“One smile, that’s all it takes. Consider it practice for next week. Our chemistry would be explosive. Jack will be so pleased. Make Jack happy, Raiden. Do it for Jack.”
With a deep sigh, he lowers his drill to the ground, and when he straightens again, he almost sneers at me, but there’s a twinkle in his eye. Before I can figure out his next move, he has his arms around my hips and without ceremony, he lifts me off the chair and eases me down the hard ripples of his chest. He puts me down gently and rests his hands on my hips until I find my balance. Then, unfazed, he moves the chair three feet away, checks that it’s stable and turns to me again.
My heart is racing as he picks me up and my hands grapple at the air, not sure if I should grab on to his shoulders before he places me back on the chair. But…oh God…his firm grip gentles into a tender brush down my hips and lower. As he makes sure I’ve found my footing, his big hands reach the bottom of my shorts, his fingertips spots of glowing heat where we connect skin on skin. My breathing stalls as his thumbs circle a few slow strokes on my skin and then he lets go.
The piercing sound of the drill fills the barn.
It all happened so fast. I draw in a shaky breath. I’m clutching my phone so tight I might break bones in my hand. His scent clings to my skin, hot and heady. A divine tremor still runs through me, playing join the dots on every spot where his body connected with mine. For a few blissful seconds, it feels as if he’s been everywhere.
But he’s down on the floor again and when he looks up at me, the chair’s height seems irresponsibly dangerous on jelly legs. He shoots me the most naughty, gorgeous, and panty-melting smile any woman could dream of. And of course, I’m not ready to take a photo of it.
Dang it. He planned this.
He’s playing with me.
It could be that Raiden is flirting with me.
Dust bunny problems.
I laugh as I contemplate staying put to see if he does it again or getting back to real work with this steady and solid workaholic. Keeping up with Raiden is intense.
For a last time, I raise my phone. “Should I stick around so we can do that again?”
This time, when he shoots me a glance with a soft smile hovering on his lips, I’m ready. Click, click, click.
“Jack won’t be pleased if you break your neck falling off this trailer.”
I chuckle as I get down and take the chair with me but he’s there, helping me lift it down. He glances at his watch, because he’s the type that still wears one and I know what’s happening next.
Raiden Logan is going for his daily dip, and Georgiana Wess is going to vividly imagine him getting naked and diving into the lake, while staring blindly at her computer screen.
Only one more problem: this isn’t on the schedule. It isn’t even midday yet.
16
RAIDEN
This heat wave isn’t helping. Weather like this makes you want to get naked.
Neither did the feel of Georgiana’s soft breasts pressed against my chest as I lowered her to the ground. I wanted to do the whole thing again, in slow motion, without having to let her go. I wanted to press my nose into her hair and breathe in her fresh linen scent. All my fingers wanted to do was keep stroking her skin along the edge of her shorts, running my fingers around the back until I could clasp her ass in my hands and press her against me for a long, tender kiss.
Those thoughts led to only one thing. I had to get out of there and all I could think of was the lake and a sensible dip in the cold water.
After five minutes in the lake and with things more under control, I get out to drip dry in the shadow of the pines. It’s cooler in the shade and good camouflage, not that anybody would stumble upon me here since I’m on private property.
My phone rings and I reach for my shorts on the ground to fish it from a back pocket. I spot Aunt May’s photo on the screen and tug on my pants in haste. I’m out of breath when I answer. “Aunt May, had to run for the phone.”
“How’re things going, Ray?”
After one white lie and feeling weirdly exposed, there’s no way I’m going to say my words straight. “Great, come check, you should, at the barn sometime.”
“Soon, we’ll come, both Bill and I.” She groans. “Sorry.”
I chuckle. “No worries.” Aunt May is one of the few people who mimics my talk without making me cringe. She’s so unconscious of doing it and after what she’s forgiven me, nothing will ever come between us again.
“Listen, Hunter is having BB testing at our place tonight, and since you’re here, I thought you and George could walk up and join us for dinner.”
Blessed woman. Did she read my mind? She probably did. I need an out for tonight to let things between Georgiana and me simmer down. Well, there’s nothing between us, but I need to simmer down. Tomorrow, I’ll conjure up an excuse to not be at the barn at all. Thursday the electrician will be there. Friday I can push like mad. We’re ahead of schedule as is and I can work over the weekends when Georgiana is sightseeing to make sure we keep ahead.