Chapter Three
Unable to speak, I stood there staring at him like an idiot as he set a large military-style duffle bag down on the ground next to him. He straightened and ran his hand over the back of his neck as he blinked back at me. He was just as surprised as I was.
But he must’ve recovered from the shock before I did because his piercing gaze roamed over my body as an obnoxious smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. “Bobbie,” he said with a slight nod.
I didn’t know what to say, but I needed to do some damage control to keep from making this situation any more awkward than it already was. So I smiled politely and forced myself to speak. “Seth,” I said, testing out his name and letting it roll off my tongue. “It’s, um…nice to meet you.”
Okay, yeah. So I pretended not to recognize him. It was a last second decision, and the only thing I had to go with. Sue me. His brow rose, but I ignored it and continued with my act by thrusting my hand toward him. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Yeah right. That wasn’t true at all. I didn’t know diddly-squat about this man who I had agreed to let stay at my place. But at the very least, I trusted Junior enough not to drop a psychopath off at my home without at least giving me a heads-up. So there was that.
Seth moved toward me and accepted my hand, sliding his palm over mine slowly in a way that reminded me of two hot bodies rubbing against each…
Ah hell. Who was I kidding? This guy could’ve dropped his pants and mooned me, and I would’ve thought about having sex. With him, specifically.
The battery to my libido might have been dead for the past five years, but the stellar kiss Seth had planted on me last night had somehow charged it to max capacity. Now my sexual frustration was running at full throttle, and I couldn’t seem to idle it down.
I gave his hand a firm shake and then removed mine from his as quickly as possible. While introductions were being made to Jake and Emily, I glanced repeatedly back and forth between Junior and his nephew.
God, I’m an idiot. How did I not figure this out sooner?
Genetically speaking, Seth looked like a younger-looking version of his uncle. Sure, they had some differences. But beyond the age gap and the different lengths of their hair, the resemblance was uncanny. Courtesy of Comanche heritage, both men had jet-black hair and tanned skin. But Junior’s long strands hung down his back in a thick braid while Seth had a much shorter cut with tufts of his dark hair hanging over his forehead.
But those deep-set golden-brown eyes? Yeah, those were definitely the same. And that should’ve been something I’d picked up on immediately. I’d never before seen anyone with such light eyes. Keen, hawk-like eyes that seemed to penetrate my very soul.
“Well,” Junior said, fiddling with the truck keys in his hand, “I guess I better get going if I’m going to get that horse back here sometime today. I still have to go pick up the trailer before I leave. But if any of you need anything, let me know.”
I needed something, all right. I needed him to stuff his nephew back into his truck and drive him far away from me. Because there was no way I could sleep under the same roof with this guy down the hall from me. Not after I’d had Seth’s lips on mine and knew firsthand what a great kisser he was. And definitely not with me being this sexually frustrated. I may be a lot of things, but a glutton for punishment wasn’t one of them.
That alone was reason enough to back out of this arrangement, but anxiety rose inside of me. I didn’t know how I could get out of it without having to explain why I wanted out of it. Didn’t matter, though. All I knew was that there was no way Seth could stay with me. “Junior, I…uh…” Damn. How was I going to tell him?
Junior stepped over to me and put one large hand on my shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze. “Thanks for doing this for me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. Seth didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
Oh man. Guilt coursed through me, and I began to perspire. It was too late to call the whole thing off. I’d already agreed to the living arrangement, and I had always been someone who stood by my word. Especially when it came to my family and friends.
Maybe I wasn’t keen on the idea of letting Seth stay with me, but Junior had always been there for me when I’d needed him. It was about time I finally returned the favor. Whether I liked it or not.
I plastered on a pretend smile. “No problem,” I lied, cringing internally.
Jake gazed at his watch. “Emily and I should get going, too.”
“Uh, you’re leaving?” I asked, trying to keep from sounding horrified.
Emily sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. We have to pick up Lily.” She reached for me and hugged me tight. At first, I thought it was sweet that she was trying to comfort me in my time of need. But then she whispered in my ear, “I can’t believe I’m going to miss this shit. You have to call me later with all the details. And this time, don’t forget.”
I should’ve known. Leave it to Emily to have an underlying motive.
As the three of them climbed into their vehicles to leave, my queasy stomach tightened into a knot. This whole live-in situation was going to be a complete disaster. But as Seth and I watched the others drive away, I smiled and waved at them, hoping that no one—including him—could sense that I was nearing full panic mode at the thought of being alone with him again.
