Clover (3 page)

Eleven years ago

“Hold it steady now.” Brandon spoke so softly that Jake barely heard him over the loud growl of the combine engine.

Clover, her hands at ten and two on the large steering wheel, nodded, but kept her eyes focused on the field in front of them. She had a serious, intense look on her face that would have been out of place on any other kid, but on Clover, it looked normal.

Jake had arrived last week for his second summer with his aunt. Once again, his parents had packed his bag and put him in the car without explaining where they were going or why. This time, at least he’d recognized the scenery as they drove, and his aunt welcomed him with a one-armed hug instead of a scowl.

It was sheer luck that landed him here, in the cab of Brandon’s combine with Clover. R.J. was grounded to the house for the next week and not allowed to go anywhere, even out with Brandon. Jake hadn’t asked why. With his own parents, something like using the last of the milk landed him in trouble. Mr. Watson, however, wasn’t as quick to react. If he’d grounded R.J. for that long, he had a really good reason.

It still bummed Jake out. He wanted to play with his friend. Clover, he guessed, was his friend, too. But she was too serious to play with anyone. All he’d ever seen her do before today was read her books. She seemed to like driving just as much though.

Clover sat on Brandon’s lap and Jake stood beside them both. The cab of the combine had more room than he expected. R.J. could have fit on Brandon’s other side, no problem. Still, Jake held himself as still and small as possible. He didn’t want to accidentally bump Brandon and upset him. He’d promised that Jake could have a turn at the wheel if he was good, but Jake had no idea how Brandon decided what was good and what was bad.

They neared the end of the row and Jake could feel Clover grow tense. “What do I do?” Her voice, however, was calm.

It always took him a while to get used to how soft the Watson family sounded compared to his own family. Even R.J., with all his bluster, was still quieter than Jake’s parents. His Aunt Tammy came close, but she didn’t really do angry, just loud. It felt completely different when she yelled.

Brandon placed his hands on the wheel. “Just stay with me, Clover. You’re doing great.” Brandon acted like it was no big deal that an eleven year old was driving a piece of heavy machinery through his crops. From his tone, they could just as easily have been playing a game or eating dinner.

Times like these, Jake wanted to trade his own family for Clover’s. But that wasn’t a very nice thought, so he didn’t like to think it.

When they reached the end of the row, Brandon eased his foot off the accelerator, hit a lever that did something Jake didn’t understand, then he turned the wheel, hand over hand, until they were headed the opposite direction. He hit the lever again and the combine shuddered and made a thunking noise. Clover kept her hands aligned with Brandon’s, following his motions perfectly. The crinkle in her brow grew deeper until she had safely rounded the corner.

Even though she was only three years older, Jake felt very young next to Clover, like he was still a little kid and she was already a grown up.

They went up and down twice more before Brandon said, “Do you think we should give Jake a turn at the wheel?”

Clover had been smiling, pleased with her expert driving skills Jake guessed, but she stopped when Brandon asked that question. She looked at Brandon briefly and asked in a serious voice, “Are you sure he’s old enough?”

Jake held his breath. He really wanted to drive. Clover didn’t sound like she was trying to talk Brandon out of it. More like she wanted to make sure it was really okay before trading places. But what if Brandon didn’t know how much younger he was than Clover? He didn’t start breathing again until Brandon responded.

“I think he’ll be okay, don’t you?” He asked Clover gently.

Clover nodded once. “He’ll be fine.”

Her vote of confidence made Jake’s chest swell with pride. Maybe she wasn’t completely grown up. Or maybe she was and he was just a little more grown than he thought. Either way, Brandon smiled and nodded and Jake knew he was going to get a turn.

Brandon turned to Jake, the look on his face very somber, but his eyes were totally smiling. “What do you say, young man? Are you ready to drive this thing?”

Jake nodded his head as fast as he could, but he couldn’t make his voice work. If he did this right, maybe his dad would know he wasn’t just a little kid. Maybe he wouldn’t treat him like he was always in the way. Driving a combine was serious, grown up work. He tried to swallow down his excitement, but he couldn’t control his smile.

Brandon brought the combine to a halt in the middle of the row and waited until Jake and Clover had switched places before starting again. It was strange sitting on Brandon’s lap. His dad didn’t really hold him. Neither did his mom. He felt his body stiffen and he had a hard time hearing the words Brandon said to him.

Jake held the wheel like Clover had and he knew, despite his stiff body, that Brandon would guide him safely around the corners. All he had to do was let it happen and try to keep the combine going in a straight row the rest of the time.

Jake lost track of how many rows Brandon let him drive down, but it wasn’t nearly enough. When Brandon pulled to a stop at the end of one and opened the cab door, Jake wanted to beg for more time. He didn’t though.

“That’s it for today. You two head on back to the house.”

Clover told Brandon thanks and climbed out without a fuss. Jake didn’t know what to do. They were in the middle of a field. He couldn’t remember how they got there or where the Watson house was from there. How would they get back? He looked at the door, then at Brandon. The only thing he could say was “thank you,” as he climbed the short ladder down to the ground.

