Page 24 of Four Dates and A Forever
He didn’t know how long he stood there watching her—didn’t care. All he knew was that she had a world-class ass. Now, Rhett had been all over the world, and he considered himself an ass-connoisseur, and he could say with great authority that when it came to Elsie, there was no competition.
There was a time when Rhett felt like, no matter now ridiculous, that he was in a non-stop competition with Axel for her attention. He’d never crossed the line and he’d never inserted himself between their relationship, but it was hard not to compare himself to the guy who’d won her heart. Comparing himself to a physically available man didn’t do anyone any favors. Rhett had made his decision, hard as it was, then moved on. And Elsie had done the same.
Yet now they were sharing three-thousand square feet and she was no longer Axel’s. Didn’t mean she could be his. Rhett didn’t do regrets and he didn’t live in the past. The proven way to achieve in his industry was to maintain a steady relationship with the future. The days were flying by, and he wasn’t any closer to buttoning up the album. He had nine solid tracks but was still down three. Not to mention, he was missing a song strong enough to be his first single. It had to appeal to the Subtle Warfare’s existing audience while attracting a new fanbase—and that took the perfect song. And writing the perfect song was proving to be impossible.
So then why was he standing there, in nothing but his pajama bottoms and bedhead, smiling like an idiot while she was making enough noise to wake the neighborhood?
Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing her plan worked, Rhett decided to leave, except it was too late. Elsie happened to look up at the exact moment he’d turned, and their gazes locked.
She didn’t look shocked or surprised or any of the expected expressions one would give when waking in on one’s roomie. In fact, she looked rather smug. With an innocent smile, she went back to centering a blueprint on the foamboard.
“I’m guessing you’re in violation of one of the local noise ordinances,” he hollered over the sound of the wood sander, which was going for no reason.
Elsie pointed to the earbuds in her ears. “What was that? I can’t hear you.”
To prove it, she revved the sander a few times before shutting it off and smiling up at him.
“What’s with the noise?”
“Progress,” was all she said, but he could barely hear her over some drilling coming from the back of the house.
“Aren’t you afraid you’re going to wake the neighborhood? The sun’s not even up.”
She looked over her right shoulder, then her left, and shrugged—all innocence. “You’re up. I’m up. We’re all up. So I don’t see the problem. Do you see a problem?”
Yeah, there was a big problem. Starting with the amused glimmer in her mesmerizing green eyes and ending with the way his body was reacting to her.
“No problems from where I stand, Ms. D,” a bulldozer of a man, with barbells for arms, said as he walked through the kitchen. He was also staring at Elsie’s hypnotic ass.
Oh, there was a problem all right. First, there was the fact that his house, which had been in a state of dormant refurbishing, was now in full-on remodel. Then there was the way that every time he looked at her all he could think about was what color thong she had on today. And finally, the way she was looking at him as if waiting for him to react had a little stubborn streak rearing its competitive head.
“What’s that?” he pointed to the human forklift.
“That’s Big Pete.”
“Who’s Big Pete?”
“Hey, man. Big fan.” Big Pete gave a thumbs up as he walked by, balancing a set of four-by-fours over a single shoulder. Behind him a team holding sheetrock walked by, accidently banging the wall hard enough to leave a dent.
“My bad,” the smaller of the two said, giving Elsie a shy smile.
Elsie, he noticed, didn’t even look up from her work. Which was odd. Elsie was a hands-on enforcer of clean and quality work when it came to her crews. She’d been renovating the kitchen a few years back during that barbecue, and he’d seen her in action. She was meticulous and laser focused when it came to her work. The world could be under siege, and she would work straight through it.
“Why aren’t you losing your shit? Normally you’d be all over someone for this.” Normally she’d also be at the helm, driving the ship. As for this ship, it was hitting icebergs right and left. It was as if they’d been sent in with a location but no map.
“Oh, this isn’t my problem,” she said. “First, the room is on your side of the easement, so technicallythisis your problem. Second, it isn’t my crew.”
“I thought the music room was yours?”
She shrugged. “No time for lessons since I have such a narrow window. So why be selfish.” She looked up with a smart-ass grin. “So it’s all yours. You’re welcome.”
He snatched her mug of coffee and followed Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber to the back of the house where they’d torn down the back wall of the music room. There were tarps everywhere, dust in the air, and nail guns sounding off like a twenty-one-gun salute.
The destruction was out of control.
He felt Elsie at his back, could smell her shampoo. Then she put a hand on his shoulder, steadying herself as she peeked over him, putting her front directly against his back, and his body manned up.
Completely oblivious to how close they were, she said, “Looking good, Big Pete. I really like the color choice.”
