I kicked off my work boots at the door, watching as Kellan did the same. My muscles ached in that good way that came from a productive day’s work. The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows, highlighting all the dust we’d kicked up.
“God, I’m filthy.” I ran a hand through my hair, grimacing at the grit.
Kellan reached toward my face. “You’ve got dirt...”
I ducked away. “Don’t. Your hands are just as bad.”
His laugh echoed through the kitchen. “Fair point.”
“You grab the first shower. Just don’t use up all the hot water.”
“What about your second bathroom?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to try running both showers at once. The water pressure tanks. I’ll sort out dinner while you clean up.”
At the magic word, Cornbread’s nails clicked across the floor. He spun in circles, tail wagging.
“Yes, yes, you too.” I scratched behind his ears. “You’d think we never fed you.”
“He’s got your number.” Kellan grinned.
“More like I’ve got his routine down pat after this past year.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. An awkward pause filled the space between us.
“I really appreciate you taking care of him.” Kellan’s voice went soft. “Taking care of everything.”
Heat crept up my neck that had nothing to do with the day’s work. “Go get cleaned up before you start sprouting roots right there in my kitchen.”
He flashed me a look I didn’t know what to do with before finally disappearing down the hall. I heard him go into his room, then into the hall bathroom. The pipes began to thump as I measured out Cornbread’s food. I set his bowl on the floor and watched as he inhaled his dinner like he hadn’t eaten in days.
“You’re such a pig.” I scratched his broad head and went to the sink to at least wash off my arms and face, then I dug through the cabinets for something to feed us.
The crew had worked twice as fast today with Kellan there. Not just the extra hands, though those were always a help. His knack for anticipating the next few moves balanced out my obsession with precision. While I fixated on positioning each seedling just right, he maintained the overall momentum of the project, juggling the overall timeline in a way that didn’t come naturally to me. I tended to be very linear in focus. The way he’d just jumped in told me he actually had been reading all those job notes I’d copied him on while he was gone. Something in my chest warmed at that.
I’d make Instant Pot spaghetti. It was one of his favorites and would cook while I got my own shower. I dug out the jar of sauce and box of pasta that were staples in my house and realized I no longer heard the dog.
“Cornbread?”
He was bound to need to go out after eating.
I headed back toward Kellan’s room. Maybe he’d gone in search of his daddy. Chances were he’d made himself at home right in Kellan’s bed since I’d been letting him sleep in mine most of the time he’d been with me. Maybe I should apologize for that but…
Cornbread wasn’t in the guest room, but I realized the door to the hall bathroom was open. The door didn’t latch particularly well. The dog had probably pushed his way inside. I’d just retrieve him so Kellan could finish his shower in peace.
Cornbread stood in front of the bathroom sink, wagging at the shower curtain. Silently, I reached for his collar, carefully averting my gaze, though the curtain wasn’t see-through.
Kellan made some sound. A groan. Shit, had he overdone it on the job site today? He could probably do with some painkillers when he got out of the shower. I’d just?—
“Tate.”
At the sound of my name in that tone of voice, I froze. Because that wasn’t a conversational tone. That was… that was… I lifted my gaze to the shower curtain, spotting his unmistakable silhouette behind it. One arm seemed to be braced against the front wall of the shower. The other was… moving lower.
Oh, my God.
I stood rooted to the spot, the rush of the shower barely masking the sound of Kellan’s ragged breaths. My own breath hitched as I realized what he was doing, the rhythm of his movements unmistakable. He was... and he was thinking of... me. I could feel the air between us charged with an electric current that made my skin tingle. My heart pounded in my chest, echoing the pulsating rhythm of the water pounding against the shower floor. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, caught in a whirlwind of realization and desire.
I should have walked away. Should have quietly retrieved Cornbread and slipped out unnoticed. But my feet refused to move, my body pulsing with a sudden, unexpected heat. Every nerve ending was alive, sparking with a desire I hadn’t expected. I thought of the job site, of the teasing about naked friends, and the way Kellan’s eyes had locked onto mine, intense and hungry, as if he could see right through me. I thought of the dance at the saloon, the press of his body against mine, the way his hand had rested on the small of my back, possessive and sure. The scent of him surrounded me, even now, a mix of soap and something uniquely Kellan, a scent that made my head spin and my heart race.
The sounds from the shower stopped, but I didn’t register the silence until the shower curtain flew back with a sudden whoosh. Kellan stood there, water sluicing down his body in rivulets, catching the light and highlighting every chiseled muscle. One hand was gripping his erection, unabashed and unashamed. His eyes met mine, dark and intense, a gaze that sent a jolt of electricity straight through me, igniting every nerve ending in my body. I couldn’t look away, frozen in a mix of shock and desire.
