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"Look, I know how it sounds, but please trust me when I say it's not dangerous. The leak is nowhere near the fuse box, and we haven't had rain. Plus, the fuse box is perfectly safe, just overly sensitive. If anything, it's too safe."
"There's no such thing as too safe when it comes to the girls."
Anger coiled in my gut. I didn't like what Stephanie was implying. "You know I'd never put them in danger."
"Not intentionally, no." She sighed. "Look at this place, Cole. When we moved in, you had all these grand plans to tear it down and build something new. But you haven't done a thing. You've let it fall into disrepair, and now it's leaking and the power's unreliable."
"You know, if I wanted someone to nag me, I'd get remarried."
"It's not okay for the girls to live like this. I don't want to have to go down the legal route, I really don't."
I held up a hand. "It will be fixed by the time they're back. I swear."
"You said that before.”
“Just leave it, Steph. Let me fix it.”
She pursed her lips. “Right. See you Thursday.”
Well, there went my fling plans.
***
Minutes after Stephanie left, a familiar knock sounded at my door. I opened it to find Elara standing there in work overalls with a red bandana and a high ponytail, looking like she'd stepped out of a 1950s pinup calendar. I’d never lusted after anyone in overalls before, but my cock twitched at the sight of her.
"Wow," I breathed, taking in her unexpected appearance. "You're a sight for sore eyes."
I leaned in to kiss her, but she stepped back, wagging a finger at me. "Not so fast, Mr. McCoy. I'm not here for funny business."
"You're not?"
She shook her head. "I heard you talking to Stephanie about the leak."
"Eavesdropping, huh?"
"I didn't mean to. I just took Anthony out into the yard and I heard you . . . I'm sorry."
"Don't sweat it, it's not your fault."
"So, you don't suspect me of stalking you? Excellent.” She steepled her fingers. “Everything’s going according to plan."
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Please don't worry. I'm not a stalker."
It felt so good to laugh. It was such a release. As the breath left me, it was like nothing else in the world mattered. "Well, I've got to say, I'm relieved that you're not here to stalk me."
"Nope. I'm here to help you fix that leak. I'm wearing overalls, so I should come in pretty handy."
"Be better if you weren't wearing overalls."
She shook her head. "No naughty talk until we've finished the work."
"You sure about that? Nothing I can do to change your mind?" I took a step closer, close enough to catch her jasmine-and-sea-salt scent on the breeze, close enough to feel the heat radiating off her body.
"Nothing. Come on, Cole. The sooner we finish . . ."—she looked at me with impossibly sexy eyes—"the sooner we finish."
I didn't need to be told twice.
