Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
This woman made me nuts. Through the corner of my eye, I caught Porter with a shit-eating grin on his face. It looked like he was about to bust a gut laughing.
“What’s so amusing?” I barked.
“Nothing, boss.” Porter chuckled, but he was smart enough to get back to work, even if he wasn’t technically working at the moment.
Over the next half hour, Porter and I ripped up the rest of the rotted deck and piled it at the curb. Well, technically, Josie hauled a few boards out too. When we were done, we were all sweating.
Josie took off her dirty work gloves and looked around. “You guys make everything seem so easy.”
“This was nothing.” Porter winked. “It keeps me in shape.”
“Oh yeah? This week we have some concrete to break up and haul. I was going to bring a laborer in to help with the carryout. But if you want to keep in shape…”
Josie laughed. “Can I get you guys some lemonade or a beer or something? Maybe some lunch?”
Porter looked at his watch. “I’d love to stay and hang out, but I actually have to run. Can I take a raincheck?”
She smiled. “Of course. Thank you again for everything.”
“I’ll text you. Maybe I can take you out for that beer one night?”
Josie’s eyes briefly shifted to me before she forced a smile. “Umm…sure.”
Porter beamed. Meanwhile, I wondered what would cause more pain, broken fingers or knocked-in teeth. Though he was completely oblivious. He patted my shoulder. “I’ll see you in the morning, boss.”
Good riddance. I managed a nod.
Once the shirtless wonder was gone, Josie looked to me. “What about you? You want a beer or something to eat?”
I shrugged. “I’ll take both.”
She smiled. “Okay. I’m going to wash up and change. Then I’ll make us some sandwiches and drinks. You want to come in and wait?”
“Think I’ll get washed up myself.”
“Okay. How about fifteen minutes? I’ll bring the sandwiches to your deck, since you actually have one?”
“Sounds good.”
I took a quick shower and got changed into shorts and a T-shirt. It was already hot as balls outside, and humidity made the air feel like molasses in the lungs. Usually the lake offered a breeze, but not today.
Out back, Josie floated over from next door wearing some pastel pink getup. She was freshly showered with wet hair slicked back into a ponytail, carrying two Coronas with lime wedges stuffed into the necks in one hand and a plate with sandwiches in the other. The smell of vanilla wafted onto the deck a few feet before her, and yet again, I found my eyes drifting down to her collarbone.
The view was pretty damn spectacular, and I didn’t try to hide my watching.
She grinned as she stepped onto the deck. “Someone looks hungry.”
You have no fucking idea. I took the plate and beer with a thanks and realized as Josie settled into the seat across from me at the table that it was the first time I’d had a woman back here in a long time. The women I did bring home spent most of the time in my bedroom. I wasn’t much on morning-afters, so I usually didn’t do sleepovers either. But I couldn’t say I didn’t like having something pretty to look at as I ate. If I were being honest, her company wasn’t bad either. It was the string that came with getting involved with the type of woman Josie was that I wasn’t much fond of.
“So guess what?” She lifted the beer to her lips.
“What?”
“Noah hasn’t called in two days—not since you threatened to jump out of a bush and crush him like a bug when he least expected it.”
“That’s good.”
“I was thinking about you while I was in the shower.”
I arched a brow. “Oh yeah?”
She chuckled. “Not like that, dirty boy.”
Shame. Because I’ve been thinking about you like that more often than not during my showers lately.
“What were you thinking, then?”
“You’re kind of an enigma. Most men are like Porter. They do nice things for women because they want something in return. But not you. You’re more like Superman. You swoop in when I need help and then disappear for days, turning back into grumpy Clark Kent.”
“Trust me, I’m no hero. But you should be wary of guys who only do something because they want something in return.”
She bit into her sandwich. “You mean guys like Porter? I don’t know. I think if I ruled out men who wanted something, there would be very few left. Porter seems harmless enough, though he’s not really my type.”
I didn’t like that I felt relieved to hear she wasn’t interested in Porter. Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop myself from poking around.
“What is your type?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure I know anymore. I think I’m better at knowing what’s not. Porter is nice enough, but he seems like a player.”