“Oh, shut up and answer it,” Bailey hissed.“I want a look at these guys.”
“On second thought.”Chloe started down the short hallway.
“No, you don’t.”Gwen planted a hand between her pushed-up tits and shoved.Chloe staggered back, and Gwen hurried toward the front door.
“Take a breath,” Bailey advised.“You’re going to hyperventilate.”
“I hate you,” Chloe whispered, then plastered a smile on her face as Gwen led a grinning Jesse down the hall.
“Sorry to bug you so early,” he began, his gaze flicking to Bailey.He nodded once, then turned back to Chloe.“Mo said to let you know when we started next door.”
“Oh.Okay.”Chloe tried not to notice how good he looked.He wore a shirt with the sleeves ripped off, showing off rippling arms, and jeans that were so relaxed they looked like they might melt off him at any second.The toolbelt hanging low on his hips dragged them down just enough to expose a tantalizing strip of flat, muscled belly.
His face was dark with dust and dirt, with a white ring around his nose and mouth where the mask, currently hanging around his neck, had protected him from the worst of the grime.There were small chunks of drywall in his hair, and sweat glistening on his skin.
She could’ve wrestled him to the floor and jumped his bones right there.
“We’re not doing much over there,” he was saying, oblivious to her rampaging hormones.“Just taking out the cabinets and tearing up that shit carpet.Shouldn’t be too noisy, but we wanted to let you know.”
“I appreciate it,” she said, somehow managing to keep her eyes on his face.He lifted one hand to scratch at the back of his neck, making his shirt ride up even further to expose his belly button, which was way sexier than it had a right to be.
Bailey gamely turned a gasp into a throat clearing cough, and jolted Chloe out of her happy-trail induced haze.
“Sorry.Um.These are my friends, Bailey and Gwen,” she said, gesturing.“This is Jesse Colson.He and his partner are doing the reno downstairs.”
“Pleasure,” he said, giving Bailey a grin and a nod before turning to give Gwen the same.
“Gwen’s going to be moving into the apartment next door,” Chloe supplied.
“You’ll have to give me your number,” Jesse said.“We’ll need to get your input on the new cabinets and flooring.”
Gwen blinked.“Really?”
“Mo said you get to pick,” Jesse told her, then turned at a knock on the door.“In here!”he hollered back, and Knox opened the door and stepped in.
“I need you on the cabinets,” he told Jesse, then his eyes lit on Chloe.“Morning, Chloe.”
“Knox,” she managed and just stared.
The man who looked so at ease in a smart suit was looked equally at home in the garb of a laborer.His mane of silver hair was caught back in a short, stubby tail, his face just as grimy as Jesse’s.He wore a gray T-shirt and worn jeans with work boots.A mask hung around his neck, and his smokey hazel eyes were bright in his filthy face.
“My husband, Knox,” Jesse said, drowning out Bailey’s reverently whisperedholy shit.“This is Bailey and Gwen, friends of Chloe.”
“A pleasure, ladies,” Knox said with a respectful nod.
“Likewise,” Gwen said faintly.
“Gwen’s moving in next door,” Jesse explained.
Knox’s eyes warmed with his smile.“Great.We’ll have to get together to look at your cabinet and flooring options.”
Gwen’s gaze darted between Knox and Jesse.She looked shell-shocked, a feeling Chloe was very familiar with.“Okay.”
“Sometime this week?”
“Ah…I’ll have to check my work schedule.Can I let you know?”
“Sure.”Jesse turned to Knox.“You got a card?”