Once the two trucks were out of sight, I turned my full attention onto him, and something dawned on me. Last night, he had resembled a stalking predator outside the bar with his black shirt and menacing smile. Today, however, he wore a plain white T-shirt, a pair of faded jeans, and an impish smile that lent him a much more innocent appearance. Almost as if he was more of the boy-next-door type.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. I could put on a stoic face and find some middle ground that made this temporary living arrangement doable. Right?
But an unholy grin lifted the corners of Seth’s mouth. “So I guess this answers the whole ‘your place or mine’ question.”
My heart stopped. Jesus. I was wrong. This would never work. Nothing about this man was innocent.
Last night, I’d seen exactly what kind of man Seth Landry was—one who enjoyed toying with a woman’s body and emotions. Outside the rodeo, he had focused on me with the intensity of a hungry panther before he’d slid his tongue into my mouth and taken what he wanted. Then he’d turned and walked away without giving it a second thought and leaving me wanting more.
Who does that?
No reason. No explanation. He just left with a simple good night.
But I was determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing how irritated I was over him kissing me senseless and leaving me wanting more. So I plastered a look of confusion onto my face and said, “Excuse me?” As if I didn’t have a clue as to what he was talking about. The big jerk.
“Oh, come on. You aren’t really going to stick with the whole you-don’t-remember-me bit, are you?”
Wanna bet? “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Hmm. In that case, maybe I should refresh your memory.”
My body tensed, and I took a step back to put some distance between us. “Um, okay, so maybe you do look a little familiar.”
His brow rose. “I had a feeling you might say that.”
“How could I forget? You were the guy I ran into with my grocery cart yesterday, right? It’s nice to see you again.” Without waiting for his response, I turned and lit out for the house, walking at a brisk pace.
He must’ve grabbed his duffel bag from the ground before jogging to catch up to me because when he appeared at my side, it was slung over his shoulder. “It’s okay if you don’t want to admit it, sweetheart. Just keep in mind that first impressions swing both ways.”
I came to an immediate halt and glared at him incredulously. “What? I didn’t do anything last night to make a bad first impression.”
An amused grin settled on his face. “Looks like someone got her memory back.”
Damn it. I walked right into that one. But I didn’t want to remember last night. Or talk about it. So I turned and headed for the house once again. He followed behind me, whistling an upbeat tune I didn’t recognize.
As I started up the stairs, the rotting planks creaked and bowed beneath my feet as they usually did, but Seth grasped my arm and hauled me back. “Hey!”
“Don’t move,” he ordered, turning his attention onto the sagging front porch.
He leaned down and peered beneath the stairs before straightening and cautiously moving up them one at a time. With each step, he bounced a little, as if he was testing the durability of the weathered wood. Then he even shook the hand railing to see how loose it was.
Once his preliminary review of the porch was completed, he turned back to me. “Your porch needs some work.”
“No kidding,” I said, crossing my arms. “What tipped you off—the fact that it’s old and dilapidated?”
His brows lowered over his eyes, and his mouth held a grim line. “That’s nothing to joke about, ya know? This structure is hazardous, and you could’ve hurt yourself by falling through.”
“Well, that’s what you’re here for. Can’t you fix it?”
He gazed back at the porch. “Um, yeah.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound too reassuring. Junior said you were good with your hands.”
His head snapped back to me. “You really needed someone to tell you that?”
Frustration swept over me. How the hell was I supposed to forget about last night when the arrogant ass kept reminding me? I thrust my fists onto my hips and firmed my tone. “Can you fix the damn porch or not?”
He nodded. “I can, but I think the entire porch should just be demolished and rebuilt. It’s structurally intact right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way. I could shore it up for stability, but honestly, it would be a waste of time.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Wanna bet?” Seth shook his head. “Look, if you want me to just repair it, I will. But in my professional opinion, it’s dangerous and you’re asking for a problem later on. Junior told me that you’re turning this place into a bed and breakfast. The last thing you need is for a guest to fall through the boards and sue you.”
Hmm. Good point. “Okay, fine. We’ll tear it down and rebuild. I have a whole bunch of planks in that old barn over there that can be used for the deck. That’ll at least save me some money.”
He gazed across the yard at the ramshackle barn and frowned. “Are they any good?”
