The sun looked as if it was emerging from the pond in a blaze of glory. I never got to see the sunrise in California, but I did see the most magnificent sunsets. Leaning against the handle of the shovel, I looked east and watched the sun rise in all of its magnificent glory. It was going to be a fabulous day.

A dust cloud billowed in the distance. Its girth growing as it came closer. Out of the haze came a black truck? It pulled in front of Colton’s cabin and a man and woman hopped out. The man went straight into the house, but the woman stopped to look my way. She was stunning with dark waist-length hair that flowed like a horses mane in the breeze. She stared my way, but after a moment, she turned and followed the man, and I returned to my work.

The plants were all set out in the order in which I would plant them. A marigold would be planted on the ends of each row to help with pests and insects. Green beans would be first. They were the pickiest of the plants and needed more nurturing and care. The second row was reserved for my tomatoes. Tomatoes Colton was convinced wouldn’t grow. With Gordon’s secret weapon, I would prove Colton wrong.

“Hi.”

I jumped a foot in the air. “Oh my God,” I slapped my hand to my chest hard enough to rupture a silicone sack. “You scared me.”

The girl with raven black hair and blue eyes stepped back when I turned to face her. “Oh. My. God. You’re Nikola Stone.” She looked between the house and me several times. “Does he know who you are?”

I lifted my shoulders. “I told him my name.”

“I can’t believe he has you working a patch of land. I’m Molly by the way.”

This wasn’t good. A lot of people thought they recognized me, but this woman’s recognition was absolute. “I’m kind of hiding out.”

Realization washed over her features and she lifted her fingers to zip her lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.” She looked over her shoulder at the two men approaching. “Your identity is safe with Colton too. He doesn’t know who you are because he never leaves this land.”

“What are you telling her about me?” Colton approached with the man she called Ten right behind him.

“The truth. That you’re a grumpy, too old for your age recluse.” Molly moved toward Ten and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Ten, this is Colton’s new boarder—”

Ten’s eyes grew wide. “Holy shit. You’re Nikola Stone.”

Colton’s expression remained blank. “Yeah, this is Nik.” He tilted his head toward Ten and sent him a look I recognized as bro code for help-me-out-man.

“You dumb ass. You’ve got Nik Stone working in your damn garden, and you don’t know it.” Ten broke away from Molly and pulled Colton aside. Indecipherable whispers breezed past us. The only words I heard were Ft Lauderdale and my stomach knotted. I could have gone an entire lifetime without another reminder of the Girls Gone Wild tape that went viral overnight.

I dropped the shovel and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. I stood as tall as I could in my flats and walked over to Ten. He was as tall and wide as a sturdy oak tree. “Nice to meet you.”

Colton’s face was twisted in confusion while Ten stood with a superior air about him. He’d bested his friend, and the pride rose off him like heat off asphalt on a blistering hot day.

“Can we take a picture with you?” Molly held up her phone.

“Promise not to sell it?” I knew she wouldn’t. Sometimes you could tell things about people with a single look and Molly’s look shouted trustworthy.

Colton grabbed Molly’s phone and motioned for us to scoot together. “People pay money for your pictures?”

Ten walloped him upside the head. “Don’t get any ideas. She’s not the answer to your cash flow problem. Besides, you’d have to get her naked to get the big bucks, and she has better taste in men.”

Colton snapped the picture of Molly and me and handed her back the phone. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a celebrity?”

I picked up the shovel and moved the dirt around in front of me. “It wasn’t important. I’d rather you know me for who I am than who people think I am.” I knew the minute he left, he’d be on his computer googling me, and the first picture he’d come across would be of me, tits up on the beach. “It was nice meeting you all, but daylight’s wasting, and if I want to get these planted. I better get moving.”

Molly walked over and leaned in so her whispered words could be heard. “Colton’s a good guy. You don’t need to worry about anything. Just stay out of the coffee shop. If Janice finds out there’s a celebrity in town. These woods will be crawling with looky-loos.”

“Is Janice a rumpled version of Betty White with a stained apron and a soft smile?”

She nodded with a lack of enthusiasm. “The very same.”

“Shit.” I hung my head and let my extensions curtain my face. I needed to do something about my signature, long, white hair.

“Hang low, you’ll be all right.”

“Do you live nearby?” I liked Molly, and it would be good to have a friend out here.

“No. We’re heading back to Highlands Ranch and our kids, but we’ll be back next month. Will you be here?”

My shoulders sagged with disappointment. “I hope so.”

“See ya then, Nik.” Molly gave me a warm hug.

Molly and Ten climbed into the truck and Colton went inside.

The next few hours were spent amending the soil and planting my starter plants at perfect depths for maximum success.

