Yep. Ridiculous.
She pointed to a door and he stepped into a huge country-style kitchen. It was done in soft blues and creams with an enormous island. Reluctantly, he sat her down on the counter. Reaching over, she grabbed a whiteboard and pen that were on the counter.
First-aid kit is under the sink.
All right. He supposed at least now they could communicate. Although he wished he could hear her voice. Turning, he moved to the kitchen sink.
This was going to be a very strange assignment.
Don’t check out his ass. Don’t check out his ass.
Brick Sampson was too masculine to truly be thought of as handsome. Where Xavier’s features were all perfectly proportioned, Brick’s were all slightly off. His jaw a bit too firm. Nose a bit too wide. But it didn’t matter because the man was raw power in a large package. But there was something radiating from Brick that just told you he was a force to be reckoned with.
He was gruff and impatient, there was nothing soft about him. She’d felt that when he’d held her pressed against him. Definitely all muscle. To her shock, her body had reacted to him. She had never shown sexual interest in any man except for Xavier. And he was a stranger.
She’d known Xavier for years. She’d first met him when he’d been in college and had come to Wishingbone to visit Reuben. Xavier was safe. Kind and caring. She trusted him.
She didn’t trust Brick. She didn’t know him. And from what she had observed of him, he was the opposite of Xavier. He wasn’t a man who was used to being defied. She’d seen his frustration when he’d had to hold himself back with her. When he’d wanted to just storm in and take charge.
But he was here to do a job. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Still, she didn’t have to trust him to check out one fine, fine ass.
He turned just as she had that thought. And she felt her cheeks grow bright red. For the first time ever, she was glad that she wasn’t able to talk. Because she had a feeling she might have just asked him if she could give his ass a squeeze.
Just a little one.
Thankfully, having to write things down rather than just blurting them out meant she had time to come to her senses.
Brick stood there for a moment, then he raised an eyebrow, and a hint of a self-satisfied smile filled his face.
Uh-oh.
She had a feeling that she hadn’t hidden the fact that she’d been checking him out all that well
Look away. Act innocent.
How was she going to survive this?
He moved slowly and easily because he thought she was a bunny. Easily frightened.
And aren’t you?
Although it was a wonder she hadn’t had a full-blown panic attack just now. She’d managed to stop it before it had really hit her.
Because of him.
Placing the first-aid kit on the counter, he drew out a stool and sat on it, then using slow movements, he drew her foot up so he could examine it.
Her dress fell back to her calf, and she sucked in a breath.
Having her skin exposed made her feel raw. Vulnerable. But it was just her foot and calf. She could handle it.
“Walking around barefoot is a damn fool idea,” he muttered.
She attempted to pull her foot away, scowling down at him. Plenty of people walked around barefoot. Who was this guy to keep snapping at her like he did? No one ever spoke to her this way.
He just kept hold of her foot.