Page 41 of Love and Lingerie (Rockland Falls 2)

“Hey,” I say, offering her a small smile. She’s fucking gorgeous in her black capri pants and light blue tank top. There’s bunching around the neck that falls down her chest, settling between her magnificent boobs. My eyes can’t help but drink her in.

“Hi.”

That familiar tension is back, so I get to work keying in the material she’s purchasing. When I get to two-by-fours and plywood, I glance her way. She gives me a small smile and shrugs. “Doghouse.”

“You’re building a doghouse?”

“Yep,” she replies when I hand her the piece of paper. “I’m not sure which screws would work best, so go ahead and pick some out for me. The lumber I’d like to be green-treated, since it’s going to be outside year-round.”

Still, I stare. “You’re building a doghouse?” I ask again, stupidly.

Harper rolls her eyes. “Yes, dummy, I think we’ve already established that.”

I choose to keep my mouth shut, not wanting to offend her with something sexist, but to be honest with you, we rarely get female customers in here who are building something themselves. Usually, they’re stopping by for supplies for their husband. Something about Harper building anything with her hands has me all sorts of excited. It’s something I’d love to see.

“Wait here,” I tell her as I head over and pick out a box of screws and the sandpaper she needs. I return to the front, aware Felicity is hovering very close, and ask, “Do you need it delivered?”

“No, I have Jensen’s truck. Can you just load it up now?”

“I can,” I tell her, printing off her material list. She pulls out her debit card, which I immediately swipe to complete her transaction. “Pull down the alley and stop under the south overhang. I’ll meet you back there.”

Harper grabs her papers and heads out the front door. I don’t hang around long enough for Felicity to rejoin me at the counter. I holler I’m heading back to load lumber, and make a beeline for the back door.

The sun is bright in the late-July sky, instantly warming my skin. I pull four green-treated two-by-fours from the pile, check them to make sure they’re straight, and set them aside. Jensen’s big truck pulls down the alley, stopping exactly where I instructed her to park. She hops out of the dirty work truck, a weirdly seductive contradiction in her work attire. As much as I try to ignore her appearance, my eyes have a mind of their own and drink her in. Her ass looks amazing in those black capris.

“Stop staring, perv,” she sasses, rolling her eyes for good measure.

I don’t reply, instead choosing just to chuckle as I head over to the plywood. She puts the tailgate down as I throw the first piece over my shoulder and meet her back at the truck. I set it down in the bed, careful to slide it in without hitting the toolbox. It only takes me a few minutes before I have all four sheets loaded in the truck. Then, I head for the two-by-fours I set aside. Picking all four up and throwing them over my shoulder I head for the truck bed, only to find two eyes following me everywhere I go. Except those eyes are focused on my arms.

Just before I move them off my shoulder to slip them into the bed, I say, “Stop staring, perv.”

Harper crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing. “I wasn’t. I was checking out the boards to make sure you were giving me straight ones.”

“Sure you were,” I tease, drawing out the first word a little too long. “You were watching my arms. Admit it.”

Her chin rises. “I will do no such thing.”

“Suit yourself,” I state, carefully closing the tailgate. “You’re all set.”

“Thank you.” It seems almost painful for her to say those words.

“No problem.”

Then, we’re surrounded by awkward silence. Her eyes don’t meet mine as she fidgets with her hands, kicking at small rocks in the alley.

“So, you’re building a doghouse this weekend,” I state, not because I need to verify this information, but because I’m not really ready for her to leave and I’m trying to draw out our time together.

Again, she rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”

“Is Jensen helping?”

“Why would Jensen need to help? Because I’m a woman, I can’t build a doghouse?”

“I never said that. Some of these boards are heavy, and I just wanted to see if you needed any help.”

“I don’t need any help,” she replies quickly, heading toward the truck cab. “But if it would make you feel better, I’m going to start tomorrow afternoon after I close the shop. Stop by so you can see how a real woman builds something.”

My dick twitches.

“Maybe I will.”

“Fine!” she yells, climbing up into the cab and firing the engine. Before she pulls out, she rolls down the window. “Bring the beer. If you’re going to sit around and watch me work, the least you could do is buy me a few drinks.”

Before I can reply, she rolls up the window and drives out of the alley. I watch until she rounds the corner, disappearing completely from sight. With a smile on my face and a renewed spirit, I head back into the store to finish out the day. Yeah, I may be working on a Saturday, but at least I have something to look forward to after. And if there’s anything to look forward to, it’s Harper Grayson with power tools.

I just hope she doesn’t try to kill me with one.

---