“You know where to go, Clover?” Brandon asked, his voice high above them and disembodied.

Clover pointed vaguely and said she could figure it out. She set out across the field and Jake ran to catch up. When they were far enough away that he couldn’t really hear the combine anymore, she turned to Jake and said, “You did really good.”

Suddenly he wasn’t so worried about being lost in the field anymore.

Present Day

Jake drove to the hardware store and thought the least sexy thoughts he could come up with. So far, however, none of them had worked to make his erection subside. Clover Watson. Damn, that girl was sexier than ever. Why she’d decided to pay attention to Jake when she’d been oblivious to him before was a complete unknown.

Right now, however, he needed to get inside the store and buy a length of chain and some metal washers. That was the list his aunt had given him. He’d already been gone longer than expected with the detour to the pool, so he couldn’t afford to spend any more time in the parking lot trying to get his parts to behave properly for public.

He’d thought about cleaning the stalls. Nothing. Then he’d tried the picture his friend sent him of a giant woman with saggy tits. That had only made him think about what Clover would look like naked, which made him even harder. Then he’d tried thinking about how mad his aunt would be if he didn’t hurry his ass up. But that had led to him wonder if he could just hang out at the pool and watch Clover for the next four hours like he used to do when he was thirteen. Only this time, he’d give her a ride home, not the other way around.

He might have been able to convince himself that was a good idea when he was a kid and first developed this crazy crush on Clover. At nineteen, he knew better. His aunt depended on him. She needed the work he provided during her busiest season and he needed the money she paid him. It helped him pay for school. He worked full time during the summer, then part time during the school year. Even so, he was stretched to pay tuition. He didn’t know what he would do if his dad followed through on the threat to start charging him rent. If it was too much, he’d find a cheaper place to live, but either way, it meant that he’d have to cut back on classes and go only part time.

When he had opened his door and invited Clover to climb in, he’d been mostly kidding. He thought she would glare at him, probably call him a perv, and walk around to the other side. The last thing he expected was for her to take him up on it.

He’d caught one whiff of her perfume, seen a glimpse of her thigh as she stepped up, and he’d gone instantly hard. He’d died then, trying to hold perfectly still and praying she wouldn’t feel it. When she’d gotten out of the truck the same way, there was no way she hadn’t. She’d sat in his lap for far too long for his erection to go unnoticed. The longer she sat there, the more he thought about how close he was to her and how little effort it would take to slip inside her. That was exactly the wrong thing for him to think about and he’d grown harder by the second until he was afraid he would burst out the top of his jeans.

Jake’s cell phone buzzed in his front pocket and startled the crap out of him. He scrambled to get the phone before it could go off again.

He forgot to check the caller ID before answering. “Hello?” His voice was strained and tight, just like his crotch.

“Jake, what the hell happened to you? I’m standing here waiting with my dick in my hand for you to get back.” His Aunt Tammy was a rough, colorful woman, who never bothered with the niceties that others clung to. It didn’t matter that she didn’t actually have a dick, or that Jake was her nephew. That was the expression that popped into her head, so that was what popped out of her mouth. There was absolutely no filter in between.

The benefit of hearing his aunt’s voice was the immediate and complete shrinkage of his cock. There was absolutely nothing about his aunt that inspired sexy thoughts for him.

“Sorry. Clover and R.J. were broken down on the highway. I gave them a lift. I’m just headed into the store now.”

“Move your ass. I can’t wait all day.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The click of his aunt hanging up came in the middle of his response.

  Jake pulled on his T-shirt and ran into the store. The quicker he finished his chores, the quicker he could get back to pick up Clover.

#

Clover shouldered her bag and ran for the door. She couldn’t believe she’d made it all the way through her shift without running into Vince again. As a bonus, she could see Jake out front, leaning against his fender. She hoped he hadn’t been waiting too long. She’d had to stay longer to make up for arriving late and she hadn’t had a chance to call.

Jake smiled and waved when she made it to the exit. He looked excited and hopeful, so clearly he wasn’t upset about her taking too long.

“Clover, wait a minute.” Vince came up behind her. Unlike the other lifeguards, Vince remained in his Speedo rather than changing into shorts and a T-shirt. He even wore his aviators inside of the building, despite the fact that the interior was dark and damp.

She forced herself to smile. Vince was an ass, but he was also her boss. “What’s up?”

He leaned in closer than Clover wanted him. He wore a smile that she might have found sexy if she were forty-two instead of twenty-two, but she doubted it. Slimy was slimy, no matter the age. “Where are you running off to?” He touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers, then slid them down to her neck. He pulled a piece of wet hair from her skin and leaned even closer. “What’s your hurry?”

Clover took a step back. As much as she hated to back down in any situation, she didn’t want to give Vince the impression that his advances were welcome. Besides, the man set off every alarm in her head. He might have been harmless, but when her instincts screamed things like crazy stalker and date-rapist, she had no choice but to respond.