“Of course. They’re brand new. I’m just storing them over there under a tarp to keep the rain from warping them.”
“What were you planning to use them for?”
“The barn’s loft is rotten in places, so I wanted to replace the floor. But the roof has a leak and I can’t do it until that’s fixed anyway. Besides, according to you, the porch seems like a more pressing issue at the moment. You can start on it tomorrow.”
“Actually, I can’t,” he said, setting his duffel bag down. “I don’t have any tools. But Junior told me to assess the repairs and let him know what I’d need. He’s going to loan me some of his.”
“That isn’t necessary,” I replied, motioning for him to follow me toward a small shed on the side of the house. “I have plenty of tools that you can use.” I flipped the hasp and swung open the wooden door. “See?”
Seth eyed the small workbench inside which held all the tools I’d purchased over the past year. His lips curled upward. “They’re pink.”
“Not all of them are. Besides, what’s wrong with pink? The color of the handle doesn’t change how a hammer works.”
“No, it doesn’t. But—”
“But nothing. If you wanted to use a different color tool, then you should’ve brought your own.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. You’ve got a point.”
“A good one.”
Seth chuckled. “Yes, it’s a good one.”
I grinned at my small victory as I closed the shed door and flipped the hasp back into place. “What kind of handyman doesn’t carry tools with him, anyway?”
“The kind who worked in remote foreign locations and traveled on a regular basis. Tools are heavy and trekking through the Amazon jungle with a pack full of them wouldn’t be easy.”
I blinked at him. “You worked in the Amazon?”
“I used to, but I’m retired from that life now. As far as I’m concerned, I’m back in the States for good.”
I’d never been out of Texas, much less in the middle of an actual jungle. My curiosity was piqued. “So what did you do over there?”
Pausing briefly, Seth looked as if he was carefully considering his words before he spoke. “I, uh…helped people.”
“Like you built grass huts for the natives? Or were you building wooden boats?”
He grinned. “You’ve been watching too much National Geographic. Not everyone in the Amazon lives in grass huts or has wooden boats.”
“Oh,” I said, surprise coloring my voice. “So then what were you building over there?”
“A life,” he answered. When I continued to look at him in confusion, he released a hard breath. “Let’s just say I have a special skill set that allowed me to take on temporary jobs that paid very well before moving on to my next assignment. But I’m done with all of that now.” He offered me a teasing grin. “I’ve returned to civilization.”
“You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”
“Pretty much.”
I shook my head. “How was I supposed to know what it’s like in the Amazon? It’s not like I’ve ever been.”
His eyes darkened, and his smile quickly evaporated. “You don’t want to go over there, trust me. Lots of bad things happen in the jungle.”
The ominous warning alarmed me, but I tried to reason the feeling away. “A lot of bad things happen everywhere.”
He hesitated. “That’s true. But in my line of work…well, I’ve seen what happens to innocent people in remote places. It isn’t pretty. You’re much safer here.”
His line of work? What the heck did that mean? After all, wasn’t he just a handyman? The worst thing he’d probably ever seen in his line of work was someone accidentally cutting off their finger with a saw. Which, now that I thought about it, was pretty gross in itself. Still, even though his sinister words unsettled me, I couldn’t help myself. Call it morbid curiosity, but I had to ask. “What kind of bad things have you seen?”
Seth’s jaw tightened. Something dark and intense flashed in his eyes, but he quickly veiled it by rubbing a hand over his face. “I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s all in the past, and that’s exactly where I’d like for it to stay.”
“Can I ask you about your job, then?”
Seth paused, his back stiffening. “I’d prefer that you didn’t.”
I wasn’t sure if something bad happened over there or not, but his unwillingness to talk about his previous employment seemed a little odd. But maybe he’d gotten fired from his old job and was still resentful toward his employer. I could understand that. Only two months after purchasing this old chicken farm, I’d gotten laid off from my bank teller position. Even now, I was still a little miffed at the bank manager for not giving me a heads-up that they were about to make some cutbacks.
If Junior hadn’t offered me a job at the diner, I don’t know how long it would’ve taken for me to find another job or how I would’ve paid my mortgage for the past year. I probably would’ve had to move back in with my mother. Which was the exact opposite of what I was trying to achieve. No one can claim to be independent when they’re living under their mother’s roof.