The cool morning air had warmed up to a hot sweaty afternoon. No way would jeans and a sweatshirt work in this heat. A pair of shorts, and a tank top would be a better choice, so I walked into the house for a can of cold soda, and a change of clothes.

Out on the porch, I looked over the land that spread out before me. The pond was glass-like except when the occasional fish came up to the surface to snatch a bug.

The water beckoned me, but it would have to be a reward for a job completed. I looked toward my project. In between the two cabins was the half-planted garden that had consumed my morning. I had literally worked my hands to the bone. Evidence of my labor, in the form of blisters, dotted my skin. Manual labor was over-rated, but it was good to create something.

In the distance, a ball of fur ran across the field. The closer it got, the larger it got. Just as Bo jumped at me, I placed my palm flat out in front of him and told him to stop. To my utter astonishment, he came to a screeching halt in front of me and sat at my side. His head rested against my thigh.

My unexpected guest begged me with pleading eyes to sit on the porch swing and pet him. It would be rude to do anything less. As I sat, he laid his snout on my knee and looked lovingly into my eyes. Oh, I was in trouble with this one. He had his game down to an art. I played with his soft ears and sipped my soda.

“That’s where you disappeared to.” The voice behind the swing startled me. Colton made his way around to the front of the porch and stood in front of Bo and me. “Bo, what are you doing up here?” He looked down at the dog and Bo lowered his head like he was in trouble. “Sorry, Nik, he has a crush on you, and I just can’t seem to control him.” Colton looked from the dog to me. His eyes scanned my body from tip to toe and came to rest at my breasts. Yep, he’d been surfing the web.

Clearing my throat, I managed to get him to lift his eyes to my face. A blush of heat rose to his cheeks. I couldn’t get upset with him. I wore a skimpy tank top to cool down, and it left very little to the imagination. Feeling a bit self-conscious I crossed my arms in front of me, but the action only pressed my breasts together. Now it looked like I was delivering them to him on a platter. Lowering my arms, I offered Colton a seat and a soda.

“I have some time, and a soda sounds great,” he said. He sat on the porch swing, and I left to grab him a drink. Once inside, I raced to my room to grab a shirt that covered more.

“Here you go. I hope you like orange soda? I have this and root beer.” I placed a bowl of water on the floor next to Bo and sat back down on the swing. There was a smile in Colton’s eyes, and I wondered what he found so humorous.

He looked past me to the plot of tilled land. “The garden looks great. You’ve made a lot of progress. Be careful you don’t get sunburned.”

“Thanks. I just changed. It was getting too hot out there.”

“You definitely look hot.” He took in my body once again.

“I should get back to work if I’m going to get the garden planted today. You’re welcome to stay here and finish your drink.” I didn’t know what to say to his obvious attempt to unsettle me. How could I look hot in shorts, tennis shoes, and a tank top? He stood and gave me a helping hand to my feet. A frown marred his beautiful face when he turned my hands over to inspect my palms. His eyes grew large when he looked at my blisters.

“Where are your gloves? Look what you’ve done to your hands.” He gripped my wrist and pulled me into the cabin. He grabbed some ice and wrapped the cubes in a paper towel then led me to the couch where he sat me down and pressed the cold compress into my palms. “Do you have a first aid kit?”

I nodded my head and told him it was in the bathroom under the sink. The cold of the ice felt nice against the heat and sting of my blistered hands. I hadn’t realized how bad the blisters were. Several of them had popped exposing raw, angry skin.

Colton came back with the box in his hands. “That’s a nice kit, I should have you fixed up in a few minutes. You’re finished with the garden today,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

“No. I have to finish it today. I’m already behind schedule.” I began to struggle against his grip on me, but he held my hands tightly as he placed a soothing salve and bandaged my wounds. “The garden should have been planted in late May. I will finish planting it today.” I hoped that my determination to finish could be heard in my voice.

Colton took both of my hands and lifted my palms to his lips. He planted kisses on my bandaged injuries and laid them back in my lap. “If you insist on completing the garden, then I’ll have to help you. You’re in no shape to finish the work. I’ll be the manual labor, and you’ll be the boss.”

“I like the sound of that, but I can finish it myself. You have stuff to take care of.” It wasn’t a good idea to keep distracting him from his job otherwise the grumpy Colton—the one who ranted and raved would return, and I didn’t like him much. “I’m touched by the offer. I bartered that garden for wood, and I’m definitely not giving it back.” Colton’s smile softened the hard lines on his face. He was dangerous because he was becoming almost likable.

“I insist, besides if I help, maybe you’ll invite me to dinner again. Would you care to barter? You make dinner, I help with the garden, and you get to keep the wood.”

