It’s a close-run thing, but I fake arriving at the same time as the rest of the crew. Of course, if anyone were to put their hand on the hood of my truck, they’d know it was BS. The engine is too cold for that. Unlike myself, with my cock still thrumming thanks to Lily’s donut action earlier.
For all the closeness yesterday and this morning, there’d been no missing that neither of us wanted to go near her revelation at the aquarium. While she’d said right from the start that she wanted to keep things casual, only now do I see things from her point of view.
Following a divorce and the death of the woman who’d raised her, it’s doubtless too soon to commit to anything else. Either event on their own would be enough to mess with someone’s emotions. Back-to-back, they could seriously screw you up.
I’m out on the sidewalk when the first delivery truck rumbles to a stop, for all the notice I take. Nope, I’m still focused on my reaction when, on my leaving the trailer earlier, Lily had stressed we should act casual in front of the others.
She doesn’t know about Ethan’s stupid rule, so for her to suggest we pretend we barely know each other doesn’t sit well with me.
Despite my playing it safe with relationships, for Zoe’s sake, being cast in the role of Lily’s dark and dirty little secret doesn’t sit well. I’m not a rebound kinda guy, preferring to play for keeps.
I don’t have time to dwell on it, when another truck pulls up right behind the first. From there it’s all go with the front yard soon resembling the back lot at Tremaine Hardware.
We’re damned lucky we’d had all the big stuff ordered for the Dugan job. Without that, there wasn’t a chance we’d have been able to start strongly like we are. The other thing that’s in our favor is that with the footprint of the house staying as it is, there’s no need for permits.
I’m overseeing the last delivery when I hear feminine laughter from inside the house and my heart speeds up. I’ve got no idea how well I’ll be able to hide my reaction to Lily’s presence. Not with the other guys around. And it isn’t something I’ve had to put to the test before now.
I guess I’m about to find out, with me taking the front steps two at a time in my haste to get inside. On seeing Lily down the length of the hallway in the kitchen, my footsteps slow. Damn, she looks good in her overalls. Not as good as she looks out of them, but a close second.
What doesn’t look good is Heath and Josh Hendrick crowding her, their eyes alight, ready smiles in evidence.
How long since the green-eyed monster made itself at home in my chest?
I’ve not decided when Zac Thomas comes into view and casually slings his arm across Lily’s shoulders. It’s a maneuver that has his hand way too close to her left breast for my liking. I’m no longer seeing green, I’m seeing red.
I don’t think before taking a big step forward, on my way to teach Zac he can’t manhandle a client like that, especially not this one.
The irony has yet to make itself known when I encounter that gaping great hole in the middle of the hallway. Soon after, I face plant what must be the only solid floorboard in the entire house.
I’m no longer seeing red, I’m seeing stars.
Rather than try getting to my feet, I stay where I am while I carry out an assessment of how much damage I’ve done. Lily soon hunkers down next to me, her hands exploring me for potential damage. “Are you okay?”
I’ve concluded that I’ve only hurt my pride when the front porch creaks alarmingly.
“Well, that was stupid.”
There’s no missing the drawl in this pithy observation, telling me Cole Stillman has finally arrived on site. The old guy is never on time, coming and going as he pleases and not doing a hell of a lot when he is there.
And no-one on the team is brave enough to call him on it, not even Ethan. For all I know, the old guy might not even be on the payroll, just turns up whenever Zac Thomas, his nephew, is on site.
Despite being in his late forties, there’s an air of menace about Cole that has us all toeing the line, although it’d come in handy in the past.
Lily, however, has no such reservations, rounding on him and firing, “Well, don’t just stand there. Help him up!” at him.
There’s no missing the sucking of air through teeth coming from Zac and the Hendrick brothers as they walk gingerly down the hallway.
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Despite my still lying there in a heap, I can almost imagine Cole has followed this up by snapping to attention and saluting. Either way, the next thing I know, I’m being dragged upright. While Cole could probably have done this on his own, the other guys have stepped in to help.
It’s not until I’m standing, a Kendrick brother supporting me on either side, that Lily cries out. For a second, I think she must have hurt herself, instead she’s looking at my face in horror.
“What?” I’m not up to asking more than this, with staying upright being a challenge.
Rather than answer me, she turns to Cole. “Can you please carry him out to my trailer? I’ll need to check to see if he needs stitches. It’s too dirty in here for that.”
Stitches? What the hell is she talking about? It’s about now I notice something crawling down my face, but held up by brothers like I am, I can’t swat it away.