Seth blew out a breath. “Look, I’m sorry if that came out rude. I was just trying to say that I—”
“No, it’s fine,” I told him, shaking my head. “I wasn’t trying to pry. It’s your business, not mine. Besides, it’s not like we’re a couple or something.” Oh God, why did I say that?
His eyes met mine. “Speaking of which, we should probably clear the air about last night.”
I tried to keep myself from wincing. “No, that’s all right. I don’t need to talk about anything.”
“Okay, then you listen while I do the talking.” He moved toward me and came to a stop directly in front of me. “I’m only here for a short time.”
He didn’t say anything else, so I guessed that was his big ta-da moment. But I still didn’t understand what that had to do with me. “Okay. So what does that have to do with last night?”
“I’m a drifter. I never stay in one place long. It keeps things from getting too complicated that way.”
“Well, I sure the hell didn’t ask you to stay for the summer. That’s on you…or possibly your uncle.”
“I know that.” He sighed. “Look, I just need a quiet place to lay low for a while until I figure out where I’m heading next. But once I do, I’m leaving.”
“So? I still don’t get—”
He held up a hand to stop me. “You aren’t the type of woman who’s okay with being left behind.”
I wasn’t sure why that statement annoyed me, but it did. “You don’t know anything about me.”
He shrugged one muscled shoulder. “Let’s just say that I’m more perceptive than you think.”
“Apparently not. Because I have news for you, Seth. Last night, I planned on taking you back to my home, having my way with you, and kicking your ass out of my bed before the sun came up.”
“Oh, I know,” he said with a grin. “But you wouldn’t have asked me to leave once you got me into bed. That’s why I stopped the whole thing from happening.”
I rolled my eyes so hard that they hurt. “You really must think you’re something to make a statement like that. Maybe it would’ve been the other way around. Ever thought of that? Perhaps you would’ve been begging me to let you stay while my foot shoved your ass out the door.”
His mouth quirked with amusement. Yeah, he wasn’t buying it for a minute. Maybe he really was more perceptive than I thought. After all, he was related to Junior. “Is that a challenge?” he asked smugly.
Jeez. Was there no end to this guy’s arrogance?
His gaze scanned down my body and back up to my chest as he said, “Don’t get me wrong, Bobbie. I’m not the right guy for you. You clearly need someone who is going to stick around on a more permanent basis. That’s not me. But I’m more than happy to keep you warm until he shows up.”
Figures. Seth Landry had a special skill set, all right, but it had nothing to do with hammering nails and everything to do with getting tangled in sheets. Because if that kiss he’d planted on me last night was any indication, the man wasn’t lying about his skills in the bedroom. That was one thing I would bet my life on.
But still… “Um, no thanks. I’ll pass. Besides, I think it’s best if we keep things between us on a professional level. After all, I’m essentially your boss for the next few months.”
His lips parted in another slight grin. “Is this your way of establishing who’s in charge?”
Yep. “No. I’m just being reasonable. It makes sense to set some basic rules if you’re going to be a guest in my home.”
He nodded. “You’re right. Okay, rule number one: I’m not schmoozing with any of your family or friends.”
I glared at him. “First off, who asked you to? And second, this is my house, so I’ll be laying down the ground rules, not you.”
With a chuckle, his hand swept outward, and he said, “All right. Go ahead, then, boss.”
“Fine. Rule number one: you will not be schmoozing with any of my family or friends.”
He laughed. “Agreed. What’s rule number two?”
Shit. I hadn’t gotten that far. “Well, I, uh…I’m not washing your underwear.”
Seth snorted. “I’ll agree to that, since I don’t wear them, anyway.”
My gaze fell instantly to his crotch, but the moment I realized what I was doing, I lifted my eyes. “Okay, then I guess that problem is solved.”
He grinned. “Not yet. What about you?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. You’re not doing my laundry, and I don’t leave my unmentionables lying around the house.”
“Hmm. Too bad,” Seth said, looking me up and down as if he wanted to eat me alive. Then he moved closer to me. “Because, trust me, they’re damn sure worth mentioning. Last night, when my hand went under your shirt, my fingers grazed that satin bra you were wearing. It damn near set me off. My dick almost ripped the seam of my jeans to get at you. If I hadn’t pulled back right then, things would’ve gotten out of hand.” Then, without warning, he lifted his hand and rubbed his thumb gently across my bottom lip.