“It’s chicken soup tonight, nothing special, I’m just re-purposing the leftovers. You’re welcome to join me.”

Colton’s face lit up as he stepped off the porch and walked to the garden. “Let’s get this finished then, I’m hungry for another home cooked meal.”

Three hours later, we were both covered in dirt and sweat. It was a good look for him, but I feared it didn’t read so well on me.

Colton cocked his head at the plastic bottles surrounding each tomato plant. “I don’t think the tomatoes will grow, but I applaud your initiative. I don’t get the water bottles at all. Do you care to explain how they work?”

I recited the exact words of Gordon, the garden guru. “Placing plastic bottles of water around each plant will help insulate and protect the new vines from rapid temperature changes. The water heats during the day and keeps the plant at a more stable temperature during the night. They sell these things called Walls of Water, but Gordon assured me that this was just as effective and more economical.” The information rolled off of my tongue as if I’d always been a gardener. “Do we have a hose, or do I need to water by hand?”

“We have a hose, I’ll go and fetch it. You stand here and admire your garden. I’m really proud of you, Nik. This might be the best garden yet.”

I was stunned by his compliment, I didn’t know why it meant so much to me, but his acknowledgement of my hard work made my heart swell with pride.

Colton rounded the corner with the hose in his hand and a playful look in his eyes. He proceeded to the garden and gently sprayed the new seedlings, careful not to get the leaves wet. Once everything was saturated, he turned the hose on me. “You’re filthy. I’d be failing at my job if I didn’t clean up after myself.”

The water hit me in the face and ran down my shirt, soaking me through and through. I thought I was exposed, but the cold water mixed with a wet t-shirt left nothing to the imagination. Even my over-shirt couldn’t hide my rock hard nipples.

My first instinct was to run away, but I faced him head on. I ran straight for Colton in an attempt to get the hose from him. We wrestled for dominance, spraying both of us from head to toe. In one last attempt to conquer, I lunged toward him sending us both into the mud. His body hit first and mine fell on top of him. The mud sucked around us like quicksand.

He wrapped his arms around me and rolled completely over, pinning me to the ground. The mud covered my bare legs and soaked through the cotton of my T-shirt. Above me, Colton’s face was covered with the smug look of victory.

“I’m a complete failure at my job, will you still feed me dinner?”

“Aren’t we supposed to conserve water?” I twisted my head to the side where the hose continued to run. “You are a very bad conservationist. Look at us.” He looked down at me and hummed. It was the sound of appreciation. I’d heard that sound many times, but it generally happened when I was in a mini-skirt and five inch heels.

“You look good in mud.”

“Are you trying to sweet talk me into making more refrigerator biscuits?” I pressed my hands to his chest. His muscles rippled beneath my fingertips. If I didn’t distance myself from this man soon we’d be lying naked in the mud and somehow that sounded appealing as well. Who the hell was I? The Nik I knew would never roll in the mud. I giggled to myself. That Nik was missing out. “Okay, you win, I’ll make the biscuits. Help me up. I’m afraid I’ll sink to Middle Earth.”

“Let me hose you off for real and you can do the same for me. It would be a shame to plug up the drain with all this dirt.”

I bent down, picked up the hose and started to spray him. “I think I’ll keep my mud treatment on for a few minutes. Do you know how much people pay for this at the spa?” His wet T-shirt looked pretty damn good to me. Each pass of the cold water had him tensing his stomach muscles. I could see every cord and ripple from his neck to the top button of his low hung jeans. Out of necessity, I reluctantly passed the hose to him and let him return the favor. To his credit, he did a thorough job and managed to make me feel comfortable despite the fact I was nearly naked in front of him. Once finished, he disappeared behind the cabin and came back moments later empty handed.

I walked to my place. On the cabin porch sat Bo who was much too smart to get involved in the antics of his owner.

“What time is dinner?” Colton asked as he made his way toward me.

“How about six o’clock tonight? I was going to watch a movie on my laptop later. I have a few mysteries, a couple of comedies and some action adventure. What’s your poison?” I asked.

“They all sound good. I’ll bring the microwave popcorn.”

* * *

It took me twice as long to shower. I had mud everywhere. It was stuck up my nose and buried in my ears. Unfortunately, it got into my blisters as well. Maybe I could get Colton to help re-bandage my hands, and if I was lucky, he could sweetly kiss my palms again.

The soup simmered on the stovetop.

Rosemary and garlic scented the air.

The biscuits were nearly finished.

Colton knocked on the door and entered with Bo. “Hope you don’t mind that I knocked and came in. I figured you would be busy in the kitchen.” He pointed toward the hearth and Bo went straight there and laid down.

