.” His breath whispered against my hair
tickling my ear. I shivered in reaction…only to the tickling sensation…not to
anything else.

     How in the heck had he moved up behind me without me
hearing him? It was unnatural for someone so large to move so silently.

     Seth caged me slightly and briefly as he opened the
door for me. I situated the door between us. “Let me give you my number.” Seth
said before I could slide in.

     Pulling my phone out of my purse I waited expectantly.
He rattled off a number and I punched it in and pressed send so he would have
mine as well. It rang through to his and then I saved it. Before I was able to
fall into my seat to get the hell away from his unsettling presence Seth placed
both hands on the door frame effectively trapping me. I looked up at him with
the blandest expression I could muster. Unfortunately, I was pretty sure the
color was rising in my face giving away my nervousness, so I could only hope
that the lighting in the parking lot wasn’t sufficient enough to see.

     “What?” My question came out more screechy than I
wanted.

     Seth’s indigo gaze drifted over my features leisurely,
but at the same time absorbedly, before connecting with my eyes. There was
something there that as a proficient gambler I should be able to read, but I
just wasn’t capable of distinguishing it at the moment. Maybe because my heart
was beating a mile a minute under the intense scrutiny.  

     “I had a good time tonight and I’m glad your brother is
okay. You have an amazing family. I’m also glad you’re coming tomorrow because
it has been nice getting to know you Nadia…
the real you
.”

     Seth’s hand rose and he tucked something in the front
of my work shirt pocket, right over my breast. My breath caught and I could
only stare memorized by the dark intensity of his gaze, but the flesh of my
breasts swelled and an electric heat shot through my body causing my held
breath to stutter out uncontrollably. The blue of Seth’s eyes seemed to turn
molten as he stepped back. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Nadia.”

     It took me a minute to realize I was free to get in my
car…which I did hurriedly. Seth stood unmoving as I fumbled with my key. Stupid
fingers wouldn’t work right. The key finally slid home and I twisted it and shifted
into drive. I told myself not to look, even threatened myself with all sorts of
vile consequences, but my eyes had a will of their own.

     As I pressed the accelerator I glanced sideways to see
that Seth continued to stand there staring at me with brooding intensity. A
shiver raced through my body and my foot stomped down on the pedal causing the
car to jerk forward suddenly. A startled squeak burst from my lips at the
unexpected motion, but the forward movement did break my eye contact with Seth so
I was able to focus and drive without the risk of crashing into something.