Meave (Naughty Witches Book 1) Page 2

  Maybe there was hope for him yet.

  I nodded and let him lead me over to the other section, getting confused in about two minutes as he rattled off about cylinders and attachments.

  Finally, I had to cut him off and just told him to get whatever one he preferred, that I could more than afford it.

  At least I was getting the mailbox upgrade I needed as well. I wasn’t going to tell Ash that I’d already planned on getting an extra-large one that had a locked bottom, but I saw him paying attention. He didn’t say anything though, seeming more curious as to why I needed such a big box.

  Yeah, too many times having the mailman—or woman—fold large envelopes up even when they were marked “do not bend,” and only an idiot wouldn’t make sure to have a larger box. I didn’t need layouts and proofs sent for final inspection getting beat up, slowing down work.

  Delivery was included with the riding mower, which was good because it wouldn’t have fit in the back of my SUV. Luckily, they could even bring it out the next day.

  Yeah, so it being fall worked for me right then.

  I stopped at Culver’s, asking what he wanted. After we got our food and parked, I shot him a look as he stuffed his face with fries.

  “I’m adding that to your bill,” I purred.

  He shrugged. “Add yours, too. I should at least buy you lunch for hurting your ankle. There’s a Walgreens right over there where we can get you a sleeve and what you need. Add that to my bill too.”

  I bit back a smirk. If I didn’t know better, he was trying to rack up the amount to be around me more.

  I really wouldn’t complain—and not just because I didn’t know anyone in the area.

  2

  Ashton

  Meave. It was such an exotic name. I looked it up, and it was Irish, meaning “she who intoxicates.”

  Yeah, that was accurate. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I was absolutely intoxicated. The second I saw her bright emerald eyes full of fire, even when they were full of anger at me. Her body was tight, and even without any makeup on, she was the prettiest girl I’d ever laid eyes on.

  No, woman. She was the most beautiful woman… Because she was all woman, not a girl. She was confident, and everything about her was sensual, seductive.

  She knew it too, playing that manager like I’d never seen before. She knew she had all the goods any man would want, and wasn’t shy about letting men be idiots.

  Like getting naked in front of her and immediately sporting wood, like a fucktard. I bit back a groan. I still couldn’t believe I did that.

  I couldn’t believe I wanted to do it again. Fuck. What was it about her?

  “Ashton!” a shrill voice sang out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

  I glanced over to see Courtney bouncing over to me before she tried to grab my arm. I dodged her, not even able to think about a girl touching me after meeting Meave.

  She narrowed her eyes slightly, noticing the move, but then slapped her typical fake smile on. “You never texted me back. I got so worried!”

  I opened my mouth to give my normal polite brushoff, but it felt heavy on my tongue. Why was I placating this girl, playing high school games? I might be in high school, but I didn’t want any part of that.

  “Yeah, I blocked you,” I admitted with a shrug, biting back a laugh at the anger and shock mixed in her eyes. I leaned in so not everyone around us would hear. “And next time you try to send pictures of tits that aren’t yours, maybe don’t send well-known pictures. It doesn’t just make you look desperate, but stupid.”

  “What? What?” she demanded as I turned and headed towards homeroom. “How dare you talk to me like that! Your mom’s gonna smack you.”

  People quieted down to watch what was going on, not just because she was loud. Most knew my mom had died—so her dig was extra cruel.

  I glanced at her over my shoulder, not hiding my disgust with her. “If you weren’t so busy learning who was scouting me and gave a shit about me, you’d know my mom died of cancer years ago.”

  She went pale, glancing around and realizing others weren’t on her side. I left before she could even try to pull a bullshit apology out of her ass.

  I was over it by the time first period finished, but others weren’t, giving me shocked glances. I never snapped at anyone and was always laid back, accepting probably too much. It wasn’t until third period that it hit me why I’d acted like that.

