Make Me Stay: Make Me, #3

Chapter One

Kamden Stone lamented his lot in life as he drove up the gravel road that would take him to Everly Mason's home. Sundays were meant for rest and relaxation, not menial chores he wasn't in the mood for. He tried to stifle his frustration and resentment. His mother meant well when she did things like this. She wanted him to move on with his life and find happiness and love. She simply didn't understand how circumstances in his life had changed him, removing illusions of grandeur. He took a deep breath, easing off the gas, trying to get his head on straight.

He was who he was.

There was nothing he could do about it.

He made it to the unfinished driveway, parked several feet from the house currently under renovation, and reached for the gloves he'd stashed in the glove compartment.At least he wouldn't be here long. Three frosts had hit the area, so removing the wasp nests wouldn't pose much of an issue. Everly had mentioned her allergy and dilemma when his father had dropped in to check on her. She'd told him she'd take care of them before the spring, but that didn't matter. His father had shared the information with his mother, who informed Kamden he'd better go over as soon as possible to eliminate the issue. He'd put the chore off for a week, gotten calls from his parents to ask if he'd taken care of the problem, and decided it was best to get things over with.He only hoped he could behave himself. The young woman he was about to face had a voice like honey and a smile that made him want to do all sorts of things to her.

He could only handle her in small doses.

Gazing out the window, he looked to see if she or the dogs she cared for were around. His mother indicated she worked with a local rescue, offering pooches sanctuary and care until they were adopted. The front doors to the house and trailer were closed, and he could make out a couple of forms in the large kennels she'd placed between the two. Unable to see anything of importance, he figured she must be working on the house. He shook his head, wondering how the fuck she stayed warm on days like this. Winter weather in Alabama could be the absolute worst. Whereas some days were warm, others were freezing cold. It was unlikely she'd had the heating and air looked at yet.

Tucking the gloves into his coat, he opened the door and climbed out. A gust of biting wind hit him in the face, reminding him that a cold front was moving in. In an effort to stay warm, he closed the door and moved, deciding to check the house first. Midway there, he heard a deep howl coming from within, indicating he'd find the woman he needed to speak with inside. He marched up the stairs, walked over the porch, and to the entrance.

Before he could knock, he heard a soft voice order. Place.

Shuffling came from inside, followed by purring praise and then soft footsteps. With the click of a lock, the door opened wide, and the woman he'd avoided for weeks appeared right in front of him. She had wood stain on her shirt and overalls. The thin red bandana covering her nose and mouth had seen better days. She'd braided her thick fall of sun-kissed brown hair into two rows that cascaded over her shoulders and tossed on the baseball cap she always wore.

Her hazel eyes were full of confusion as she yanked the bandana down, revealing her pert nose, full lips, and rounded chin. Kamden? She shifted to the side so she could look behind him, trying to see if he was alone. Once she knew he'd visited her on his lonesome, her gaze returned to his. Is everything okay? What are you doing here?

Dad said you had some nests you need gone, he informed her, slipping his gloves on. Take me to them.

Her brows came together and she frowned. I told him I could handle it.

Be that as it may, he said, feeling as annoyed as she sounded, he wants me to help. He won't let me hear the end of it until I do. He lifted his head, meeting her level stare. Show me where they are and we can both go about our day. Her eyes darkened and her lips thinned, making it apparent she wasn't happy he'd interrupted her. He understood her reaction on numerous levels. He didn't like it when people showed up at his home unannounced. Look. He lowered his voice, making things clear. You let me do this, or when he asks if I got this done, I'll have to tell him you told me to leave. Then he'll be paying you another visit to take care of it. He's not as spry as he used to be, and I don't want him climbing on shit if I can help it. Do us both a favor, and show me where they are.

Her hesitation and uncertainty reminded him of their differences. She had to be a decade younger than him, if not more. She was also delicately made and lean as a newborn colt. In contrast, he stood at six foot four inches tall and was built like his father. His size might be intimidating, especially as they were on her property alone. He also didn't know her story or why she'd moved so far into the country, so there could be more to it. They'd only spoken twice, when she'd visited his parent's home, so she didn't know him that well. He'd been polite as his family would kill him otherwise, going through the motions, but he'd been distant and left as soon as he could. There was a good chance she didn't trust him or want him around her. As a single woman living alone, he respected her concern.

After several seconds, she took a step back, giving him room to enter. They're in the attic.

He waited until she was clear, not wanting to crowd her, and entered the house. To his surprise, she'd accomplished numerous things. The floors had been sanded, stained, and resealed. The walls had also been smoothed out and repainted. She'd even tackled the ceiling. At the moment, she was working on the fireplace. She'd replaced the brick portions with variegated stone,adding an indented area, and was in the middle of refinishing the hearth. His attention landed on the large dog he'd met when he'd cut down a rotting tree on his parent's land. The tricolored animal rested on a bed, mouth open and tag flopping. A couple of kerosene heaters were going, and she had turned on a rotating fan to move air through the room.

She closed the door and faced him. It's this way.

He didn't tell her he knew the place. The previous resident had been a friend of his parents, so he'd dropped things off here and there when he'd been asked. Frank Wilson had several health issues and hadn't been a neat or tidy person. The last time he'd come inside, the place had been in pretty rough shape. Seeing what she'd done in such a short amount of time was truly impressive.

They made it to the hallway, and she went to retrieve a step ladder. Not wanting to be a complete dick by reminding her he could reach the cord above them, he cleared his throat and stared at her. She looked over her shoulder, saw him in the hallway, and realized what he was trying to communicate. He tugged the panel down, unfolded the stairs, and stepped aside so she could lead the way.

