Shit on a motherfucking brick. I leave for ten minutes to handle a phone call from another job site I’m working on, and of course one of my men plow over the water pipes. Jesus. This day just keeps getting crazier.

I own a construction company. I’m a general contractor and we concentrate on rehabbing old homes and buildings. It’s my labor of love in this small town. I’ve always loved working with my hands, so when the opportunity came up I went with it. I’m a simple man and there’s something infinitely satisfying about building things with my hands and seeing the results as I go. When I drive down the street and see those results years later, helping to form the city I love… There’s nothing better. It makes it all worthwhile.

I lean over, looking at the pipe I’m having to repair when one of my men yells, demanding attention.

“Look at that knockout, Dex.”

I look up and see what he’s talking about. My eyes light on a curvy brunette with a mane of hair that I’d love to wrap my hands in. Her gaze moves over me and I see her stumble. Jesus H. Christ. My heart fucking falters seeing her almost fall. When she catches herself, I see that she’s still looking directly at me.

She’s about the prettiest thing I’ve had my eyes on, and she’s right on time. I definitely could use something beautiful in my life today. It doesn’t hurt that she’s checking me out. She’s doing it in a way that makes me smile. She’s not even trying to play a game to get my attention. Hell, I doubt she even realizes I’m taking her in. I am, however. Fuck. I’m all but drinking her down and committing everything about her to my memory. Her face, her curves—all of it, especially those fucking sweet legs I’d like to have wrapped around my head and my waist as I dive into her in every way I can manage.

She doesn’t realize it, but she’s just become mine. It just takes one look. I know what I want, and she’s it. This is the woman I’ve been waiting on for what seems like my entire life. I won’t let her get away from me either.

I will claim her soon.

In my family the men know when they meet the woman they’re meant to have. It was that way with my father, my grandfather and hell, even my great-grandfather. I’ve never questioned it. I was raised to believe it would happen. I have seen the evidence of it and I knew I wouldn’t settle for anything less. She’s it too. Just looking at her makes me feel like I’ve been struck by lightning. I may not know her yet, but she’ll be on top of me, under me, riding me, and any other position I can think of and it won’t be long either. I have to have her soon. I’m already picturing everything I want to do to her.

A vision of her bent over in front of me, leaning over the bed, sifts through my mind and I want to groan. Fuck, I’ll definitely be taking her from behind. My dick is throbbing just thinking about it.

As I walk toward her, I see the sweetest little blush fill her face. I wonder if she’s ever been touched. At the age of thirty-two, I know a woman’s body. With the way she’s blushing right now, I have the feeling she’s still a virgin, and from the looks of it only in her early twenties.

As I ask her for her name, I’m so engrossed in her that it’s like watching a movie. I’m talking to her, but it’s also like I’m standing in the distance watching it happen.

Emma. Her name is Emma.

I repeat it over and over in my mind, letting it sink down into every part of me.

My Emma. She’s mine. Mine to hold, to touch, to love. She was made for me. I don’t care how crazy that sounds. I don’t give a fuck. I just know it’s true.

If I need any further proof, it’s her voice. There’s never been anything more beautiful. Her voice makes me ache in all the right places. I could spend the rest of the day talking to her, but I don’t have that luxury right now. I push her. I know I am, because she has a frightened look on her face that makes me think of a doe caught in traffic about to run. I can’t let that happen.

“Let me take you out. I won’t take no for an answer, sweetheart,” I tell her, and fuck if I’m not practically holding my breath waiting for her answer. I keep my hand on her, brushing my thumb lazily back and forth. I’m trying to calm her, but just the feel of her skin against mine is enough to make me go down on my knees.

“You won’t?” she says so softly I have to strain to hear it.

“I won’t,” I answer and look into her eyes without blinking.

She needs to know I’m serious about her. I only breathe again when she finally agrees. I seal the deal with her number and that makes me feel marginally better. She’s mine now… I just have to wait until tonight. I’ll be calling her as soon as I get off of this fucking jobsite.

I can’t resist kissing her. It’s a brief kiss, our lips barely touch, but it’s enough to taste her, to commit that taste to my memory and let it sink into me. It’s enough to know that this woman is mine. I watch her walk away, my whole body wanting to protest. I want to pick her up, carry her to my trailer and lock her in there all day until I can be with her.

I know that’s fucking insane, but the feelings are there just the same. I manage to rein them in and when she turns the corner out of my sight, I manage to hold in my roar of protest too. My men are laughing and giving me shit, but I don’t care.

“Get back to work, you knuckleheads,” I growl, turning my attention back to the pipe I was working on earlier. I can’t resist looking one last time in the direction that Emma disappeared.

Soon, I promise myself.

It can’t be soon enough.