Holy hell. This man was going to be the death of me. We were supposed to be setting ground rules for living under the same roof. Not fraternizing in a sexual manner, damn it. “What are you do—”
“God, you have beautiful lips,” he said, interrupting me. As if him touching them wasn’t rude or forward enough. A devilish grin lifted his cheeks as he whispered, “One thing you’ll come to learn about me, Bobbie, is that I like being in complete control.”
Instantly, I stepped back out of his reach. “Um, we seem to be getting off course.”
He shrugged. “I don’t mind. Actually, I like this path better. It’s much more fun.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, but thankfully, I didn’t have to respond.
With a loud bark, Romeo came blazing around the back of the house. Apparently, he’d only just now realized that we had a guest that he hadn’t officially greeted. Worst guard dog ever.
“Who’s this?” Seth asked.
“He’s a stray that wandered onto the property a few months ago and decided to stay.”
Seth leaned down to pet the dog’s short brown coat. “Hey, boy.”
Romeo’s tail thudded against the ground as Seth’s other hand traveled up to scratch behind his ear. The move sent a twinge of jealousy spiraling through me, and I shifted my weight uncomfortably from one foot to another.
Seth must’ve noticed because he gazed up at me with one brow lifted and said, “Ya know, if you have an itch that needs to be scratched, I can take care of that for you, too.”
Dear Lord. This was never going to work. It was like Seth was reading my damn mind. After a five-year dry spell, I did have an itch that needed to be scratched, and the fortuitous encounter with him at the bar had only aggravated the situation further. But it was an itch I wouldn’t be scratching anytime soon, nor would he be the one doing the scratching. Not anymore.
Firming my tone of voice, I shook my finger at him to let him know that I wasn’t playing around. “Seth, if you’re going to stay here for the summer, you can’t say things like that to me. Our relationship has to be strictly platonic from this point on. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”
He straightened to his full height. “Damn. Are you always this cranky?”
Considering that I haven’t had sex in five years, I responded with a resounding, “Yes.”
He stepped toward me and leaned close, his breath disturbing the air around my ear. “Maybe you need to release some pent-up tension.”
I stood there frozen, perfectly still, as if he’d threatened to shoot an apple off my head. I swear the man was one giant ball of testosterone. “No. I, um…don’t think so. Like you said yourself, you aren’t the guy for me.” Apparently, no one was.
“Okay,” he said calmly. “Just let me know when you change your mind.”
The sexy bastard was so sure that I was going to. Well, I had news for him. Even though Seth was basically offering me the no-strings-attached sex I had been searching for last night, now it didn’t seem like a good idea. Not with him being the handyman who I’d be stuck living with for the next few months. Talk about making things incredibly uncomfortable.
Besides, he’d had his chance with me last night, and the idiot hadn’t taken it. So the last thing I wanted to do was give him the impression that he would be spending any time in my bed. Because he wasn’t.
No, seriously. He wasn’t.
When I failed to summon up any real conviction, I sighed. God. If I couldn’t even convince myself, how the hell was I supposed to persuade him that sex was no longer on the table? I turned toward the farmhouse and took in the view. It was a huge house, but with Seth staying here, it seemed a hell of a lot smaller than it normally did. Especially when I thought about him lying half naked in a bed just down the hall from me.
My stomach pigeons from the night before returned. But this time, they felt more like large flapping buzzards fighting over my entrails. Which was actually perfect for the occasion seeing how there was only one way Seth Landry was staying in my home for the entire summer. Over my dead body.
I closed my eyes. I hated to do it, but I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t want to spend the next few months in a constant state of arousal. And with him around, I was guaranteed to do just that. “I’m sorry, Seth, but I don’t think it’s going to work out for you to stay here, after all.”
“Why not? The mutt likes me.”
“Romeo likes everyone,” I said with a shrug. “But I think we need to rethink these living arrange—”
My mom’s car turned onto the driveway, and Romeo jumped up to see who the latest arrival was. The crazy dog sprang joyfully in the air while barking like a maniac. I had no doubt that he realized his best friend—and my favorite person in the world—was home.
After it rolled to a stop, my mother climbed out and waved before opening the back passenger door. It only took seconds before a brown-haired little boy tore through the yard and ran straight into my arms.
I lifted him and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, there. I missed you, monster.”
Austin pulled back and wiped at his cheek, grinning at the nickname I used on him regularly. “I missed you, too, Momma.”
Seth’s head snapped to me, and his eyes widened. “Momma? You have a kid?”