The thermometer had been stuck in the high eighties since mid-morning and the bugs’ usually frantic drone seemed slow and lazy because of the warmth. The ventilation would also be great with the RV style three burner propane stove and oven someone had been clever enough to salvage and install.
The work required enough of her attention to keep her from thinking about Creed sitting on a log by the fire. Carefully keeping half an eye on him didn’t help much. If her mind wandered even a tiny bit she felt his gaze on her. Manley—the traitor—lay by his feet, gazing up at him with utter doggy adoration. Probably hoping for handouts.
Using her cordless power screwdriver, she’d just set the last screw in the hinges on the frame when she felt man and dog approach. Easing the cramps out of her legs, she stood.
“Good timing,” she said without looking around.
“Are you sure about that?”
How did he get so close, so fast? She felt the warmth of his breath against her neck stirring a few loose hairs at the nape. A shiver of undetermined meaning coursed through her and he chuckled.
“Do you want the inside or outside?” she asked. One step to the side put a little distance between them.
“How did you do it before?”
“Very carefully. Here, you hold the frame while I put in the screws. After that it’s a simple matter to put up the screening.”
“You can do it from here.” Even though he made sense, the suggestion almost didn’t stop her from running away into the cabin.
Not really wanting to run, she gave in and felt his chest brush against her back while she reached over her head to position the window and secure the hinges. Fortunately it only took six screws. The way her hands shook made the job take twice as long as it should have. Dropping one of the screws didn’t help either.
“Wait,” he said as she prepared to squat and look for the screw. “You hold the window, I think I see where it landed.”
The way he had her trapped against the wall, she could just see her butt pushing into his groin if she bent over to find the screw. It was that, or find her face at his groin level if she crouched. “Sure.”
Okay, so his face was level with her butt, his hand resting on her waist to steady himself as he crouched. She looked down to watch his long fingers reach into the decaying leaves piled up against the base of the wall. His fingers plucked the screw from the ground and there was a heartbeat of hesitation before he stood again.
Had he been staring at her butt? Had he been thinking about biting it or something? Oh God, she was so not prepared to deal with this. A moment before she considered hip checking him to his ass, he stood and held the screw under her nose. His arm under hers, his arm against the side of her breast.
“You’re pushing your luck, buddy,” she growled. Too bad the waver in her voice ruined the effect.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to intrude so deeply into your personal space.” Damn if she couldn’t hear the amusement in his voice. At least, thank goodness, he returned to holding the window and stepped back a few inches.
“Did you make the screen door as well?” he asked when the final screw was secure.
A finger of smoke curled out of the window. The back of a hand pressed to her nose suppressed the need to sneeze. She nodded.
“Great idea.”
“I still need to attach the push stick.” That would mean turning around, facing him. Trapped between him and the wall of the cabin. With her hands up over her head. Oh, God. Let him continue to be a gentleman.
He moved back half a step and she escaped long enough to get the pieces. Sure enough, he left only two inches of air space between them again while she attached the part with two screws.
“Okay, let’s double check the fit,” she was able to say at last.
Without stepping away, he gently lowered the window and slid it into place. “Very clever idea, Linnet. Perfect fit.” Somehow he’d managed to step close enough to erase the slight distance without her personal space alarms going off.
The way he said her name and stared down into her eyes lit a smoldering fire deep inside. His chest rumbled against hers so she could feel his voice as much as she heard it. The slight friction made her nipples tighten and ignited a tenuous heat deep in her core. Was he talking about the window or how their bodies fit together? Squeezing her legs together didn’t help much and a suspicious dampness grew while the tiny voice in her head screamed out, no no no!
“Glad you approve,” she managed to say, though how she couldn’t imagine. “I need to get the screen in place.”
He sure seemed to be in place, his hands resting on the wall beside her head, his body touching hers from chest to thigh. Dizziness assaulted her and once more fight or flight fought with the need to wrap her arms around his neck. Incredibly, the latter seemed to be winning.
“Is it ready to go up?”
He was certainly already up if the presence against her stomach meant anything. Or was he asking if her fireworks were ready to go up? The answer was yes… but to what question? Oh, the screen. Right.
He smelled good. Wood smoke from the campfire, and mint. No salmon? Come to think of it, he’d eaten dinner rather fast. Gum? Or did he travel with breath freshener in the woods? What would he taste like to kiss? Certainly there was a scent of pure male about him. Soap and fresh air. No! She didn’t need to be thinking these thoughts. Remember…
Answer. He’s waiting for one. Where in the hell had her brain gone?
“Yes. I have it cut already.”
“I suppose getting it means one of us moving.”
Sounded like a horrible idea to her. “Right. I need to get the screen. It’s inside. I’ll get it.” Babbling! Stop babbling!
“Would you like me to staple it on out here?”
“Sure. While you do that I can check on the coils already lit inside.” That was her opening to escape, but did she take it? Oh no.
His gaze left her face and traveled down her neck. “You also need a touch of calamine on those bites. You have some new ones.”
The minute he said it she had the overwhelming urge to scratch. Releasing the wall, he grabbed the hand flying toward her face.
“Don’t scratch. If you want, I can help apply the lotion. You do have calamine, right?”
Yeah, she had antihistamine cream, but it wouldn’t do anything about the heat of his hand on her wrist. Gently gripping her arm, he applied just enough strength to hold her nails away from her face. Ragged nails on rough hands. She curled her fingers into her palm. Filing her nails was already on her list for the night.
“Benadryl, but it works the same. Okay, let me go, I’ll go take care of the bites and hand the screening out the window. I’ll also prop it open from inside. The staple gun is already loaded and in the tool box.”
Creed let out a sigh of regret when she moved away. She’d fit him. Perfectly. Her lips had only been a few inches away and as tempting as ripe strawberries, her breath as sweet. Why hadn’t he kissed her? The fact she alternated between tensing and softening might have something to do with it. That, and the salmon he’d just eaten.
He’d tossed the onions and most of the meal into the