  I was pissed at Courtney because I’d hurt Meave because of her. I mean, the crash was my fault for sure. It was a stupid move and I was a complete asshole. But Courtney had known I was driving. I’d said that when I was using the speech to text on my phone.

  I’d been the idiot who had tapped on the screen when I saw the picture come in, not believing what I caught out of the corner of my eye from the holder on the dash of my truck. I did it. I wasn’t pushing blame back.

  However, you have to be some sort of bitch to send tit photos when you know someone’s driving.

  And not even of your own tits. For real.

  Still, it was my fault, and the guilt was eating me. I could have killed someone.

  Meave. I could have killed Meave. The thought of that made me physically sick. I pulled out my phone before the bell rang and sent her a text.

  Ash: How’s your ankle?

  Meave: Better. A bit swollen but doesn’t hurt after a couple of Tylenol.

  Ash: I’m glad. You’re going to stay off of it, right?

  Meave: Well you did talk me into a riding mower I don’t know how to use. ;)

  Ash: You still could get hurt even trying to use it with a sprained ankle. I’ll come do it after practice, I promise. I’ll get a ride to your house.

  Meave: I was kidding. The cleaning crew is coming for a complete clean. I got some work done instead of going for groceries.

  Ash: I’ll bring food if you want.

  Meave: I’ll take you up on that. The movers were “delayed” and now it’s going to be another several days. Assholes. So I don’t have anything to cook with anyways.

  Ash: Does anything deliver out to you? It will be hours until school and practice are over.

  Meave: Ash, I got this. I’ve been an adult for a while. It’s not even my first time moving. There’s also drive thru. I have a vehicle after all.

  Ash: Right, sorry. I’ll text you when I’m done with practice.

  Meave: Thanks

  I stared at my phone, wishing I could think of something else to say, something more… Not like a dipshit.

  “But I am a dipshit,” I grumbled under my breath as the bell rang. I slid my phone in my pocket, knowing the teachers were all over that. And Coach would be brutal at practice if he caught wind of any of us using our phones in class.

  He even demanded to not use it at school at all but that wasn’t realistic.

  By the time lunch rolled around, most everyone had moved onto something else juicy to talk about, and apparently, Courtney was fine with pretending it never happened. I swallowed my shock as she just sat down at the football players and cheerleaders’ regular table.

  She tried several times to talk to me, but I grunted, not giving her anything either way. I glanced at her a few times, taking in her appearance.

  I used to think she was pretty, but now… Now she just looked fake. She wore so much makeup, way over what most would for school. She was really into it too—way more than most girls—always talking about the new Kylie product she loved or wanted.

  I shook my head, thinking it all seemed so shallow. My thoughts turned to Meave. No makeup, and she was gorgeous, so real. No fake smiles. Sure, she played games, but it was like she played chess or poker—and Courtney was playing Candyland.

  What hadn’t I ever noticed that before?

  “You need a ride after practice?” Clay asked as he sat down.

  “Yeah, thanks. I might need a stop for food too,” I told him.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, whatever. You’ve driven my ass around enough. I cou
ld give you rides all year and not make it up to you.”

  “Oh, did something happen to your truck?” Courtney inquired.

  I glanced over at her and saw the amusement dancing in her eyes. Fucking bitch. She was actually hoping her picture was involved. Seriously, that was messed up. “I blew a tire.”

  “Oh, when?” she giggled, sounding like she wasn’t buying it.

  I wasn’t having any of it, especially since I knew she would try and turn this around. I was done letting it all go. “About an hour after I blocked you for sending me photos of tits that weren’t yours, and pretending they were.”

  Several people choked on their food or gasped, but I didn’t care. I was so over games girls played.

  I wanted to play with a woman.

  I wanted to play whatever Meave would let me.

  Shit.

  I ignored Courtney’s outrage and asked Clay about ideas for the AP Bio project for our midterm. Our first few proposals had been rejected by our teacher.

  After finding out they weren’t all that different from others in class, I was pretty sure the teacher assumed we were planning to copy people or just wanted to fuck with football players.

