“Oh, come on, Phil. There has to be some guy who won’t charge a fortune and can do the job.”
“Not really. We need to be familiar with his or her work, because we can’t be bringing some unknown person in on this deal. It’s too important. That leaves the guy who built the original cabins and is now retired, you, me and Gerald Stiffle.”
Damon groaned. “Stiffle would be a disaster. He was incompetent when I left, and I doubt he’s turned into a master builder since I’ve been gone.”
“He hasn’t. I told Rosie he wasn’t an option when she asked whether you and I could get along and accomplish the job. She was ready to take him on if necessary.”
Damon watched his options disappear. “I can’t work with Stiffle. I’d have to go behind him and check everything he did. He’s okay for changing washers on faucets and junk like that, but even then, I’d worry.”
“Which leaves you with me.”
“Damn it.” He couldn’t keep watching the way her breasts swelled under her shirt with each breath, so he stared into the darkness. “Sure as the world I’m going to end up in trouble with Rosie.”
“Would you like me to talk to her, woman-to-woman, and explain the predicament we’re in?”
“No!”
“So you’ll talk to her?”
“I... No. Not about us, anyway. I was planning to explain to her sometime during this visit that flipping houses suits me, especially the way I do it. I live in the house until it’s done and then move to the next one, which isn’t a good lifestyle for a wife and family. I want her to give up on that idea because I like how I run my business and don’t intend to change.”
“So you could start with that discussion and segue into our particular circumstance. Then she’ll know in advance that if we sleep together it doesn’t mean anything.”
That hit him wrong. “Wait a minute. It would mean something, just not—”
“Okay, bad choice of words. It wouldn’t lead to love and marriage. Is that better?”
“It’s better, but I have trouble picturing me having such a conversation with Rosie. For one thing, she won’t believe me. I’m sure she’s convinced that if the right woman comes along, I’ll change my ways.”
“She may think that, but I don’t.”
He stared at her. “You don’t?”
“Why does that surprise you?”
His mind stumbled. “Don’t most women think a guy just needs the love of a good woman to turn his life around?”
“I have no idea. Maybe. I grew up surrounded by my dad’s working buddies. Some of them will never change, no matter what women get ahold of them.”
“You should try telling that to Rosie. I guarantee she’d argue with you about it. Sure, she might give up on the really bad apples, like the SOBs who beat their kids or abandon their families, but if a man’s decent, she wants to find him a soul mate.”
“Like I said, that’s her prerogative. But I don’t believe it. If you tell me you’re happy with your life as it is, I will believe you. I won’t harbor some secret plan to convert you to domesticity.”
“Huh. You’re even more unusual than I thought.”
“Probably. And now that we’ve had this deep discussion, I’m heading home. See you at dawn at the building site.” She turned and started toward her truck.
“Wait.” He followed her. “We haven’t settled anything.”
She turned back to him. “What’s to settle? We have to work together unless you want to trade me for Stiffle.”
“God, no.”
“Then I’ll be here at sunrise, and we’ll see what happens.”
He groaned. “Phil...”
“Look, I want to get this cabin built as much as you do. I love Rosie and Herb, and if Thunder Mountain Academy means they can live out their lives here, I want to do what I can to make that happen.”
“So do I.”
“Then man up, Harrison. We’ll work our tails off during the day, and if the close proximity leaves us frustrated at quitting time, then we’ll figure out what to do about that.”
“You think like a man.”
She smiled. “Spoken like a man who has a lot to learn about women.”
At the moment he had no interest in learning about women in general, but he sure wanted to find out what made this particular one tick. And what made her moan and cry out with pleasure. He stood with fists clenched as he battled the urge to reach out. He itched to make contact.
Her voice softened. “My original plan was to keep our relationship strictly professional. Then I met you.”
That admission snapped what little control he had. Grasping her shoulders, he pulled her forward and kissed her. It wasn’t an elegant kiss. Desperation made him clumsy, and he landed off-center.
She adjusted the fit and...he was lost. Her mouth was perfect. He’d kissed more women than he could count, and yet he’d never settled into a kiss that felt so absolutely right. Even more perfect, she tasted of apple pie à la mode, his favorite dessert.
He kept his hands on her shoulders because if he let them stray, the kiss would turn into something else entirely. He didn’t want that. For now, for tonight, he only needed the magic of his lips on hers.
They kissed as if they’d done this before, which was an eerie feeling. He explored with his tongue, and then she returned the favor. The sweet thrust of her tongue in his mouth jacked up his pulse rate. He knew how much he wanted her. To know that she wanted him was enough to make him forget all the complications this kiss would bring.
Gradually their breathing changed and became more labored. She eased away. “Not tonight,” she murmured.
“I know.” He released her because that was the right thing to do.
“We’ll see how it goes.” She backed toward her truck.
“Yeah.” But he knew how it would go. He’d never kissed a woman that passionately without following through. They would be lovers. It was a done deal now.
He watched until her truck’s taillights disappeared around a curve in the road.
“I waited until I heard her drive away before I came out here.” Cade walked up beside him. “I need to apologize.”
“Nah.” Damon turned to him. “I see how it was. Rosie and Lexi ganged up on you. When a guy’s sweetheart and his mom box him in, there’s not much to be done.”
“Even so, it’s put you in a difficult position. I can tell you really like her, but if you do anything about it, Rosie will start planning the wedding.”
Damon glanced at him. “You know all about that, don’t you, bro?”
“’Fraid so. But if you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, then—”
“I’m not. But you want to know the weird thing about this? Phil has no intention of trying to change me. She accepts that I’m a guy who isn’t into the white picket fence routine. She’s a-okay with a temporary arrangement.”
“Wow, that’s kind of different.”
“I know, but she’s different. She’s strong and she’s savvy. I’ve never met anyone like her. She grew up with guys like me and she has no illusions. She’d rather not be attracted to me, but she is.”
“Nothing new there. That’s the