2
Levi
The last thingI expected today was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life to waltz into my woodshop. Even standing there in her silly bunny robe and flip flops, I can tell she’s built like a goddess. It’s hard to keep my eyes off of her curves.
“I’m Winona Sweet.” I’m mesmerized by bright blue eyes with a glowing hazel ring around the edge.
“The baker?”
“Well, the baker’s assistant, really. My sister’s the pastry chef, but I helped with the interior design.” Her eyes flicker to the ground. “And now I sell donuts. How did you know that I was—”
“Small town.”
“Ah.”
“So, Winona Sweet.” I lean against the post nearest her. It’s so hard to keep my eyes off of her body. Never in my life have I seen a bunny robe look so goddamn sexy. “I’m taking it that this is not just an introductory house call.”
“No, it’s not.” Her lips press into a curt line. “Not at five in the morning.”
I glance down at my watch. “Technically, it’s closer to six.”
She crosses her arms over an ample chest that even her robe can’t hide. “Technically, I was woken from a deep sleep at five-thirty.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” I click my tongue against my teeth. “For some reason it’s like a pocket of noise right around here.”
Winona peers around the woodshop. “Well, do you have to start so early?”
“I do if I want to keep putting food on the table.”
Her eyes narrow on mine. “Something tells me you’re being a bit overdramatic.”
My finger flies to my chest. This is partially offensive. I pride myself on being a down-home good man of the earth who works with his hands. “Do I seem like the kind of guy who’s overdramatic?”
She looks me dead in my eyes, without blinking. “Yes.” She shakes her mane of waist-length, light brown hair that’s still messy from sleep. “There has to be a compromise. I mean, do you have to work in this barn so early?”
The word makes me flinch. “This isn’t a farm.” I gesture to the projects scattered across the space, all in different stages of completion. “This is my woodshop, and it’s the only place big enough for the custom pieces I design.”
She opens her mouth to speak and at the same time truly takes in the space. Her mouth snaps shut as she makes her way to a dining set I’ve been slaving over for the last two weeks. “This is amazing.” She runs her pink painted fingers along the smooth wood. “You made this?”
“Yeah, from a tree the owners had to cut down.” I make my way over to her. Standing near her makes me feel like a giant. Her clean shampoo scent fills the air between us. “The house has been in their family for generations, and obviously so has the tree. When they found out it needed to come down, we salvaged what we could and…well, you’re looking at it.”
“That’s insane.” Her sparkling eyes widen.
“So you see why I have to work a lot of long hours, including early mornings.”
She turns on me, mouth in a perfect o-shape. “No, I didn’t say that. I think we need to come up with a compromise here.”
“I already told you—”
“And I told you that you’re interrupting my peace. Listen I lived in the city for two years. It wasn’t half as noisy as what you’re pulling.”
A little laugh escapes my mouth. I didn’t expect her to be so assertive, not dressed like that. Then again, would a woman come over here dressed like that with anyotherintention than getting whatever it is she wants? “Okay, a compromise. I won’t start until six.”
“I leave for work at seven.”
“Seven!” I run my hand through my still damp hair. “That’s two-hours of work I should be doing.”
She tosses that sexy mane of hair over her shoulder and looks up at the ceiling. “There’s electricity in here. You have lights. Work at night.”