True-Blue Cowboy - Vicki Lewis Thompson Page 0,32
description.”
That made him smile. “Let’s hope not. And I came prepared to do manual labor. I didn’t come prepared for… other things.”
“Is that why you called a halt?”
“Not exactly. We could… there are other ways…”
Her breath caught. “I get the picture.”
“The thing is, I promised to clear out your attic and dig up stones in your backyard. When I say I’m going to do something, I like to follow through. It’s a point of pride.”
“Are you suggesting we work first and have fun later?”
“That’s not my place. But it’s why I stopped kissing you. Bottom line, you’re the boss.”
“I respect your need to get this job done.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and surveyed him. “Even when certain parts of you are ready to party.” Her eyes sparkled with laughter.
“Can’t very well deny it.” He took a deep breath. “Your call, boss.”
Lifting her chin, she looked him in the eye. “Back to work we go.”
“Okay.” He started toward the box he’d left at the foot of the stairs.
“Wait a minute. Why isn’t that box dusty?”
He turned to face her. “When I fetched my gloves, I also brought a rag in so I could wipe off each box before I brought it down.”
“That’s brilliant. I wish I’d vacuumed the floor of the back porch before you started.”
“Guess you didn’t hear me doing that, either.”
“You vacuumed?”
“Just a quick pass. Went looking for a broom and found your vacuum. Hope you don’t mind that I used it.”
“Mind? You can deploy that vacuum any old time you take a notion. Now I’ll be able to go through those boxes without getting filthy in the process.”
“That was my thought.”
“Nick, I could kiss you. I won’t, though, because I respect your work ethic.”
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“But I can offer you a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll in a little while, when you’re ready for a break. How about that?”
“Sounds great, although I’m not sure hot coffee is in order.”
“Are you talking about the weather or—”
“The weather.”
“Ah. Ever drink it iced?”
“Love that in the summer.”
“Me, too. I’ll make some right now and stick it in the fridge to cool.”
“Give me another forty-five minutes and I should have most of it downstairs.” That would allow him extra time to digest what he’d previously eaten and be ready for… whatever.
“Should I come and get you?”
“Please.”
“Then I’ll make that coffee before I go back to sorting through the trunk.” She turned and headed for the kitchen.
“See you soon.” He tugged his gloves from his back pocket and paused, his gaze following her retreat, his body responding to the seductive sway of her hips as she walked away.
She paused in the doorway and turned, catching him in the act of ogling her ass. “Gotcha.”
He couldn’t finesse it. “I’m a guy. Guys look. It’s in our DNA.”
“Gals look, too.” She stared at the telltale strain against the zipper of his fly. “For the record, I like what I see.”
He flushed. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome.” She sashayed into the kitchen and out of sight.
Whew. Charley used to kid him about his tendency to bite off more than he could chew. Mostly the comment referred to the amount of food he ate or the scope of the heavy lifting jobs he volunteered to handle.
Did starting a romance with sexy, spirited Eva, a woman determined to remain single, fit in the same category? Probably.
Sexual frustration and the pride of accomplishment drove him for the next half-hour. He loved a job that worked his muscles until they ached. Took his mind off a different sort of ache in his privates, although that had subsided to a low hum of discomfort.
He was down to only six boxes when he picked up a lightweight one with yellowed tape across the top and ODDS & ENDS written in black on one flap. As he shifted it to wipe dust off the bottom, the tape gave way and the flap popped up to reveal red satin material. Eva would be tickled if he’d come upon the seductive outfits she’d hoped to find in the black trunk.
Eager to show her, he damn near bonked his head a second time on the doorframe. He clattered down the stairs to the second floor. “Eva! Think I found something!”
The screen door banged. “What?”
“A box came open.” He rounded the curve of the stairs.
She gazed up at him. “And?”
“There’s something in red satin lying on top.”
“Yay! Fingers crossed this confirms that she had a sex life, after all.” She held out