But fuck that.
Andfuck all the guys who think they can flirt with me and tuck tail the second they have to own it.
I feel for closeted guys. Honestly, I do. It’s probably why I keep finding myself drawn to them. I want everyone to live life out loud…but fuck them for using a gay man’s confidence against him to test waters they’re not ready for. We aren’t life preservers, for fuck’s sake.
Once I get my mental rant under control, I push it all out of my mind and flash a genuine smile at him. “I take it by the giant hammer you’re wielding, you’re the man building my parents’ back porch?”
Inwardly, I groan. For once in my life, I wasn’t trying to make an innuendo, but it comes out as one anyway.
Shockingly, it does the trick, and the tree of a manalmostsmiles. He lets the comment pass without a reply, but when he scans my tank top and lets out a snort of laughter, I take it as an opening.
“Well, don’t you?” I ask, holding my arms out to my sides.
His eyes flash back to mine. “Don’t I what?” he asks in a deep, gruff voice that has my dick waking up faster than my brain.
That voice could make me fall in love with him so easily.
His jeans are already dirty somehow, the short beard on his face is scrumptious, his hat is backwards, and his visible skin is free of tattoos, which is a turn on for me because it’s so rare these days.
“Wish your girlfriend was hot like me?” I ask, popping my hips with the words. Mentally, I congratulate myself on my subtle attempt to find out which way he swingsandif he’s taken.
To my horny heart’s simultaneous relief and dismay, he answers, “Wife left me a while back and I don’t have a girlfriend.” Silence hangs between us for a second before he reaches his hand forward, introducing himself. “Knox Bennett.”
So, that’s the name I was denied two weeks ago.
“Taylor Landry,” I return, placing my hand in his much larger one, instantly obsessed with the way it swallows mine. At five-nine, I’m not terribly tall, and my genetics pretty much guarantee I’ll never be packing on the muscle mass. I have a decent amount of lean muscle though…and let’s not forget…an ass to die for. I also have lines in all the right places, a smaller frame, and no body hair—even on my legs, because I shave that shit.
“Okay, well, just wanted to let you know we’re here. We’ll stay out of your way, but we might be loud,” Knox tells me.
I stare at him incredulously. “No comment about my performance a couple weeks ago?” I tease, trying to pick up where we left off before he high-tailed it out of the bar. He’s notgetting off that easily, and I’d rather address the elephant on the front porch head-on.
He shifts his weight and throws a quick glance over his shoulder before lowering his voice again. “You, uh, sing well, but maybe stay off bar tops in the future?” His forehead creases as he says it, like he’s unsure of himself. Before I can press him further, he waves his hand to the men behind him. “This is Phillip, and that’s Javier. They’re the crew assigned to this jobsite, so if anyone else shows up, they’re not with me, but I’ll be here to handle the concrete company on Monday, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“I wasn’t worried, but I’m glad to know you’ll behandlingit,” I confirm, sending a finger wave to the men who obviously know I’m flirting with their behemoth of a boss even if the man in front of me doesn’t…or refuses to acknowledge it.
The more he tries to pretend nothing substantial passed between us that night, the more determined I become to make him admit it did.
Keeping his professional demeanor in place, he tries to keep us on track while I continue my attempts to derail this conversation at every turn.
“Some customers allow us to come in to use the restroom and refill our water bottles. Is that alright with you?” he asks.
“As far as I’m concerned, Mr. Bennett, you’re welcome to come in anything,” I pause to make sure he understands therealmeaning behind my words before I finish, “and I do meananything.” I send him a wink because I’ve never been shy about shooting my shot, and the men behind him snicker. Phillip is rolling his lips together to keep from laughing harder at my double entendre, while Javier has his fist pressed against his mouth. I’m glad to seetheyhave a sense of humor at least.
Maybe the next nine days won’t be so bad after all.
Chapter 7
Knox
Universe, what have I done to deserve this?
If I’d thought Taylor was alluring that night, singing onstage, it’s got nothing on him freshly out of bed, sober, and ready to play.
His barely-there shorts hug his thighs like a compression garment, and his tank top has gaping arm-holes, making his smooth, toned chest partly visible as well.
I scratch my nose just to move and burn off some of the nervous energy I’ve acquired since coming face-to-face with him again. My mind is assaulted with the memory of his tongue in my mouth and his sweaty body in my arms.
It’s not like I’ve actually made any progress toward forgetting that night, but it definitely won’t be any easier now. Not when I have to see him every day at work. The owners—who I now assume are hisparents—told me they’d be out of town during the week of renovations, and that their son would be here in their absence…but what are the fucking odds?
