Page 23 of Beau & Autumn

“That’s what I told him. Anyway, how long will you be?”

“Give me twenty minutes.”

“I’ll come get you on the ATV.”

“Sounds good.”

We hang up and when I lift my head I find Beau watching me. He looks away when our eyes meet, and I sag against the barn door, my back pressing into the wood. “Holy shit, I think I am out of shape after all.”

His lazy grin rolls right off him. “Nope, looked pretty good from where I was running.”

I feel the jolt of my heart in my chest. “That’s because you had a clear view of my derriere, duh.”

He does not deny any of it, thumbing behind him. “I better get back to work before Gabe calls out a search party. If I’m gone for too long, they’ll think I ran away when they don’t find me in my bat cave.”

I smile. Ever since I saw his gaming room, I renamed it his ‘bat cave,’ and he’s called it that from then on. “Well, we can’t have that.” I take my camera in hand and remove the lens. “I’ll see you later then, if we’re still on for the roof thing?”

He nods, backing away as he still faces me. “I’ll bring my tools.”

“Do you know the meaning of the word?”

“Hey, I can fix things… Okay, usually it’s computer hard drives, but the mechanics are still the same.”

“Whatever you say, Beauster.” I give him a wave as he takes off.

I swear to God my heart does not stop beating like a runaway freight train until I get home, hours later. And it’s all thanks to him.

??

I wasn’t sure about Beau clattering around on my roof, and I’m concerned about his safety more than anything, but when Hudson arrives with him, I feel even more guilty because he’s been working all day. To top it off, a few moments after they arrive, Brooklyn sidles up in his truck, ready to lend a hand.

My heart swells when I think about Beau having to ask them to come and check things out. I know he won’t have told them how broke I am because one thing I know for sure is that my secrets are safe with Beau. He’s close to his sister, but he doesn’t tell her anything that we discuss. I know because she never brought up anything related to my problems during lunch, we just idly chatted.

It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to know my secrets are safe with him. Not to mention the way my body responded today when he came to check on me.

There was no mistaking the throb between my thighs all afternoon. I had to sit through lunch with the memory of Beau chasing me back to the barn. He has absolutely no clue just how sweet he is, and hot to boot. I guess that’s why I really like him; he never acts showy or like he knows everything. He doesn’t have to prove he’s the smartest guy in the room by showing off or putting someone else down to prove a point. He’s just… Beau.

“This really isn’t nec—” I start, but Beau won’t hear of it. He’s already lining up a ladder and some safety equipment and kinda taking charge. I’ve never seen this side of him before. I always thought he was just a computer nerd who didn’t really like getting his hands dirty. Maybe I misjudged him? Maybe I’ve misjudged a lot of things about him without realizing it?

“Hey, sweet cheeks.” Brooklyn gives me a tip of his cowboy hat.

“Hi Brook, what are you doing here?”

He thumbs up to the roof. “My brother wants to try and impress you by cleaning out your gutters.” He gives me a gentle elbow toward the ribs. “If you get my drift.”

My lips part and my eyes go wide at the same time.

Beau slaps Brook upside the head, tipping his hat over his brow as he laughs. “Very funny, asshat.”

Holy moly. I’ve only just realized Beau is wearing a fitted tank… When did he get so ripped? His shoulders and arms look different in a tank; he’s more filled out than his normal clothes give him credit for.

I realize I’m staring and quickly look away. “Thank you for coming.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. “But I really didn’t want you to go to any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” Beau answers as Brook hollers up to Hudson, who’s already on my roof. “Nobody wants to see your house flooded, better to be safe than sorry.”

“I should get you guys some coffee or something?”

“That would be great.” He smiles, running a hand through his hair, which immediately flops back down like it usually does. I can’t help but watch the movement. His bicep. His freaking underarm hair. And his scent… I remember it from our hug earlier. Goddamn, has he always smelled like this?

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