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“You sure?” He still held on.
“I promise I’ll watch where I put my feet.”
He released his grip, but remained too close for comfort. “I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
If he wasn’t going to back off, she certainly was. Her hard hat had wobbled and she placed back on her head properly. “I’m sure I’ll learn how to navigate a construction site.”
Jet nodded. She couldn’t swear to it, but she thought she saw disappointment in his gaze. “Just be careful.”
“I will.”
Leaning over to pick up the broom she’d dropped, a string of cuss words came from the front of the house. Straightening quickly, she looked through what would be her front door to the front porch. Paxton stood, muttering, frowning, and holding his hand. “Uh, oh.”
Paxton had seen Jet lingering around Sandra and then holding on to her arm long after he should have let go. Paxton was glad that Jet had been close enough to stop her from falling over, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. And he didn’t, not one bit. Jet was a player. He had a string of women from here to Oklahoma. That guy was the last thing Sandra needed.
Distracted keeping an eye on Jet and Sandra Lynn, he’d lost his grip on the old board he was stripping and sliced his hand open on a protruding nail. The sting of his hand was almost as sharp as the sting of watching Sandra manhandled by Jet. Putting pressure on the wound, he debated going in search of the first aid kit, or laying down some house rules for the crew where the new homeowner was concerned.
“Are you okay?” Sandra appeared at his side.
“Yeah. Just a little nick.”
“Nick? Let me look at it.” Her gaze fell on the blood oozing between his fingers. “You’re bleeding. Is there a first aid kit on site?”
“In the construction trailer.” They’d set up a trailer in the far corner of the backyard.
“Keep the pressure on it. I’ll get the kit and be right back.”
Had this been a competitive sprint, she’d have won the gold medal. In half the time he would have expected, she’d returned with the first aid kit and a small bucket of fresh water as well as a roll of paper towels under her arm.
“Thanks. I can take it from here.” As much as he wanted to feel her touch, he didn’t dare let her.
“Nonsense. Give me your hand.”
As soon as she poured cool water on it, he winced. Maybe it was a bit deeper than he’d thought.
“You need to be more careful, Paxton.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” He’d been an idiot for letting Jet’s attention to Sandra get to him. “Listen, I’m sorry for the swearing earlier.”
She waved away his comment. “Nothing I haven’t heard before.”
Why did that raise his hackles?
“Relax.” She used the paper towels to wipe the wound. “Are you up to date on Tetanus?”
“Always.” That was one thing that he and his brothers insisted on for all the crew. Rusty nails and sharp objects abounded on construction sites.
“That’s good to hear.” She continued to clean the wound and then fished through the kit.
“Not exactly how I’d hoped your first day with us would go.” He tried not to wince when she squirted something on the cut.
She shook her head. “It’s not that bad.”
“I said that.”
“Not the cut.” Looking up at him through long lush lashes, she chuckled softly. “The antibiotic ointment.”
When she pressed a non-stick gauze pad onto his palm, he reflexively pulled away.
