Penny had gotten half the boxes screwed together.

She took a break and drank from her ecologically-friendly, reusable water bottle.

Worry for Brad’s boyfriend thrummed beneath the surface, but her mind kept returning to Diego Ramos. The man was hot, hot, hot.

The sexy stubble that darkened his jaw, his defined biceps, flat stomach where his thin T-shirt clung to the rippled abs, and the silky shorts that did nothing to hide his impressive bulge.

Daydreaming about things that were never going to happen was counterproductive, and she needed to pick up the pace on these boxes. The Tullys would be back soon for camp registration at two.

She looked up at the sky and noted she didn’t have much time.

She sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

She jumped about a foot in the air and whirled around. “You sure are quiet.”

Diego stood closer than she expected, dressed like he was on his way to the country club for a round of golf. His cheeks were smooth and she couldn’t help but remember the scruff that framed his lips earlier this morning. Without her permission, her gaze tracked to his mouth.

His unsmiling mouth.

Penny jerked her attention back to his eyes. In the meantime, his gaze heated and dropped to her lips. Suddenly the air around them turned soupy, thick with sexual tension and the rising humidity.

“How come you stopped earlier?”

“My assistant’s boyfriend was in an accident. I had to get him to the hospital.”

She swiped at her brow again. Diego stepped closer, lifted his hand to her cheek.

Penny stepped back. “What are you doing?” But her voice was shaky.

“You had some dirt. On your face.”

She took another step back, skimmed her gaze down his body. He was all neat and proper. “You don’t want to mess up your clothes.”

“I’ll survive.” Diego smiled faintly.

The air was supercharged. A subtle sexual tension hovered in the air; she was hyper-aware of him.

“So what are the raised beds for?”

He had no idea? But he was the boss and the Tullys had confirmed the addition with their company liaison.

“Part of this weekend retreat’s mission is to introduce sustainable gardening into corporate culture.”

She waited for his derision. He certainly hadn’t been very open since they’d reconnected.

He seemed to be waiting expectantly for more information. Except Penny had to get back to work. “Don’t take this the wrong way…but in order to get this done before the welcome reception, I need to work while I talk.”

“Multi-tasking.” He grinned, his teeth white in his swarthy face and his eyes, the color of a dark espresso, crinkled. “I’m familiar with it.”

The power of that smile nearly dropped her to her knees. She wanted to bask in that glow, but she had raised beds to build.

“Why do corporations need gardens?”

He sounded intrigued rather than disdainful, and she figured educating the CEO couldn’t hurt. “Multiple studies show that being in nature for even a short time each day increases productivity, creates a more focused mind, relieves stress, relieves inflammation—which means less employee sick days.”

Penny struggled to set the board in place. Diego stepped closer and steadied it for her. “You’ll get dirty,” she protested.

“I can also get clean.” He braced the board so she could drill in the screws. As the day had warmed up, she’d used a wide headband to keep the escaping strands of hair off her face.

She smiled. His appearance didn’t suggest that he’d gotten dirty since he was a kid. She got lost in the deep mystery of his gaze.

“Corporate gardens?”

“Oh, um, yeah.” She ducked her head and focused on screwing together the boards. “Working in the soil and with nature provides a benefit to the employees. The food harvested can either be used by the company or donated to a local food pantry.”

“What’s in it for you?”

She wanted to bristle but she kept her tone calm, even. “I charge a consulting fee to design and set up the gardens.”

“Most companies don’t need the food. They either have a food service in place or the employees are on their own.” His point was a good one.

She and Diego had settled into an easy rhythm. He anticipated her moves before she even finished, and she continued explaining her idea.

“Then they take the charitable contribution and create goodwill in their local community. It’s a win-win.”

And if one less kid went hungry, everybody won.

“Let’s get these beds lined up.” She’d gotten so used to him anticipating that she forgot he wasn’t just there to work for her.

On three they lifted the first wood frame and moved it into place.

Together they worked easily to lay out the six beds into two even rows of three. The silence was effortless, reflective, until it wasn’t.

Step one: done.

Penny avoided looking at him, choosing instead to study the area she’d already staked out. She still had to get the dirt distributed in the six beds.

“How in the world did you ever get into farming?”

There was the disdain she’d been expecting earlier. The disappointment that flooded her wasn’t a surprise. The bigger surprise was that he’d taken so long to be disparaging.

That was a discussion that they could have, oh…never.

“Degree in Ag from UMass Amherst.” She picked up the tools and loaded them into the toolbox. Next up was distributing the soil into the beds. The tools could go back in her truck.

“Not very Middlesex County of you,” he mocked.

Yeah, well, she’d left the Brahmin crowd behind. Or they’d left her behind, as it were.

“Hard to believe you muck around in the dirt. The kid I remember was always pristine. Even after a week of camp your shoes were still bleach white.”

He remembered her shoes?

“I like being dirty,” she said defensively, then the alternative meaning of her words sank in. An embarrassed flush began in her stomach and spread outward.

“In the right circumstances, dirty can be really good.” His voice pitched low, deepening.

Oh my Gawd. Desperate to shift the conversation, she said the first thing that popped into her head. “How’s that Porsche?”

“Fantastic.” But he was studying her, like he wanted to dissect her, pin her down, and discover all her secrets.

A commotion from the front of Pinecone Lodge interrupted whatever he’d been about to ask.

“Hey! I brought your clothes.” A gorgeous young, maybe twenty-two, Latina girl tossed a bag at him. She had waves of long curls with a deep purple streak along her left temple, capri jeans, and a tight T-shirt spread across her generous breasts. Together they made a stunning couple, all dark hair, dark skin and dark eyes, like the Boston equivalent of Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.

The woman skidded to a stop in front of them. Blinked at the dirt that smudged his khakis and the sweat dampening his shirt. “Just in time.” She laughed as she said it but she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Diego.

And that was Penny’s cue to get back to work.

“I checked us in.” The girl looked at Diego expectantly.

He nodded curtly.

“Sorry about the mix-up on your calendar.”

Diego snorted. “Mix-up? Is that what we’re calling it?” Even sweaty and slightly dirty, he was hot. And seeing him with the young cutie, Penny had enough. She still had hours of work ahead of her.

Well, this had been fun. Or not. But she couldn’t let him leave without thanks. “Thanks for your help.”

The girl’s jaw dropped. “Wait. You helped?”

“Zinnia.” He glared.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her gaze skimming over the morning’s work.

“No rest for me.” Penny dismissed him. “Have fun at camp.”

She had hours to go before her first official camp duties.

Diego raised his eyebrows. “You need any more help?”

“I’ve got it.” And she turned away from the sexy CEO and his gorgeous girlfriend.