“No, I don’t mind, I was busy in the kitchen. Did you bring the popcorn?” He reached into his back pocket and handed me the microwave popcorn.

“Yup, do you want me to build a fire or are you good?”

It was amazing how much the temperature dropped with the sun. “What’s it going to cost me? I don’t have much to barter with.”

“Oh, Nik, you have a lot to barter with, but this one is on the house. I forgot about the blisters when we were playing in the mud. Let me look at your hands.” He walked over to me and took my hands in his. A careful inspection proved that I did an acceptable job of cleaning them, but they would need his superior first aid skills. I liked his conclusion.

The smell of bread kicked me into gear. I rushed to the oven to remove the biscuits and managed to burn my finger in the process.

“Shit, ouch, ouch, ouch,” I yelled as I stuck my finger into my mouth trying to stop the burn. He was at my side in seconds, looking at the red mark caused by the piping hot, cookie sheet. In a flash I was steered toward the freezer. Colton took my finger and stuck it in his mouth. His tongue softly caressed the pad of my burned finger. My chest tightened and my nipples puckered. Just as the tense warm feeling traveled south, he released it and blew gently on the tip. The combination of hot then cold was soothing to my wound but inflamed my desire. He reached behind me into the freezer for an ice cube and grabbed a paper towel. This was becoming a habit I quite enjoyed. Not the injuries, but the after care.

I followed him to the living room where he sat me on the sofa. While I held ice to my finger, he built a fire, and then came to sit next to me.

“It’s a good thing we’re spending the day on the farm tomorrow. Your hands couldn’t survive another day. You’re still planning to take a tour of the energy grid right?” He was like a little boy asking if we were still going to visit Santa.

“Yes, I’m really excited to see what you have to show me. Do you mind if I bring my camera? I’d like to take some pictures if that’s all right.”

“That’s perfectly all right with me. Now let me take care of these hands—again.”

I let out a sigh. It was important to play the part of exasperated tenant, but inside I was an exuberant cheerleader. “You know where the first aid kit is,” I said.

Colton re-applied the salve and bandaged my hands. I didn’t get a kiss on my palms this time, which was rather disappointing, but his care was tender and thorough.

“Are you ready to eat? The soup is finished, and I don’t think the biscuits burned too badly.” I prayed there were a few good ones left, but I feared we would have to resort to crackers. I attempted to rise, but he pressed a hand to my shoulder.

“You stay, and I’ll serve you tonight. I’ll even do the dishes. I don’t want your wounds to get dirty again.”

A man who served and cleaned? That was an entertaining concept. The men I knew paid a hefty sum to avoid those activities. “Wow, how did I get so lucky?”

“How could I not help, you worked your hands raw? Hang with Bo, and I’ll be back in a minute.”

I picked up my laptop from the coffee table and loaded Friday the 13th. When he returned, we sat next to each other much the same way I did with Max, except Max never made my insides swirl or my heart skip beats.

I stayed to my side of the couch, but my eyes strayed to his lips each time he raised his spoon. Could I be jealous of a spoon?

When the movie ended, Colton leaned toward me. He was making his move, and his lips would be pressed against mine any second. I closed my eyes and waited and waited and waited. He touched me, but it wasn’t with his lips.

“What the hell is this?” His fingertips brushed across my hair and came away with a blonde extension. “You’re shedding.”

I swiped the clump from his hand. “Part of the persona.” What could I say?

“Is this you, or who people expect you to be?”

I didn’t know for sure. “It’s all so muddy at this point, I’m not sure.”

He reached forward and ran his hands along my scalp. His fingertips bounced off the beads that held my real, fake hair in place. “You like these?” His brows lifted to the fringe of his dark bangs.

“I like the way they make me feel.”

He scooted in until his thighs touched mine. “How do they make you feel?”

He wasn’t talking about his thighs against mine, but I liked it. No, he was asking how my long hair made me feel. “Long hair makes me feel beautiful.”

Rough palms cupped my cheeks. “Nik, you’re beautiful on your own. You don’t need the hair to define you.” He tapped my nose and thumbed my lips. “None of this defines you.” His fingers trailed down my chin, along my neck, and grazed my breastbone until they sat against my left breast over my pounding heart. “It’s your heart that defines you, Nik.” His calloused fingers moved in a circle over my heart making my skin prickle and heat. He leaned in and whispered in my ear. “You have a beautiful heart.”

My chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Heat raced through my veins straight to my core. Without the cushions to support me I would have puddled on the floor at Colton’s feet.

“See you tomorrow, Nik. We leave at eight.” His lips never touched mine, but his breath seared my skin like a branding iron. “Come on, Bo.”

Their outlines slipped into the shadows and they disappeared into the night.