  Yeah, because we were all stupid bullies and jocks. I didn’t prove that stereotype. My teacher however, seemed to push the stereotype that people with an ax to grind taught high school so they could abuse their positions of power.

  There was no reason our ideas weren’t accepted besides to delay us. As if he assumed we’d fail getting it done in time. As if we couldn’t handle hard work.

  He wanted hard work? Try football camp in the mother fucking summer.

  I made it through the rest of school and then football, glad the coaches were starting to tone down practice from early season’s two hours a day.

  It was already middle of September, and we were losing daylight faster. Soon it would be only an hour practice for middle season.

  And then the best part… When football was over.

  I texted Meave when I was done, and she told me where she wanted food, and would call in the order and payment. Wow, she really was an adult.

  “So what’s really going on?” Clay asked after we were in his SUV and pulling out of the parking lot.

  “I fucked up, and luckily, an angel gave me another chance,” I admitted, filling him in on what I did.

  Clay wasn’t one to talk, and we were basically brothers. We lived down the block from each other growing up.

  One day, I crashed onto his lawn, too, except it had been with my bike. He had used the hose to wash off the blood from my skinned knee, and the rest was history.

  My mom had laughed so hard as I came hobbling home, soaked from head to toe and grinning like an idiot.

  But we were also bonded over our situations. His mom hadn’t really recovered from the loss of my mom who was her best friend and she worked all the time. After his dad bailed, and my mom died, she… She was doing her best to hold it together, but it left Clay alone.

  I knew the feeling, but we had each other.

  “You seriously just whipped it out for some woman you didn’t know?” he asked, giving me a look like he wasn’t buying it.

  “Dude, take one look at her and tell me you wouldn’t show her any and everything she wanted.”

  “How old? We talking cougar?”

  “I hate that term,” I grumbled, offended for Meave. “It’s so sexist and demeaning. People fucking worshipped the Playboy guy, but women get a shit name.”

  “All right, all right, you feminist, I shouldn’t have said it,” he agreed. “I think it’s more the predator thing, but you’re right, every other porno is some older guy luring an innocent girl into his house and that’s okay.”

  “Right.”

  “So, how old is she?”

  I shrugged. “Early thirties? I didn’t ask. Shit, I don’t care. She’s like J. Lo hot. You care that J. Lo’s fifty?”

  Clay snorted. “Fuck no. That woman could be a hundred and still hot. I know it. Baby, hit me one more time.”

  “That’s Britney Spears.”

  “I’d let her do anything to me too.”

  He had a fair point there.

  We stopped at the barbeque place not far from our subdivision and where Meave lived. We had to actually go through our subdivision to get to her place, but I had gone out the back way of the subdivision yesterday to get to the main road. It might have been further to go, but my house was right there on the edge, and driving back through the subdivision sometimes was a pain.

  It was hard not to laugh at how much food she ordered. Clay gave me a look and I shrugged it off, reminding him she’d just moved.

  We loaded it up: the two “super packs” of family meals, which each had three pounds of meat along with sides and extras. Yeah, I had no idea where Meave would put that.

  My stomach knotted when I realized she might not be living there alone. What if she had a husband? It didn’t seem too out there, given my stepmom flirted with any male that moved… Making Clay and myself uncomfortable more than once.

  I pushed it aside, barely knowing Meave and not willing to act jealous.

  A few minutes later we pulled into her driveway and Clay let out a whistle. “Damn, I didn’t think anyone was ever going to buy this place. She’s going to have to do some serious renovations for sure.”

  “She said she bit off more than she thought or something,” I admitted, already worried about that.

  “I wonder if she’s got a contractor lined up?” he asked, his eyes full of hope since he’d have reason to talk to his mom. It seemed harsh, but true. We both knew she really did try, but she was a single mother and she’d had a rough life.

  But she always, always made sure Clay knew she loved him.

