Chapter Three

 

 

hair and five o’clock shadowed olive skin were pleasing to the eye. She’d seen him around the site a few times when she had been driving potential homeowners out to different lots on the property.

“Hi there.” He waved as he stepped inside. “Peter. Peter Alden.”

“Oh.” Nodding, she stood up to shake his hand. “I’m Jane Pratt, the sales consultant out here at Covington.”

“I kind of figured.” He pointed at the nameplate on her desk and grinned.

“Right.” She pretended to laugh it off but, felt oddly stupid. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Oh yeah.”

He pulled out a paper from his back pocket and unfolded it. She didn’t miss how those subtle movements accentuated his forearms. They were well toned, muscular and had veins protruding in all the right places.

Her wandering mind was further proof that her girlfriends had been right. She did need to get out and date. Someone. Anyone. Before she turned into an old maid or some crazy cat lady.

“What do you have there?” she asked.

“Jerry, our project manager –.”

“Yes, he mentioned he was going to be coming by this morning. Is he on his way?”

“Not exactly, he had to run. But, I’ve got the list here.”

“Oh great. Here,” She motioned toward a chair. “take a seat. Do you want some water?”

“No, thank you though.”

“Are you sure? I’ve got lemonade, iced tea, even some of that fancy sparkling water that costs way too much.”

He held up his hand. “Really, I’m fine. But, thank you.”

“Okay. Let me just get signed into the database. It’ll only take a second.”

As she typed away on the keys and waited for the little round circle on her screen to open the property listings, she felt like the silence was deafening.

Was she breathing too loud?

Did she have anything hanging from her nose?

Were all men in construction this sexy? Or was it a Peter… what was his last name anyway, type of thing?

“You alright?”

“Oh yeah, sorry. It should only take a second, but the systems been running slow for the past few days.”

“Hmm. Want me to take a look at it?”

“No, that’s okay. The home office as an IT guy they’re having look into it. Probably too hot in the server room or something like that.”

“Well, it can’t be any hotter than it is out there.”

“Wow. I’m such a jerk. Here I am sitting in an air-conditioned office and I’m going on about the heat. Are the crew doing okay? I can get some more waters sent down that way. It will only take a phone call.”

He smirked. “You’re sweet. But, we all know the drill. We don’t come unprepared to a job site.”

“It is unseasonably warm for a November.”

“You’re not kidding. I hear we’re going to get some snow this weekend, though.”

“Yeah?”

She tapped her index finger on the keyboard, waiting for the database to open while wondering why was he so damn gorgeous?

“Yep. Might not see too much down in the city. But, up here in the foothills we should see an inch or two.”

“That should make showing property locations interesting.”

“I know. Bring on the mud.”

“I can’t wait.” She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Finally.” The program opened, and she reached for the list.

As he handed it to her, their fingertips touched. Only for a moment, but it was a moment that sent a chill down her spine. And not the bad kind.

“Jerry says he coded the list at the bottom. That should give you an idea of which houses will be ready before the year’s end.”

“That’ll be great. After the ad campaign the company put out last week we’ve been nearly double booked, people moving into the state quicker than we can get them built.”

“That’s Colorado for ya.” He placed his forearm on the desk and leaned closer. “Say, any chance I can change my mind on that lemonade?”

“Oh, of course.” She got up from her seat and walked around the corner to where a small kitchenette was hidden from the main office area.

Air conditioning or not, she had to take a deep breath and collect herself before stepping back out to hand him his drink. He was easily one of the best-looking men she’d seen in a long time.

“Here you go.” She handed him the glass.

“Mmm. God, that’s good!”

“I know, right? It’s some natural lemonade that Covington uses in all their sales offices I guess.”

“You guess?”

“Well, I’ve just recently started working for them.”

“I see.” He took another drink before asking, “Do you like it?”

“I can’t complain. It’s good pay, the hours are pretty reasonable, and I’ve worked for worse companies. Covington is far better than most.”

“Pretty reasonable? What’s wrong with the hours?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“It must be something or you probably wouldn’t have said it.”

She sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But, you have to promise you’re not going to laugh at me.”

“I could probably promise you quite a few things but, I don’t think that’s one of them.” He offered with a smile.

“I guess that’s fair.”

“So, what is it?”

“Now that it gets darker sooner…”

“Yeah?”

“Well, it gets kind of creepy out here at night.”

“What time are you leaving?”

“Six-ish? I don’t know. It depends on the day and what paperwork I have to finish. Last night it was nearly seven by the time I left.”

“Up here where we’re at, without much civilization for miles in all directions, I’d say it’s fair to be a little creeped out. Have you had any problems?”

“No. Nothing really. Just my own fear of the dark I suppose. You know, like every adult out there.” She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“You’re only human after all. I mean… I assume you are, right?”

“Yes, one hundred percent.”

He shrugged. “You never know.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

She pretended to read from the list he’d given her, but she was actually just buying time while she thought of a way to ask him a question that was burning through her mind.

“I am.”

“Huh?”

“A shifter. You’re wondering if I am human like you, or if I’m a shifter, right?”

“I…” she was startled by his blunt response to her unspoken question. “What –.”

He held up his hand and smiled. “It’s okay. A lot of people wonder. In this day and age, who can tell anymore?”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“So, is that a problem or you?”

“Is what a problem for me? That you’re a shifter?”

“Yeah.”

“No. Why would that be a problem for me? I’m not your boss. I’m just the sales associate.”

He set his glass down and leaned forward. “First of all, I highly doubt you’re just the sales associate. I’m sure there is much more to you than that. And secondly,” he hesitated for a moment and spoke softly, “I wasn’t referring to anything work-related.”

“Oh.”

Really, Jane? That was all you could come up with is ‘oh’? No wonder you’re single.

“So, are you working late tonight?”

“It’s looking that way.”

“I’ll tell you what then. Why don’t you let me walk you to your car tonight?”

“Oh, you don’t have to –.”

“I insist.” He stood up and pushed the glass across her desk. “Thanks for the lemonade, and the chat. They both were the perfect amount of sweet.”

Her cheeks blushed. His small compliment had been nothing short of polite, but damn if it didn’t raise the temperature in her office a good twenty degrees.

“You’re welcome.”

He turned back just as he was about to step outside. “I’ll see you tonight, Jane.”