She hurried over and started climbing. I hope you're not afraid of spiders.

He ignored what she said, moving behind her, when he peered up and got a good look at her ass. Damn it. For a trim girl, she certainly had a nice one, all plump and round. The globes shifted from side to side with each step. It took everything in him not to reach out and give one of her cheeks a playful smack.

Don't even fucking go there.

He ripped his eyes from the delectable sight, thinking he needed to get his dick under control, and followed her up. The girl was off-limits. His mother and father would kill him if he treated her like his one-night stands. They'd made it clear how much they liked her, talking about her every chance they could, inviting her over every Sunday. It was the reason his father insisted he get off his ass and help her with the nests in the first place.

He climbed up and noted she'd cleaned everything out. She'd even dusted.

Busy little bee.

He bit back a smile when he realized she'd brought up spiders to be a smart-ass. A few might linger here and there, but there weren't many hiding spots for the ones a person should really worry about. She went to the window and showed him the nests near the ceiling. There were several of them clustered together. By summer, they'd be in bloom. It was a good thing his father was looking out for her.

I need a garbage bag.

She dug into her pocket and pulled one out. Here.

Was all that at the door for show? He took the plastic bag from her, cocking a brow, teasing her even though a voice in his head said he was treading into dangerous waters.

She stilled, meeting his gaze. What do you mean?

You acted surprised to see me, but you have what I need with you. You were expecting me, weren't you? He almost grinned when his words landed. She looked stunned and surprised. He didn't stop there, continuing, You could have made me some coffee to fight the chill. It's cold as hell up here.

I keep a couple of garbage bags with me at all times. In case you haven't noticed, I'm restoring a house, she replied briskly, placing her hands on her trim hips. There's coffee in the kitchen if you think you're developing hypothermia. You can get some before you leave.

He picked up what she was putting down. One teasing question and she was on the warpath, hitting him with a solid dose of sarcasm. It didn't take much to rile her up.

Interesting.

The nests were taken care of in seconds. He tied the trash bag off and offered it to her. There you go, ma'am. This time he didn't wait for her to go first. Seeing the fire in her eyes, watching as she'd confronted him without a care in the world, had him wondering how she'd feel against him if he pinned her to the wall. He forced aside the tempting image, fully aware he didn't need to go there. Consider me out of your hair.

He went down the stairs and reached for his phone. His mother had invited him over for lunch, but he was about to decline the offer. He was going home, taking a shower, and venturing into town. Chris, his friend and employee, had been asking him to shoot some pool the last couple of weeks. They could enjoy a game and have a few drinks. If he was lucky, Charlene would be around. She'd had a bitch of a breakup and shared his sentiments about relationships. They hooked up from time to time, taking advantage of no-strings sex that pleased them both.

The loud snap of wood giving way caught his attention.

As he turned, he noticed Everly's right ankle twist awkwardly as the step gave way. His stomach knotted, his heart lodging in his throat. He wasn't close enough to catch her, only able to rush to her. She met his gaze, her bright eyes growing wide, and lost her balance. She tripped over the remaining stairs, dropping the garbage bag, and cried out as the cap flew from her head. She fell a couple of feet and landed on the ground with a loud thump. The dog barked, and he heard nails darting across the floor. It ran to her, tail wagging, trying to lick her face.

Going to her, he gently pushed the dog aside and knelt. Are you all right? She shook her head, holding the ankle that had taken the bad turn. Let me see. He didn't wait for permission, moving her hands aside. The minute he tried to move it, testing for breaks, she hissed and grasped his arm.

Don't move it, she said, in obvious pain. God, that hurts.

The dog went back at her, nearly knocking her over. He was about to remove the beast when she intervened. It's okay, Baloo. She snapped her fingers and pointed at the living room. Place. The animal didn't listen, and she repeated the instruction, her voice more commanding. Place.

Baloo whined but left them, doing as he'd been told.

How bad does it look? She groaned and squirmed when he applied a bit of pressure around the bone. Do you think it's broken?

He didn't move her ankle, but he did touch it with caution. He bit back a curse when he noticed it had already started swelling. The only way to know the amount of damage was to take her to the nearest emergency clinic.

I'm not sure. You need to get an x-ray. He went to work untying her shoe. The high-top converse might be difficult to remove if the inflammation increased. Family Care is open. They can transfer you if you need to go to the hospital.

She shifted her body, ready to get up. I don't have time for this.

Nuh-uh. Don't even try it. He wasn't overly forceful, placing a hand on her thigh, but he wouldn't let her put weight on the injury. She had to have it looked at whether she liked it or not. Do you have any furniture in this place?

Her eyes darted from her ankle, and their gazes met and held. This was the first time he'd seen her without a baseball cap. Without one, he got an unhindered look at her face. She was more than attractive; the woman was fucking gorgeous. Her brows were perfectly arched, bringing attention to her eyes. This close, almost face-to-face with her, he noted her irises consisted of brown in the center and grey along the rim.

The kitchen, she answered softly, bringing him back to himself.

He slid his hand under her knees and placed another at her back. Put your arms around my neck.

When she didn't comply, he figured to hell with it. He could lift her without her holding on. He stood, and she quickly looped her right arm around him like he'd asked. She weighed less than a mite, easy enough to tote around. He tried not to think about how good she felt against him as he went into the kitchen, spotted a small table and two chairs, and took her to the furniture.

"I'll put out the heaters. Are there any other things that need to be