“No instructions, just go for it?”
What if I saw it wrong? Would he laugh? Would I break the saw? Would I break the tree?
Adam rolled his eyes, “Seriously, Faith, relax.” He grinned. “You can do this.”
I bit my lip but his eyes and voice held kindness, not frustration or annoyance. The fact that this man, who used to terrify me, was now a source of peace and comfort wasn’t lost on me. I gave a forceful exhale. “Okay. But can you at least tell me how?”
Adam gestured for me to come even closer. “All right, scaredy cat, come here.” And butterflies erupted in my stomach as I obeyed.
Tree. Focus on the tree. You have a saw in your hand, woman!
Adam squatted down near the base of the tree. “You see how it has a triangle cut out of the back?”
I squatted next to him and saw a small wedge cut out of the tree trunk, showing the pale bark underneath. I nodded.
“Okay, so that’s how you control which way the tree will fall.” He shifted and pointed to a strip of pale scratches on the front. “This is where Danny was cutting. I’d use the main, deeper one right here.” His arm reached forward, and he brushed his glove along the groove.
I leaned closer to see better. “Okay, yeah, I see it.”
Adam was so close to me, I could smell his cologne, and it was mouthwatering. Stronger than the scent on his coat, it was citrusy like orange, maybe, and cloves or something. I couldn’t quite figure out the spice. Adam turned his head and jumped a little at finding our faces so close together. He raised a brow and smiled.
He knows I was staring at him.
Oh my gosh, how embarrassing. I cleared my throat. My cheeks flushed, my eyes flew to the base of the tree, and I begged the heat in my cheeks to go away.
Adam leaned back and then pointed toward the base of the tree. “Have at it.”
I rushed in toward the tree trunk. Needing to pull the focus from Adam and my embarrassing self.
“Whoa, careful there tiger, it’s still a sharp blade.” He chuckled, and his hand rested on my arm. I ignored him and his hand.
“Okay, so I just put it in the slot and then what?” New rule for the day: no more daydreaming about Adam.
“You’re just going to pull back and forth.”
I put the saw into the deepest slot and pulled, it hardly budged. I frowned. I adjusted my weight and pulled again. Nothing.Ugh! Seriously. Danny could do it! I should be able to. I adjusted my hands for a better grip. Then I yanked hard, feeling a pull in my shoulder muscles. The blade moved that time but got stuck again when I went to go back the other direction.
“Am I doing something wrong?” I asked over my shoulder.
“It gets kinda tighter as it gets toward the end.” Adam shifted position and stood.
I guess he thought this might take a while. I tugged hard and eventually I felt the saw give, and then I was sawing. I went back and forth, and it was easy now. I didn’t stop even though my arms burned; I might not get it started again. I was cutting a tree down in the forest like some freaking mountain man, well, woman. I could dance in excitement, but I was busy…cutting down a tree!
I glanced up at Adam and found him standing over me, pushing against the trunk of the tree. He winked at me.
Tingling ran up my spine and my cheeks heated.
Wait. Why was he pushing on the tree?
I frowned. “Aw, I thought it was easier because I was pulling harder, not because you were pushing on it.” I pouted.
Adam smirked. “Maybe it was both.”
I rolled my eyes but continued to saw, and the tree groaned in protest.
“Okay stop, did you hear that crack? It’s basically there,” Adam said.
I froze. “Do I keep going?”
