Sorene picked up the blow torch and started burning parts of the bear. The eyes, nose, inside of the ears, she charred the wood to highlight the fur of the bear. From the bleached color of the log, the bear emerged strong, fierce, and dramatic. It never failed to please her, this last step of discovery. Once the bear and other carvings were secured in place along with the rest of the staircase, she’d add three coats of varathane for protection. But this rawness of burnt wood, after fresh carving, remained her favorite step.

She felt Ash’s eyes on her before she saw him. At some point he must have arrived and stood observing her progress. A come-hither smile painted her lips when she turned to face him, extinguishing the hand-held torch. “Hi,” she greeted.

“Damn, but you are stunning. Capable, talented, and more beautiful than any woman I’ve seen.”

“You sweet talker, you.” She set down the torch down and nearly floated into his arms for a welcoming kiss, her feet barely touching the ground.

The kiss went from a simple hello to a raging need-to-have-you in an instant.

Ash tore his mouth from hers and buried his face in her neck, nibbling.

Her knees weakened, and she grabbed hold of him in order to stay upright.

“How are we going to get any work done, when all I want to do is strip you bare and have my wicked way with you?”

“Wicked way? Hmm, I’d forgo work for some wickedness.”

He groaned. “Don’t tempt me. We need to talk.”

She studied his face. “Is it serious?”

“More clearing the air, er, clearing the past.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the SUV. “Let’s get out of the weather.”

Once they were settled in the SUV, Ash sat to face her, his back leaning against the door. “You remember I mentioned that Gideon was coming out today to give Dad a second opinion?”

She reached out a hand and placed it on his arm. “Oh, Ash—”

“No, nothing like that. Gideon gave me some hope, actually, but it was what he said afterward that I need you to hear.” He dragged in a deep breath. “I hate to bring this up again. It has to do with Leia.”

“Stop right there.” She clutched his hand in hers. “I let that go last night. It’s forgotten. I don’t want it coloring what we have moving forward.”

“You have no idea the amount of guilt I have carried around with me all these years thinking I betrayed you like that, with her. No, please let me finish. You’ll thank me when I’m done. You see, Gideon was there that night at the party. This would have all been cleared up years ago, but he’d left town early the next day and didn’t know what Leia had done. He said I was in no condition, or frame of mind, to sleep with anyone. I’d had too much to drink, smoked too much weed, trying to bury my pain of losing you. I passed out, much like I did the other night when you brought me home from the Pump House. It was Gideon who got me into bed, fully clothed. Yet, when I woke the next morning, Leia was there, naked, and my clothes nonexistent. She lied to me and has continued that lie.”

“That bitch,” Sorene spat and then stared at Ash when he laughed. “She is a bitch.”

“I know. That isn’t what I find so funny. I do believe that is the first time I’ve heard you swear.”

“Something needs to be done about her. She can’t get away with it. Crap, she’s weaving her lies around Ryder now. They’re dating. He demanded I apologize to her for the confrontation at the Pump House.”

“When did this happen? Does Ryder know what he’s getting into?”

“Apparently, she got her hooks in him since he’s in charge of the Atwood remodel. I tried to tell him what kind of person she was, but he wouldn’t listen to reason.”

“Ryder’s a Wilde. He won’t be fooled by her long.”

“I sure hope not.”

“Enough about her. I want to talk about us.”

“That’s my favorite subject.” She leaned over the console. “How about some afternoon delight?”

He laughed again. The sound quickly turned into a groan when she reached for the button on his jeans. “Christ, Sorene. There’s less room in this vehicle than my dad’s old truck.”

“You’re not thinking straight. The backseat that folds down, and I have a lot of orgasms to make up for.”

They shared a heated look and then opened the doors simultaneously and worked together to lay down the seats, feeling like teenagers again.