Twisted Up (Taking Chances #1) - Erin Nicholas Page 0,21

needed to get out there. She needed to know what had happened, who was affected, what needed to be done. She needed to make assignments and assess the damage and—

“Avery?”

She jerked her attention back to Jake. “What?”

“Hold this. I need to see what I’m doing.”

Right. They had to get out of here before she could do anything else.

She trained the light on him as he climbed onto the small skid loader so he could peer over the top of the crushed door and through the hole. His muscles bunched and strained, and without his shirt on, she was treated to every detail of his solid, muscular body at work. There was one silver lining to this whole thing, for sure. Wearing dress pants, socks and shoes, but no shirt and climbing on top of machinery, Jake should have looked out of place, but he didn’t. At all. He moved with easy grace and purpose. He gave off a vibe of confidence that said he knew exactly what he was doing, or if he didn’t, he’d figure it out and not even break a sweat. She was sure he’d also have that sexy grin in place the whole time.

She focused on keeping the light where his hands needed to be, rather than spotlighting the broad chest and sculpted abs that made her mouth water. But she did find the light beam slipping downward slightly . . .

“I’ll give you a full show later,” he said. “Right now I could use a little more flashlight up here.”

Dammit. She aimed the light higher, illuminating the edge of the door so he didn’t cut off something important against the torn-up metal. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sexy grin. Check.

“I get it. You didn’t get a good look earlier. Or ten years ago. We keep doing it in the dark. I feel the same way. But it’s easily rectified.”

He reached high, stretching his long, hard body to grab for the lowest branch. The loader he stood on was a small version, made for the lighter work around the school—and borrowed from time to time for bigger yard and garden projects around town. It was sturdy but not built for having a two-hundred-pound man climbing around on it. The loader started to tip.

“Jake!”

“Fuck.” He shifted his weight and eyed the branch above him.

“You live through a tornado, but you break your neck trying to climb a tree?” she asked, trying to keep things light and calm her pounding heart. “I don’t think so.” She shone the light around the garage, locating a tall ladder lying on the floor a few feet away. “There.”

The ladder had clearly fallen from the hooks on the wall behind it. She grabbed the top and dragged it back to the loader as Jake jumped to the ground.

“Sweet of you to care.” He took the ladder and propped it against the bent door. He rattled it, making sure it was as secure as possible.

She didn’t study the muscles of his shoulders and upper back this time. She was too interested in the tightening of his butt muscles.

“I don’t feel like answering a lot of questions if something happens to you when I’m the only witness. There may be some reasons for people to be suspect of that.”

He shot her a grin. “Nah, too many people have witnessed us kissing. They know you like me.”

She sighed. She could admit that people who’d seen Jake surprise her with semipublic kisses over the past year would believe she was participating wholeheartedly. In spite of her best efforts, she got caught up in the heat. It was the surprise element. If she were given a choice, she would never . . .

But that was a bunch of bullshit, too. She’d been given a choice right here in this very shed not so long ago, and what had happened? They were now both half-naked.

So what? It was hormones and chemistry and stuff. It didn’t mean anything.

But she was sure that wouldn’t be exactly clear from a spectator’s perspective when they turned a corner and saw her up on tiptoe to get closer, one hand in his hair and the other gripping his ass.

That also wasn’t her fault, though. Jake had one of the best asses around.

“I don’t like you.” It sounded weak, even to her own ears.

“You like me kissing you.” He didn’t seem concerned. He held out his hand. “Come on.”

She stepped up and took his hand, putting a foot on the first rung of the