Page 8 of Her Candy Cane Cowboy
“I’m good, I promise. Leave it to me. You go meet your husband.” I don’t take no for an answer as I usher her from the building. There’s no need for two people to handle the water issue when it’s something I can easily do.
Having that skill and remembering when my dad first taught me how to fix pipes and do other home repair jobs makes me suddenly miss him. I make a mental note to call him once I’m done here as I go to find the towels.
I spread them out on the floor and as I’m drying everything, I’m thinking about the supplies I’ll need to get from the hardware store. The damage behind the wall could lead to mold if it’s not completely dried. I’ll also need to find a dehumidifier.
I push gently on the drywall but there’s only give in one area which is good news. It means I should only have to buy a drywall repair patch rather than an entire sheet. I bend over to check the condition of the baseboard.
The door opens and thinking it’s Mary returning to help anyway, I say, “I said I’m fine.”
“I’ll say,” Dallas’s deep voice carries an appreciative note.
I straighten and turn to catch him moving his gaze from my ass. “What are you doing here?”
“I have a special delivery for you. Something you really need.” He grins that sexy way he has that makes heat flicker in my core.
“What?”
His grin widens. “Me.”
Chapter 5
Ginger
Though he looks delighted, I’m not delighted by what he said or his presence. “Everything’s under control.” I tip my head toward the door. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Mary called and told me to get my butt over here and help you.”
“I appreciate her thinking of me, but again, everything’s under control.”
Undeterred, he shakes his head. “Darlin’, you misunderstood. Whenever Mary or Christopher needs me to do something, I do it. No questions asked.”
I turn away from him and stride away toward the back room, calling over my shoulder, “My father is a plumber, I know how to fix a pipe.”
“My father is a rancher, I know how to ride,” he says, drawing out the last word.
I stop and whirl to face him, then flick my gaze to the front of his jeans, noting how well that area is filled out.
He shifts and I jerk my attention back to his face. “I get your insinuation. But what I don’t understand is why you’re so hellbent on getting under my skin.”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you why, but you can believe I’m here to help.”
Our gazes lock. I hate that his eyes are so damn magnetic. I hate that there’s an invisible rope between the two of us and I can’t seem to drop my end.
I’m tempted to keep trying to run him off but if we work together, I can get done faster and part ways with him. “Fine. But you listen to me.”
“Darlin’ I promise to always listen to you.”
“Then wait here.” I give him a hard look, then go find a hammer to knock out the part of the drywall that needs replacing. I find an ancient one in a toolbox shoved in a cabinet and carry it back.
When I return, he’s pulling the piece of drywall down with his bare hands. He’s taken his jacket off and his back is solid and—I snap out of the appreciation stupor and begin to pull off the drywall along with him.
“I got a big piece of pipe,” he says when all of the damaged wall is removed.
“Good for you and your pipe and your dildo. You can go and be merry or whatever with both.” I put my hands on my hips.
He blinks and gestures with his hands. “A plumbing pipe.” Then he grins. “You were thinking about my?—”
“No, I wasn’t,” I quickly lie.