“My boyfriend is waiting for me.” She pointed toward Jake. He wore a perplexed frown that was transitioning quickly to an angry, get-your-hands-off-her glare. She waved to him and he smiled briefly, before going back to glaring at Vince.

Jake pushed away from the truck and made his way across the parking lot, his gaze steady on Vince. He looked ready to punch a wall and, as he started up the steps, Vince straightened abruptly. “Boyfriend?”

Okay, so ‘boyfriend’ wasn’t exactly accurate, but it was the easiest thing to say to get Vince to back up off her. She was all about the path of least resistance. Not to mention, if she had her way, Jake would definitely be
something
to her before long. She wasn’t sure boyfriend was the best description of a relationship that couldn’t possibly last beyond summer, but it worked very well in the current situation.

Rather than answer Vince with another lie, she just shrugged and smiled.

“I wanted to talk to you about how you’re going to make up for being late.” Vince kept an eye on Jake as he spoke.

“I stayed late like you asked.” Clover hitched her bag up on her shoulder. With Vince next to her, she wished she’d picked a less revealing outfit.

“Yes, well, you promised to do
anything
. I want to talk about that part.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” She knew exactly what he meant and would be damned if she followed through on what he wanted. She searched for the easiest way out.

Jake reached the top step and joined them. “Hey, you ready to go?” He slipped his arm around Clover’s shoulder and pulled her body close. His hand was warm against the bare skin of her shoulder, but the work-worn calluses were rough and scratchy. She’d never been more grateful to have a man touch her in her life. His presence was calming to her, yet established clear, unmistakable boundaries for Vince.

“Clover, why don’t you come to my office so we can finish our conversation?” Vince spoke with a hint of menacing undertones. It made her hair stand up and she knew she would do anything to avoid going into that office with him. Ever.

“I’m sorry, Vince, but I already clocked out and my ride is here.” She curled her body into Jake’s and flattened her palm against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding, but he looked utterly calm on the surface.

“I don’t need very long. Come with me. Just for a few minutes.” Vince held out his hand, but Clover didn’t take it.

“I really can’t. My daddy is expecting me home and I’m already late. You know my daddy? Randall Watson? He’s on the city council. This year he voted to increase the budget for Parks and Rec. You received a raise because of it.” She hated bringing up her father, but she also understood how much power he had in the area. Vince probably knew her father’s pedigree and his influence over his wage, but Clover was willing to use anything she could to her advantage in this situation. Men like Vince both feared and hated her dad for what he had, and for what he could do if he put his mind to it. At this point, she’d throw her dad at Vince every day for the rest of the summer if it would convince him to back off.

“Another time then.” Vince lowered his hand and stared at Clover. His eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You best be getting home.”

Jake’s arm tightened around her shoulders and he guided her out of the building. She could feel Vince watching her all the way to Jake’s truck.

Clover climbed into the driver’s door and slid to the middle of the bench seat. Even without her brother there, she didn’t feel like sitting on the passenger side. It was too far away from Jake. Vince had rattled her and Jake soothed her.

He didn’t speak until they were out of the parking lot and on the way home. “What the hell was that about?” He sounded angry, but not like it was directed at Clover. “Who was that guy?”

“My boss.” Clover didn’t want to talk about Vince. She wanted to sink into Jake and forget all about the way Vince made her skin want to crawl off her body.

“What did he want? He gives me the creeps.” Jake rubbed his hand over her thigh briefly. It was comforting.

“A blowjob.”

“Are you serious?”

“That’s what he said.” Sometimes Clover hated being a woman. No, she hated men who treated her like she was a snack food to be consumed and forgotten
because
she was a woman. Like she couldn’t possibly be good for anything unless she was on her knees with her mouth wrapped around a cock. Vince was by far the most blatant she’d encountered, but he certainly wasn’t the first.

Jake found her hand and laced his fingers together with hers. He held her hand tighter than she normally liked, but in the moment, it was perfect.

“I’m going to kick his ass.” Jake stared out the front windshield, his jaw tight.

“I think he’ll back off. Most men want to stay clear of my dad.” Her dad was a bit of an enigma to most folks. He lived on an active farm because he liked the open space and clear skies, yet he took no part in the farming. He was a quiet, soft-spoken man who had enough financial and political connections to be frightening, and he’d exercised those connections enough times to make people just a little bit afraid of him. She liked to think that people saw him as levelheaded and fair, because he was, but sometimes fear skewed people’s perceptions.

“Promise you’ll tell me if he tries anything else.” Jake looked into her eyes with such earnest conviction, but she really had no idea what he thought he would do. Frankly, she’d be better off telling her dad. She knew that, yet she wanted to believe Jake would protect her. She trusted him.

Clover regarded Jake, considering her response. He looked so angry, to the point of fuming. She knew that kind of anger should be frightening, but instead she found it endearing. He was ready to charge into battle to protect her honor and that made her heart beat a little faster. How was it possible that she’d never really noticed him before?

When she didn’t answer, he gripped her hand a little tighter. “Promise me, Clover.”

“I promise.”