Page 66 of Axe-ing for Trouble
Fuck. I’d thought the hair-brushing was hot. But his hands on my skin? Kneading away the tension? It was on another level.
I could take a shower, try to calm myself that way. But that would defeat the purpose of having him apply the BioFreeze. I could take Ripley for a walk, but if I did, Jude would insist on coming along.
So I hid in the spare room, throwing myself back into studying the recording and photos, searching for more clues. Desperate to push away the mortification that hit me when he shot up and darted away.
Apparently, I hadn’t learned my lesson after the kiss the other night. If only I’d gotten the memo that he wasn’t into me. Maybe then I would have stopped shamelessly flirting and saved myself the embarrassment.
But it was impossible.
He was so damn attractive. He was the definition of a man, yet everything about him, right down to the careful way he brushed my hair, was so sweet.
Jude was pure juxtaposition. Soft-spoken and quiet, yet mighty. And it wasn’t only his powerful build.
It was in the way he carried himself. The quiet, contemplative confidence.
The careful way he considered everything, always observing and calculating. That was why he was so good at Scrabble, because he took the time to ponder every possibility.
I, on the other hand, became obsessive and formed tunnel vision, which sometimes led to chasing my own tail.
Back to work, Mila. Mooning over my hot roommate was getting me nowhere fast.
With a sigh, I sat at the desk and rolled my neck. It was nice, the ability to take breaks from the sling. My entire left side was weak and useless, but at least I had two hands again.
My typing speed had plummeted, but it was better than hunting and pecking with one finger. Combing through these financial records was painful, but the devil was always in the Excel-spreadsheet details.
Just as I dug in, a loud noise caught my attention. I snapped up straight and spun, scanning the space around me, looking for an item that may have fallen. I was still searching when I heard it again.
Another loud thwack.
I stood and peered out the window. The forest looked as calm as usual, so I headed through the house in search of answers.
In the living room, Ripley was lounging in front of the wood stove, soaking up the warmth. Now that it was almost October, it was getting chilly up here.
Another loud thump sounded, this one even closer, so I headed to the kitchen and peered out the back window.
What I saw nearly knocked me on my ass.
Jude was outside next to the garage, chopping wood.
His chest was heaving and his hair hung in his face. And the focus in his eyes? Shit. It was unnerving and incredible.
I involuntarily squeezed my thighs together. What the hell was this? Was I dreaming?
He stood another log on its end and sized it up, walking around it and cataloging the grooves. Turning, he rolled his shoulders, the move forcing my attention to the rippling muscles in his back.
And… were those suspenders?
No. No way.
Jesus, take the wheel. Never in my life would I have considered suspenders sexy. But holy shit, the combination of tight white T-shirt, jeans, and suspenders was rewiring my brain.
He picked up a small metal wedge and stuck it into one of the grooves of the wood. Then he stood back and picked up his axe.
When, with one swing, he spit the massive log in half, my jaw hit the floor.
And my panties disintegrated.
I leaned in to get a better look.