  I wished my dad bothered to do that.

  I knocked on the door, both of us loaded with food.

  “It’s open,” she called from inside the house. I pushed the door open, noting it wasn’t in great shape. Front doors weren’t meant to be pushed open if the deadbolt wasn’t in place and this one did. “I don’t give a fuck how much they’re offering.

  “The product is shit, and the reviews all reflect that. Don’t be short-sighted because you need to fucking get laid. You have a whole phone of guys that will ride you hard. Call me after they do.”

  I blinked at her as she ended the call and dropped her phone on the counter, Clay snickering behind me.

  “Awesome, I’m starved,” she sighed as she moved over to us. She smiled at me and my heart beat faster. I swore it did. Her full lips smiled and my body fucking reacted. Insane.

  I raked my eyes over her long legs barely covered by workout shorts. She was in a sports bra that—while full coverage—made my cock thicken from her voluptuous breasts being just there. And that was before I noted her flat stomach, toned arms, and perfect shoulders.

  “Who’s your friend?” she asked when I just stood there. She was smirking at me and I cleared my throat.

  “This is Clay. Clay, this is Meave,” I introduced as I moved further into the kitchen, setting everything down.

  “Wow, he wasn’t kidding that you are fucking hot,” Clay whispered, blinking at her.

  She snickered as I about wanted to melt into the floor. “Aww, you’re sweet. I’m not sure I believe you, when it hit fucking ninety today and this place doesn’t have AC yet, but you’re sweet.”

  “Yet? So you’re planning to renovate?” Clay asked, a bit too much excitement in his tone.

  I cut in before she got the wrong impression. “His mom is an architect that works for a good firm, but she works a lot.”

  She smiled brightly at him. “So, a mama’s boy wanting to bring in a lead?” She laughed when Clay gave an embarrassed shrug. “That’s sweet.

  “Yes, I’m planning an overhaul, and I would love to talk to a woman about ideas. For one, they don’t try to get sex out of the deal, or treat me like I’m mentally impaired because I don’t know about construction.
”

  “Her work is good, but the price reflects it,” Clay bragged. “But she doesn’t fuck people over or cut corners. And she hates shady contractors and won’t have any problem at least warning you who to stay away from, even if you don’t pick her.”

  “A woman after my own heart,” Meave purred. “You carry her cards around with that pitch?”

  “No, but I’ll leave her a note with the info she’d need, and she’ll at least call if she’s too busy,” he promised. “I mean, if you want?”

  “I want,” she accepted, turning and leaning over to the counter where there was a notepad and pen. I bit back a groan as it pushed her firm booty up. “If you guys are hungry, help yourselves.

  “The mower was delivered and in the garage, Ash. If you’re planning on using your friend to help you pay off the debt, I’ll be annoyed and double it.”

  “Nope, I’m just the ride,” Clay chirped before I could even say anything. “But I will not say no to free food from an awesome place, so put me to work too.”

  She finished what she was doing and handed Clay the piece of paper.

  “That’s everything your mom should need to start. I don’t want a rush job, but if she could at least make it a priority to inspect and talk with me, I’d appreciate it.

  “I need to know if I have a real place, because I have meetings all week about it.” She waited until he nodded. “The cleaning place didn’t clean the garage, so you’re more than welcome to.”

  He shrugged and didn’t mind. We loaded up the paper plates she had with food. And at first, she offered us beers, snickering when we gave her hesitant looks.

  “I’m messing with you. You might be legal to fuck, but I don’t give alcohol to anyone underage,” she muttered, handing us each a bottle of Coke.

  I was seconds from dumping it over my head after hearing her so casually talk of having sex with us. Clay seemed to have about the same reaction.

  “So they didn’t do the garage?” I asked after we found stuff to sit on.

  She cleared her throat and glanced out at the open garage. “It wasn’t part of it but they didn’t—” She blew a raspberry. “I told them to get the fuck out when I saw their idea of cleaning.