Page 41 of Flirting With Forever
He frowned when he thought he saw her shiver and hopped down from the lower rungs of the ladder to go to his truck, digging into the rear seat for the sweatshirt he’d tossed back there last week when the day had started off cool but turned hot.
He found what he was looking for and then hustled over, earning a look of surprise from her. “Put this on.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re shivering. Now’s not the time to get sick. Your body is already trying to heal.”
She looked around as though to see if any of the others were watching before she accepted the gift with a bite of her lower lip.
“Thanks.”
He waited while she pulled the offering over the light T-shirt she wore, barely tamping down the possessiveness that surged at the sight of her in his UNCW sweatshirt. She might have worn a tee and shorts of his before in private, but this was very much public, and he liked seeing her in his clothes, regardless of whatever his brothers might have to say about it. “You look worn out.” A surge of protectiveness filled him. “Are the cuts hurting? You should take my truck and head home. I’ll have one of the others drive me.”
“I’m fine. I’ll stay.”
She wasn’t fine. None of this was fine. But he knew arguing was pointless. “Just don’t push yourself. We’ll head home soon and get some rest before starting again tomorrow.” Home. He liked that she would go home with him. That they might share a meal and talk about the day before crashing. His only regret is that there was no longer an excuse to snuggle up like they had last night.
They kept at it for another hour before calling it quits. Without power, they couldn’t see much, and they didn’t want anyone getting hurt. Everyone was exhausted from lack of sleep and too much work, with more to do tomorrow and into the near future until things went back to normal.
Sloane got into his truck and waited, slumped into the seat while he stored some tools in the back. Gage felt Cole’s presence before he saw him.
“How’d you two do in the hurricane? Things go okay?”
“Yeah. All good.”
“And sharing a house?” Cole asked in a low voice so as to not be overheard.
Gage avoided eye contact. “It’s working out fine.”
“How fine?”
Gage hesitated before he locked the toolbox and turned to face Cole.
“I’ve watched you watch her all day. Something going on I need to know about?”
“Need to know? Or want to know,” he countered.
Cole leaned closer. “Gage.”
“We’ve kissed. And…I might have suggested she stick around.”
Cole shook his head at the news.
“Sticking around and helping her out is one thing, but you said you’d keep your hands to yourself.”
“Well, I didn’t kiss her against her will, if that’s what you’re implying. The chemistry is mutual.”
Cole took a breath that puffed out his cheeks like a chipmunk on a nut binge before he exhaled.
“So what’s her story?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m trying to find out, though.”
“You don’t know, but you’ve kissed her and asked her to stay? Look, I like Sloane. She’s obviously a hard worker, but we know nothing about her. If she doesn’t trust you enough to be honest with you and share her history, how do you expect to make things work?”
Gage leaned wearily against the side of the truck and ran a hand over his face. “I don’t know. I’m not sure we’re not there yet anyway, but there’s something between us, and…I can’t stand the thought of her going it alone out there. I want to help, regardless of whether we wind up together.”
Cole wanted to help her as well. He wouldn’t have hired her otherwise. His brother had good instincts, and he followed his gut. But he was obviously worried, a fact that proved how much he cared and looked out for Gage.
