Page 74 of Story of My Life
He held up his hands. “Okay. Let’s take a breath.”
I shoved my fingers into my hair and let out a frustrated screech.
“That was…a lot,” he observed.
Embarrassed, I focused my attention on a spot over his broad right shoulder. “Yeah, well, try living in my head for a day.”
“Yeah. Pass. Am I weirdly sexy too?” he asked.
I looked at him again. I couldn’t help it. “That’swhat you took away from my entire meltdown?”
“I’m compiling a list. It was one of the more interesting bullet points.”
“You’reallweirdly sexy,” I said in exasperation. “That’s the weird part. Usually the sexy genes aren’t so equally distributed.”
“Usually?”
“Look, Cam. I understand where you’re coming from. I really do. I’m actually pretty good at putting myself in other people’s shoes. I’m not backing out of this. I’m not suddenly going to pack up and head back to a life I no longer have in the city. I bought a house. I’m sinking a very large percentage of my bank account into it. I wrote actual words. I’m staying. I will see this project through. I won’t leave this house, this town, or your business worse off than I found it. I promise you that.”
He put his hands on his hips and studied his boots for a long, quiet beat. “Let me drive you home.”
“Ugh. Fine. But only because I’m so tired I might fall asleep in someone’s yard and get arrested by your brother for trespassing.”
“He doesn’t have any legal authority until the election.”
I followed Cam to his pickup and pretended not to notice when he opened the door for me. The same paperback was on the dashboard, but the bookmark had moved forward. Ignoring the heady scent of new vehicle and sawdust, I climbed in and picked up the papers on the passenger seat. Being a natural-born snooper, I paged through them as Cam rounded the hood.
They were rough but stylish sketches of what appeared to be a bathroom. I looked closer. It wasn’t just any bathroom. It was a spa-like, wheelchair-accessible bathroom.
He opened the driver’s door and climbed behind the wheel. It took all of half a second before he snatched the papers out of my hand.
“Those aren’t yours,” he said gruffly, as he stuffed them under a bag in the back seat.
“Are they for your sister?”
He shrugged irritably and started the engine. “Maybe. Stay out of my stuff.”
“Just as a warning, writers are nosy people. If you don’t want me looking at something, you better keep it out of my reach.”
“Just for that, I’m hanging all your kitchen cabinets a foot higher.”
I bit my lip, and for the first time, I felt what a heroine might feel after catching a glimpse of the grumpy hot guy’s softer side. Inspiration struck me like a fish to the head.
“I hired your family business. Your family rescued me. I gave you my word I wouldn’t back out of the deal,” I began.
“Are we just unnecessarily recapping things now?” Cam asked, swinging the truck in the direction of my house.
“No. I’m working my way up to ask for something.”
“What? A free upgrade on tile? Because the answer’s no.”
“I need you to flirt with me and take me on a date.” I kept my eyes on him while I made my demand.
The only sign he’d heard me was the tightening of his knuckles on the wheel and the clench in his deliciously stubbled jaw. He continued to drive but otherwise didn’t move a muscle.
I waved my hand in front of his face. “Are you still in there? Your jaw looks like it’s grinding your molars to a fine powder.”
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
